Potato Chip Wine Pairings

CLASSIC POTATO CHIPS

Friends, two words: Sparkling Brut. Salt and fat both love Sparkling Brut (and vice versa)—the wine’s high acidity and the prickle of those bubbles are the ideal preparation for the next chip, and the next, and the next, and so on.

BARBECUE CHIPS

Barbecue chips get their flavor from a weird range of ingredients—honey powder, onion powder, garlic powder, hickory smoke powder, barley malt powder, tomato powder, the list goes on. But one thing that’s common to a lot of them is sugar, believe it or not. Generally, for sweet food you’d pour a sweet wine, but who the heck wants sweet wine with barbecue chips? The better answer is ripely fruity and luscious like a red blend.

SOUR CREAM & ONION CHIPS

Whatever it is that chip companies use for the sour cream-ish dust they coat chips with, you’re still going to want a fairly substantial white for this species of chip. At the same time, a little acidity helps, too, otherwise, you’ve just got a richness piled on top of richness. An unoaked Chardonnay is perfect to cut through this richness.

SALT & VINEGAR CHIPS

Tanginess loves tanginess when it comes to wine pairing (a vinaigrette on a salad will make a tart white like Sauvignon Blanc taste less sharp). That’s true for the chip as well. With these zesty chips, go for a light, bright, zingy white Sauvignon Blanc.

PARMESAN & GARLIC CHIPS

Here's the thing with rosé, it really is such a versatile wine it will go well with any chip, but it definitely will pair alongside the Parmesan & Garlic (or any intense) Chips deliciously. The fruitiness, softness, and acid will add brightness, but not more astringency to this already intense bite.