Vin et Lapin

Rabbit, with its tender and flavorful meat, is a staple of French cuisine. Whether it’s rabbit with mustard, hunter-style rabbit, or rabbit with prunes, it lends itself to many culinary variations. To complement these traditional dishes, choosing the right wine is crucial to enhance the rabbit's flavors and harmonize the meal without overpowering it. Here are our tips for selecting the best wine to enjoy with a rabbit dish.

The Best Wine Pairings with Rabbit

Rabbit is a white meat, though more flavorful than other poultry (and yes, rabbit is considered poultry!). It requires a delicate wine to avoid overwhelming its flavors. For recipes such as roasted rabbit, rabbit with mustard, or herb-infused rabbit, opt for a dry and full-bodied white wine. A white wine from AOC Chablis or AOC Saint-Véran in Burgundy, or an AOC Rully, will be perfect choices with their mineral notes and aromas of citrus and white flowers. For cream-based rabbit dishes or rabbit with mushrooms, turn to fuller-bodied white wines like a Saint-Joseph Blanc from the Rhône Valley or a Pouilly-Fuissé. These wines bring just the right amount of freshness and roundness to balance the creaminess while enhancing the dish's flavors.

Red Wine for Hunter-Style Rabbit or Rabbit with Prunes

If you opt for rabbit in a red wine sauce, such as hunter-style rabbit, a fruity and smooth red wine will be ideal. A red wine made from Pinot Noir from Burgundy, Alsace, or a Beaujolais cru like Morgon will perfectly complement the tenderness of the meat and the rich flavors of the sauce. Their soft tannins and red fruit aromas beautifully balance this type of rabbit recipe. On Avenue des Vins, discover our selection of white, red, and rosé wines to accompany your rabbit dishes. Each bottle is available for home delivery directly from the estate or château of your choice, and at the best value for money.

Wine for Rabbit Terrine, Grilled Skewers and Stuffed Saddle

Rabbit terrine, pâté and rillettes are served cold, as a first course or picnic fare. The fat and herbs in these dishes call for a crisp wine that refreshes your palate from one slice to the next. An unoaked dry white, a dry rosé or a light red served slightly chilled all work. If the terrine shares the board with ham and salami, browse our red wines for charcuterie too.

Grilled on the barbecue or a griddle, often as skewers marinated with thyme, lemon or garlic, rabbit picks up charred notes and keeps its delicate texture. A well-chilled dry rosé follows the marinade without masking it and refreshes on a hot day. Prefer red? Pick a fruity, low-tannin bottle and give it 15 minutes in the fridge. For summer cookouts, check out our rosé wines for the barbecue.

Boned and stuffed, saddle of rabbit turns into a special-occasion dish, often filled with mushrooms or herbs. The stuffing adds richness and flavor, so pour a fuller-bodied dry white or an elegant Pinot Noir: both stand up to it without overpowering the meat. Serve the white at 50 to 54 °F (10 to 12 °C) and the red around 59 °F (15 °C) to keep them fresh against the sauce. For reds, start with our Pinot Noir selection.

Rabbit and Wine Pairing Questions

What wine goes with wild rabbit?

With wild rabbit, which tastes gamier than farm-raised rabbit, the usual match is a fruity red with smooth tannins. Save white wine for creamy recipes. For pairings recipe by recipe, read our guide on what wine to drink with rabbit.

What wine pairs with rabbit braised in white wine?

For rabbit braised in white wine, like the French gibelotte with bacon and pearl onions, serve a dry white in the same style as the one in the pot. A round, lightly oaked white stands up to the sauce without weighing it down.

What wine goes with Provençal-style rabbit?

With Provençal-style rabbit, cooked with tomatoes, olives and herbs, serve a dry rosé or a smooth, lightly oaked red from southern France. Tomato needs a fresh wine with enough acidity to match it.

What wine should you cook rabbit with?

Cook rabbit with a wine you would enjoy drinking, since reducing it concentrates its qualities and its flaws. Pick the same style as the bottle on the table: a dry white for a light sauce, a fruity red for a red wine sauce.

Where can you buy wine for rabbit direct from the winemaker?

You can buy wine for rabbit direct from the winemaker on Avenue des Vins. The wine comes to you directly from the producer who made it.

See also: What wine to drink with veal - What wine to drink with duck - Which wine to drink with mushrooms