Drinking coffee and wine together is hotly debated among wine lovers. Some say the bitterness of coffee makes it tough to enjoy wine. Others seek merits in bringing these drinks together. Find out more about this unusual pairing.
How To Enjoy Coffee and Wine At Dinner
In general, a cup of coffee will not pair well with a glass of wine. The heat and bitterness of the coffee simply make it difficult to appreciate the wine entirely. I know some wine experts who give up their coffee ultimately on days when they will be tasting many different wines.
To combine coffee with wine at dinner, have them at different times. For example, have a glass of wine with your main course. Then you might consider having a small cup of coffee with dessert at the end of the meal. By spacing out your consumption, you can appreciate both drinks better.
What Is Coffee-Infused Wine?
Some creative coffee drinkers are experimenting with ways to combine both drinks. For example, you can try “Apothic Brew” if you like cold brew coffee and red wine. In brief, coffee-infused wine means starting with a wine and adding coffee to the mix. In the case of Apothic Brew’s beverage, the producer specifically makes it with below-average caffeine.
Tip: Meeting colleagues for lunch? Rather than ordering a bottle of wine, a small serving of cold-brew wine on a Friday might be a better choice.
What About Heart Health Issues?
Combining alcohol intake and caffeine beverages can put some strain on the human heart. Essentially, you are putting two powerful substances into your body. If you are concerned about heart issues or heart diseases, consider staying away from coffee and wine. If you have no particular heart health concerns, moderate consumption of coffee with wine may be acceptable.
In general, it is best to practice moderate wine consumption with all types of wine. Instead of drinking wine frequently, focus on high-quality wines that you can fully enjoy.
Coffee and Wine: Answers To Common Questions
What are coffee and wine called?
Some people mix their wine and coffee into a mixed drink. This drink goes by different names like Russian coffee and coffee negroni. For instance, there is an Italian cocktail of coffee called “Caffè corretto” that involves an espresso shot with alcohol. The traditional alcohol element is brandy or grappa, but some people prefer wine instead.
What does coffee and wine do?
Before answering this question, it is wise to ask your doctor for advice for your specific suggestion. The following observations generally explain how these two drinks can affect you. Your circumstances and sensitivities to alcohol and caffeine may be different.
Does red wine go with coffee?
Yes, there are several red wine coffee cocktails. It might not be my idea of an appealing drink, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it. For some further inspiration on mixing red wine with coffee, check out these ideas:
- French Press Sangria. When I get my coffee subscription each month, I look forward to brewing my daily coffee in a French press. You can also use your French Press to make sangria. Just make sure that you thoroughly clean your French Press afterward!
- Red Wine Latte. Coffee lovers looking for something different in the winter might find this drink appealing. Get the full recipe for Cabernet Latte on How Sweet Eats.
You may have some leftover red wine after making your coffee and wine drink. In that case, you might be wondering does wine go bad. Like anything else, wine does go bad over time. But there are a few tips you can use to make your wine last longer.
What coffee consumption guidelines should I consider?
Coffee lovers should understand that their artisan coffee (or a simple black coffee) should be limited. To keep your caffeine in moderation, consider these suggestions.
- Enjoying a cup or two of coffee to start your day is a familiar ritual for many coffee drinkers. The caffeine buzz can help to wake you up. However, keep in mind the following guidelines.
- An 8-ounce cup of coffee typically contains about 80-100 milligrams of caffeine, according to the FDA. In general, “the FDA has cited 400 milligrams a day—that’s about four or five cups of coffee—as an amount not generally associated with dangerous, negative effects.”
- If you consume too much caffeine, you can suffer from anxiousness, nausea, a fast heart rate, and other ill effects. Keep within the FDA guideline (or less if your situation requires it) as a rule of thumb.
As a personal guideline, avoidance of caffeine after 5 pm is a personal rule. Consumption of coffee in the evening interferes with my sleep, and you might have the same experience.
What wine consumption guidelines should I consider?
Moderate consumption of alcohol is generally acceptable for most people. The CDIC defines “moderate drinking” in the following terms:
- One drink or less in a day for women
- Two drinks or less in a day for men
- Note: the CDIC also notes that “drinking less is better for health than drinking more.”
Excessive alcohol consumption can leads to all sorts of problems. That’s why I recommend taking your time to select a focusing on quality wine and enjoying it moderately. Even better, enjoy your glass of wine with a work of wine fiction.
Want To Discover The Best Food and Wine Pairings?
Sure, most people will tell you about essential wine pairings like “red meat goes with red wine.” If you’re reading a wine blog, you’re looking for something more interesting than that. Want to know what wine goes with Big Macs? Get the answer in the book “Big Macs & Burgundy: Wine Pairings for The Real World” by Vanessa Price with Adam Laukhuf. In less than 250 pages, you’ll learn enough food and wine pairings to keep you busy for the next decade. For a taste of what the books covers, check out my review of Big Macs and Burgundy.
