Borscht is a beetroot soup, served hot or cold, with an earthy sweetness and a tangy, sour edge, often enriched with beef or sour cream. The earthy beet, sweet-sour balance and any meat pair best with light, earthy reds and crisp rosé, whose acidity matches the tang and earthiness echoes the beetroot. A light Pinot Noir or dry rosé suits the soup, especially a meaty version. The wine should be fresh and earthy with bright acidity; matching the soup's sweet-sour, earthy character calls for light, savoury reds and rosé.
Our sommelier's picks
Save to PinterestEarthy light red
14–16°C (57–61°F)Pinot Noir · Germany
Pinot's earthy red fruit echoes the beetroot and its acidity matches the sour edge.
German Spätburgunder offers value.
Dry rosé
8–10°C (46–50°F)Grenache · Provence, France
A crisp rosé matches the sweet-sour beet and refreshes against the soup.
Affordable and versatile.
Crisp aromatic white
9–11°C (48–52°F)Grüner Veltliner · Austria
For a lighter, vegetarian borscht, Grüner's freshness matches the tang and beet.
Great-value Federspiel.
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Questions about pairing Borscht
What wine pairs with borscht?
Light, earthy reds like Pinot Noir, or a crisp rosé — their acidity matches the sweet-sour tang and their earthiness echoes the beetroot.
Does the beetroot affect the pairing?
Yes — its earthy sweetness is flattered by earthy reds like Pinot Noir and Blaufränkisch.
What wine for meaty versus vegetarian borscht?
A light red suits a beef-rich borscht; a crisp rosé or Grüner Veltliner suits a lighter, vegetarian one.