Cafe Salud · Carolieweg, Groningen

Wine Tasting in Groningen

A wine and food tasting of 5 to 6 wines with matching bites, by wine style or as a culinary journey by country.

Book a tasting See the options

Wine and food, in the heart of Groningen

At Cafe Salud a tasting is not only about the wine, but about the pairing. With expert guidance you discover how the right bite can enhance or surprisingly change a wine's flavour, from a crisp Sauvignon blanc to a powerful port. Small, personal and all about flavour.

Salud is a meeting place where generations and cultures come together. Here you taste together: smelling, comparing and sharing a good conversation around the table.

Just the two of you? Walk right in for a tasting board with a bite and a few wines, no reservation needed. From 6 people we organise a fully guided wine and food tasting on request.

Glass of white wine with a board of matching bites at the bar of Cafe Salud Groningen

How a wine tasting works at Salud

  • 5 to 6 wines, built up from light and fresh to rich and powerful.
  • Tasting glasses of 75 to 100 ml, so you can compare at ease.
  • A carefully chosen matching bite with every wine.
  • Small portions, keeping the focus on the pairing.
  • Lasts around two hours on average, with an explanation of every wine.

Choose your format

Work from light and fresh to rich and powerful. Choose a journey through the wine styles with matching food, or a culinary trip around the world by country.

Table set for a wine and food tasting at Cafe Salud in Groningen

By wine style, wine & food

Wine Matching bite Why it works
Sauvignon blanc Goat's cheese on toast or cucumber Fresh acidity pairs beautifully with creamy goat's cheese.
Chardonnay Roasted chicken or young hard cheese The fuller structure suits creamy, savoury flavours.
Rosé Prawns or charcuterie Lightly fruity and very versatile.
Pinot noir Mushrooms or duck breast Elegant red wine with earthy and fruity notes.
Cabernet sauvignon Aged cheese or beef Firm tannins combine well with protein and fat.
Port Blue cheese or dark chocolate Sweet and powerful, ideal as a finale.

By country, a culinary world tour

France

Sauvignon blanc with goat's cheese or a Pinot noir with brie.

Italy

Red wine alongside prosciutto, Parmesan or bruschetta.

Spain

Tapas such as manchego, chorizo and olives with local wines.

New Zealand

A crisp Sauvignon blanc with shellfish.

Portugal

Finish with port and blue cheese or dark chocolate.

Glass of white wine with a board of matching bites at the bar of Cafe Salud Groningen
Group enjoying wine and bites during drinks at Cafe Salud Groningen
Cosy brown cafe interior of Cafe Salud, venue for a wine tasting in Groningen
Sunny terrace of Cafe Salud with guests under the red awnings in Groningen

Ready to taste and pair?

Request a tasting

Popular themes

Cheese & wine

Discover how soft, hard and blue cheeses influence different wines.

Mediterranean

Wines with tapas, olives, ham and grilled vegetables.

World tour

One wine and a typical local bite per country.

Blind tasting

First guess whether you're drinking white, rosé or red before we reveal the pairing.

Ready to taste and pair?

Book your wine and food tasting in the heart of Groningen. We'll tailor it for you.

Request a tasting

Perfect for any group

Friends

A flavourful night out with your group of friends.

Birthday

Celebrate your birthday with a bespoke tasting.

Team outing

A bonding outing for colleagues, see also company drinks.

Gift

An original gift for the connoisseur.

Prices

From just €15 p.p.

The price increases depending on the number of wines, the glass volume and the group size, and the matching bites. We always create a tailor-made package, ask us for the options without obligation.

Request a tasting

The right order

For the best experience we taste the wines in this order, paying attention to aroma, taste, the balance with the food and your personal preference.

1. Light white 2. Full white 3. Rosé 4. Light red 5. Full red 6. Sweet / fortified

Frequently asked questions

What does a wine tasting cost?

A wine and food tasting is possible from €15 per person. The price depends on the number of wines, the glass volume, the group size and the bites.

How many wines do you taste?

5 to 6 wines in 75 to 100 ml portions, from light and fresh to rich and powerful, each with a matching bite.

How long does it last?

Around two hours on average, with an explanation of every wine and pairing.

Can I choose a theme?

Yes. Choose by wine style or by country, or a theme such as 'Cheese & wine', 'Mediterranean' or 'blind tasting'.

Suitable for a company outing?

Absolutely. A popular company and team outing in Groningen, with a package and bites, right in the centre.

How do I book a wine tasting?

Fill in the form below with your preferred date and number of people, or email saludgroningen@gmail.com.

