10 ultimate asparagus wines
Hooray! Dutch asparagus is back. The ultimate indulgence can begin. But some haste is required. Before you know it, the season will be over again. So it’s useful not to waste any time searching for the perfect wine.
The ultimate asparagus wine is neither too light nor too heavy, preferably has no oak ageing and certainly not many tannins. It is a fresh and fruity wine that supports the light-footed character of asparagus. White is often a good—and safe—choice, but in some cases chilled, fresh and fruity red can create a sensational effect.
Not a wine that is too light, because—although mild and delicate—the white gold nevertheless has a pronounced character. At the same time, that refined flavour is precisely the reason to avoid heavy wine as well. Any oak ageing, in turn, does not pair easily with the oxalic acid present in the vegetable. The only exception to this is the grill pan; with grilled flavours, a little oak can actually be delicious. Ultimately, the sulphur-containing compounds in asparagus—which are also responsible for that familiar, fragrant asparagus pee—pair particularly badly with the robust tannins of some red wines.
à la Flamande or not?
But of course, you don’t eat asparagus on its own. The rest of your plate also determines what you drink. Will it remain vegetarian, or not? Will a classic hollandaise sauce be added? Perhaps you’ll simply go for the pure à la Flamande (mashed hard-boiled egg and parsley). Either way, choose the wine only once all of that has been decided. Every creamy addition calls for some roundness in the wine, and even the classic pinch of nutmeg can influence your choice.
10 ultimate asparagus wines
With wines made from these ten grape varieties, choosing becomes child’s play. And do try a blend of several of these varieties together. It could very well be the ideal combination.
White
Vibrantly fresh Sauvignon Blanc (e.g. New Zealand)
Asparagus à la Flamande / green garden herbs
Mild, ripe Pinot Blanc (Alsace)
Asparagus à la Flamande / asparagus with ham & egg
Full-bodied, dry Riesling (e.g. Germany or Austria)
Asparagus with lobster / cured ham
Juicy, spicy Vermentino (e.g. Sardinia)
Asparagus à la Flamande / shellfish and seafood
Lightly spicy Gruner Veltliner (Austria)
Asparagus with hollandaise sauce / salmon / chicken
Aromatic, mild Pinot Gris (Alsace) – Grauburgunder (Germany)
Asparagus soup with grilled scallops
Fruity Chardonnay without oak ageing (e.g. Italy)
Asparagus with hollandaise sauce / salmon / asparagus risotto
Aromatic, fruity Viognier (e.g. Pays d’Oc)
Thai asparagus salad
Red
Juicy, fruity Gamay (e.g. Loire or Beaujolais)
Asparagus with fine (pork) meat / tuna
Fresh, fruity Cabernet Franc (e.g. Chinon, Loire)
Asparagus with fine (pork) meat
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