Festive Hanukah parties require festive wine options. Many readers ask what to drink with latkes and doughnuts at a party as they possess characteristics that make them slightly difficult for wine pairings. Although people these days are learning that they should drink what they like, food & wine pairings exist because there is some rhyme to the reason.

Latkes are often fried and can be a bit oily. Oily dishes tend to be heavy, and the best solution here is a wine that provides some contrast. We recommend a chilled refreshing wine. High acid Sauvignon Blanc wines work well, as do sparkling wines.

Dougnuts on the other hand are generally sweet, and sweet foods can make dry wines taste bitter and unpleasant. So any wine with at least a little bit of sweetness (such as a Moscato or the Jeunesse wines) will work great with dougnuts.

If you are having an intimate affair, and don’t want more than 1 bottle, a wine worth checking out is the new Bartenura Moscato Rose sparkling wine. It is a sparkling wine with some sweetness and will definitely be a crowd pleaser.