Practical: a wine tasting in the centre of Groningen

You will find us at Carolieweg 31, in Groningen's old town within walking distance of the Grote Markt. Handy if you want the tasting to lead into dinner or an evening in town: everything is within walking distance. The city centre is largely car-free, so cycling and public transport are easiest. By car, park in one of the city-centre garages.

  • Address: Carolieweg 31, Groningen, right in the city centre.
  • Opening hours: Tuesday to Thursday 15:00-23:00, Friday 15:00-00:00, Saturday 14:00-00:00, Sunday 15:00-19:00. We are closed on Mondays.
  • Group size: a guided wine and food tasting is available from 6 people, up to a maximum of 49 guests.
  • Duration: allow around two hours for 5 to 6 wines with matching bites.
  • Price: from €15 per person, put together as a bespoke package.
  • Booking: via the contact form or by email to saludgroningen@gmail.com.

Why a pairing works (or does not)

Pairing wine and food seems complicated, but it comes down to a handful of principles. Once you know them, you can predict for yourself whether a pairing will work. During the tasting we let you taste the difference literally: first the wine on its own, then with the bite alongside.

The five principles

  1. Acidity cuts through fat: a crisp white wine lightens a creamy or fatty bite. That is why Sauvignon blanc works so well with goat's cheese.
  2. Tannin loves protein: the astringent tannins in a full red wine soften with meat and matured cheese. With a light salad that same wine keeps tasting harsh.
  3. Salt softens: salty bites such as olives, ham or blue cheese make a wine rounder and fruitier. One of the most reliable tricks there is.
  4. Sweet with sweet, but the wine must be sweeter: with dessert the wine should always be sweeter than the dish. The other way round, the wine suddenly tastes sour and thin.
  5. Match the intensity: a powerful dish overwhelms a subtle wine, and a powerful wine steamrollers a delicate bite. Matching weight is the rule of thumb.

What else shapes the experience

  1. Temperature: wine served too cold gives off barely any aroma; too warm and the alcohol dominates. We serve white wine chilled, and red closer to cellar than room temperature.
  2. The order: light before heavy, dry before sweet. Reverse that and you will barely taste the lighter wines afterwards.
  3. Smell before you sip: most of what you 'taste' you actually smell. A quick swirl in the glass and then a sniff tells you more than going straight for a sip.
  4. Cleanse your palate: water and a neutral cracker in between reset your palate, so the next wine gets a fair chance.
  5. Your own taste counts: there is no wrong answer. A pairing that ought to work by the book but that you do not enjoy is, for you, not a good pairing.

Wine tasting in a brown café, not a wine bar

A wine tasting in a brown café sounds contradictory, and that is exactly why it works. Wine has a tendency to turn solemn: hushed voices, difficult words and the feeling that you might get something wrong. At Salud it is not like that. You sit at a wooden table in a busy, convivial pub, and the explanation is about what you taste rather than what you are supposed to taste.

That lowers the threshold for the people who normally drop out. In almost every group there is someone who 'does not know much about wine'. That is exactly the person who is most surprised by the end of the evening, because the difference between a wine with and without the right bite is so big that you need no experience to taste it.

We tailor the selection to the season and to your group. In summer the emphasis is on crisp whites and rosé with light bites; in winter on fuller reds, matured cheeses and a sweet finish. No two tastings are quite the same.

More questions about a wine tasting

Do I need to know about wine?

No. The tasting is designed for people without prior knowledge. With every wine you get an explanation of what you smell and taste, and why the accompanying bite was chosen. Connoisseurs get just as much out of it, because the pairings are the interesting part.

What if someone does not drink wine?

Let us know when you enquire and we will arrange a suitable alternative so that person can join in. A mixed format with some beer is also possible, for instance if the group is divided.

Is it enough to count as a meal?

The bites belong to the wines and are deliberately kept small, so the focus stays on the pairing. So it is not a dinner. If you want to make a full evening of it, we can extend the food, or you can go out for dinner in the centre afterwards.

Can we pass on allergies or dietary requirements?

Yes, and with a wine and food tasting that matters all the more because the bites are an integral part. Mention it when you enquire and we will adapt the pairings accordingly.

How far in advance should we book?

For small groups it is often possible at short notice. For larger parties and in busy periods such as autumn and the festive season it is wise to enquire well in advance, not least so we can properly match the wines and bites.

Does a wine tasting make a good gift?

It is a popular present for birthdays and anniversaries, precisely because you do something together rather than receive an object. Mention in your enquiry that it is a gift and we will take that into account.

More reading about wine and outings in Groningen