Wine is not just for fine dining – you can pair it with McDonald’s too – here’s how
A WINE buff is proving you can drink vino with any meal — by pairing it with McDonald’s grub.
Connoisseur Chris Cassell reckons a Big Mac goes perfectly with a glass of Burgundy — and McChicken Nuggets or a McChicken Sandwich taste great with champagne.
The 38-year-old believes high-end booze is not just for fine dining and hosts tasting evenings at his shop where he orders in fast food treats.
Chris’s favourite is Sauternes — a sweet, white wine from Bordeaux costing £40 — matched with the £1.19 McDonald’s Apple Pie.
He said: “We don’t all eat at Michelin-star restaurants, but most of us, like myself, like to drink wine in the evenings.
“There is a wine choice for anything you’re eating.
“I thought it would be interesting to focus on something you don’t traditionally have wine with.
“Most people think, ‘I can only think about pairing wine for a fancy dinner party, or spending a fortune on premium wines’.
“But actually, you can match any kind of wine with something.
“Prices are high at the moment but there are some great pairings available.”
Chris says the key to finding the perfect pairing is all about balance.
He recommends fusing opposite flavours such as greasy fried chicken with a fresh wine with a higher acidity, such as Champagne.
He added: “A good example is fish and chips.
“We usually add something contrasting like lemon or vinegar because it contrasts nicely with fried breaded fish.”
The wine expert says the tasting events at his Must & Lees wine shop in Islington, North London, are more popular with younger guests.
He charges £40-per-head at tasting events so guests can try five different vinos as Chris talks them through the pairings.
They have been a huge success so far, with the next events — tomorrow and August 9 — selling out.
Chris is also opening a second wine shop to possibly host similar events.
Big Mac and Burgandy
FAST-food giant’s most famous burger at £4.59 with Averys Fine Red Burgundy 2019, £21.
Expert says: “Classic, crunchy, cherry aroma. Lovely juicy fruit overlaying silk tannins.”
Nuggets & Veuve Clicquot
CHICKEN McNuggets at £4.29 with £55 Veuve Clicquot champagne.
Expert says: “This champagne is elegant and rich with large and dense bubbles. Full of appley and lemony flavours.”
Apple Pie & Sauternes
McDONALD’S Apple Pie with £40 Sauternes.
Expert says: “The palate is laden with apricot compote drizzled with honey, with a marmalade lift, a pithy freshness and demerara sweetness.”