Nibble, Sip, and Savor: Crafting Culinary Harmony with Non-Alcoholic Wines
/Guest contributor Shari Mac, a keto/paleo food and entertaining expert, reveals her hot take on culinary harmony for your next ‘alcohol-free’ dinner party PLUS her recipe for the viral smashed brussel sprouts
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Dinner parties and soirees are always fun. I have always loved preparing wine with hors d’oeuvres for these events.
After 35 years in the gourmet food world, as a newspaper wine and food columnist and author, I gave up all alcohol and turned to the keto diet to lose 70 pounds.
Today I pair keto and low-carb dishes with non-alcoholic wines low in sugar. For me, this means non-alcoholic wines with less than 5 or 6 grams of sugar per 6 ounces (177 mL). Why less sugar?
To burn off 10 grams of sugar from a drink, such as a non-alcoholic wine, requires significant physical activity. Depending on the intensity of the exercise, it could involve approximately 30-60 minutes of continuous aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming. Factors such as age, weight, fitness level, and metabolism will obviously influence the exact amount of exercise needed to offset this sugar consumption. Suffice to say, non-alcoholic wines low in sugar are a better choice.
Whatever your reasons, serving low-carb hors d’oeuvres and non-alcoholic wines low in sugar to family and friends can be exciting and fun.
Low-carb hors d’oeuvres keep your guests satisfied without filling them up too much before the main meal. Carb-heavy hors d’oeuvres can make guests feel too full and tired, which might affect their enjoyment of the main course and the rest of the event.
So what low-carb hors d’oeuvres and non-alcoholic wines low in sugar should you pair and prepare?
First, a brief word of caution…
I once prepared for my girlfriend’s wedding traditional wines and hors d’oeuvre pairings. I was so excited to serve to the guests Smoked Trout and Goat Cheese Crostini with Capers, Fresh Dill, and Lemon. I paired this hor d’oeuvre with a British Columbia Sauvignon Blanc. I also partnered Apple Butter Venison Sliders with an Ontario off-dry Riesling. The guests barely touched these hors d’oeuvres.
I was shocked when my guests quickly ate up my Tuna with Wasabi Mayo Wraps made with canned tuna and simple Caprese Pizzas as the first hors d'oeuvres. What was this all about? I tried this experiment a few more times with the same results. The lesson? Keep hors d’oeuvres simple. Most people gravitate toward comfort foods that they know they will enjoy.
Hosting for harmony
You can transform your dinner party or soiree into a heightened sensory experience by preparing a magical environment for your guests experencing the non-alcoholic wines.
Here are a few tips to consider when hosting and serving hors d’oeuvres and non-alcoholic wine.
Create a Theme
Create a theme. Add decor elements into the room to reflect your theme. Let your imagination go wild.
For example, make sure the theme reflects the season, so you have access to fresh, seasoning ingredients for your hors d’oeuvres.
For a rustic theme, for example, use burlap table runners or placemats. Decant reds in antique decanters. Serve the hors d’oeuvres on wooden platters. Incorporate other natural elements into the decor, such as branches, pinecones, acorns, or rocks.
Make sure your candles are unscented. You don’t want any scents interfering with the wine’s aromas or the appetizing smells coming from the kitchen. Always let the wine and food take center stage.
2. Choose Ambient Lighting
Use soft, ambient lighting to set the mood. Create a romantic and welcoming atmosphere. Consider string lights or dimmable lamps.
3. Design a Centerpiece
If setting the wine and hors d’oeuvres on a primary serving table, add a stunning centerpiece that celebrates the evening’s theme but refrain from adding fresh fruit or fresh flowers to the table.
KEY TIP: Adding fresh fruit to the table may lead your guests to eat it. The sweetness in fresh fruit can negatively impact the wonderful acidity in both red and white table wines. Sweetness can make a wine’s bright and refreshing acidity taste like paint thinner. Your guests won’t know that this is the case. They will just think you’re serving bad wine. This rule applies to traditional and non-alcoholic wine.
Keep fresh flowers away from the serving table, especially if you are decanting reds. Decanted wine can release ethylene gas that quickly wilts fresh flowers.
4. Pick the Right Wine Glasses
If choosing classic wine glasses, make sure they are the right shape. Opt for glasses with a trumpet-like design, featuring a wide bowl that tapers toward the rim. This shape enhances the wine-drinking experience by concentrating the aromas and guiding the tastes, flavors, and mouth feel across the palate. The shape of a wine glass can make or break the beauty of a wine. This holds true for alcoholic and non-alcoholic wine. Consider using a standard glass for both red and white wine or two distinct shapes to differentiate between them.
