Chablis is literally one of my favorite appellations. I drink a lot of Chablis because I particularly like its purity and minerality. And I also appreciate its great versatility in terms of food pairing. The different levels of appellation – Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru and Chablis Grand Cru – allow for a wide range of food and wine pairings. In this article, I will present you three food and Chablis wine pairings that I have personally tested and validated.
A Multitude of Food and Wine Pairings
The different levels of appellations in Chablis produce wines with various profiles allowing a wide range of possibilities with food. The freshness, minerality and tension of Chablis wines make them easy to match with food.
The saline and iodine notes found in Chablis wines make them a great match for seafood. Oysters, for example, are great companions, especially for Chablis wines that have been aged in vats. Sushi, sashimi, scallop carpaccio and seafood platters are also excellent choices.
Chablis wines also go very well with fish. Choose Petit Chablis and Chablis with grilled or poached fish, Chablis Premier Cru and Chablis Grand Cru with fatty fish or fish in sauce (beurre blanc, Armoricaine sauce, creamy sauce, hollandaise, etc.). The more complex the dish is in terms of flavors, the more it is recommended to go for Chablis Premier Cru and Grand Cru, which are more likely to go with more pronounced tastes and aromas.
Shellfish and crustaceans are also natural matches for Chablis wines. Lobsters, scampi, crab, mussels, clams, shrimp and scallops make very good matches. White meats also work very well, such as glazed pork or veal blanquette.
Do you like mushrooms? Mushrooms also love Chablis. A little butter and garlic and you’re done. Stuffed mushrooms or a truffle risotto will also go very well with a Chablis Premier Cru or Grand Cru that is a little older. Finally, don’t forget cheese, especially goat cheese.
As you can see, Chablis wines offer a multitude of pairing possibilities. Now, I would like to present three pairings that I have personally tested and enjoyed.
Petit Chablis and Asian-inspired Pork Stir-Fry
A Chinese noodle dish with strong flavors such as soy sauce, garlic or roasted sesame oil calls for a lively wine like a Petit Chablis. The one produced by Clotilde Davenne, lively and full of freshness with its notes of white flowers and citrus, proved to be an ideal companion for this dish. The recipe is available on the Chablis wine blog by clicking here. Since I always like to add a little personal touch to each dish, and since I am a big fan of spicy meals, I decided to add a good dose of Espelette peppers. The freshness of the Petit Chablis mitigated the spiciness of the pepper. So don’t hesitate to think Petit Chablis on spicy dishes such as curries for instance.
Chablis and Salmon Glazed with Maple Syrup
The title of the recipe alone is a delight! What a wonderful pairing this caramelized lacquered salmon with soy sauce and maple syrup was with a fennel salad with an olive oil, mustard and lemon vinaigrette. The dish was full of flavors and the sweetness and saltiness of the salmon was a perfect match for the vibrant acidity and minerality of this Chablis produced by Daniel Dampt & Fils. Nice notes of green apples and candied lemon with a long mineral finish. A real delight! If you want the recipe, go to the Chablis wines website here.
Chablis Premier Cru and Linguine alla Vongole
Third pairing tested and approved, a Chablis Premier Cru Les Fourneaux by Corinne and Jean-Pierre Grossot with Linguini alla Vongole (pasta with clams). The strong iodine of the clams combined with the flavor of the garlic and the herbaceousness of the parsley is not an easy match. But with its notes of yellow fruit, lime blossom, slightly buttery character, remarkable tension and long saline finish, I couldn’t imagine a better match than this delicious Chablis Premier Cru! My three year old daughter told me that the wine smelled great and the clams were succulent, what more can I say? For the recipe, click here.
For more recipe ideas
The Chablis wines website offers a myriad of recipes and wine and food pairings, so be sure to check it out for more gourmet suggestions by clicking here.
If you also want to know more about the wines of Chablis, I invite you to consult my article on the subject at the following link: https://www.vino2travel.com/les-vins-de-chablis/.
This article is a collaboration with Les Vins de Chablis.
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