Food and wine pairings

Choosing wine

Get to grips with food and wine pairings and find the right tipple for your favourite dish! It can be hard work finding the perfect combination. Pairing food and wine to suit your event, personal tastes and those of your guests… They may surprise you with an unexpected explosion of flavour!
So be inventive and unleash your creative side!
Here are a few ideas to get you started…

“The sure bet” is the classic pairing that needs no introduction whilst “the wild card” makes more of a statement and can be tailored to suit your mood or the season.

FOIE GRAS

Mi-cuit terrine

"The sure bet": A fresh and aromatic sweet wine is a match made in heaven for foie gras. (Monbazillac, Saussignac, Haut-Montravel)
"The wild card": a dry barrel-aged white wine with a full body and roasted notes makes for an understated pairing with foie gras. (dry Bergerac, dry Côtes de Duras, dry Montravel)

Pan-fried foie gras

"The sure bet": a sweet white wine is ideal for the flavourful meat. (sweet Côtes de Bergerac, Rosette, white Côtes de Montravel)
"The wild card": a good bottle of deep red will go down a treat with creamy foie gras. (Pécharmant, red Côtes de Bergerac, red Montravel)

Pâtés, terrines, pâtés en croûte

Des rouges francs sur le fruit pour une version casse-croûte et des rouges opulents et riches sur des terrines très gourmandes (pâté de Périgueux au foie gras)

Salaisons

Saucissons, chorizos et autres salaisons… On s’orientera vers des rouges francs et vifs et des rosés très agréables sur un assortiment de charcuterie et de crudités (melon au jambon).

CURED MEAT

SOUPS AND STEWS

based on meat broth

A smooth red is a must with soup made using meat stock (beef stew or chicken) or Tourin (classic Périgord garlic and egg white soup). (red Bergerac, red Côtes de Duras)

Based on vegetables

A barrel-aged dry white is best with vegetable soups (squash, cress etc.). (dry Bergerac, dry Côtes de Duras, dry Montravel)

Périgord cep omelette

"The sure bet": a barrel-aged dry white wine with body will bring a dash of acidity to bring out the egg's creaminess and smoky notes to match the mushrooms. (dry Bergerac, dry Côtes de Duras, dry Montravel)
"The wild card": A fruity and delicate vintage red. (red Bergerac, red Côtes de Duras)

Œuf en meurette

"The sure bet": a full-bodied red whose tannins have mellowed after years of laying down. (red Bergerac, red Côtes de Duras)
"The wild card": rosé for a carefree pairing (rosé Bergerac, rosé Côtes de Duras)

Cheese soufflé

"The sure bet": A barrel-aged dry white wine will have the body it needs to go with the creamy eggs and cheese (dry Bergerac, dry Côtes de Duras, dry Montravel)
"The wild card": a red with a few years under its belt and mellow tannins will suit die-hard red wine fans (Bergerac, Côtes de Duras)

QUICHES, TARTS, SAVOURY MUFFINS, PISSALADIERE, VOL AU VENT AND PIES

Rosé and dry white wine go beautifully with these dishes served as nibbles.

EGGS

SEAFOOD AND SHELLFISH

Seafood platter

"The sure bet": Classic dry Bergerac vintages are a no-brainer. (dry Bergerac, dry Côtes de Duras, dry Montravel)
"The wild card": rosé with a hint of rose petals and floral, earthy aromas brings subtle freshness. (rosé Bergerac, rosé Côtes de Duras)

Oysters

"The sure bet": earthy notes from classic white vintages and salty sea flavours are a marriage made in heaven! (dry Bergerac, dry Côtes de Duras, dry Montravel)
"The wild card": a fresh and fruity red, it shouldn't work... but it does! (red Bergerac, red Côtes de Duras)

Scallop carpaccio

"The sure bet": A classic dry white wine to ramp up the flavour. (dry Bergerac, dry Côtes de Duras, dry Montravel)
"The wild card": A dry barrel-aged white will bring complexity (dry Bergerac, dry Côtes de Duras and dry Montravel)

FISH

Grilled or pan-fried fish can be served with classic and punchy dry white wine, often mainly sauvignon. The citrus aromas bring out the briny notes and delicate flesh. (dry Bergerac, dry Montravel and dry Côtes de Duras) Classic dry white wine with intensity also elevates raw or marinated fish, fish carpaccio or ceviche. (dry Bergerac, dry Montravel and dry Côtes de Duras) Fish in sauce (beurre blanc) goes well with slightly woody dry white wine. (dry Bergerac, dry Montravel and dry Côtes de Duras)

POULTRY, RABBIT

With stuffing: a smooth or full-bodied red will elevate its rich and indulgent side. Roasted, seared or with a creamy sauce: a barrel-aged dry white will bring good body.

