Food and Wine pairing Combining food
Languedoc AOC wines: highly-coloured wines !
Enriched by its eighteen different wine types, the Languedoc region proposes a palette of whites, rosés and reds, portraying all shades and perfumes. Hence, in the Languedoc, each dish has found its wine, or its wines. Their variety provides them a with multitude of qualities, enabling them to accompany the grand tables of French gastronomy, that simple dish of the day, or a relaxing moment among friends.
Red wines
Character red wines : aromas, some of which matured in oak barrels and require decanting before tasting.
Which AOCs are those such wines?
Minervois, Saint-Chinian, Corbières, Faugères, etc.* * examples only
Tasting :
- color : purple, almost black
- the nose : incredible aromatic intensity
- the mouth : originating from mature vines having a low yield, often matured in the best oak barrels, with powerful nectars, full of flavour and tannins, to be decanted several hours before tasting.
Suitable dishes :
Roasts, game in sauce, blue cheese, gourmet salads (giblets, liver), chocolate desserts, etc.
Ideal temperature :
To be served between 14 and 16°C Fruity red wines : supple and fruity, these red wines express aromas of violet flower, Morello cherries or soft liquorice.
Which AOCs are those such wines ?
Languedoc, Corbières, Cabardès, Minervois, etc.* * examples only
Tasting :
- color : blue-tinted ruby red
- the nose :fruity and supple
- the mouth : Morello cherry aromas, accompanied by violet flower or sweet liquorice
Suitable dishes ?
Light salads (Niçoise, Languedoc), herb-flavoured grills, pies (seafood), “tielle sétoise” (calmar dough pie), ratatouille, etc.
Ideal temperature :
To be served between 14 and 16°C
Tip of the day
SOS red-wine stain! For cotton fabrics, pour over white wine or sparkling water. For table linen, plunge the stained area into boiling milk. Découvrez la recette
Rosés wines
Fresh and savoury in the mouth, they recall red-fruit scents (strawberry, blackcurrant, cherry, etc.).
Which AOCs are those such wines ?
Languedoc, Corbières, Minervois, Saint-Chinian, etc.* * examples only
Tasting :
- color :shiny with a perfect pinkish colour
- the nose : red-fruit and floral bouquet with spicy aromas
- the mouth : fresh and savoury
Suitable dishes ?
Aperitif (olives, tapenades) tapas, starters, light salads, white meat, rock fish, vegetables seasoned with Provencal herbs, pizzas, etc..
Ideal temperature :
Be served between 8 and 10°C
Tip of the day
The mystery of the rosé wine How to make rosé wine when using black grapes that give off white juices? The answer is simple: the light pink colour of the wine is achieved by macerating the black grapes (treaded with their skins and pips) for a short period only, before being quickly pressed. Découvrez la recette
White wines
Wines sometimes shiny and bright with a fresh taste, sometimes golden with notes of ripe fruit.
Which AOCs are those such wines ?
Languedoc - Picpoul de Pinet, Clairette du Languedoc, Limoux, Minervois, Corbières, etc.* * examples only
Tasting :
- color : sometimes shiny and pale, sometimes golden
- the nose : floral and powerful or notes of ripe fruit
- the mouth : fresh or round and elegant
Suitable dishes ?
Mediterranean cooking, fish in sauce or grilled, bouillabaisse (Marseille seafood broth), tielle sétoise (calmar dough pie), seafood, cheese (“pélardon”).
Ideal temperature :
Be served between 8 and 10°C
Tip of the day
White wine is prone to giving headaches? Definitely not! Several years ago, sulphur additives were often badly proportioned and were liable to provoking headache. Since then, considerable technical progress has enabled to radically reduce such proportions. This reputation is thus now something of the past! Découvrez la recette
Natural and sparkling sweet wines
Sparkling wines : the bubbles from Limoux, served in flutes reveal a fine hawthorn bouquet, with apple and hazelnut.
Which AOCs are those such wines ?
Blanquette de Limoux, Crémant de Limoux, Traditional "blanquette" Method
Tasting :
- color : admire the trickle of fine bubbles in those elegant flutes!
- the nose : a fine hawthorn bouquet, with apple and hazelnut
- the mouth : simple and tender flavours
Suitable dishes ?
Aperitif, desserts (with fruit, "oreillettes" or Provencal fritters, pancakes, "galettes des rois" or Twelfth Night almond pastry), etc..
Ideal temperature :
Be served between 8 and 10°C Muscats wines : these intensely aromatic wines develop yellow-fruit perfumes.
Which AOCs are those such wines ?
Frontignan, Mireval, Lunel, Saint-Jean de Minervois
Tasting :
- color : golden
- the nose : perfumes of nutmeg, bush peach, apricots and orange blossom
- the mouth : fresh, fine and complex
Suitable dishes ?
Aperitif, foie gras, blue cheese, fruit desserts, melon, etc
Ideal temperature :
Be served between 5 and 6 °C
Tip of the day
Bubbles galore! How to preserve the bubbles in that bottle of Blanquette de Limoux just opened? Store in a cool, dark place where the temperatures hardly varies. Only an airtight stopper will enable it to keep for several hours. However, if you do not have such a stopper, you can always try Grandma's solution: the little spoon down the bottleneck! Découvrez la recette