5. Don’t Skimp on The Napkins
I used to teach wine classes at Fleming College in Peterborough, Ontario. In one sensory exercise, I had the students sip wine while touching a variety of napkins, putting them up to their face and across their lips. The results were unanimous. Students discovered, first-hand, that the texture of a napkin influenced the taste of the wine. When they experimented with a paper napkin, its rough texture created friction on the palate, altering how they perceived the wine. A rough texture amplifies the perception of bitterness in wine.
Using linen napkins resulted in a more refined tasting experience. This napkin allowed for the nuances and subtleties of the wine to shine through for the students. Linen is elegant. Linen communicates that your guests are important. Choose linen over paper napkins.
6. Choose Wine-Friendly Music
In this Fleming class, we also sipped wine with different genres and styles of music. Aggressive music also created friction on the palate, causing the wines to taste harsh and/or astringent. Soft music allowed the wine to show off its best qualities. Opt for soft music.
How to Pair and Serve White and Red Non-Alcoholic Wine
There are two ways to serve non-alcoholic wines with hors d’oeuvres. The first way is to serve whatever wines you prefer and choose hors d’oeuvres you enjoy. I refer to this as the ‘free-fall method.’ There are no rules stating that your wines must harmonize with the hors d’oeuvres or vice versa.
The second method is to construct an elevated sensory experience for your guests. Choose non-alcoholic wines low in sugar that possess characteristics that harmonize with certain ingredients in the hors d’oeuvres.
Indeed, pairing hors d’oeuvres with specific wines can initially appear daunting, especially when aiming to complement multiple wine selections simultaneously. However, with thoughtful consideration of flavor profiles, textures, and complementary elements, it’s possible to create finger foods that harmonize with both white and red wine at the same time.
The Two Secret Ingredients to Wine Pairings
The secret ingredients I’m sharing does not work in all food and wine pairing situations. But they do work here with these two delicious South African wines.
The two ingredients are fresh lemon juice and salt! Of course, you would expect lemon juice and salt to work with white wines. But these ingredients also work with reds.
Traditional and non-alcoholic white wines work extremely well with dishes containing fresh lemon juice. Why? Because a white wine’s fresh acidity complements that fresh acidity in lemon we refer to as tanginess.
A white wine’s acidity also nicely offsets saltiness. Think of salt and vinegar potato chips! Or how about the classic partnership between Brut Champagne known for its acidity and salty raw oysters? Need I say more?
Smooth, fruity red wines also work with hors d’oeuvres showcasing fresh lemon juice and salt. By adding fresh lemon juice to hors d’oeuvres, the tanginess heightens the fresh berry flavors of red wine. The wine’s natural acidity also nicely offsets the saltiness in certain hors d’oeuvres.
Austere red wines with more tannin and astringency also work well with tangy and salty hors d’oeuvres. The zesty taste of lemon complements the wine’s acidity. Saltiness also softens the pleasant bitterness and astringency in austere red wine. These secret ingredients apply to both traditional and non-alcoholic wine.
Fresh lemon juice and salt work wonders with the two delicious, non-alcoholic, South African wines I’m sharing here.
These two ingredients are like the substructure and superstructure of a bridge. The ingredients work together to create a bridge between the wine and the hors d’oeuvres.
My Recommended Non-Alcoholic Wine (+ Tasting Notes)
You don’t need a lot of time slaving in the kitchen to prepare 4 or 5 hors d’oeuvres to pair with your white and red wines. Sometimes simple foods like olive and cubes of cheese can taste magical with the right wines. Let’s start with the wines!
Lautus De-Alcoholized Chardonnay
I’m absolutely in love with this South African Chardonnay, possessing 1 gram of sugar per ounce. So a 4-ounce glass possesses 4 grams of sugar. In the making of Lautus wines, in general, the winemaker deconstructs the fermented wine, removes the alcohol, and then builds it back up.
The winemaker puts the fermented Chardonnay wine through spinning cone technology twice. During the first pass the wine’s volatile flavors and aromas are extracted. The second pass separates the alcohol from the wine. The initial wine with the volatile flavor profile is then blended back into the de-alcoholized wine. This meticulous process allows the resulting Chardonnay to retain its juicy South African flavor profile without the alcohol.
