Which Wine to Pair With Buddha Bowl?

You can't have missed it on social media: colourful, creative, the Buddha bowl is all the rage on Instagram. But the craze for the Buddha bowl is not only aesthetic!

The point is to eat a complete, healthy, balanced and tasty dish: a major advantage in vegan cooking where it is important to ensure specific nutritional intake.

Generally, vegetable proteins such as tofu are used as a substitute for meat, fish or eggs. It is above all a complete meal to fill up on vitality while ensuring that you eat as balanced a diet as possible.

Well thought out to limit dietary deficiencies, the Buddha bowl fits perfectly with the vegan diet which excludes all animal products:

Vegans do not eat meat, fish, milk or eggs.

As for veganism, it is not just a diet, it is also a way of life in its own right that excludes all products derived from animal exploitation. For example, a vegan will not wear fur or leather shoes, buy a leather sofa or use cosmetics tested on animals. Nor will they go to the zoo or circus to see animal shows.

The origin of the name Buddha bowl comes from the fact that, traditionally living on alms, Buddhist monks received the various offerings of generous benefactors in a single bowl: a diverse mixture of vegan foods. Refraining from meat themselves.

Vegan cooking does not prevent complete, balanced, hearty and tasty meals!

In this bowl, all variations are possible: vegetables, cereals, legumes and seeds. It is an all-in-one dish: raw and/or cooked, hot and/or cold.

The recipes are based on the right proportions of proteins, vegetables and leafy greens.

Sprouted seeds, fresh herb shoots, sesame seeds, chia seeds, hazelnuts, almonds, goji berries and other dried fruits, rice, pasta, lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, bulgur, beans, kale, seasonal vegetables... Avocado, pomegranate, mango, apples and other fruits also make their way into the bowl. Ginger, cumin, turmeric... a touch of spice, a drizzle of olive oil, walnut oil, linseed oil, whatever you like! A zest of lemon to harmonise the flavours... no recipe to speak of, there are a multitude of possibilities!

From one recipe to another, the flavours can be so different that it would be impossible to match this dish with a particular wine. There is one rule, however: no vinaigrette! Let's get everyone to agree: vinegar does not go with wine!

Our experts give you a few tips for a wine pairing where all variations are possible.

The emphasis should be in freshness and aromatic intensity. Lively and crunchy flavours!

⇨ WHITE WINE: Go for a dry white wine by favouring very aromatic grape varieties: Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier.

Dry Gewürztraminer will delight the palate with its exotic aromas, especially if the Buddha bowl is a sweet and sour mixture of fruits. The spicy notes of the grape variety will echo those of the dish.

With their assertive minerality, Sauvignon Blancs from cool climates are the perfect companions for green vegetables (especially asparagus). With their grapefruit aromas, Sauvignons from warmer climates are suitable for sweet and sour, spicier dishes and aromatic herbs like coriander.

Wines with a strong personality, Viogniers delight with their exuberant aromas of white flowers, violet, apricot, peach, honey, orange blossom and spices. Smooth on the palate, they reveal a beautiful aromatic persistence, with a hint of bitterness that will bring a sensation of firmness to the palate.

⇨ ROSÉ WINE: Go for a complex rosé wine with exotic fruit flavours: Provence is a must!

⇨ RED WINE:  As for the red wine, it is not the most appropriate choice with raw vegetables, but prefer a light and fruity wine like a Beaujolais for the delicacy of the Gamay. Pinot Noir from Sancerre or Cabernet Franc from Bourgueil served chilled will also work wonders. There is no need to overload the palate with a wine that is too tannic, especially if you add spices.

⇨ VEGAN WINE: Are you a vegan? The only way to ensure that your wine does not contain unwanted animal products is to drink wines with a vegan label!

Wine being fermented grapes one would think that it would be suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Think again! You should be aware that the contents of the bottle may contain animal products. So keep an eye on it, depending on your dietary restrictions.

However, there is no label that guarantees that a wine is suitable for vegetarians. The only label that would remove the doubt categorically is the vegan label, which is certainly more restrictive, but which guarantees greater transparency.

Explanation:

Often winemaking involves the use of animal products, particularly during the clarification stage. This can be done by fining, which involves removing suspended particles from the wine to stabilise it and make it clear before bottling. Fining may require coagulating aids of animal origin, such as albumin (protein contained in egg whites), casein (milk protein), gelatin (derived from animal collagen) or isinglass (fish glue).

The good news is that for all those who doubt it, from the vine to the glass, there is indeed vegan wine!

Who said that being vegan meant giving up the pleasures of wine?

Several labels are also a guarantee of transparency: the V-Label, the EVE label, the Vegan Society label and the Qualità Vegetariana label.

This gives greater clarity to consumers who are concerned not only about their health, but also about the well-being of the animals. Choices that often coincide with concerns about the environmental impact of crops and the intrinsic quality of the product: Organic Agriculture!

It is therefore not unusual for a vegan wine to be organic as well!

Some biodynamic winemakers do not use fining at all, preferring to extend the ageing period and naturally obtain a deposit by sedimentation, which is far from being a defect in the wine. However, whether or not fining is used, the organic and biodynamic labels are not always suitable for vegans.

Understand the nuances: An organic and/or biodynamic wine
⇒ may contain traces of fish glue, which will not be suitable for vegetarians.
⇒ may contain traces of egg white, which will not be suitable for vegans.

However, if the production of vegan wine does not correlate with the criteria of organic wine, the concerns specific to veganism coincide with environmental concerns linked to the choice of a healthy and organic diet.

The craze for organic wines proves that the collective conscience is awakening with regard to what it consumes and that attitudes have evolved: there is no doubt that the growth of organic wines on the market also benefits vegan wine.

Restaurant owners are very keen to include this type of wines in their vegan menus.

Veganism is a lifestyle in its own right and more and more winemakers are embracing it.

This is the case of Brigitte and Jean-Pierre Fayard of Château Sainte-Marguerite or Enzo Fayard of Château Hermitage Saint-Martin. They have much more than their family name in common! They share the same committed vision of wine. As much for the quality of the product as for the defence of environmental and animal causes. Their entire production is organic and vegan!

Drinking wine also gives some people the opportunity to respect a life ethic. It is important to have the choice!

For our part, we are delighted that vegan people can also enjoy wine!

However, given the quality of the wines offered by these winemakers, committed to the cause of veganism, one could not blame anyone who is neither vegan nor vegetarian for enjoying them with a piece of meat or a warm goat cheese salad.