Wine Advocate Weekend Pairings: Coq Au Vin
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RP Digital
- 16 Nov 2018 | News & Views
We at Robert Parker Wine Advocate are taking eating season in stride, whipping up soulful and heartwarming soups and stews perfect for when the weather outside gets frightful.
The classic French coq au vin, with tender chicken and hearty chunks of bacon, mushrooms and other garnitures braised in red wine, is the perfect dish to warm you up during the colder months of the year.
“Coq au vin is a perfect dish for the fall and winter months, rich and comforting,” says reviewer Erin Brooks. “This time of year, I get Beaujolais on the brain. I'd go straight for a bottle of Jean Foillard Cote du Py. It's my favorite producer of Beaujolais and the 2016 vintage is bright cherry, full of juicy red berry fruit over a savory undercurrent. It's the perfect bottle to lighten up the coq au vin.”
“While there's no need to break the bank on the wine for the recipe, the 2016 vintage was a standout throughout the Côtes du Rhône,” says The Wine Advocate’s managing editor, Joe Czerwinski. “Any of the widely available, budget-priced négociant offerings will work: M. Chapoutier, Delas Frères, Louis Bernard or Ogier are all suitable options. While you could happily drink any of these alongside the dish, why not step it up by pouring something more concentrated and complex? The Côtes du Rhône bottlings from these producers often rival Châteauneuf-du-Pape in quality at half the price (or less): Château de Beaucastel (Coudoulet), Le Clos du Caillou (La Reserve or Les Quartz), Domaine de la Janasse (Les Garrigues), Domaine Grand Veneur (Les Champauvins).”