Grenache Blanc and Food Pairing
Ingredients and Styles
Most of the Grenache Blanc available in the United States is dry, so I focus on pairings with that style here. The rare contribution to dessert wines can be treated much like late-harvest Sémillons.
Food pairings need to accommodate Grenache Blanc’s smooth texture and fleshiness. Sauces that contain cream, butter, or reductions of stock are very successful with a Grenache Blanc-based blend as they mimic the character of the wine. Likewise, richer ingredients like duck, scallops, lobster, and even roasted root vegetables are seamless matches. A classic local dish like brandade, the Provençal preparation of puréed salt cod and potatoes is an exceptionally good match: the wine can handle the cod's salt quotient without coming off as too alcoholic. (You can hedge your bets by selecting a less alcoholic example.) Seafood lasagna or a mild Thai coconut curry are also good companions. Classic and time-honored matches include simple roast chicken, oily and fleshy fish, and dishes incorporating heavy starches like potatoes, pasta, and rice.
Because Grenache Blanc tends to be alcoholic to begin with, too much spicy heat can make it taste and feel like grappa if you're not careful. Use red pepper flakes and chiles sparingly and opt for examples with alcohol levels closer to 13 percent than 14.5 percent. A spicy Szechuan dish and Grenache Blanc could result in gastronomic combustion and a race for the antacid.
A little bit of bottle age can bring out a distinctly nutty tone in most Grenache Blanc and Grenache Blanc-based wines. Play this up by using nuts as an accent in the food, as in chicken with hazelnuts, cream, and sweet spices or macadamia-crusted fish. And don't overlook the sweet citrus nature of this variety. Adding a little orange or tangerine zest is a natural bridge for this wine, whether you're making a risotto, a marinade, or even the crust for a savory tart, which can work nicely with many Grenache Blanc-based wines.
| Wine Style Sugar Level |
Ingredients | Cuisines + Cooking methods |
|---|---|---|
| Young Grenache | Cream, butter Duck and rich fowl Richer seafood with implied sweetness (scallops, lobster) Oily and fleshy fish Root vegetables Squash Corn Heavy starches (potatoes, pasta, rice) Salt Exotic but mild spices with implied sweetness (curry powder, cinnamon, cumin, and mace) Citrus |
Sauces that contain cream, butter, or reductions of stock Seafood lasagna, mild Cajun crayfish étouffée, simply broiled lobster Mild Thai coconut curry Roasted root vegetables, root vegetable gratin, butternut-squash ravioli, pumpkin soup, sautéed plantains Hearty vegetable preparations, e.g. summer vegetable stew, stuffed zucchini blossoms with ricotta Buttered corn on the cob Brandade, the Provençal preparation of puréed salt cod and potatoes A simple roast chicken Dishes that incorporate heavy starches, e.g. cream of potato soup, pastas and risottos with creamy sauce Bridge to the wine by adding a little orange or tangerine zest in a risotto, marinade, or even the crust for a savory tart |
| More mature Grenache | See above Nuts “Nuttier” cheeses such as Gruyere Pork |
See above Dishes that play up the nuttiness in the wine, e.g. fish en croûte (wrapped in pastry), hamachi sashimi Use browned butter, e.g. scallops in a brown butter sauce, topped with toasted breadcrumbs Use nuts as an accent in the dish (macadamia-crusted fish, chicken with hazelnuts, cream, and sweet spices ) Mild cheese soufflé Pork chop served with sautéed apples, crème fraîche, and a splash of Calvados |
| Dessert-style Grenache | Stone fruit and tree fruit Lemons, limes Vanilla Caramel Sweet spices, such as cinnamon, ginger Cheese, especially Roquefort |
Strawberries and cream Cheesecake Butterscotch, caramel, toffee or crème brûlée Stewed fruit Lemon, lime mousse |
Pairing Pointers
Grenache Blanc works well:
- Most seafood—the richer the better. From a mild Cajun crayfish étouffée to simply broiled lobster, these dishes pair well with the rich texture of Grenache Blanc without the flavors fighting too hard. With aged wines, think about richer cooking or saucing techniques that pick up on the nutty character of the wine – a fish en croûte (wrapped in pastry) or scallops in a brown butter sauce, topped with toasted breadcrumbs. Don’t overlook its ability to pair with oilier fishes such as sardines or mackerel
- Many rich first courses. I could drink a Grenache Blanc-based wine with a plate of hamachi sashimi almost any day of the week! The smooth and creamy texture and lightly nutty flavor of my favorite sushi fish is magic with the wine. A mild cheese soufflé or a cream of potato soup also works. Rich but mild is the key here. A pork chop served with sautéed apples, crème fraîche, and a splash of Calvados is sublime.
- Pastas and risottos with creamy sauce. As pasta and rice are both blank canvases onto which we paint flavors, they are perfect backdrops to many Grenache Blanc-based wines. A risotto of shrimp, peas, and lots of butter is lovely, as is a bowl of spaghetti served with chicken, lemon zest, olives, and a sauce of reduced chicken stock.
- Rich vegetables. I adore Grenache Blanc-based wine with most squash and squash-based dishes. Try a root vegetable gratin, summer vegetable stew, stuffed zucchini blossoms with ricotta, or in-season buttered corn on the cob. A plate of butternut squash ravioli and a bowl of pumpkin soup are other great examples of vegetarian dishes that pair well. And with sautéed plantains – yum!
- Exotically spiced dishes. Grenache Blanc’s ripe-fruit character is a reasonably neutral backdrop; like many other aromatic white wines, it pairs nicely with curry powder, cinnamon, cumin, and mace, among other spices.
Grenache Blanc doesn't work:
- Very spicy dishes. Hot spices increase your perception of alcohol, and Grenache Blanc tends to be high in alcohol. Use a soft touch with your hot salsa, favorite chile sauce, or shaker of red pepper flakes. Don't attempt to pair hot Asian cuisine with a rich Grenache Blanc blend unless you enjoy heartburn.
- Lighter preparations. Given the full-bodied nature of this wine, it's easy to tamp down on and lose simple dishes behind its girth. Grenache Blanc is gentle, but still a giant.
- Very smoky foods. Grenache Blanc can be overwhelmed by mesquite-grilled meats, slowly smoked chicken, or a smoked salmon terrine. The wine may still work, but it will lose any nuance of harmony with the dish.
- Very sharp dishes. This warning may seem counterintuitive, as you might expect the dish's acid to fill in the gaps in the wine, but it usually just takes out what's left. Avoid sweet and sour treatments, acidic sauces and ingredients (vinaigrettes, eggplant, zucchini), even ceviche, unless you have a reasonably tart example of the wine.
- Artichokes, asparagus, and other problem children. The low acidity of Grenache Blanc means it can't compete with these difficult vegetables. Try a glass of dry white Roussillon wine with a steamed artichoke and you'll see what I mean.