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

In search of the perfect match

What is a food and wine pairing?

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

A good pairing is one where the wine and the dish enrich each other without erasing each other. Forget the rigid rules to explore, experiment and, sometimes, let yourself be surprised.

The watchword: let yourself be guided by your desires and discover the alchemy between your favourite dishes and the wines of Touraine.

The art of pairing food and wine?

Want to go with foie gras? There’s nothing better than a sweet white wine from Vouvrayor Montlouis-sur-Loire. The aromas of candied fruit and honey bring softness and complexity, highlighting the light notes of foie gras. Try this wine with a piece of blue-veined cheese, and you’ll be transported into a festive atmosphere. Let your sensations be your guide. The only limits are yours!

Touraine food and wine?

What wines to pair with blanquette de veau?

A traditional dish in French cuisine, blanquette de veau deserves a crisp, dry white, such as a Touraine Chenin. Its freshness enhances the meat’s creamy texture and mild flavour without overwhelming it. Alternatively, turn to a Vouvray sec, which wakes up every bite with its notes of white fruit and subtle acidity.

Roast chicken and red wines: the perfect pairing

A good roast chicken is all about crispiness and melt-in-the-mouth goodness. To sublimate this dish, opt for a light, fruity red wine like a Touraine Gamay. This red wine, with little tannin, is perfect for balancing the fat of the chicken without weighing down the whole, allowing for a tasty and comforting taste experience.

Perfect match with lamb chop

Barbecuing is an invitation to conviviality and deserves a wine to match. A grilled lamb chop pairs perfectly with a Bourgueil or a Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. These red wines, with their beautiful tannic structure, harmonise with the pronounced flavour of grilled meat.

Rosé wines from Touraine: a breath of fresh air!

Skewers, grilled meat, a barbecue: opt fora Touraine vinified as a Rosé. Why? Because the Touraine appellation offers light, festive wines that are perfect for grilled meats. The freshness of the rosé will be well suited because thirst-quenching.

What wines to drink with cheese?

For each Touraine goat’s cheese, there is a white wine ready to sublimate its flavours. Imagine a piece of Valençay paired with a Touraine Sauvignon or powerful Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine with a Chinon Rouge. A delight for the taste buds!

Wine for every celebration

This is such a wonderful occasion!

Experiment with unusual pairings for end-of-year celebrations or family meals.

Enchant your guests with some of our suggestions.

NoëlThe festive spirit of sweet Vouvray

Open your appetite and that of your guests with a pétillant Crémant de Loire.

For a Christmas dinner, opt for a Sweet Vouvray with foie gras or an exotic fruit dessert.

This wine, both sweet and lively, adds an elegant touch to your dishes, creating an unforgettable taste experience.

Traditional mealsWhat to drink with a Beef Bourguignon?

Bœuf bourguignon, with its intense flavours, requires a powerful red wine.

Chinon, rich in tannins, will enhance every bite.

What about the capon?

Try the tender Vouvray demi-sec wine to match the capon.

You’ll see: it will work wonders!

What dish? Which wine? An unforgettable sensory experience

Smell, taste, experiment. The diversity of Touraine wines, ranging from dry whites to full-bodied reds and sparkling wines, offers you an infinite playground for exploring pairings.

Let your sensations guide you, dare unexpected combinations, and savour every moment of this gustatory adventure. In Touraine, every bottle is an invitation to discovery, a promise of culinary escape where every sip enhances the dish.

But still… what food and wine pairing for?

A roast or veal chop

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

An andouillette

A white wine from Touraine Azay-le-Rideau. Its balance and slightly smoky aromatic expressions wonderfully echo this succulent dish.

A Milanese escalope

A Bourgueil or a Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. They won’t overpower the dish but will provide a balanced accompaniment. A beautiful pairing!

White pudding

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

©Dégustation de vins au vignoble de La Jarnoterie|ADT Touraine - JC Coutand

From the sea (and rivers!)

A white fish en papillote, a fish in court-bouillon. Go for a Chinon blanc. Why? Because it’s tasty, voluminous, and always fresh. A good food and wine pairing, then, but be warned: this is 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!

A grilled salmon steak, but also scallops or pan-fried prawns: choose a Touraine Sauvignon like the Touraine Chenonceaux. Why? Salmon is an oily fish. To match it, you need a wine with good structure. The Sauvignon grape variety has this type of response.

Shrimp mayonnaise: select a dry Touraine rosé. Why? The “simple wine – simple dish” rule applies. A dry rosé with prawns is a great appetising starter.

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

Various dishes

Lasagnes with meat, stuffed tomatoes

Think about pairing with a rosé wine, a Chinon, Bourgueil or Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. For these sun-drenched dishes, go for a fresh, thirst-quenching rosé, while maintaining structure. Serve at 11°C.

A mushroom risotto

Choose a Vouvray or Montlouis wine. Why? This delicious and refined dish accompanied by mushrooms calls for a terroir wine that is a little wise. AOC white wines made from Chenin in Touraine are great companions.

A Parmentier hash, stuffed potatoes

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

A gratin dauphinois, a tartiflette, a raclette

Hummmm…. Favour a Touraine red from the Gamay grape or a soft Montlouis sur-Loire. What’s in it for you? With cheese, it’s best to choose silky, round wines. For red wine lovers, a Touraine Gamay light or blended with a pinot noir in the east of Touraine works. On the white side, choosing a wine made from a slightly soft Chenin grape like Montlouis is a good idea.

A veal curry

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

A poulet basquaise, coq au vin, duck breast, axoa

With red wines from Chinon, Bourgueil, or Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, it’s a winner! With these iconic dishes, the velvety mouthfeel of these wines is perfectly suited.

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

Opt for a Touraine rosé sec. Once again, “a simple dish – a simple wine”. Touraine Rosé is a digestible and convivial wine. It will be the perfect companion for an atmospheric dish. Serve a little chilled 11°C.

A pork chop

A Bourgueil or a fruity Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil will be perfect. Supple, these wines made from Cabernet Franc are often vinified with a gourmet touch. And with pork, look for a “round” wine with lots 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 grape variety from Touraine Amboise and Touraine Chenonceaux.

And for desserts?

Of course, we can go back to the fine bubbles, but the Montlouis and Vouvray moelleux will also work wonders in combination with a pretty winegrower’s tart, a galette des rois, or cinnamon caramelised apples with a scoop of ice cream.