Seven layer dip: impossible food-wine pairing?!?

Football playoff season is upon is. The last college game wrapped up last night with the BCS championship and this weekend the NFL playoffs kicks off.

So we need to pair this viewing with some food. Since we have previously tackled wings and chips and salsa, this time we round out the viewing with something heartier: seven layer dip!

For those of you who haven’t enjoyed the dish, imagine a layer of refried beans imbued with chiles or other seasoning, then slather on a couple of ripe avocados (or guacamole), smother that in an inch of sour cream, then add an inch of salsa, some lettuce, cheese and possibly olives. Scoop it out with tortilla chips. Although it may sound gross to the uninitiated, it has an amazingly magnetic effect on those in the room.

So what would you pair with seven layer dip–or is it impossible?!?

31 Responses to “Seven layer dip: impossible food-wine pairing?!?”


  1. Grenache will do the job with panache!


  2. If barley wine is an acceptable answer, then can I extrapolate to Three Floyd’s Gumball Head? Otherwise, Riesling.


  3. Bubbly always works!


  4. This is fun! Please try MOVADO Alto Adige (Italy)gewürztraminer from Catina Terlano’s Andrian collection


  5. I imagine you’d need an oily, full bodied white… I’m going with Viognier


  6. A white blend like “Conundrum” or “Seven Daughters” would work very well because of its combined flavors from several grape varietals that can balance the myriad of flavors in the dip. For example, “Seven Daughters” is a blend of Chardonnay, Symphony, Riesling, Orange Muscat, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc and French Colombard. “Conundrum” is made by the same people who own Caymus. Although their blend is proprietary, I know it contains at least 4-5 of the same grape varietals as “Seven Daughters”.


  7. I say Rose, something like a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Rose with a lots of fresh fruit.


  8. No way. Spicy, rich dip like that? I say go big or go home, just like the teams you’re watching. Something with the body to stand up to the spice, but enough acidity to balance the fats in the dip? I’m going to pick the St. Francis Zin. Delicious. (Go Pats!)


  9. If you would do beer, a Ballast Point Sculpin IPA or a Stone Double Bastard would be delicious with that..but for wine I’m going to say a Syrah, something from central CA..Paso Robles..Or if you have a bottle, a Biale Thomann Station PS might be fun.


  10. Easy. Corona, margarita or if it must be wine, sangria!


  11. Yes, the dip/spread is addictive with considerable salt within and on the chips, needing a beverage to be quaffed over three or four hours while intensely engrossed in the action or in the gossiping on the sidelines: I vote for light, cool, flavorful and modest alcohol – Beaujolais-Villages. But if you insist on being serious serve a good producer cru. Save the big red for the grilled steaks served later.


  12. After many years of searching for just the right wine for Mexican style dishes I discovered a wine from Southern Italy that is a perfect match for the spicy, tomatoey corniness that makes these foods a favorite. Librandi wines from Apulia are made with the Gaglioppo grape are perfect. For those on a budget the Ciro Rosso is 100% Gaglioppo and for those looking for complexity, Librandi Gravello with the addition of Cabernet Sauvignon is a delight.


  13. The food sounds so disgusting that it would have to be a new world wine. Maybe the only time for such a wine.


  14. Jerry,
    Me thinks you doth protest too much.


  15. Spicy Zin … or maybe Lambrusco ?


  16. Torrantes, floral with a touch of sweetness to keep balance. Odd choice but I think it will work.


  17. There are lots of fats in this SEVEN LAYER dish, lard in the refried beans, dairy fat in sour cream, fat in avocado, dairy fat in the cheese. You need a wine with tannin and some attitude. I would go with either a peppery Zinfandel, a full Shiraz with spice, or a Chiannti with a fullness asking to be toned down with the fat in this dish. These reds are great in the Winter. However, in the Summer, try an Alscaen Gerwurztramminer with spice and floral.


  18. Beer. Ice cold beer.


  19. Laurie,
    Bueno y gracias


  20. Tennis and wine is a better pairing.


  21. […] matching is great sport, I know, and there is no intrinsic harm in Dr. Vino’s tongue-in-cheek debate over what wine goes best with 7-layer taco […]


  22. Well I’m new to the food and wine industry…but here is my idea, follow the flavors, go with Chicha!!
    What is it? Well…

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicha


  23. This calls for a craft-made pilsner like from Brooklyn Brewery.

    For a wine, a bone dry rosé with decent acidity to cut trough all the grease!


  24. Lot’s of good suggestions.

    Ice cold beer would be my first go-to.

    As far as wine, Torrontes gets my vote along with some of the crisp, fruity white blends.

    For red I’d try a fruity Zinfandel, Beaujolais, young Sangiovese, Garnacha or something light/medium bodied and uncomplicated.

    So Tyler, what’s your vote? Thank you for asking, but why are we doing your job?


  25. Good suggestions for this impossible pairing!

    It’s a fatty, salty, spicy dish, so maybe a cava would work? Or a zippy rose?


  26. Rich pinot gris or a nice fuller bodied Tavel.
    maybe a light RRV zin.


  27. I’m going to go with a spicy, peppery Zin. Mmmm, the spicy wine and the spicy dip will be just what the doctor ordered to warm ya right up in the dead of winter! Or for something totally different, and because I always suggest it with hard-to-pair foods, a crisp, dry Rosé. Yep, even in winter. Or a Negra Modelo if you’re in a beer mood. Or, and I just remembered this, I recently paired a spicy tomato soup with an inexpensive cava –Segura Viudas, it was — and it turned out to be a very nice match, indeed. I was very pleasantly surprised.


  28. Shame on Eric Asimov for dissing Dr. Vino and the impossible wine pairings! These wine pairings don’t mean much to me, but itn’t it a fun way to think about what different wines can bring to the table? Thinking about flavors in this way can make my mouth water even if I don’t eat seven layer dip (or whatever). Eric obviously just wants to get on his high horse and question the credibility of other bloggers. Screw him, I’m not going to read his blog anymore. Wine is fun for me…I can’t really get many good wines in China but I love thinking and talking about them.


  29. I was thinking of something from that old vineyard on Howell Mountain, Lipitorita.

    Either that or Chateau Pepteaux-Bismalle.

    M Knox


  30. If mild- or medium-spicy, we’d suggest pairing a Malbec with the 7 layer dip. When the dishes get too spicy, the tannins in red wine will fan the flames.

    For very spicy, we’d steer you toward the sweeter whites that other folks mentioned.

    What Malbec, we’d suggest ours, but we’re biased of course! http://1150wine.com/our-wines/malbec


  31. When in doubt, drink Riesling.


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