Beetroot and English Wine Pairing

Roast, toast, slice or dice and pour yourself a glass

Beetroot and English wine make a surprising food pairing. It’s full of goodness and super pretty on the plate and is great with red, white or English Sparkling Wine.  This humble vegetable has a long history. Beetroot has been grown for thousands of years and is thought to date way back to 300BC in Greece when it was used as a medicine and dye.  It’s not until the mid-1500s that the root of beetroot was cultivated for culinary uses.  And it took until the end of the century for the bulbous form to be grown that we are so familiar with today.

Beetroot is now grown across the UK. The fertile soils of the Cambridgeshire Fens are considered one of the most desirable beetroot growing regions. The Fens provide the perfect combination of fertile soil, sun and water to produce a sweet, full-flavoured, earthy vegetable. It’s one of those love hate foods, marred for some by memories of 1970’s salad of pickled beetroot and a grey overboiled egg. But scrub that thought. In the last 10 years beetroot has gained a reputation as a superfood adored by athletes and chefs alike. It has a lovely long UK growing season from June to February and makes a colourful, surprising pairing with English wine.

Beetroot Crisps with English Chardonnay

So simple and so, so good any time they are in season. Thinly slice 3 raw beetroots, toss in a teaspoon of English rapeseed oil and sea salt. Lay out on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for an hour and a half at 150degrees. Don’t overlay them. Check and turn if necessary halfway through. They make the best nibbles ever with a glass of English Chardonnay and are so much healthier than crisps.

English Wine and Beetroot Pairing: Ashdown Valley Chardonnay

Beetroot Summer Salad with English Sauvingnon Blanc

Oven roasted beetroot salads with a sharp English goats’ cheese or yoghurt, fresh dill and English grown olive green lentils in early summer. Make an interesting food and wine pairing with an English Sauvignon Blanc.

English Wine Pairing: Woodchester Valley Sauvignon Blanc.

Beetroot Risotto with English Pinot Noir

For a full on British delicious take using only local ingredients replace risotto rice with organic spelt wholegrain. Rich and flavoursome. Delicious with a glass of English Pinot Noir.  See our tasting notes on 12 of the best Pinot Noir 2020.

English Wine Pairing: Gusbourne Twenty Twenty Pinot Noir from Boot Hill Vineyard.

Carpaccio Beetroot with English Rosé

Thinly slice raw beetroot sprinkle with English coldpressed rapeseed oil and cider vinegar and serve with English chickpea falafel, roasted tomatoes and garlic flatbreads.  Perfect with an English rosé.

English Wine Pairing: Dancer in Pink Rosé from the Black Chalk Winery.