VEAL

Rib steak, entrecôte: good vintages with character and body go well with the meat's mouth-watering grilled notes.

Beef tartare: a smooth and delicate red brings out the tartare's seasoning.

BEEF

Roast veal: A full-bodied red with a few years under its belt, mellow tannins and fruity notes will bring the best out of the juicy meat. (Pécharmant, red Côtes de Bergerac, red Montravel)

Veal escalope in mushroom sauce: A barrel-aged white with body could pair well with the dish's creamy texture. (dry Bergerac, dry Montravel and dry Côtes de Duras)

LAMB

Lamb chops

"The sure bet": A young red for laying down with vibrant fruit and structure (Pécharmant, red Côtes de Bergerac, red Montravel)

"The wild card": a fruity red for summery lamb chops with grilled peppers and tomatoes. (red Bergerac, red Côtes de Duras)

LAMB

Rack of lamb with asparagus

"The sure bet": A good vintage red with body will bring out the sweetness and meat flavours to mellow the tannins (Pécharmant, red Côtes de Bergerac, red Montravel).

"The wild card": a light rosé will go beautifully with the meat and earthy asparagus. (rosé Bergerac, rosé Côtes de Duras) 

LAMB

Tajine with dried apricots

"The sure bet": A good red vintage will match the melt-in-the-mouth meat (Pécharmant, red Bergerac, red Montravel). "The wild card": rosé to mirror the sharp apricots (rosé Bergerac, rosé Côtes de Duras).

PORK

Pork chops, ribs and grilled chops: The same principles as red meat apply with full-bodied reds (Pécharmant, red Côtes de Bergerac, red Montravel).

Smooth red wine is a treat with roast pork and Enchaud Périgourdin (braised pork with garlic). (red Bergerac, red Côtes de Duras)

DUCK

Duck à l’orange

"The sure bet": a smooth red for a subtle pairing (red Bergerac, red Côtes de Duras).

"The wild card": everyone will love a sweet white wine to echo the zingy and sweet orange glaze. (sweet Côtes de Bergerac, Rosette, white Côtes de Montravel) 

DUCK

Confit duck and Sarlat potatoes

"The sure bet": a well-structured and full-bodied red with relatively strong tannins will hold its own against the indulgent dish (Pécharmant, red Côtes de Bergerac, red Montravel).

"The wild card": a fruity red that you could even serve chilled. (red Bergerac, red Côtes de Duras)

GAME

Game is often ideal for slow-cooked saucy recipes. 

A structured red vintage laid down for a few years will go with the velvety sauce and strong-flavoured meat. (Pécharmant, red Côtes de Bergerac, red Montravel).

MEAT & POULTRY

SALADS

Vegetarian

(lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado etc); a punchy dry white is ideal (dry Bergerac, dry Côtes de Duras and dry Montravel) or rosé (Bergerac or Côtes de Duras).

Cheese

a sassy dry white (dry Bergerac, dry Côtes de Duras and dry Montravel) with warm goat's cheese salad (or Cabécou du Périgord) will bring out the cheesy creaminess and elevate the green freshness.

Fish and seafood

(smoked salmon, mussels, shellfish): a fresh and earthy dry white wine will go down a treat (dry Bergerac, dry Côtes de Duras and dry Montravel)

Cured meat

A structured red is a sure bet with Périgord Salad (foie gras, smoked duck breast, gizzards etc.). (Côtes de Bergerac, Pécharmant, red Montravel)

Sheep's milk and goat's cheese

a classic dry white with intensity and fruit is ideal for bringing out the milky flavours and creaminess of a Cabécou du Périgord for example (dry Bergerac, dry Côtes de Duras and dry Montravel).

Hard cheese

i.e. Comté, Beaufort or the local Trappe d’Échourgnac with walnuts: barrel-aged dry white vintages bring out all their complexity. (dry Bergerac, dry Montravel and dry Côtes de Duras)

Soft cheese

Herby goat's cheese? A rosé is a great alternative with its freshness and floral notes! (rosé Bergerac, rosé Côtes de Duras)

Blue cheese

feel free to serve a heady and full-bodied dessert wine to unleash the rich personality of Roquefort. 

Sweet and creamy blue cheese (gorgonzola, fourme d’Ambert etc.) goes wonderfully with sweet white wine (sweet Côtes de Bergerac, Rosette, sweet Côtes de Montravel, sweet Côtes de Duras).

