5 Fabulous Stew & Wine Pairings

At this time of year nothing beats a hearty stew to warm you up on a cold winters night. Whether you prefer something classic, like a hearty beef bourguignon in red wine sauce, or something lighter like a healthy bouillabaisse, these classic winter dishes paired with a wine match made in heaven are certain to warm you up and fill you up.

Stew: Beef Bourguignon

Pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon/Blend or Merlot

Optimum Serving Temperature: Best served at room temperature — 16 to 18 degrees

Notes: “Traditionally made with Pinot Noir, why not use half a bottle of Cabernet and drink the rest.”

Stew: Bouillabaisse

Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc/Blend

Optimum Serving Temperature: Best served cold — 6 to 10 degrees

Notes: “Choose something with good acidity and a fairly assertive personality such as an Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc because the Sauvignon flavours complement the tomatoes, onions, and fennel in bouillabaisse recipes.”

Stew: Coq Au vin

Pairing: Pinot Noir

Optimum Serving Temperature: Best served cooled — 12 to 16 degrees

Notes: “Use a good value Pinot to make the dish and the best one you can afford to drink with it.”

Stew: Irish Stew

Pairing: Nebbiolo

Optimum Serving Temperature: Best served at room temperature — 16 to 18 degrees

Notes: “Try an Italian Barolo. Barolo, the “king of wines,” comes from Nebbiolo grapes, it is a robust, full body, full tannins and full alcohol wine that is highly acidic and dry”

Stew: Cassoulet

Pairing: Shiraz

Optimum Serving Temperature: Best served at room temperature — 16 to 18 degrees

Notes: “This calls for a rich boldly flavoured, full-bodied wine with some tannic oomph, try a classic Barossa or McLaren Vale Shiraz.”

At Grand Cru, we are the wine fridge experts and can provide you with state of the art wine fridges to keep your wine at the perfect serving temperature all year round.