What to drink with empanadas

The empanada is South America's most successful pastry, and in Argentina it is something close to a national obsession. Almost every province has its own version, every family has its own recipe, and the wine in your glass should change with the filling. Here is how to drink your way through the Argentine empanada — by region, by filling, and by good sense.

The rule of thumb

Match the wine to what is inside, not to the fact that it is an empanada. The pastry itself is neutral; the filling decides everything. Two simple lines to remember:

• Beef → red. Medium-bodied, juicy reds like Bonarda and Malbec.
• Cheese, vegetable, corn or seafood → white. A crisp, aromatic Torrontés, almost always.

Everything below is just refinement of these two lines.

By region: where in Argentina the empanada changes

Mendocinas (Mendoza)

The classic beef empanada of Mendoza — usually with ground beef, plenty of fried onion, sometimes potato and egg. Softer, juicier filling. The natural pairing is the region's own grape: a fresh, young Mendoza Malbec, ideally without too much oak. If the empanada is the heavier, hand-cut beef version (carne al cuchillo) or a Uco Valley take with more spice, step up to a richer, oak-aged Malbec from the Uco Valley or the north.

Salteñas (Salta)

The spicier northern empanada, with chili, raisins, green olive and often hard-boiled egg. The filling is sweet, savory and spicy at once. This is where most travelers reach for Malbec — and most locals don't. The classic regional pairing is Torrontés, the floral white from the same high-altitude vineyards of Salta and Cafayate. Its aromatic lift and bright acidity handle the spice far better than a tannic red, and the regional logic (“what grows together goes together”) is unbeatable. If you must go red, choose a softer, fruitier Bonarda over Malbec.

Tucumanas (Tucumán)

Famously juicy, smaller, often deep-fried. Spicy and rich. A medium-bodied Bonarda is the easygoing match; a softer Malbec also works.

By filling: the cheat sheet

• Beef (ground or hand-cut) → Bonarda is the friendly weeknight choice — soft tannins, juicy red fruit, easy with the meat. Malbec is the classic; choose a younger style for ground beef, a richer barrel-aged Malbec for hand-cut steak or fattier versions.
• Cheese (queso) or cheese-and-onion → Torrontés. The acidity cuts the richness; the aromatic lift flatters the melted cheese.
• Humita (creamy corn) → Torrontés again — its floral notes echo the corn's natural sweetness.
• Spinach or vegetable → Torrontés, or a fresh Sauvignon Blanc from the Uco Valley.
• Chicken → Torrontés for lighter recipes; a juicy Bonarda or unoaked Chardonnay for creamier ones.
• Lamb (cordero) → This is one for Tannat — its grip handles the richer, gamier meat beautifully. A structured Malbec is the backup.
• Spicy / Salteña-style → Torrontés, full stop.
• Seafood (rare but lovely) → Torrontés or a Patagonian Chardonnay.

Two small things that change the answer

Are they baked or fried? Baked Mendocinas have a drier, more biscuit-like dough — they want a juicier wine (Bonarda, fresh Malbec). Deep-fried empanadas are oilier — they want acidity, which is why even a beef empanada frita often works better with Torrontés or a lighter, cooler-climate red than you'd expect.

Raisins or no raisins? The traditional Salteña has raisins in the filling, which brings sweetness. Sweetness in food makes tannic reds taste bitter and harsh. That is the deeper reason Torrontés wins in the north — the wine matches the sweetness, where Malbec fights it.

A few easy rules

• When the empanada is savory and meaty, reach for a red — Bonarda for everyday, Malbec for the classic match.
• When the empanada is sweet, spicy, vegetable, cheesy or seafood, reach for a white — and let it be Torrontés.
• When in doubt, ask where the empanada is from. The local grape is almost always the right answer.
• And keep things at the right temperature — see our serving guide for the small habits that change the bottle.

For the deeper logic across an entire meal — provoleta, asado, dessert and all — see our full asado pairing guide. And if you are new to Argentine wine, the beginner's guide is the place to start.

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