Artichokes and Wine Pairing

Artichokes are among the most challenging vegetables to pair with wine. They contain a compound called cynarin, which temporarily suppresses the taste receptors responsible for detecting sweetness. After eating artichoke, almost any drink, including water, can taste briefly sweeter or metallic, making most wines seem thin or off. Justin sidestepped this by braising his artichokes in the rose itself and folding a rose reduction into his mayonnaise, building the wine into the dish rather than serving it alongside. At home, lighter, acidic wines such as crisp dry whites or dry rose tend to fare best when artichokes are on the plate.