By Evolve Wine Contributor, Lauren Power
Attention Wine lovers! I have the perfect summer wine pairing for you. The dessert that’s been taking Toronto by storm is the wine pairing you didn’t know you needed: gelato & wine.
Gelato, aka the perfect summertime dessert, is just the thing you need for a post-dinner sweet tooth or a midday cooldown, and it has found its perfect match: a glass of wine. Whether you like something creamy and sweet or icy and tart, there’s a scoop and a glass of wine that is the perfect fit for you.
This Summer will be the third at On Third Thought, where I have collaborated with their team on their infamous gelato and wine pairings. Haven’t had a chance to make the trip downtown to give these a try? I’ve got you covered with a selection of the most well-loved combos you can remake at home before your next Queen and Bathurst trip.
Mango & Sauvignon Blanc
The epitome of sweet and sour, the intense flavour of the Mango gelato is perfectly balanced by the high acidity, green vegetal tones, and tropical fruit flavour of a Sauvignon Blanc! Take a bite of mango and let a chilled sip of Sauvignon Blanc dance on your tongue to bring out the best of both worlds.
On Third Thought serves its house-made mango gelato with Misty Cove Sauvignon Blanc. To recreate this at home, select a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand, the best region for this wine.
Lemon and Prosecco
Lemon gelato is one of Italy’s most popular flavours for a reason—it’s tart and refreshing! You can pair this gelato with prosecco on the side or make it a pour-over, depending on how you want to enjoy it.
Pro Tip: Reach for a Brut Prosecco every time, as Brut has the least amount of sugar (compared to Extra Dry and Dry). When pairing a sweet treat with wine, we always want to be aware of a dessert becoming too sweet or overpowering. This is why I always reach for a Brut Prosecco, as it’ll have the least amount of sugar for a glass that hits the perfect note.
Chocolate and Sparkling Red
Calling all chocolate lovers! Save this combo for your next post-dinner dessert.
On Third Thought is a vegan and allergen-conscious gelateria, which means their chocolate gelato is decadent dark chocolate. To counter the dark bitterness of this Dark Chocolate Gelato, we go full sweet mode with a Sparkling Rabosa Red wine. The wine’s sweet notes of raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries will help elevate the underlying sweetness in a more bitter scoop. Plus, the added bubbles make this a one-of-a-kind experience.
To really make this pairing pop, we recommend reaching for the same dark chocolate at home; however, your classic chocolate will work just the same if you prefer it! Pick up a bottle of sparkling red wine and enjoy!
