Quick 5 Minute Guide to French Wine
This is intended as a rough guide for people new to wine who wish to enjoy our wines to the fullest!
Wine serving temperature is important in bringing out the best in the wine. Although the traditional rule is to serve white wine chilled and red wine at room temperature, it is worth being careful as to the type of wine and also what is meant by 'chilled' or 'room temperature', especially in today's heated homes.
In general, warmer wines will bring out more of the natural smell and colder wines will highlight the acidity. Structure and complexity will also be affected.
Examples by Style and Region
Sparkling wines and some sweet wines ('moelleux', 'liquoreux') can be served chilled, at 4-7 C
Half-dry white and sweeter whites can be served chilled, at 7-9 C
Alsace Riesling and Gewurztraminer, Loire sweet wines, Vin Doux Naturel, Champagne.
Dry white wines and Rosé 8-10 C
Bordeaux white, Chablis, Sancerre, and Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc grapes. South-East and Languedoc-Roussillon whites and rosé can be served at the colder end, at around 8 C
Light Fruity Reds, some White and Rosé 10-12 C
Beaujolais, Rhone white and Cotes de Provence rosé.
Medium Reds 14-16 C
Red wines of Burgundy, Rhone, Bourgueil, Chinon, Provence and Languedoc-Roussillon.Young Burgundy and Chinon could be served slightly cooler.
Full Reds 16-18 C
Older Bordeaux and some Rhone wines.
Older wines can be served slightly warmer, but not more than 20 C
Fish
Grilled Fish: Dry white wine, rosé.
Fish: In general dry rich white wine. Chablis and Sancerre go well with white fish. A richer, sweeter wine can go well with fish in a creamy sauce; the sauce as well as the fish type is key. Darker fish can even go with a light red.
Smoked Fish: Aromatic wines, for example an Alsace Riesling.
Red Meats
Red Meat: Stronger red wine, with much tannin, although fruity wines are a match as well. Chinon, Bourgeil, Northern Cote du Rhone, or St-Estéphene Bordeaux. Cahors go well with roast beef. Alsace Riesling.
Lamb: More subtle, fruity red wine, for example Pessac-Léognan, Beaune, St-Joseph.
Game: Rich red wines, for example Pommard, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gevrey-Chambertin, Gigondas, Pauillac
White Meat
White Meat: Lighter, fruity reds such as Beaujolais, traditionally Chablis or Sauvignon Blanc
Other Foods
Barbecues in general: Rosé, Merlot.
Oysters: Muscadet, Chablis, Loire sparkling wines.
Foie Gras: Sauternes recently, in the old times Burgundy was served with foie gras.
Pressed Cheese: Dry white wine or light red.
Goats Cheese: Sancerre, Pouilly Fumé or other Sauvignon Blanc.
Strong Cheese: Spicy white wine, for example Gewurztraminer or stronger red wines such as Chateauneuf-du-Pape or Cote-Rotie.
Soft Cheese: Acidic white wines work well with soft creamy cheese. Sauvignon Blanc or Pouilly Fumé.
Roquefort: Sweet white wine such as Sauternes.
Young wines can taste better served before old wines, while white wine is commonly served before red wine. Burgundy, Beaujolais and Loire wines are often best served before Bordeaux, Languedoc or Cotes du Rhone (softer before stronger).
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