Lautus De-Alcoholised Chardonnay sings at the top of its lungs with juicy citrus flavor on the nose and palate. For me yellow grapefruit comes through on the nose. The delicate palate offers zesty acidity, juicy tangerine flavor, light weight, and a decent finish. Juicy, refreshing, and delicious best describes this South African gem.
Noughty Rouge De-alcoholzed Syrah
French-trained CEO, Amanda Scott, and her team produced the brand, Nought Wines, as part of the Thomson & Scott family of products. It’s downright delicious. Noughty wines are low in sugar, halal, and sustainable. For this reason, these varietals are ideal for a Keto diet or low-carb lifestyle. You can drink any of the wines under the Noughty label.
Produced from Syrah grapes, Noughty Rouge, stands out as a crowd pleaser. This wine also has 1 gram of sugar per ounce. Big, smooth, and pleasing are good words to describe this shining star. You’ll discover fresh blackberry fruit and black licorice on the nose. The wine offers full weight, smooth texture, and juicy blackberry flavors, refreshing acidity, with a long finish. Enjoy this baby in any season. Sip Noughty Rouge in front of a roaring fire in winter or while relaxing in the sun during the summer. Take a few sips while barbecuing flattened chicken splashed with fresh lemon juice, fresh rosemary, and garlic.
Hors D’oeuvres Recipes
Baked Smashed Brussels Sprouts with Fresh Lemon and Parmigiano
Feta-Stuffed Lemon Olives
Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
Pastrami Rolls with Dijon Mustard and Microgreens
Wedges of Macedonian Feta (or another feta of choice)
Baked Smashed Brussels Sprouts with Lemon and Parmigiano
Serves 6
This wine and hors d’oeuvre partnership is, by far, the best pairing. The smashed Brussel sprouts pair with both Lautus De-Alcoholised Chardonnay and Noughty Rouge De-alcoholzed Syrah. Tangy, fresh lemon juice and salty Parmigiano cheese work together to allow both wines to shine bright in their own individuality, all the while harmonizing with the same hors d’oeuvre.
The key is to add the fresh lemon juice to the smashed Brussel sprouts just before serving.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs Brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons olive oil
Garlic powder (as needed)
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese*
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Lemon wedges for garnish
Fresh parsley for garnish
Lemon mayo dip (optional)**
*To make this hors d’oeuvre vegan, use vegan Parmigiano. You can prepare this vegan version yourself by mixing in a bowl 1 cup of blanched almond flour with ¼ cup of nutritional yeast, 2 tablespoons of garlic powder and 2 tablespoons onion powder, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper. Adjust the seasoning. The nutritional yeast provides that umami roundness and depth of flavor experienced in dairy Parmigiano. So add more if required.
**If you would like to serve a dip with the Smashed Brussels Sprouts, mix together zero carb mayonnaise with fresh lemon juice and Parmigiano. Adjust the lemon according to the way the dip harmonizes with the wine.
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray with non-stick olive oil or avocado oil. Set aside.
In a large pot of salted boiling water, blanch the Brussels sprouts for 3-4 minutes, or until they are slightly softened but still firm. Drain Brussels sprouts in strainer for a few minutes. Pat them dry to remove excess moisture.
Trim the ends of the Brussels sprouts and remove any outer leaves that are discolored or wilted.
Place the dried Brussels sprouts on the prepared baking sheet. Place a piece of folded parchment paper over one Brussel sprout. Place the bottom of a mug or glass on the parchment that’s over the Brussel sprout. Gently press down to flatten the Brussel sprout. Repeat process for all Brussel sprouts.
Drizzle or spray smashed Brussels sprouts with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Sprinkle them with grated Parmigiano. Turn them over. Spray with oil again. Sprinkle them with more Parmigiano.
Bake the Brussels sprouts in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crispy around the edges.
Remove the baked Brussels sprouts from the oven and immediately add more cheese while they are still hot. Arrange the Baked Smashed Brussels Sprouts on the serving plate. Garnish the plate as desired. Just before serving, drizzle with fresh lemon juice. Serve with the wines.
Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
Serves 6
The lemon seasoning on the wings allow both Lautus De-Alcoholised Chardonnay and Noughty Rouge De-alcoholzed Syrah to sing with their own individual character, all the while matching the flavors of the wings. In other words, the wings do not alter the character of the wines and vice versa. This is the recipe for a ‘perfect’ pairing.
Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken wings*
¼ cup baking powder
2 heaping tablespoons garlic powder
Lemon pepper seasoning as needed*
1 teaspoon onion powder
Salt to taste
Lemon wedges for garnish
Fresh parsley for garnish
*For a vegan version substitute the chicken wings with slices of firm tofu.
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Cut chicken wings in half. Locate the joint where the wing connects to the body of the chicken. Use a sharp knife to cut through this joint, separating the wing into two parts: the drumette and the wingette (also known as the flat). The drumette is the meatier portion that resembles a mini drumstick, while the wingette is the flatter, double-boned section. Simply cut through the joint to separate them. This leaves you with two halves of the chicken wing, each containing one of these parts.
In a bowl add the baking powder and garlic powder. Stir together. Coat a drumette or wingette with the baking powder mixture on all sides. Set the piece on the baking sheet. Repeat the process for all pieces. Make sure each piece is not overcrowded. Sprinkle all drumettes and wingettes with the lemon pepper seasoning.
Bake the chicken wings in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until they are golden brown on one side. Flip the wings over and sprinkle this side with more lemon pepper seasoning. Place the wings back into the oven and bake until this side is golden and crispy.
Once the chicken wings are cooked through and crispy, remove them from the oven and transfer them to a serving platter. Garnish the plate of Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings with fresh lemon wedges and fresh parsley for a pop of color and flavor. Serve hot with the wines.
Macedonian Feta Cubes
There is almost no preparation for this hors d’oeuvre. Macedonian feta has both zesty acidity (like lemon) and saltiness, the secret ingredients to complement Lautus De-Alcoholised Chardonnay and Noughty Rouge De-alcoholzed Syrah. Again, both wines pair extremely well with this simple recipe.
Ingredients:
1.5 pounds Macedonian Feta*
Directions:
Cut the feta into bite sized cubes. Serve with toothpicks.
*For a vegan version prepare vegan baked feta instead with this recipe:
Vegan Baked Feta Just make sure you add enough lemon juice so the Baked Feta is tangy enough to harmonize with the wines.
Feta-Stuffed Lemon Olives
Serves 6
In this pairing, the Lautus De-Alcoholised Chardonnay and Noughty Rouge De-alcoholzed Syrah harmonize with this hors d’oeuvre because of the tanginess from the olive filling and fresh lemon juice drizzle. The saltiness also creates the bridge in this partnership.
Ingredients:
1 cup jumbo pitted green olives
1/4 cup Macedonian feta cheese or fresh goat cheese
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: Fresh herbs like oregano or thyme for garnish
Don’t forget the toothpicks!
Directions:
Rinse the green olives and pat them dry with a paper towel.
In a small bowl, mix the soft feta cheese with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (If you are using fresh goat cheese, you may need more salt to get that salty and lemony balance.)
Take each olive and using your fingers, carefully stuff it with a small amount of the feta cheese mixture. Press the filling gently into the olive to ensure it stays in place.
Once all the olives are stuffed, arrange them on a serving platter or in a bowl. Stick a toothpick into each olive. Drizzle the olives with 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Serve with the wines.
Pastrami Rolls with Dijon Mustard and Microgreens
Serves 6
This appetizer alters the wines but in an interesting and tasty way. These pairings educate your guests about how wine interacts with food.
The zesty flavor of Dijon mustard quiets the acidity in Lautus De-Alcoholised Chardonnay, showcasing more sweetness from the wine.
The Dijon mustard in the pastrami rolls make Noughty Rouge De-alcoholized Syrah more earthy and less fruity. An interesting but delightful change of flavors.
You can substitute the pastrami for cold cut slices of turkey or chicken.
Ingredients:
6 slices of pastrami*
Dijon mustard as needed
50 grams microgreens (of choice)
*Substitute pastrami with slices of turkey, chicken, or ham cold cuts. Or use plant-based turkey slices, such as those from Lightlife Smart Deli.
Directions:
Cut pastrami slices in half, lengthwise. Add a tablespoon of Dijon mustard to each slice. Add a small handful of microgreens to the end of a pastami slice. Roll up the slice and secure with a toothpick. Refrigerate until needed. Serve with the wines.
About Shari Mac, Guest Contributor
After 35 years as a syndicated columnist, International award-winning, best-selling cookbook author, and wine judge of traditional wine, Shari MAC now shares about her passion for non-alcoholic wine low in sugar, the Keto diet, and low-carb lifestyle. Check out her website: ketopaleosharimac.com.
