There are some people who might think it a bit too much, pairing wine with hot dogs – but think about it. What is a hot dog, after all, but a subspecies of sausage? And sausages, in all their varied everything-but-the-squeal wonderfulness, go great with wine.
With the help of Christo Deysel, a sommelier at Vergelegen Wine Estate, below we look at the right wines to pair with your hot dogs.
Deysel says when choosing a wine to accompany hot dogs, you need to consider both your choice of meat (or vegetarian equivalent), as well as the toppings, which can vary between sweet and sour, soft or crunchy, for example.
“Focus on the final style of the dish – light ingredients or more heavy and spicy ingredients. You would also take the weather into account – your wine choice for a sunny summer day, where you enjoy your hot dog outdoors, would be different to a cold, rainy day relaxing around the fire.
“As a general comment on hot dogs and wine, a light red, Rosé, or Sauvignon Blanc would work very well with a hot dog, depending on the topping and weather. I personally think a Shiraz Rosé would be best, the fresh acidity would help to cut some of the fattiness of the sausage, and the subtle spiciness would complement the mustard and pickles,” he says.
Deysel adds that for a meat hot dog and robust topping, you could choose a wine that will stand up to these strong flavours. He says a chilled white wine that is dry and tangy, and acidic in the finish, can tame the saltiness in a sausage or spice in the topping. Alternatively, red wine with balanced tannins would be a suitable choice.
Deysel also notes that bubbly is also great to enjoy with any choice of hot dog. He says at Nguni Pop-up Café they offer their MMV Brut, as well as their Sauvignon Blanc Premium white wine, which balances perfect acidity with ripe fruit, or their Cabernet or Merlot dark red blend.
“A hot dog is an unassuming, relaxing meal best enjoyed with friends. The main thing is to remember that, like most wine and food pairings, you never know the best combination until you try, so feel free to experiment,” says Deysel.