Coffee might not be the absolute hardest pairing out there, but it is gunning for artichoke’s crown. The trick is to try to get a handle on how it’s being used: in the savoury recipes, it’s a bold addition to an already-bold dish… I’ll buy you a cup if you can guess what sort of wine we’ll want (hint: bold). But in the desserts, the coffee is helping to cut the richness (normally the wine’s job), so you can be a little more free with your choices.

Black Hills Estate Ipso Facto 2021 ($60)

This atypical blend from winemaker Ross Wise is 54 percent syrah and 46 percent cabernet sauvignon, and it shies away from nothing and nobody. It’s a near-perfect foil for the first recipe: the spicy, smoky syrah dances with the boldness of the coffee while the cab saddles up to the beef like an old friend.

Black Hills Estate Ipso Facto 2021

Marques de Riscal Rioja Reserva 2016 ($33)

The carrots and fish aren’t quite as bold, but they’re no shrinking violets either. So we’re still looking for some structure but perhaps with a notch or two down in body. This amazingly priced bottle of rioja from Marques de Riscal has ripe fruit but plenty of cedar and worn-in leather notes that, when paired with coffee, channel an old west trail ride vibe—but with much better food.

Marques de Riscal  Rioja Reserva 2016

Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux 2020 ($63)

The outlook for sweet wines is… not good. But that means you can access truly world-class wines at a fraction of the cost of their dry brethren. Take this bottle from the legendary Domaine Huet—it has a lot of residual sugar, yes, but also a tremendous amount of acidity, making it supremely balanced and a formidable match for the coffee-infused doughnuts on offer.

Domaine Huet  Vouvray Moelleux 2020

Find all the buzz-worthy coffee-infused recipes here.

Neal McLennan

Neal McLennan

Neal McLennan is the wine and spirits editor for Vancouver and Western Living magazines, where he susses out the wonderful (and occasionally weird) options for imbibing across Western Canada.