What to eat with a Beaujolais? 5 essential food and wine pairings with Beaujolais crus

Behind the sometimes negative image of Beaujolais Nouveau, many people still believe that Beaujolais only produces red wines (made from Gamay grapes) and that its reds are all light, fruity and best drunk young. That's not untrue, but it's not so much true today, given the extent to which estates have been able to evolve their winemaking practices and methods to reflect the terroir (soil, climate, exposure, people). So, in this article, we've decided to propose 5 ideas for food and wine pairings, for the duration of a meal. What to eat with a Beaujolais?

1. Aperitif

   There's no better way to get things started than with a gourmet pâté en croûte. It's a perfect match for a Beaujolais Gamay, such as a Brouilly from Château Thivin, with the cuvée Reverdon 2023. This Brouilly Reverdon boasts a superb cherry-red hue, a floral, fruity bouquet and a round palate highlighting aromas of fresh garden fruit, all supported by supple tannins. Recommended serving temperature: 14-16°C.

   
   

   

   
   

2. As a starter

   For your appetizer, one idea would be to continue the festivities with a white Beaujolais 2024 from Domaine des Marrans. Made from Chardonnay grapes grown on clay-limestone soils (not granite), this cuvée offers a bouquet of white flowers and an explosion of flavors on the palate, notably citrus. The malolactic fermentation gives it a bit of fatness, which could well counterbalance a chavignol salad or marinated herring.

   
   

3. The meal

   For the main course, how about a good beef bourguignon?

   This comforting, convivial dish will be a hit with your guests, especially if accompanied by a Morgon Javernières 2024 from Domaine Louis-Claude Desvignes. This wine has a delicate feel on the palate, with aromas of violets and blackberries, lovely fruit, a long, fine structure and elegant tannins, all giving an impression of fullness.

   
   

4. With the cheese

   Forget about cheese and red wine, or at least try to pair white wine with cheese more often, even if it means setting aside the bottle of red wine that accompanied the dish for dessert. For most cheeses, white wine, with its freshness, is the ideal companion. It will give you a bit of liveliness after the dish and set the tone for a good Comté or a buche de chèvre cendrée. And with this? A white Beaujolais from Jean-Paul Brun, Domaine des Terres Dorées, one of the pioneers of Chardonnay in southern Beaujolais.

   
   

5. For the dessert

   A classic pairing, but a pairing nonetheless, choose a chocolate mousse for your dessert. And with this airy mousse, choose a powerful Beaujolais wine with notes of spice and chocolate. For example, a Côte de Brouilly from Domaine Bonnet Cotton, with their 100% Cotton cuvée. This bright ruby-red wine with its aromatic bouquet of fresh fruit and minerality is the perfect accompaniment to this gourmet dessert. On tasting, it is full-bodied with fine tannins.

   
   

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