Blueberry pie was already on the plate when the vanilla sauce appeared on the table. First I took a little. Then a little more. And with that, my fine idea of choosing a drink based on the blueberry alone was back to square one.
With dessert, what matters is what actually ends up on the spoon: berry, pastry, sugar, and maybe sauce. Coffee or tea is a splendid choice. If you want to try a wine or something sparkling, start from that same spoonful. It tells you more than the pie's name does.
The vanilla sauce has a say in the choice
Taste the pie first on its own, then with the sauce. Which version are you actually going to eat? The drink is worth choosing to match that version.
Sweet food can make a dry wine taste less fruity and more bitter. WSET explains this in its guide on matching winter food and wine. That's why, with a sweet pie, I'd look for a sweet dessert wine that also has some freshness. A dry white wine that worked well with a savory main course isn't necessarily the best match for vanilla sauce anymore.
At Alko I'd ask: "I'm looking for a drink for a sweet blueberry pie, and I'm serving it with vanilla sauce." That's the essential information for the choice. A wine's reputation or a fine label doesn't tell you how it will get along with this particular plate.
What if the berries take center stage?
A bowlful of blueberries with a spoonful of unsweetened yogurt is a different matter than a sugary pie. I wouldn't automatically choose a drink for them the same way. With a lighter berry dish I'd try tea or a refreshing non-alcoholic drink; alongside a sweeter dessert, though, I'd let the drink itself be sweet too.
This is a good reason to keep frozen blueberries on hand even in autumn. The same berries give a completely different feel depending on whether you bake them into a pie or spoon them into a bowl. The drink doesn't have to stay the same just because the berry does.
Bubbles without the alcohol percentage
If you're in the mood for something festive at the table, Mustikkakuohu is one name worth looking into from Alko's selection. According to Alko's product information, its alcohol content is 0 percent. The name alone, however, doesn't tell you how sweet the drink will feel alongside the pie: check the product description when making your choice, and taste the drink together with the dessert.
Still, I don't think the coffee pot needs to be hidden away just because there are sparkling wine glasses on the table. Pairing wine with food is interesting, but good coffee and warm blueberry pie are not an unfinished plan.
So pour whatever you're in the mood to try. And leave the vanilla sauce jug on the table. It will be asked back anyway.
