{"id":2144083,"date":"2025-05-16T17:25:43","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T22:25:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/?p=2144083"},"modified":"2025-05-16T17:25:43","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T22:25:43","slug":"jalapenos-in-rose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/article\/jalapenos-in-rose\/","title":{"rendered":"This Is the Reason People Keep Putting Jalape\u00f1os in Ros\u00e9 and Sauvignon Blanc"},"content":{"rendered":"

If there's one place to find unexpected food combinations, it's social media. TikTok recipes<\/a> abound with weird combos like chamoy and pickles<\/a>, whipped cream and lemonade or Jell-O mix and grapes. The mashup going viral right now is wine with jalape\u00f1os. People drop a few thin slices of fresh jalape\u00f1o into a cold glass of white or ros\u00e9 and rave <\/em>about the taste.<\/p>\r\n

At first, this pairing seems ridiculous. But I'm a certified taster<\/a> and the author of How to Taste<\/em><\/a>, and I can tell you that there's solid logic behind this trend.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

How does this flavor combo work?<\/h2>\r\n\"Glass\r\n

The pairing of spicy jalape\u00f1os and crisp wine relies on several flavor interactions to tickle your taste buds. First, spicy notes mute sweetness. A one-note wine that leans a bit sweet will feel less sugary and more crisp when you add heat from sliced peppers.<\/p>\r\n

Second, this pairing depends on contrasting flavors. The vegetal notes from the jalape\u00f1o contrast any citrusy or berry-like notes in the wine. This contrast elevates the flavors, making them more intense and easier for you to pick out and taste.<\/p>\r\n

Finally, acid or tartness in wine is intensified by hot peppers. This doesn't mean your wine will taste sour in the presence of peppers, but many bottles will feel snappier and crisper on the palate.<\/p>\r\n

These flavor interactions are the same reason a spicy margarita<\/a> has a more punchy lime flavor than its pepper-free counterparts. This new trend is basically just the spicy margarita of wine!<\/p>\r\n

A glass of wine that's a bit boring and sweet will seem brighter, crisper and more complex just a few moments after you add slices of jalape\u00f1o. Of course, you'll also get the subtle heat of jalape\u00f1os, especially in the aftertaste. If you aren't a fan of heat, remove the seeds from the jalape\u00f1o slices before you drop them in your glass.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Which is better, jalape\u00f1os in ros\u00e9 or sauvignon blanc?<\/h2>\r\n

Most viral TikTok videos use one of two types of wine: sauvignon blanc or ros\u00e9. Both wines are good candidates for this spicy trend.<\/p>\r\n

Sauvignon blanc is known for big tropical flavors, especially when it comes from New Zealand. These wines naturally have notes of lush mango and tangy passionfruit, but many also have subtle notes of grassiness and even green bell pepper. Adding jalape\u00f1o will make those tropical flavors less sweet and elevate the greener vegetable flavors if they are present in the wine.<\/p>\r\n

If you like a savory note to your vino, then this is great news. But for some people, the wine is less enjoyable because it will taste more like bell peppers than the tropical fruits this wine style is known for. If you love those green pepper notes in a wine, look for a sauvignon blanc from Chile. You can find one on this list of white wines under $20<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

A glass of ros\u00e9 is an ideal place to pop in some pepper slices. This is especially true of ros\u00e9s on the sweeter side, which can benefit from the reduction in sweetness that spicy peppers provide. Typically, ros\u00e9 has notes of red fruits, berries and stone fruit, which all provide a nice contrast to the grassiness of jalape\u00f1o. Plus, very cold ros\u00e9 seems even more refreshing because the jalape\u00f1o heat will boost the wine's crispness!<\/p>\r\n

For the best ros\u00e9-to-pepper matchup, look for a wine that is a little darker in color. These tend to be sweeter and have heavier fruit flavors, which benefit from the lift and liveliness of the pepper's heat.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

The Best Way to Prep Your Jalape\u00f1o Wine<\/h2>\r\n

Anytime you add juices, fruits or other ingredients to wine, reach for a bottle on the less expensive side, like these ros\u00e9s under $20<\/a>. Then, make sure your wine is well-chilled. The coldness of the wine is another way to contrast the spiciness of the peppers, which will up the freshness factor. Make sure you pour the wine in a glass with a wide rim; this will allow you to enjoy the tantalizing aromas of both the wine and the peppers.<\/p>\r\n

Now that your wine is prepped, on to the peppers! The thinner your jalape\u00f1o slices, the faster the flavors will infuse into the wine. Add a few thin slices at a time, and give the flavors a minute to infuse between additions for the perfect balance.<\/p>\r\n

If your glass is full of jalape\u00f1o seeds, know that the spice level will continue to increase the entire time you enjoy your glass of wine. Alcohol is very good at extracting spicy compounds from the jalape\u00f1o seeds.<\/p>\r\n

My perfect jalape\u00f1o wine has four very thin slices of the pepper with just two or three seeds plopped into a cold glass of sweet French ros\u00e9, specifically Jean-Luc Colombo Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence Ros\u00e9 Cape Bleue or La Vieille Ferme Ros\u00e9<\/a>. The subtle spice and red raspberry flavors come together for a refreshing treat that is best enjoyed on a sunny summer day.<\/p>\r\n

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