While I am not a vegetarian or a vegan, I do prefer to eat a largely plant-based diet, very often washed down with a delicious glass of ethically made, organic wine. In the spirit of drink less, drink better and being conscious of the provenance of what I consume, here are some of my favourite wines for vegetable and grain based dishes.

It's not the colour that counts

Both red wine and white wine will work and as I've said before, the most important things to consider are the weight of the wine - how full bodied or how light it is, how aromatic the wine is and whether the food is salty, spicy, sweet or all three!

All of the wines below are also vegan so work for anyone on a fully plant-based diet. For more about what constitutes a vegan wine, please read my blog here.

Best wines to drink with grains and pulses

One of the most exciting things about pairing many of the most common plant-based and vegetarian foods with wines is that there are so many options.

Best budget wines for grains and pulses

Pinot Grigio Single Vineyard 2022, Hilltop

Nero d'Avola, La Mura

Best mid-range wines for grains and pulses

Encosta do ale Galego Colheita Branco 2021, Adega M Cordeiro

Malbec Cahors Clos du Colombier AOC 2019, Domaine de Lavaur

Best wines to drink with rich vegetable stews

Best budget wines to drink with rich vegetable stews

Verdejo IGP Tierra de Castilla Vegaval Plata 2021, Bodegas Miguel Calatayud

Rioja DOC Red 2022, Don Sancho de Londono

Best mid-range wines for rich vegetable stews

Poggio Al Sondolo IGT 2022 Tenuta Maiano

Talento Jumilla DOP Cuvee Alto 2020, Ego Bodegas

Best wines to drink with spicy plant-based food

Best budget wines for spicy plant-based food

Tursan AOC 2022 Blanc, La Cave des Vignerons Landais

Cabernet Sauvignon IGP Pays d'Oc 2019, Nouveau Monde

Best mid range wines for spicy plant-based food

Riesling Kabinett Trocken 2022, Weingut Familie Rauen

Assemblage 2022, Fabre Montmayou