Wine Pairing Butter Chicken

Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken) is an spicy Indian dish made with a tomato sauce spiced with Coriander, Cumin, Turmeric, Ginger, Mustard, Cinnamon, Cardamon, Cayenne Pepper, Mace, Chilies, Fennel Seeds, Nutmeg, Cloves and Black Pepper.

Creamy sauces, such as those made with butter or cream, benefit from a wine with good acidity to cut through the richness.

White Burgundy (Chardonnay), which offers bright acidity along with a subtle richness, complements creamy chicken dishes perfectly.

Pinot Gris, with its slightly richer texture and acidity, also pairs well, offering a balance between freshness and body.

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Wine Pairing Coq au Vin

Chicken. Wine. Lardons (Bacon). Mushrooms. Garlic.

For Coq au Vin you shold go for a light or medium bodied red with good acitity.

Red Burgundy is the classical choice (If you want to cook with the best wine you can afford and drink the same).

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Wine Pairing Grilled Chicken

Grilled Chicken tastes sweet, caramelized skin, and spices. The wine choice depends on the marinade and sauce. Genereally grilled Chicken pairs best with full bodied whites.

Oaked Chardonnay has enough body and richness to complement the depth of flavors, while also offering acidity to balance the dish. Go for a creamy, full bodied, white Burgundy.

Viognier, with its aromatic profile and fuller body, also pairs well with roasted chicken, enhancing the flavors without overpowering the dish.

Don't forget: Champagne and Chicken Skin is a match in heaven.

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Wine Pairing Chicken Cacciatore

Tomato-based chicken dishes, like chicken cacciatore, have acidity and savory flavors from the tomatoes. The tomato sauce calls for more acidity. Your chicken dish will dance in your mouth together a medium-light, fruity red.

Wines like Chianti, made from Sangiovese grapes, have bright acidity that mirrors the tomatoes and complements the dish.

Barbera, with its high acidity and low tannins, also pairs well with tomato-based chicken dishes, ensuring a balanced and refreshing pairing.

In the summer we recommend a cold Lambrusco or a Sparkling Rosé.

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Wine Pairing Fried Chicken

Fried chicken, with its crispy, fatty texture, pairs beautifully with the high acidity and effervescence of sparkling wine, particularly Champagne. The bubbles help cleanse the palate between bites, while the acidity cuts through the richness of the fried coating.

The batter around the chicken, has yeast flavors complementary to the yeast flavors in Champagne.

Salt reduces acidity so choosing a high acid dry wine is important.

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Wine Pairing Chicken Curry

Chicken. Onions. Ginger. Garlic. Chili Pepper. Spices. Cumin. Coriander.

Spicy chicken dishes, such as those with chili or curry, benefit from wines with a touch of sweetness and a good acidity. To balance hot spices of, you need Sweetness.

The creaminess and perfume of Alsatian Pinot Gris completes the picture.

Riesling, particularly off-dry or slightly sweet versions, works well because it tempers the heat of the spice while maintaining balance.

Gewürztraminer, with its aromatic and slightly sweet profile, also complements spicy flavors, making the dish feel less intense.

Bubbles can also work.

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Wine Pairing Lemon Chicken

Chicken dishes that with fresh herbs and lemon have bright, zesty flavors. Lemon Chicken pairs best with a fresh and fruity white wine with good acidity.

Sauvignon Blanc, with its high acidity and herbaceous notes, is a natural pairing, enhancing the freshness of the dish without overwhelming it.

Vermentino, an Italian white wine, also offers bright acidity with a touch of salinity, making it an excellent match for herb-infused chicken.

Chablis (unoaked Chardonnay) is lemony and matches both the flavor and acidity.

Oaked Chardonnay does not work because it has gone through a process called Malolactic Fermentation, where the citrusy flavors transform into buttery ones.

Citrusy Light Rosé are a good match but stay away from red wines, they overpower the dish.

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Wine Pairing Chicken in Tomato Sauce

Tomato-based chicken dishes have acidity and savory flavors from the tomatoes. The tomato sauce calls for more acidity. Your chicken dish will dance in your mouth together a medium-light, fruity red.

Wines like Chianti, made from Sangiovese grapes, have bright acidity that mirrors the tomatoes and complements the dish.

Barbera, with its high acidity and low tannins, also pairs well with tomato-based chicken dishes, ensuring a balanced and refreshing pairing.

In the summer we recommend a cold Lambrusco or a Sparkling Rosé.

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Wine Pairing Hunter's Chicken
(Poulet Chasseur) / (Pollo alla Cacciatora)

Chicken. Onions. Peppers. Tomatoes. Herbs. Wine.

Hunter means "Chasseur" in French, "Cacciatore" in Italian.

Tomato-based chicken dishes, like chicken cacciatore, have acidity and savory flavors from the tomatoes.

The tomato sauce calls for more acidity. Your chicken dish will dance in your mouth together a medium-light, fruity red.

Wines like Chianti, made from Sangiovese grapes, have bright acidity that mirrors the tomatoes and complements the dish.

Barbera, with its high acidity and low tannins, also pairs well with tomato-based chicken dishes, ensuring a balanced and refreshing pairing.

In the summer we recommend a cold Lambrusco or a Sparkling Rosé.

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Wine Pairing Roast Chicken

Roast Chicken pairs best with full bodied whites. The wine choice depends on the marinade and sauce.

