My favourite food pairings with Viognier

Viognier (pronounced vee-on-yee-ay) is a rich, exotically fruity white wine, sometimes achieving quite high levels of alcohol so what are the ideal foods to pair with it?

It generally goes well with the sort of ingredients and dishes that match well with chardonnay and oaked chenin blancs but with a spicier twist.

Viognier food pairings

* Top of my list would be mild creamy curries like kormas or spicy south-east Asian curries. Even curries made with curry powder work well as do spicy dishes with a hint of peach or apricot, echoing the flavours in the wine

* mild spicy noodle dishes like Pad Thai

* chicken salads with apricot, peach or mango like coronation chicken

* fruity chicken - and even lamb - tagines with apricot

* dishes with ginger, saffron and coconut

* chicken, pork or rabbit with creamy sauces, especially if the dish includes a dash of viognier itself like this springlike dish. More intensely flavoured viogniers can stand up to roast pork, chicken and turkey

* Rich shellfish dishes such as seared scallops, grilled lobster and baked crab, especially with a hint of spice

* creamy and buttery cheeses

* sweet root vegetables especially carrots, parsnips and sweet potatoes and spicy butternut squash

Note: Viognier’s original home is in the Rhône though oddly I don’t think it’s a great pairing for Mediterranean food. You also find great viogniers in California and Australia whose most noted specialist is Yalumba.

Viognier is also incorporated into rich white blends that would match similar dishes to the above (see this match of the week for example) - and also blended with Syrah/Shiraz though those would call for quite a different pairing

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What are the best wine pairings for Vacherin Mont d’Or

People occasionally ask me my favourite cheese - an impossible question but Vacherin Mont d’Or is certainly up there in the top 5.

It’s made either side of the Franco/Swiss border under slightly different names* between September and March and is a washed rind cheese with a wonderfully fluid texture. It's always presented in a box with a piece of spruce bark wrapped round it. You can serve it baked when it acquires the consistency of a fondue.

Locally in the Jura it would alway be drunk with one of the local crisp white wines. Top London cheesemonger, Patricia Michelson of La Fromagerie, recommends a vin jaune or a savagnin which is certainly the classic, on-the-spot pairing and fortunately the wines more widely available than they used to be in the UK. Vintage champagne is also an option but not always what one is looking for with cheese which leaves one with aromatic whites.

'A perfectly ripe Vacherin Mont d'Or, oozing with funky fruit aromas, is an extraordinary thing to eat with a 15- to 20-year-old auslese riesling, which by then has developed a singular smoky aroma reminiscent of kerosene' Eric Asimov of the New York Times suggested a while ago. I also very much enjoyed a Vacherin recently with Laurent Miquel's Verité, a top quality viognier from the Languedoc.

Others such as Murray’s Cheese suggest pairing it with an aromatic gewurztraminer and a dry young Alsace or Austrian riesling should be an enjoyable pairing.

Is there any red that will work? I’m not totally convinced but an Hachette book I have, Fromages et Vins, suggests an Alsace Pinot Noir or a minor red burgundy such as Hauts-Côtes-de-Nuits.

Award-winning sommelier Nicolas Clerc recommends serving the cheese with toasted hazelnut bread and adding a julienne of raw cepes "to reach another dimension of pleasure” while the late Sue Style author of Cheese: Slices of Swiss Culture suggested: Serve this delectably runny cheese with good rye or wholewheat bread or allow it to slither gently over small, waxy (or new) potatoes cooked in their skins. You could also serve a selection of fragrant smoked meats and mountain sausages.

In terms of Swiss wines Sue recommended "a Petite Arvine from the Valais (Chanton Weine in Visp make a fine one), not a flétri but a dry one: pale straw, grapefruit/lime blossom with slightly salty finish and enough acidity to cope with the luscious silky texture of the Vacherin. Or, if you prefer red, how about a Pinot Noir from either Valais (Simon Maye, Maurice Zufferey - top names from around Salgesch/Sierre) or from Graubünden (Gantenbein's is most elevated, but there are lots of other fine ones from the village of Bündner Herrschaft near Chur), or a Dole, a blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir from the Valais."

* The Swiss version is called Vacherin Mont d’Or, the French simply Mont d’Or or Vacherin du Haut-Doubs

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Which wine to drink with paella?

Paella, the iconic Spanish dish, pairs beautifully with a range of wines, but choosing between white, red, or rosé depends on the type of paella you’re enjoying and its key ingredients.

Recipes vary - and are much argued over - but traditionally the dish either includes chicken or rabbit or seafood like prawns, mussels or clams - not meat and seafood in the same dish.

Nowadays the idea of what goes into a paella is less strict though so here’s a guide to the wine pairings I think work best for different recipes whether they’re based on seafood (paella de mariscos), meat, a mixture of the two (paellal mixta) or vegetarian versions (paella de verduras). 

