What wine goes with fried chicken?
Fried chicken and sparkling wine is one of the great high-low pairings: carbonation and acidity slice through the crust's richness, and salt makes the wine taste even better.
Brut Champagne
Crisp, toasty, fine mousse
The famous pairing — bubbles versus crunch, salt versus toast. Worth experiencing once in your life.
Shop Brut Champagne from ~$40 · Vivino ↗Affiliate link · prices vary by retailer
Cava brut
Dry Spanish sparkling
Ninety percent of the magic at a third of the price. The weeknight bucket-of-chicken wine.
Shop Cava brut from ~$12 · Vivino ↗Affiliate link · prices vary by retailer
Off-dry Riesling
Sweet-tart, low alcohol
For Nashville hot chicken: sweetness soothes the burn while acid keeps things lively.
Shop Off-dry Riesling from ~$13 · Vivino ↗Affiliate link · prices vary by retailer
Sommelier's tip
Salt is sparkling wine’s best friend — don’t be shy with the seasoning.
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