An Oked Chardonnay will have enough body and richness to complement the depth of flavors, while also offering acidity to balance the dish. Go for a creamy, full bodied, white Burgundy.

A Viognier, with its aromatic profile and fuller body, also pairs well with roast chicken, enhancing the flavors without overpowering the dish.

Champagne and Chicken Skin is a match in heaven.

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Wine Pairing Chicken Peri Peri

Spicy chicken dishes, such as those with chili or curry, benefit from wines with a touch of sweetness and good acidity.

Riesling, particularly off-dry or slightly sweet versions, works well because it tempers the heat of the spice while maintaining balance.

Gewürztraminer, with its aromatic and slightly sweet profile, also complements spicy flavors, making the dish feel less intense.

To balance hot spices of, you need Sweetness.

The creaminess and perfume of Alsatian Pinot Gris completes the picture.

Bubbles can also work.

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Wine Pairing BBQ Chicken

In genereal, BBQ chicken pairs best with light red wines or full bodied whites.

BBQ chicken with herbs pairs well with young and fruity reds like Beaujolais or Grenache. Their fruit-forward profile and soft tannins will enhance the richness of the smoked chicken without overpowering it.

Simple BBQ chicken pairs best with Pinot Noir or Chardonnay.

Savoury BBQ chicken pairs well with medium-bodied reds like Côtes du Rhône or Tempranillo.

Sticky BBQ sauce calls for fruity reds like Zinfandel and Primitivo or a slightly sweet Rosé. Zinfandel, with its ripe fruit flavors and peppery notes, complements the smokiness of the chicken, while its slight sweetness can balance the tangy or spicy BBQ sauce.

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Wine Pairing Adobo

Adobo Chicken is braised in oil, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, herbs and spices. The flavorful sauce calls for a medium red wine with good acidity: a fruity wine, with some residual sugar to fight the hot spices and low alcohol to not to overpower the dish.

Riesling is an all times favorite with spicy Asian cuisine. Its acidity and residual sugar work magically with this spicy and salty fusion chicken.

White meat also pairs well with rosé wines and bubbles.

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Wine Pairing Chicken Parmigiana

Chicken Parmigiana is an Italian dish made with breaded fried Chicken breast with tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese.

Pair it with a light to medium bodied wine that is more acidic than the tomato sauce and low tannins to match the white meat, a red wine that is easy to drink, with lots of fruit aromas.

If the dish is served with buttered pasta go for a creamy Chardonnay, while a Sauvignon Blanc matches fresh oregano, basil and the vegetables.

Bubbles are super food friendly, especially with breaded and fried dishes.

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Wine Pairing Stuffed Turkey

Stuffed turkey normally has many side dishes such mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, butternut squash, cranberry sauce, corn, sprouts, green beans, cornbread, pecan, bread stuffing, gravy and more.

Stuffed Turkey is slightly sweet. The best match is a fruity red.

Thanksgiving Day in USA falls on the fourth Thursday of November. It celebrates the annual harvest and reminds of the history of the first pilgrims who learned how to grow the new food. Thanksgiving dinner is a symbolic meal that celebrates newfound hope. The main igredience is Stuffed Turkey.

Bubbles get the party started.
Rosé is the best compromise between white and red wines.
Pinot Noir is best with turkey.
Beaujolais Nouveau is conveniently released on the stroke of midnight on the third Thursday of November. One week before Thanksgiving.

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Wine Pairing Confit de Canard

Confit de Canard is slightly sweet and very fat. The best pairing is an off-dry aromatic white or a medium red.

If you are in the mood for bubbles, try a sparkling Rosé.

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Wine Pairing Duck Breast

Duck Breast can be both slightly sweet and very fat. Go for a medium red.

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Wine Pairing Roast Duck

Roast Duck needs a bold red wine.

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Wine Pairing Goosey

Goose is a very rich dish, stronger flavoured than turkey, and also more fatty.

The big Piemonte wines such Barolo and Barbaresco call for intense flavors and for festivities. Southern Rhône wines such GSM Blends and Châteauneuf-du-Pape enhance the savoury taste, while Zinfandel brings out the sweetness of the meat.

Alsatian Riesling is the best pairing when you have apples and potatoes as sides because it matches the sweet note of baked fruit.

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Wine Pairing Stuffed Turkey

Pigeon is fat and slightly sweet. It should be paired with a fruity medium red.

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Go Local

Let local wines complement local food.

Pairing local wine with local food will enhance the dining experience by harmonizing the characteristics of the wine with the ingredients and cooking styles of the region.

The environmental factors, soil, climate, and topography, that influence the characteristics of a wine, represent the Wine Terroir of a region. The ingredients, flavors, and cooking techniques represent the Cuisine Terroir.

Local wines are deeply intertwined with the culture and traditions of a region. Pairing them with local cuisine creates an authentic culinary experience. For example, if a region is known for its hearty, red meat dishes, a robust and full-bodied red wine from the region will enhance the dining experience.

Ask for Help

Let local chefs and winemakers collaborate to create innovative pairings that showcase the best of the region. A good rule of thumb is to match the intensity of the wine with the richness of the meat for the best pairing experience.

Examples

Pairing Italian Chianti with traditional Tuscan dishes like Pasta with Ragu or Beef Fiorentina.

Enjoy a Red Burgundy with classic French dishes like coq au vin or boeuf Bourguignon.

Matching Spanish Rioja with Paella or Tempranillo with Tapas.