The short answer
Houston food is smoky, spicy, salty, and rich, so it needs wines with fresh acidity, ripe fruit, and moderate alcohol. Big, oaky, high-alcohol wines tend to clash with chili heat, while crisp whites, rosés, and juicy reds make Houston’s favorite dishes taste better.
At Nice Winery, a Houston winery founded by chefs and sommeliers Ryan Levy & Ian Eastveld, food pairing is the starting point for every wine we make and every dinner we host. Here is how we pair wine with the dishes Houstonians eat most.
Texas BBQ
Brisket. Fatty, smoky brisket needs a red with enough tannin to cut the fat and enough fruit to stand up to the bark. Nice Winery produces the Nice Winemaker’s Reserve Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, Nice Organic No Sulfites Malbec, and Nice Winery Petite Sirah to make your pairings sing. Tannin binds with the fat and proteins, so each bite and sip refreshes the other.
Pork ribs with sweet sauce. Sweet, sticky sauce makes dry, tannic wines taste bitter. Choose a fruit-forward red such as the “The Vixen” by Nice Winery, a Grenache and Syrah blend.
Smoked sausage and jalapeño links. Spice and salt call for a juicy, lower-tannin red like the Nice Pinot Noir.
Smoked turkey and chicken. Lighter meats pair well with the Nice Organic No Sulfites Malbec, Nice Winery Viognier, or a full-bodied rosé like the Nice Rosé benefitting The Rose.
Gulf Coast seafood
Raw Gulf oysters. Briny oysters love crisp, mineral whites with no oak: the Nice Napa Valley White Wine, Nice Texas Blanc – Alta Mira Vineyard, and Nice Winery Verdelho.
Boiled crawfish and shrimp boils. Cajun spice, salt, and corn want something cold, slightly fruity, and refreshing. We suggest Nice Winery Brut Rosé Sparkling Wine or the Wildcat Chardonnay. Avoid heavy reds, which make the spice feel hotter.
Grilled redfish and snapper. Mild, flaky fish pairs with whites like the Nice Texas Blanc – Alta Mira Vineyard, or the lightly oaked Nice Winemaker’s Reserve Chardonnay. Blackened fish can handle a chilled red such as Nice Organic No Sulfites Malbec.
Fried shrimp and fish. Nice Winery Brut Rosé Sparkling Wine is the classic match for anything fried, because acidity and carbonation scrub the palate between bites. Try our Nice Winemakers Reserve Brut Rosé.
Tex-Mex and Viet-Cajun
The rule for spicy food: alcohol amplifies heat, while a touch of sweetness and bright acidity cools it down.
Fajitas. Grilled skirt steak with charred peppers suits a juicy Malbec like the Nice Organic No Sulfites Malbec.
Enchiladas with red chili sauce. Earthy chili and melted cheese pair with Nice Winery “Gratitude” Red Wine.
Tacos al pastor. Pork with pineapple and spice is a natural match for our Nice Demi-Sec Sparkling.
Queso and guacamole. The crisp Nice Napa Valley White Wine balances the richness.
Viet-Cajun crawfish. Houston’s own garlic-butter, lemongrass, and cayenne crawfish needs a cold, aromatic white with a hint of sweetness. We suggest Nice Winery Viognier or the Nice Winery ‘Ariana’ Charity Wine for OpHeart.
Quick-reference pairing chart
We have served our Nice Yakima Cabernet Franc with Chef Ian’s 22-hour smoked brisket, and the award-winning Nice Vin Blanc with red snapper and poblano salsa, at our Rodeo Champion Wines Dinner. The Vin Blanc, a Mount Veeder blend of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier, earned Class Champion and Double Gold honors at the 2025 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition.
Learn food and wine pairing hands-on in Houston
The fastest way to learn pairing is to taste it. Nice Winery was founded in 2007 by Ryan Levy and Ian Eastveld, certified sommeliers and Le Cordon Bleu-trained chefs. Our tastings are seated classes with chef-crafted bites, not stand-at-the-bar pours.
We also host multi-course wine dinners where every dish is built around a specific wine, often using produce from our own garden. Our wines won Top All-Around Winery at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition in 2024, 2025, and 2026.
Nice Winery is in Spring Branch at 1220 Lumpkin Rd., near I-10 and Beltway 8. See upcoming classes and dinners.
Frequently asked questions
What wine goes best with Texas brisket?
A red with firm tannin and ripe fruit. The tannin cuts through the fat, and the fruit balances the smoke. At Nice Winery, try the Nice Winemaker’s Reserve Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, Nice Organic No Sulfites Malbec, Nice Winery Petite Sirah, or Nice Yakima Cabernet Franc.
What wine goes with crawfish?
Cold, crisp wines with a touch of fruit. For a crawfish boil, we suggest Nice Winery Brut Rosé Sparkling Wine or the Wildcat Chardonnay; for Viet-Cajun crawfish, try Nice Winery Viognier or the Nice Winery ‘Ariana’ Charity Wine for OpHeart. Avoid heavy, high-alcohol reds, which make the spice taste hotter.
What wine pairs with spicy Tex-Mex?
Wines with fresh acidity, juicy fruit, or a touch of sweetness. Try the Nice Organic No Sulfites Malbec with fajitas, Nice Winery “Gratitude” Red Wine with enchiladas, Nice Demi-Sec Sparkling with tacos al pastor, and the Nice Napa Valley White Wine with queso and guacamole.
Can you drink red wine with seafood?
Yes, when the fish is boldly seasoned. Blackened redfish or snapper pairs well with Nice Organic No Sulfites Malbec.
Where can I learn food and wine pairing in Houston?
Nice Winery in Spring Branch offers seated, sommelier-led wine classes with chef-crafted bites, plus multi-course wine pairing dinners. Book at exploretock.com/nicewines.