Pairings | Brouilly

8 great wine (and other) matches for roast chicken
Both red and white wine go with roast chicken so the key thing to focus on when picking a wine pairing is what flavourings you put with it and the sides you serve. These elements can vary widely depending on where you are in the world, but there’s no doubt that roast chicken has global appeal:
Here in the UK chicken is arguably everyone’s favourite “Sunday roast”, typically served with gravy and loads of vegetables (much like in the U.S.). In France, poulet rôti is a classic weekend meal, often bought off a rotisseries and typically served with a green salad and potatoes which have soaked up the chicken fat.
This guide offers my top eight wine and other drink pairings for different ways of serving roast chicken. For tips on other chicken dishes you might find this post useful.
How to choose the best wine for roast chicken
In general, if you’re cooking it simply with its own roasting juices I’d incline towards a white or light red. Roast it British-style with gravy and loads of vegetables and I’d go for a more substantial red such as a Côtes-du Rhône - though not a full-bodied one like a Grenache or a Shiraz unless you’re dealing with some sweetness and spice in the seasoning - as with this honey-roast chicken recipe. Here are more drink pairings that work:
White burgundy or other good quality oaked chardonnay
A blissful match with a simply roast chicken without much done to it - or accompanied by mushrooms or truffles as Lucy Bridgers reports here. Also a good choice if you’re seasoning it with tarragon or serving it with a creamy sauce.
Viognier
This rich white is a good choice when you have a slightly spicy stuffing or one with fruit like apricots in it.
Red burgundy or other good quality pinot noir
Again, a good choice for a simply roast chicken served with its own juices or rubbed with Chinese five spice.
Beaujolais-Villages
If you’re serving the chicken at room temperature with a salad or seasoning it with lemon a good Beaujolais Villages or cru Beaujolais like a Brouilly is a good choice for spring or summer drinking. As of course is a rosé.
Côtes-du-Rhône Villages
The generous sweetness of a grenache-based Côtes-du-Rhône Villages is perfect If you’re making a more traditional, meaty gravy or are serving more strongly flavoured vegetables. Look out for specific villages such as Cairanne and Vacqueyras
Cider
Chicken and cider is a marriage made in heaven and that particularly applies to roast chicken. Use cider in the gravy too.
Golden or blonde ales
The beer world’s equivalent of Chardonnay: smooth, slightly sweet and just delicious with chicken. Roast chicken is also one of the staples of the Oktoberfest where they serve it with a light Helles lager but you could also enjoy it with a more full-bodied one like Budweiser Budvar or Brooklyn.
Champagne
It might seem extravagant but if you’re in the mood to splash out, a full bodied champagne like Bollinger or Louis Roederer is terrific with a roast chook - it’s the umami taste of the chicken skin that does it!
See also What wine goes best with chicken - red or white?
Image ©FomaA at Adobe Stock

What's the best match for a barbecue?
Should it be wine or beer - or even a cocktail? Last year I asked the Twitter community what their favourite barbecue bevvy was and this is what they came up with . . .
@HarryReginald covered all the options with his prescription:
On a hot day: bubbly, followed by bubbly and then some Chenin and a solid Pinot. Or simply cold, hoppy, beers.
There was a fair amount of support for Sparkling Shiraz
Sparkling Shiraz like Peter Lehmann Black Queen, Rockford Black, Majella - especially with chargrilled and marinated meats and ribs @nywines. @robertgiorgione @rovingsommelier agreed
And for light reds . . .
Lightly chilled Austrian Zweigelt/Blaufrankisch @robertgiorgione
Chilled Beaujolais like Brouilly and other Gamay @scandilicious @goodshoeday (if the BBQ is not too spicy @spicespoon)
Cold Valpolicella Allegrini @Lardis
Leg of lamb with juicy, chilled Loire Cab Franc @foodwinediarist
How about a nice juicy Grenache w/ bbq foods? Not too heavy for hot weather. @TheWineyard
but not much for more full-bodied reds except for @HawksmoorLondon who tipped Super Tuscan wines with chargrilled steak
A couple mentioned whites, especially with fish
Hunter Valley Semillon and oysters @SomeSomm @DanSims (not typical UK barbie fare but a great idea)
Catalan Grenache Blanc with grilled sardines and red peppers @foodwinediarist
Others went in a more aromatic direction
Hilltop Estates Cserszegi from @thewinesociety with home made piri piri BBQ chicken @LouiseHerring
Chicken brochette in the Pakistani manner with Domaine Weinbach Pinot Gris @SpiceSpoon
A nice crisp chilled wine like an Alsace Riesling for me @eatlikeagirl @aforkful. @scandilicious agreed: "nice Riesling or Grüner Veltliner w/BBQ fish or prawns"
Surprisingly few went for rosé, one of my own BBQ favourites
Dry rosé like Chapel Down (with butterflied lamb) @goodshoeday - although she also mentioned Peronelles, a kir-like blush cider from Aspalls
There were other fans of cider
Ashridge Devon cider @BistroWineMan
I do like cider at a bbq - its a good gutsy match to bacon rolls which are another bbq must have! @KateWild
But far more fans of beer
Beer fizzy and cold from my shed fridge @crownbrewerstu
BEER, BEER, BEER, BEER, BEER, BEER, BEER, BEER, CIDER, BEER, BEER, BEER, BEER, BEER, BEER, BEER, BEER, BEER, BEER, BEER, BEER @MelissaCole
What matches caramelised and charred BBQ flavours better than roasted malt flavours? Got to be beer everytime! @WBandBEER
I'm liking dark beers with BBQs at the mo - BrewDog Zeitgeist, a decent Dark Mild, a porter, all served cold @markdredge. @HawksmoorLondon suggested Porter too.
Chimay for a spicy BBQ @spicespoon and Rodenbach Grand Cru for BBQd meats @scandilicious
@Hoegaarden @goodshoeday
not a #twitmatch but a #twecipe-Young's Bitter & Ginger marinade 4 bbq'd spatchcocked poussin @jo_dring
A couple mentioned cocktails (another personal favourite, especially margaritas and rum punches)
Jugs of Bloody Marys @rovingsommelier
A remojito (fino or manzanilla topped up w soda water, mint leaves, ice and lemon) @taralstevens (love the sound of this)
and @bluedoorbakery just went for sherry
@aforkful came up with a great non-alcoholic option: "try this delicious cordial if staying off the booze"
There was even a recommendation for ‘cool water’ from @howardggoldberg (the first - and I hope not the last - #twitmatch linked to a song)
Thanks all, for the great ideas.
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