Whether it’s slowly coming to as you recover form that well-deserved lie-in, or simply your favourite part of the day to catch up with your besties, Brunch is a fully-fledged part of any great weekend. Combining the best bits of breakfast and lunch menus, the food options keep you interested week after week. But once you add a wine pairing to the mix, then you can elevate it to one of the food events of the week!

Whether you are a fan of savoury eggs benedict, a sweet French toast enthusiast, or something in between, the right wine can elevate your brunch experience to new heights. In this article, we’ll explore the best wine pairings for a variety of popular brunch dishes, ensuring that your next mid-morning meal is nothing short of extraordinary.

1. Classic Mimosas

No brunch is complete without the classic mimosa, a simple yet elegant blend of sparkling wine and orange juice. Whether it’s to wake up your palate, or yourself in general, this is the drink of choice to pair with those long-awaited catch-ups every weekend.

For the bubbles, traditionally, it should be Champagne, but any good quality bubbles will do the job, including Prosecco, Cava or Crémant. Just remember to use the best quality orange juice you can get your hands on!

Why It Works: The light effervescence of sparkling wine complements the acidity of the orange juice, making it a refreshing and versatile pairing for a variety of brunch dishes.

Best Pairing: Perfect for lighter dishes like fruit salads, yogurt parfaits, and fresh pastries. The citrusy notes of the drink enhance the natural sweetness of fruits, while the bubbles cleanse your palate, preparing you for the next bite.

2. Eggs Benedict and Sauvignon Blanc

Eggs Benedict, that lovely blend of healthy and devilishly decadent food, with its rich hollandaise sauce smothering those poached eggs. For such a rich dish, we are looking for a wine that can cut through the creaminess and what is better than a cool climate Sauvignon Blanc?

Why It Works: The crisp acidity of Sauvignon Blanc balances the richness of the hollandaise sauce, while its subtle green notes complement the dish’s savoury elements.

Best Pairing: A classic Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley or Bordeaux works beautifully with traditional Eggs Benedict, especially if you add a few slices of luxury smoked salmon. If we have to pick from one region, Bordeaux may be the winner, simply because of its slightly weightier body that goes hand-in-hand with the dish but without overpowering.

3. Chardonnay with Quiche Lorraine

No local bakery or café worth its crust (see what we did there?) would offer a brunch menu without Quiche Lorraine. The buttery crust, the smoky bacon, the creamy filling… We are hungry just writing this! And what better way to take it to the next level than with a glass of oaked Chardonnay!

Why It Works: The full-bodied, creamy wine suits the richness of the quiche, the notes of vanilla, butter, and toasted nuts enhance the dish’s savoury components, and the smokiness matches that bacon perfectly.

Best Pairing: A Californian or Burgundy Chardonnay would be a fantastic, albeit premium choice. Also, look out for wines from Western Australia or South Africa.

4. Rosé with Avocado Toast

Ah, Avocado on toast, can any of us remember a time when this wasn’t on a Brunch menu? Often accompanied by the word “smashed” (for some unfathomable reason), this dish is nothing short of a brunch sensation for both its simplicity and health benefits. If this is your brunch go-to, then look no further than the wonder of the summer terraces, a dry rosé.

Why It Works: The balance of crisp acidity and subtle fruitiness enhances the toast’s flavours without overpowering them, complementing the creamy, nutty flavours of avocado.

Best Pairing: Everyone’s favourite Provence rosé would work fabulously, especially if your avocado toast is topped with Mediterranean ingredients like cherry tomatoes or feta cheese. Don’t forget about the amazing gastro-friendly Spanish Rosete.

5. Sparkling Rosé with Pancakes and Berries

Arguably the greatest gift from America to the world is pancakes topped with fresh berries and cream for breakfast. If you have already been through the “oh go on, I’ll have the pancakes” debate in your head, might as well go all in and order a glass of a sparkling Rosé to enjoy alongside!

Why It Works: The bubbles and the fluffy texture of pancakes are simply great together, while its fruity notes complement the berries on top.

Best Pairing: It’s less about where it’s from and more about the style of the bubbles. You want the fruit to shine through and, if available, an extra dry or dry style will help balance the sweeter components.

6. Beaujolais with Smoked Salmon Bagels

If there’s one dish that sets you up for the day, then it’s the unctuous, rich, and classic smoked salmon bagel. Combining the rich, oily texture of salmon with the tang of cream cheese and the crunch of a toasted bagel, you know this brunch choice will see you through to dinner! And slightly controversially, we think the best pairing might well be a light red wine…

Why It Works: A light-bodied red, such as those from Beaujolais with the Gamay grape, has earthy undertones and bright red fruit flavours. The main kicker is that the wine’s acidity will cut through the richness of both the salmon and the cream cheese.

Best Pairing: Like humans, not all Beaujolais are created equal! Look for Beaujolais Villages (from the higher slopes of the region), or a light, floral Fleurie.

7. Prosecco with Eggs Florentine

This is one of those weird pairings where we are looking for food to pair with the wine rather than the other way around. Such is the juggernaut success of these North-Eastern Italian bubbles that ‘Prosecco’ is now used almost as a catch-all term for sparkling wine! Chances are you have already decided to get a glass or two (ok…a bottle!) of Prosecco. So, what should you order to go with it? Sticking to the Italian-inspired theme, try Eggs Florentine.

Why It Works: Like with the Sauvignon Blanc earlier on, Prosecco’s bright acidity and fruity notes help to cut through the richness of the hollandaise and egg yolk, while its saline and herbal qualities are fabulous to pop the earthy spinach.

Best Pairing: Like humans, not all Proseccos are created equal (haven’t we done that already?). Order a Prosecco from the original hogback hills around the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene for a true Prosecco experience.

8. Grenache with Shakshuka

A brunch option that tastes a million miles better than it looks, Shakshuka is a vibrant dish of poached eggs in a spicy tomato sauce. Tomatoes, spice, it has got to be a Grenache!

Why It Works: A bold, spicy dish needs a bold, spicy wine. Easy. Grenache’s medium body and ripe red fruit notes, as well as its underappreciated acidity, have a miraculous effect of both elevating the flavours and cleansing the palate afterwards. Genius!

Best Pairing: We would advise against going for anything too big and bold. It is brunch after all! A fragrant, light-bodied and refined Grenache from the higher reaches of Rioja’s Oriental zone will do the job to elevate your Shakshuka.

9. Moscato d’Asti with French Toast

You have had a token glance at all the healthy, savoury options. But you knew, deep down, that you were in the mood for something sweet and indulgent. It was always going to be the French toast drizzled with maple syrup, wasn’t it? With such sweetness, you will need a sweet wine to match, and a low-alcohol option like Moscato d’Asti would be perfect.

Why It Works: Sweet, slightly sparkling, floral, fruity, light-bodied and low alcohol – all the things you want to lift the heavier sweet treats on the plate.

Best Pairing: Moscato d’Asti is sadly a rare treat these days, but if by some miracle you can get your hands on a Canelli DOCG then do so. The true peak of Moscato excellence!

10. Non-Alcohol Options with…Just About Anything!

Whether a life choice, a health kick, or simply the fact it’s not quite past midday, there are many reasons to explore the non-alcoholic drinks list whether out and about or waiting for the guests to arrive. Given the range and scale of non-alcohol options, It is fairly impossible to come up with one or two supposed “perfect pairings”. But we are proud of the range of non-alcoholic beverages, with a great range of infused flavours from organic ingredients.

Best Pairing: If you’ve not tried it yet, then NON’s Salted Raspberry and Chamomile is game-changing and would pair with so many sweet brunch options such as fruit salads, yogurt parfaits, and Danish pastries, pancakes and French toast, it really can be a “bottle for the table” winner.

This Blog post is written by Mike Turner
Freelance wine writer, presenter and judge

Mike is a regular contributor for The Buyer magazine and is a certified educator and ambassador for Bordeaux, Rioja, Ribera Del Duero, Barolo and Barbaresco, running trade and consumer events across the UK from his base in the East Midlands.

Next in our food pairings series: How to Choose Wines for Your Al Fresco Dining Party?