5 Fun Fast Food And Wine Pairings You Need To Try At Least Once

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You come home from the drive thru, open the bag of food you just ordered from your favorite fast food joint, and before unwrapping your burger, tacos, nuggets, or fries, you head to your wine fridge to select a red or a white. If that scenario seems odd to you, it's no surprise. Wine is not something we usually think of drinking with a fast food meal. But Camille Parson Goldstein, the co-founder of Muddling Memories, a hospitality company which creates beverage programs for brands, bars, and restaurants, doesn't see why not. "Fast food is still food and wine loves food," she told Chowhound in an exclusive conversation.

When pairing wine with fast food, you don't need to reach for your least expensive bottles. "You can absolutely enjoy fast food with wine or Champagne," Goldstein says. "It's an amazing juxtaposition of fast, quick affordable food with a wine that would usually be served with a gourmet meal. Highbrow vs lowbrow!"

Pairing wines with fast food is ultimately a matter of personal preference and trial and error. "[It's] always best to go with what you enjoy and see what works. With fast food, remember it will be rich as most is fried or over-processed, so go with wines that can stand up to the richness and cut it with bright flavors and acid," she explains. To help you get started, Goldstein, a hospitality professional for more than 20 years, shared an array of fast food items and the wines she would serve with them.

While there are a lot of things you probably didn't know about McDonald's Filet-O-Fish, you probably didn't realize it pairs well with a Picpoul de Pinet, a white wine made from an ancient grape of the same name that grows in the Languedoc region of southern France. The crispy fillet of wild-caught Alaskan Pollock on a bed of melted American cheese, topped with creamy tartar sauce, and encased in a steamed bun calls for a wine with a limestone terroir by the sea, Camille Parson Goldstein says. "This is an amazing wine to pair with my favorite Mickey D's item." 

If you're after something bolder or slightly sweeter, there are a few other options. In her book "Big Macs and Burgundy: Wine Pairings for the Real World," sommelier Vanessa Price recommends an Austrian Blaufränkisch, a strong fruit-forward red, or a Finger Lakes semi-dry riesling. When Chowhound asked wine expert Helena Nicklin for five ways to pair McDonald's food with wine, she suggested enjoying a Filet-O-Fish with a crisp and citrusy New Zealand sauvignon blanc.

For Taco Bell's Crunchwrap Supreme, which Chowhound ranked as one of the top Taco Bell bestselling menu items, Camille Parson Goldstein recommends Txakolina, a low-alcohol white, slightly bubbly wine from the Basque region of Spain. Also known as Txakoli, this relatively new wine — it was first made in the 1960s — is usually poured into the glass from high up to maintain its effervescence. 

The Crunchwrap Supreme features seasoned beef topped with a warm nacho cheese sauce, a crispy tostada shell, lettuce, diced tomatoes, and reduced-fat sour cream, all folded into a flour tortilla and then grilled to order. "The acid in the Txakolina dances nicely with all the flavors going on in the Crunchwrap," Goldstein explains. "The cheese, beef, sour cream and tortilla are a mouthful and this bright white washes it down nicely."  Since Txakolina is thought to go well with anything from shellfish to beef, you can try it with many of Taco Bell's other menu items.

For Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets, which placed second in our ranking of fast food chicken nuggets and tenders, Camille Parson Goldstein recommends Ruinart Blanc de Blanc. "This Champagne is 100% white chardonnay grapes and gives you this refreshing sip of yeast, lemon, and passionfruit that is the perfect compliment to the buttery fried chicken nuggets." In general, sparkling wines go well with fried food, as their high acid levels break down the fat and give more balance to the dish.  

For less expensive options, you can try a Prosecco from Italy. Prosecco differs from Champagne in several ways, including the grape from which it is made, but still maintains a bright acidity. Other bubbly options that pair well with Chick-fil-A's chicken nuggets (or chicken nuggets in general) include crémant, also from France, or a Cava from Spain.

For Wendy's Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger, Camille Parson Goldstein selected a red Bordeaux blend. However, Goldstein isn't suggesting anything on the order of the 1957 Bordeaux that put a $6,000 price tag on a Carl's Jr. combo served at a Las Vegas resort. Bordeaux blends generally contain a combination of two or more of the region's red grapes, including cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, carmenère, malbec, and petit verdot. You can buy a highly rated Bordeaux blend for as little as $12. 

"A dirty French and a burger is always a good idea," Goldstein says. "This tannic red wine is smooth and makes the bacon and red meat the hero with this pairing." The burger came in at No. 2 on Chowhound's ranking of every Wendy's burger for its noticeable bacon flavor and texture, so you can trust that this food-and-wine flavor combo will hit the spot.

For her final recommendation, Camille Parson Goldstein suggested another sparkling wine, pairing Cava, a sparkling rose wine from Spain, with KFC's Hot Honey Chicken Combo. "The Cava wakes up the taste buds and the sweet acidity of the rose plays nicely with the spiciness of the hot honey and fried chicken," she explains. As noted above, you don't want to make a mistake by not pairing bubbles with fried food. As Goldstein says, "You can never go wrong with bubbles and chicken." The sweet, spicy and crunchy chicken, made with Mike's hot honey, served with a side and a biscuit, is available for a limited time only.

It's possible you have never thought of pairing wine with your favorite fast food. But with Goldstein making such heavenly matches, you might start thinking differently about what you'll drink the next time you head to McDonald's or Chick-fil-A. Really, you might need to get that corkscrew ready.