You may have seen the ads suggesting that you snack on a bag of potato chips while indulging in a glass of wine. I initially found the thought laughable but then later came across an article published by Wine Enthusiast suggesting that wine and potato chip pairings are actually a thing. Investigating further I found some statistics suggesting that 50% of Canadians eat potato chips while watching TV and that 61% of Canadians have a glass of wine with their snacks at least once or twice a month.

Potato chips pair well with wine because of the salt and fat content of the chips. Following the basic principles for pairing food flavours with wine, the following combinations complement each other:

• Original classic flavour chips with Champagne or other sparkling wine. The sparkling wine is great at offsetting the salt and fat of the potato chips.
  
• Barbeque flavoured chips with Pinot Noir or Zinfandel wine. The chips have a sweet coating that goes well with one of these fruity, crisp reds. These same wines go well with ribs brushed with real BBQ sauce.

• Salt and vinegar chips with Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. The sharp and tangy vinegar on the chips needs to be balanced with a fresh bright wine.

• Sour cream and onion chips with oaked Chardonnay. The sharp, tangy chips pair well with this buttery white wine as the tropical fruit flavours and acidity contrast with the saltiness of the chips.

• Lime and black pepper flavoured chips with Sauvignon Blanc. The crisp bright tropical notes of the wine are a good balance for the lime and black pepper flavour of the chips.

• Balsamic vinegar and onion flavour chips with Merlot. The Merlot offsets the tangy sweetness of the chips.

There are a variety of other flavours of chips available in the marketplace, but this will provide the basic idea for pairing your favourite potato chips with wine.

Sláinte mhaith