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What Wine with French Onion Soup?

PostPosted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 2:44 pm
by Bill Spohn
Doing a rustic French country meal on the weekend - terrine, French onion soup, daube de boeuf, tarte des pommes.

The wine match that I am pondering most is the soup. Lots of choices - lighter acidic red (Beaujolais) or white with some character - pinot gris, chard, domestic or Alsatian.

Does anyone have any killer onion soup wine matches in memory? I expect that this dish often goes wineless, but figured there'd be others like me for whom the concept of 'wineless' is anathema!

Re: What Wine with French Onion Soup?

PostPosted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 4:05 pm
by Howie Hart
I usually go with Gamay or Pinot Noir and serve the onion soup as a lead in to grilled steak, where I would serve a heartier red (Cab Sauv or Cab Franc), but a Pinot Gris might work.

Re: What Wine with French Onion Soup?

PostPosted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 5:04 pm
by Thomas
Yep, Gamay. Crus Beaujolais will do nicely.

Re: What Wine with French Onion Soup?

PostPosted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 12:20 am
by Mike Filigenzi
Have not tried this myself, but gamay does sounds good. A good chard also seems like it would pair well.

Re: What Wine with French Onion Soup?

PostPosted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 1:10 am
by Bill Spohn
Think I'll try a pinot, thanks for the thoughts.

Am going to do a Madiran with the daube, still pondering the other matches.

Re: What Wine with French Onion Soup?

PostPosted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 3:13 pm
by Timo Olavi
if the base is a beef stock, what about a dry sherry? i've had a highly reduced beef consomme with an oloroso which was nothing short of a revelation.

Re: What Wine with French Onion Soup?

PostPosted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 3:47 pm
by Bill Spohn
It is beef stock, and I'm waffling between port, sherry, and madeira, as each bring something different to the party.

Re: What Wine with French Onion Soup?

PostPosted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 5:05 pm
by Jenise
I am so there with timo's rec on the sherry for the same reason that I would also rec a mature Chardonnay. I recall a five/six year old St. auburn that just rocked a French onion soup. The wine would haven tasted slightly oxidative with a salad or something else fresh/raw, but was amazing with that soup.

Re: What Wine with French Onion Soup?

PostPosted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 5:30 pm
by Thomas
I'd add sherry in the onion soup.

Re: What Wine with French Onion Soup?

PostPosted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 5:36 pm
by Frank Deis
Here is a radical idea. No wine. It's a soup. You gotta wash it down?

Re: What Wine with French Onion Soup?

PostPosted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 6:36 pm
by Bill Spohn
Frank Deis wrote:Here is a radical idea. No wine. It's a soup. You gotta wash it down?


Food without wine? Surely you jest! :mrgreen: