Top pairings | Which wine to pair with a Moroccan tagine?

Top pairings

Which wine to pair with a Moroccan tagine?

Exotic and aromatic, Moroccan tagines somehow manage to suit all types of weather and not being particularly spicy are relatively simple to match with wine. The best wine pairing for tagine depends of course on the type of tagine you’re eating.

It’s all about complementing the dish’s warm spices and rich, slow-cooked flavours. Consider the dominant elements in the tagine—whether it’s earthy, sweet, or citrusy—and match the wine’s weight and acidity accordingly. A medium-bodied wine with a touch of spice or fruitiness often works beautifully, while whites with bright acidity can lift dishes featuring preserved lemon or olives. The right pairing will enhance the dish without overshadowing its intricate balance of flavors.

In this guide I’ll cover my top wine matches for different popular styles of tagine including lamb tagine, of course, as well as chicken and vegetable tagines, and even duck! 

Lamb tagines

Lamb tagines usually incorporate some kind of fruit, most commonly dried fruits like figs or prunes, so the wine should mirror its sweetness while balancing the spices.

I generally like lamb tagine with mellow aged reds like Rioja reservas or similar oak-aged Spanish reds, inexpensive southern Italian reds such as Nero d’Avola, Negroamaro and Aglianico, Lebanese reds or of course reds from Morocco itself.

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Comments: 1 (Add)

Caro - Taste of Savoie on April 6 2013 at 20:00

great, interesting article - just got me out of a spot! A friend asking what wine he should pair with his lamb tagine! I have forwarded this to him

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