CHEESE

MUSHROOMS AND PERIGORD TRUFFLE

Périgord black truffle with red meat or game

elevated by structured reds (Côtes de Bergerac, Pécharmant, red Montravel). 

Périgord black truffle with poultry

(fattened chicken and other festive white meat): lean towards barrel-aged dry white vintages with complex earthiness and lightly smoky aromas (dry Bergerac, dry Montravel)

Ceps, girolles, morels

opt for a structured red vintage laid down for a few years (Côtes de Bergerac, Pécharmant, red Montravel). 

Fruit-based desserts

(fruit salad, tarts, crumbles, gratins, clafoutis, zabaglione etc.) go beautifully with sweet or dessert wine depending on the flavour and sweetness.

Chocolate-based

desserts go with dessert wine or intense berry-rich red wine depending on the dosage and sweetness.

DESSERTS

FRANCE'S TOP 13 FAVOURITE DISHES

Duck breast

"The sure bet": a great red vintage. (Pécharmant, red Montravel, red Côtes de Bergerac).

"The wild card": a summery seared duck breast goes dowm a treat with a delicate and fruity red. (red Bergerac, red Côtes de Duras)

Mussels and chips

"The sure bet": a dry white wine to freshen things up. (Bergerac, Côtes de Duras, white Montravel).

"The wild card": rosé makes for a mouth-watering and zingy pairing. (Bergerac or rosé Côtes de Duras)

Couscous

"The sure bet": a rosé will soothe the spicy notes and bring vibrancy and fruity flavour. (rosé Bergerac, rosé Côtes de Duras)

"The wild card": a full-bodied and strong red ramps up the meat's indulgent side. (Côtes de Bergerac, Pécharmant, red Montravel)

Veal stew

"The sure bet": a textured dry white (barrel-aged) is a smooth pairing for stew. (dry Bergerac, dry Côtes de Duras, dry Montravel)

"The wild card": a mellow red is ideal for the melt-in-the-mouth meat and soft rice (red Bergerac, red Côtes de Duras)

Rib steak

"The sure bet": this beautifully marbled cut is crying out for an intense red with body. (Côtes de Bergerac, Pécharmant, red Montravel)

"The wild card": dazzle your guests with a smooth and fruity red! (Bergerac)

Leg of lamb

"The sure bet": This tasty and tender cut is a match made in heaven with a rich and full-bodied red. (Côtes de Bergerac, Pécharmant, red Montravel)

"The wild card": a sweet wine with slow-cooked lamb in Monbazillac is a perfect combo. (Saussignac, Monbazillac and Haut-Montravel)

Steak and chips

"The sure bet": a strong yet smooth red with body and primary aromas (fruit). (red Bergerac, red Côtes de Duras)

"The wild card": why not try a vibrant and deep pink rosé de saignée? (Bergerac or rosé Côtes de Duras)

Bœuf bourguignon

"The sure bet": a red with silky tannins and ripe berry aromas is the perfect pairing for this stew. (red Bergerac, red Côtes de Duras)

"The wild card": a full-bodied red vintage with a few years under its belt will take this dish to another level. (Côtes de Bergerac, Pécharmant, red Montravel)

Raclette

"The sure bet": you want the freshness that comes with a vibrant, classic dry white wine (not barrel-aged). (dry Montravel, dry Bergerac, dry Côtes de Duras)

"The wild card": a young and fruity red with mellow tannins is a good match for cured meat, melted cheese and soft potato. (red Bergerac, red Côtes de Duras)

Stuffed tomatoes

"The sure bet": plump for a fruity red with mellow tannins. (red Bergerac, red Côtes de Duras)

"The wild card": a refreshing rosé will bring out the tomato's sharpness. (Bergerac or rosé Côtes de Duras)

Pot au feu

"The sure bet": good red vintages set the tone for the melt-in-the-mouth meat and vegetable stew. (Côtes de Bergerac, Pécharmant, red Montravel)

"The wild card": if you serve it cold with mayonnaise, try a crisp and delicate red. (Bergerac, Côtes de Duras)

Cassoulet

"The sure bet": structured and rich red vintages are a match made in heaven. The rich dish will offset the strong tannins. (Côtes de Bergerac, Pécharmant, red Montravel)  

"The wild card": a fresh and floral rosé could work well. (rosé Bergerac, rosé Côtes de Duras)

Paella

"The sure bet": a saignée or blush rosé with floral notes matches the seafood and poultry. (rosé Bergerac, rosé Côtes de Duras)

"The wild card": a classic dry white brings earthiness to seafood and shellfish. (dry Bergerac or dry Montravel)