Cabernet/Pinot Inquiry

[Innkeeper]

Hi Winerookie, and welcome to the Wine Board. Sorry, nobody has answered your question yet. That's because it is the sort that most of us don't want to touch with a ten foot pole. Starting with the end of it, chicken is not the dish that most people associate with red wine. This prejudice started to go away forty or so years ago when Coq-a-vin was the big thing. It was cooked in Burgundy (the kind from Burgundy) otherwise known as Pinot Noir. That sort of broke the ice. Now Pinot is drunk with various chichen dishes ranging from those made with just legs, to others with very rich sauces.

Other than Pinot, the list of red wines that go with chicken is short. Pinot's neighbor, Gamay does well too. That is the grape that goes into Beaujolais, and the bigger Crus Beaujolais' such as Moulin-A-Vent and Morgon. Italian Barbera d'Asti and some of the American Barberas do well too; especially those chicken dishes originating in Italy. Among the million or so other Italian reds, there are a few others that go with chicken, but it's quite easy and enjoyable to stick with the barbera.

Cabernet sauvignion does not go with most chicken dishes, but cabernet franc in some versions does. This includes the French Chinon. With barbera and cabernet franc, you can be safe with chicken dishes by price point. The lower priced ones are fruity and fresh, while the higher priced ones are much bigger and frequently oaky, and non-compatable with chicken in any guise.

For specific brands on these wines use the "Search" feature of this board. Also go to the "Best Buys" thread of the board and "Go" way back for many good ideas.

[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 10-21-2000).]