Which Loire wine goes with which dish? Discover the right pairings

In search of the perfect match

What is a wine and food pairing?

Pairing the right wine with a dish is a bit like orchestrating a concert: each note, each aroma must harmonise.

A good match is one in which the wine and the dish enrich each other without overshadowing each other. Forget rigid rules and explore, experiment. Let yourself be guided by your desires and discover the alchemy between your favourite dishes and Touraine wines.

The art of pairing food and wine?

Want to go with foie gras? There’s nothing better than a sweet white wine from Vouvray or Montlouis-sur-Loire. The aromas of candied fruit and honey bring softness and complexity, underlining the light notes of the foie gras. Try this wine with a piece of blue-veined cheese (Roquefort, Fourme d’Ambert, Bleu…), and you’ll be transported out of time.

Touraine food and wine?

Which wines go well with blanquette de veau?

A traditional dish in French cuisine, blanquette de veau deserves a crisp, dry white, such as a Chinon white wine (from the Chenin grape variety). Its freshness enhances the creamy texture and mild flavour of the meat without overpowering it. Or try a dry Vouvray, which will liven up every bite with its notes of white fruit and subtle acidity.

Roast chicken and red wines: the perfect match

A good roast chicken is crispy and melt-in-the-mouth. To enhance this dish, opt for a light, fruity red wine like a Touraine Gamay (domaine de la Grange, Vins de Beaujardin). This low-tannin red wine is perfect for balancing the fat of the chicken without weighing it down, making for a tasty and comforting taste experience.

Perfect with lamb chops

Barbecues are an invitation to conviviality and deserve a wine to match. A grilled lamb chop goes perfectly with a Bourgueil or a Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. These red wines, with their fine tannic structure, go well with the strong flavour of grilled meat.

Touraine rosé wines: a breath of fresh air!

Skewers, grilled meat, barbecues: opt for a Touraine Rosé. Why would you do that? Because the Touraine appellation offers light, festive wines that are perfect for grilled meats. The freshness of the rosé will be just the thing to quench your thirst. A suggestion:AOC Touraine – azay-le-rideau, at Château de l’Aulée or Domaine Paget.

What wines to drink with cheese?

For every Touraine goat’s cheese, there’s a white wine ready to sublimate its flavours. Imagine a piece of Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine paired with a Touraine Sauvignon (François Chidaine, domaine Dutertre, Cave du Père Auguste). A delight for the taste buds! Do you prefer red wines? Opt forAOC Chinon!

Wine for every celebration

Experiment with unusual pairings for the festive season or family meals. For these special occasions, delight your guests with some of our suggestions!

NoëlThe festive spirit of sweet Vouvray

Whet your appetite and that of your guests with a sparkling Crémant de Loire.

For a Christmas dinner, try a sweet Vouvray with foie gras or an exotic fruit dessert. This wine, both sweet and lively, adds an elegant touch to your dishes.

Traditional mealsWhat to drink with a Beef Bourguignon?

Beef bourguignon, with its intense flavours, calls for a powerful red wine.

Chinon, rich in tannins, will enhance every bite.

What about the capon?

Try the tender demi-sec wine from Montlouis-sur-Loire with the capon to create a remarkable taste experience.

You’ll see: it will work wonders!

Which dish? Which wine?

Each bottle is an invitation to discover, with the key being a renewed sensory experience. Dry whites, full-bodied reds, sparkling wines… take advantage of the great diversity of Loire wines to explore new pairings and broaden your palette of tastes.

But still… what food and wine pairing is best for?

A roast or a veal chop

A dry Montlouis-sur-loire. The racy wines from this AOC offer the fine mineral textures typical of Chenin. The accompaniment will make all the difference in the choice of vintage. For example, with mushrooms, choose an older vintage. Visit Maison Laudacius, for example.

An andouillette

A Touraine Azay-le-Rideau white wine. Its balance and slightly smoky aromas are a wonderful match for this succulent dish.

Milanese escalope

A Bourgueil or Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. They will not overpower the dish, but will provide a balanced accompaniment. A great match!

White pudding

Touraine Noble Joué. With this delicious dish, a light, tender rosé from Maison Rousseau is just the thing to respect the subtlety of this dish, which we like lightly grilled.

Dishes from the sea (and rivers!)

White fish en papillote, fish in court-bouillon. Opt for a white Chinon. Why should you? Because it’s tasty, full-bodied and always fresh. A good match for food and wine, but be careful: it’s a rare wine, representing just 3% of the appellation’s production. And why not try it with oysters? You’ll see, it’s an excellent choice!

Grilled salmon, scallops or pan-fried prawns: choose a Touraine Sauvignon like Touraine Chenonceaux. What’s in it for you? Salmon is an oily fish. To match it, you need a well-structured wine. The Sauvignon grape has this type of response.

Shrimp mayonnaise: choose a dry Touraine rosé. Why would you do this? The “simple wine – simple dish” rule applies. A dry rosé with prawns is a great starter that will whet your appetite.

For a fish barbecue, such as smoked salmon, a Crémant de Loire or sparkling Vouvray adds a touch of lightness and freshness that delights the taste buds.

Various dishes

Meat lasagne, stuffed tomatoes

Think about pairing it with a rosé wine, such as Chinon, Bourgueil or Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. For these sun-drenched dishes, opt for a fresh, thirst-quenching rosé that retains its structure. Serve at 11°C.

Mushroom risotto

Choose a Vouvray or Montlouis wine. What’s in it for you? This delicious, refined dish with mushrooms calls for a terroir wine that’s a little on the easy side. AOC white wines made from Chenin in Touraine are very good companions.

Shepherd’s pie and stuffed potatoes

Choose a Touraine Amboise or Touraine Chenonceaux red. The côt grape variety offers a real little bomb of deliciousness when vinified on the fruit. Paired with a duck parmentier, it’s even better!

Gratin dauphinois, tartiflette, raclette

Hmmm… With cheeses, it’s best to choose silky, round wines. For red wine lovers, a light Touraine Gamay or one blended with a pinot noir from eastern Touraine works well. For whites, it’s a good idea to choose a wine made from a soft Chenin grape, such as Montlouis.

Veal curry

Opt for a Vouvray wine . For this cooked dish, a slightly aged Vouvray is ideal for the smoothness of the wine and its evolved, slightly spicy aromas.

Basquaise chicken, coq au vin, duck breast, axoa, etc.

With red wines from Chinon, Bourgueil or Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, it’s a winner! The velvety mouthfeel of these wines goes perfectly with these emblematic dishes.

An omelette, quiche, savoury cake or pizza (homemade!)

Opt for a dry Touraine rosé. Once again, “a simple dish – a simple wine”. Touraine Rosé is an easy-drinking, convivial wine. It’s the perfect companion for a simple dish. Serve slightly chilled at 11°C.

Pork chop

A fruity Bourgueil or Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil will be perfect. These supple wines, made from Cabernet Franc, are often vinified in a gourmet style. And with pork, you need to look for a “round” wine with a lot of tenderness.

Black pudding

A Touraine Gamay. This grape variety produces wines that are often slightly spicy, making them good companions for black pudding.
Another red option: the Côt variety from Touraine Amboise and Touraine Chenonceaux.

And for desserts?

Naturally, you can go back to the fine bubbles, but the sweet Montlouis and Vouvray will also work wonders with a pretty winegrower’s tart, a galette des rois, or caramelised apples with cinnamon and a scoop of ice cream.