Food & Wine Festival: Wine and Beer Pairings

At the Busch Gardens Williamsburg Food & Wine Festival, you can savor the flavors of the world. From Cuba to the Philippines, the Mediterranean to Jamaica, let us take you on an international journey. And this year we’re offering a little something extra. Not only will you find culinary creations from across the globe, but we’re telling you exactly which beer and wine to pair with your food to take your experience to the next level. Learn more about the flavors in each dish, wine, and beer, and exactly why they go together, when you go to each of our kiosks. To get you ready for what’s to come, here are four examples of the pairings you’ll find at this year’s Food & Wine.

Ropa Vieja + Free Verse IPA

Juicy, flavorful shredded beef is slathered in a criollo sauce and served over beans and rice to make our Ropa Vieja (literal translation: old clothes). The Free Verse IPA—a tropical, juicy, heavily hopped Indian Pale Ale—is more than up to the task of balancing out the strong flavors in this traditional Cuban dish.

Gamba Fritters + Fresh Squeezed IPA

You had us at ‘fried’ and ‘shrimp dumplings.’ The delectable Gamba Fritters at the Jamaica kiosk pair perfectly with a delicious Fresh Squeezed IPA. With a juicy citrus and grapefruit flavor profile, this Indian Pale Ale compliments the shrimp in the fritters, while the bitterness stands up to the Pickapeppa dipping sauce that comes with them.

Chicken Adobo + Mosselland Riesling

Succulent chicken is braised in a soy and vinegar marinade with sinagag garlic rice for our Chicken Adobo at the Philippines kiosk. The Mosselland Riesling contains notes of tropical fruit and a slight minerality, pairing perfectly with all types of Asian and Pacific cuisine.

Loukoumades + Rene Barbier Mediterranean White

Finally, for something sweet look no further than the Mediterranean kiosk. We’re absolutely loco for loukoumades, a sweet honey doughnut puff with cinnamon. And the Rene Barbier Mediterranean White is a great pairing. Tropical flavors abound in this Spanish wine with notes of apple, pineapple, and white flowers; this soft, creamy wine is the perfect companion for the lingering sweetness of honey.