Red wine and white meat

Red wine pairs with white meat as soon as cooking brings out flavor: the golden crust of a roast, a brown jus, the reduced sauce of a slow braise. So choose your red by the recipe, because the cooking method and the sauce decide how much tannin the dish can take.

Lean Meat and Tannin: How Cooking Shifts the Match

Poached chicken or steamed pork tenderloin brings little fat and no browned flavors. Next to it, a tannic red tastes harsh and can even taste bitter. For gentle cooking like this, or for a cream sauce, a white wine is the safer choice.

In the oven, as the skin and pan juices brown, they pick up toasty, savory notes that call for a fruity red with fine tannins. On the grill or a griddle, char marks play the same role. A brown jus made by deglazing the pan adds depth and makes room for a slightly fuller wine.

Braising goes further. Veal stew or pork shoulder simmered for hours in stock or red wine turns into a concentrated sauce that can handle a structured red with ripe tannins. For a dish-by-dish guide, read our article on what wine to drink with white meat.

Gamay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc: Three Reds That Let Poultry Speak

For roast chicken or guinea fowl, look for a fruity red with gentle tannins. Gamay from Beaujolais is the classic example. Among the region's ten crus, Morgon, made from Gamay, gives fleshy, generous, fruity wines with enough body for a pork roast.

Pinot Noir brings finesse. In Alsace, a red sold under the name Pinot Noir comes from that grape alone. The appellation describes two styles: fresh, fruity, light reds, and finer, more ambitious ones. Pour the first with herb-roasted chicken and the second with veal in its own jus.

In the Loire, Cabernet Franc is the main grape of Saumur-Champigny, where secondary grapes may not exceed 15% of the vineyard. The appellation describes fresh, round, supple reds. Serve one with a veal roast and carrots or a pork tenderloin.

Mushrooms, Spices and Wine Sauces: Time for Firmer Reds

Wild mushrooms, bacon lardons, a red wine sauce or a jus reduced with veal stock give the dish a deep, savory flavor, close to that of red meat. A Bordeaux, a Saint-Émilion or a Côtes du Rhône fits well here, preferably once a few years in bottle have softened its tannins.

Spices point south. A chicken tagine or pork with paprika and bell peppers pairs with Languedoc reds or Rhône Valley reds, often blended around Grenache and Syrah: their ripe fruit echoes the spices in the dish.

Red Wine and White Meat: Pork, Merlot and Tomato Questions

Is pork a white meat?

In French cooking, pork counts as a white meat, along with veal and poultry. Its flavor, fuller than chicken's, welcomes a red, especially when the pork is roasted or grilled.

Can Merlot go with white meat?

Merlot can go with white meat, especially roast veal or pork, or pork braised in its own jus. Its tannins, usually softer than Cabernet Sauvignon's, and its round fruit suit lean meat. With poached poultry, pick a lighter red or a white.

What red wine goes with white meat in tomato sauce?

With white meat in tomato sauce, serve a fresh red with bright acidity and soft tannins, such as a Gamay or a Loire Cabernet Franc. Next to the tomato's acidity, a low-acid wine tastes flat, while a crisp red keeps its fruit.

Where can you buy red wine for white meat direct from the winemaker?

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

See also: White wines and white meat - Red wines and red meats - Red wines and cheese