You will look in vain for this categorisation on any wine label. 'Breakfast wine' is a term better known to industry insiders. Sommeliers tell us their pairings for salmon, eggs Benedict and even croissants. — Photo: Zacharie Scheurer/dpa
A good meal paired with the right wine is like icing on a cake. But would you start the day with wine? While some frown upon alcohol before 5 pm, others take a more relaxed view, especially when it comes to brunch.
Wine, or 'Woi' as it is called in the central German state of Hesse, is a must with a hearty Hessian breakfast. There, famous hotels offer sparkling wines with the breakfast buffet or à la carte dishes.
This tradition is by no means a new phenomenon. And the Metropolitan Hotel in New York had breakfast wines on its menu as early as 1859. But which wines are suitable for a special kind of breakfast at home?
Joke name for certain wines
"I use the term ‘breakfast wine’ - usually jokingly - for particularly fine wines, often with a sweet residue," says Mark Barth, a representative of the Wein- und Sektgut Barth in Eltville-Hattenheim, and immediately thinks of a Kabinett.
But Barth's first choice would clearly be a sparkling wine: "A high-quality sparkling wine made using the traditional method. The carbon dioxide in sparkling wine is said to have an invigorating effect. In the morning, if you are tired, it can really boost your circulation."
His family winery loves the tradition of breakfast with sparkling wine, which dates back to a time when weekend breakfasts were becoming festive occasions and brunch was in vogue. A quality sparkling wine is a must - albeit a very dry one, Barth says, adding: "I recommend a Brut sparkling wine, which is particularly balanced and harmonious."
A Pinot Blanc Brut, for instance, made from the Pinot Blanc grape, is perfect for breakfast. Delicate, with fine fruit and a slightly softer acidity, it goes well with many sweet and savoury breakfast dishes.
Mid-morning antipasti work great with a Riesling Kabinett. Its fruity sweetness and low alcohol content go perfectly with it. — Photo: Christin Klose/dpa
Adds zing to porridge
A light, acidic 9.5% Riesling Kabinett gives a crispy amaranth quinoa porridge a "lovely freshness," says Hendrik Thoma, host of a wine podcast and a master sommelier.
Another of his favourites is a Pinot Noir Champagne with eggs Benedict or poached eggs with salmon and hollandaise sauce. After each mouthful of the creamy hollandaise sauce and salmon, the champagne "clears the palate". "You eat even more when you have the champagne on your tongue in between," he points out.
A breakfast wine should be fresh and stimulating, says Patrick Jacklin of the Weingut Heitlinger in Östringen-Tiefenbach: "A wine that doesn't make you tired is fun," says the southern German winemaker.
A Riesling Kabinett with a vibrant, acidic note or a fresh Auxerrois with an exciting fruity flavour come to mind. Burgundy's Pinot Meunier can also prove an exciting sparkling wine, or even a chilled red wine, if it has the right balance of fruit, acidity and tension.
The grape variety is secondary, especially in the morning. More important is the feeling you get from the wine as few restaurants have sommeliers on hand in the morning to make expert recommendations. "Thus, it is all the more important to match the wine to your mood, not to the flavour of your omelette," says Jacklin.
Kabbinett wine always a good match
Asked about breakfast wines, Shahzad Talukder, Vice President of the Sommeliers Union and head sommelier at the Bayerischer Hof hotel in Munich, prefers a Riesling Kabinett. "It's perfect for breakfast and ideally from the Mosel. If the Mosel Rieslings are too salty and mineral, switch to a Rheingau Kabinett," he advises.
A nice fruity, sweet note and low alcohol make a Kabinett the ideal breakfast wine. You can have a second glass without getting tipsy," says Talukder. A Kabinett wine will always work, "no matter what someone's breakfast habits are - sweet or savoury, cold or warm."
Champagne, on the other hand, is more sophisticated. This connoisseur recommends a slightly fruitier style for breakfast. If a very dry Brut Nature is an excellent aperitif in the evening, a semi-dry Demi-Sec can shine at breakfast: "Who needs their creamy, buttery French croissant with a coffee when you can have a fruity champagne?" — dpa
