Hosting an at-home happy hour has never been easier. All you need is a few glasses, a yummy snack, and a delicious bottle of wine to share. When it comes to simple snacks, hummus is always a crowd pleaser. The mouthwatering, creamy blend of chickpeas, tahini, and lemon is both simple and satisfying, and healthy, too! Whether you choose to whip up your own homemade hummus in your kitchen or grab a delicious, pre-made option at the store, there are quite a few flavor variations of this succulent spread. We’ve come up with a wine pairing for all your favorite hummus flavors, perfect for sharing with friends after a long day of work.
Plain – Rosé
Sometimes you just gotta stick with the basics. Let’s be real, you can never go wrong with plain hummus. Best of all? Choosing a wine to go with your plain hummus leaves a lot of options open. Personally, we love a medium-bodied dry rosé, particularly based off the Cabernet Franc varietal (Loire Valley all the way!). Another option is a New World Sauvignon Blanc brimming with tropical fruit flavors.
Roasted Garlic – Pinot Grigio
The slight heat that garlic’s addition can bring to a dish yearns for the zesty acidity of a northern Italian Pinot Grigio. We love the higher acid examples from Alto Adige, bursting with honeysuckle flavors and crisp citrus.
White Bean Hummus – Verdejo
This white bean-chickpea blend is ultra-creamy, needing a refreshing, medium-acid white to bring out the best of what it has to offer. We recommend a refreshing Verdejo; its stone fruit flavors and crisp mouthfeel will pair perfectly with the smooth texture of the hummus.
Spicy Black Bean Hummus – Alsatian Gewurztraminer
The heat of this hummus calls for some residual sugar to tame it down, making an off-dry Alsatian Gewurztraminer the ideal match. The slight sweetness in the wine will cool your palate down from the intense scorch of the spice. Opposites really do attract.
Roasted Red Pepper – Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
The higher-acid, earthy tones of an Oregon Pinot Noir pair perfectly with the tangy acidity in roasted red peppers. Many times, Oregon finds itself compared to Burgundy when it comes to our beloved Pinot; with Willamette, and Oregon as a whole, the mesh of New World fruit with Old World winemaking styles is key.
Avocado Hummus – New World Chenin Blanc
The balanced, tropical fruit flavors that shine through in a New World Chenin complement the round, creamy texture of this savory hummus. Look to South Africa for mouthwatering, affordable examples of this grape in the New World. It shouldn’t be too hard to find; there’s more Chenin planted in South Africa than anywhere else in the world! Though in SA, Chenin goes by the name Steen.
Sun Dried Tomato – Barbera d’Asti
The salty, savory characteristics of sun dried tomatoes call for a light, high-acid red. We’ve paired this hummus with a light Barbera d’Asti. Its bracing acidity and bright red fruit flavors complement the saltiness of the tomatoes.
Olive Tapenade – Assyrtiko
We’re rolling strong with the Mediterranean theme on this one and pairing Greece with Greece. The saltiness from the olives pairs beautifully with the crisp acidity of this indigenous Santorini varietal.
Lemon Hummus – Chablis
The naturally high acidity and tangy, citrus flavors of Chablis play perfectly off the zesty lemon flavor of this hummus. This lip-puckering pairing is ridiculously refreshing.