You’ll find that the wine you choose doesn’t need to be overly complex or expensive to complement paella perfectly. Instead, focus on wines with fresh, vibrant flavors that enhance the dish’s key ingredients without overwhelming them. Crisp whites, fruity rosés, and light-to-medium reds (and even sherry!) all have their place, depending on the style of paella being served. 

How paella’s serving style can influence the match

Paella is typically eaten at a relaxed sort of family gathering so I wouldn’t advocate anything too grand. 

A chilled dry rosé from Navarra or Rioja (one of the more traditional bottlings, not the more fruit driven rosés made in a New World style) generally hits the spot perfectly but there’s absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t drink an inexpensive red Rioja or other medium-bodied tempranillo or garnacha (grenache) or garnacha blends (again lightly chilled till cool rather than at room temperature). But I’d avoid ‘fruit-bombs’ or overly alcoholic, tannic reds.

Looking outside Spain, lighter reds and rosés from the neighbouring Languedoc-Roussillon would work well as would the new wave of characterful roussanne, marsanne and viognier-based Languedoc whites if white wine is your preference.

What I look for in a white with paella is an earthy richness rather than a sharp citrussy or floral character so I personally wouldn’t go for a sauvignon blanc or a riesling. (You’ll enjoy them more, I think, with simply prepared fried or grilled seafood on its own.)

Wine pairings for popular types of paella

Paella comes in many variations, each with its own unique set of ingredients and regional influences. Here are some of the most popular types of paella and the wines to go with them:

Paella Valenciana

Traditionally made with chicken, rabbit, and sometimes snails, along with green beans, white beans, tomatoes, rosemary, and saffron. This is the original paella from the Valencia region and often includes a mix of land-based proteins rather than seafood.

Wine pairing: A medium-bodied red wine like Tempranillo or Garnacha. 

Paella de Marisco (Seafood Paella)

This popular version focuses solely on seafood, such as prawns, mussels, clams, squid, and fish. It omits meat and relies on seafood stock to enrich the rice with a briny, oceanic flavour.

Wine pairing: A crisp, citrusy white wine like Albariño or Verdejo

Paella Mixta (Mixed Paella)

A fusion of meat (usually chicken or rabbit) and seafood, this type of paella also includes vegetables, making it a versatile and widely loved choice. It’s a more modern creation compared to the traditional styles.

Wine pairing: A versatile option like a dry rosé from Provence or a light, chilled red like a Mencía.

Paella de Verduras (Vegetable Paella)

This vegetarian version is packed with seasonal vegetables like artichokes, bell peppers, tomatoes, peas, and green beans. It’s often flavoured with herbs and spices but excludes meat and seafood.

Wine pairing: A light, herbaceous white wine such as a Verdejo or a Sauvignon Blanc.

Paella Negra (Black Paella or Arroz Negro)

Made with squid or cuttlefish and tinted with squid ink, which gives the dish its distinctive black colour. It has a rich, briny taste and is usually garnished with aioli for added flavour.

Wine pairing: A crisp, mineral-driven Albariño or a Godello from Galicia.

Paella de Mar y Montaña (Surf and Turf Paella)

Combines elements from both sea and land, such as chicken or pork with seafood like prawns or squid. It offers a mix of flavours and textures, blending the best of both worlds.

Wine pairing: A medium-bodied rosé, such as one from Navarra or a Garnacha rosé.

Paella de Bogavante (Lobster Paella)

A luxurious variation featuring lobster as the star ingredient, often paired with other seafood for a rich and indulgent meal.

Wine pairing: a fuller-bodied chardonnay always works well with lobster or try an oaked white rioja.

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What to pair with Coronation chicken?

Coronation chicken is an obvious choice for any Royal occasion but what wine - or beer - should you pair with it?

First, for those who haven’t the faintest clue what it is, it was invented by Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume of Le Cordon Bleu to celebrate the Queen’s coronation in 1953. It’s basically cold poached chicken folded into a lightly curried mayonnaise to which a touch of apricot purée or jam has been added. So very retro indeed.

There are quite a few contemporary versions knocking around such as this one from the Hairy Bikers but in essence it remains chicken in a creamy, spicy mayo. On those grounds I’d be more inclined to go for a white or rosé than a red:

* Viognier would probably be my top choice. It has just that bit more of an aromatic lift than Chardonnay although I think a medium bodied, lightly oaked Chardonnay would work perfectly well.

* old vine Chenin Blanc would also be good. It often has a touch of sweetness which would work well with the dressing, particularly if it contains apricot purée like the original. South Africa is the place to go for reasonably priced versions - Ken Forrester is a reliable name to look out for.

* a strong fruity rosé - again, not completely dry would work well. Like a shiraz rosé

* or, if you wanted a red, a lightly chilled Beaujolais would hit the spot

* a golden ale like a Duvel would be lovely. You don’t want too much bitterness with this dish so I’d go for this style in preference to a classic English bitter/pale ale.

* and a medium-dry or sparkling cider would also be a great match. And would cope with the sausage rolls and pork pies you’re probably serving up alongside.

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