Everything is better with bacon

t’s true! Especially when it comes to wine pairing. The salty, smoky taste of the bacon is a perfect foil for all sorts of wine varieties. Here are three to try this month.

White wine can be a great match for bacon, since the acidity will cut through the rich, fatty meat. The Journey’s End Haystack Chardonnay 2018 (R99) is part of the everyday drinking range from this Helderberg winery, offering value-for-money flavours in stylish new packaging. It’s a very drinkable chardonnay, with lemon-peach notes wrapped up in a fresh, zesty acidity and finished with just a hint of creamy oak. Perfect with bacon and eggs for a decadent brunch.

The smoky notes in bacon are often picked up by sensitive oak treatment, as illustrated by the Survivor Pinotage 2017 (R175) from the Swartland. It’s full of toasty, spicy flavours that complement but never overwhelm the black-fruit-laden core. As such, it’s an excellent partner for a classic pairing of streaky bacon with sweet fruit like dates or figs. The combination of salty and sweet is also often found in Cape Malay and Moroccan dishes.

Shiraz is renowned for being a good partner for any smoked meat, often exhibiting peppery, meaty notes of its own. This makes it great with bacon, as well as salami and other charcuterie. The Robertson Winery Constitution Road Shiraz 2012 (R220) is the top wine from this good-value operation. It has an attractive savoury character, with notes of dark chocolate and earthy spices among the usual pepper and cloves. It goes really well with all kinds of bacon dishes, or any other meat dish for that matter. Pairing perfection!