Pairings | Beaujolais Nouveau

What to pair with Beaujolais Nouveau (updated)

Posted by Fiona Beckett on November 13 2024 at 06:44

With southern hemisphere wines from the 2024 vintage already hitting the shelves the annual release of Beaujolais Nouveau has become less significant than it once used to be but it’s still a fun occasion to mark.

So far as food is concerned I suggest you go for the obvious-but-none-the-worse-for-it pairing of charcuterie.

A selection of saucisson, paté, rillettes and perhaps some jambon de Bayonne or mountain ham with some cornichons (gherkins), fresh radishes, butter and a good crusty baguette or two followed by a nice mature but not overripe Camembert or Brie.

I’d also suggest you chill your ‘nouveau’ for 30 minutes in the fridge before you serve it.

If you’re veggie a selection of crudités - fresh crunchy vegetables such as radishes, carrots and fennel - and a young goats cheese would work. really well.

If you’re feeling more adventurous you could try it with a Chinese takeaway avoiding stronger dishes such as crab or ribs in black bean sauce. I think it would go pretty well with sushi.

And if you’re anywhere warm enough to eat outside try it with a duck or chicken salad with some red fruits such as sun-dried cherries or pomegranate seeds.

And given it coincides with Thanksgiving this year, maybe drink it with the Thanksgiving turkey leftovers!

For pairings for Beaujolais Villages and ‘cru’ Beaujolais see Top Food Matches for Beaujolais (and other Gamay)

Image by roksen_andre from Pixabay

Top food matches for Beaujolais (and other gamay)

Posted by Fiona Beckett on November 17 2023 at 07:45

Beaujolais - by which I mean red Beaujolais - is the most French of wines, the perfect wine pairing for a picnic or bistro meal.

It’s generally thought of as light and fruity, though it can also be quite full-bodied. In this post I’ll cover my favourite food pairings for specific types of Beaujolais (and other gamay). You’ll find it an enormously versatile wine.

Food-wise, it pairs with much the same ingredients and dishes as pinot noir, though gamay (the grape Beaujolais is made from) doesn’t have the best pinots’ complexity or silky, sensuous texture.

Beaujolais is almost always a winner with French charcuterie such as patés, terrines, rillettes, and saucisson sec and with white-rinded cheeses such as Brie and Camembert (provided they’re not overripe) but it’s a highly versatile wine that can easily take you through a meal where people are ordering different things.

Lighter styles of Beaujolais such as Beaujolais Nouveau, inexpensive Beaujolais, Beaujolais Villages, and lighter ‘cru’ (top level village) Beaujolais such as Fleurie or Chiroubles. (These wines can happily be served lightly chilled)

*Cold ham, especially the French jambon persillé (jellied ham and parsley)

*Cold turkey and chicken (Beaujolais is brilliant with Thanksgiving or Christmas Day leftovers)

*Salads, especially with chicken or bacon (think frisée with lardons) with pomegranate seeds, with berries like dried cherries or cranberries, or with goats cheese

*Seared tuna and salmon

*Fish stews like this cod pot au feu

*Sushi, if you like a red with it

*Strawberries (delicious with a young fruity Beaujolais poured over them)

More Full-bodied or More Mature Beaujolais

From riper vintages e.g. 2018, 2020 or weightier crus such as Morgon, Julienas, and Moulin à Vent

*Simply roast chicken, guineafowl, duck, or partridge

*Seared duck breast, especially with fruit like cherries or figs

*Classic French dishes in a creamy sauce like chicken with tarragon or kidneys with mustard sauce or even a retro boeuf stroganoff

*Simply grilled pork, lamb, or veal

*Toulouse or other garlicky sausages and lentils. (See also this quirky match with Toulouse sausage and prawn dumplings!)

*Steak tartare, as you can see from this post