03/03/2025
If you’re on a quest to consume all things rich and decadent before lent, nothing will pair with your pancakes like a fine cider. From dry to sweet, there’s a cider for all your pancake needs, whether they’re drowned in syrup or topped with butter and bacon. A touch of a sparkling cider also won’t go amiss splashed into the batter itself, adding depth of flavour as well as a light and fluffy texture: the perfect excuse to open a bottle or two! Here are a couple of our favourites:
Bordelet Poire Authentique, Normandy
For a marriage with the classic lemon and sugar topped pancake, this biodynamic off-dry perry, with a soft light texture and delicate pear fruit at the forefront and lightly sweet on the finish, will truly elevate your pancake experience.
Little Pomona Kingston Black, Herefordshire
For the more savoury pancake lovers, with toppings ranging from bacon to blue cheese, this is the way to go. Little Pomona’s Kingston Black apples are bitter-sweet and give an amazing structure to this Pet Nat-style sparkling cider. It’s elegant on the nose and velvety light on the palate, with slight residual sugar balancing a natural tartness. Perfectly food friendly and in 750ml, great for sharing.
While we appreciate a savoury delight as much as the next person, it is sweet decadence we truly crave. The sweet wines from Tokaji have a cult following for a reason but they can come with eye-watering costs. However, the Bodvin Sweet Cuvée from Orosz Gabor is one of the best-value examples of its kind.
The Furmint grapes are left on the vine to shrivel, concentrating their sugars and flavours before the winemaking process begins. The result is a luscious dessert wine of lemon balm and tarte tatin, all balanced by Furmint’s signature racing acidity. So, treat yourself even more and pair your pancakes with this sweet cuvée.
