What Wine to Pair With Duck Breast?

REGIONAL PAIRING: RED WINE FROM SOUTH WEST FRANCE

Originating in the southwest of France, duck breast is one of the favourite dishes of the French. This dish is so popular that it can now be enjoyed all over the country, including internationally, in French gastronomic restaurants. There are different ways of preparing this bird, both in terms of the type of cooking and the sauce chosen. In any case, for a sure value, regional pairings are always encouraged and appreciated. Especially since the South-West of France is full of well-structured wines with strong tannins.

BERGERAC OR FRONTON WITH DUCK BREAST

A fairly common, if not perhaps the best known, way of cooking duck breast is to cook it medium-rare, with the pieces just seared. The meat is then juicy and the blood of the animal comes into consideration in the type of match. The region has everything you need in terms of red wine to accompany the pink duck breast. For duck cooked in the oven or in a pan, the Fronton AOC and Bergerac AOC are absolutely perfect. The Bergerac wines are the result of single-varietal cuvées or blends of typical Bordeaux grape varieties offering an intense expression of fruit, as well as full, rich tannins. The Négrette grape, the flagship grape of the Fronton appellation, offer red wines with intense, crisp fruitiness, ideal for matching the juicy texture of seared duck.

MADIRAN AND POMEROL WITH A GRILLED DUCK BREAST

For a barbecued duck breast, choose a wine with smoky notes reminiscent of the braised side. Indeed, these aromas are intensified with barbecuing, since the piece of meat is normally placed high up, for a slower, almost smoky cooking. The fat remains in contact with the meat, enhancing the grilled and braised flavours. A Madiran from the southwest, with its powerful tannins and dark fruit flavours, enhanced by a smoky undertone, is an excellent option.

SWEET AND SOUR DUCK BREAST

If the cooking of the meat is to be considered in the elaboration of food and wine pairings with duck breast, the sauce that accompanies it is probably even more important. The pieces of duck being delicately cooked, still quite rare to preserve the tenderness of their flesh, always call for a tannic red wine with a good structure. Here again, let's keep the course towards the South-West of France as well as towards certain vintages of the Bordeaux region.

DUCK BREAST WITH HONEY

The duck breast with honey is a great classic of French cuisine. The fat of the meat is delicately impregnated with the sugar and the fragrance of the caramelised honey, making the whole thing crisp under the tooth. This recipe is a real explosion of flavours and textures, between the power and pronounced taste of the duck and the sweetness of the honey. A Côtes de Gascogne IGP, with its gourmet aromas of black fruits, liquorice and spices, meets the criteria perfectly. Not lacking in structure or tannins, the wines of this protected geographical indication remain light and accessible.

CITRUS OR RED FRUIT SAUCE WITH A SAINT-ÉMILION AOC

If the sauce and the accompaniments to the duck breast are fruits with good acidity such as citrus, apples, red fruits or exotic fruits, a Saint-Émilion is absolutely ideal. The wines are dense and their tannins are well present while being silky. Vinatis recommends that you accompany your duck breast with fruit with a cuvée from the Montagne Saint-Émilion AOC, a satellite appellation of Saint-Émilion. This cuvée from Château Tour Bayard has everything it takes to enhance all the elements of the meal. The red fruit aromas will echo those of the fruit sauce, the delicate spicy notes will enhance the flavours brought by the cooking and finally, the long finish with a touch of chocolate will accompany the acidity of the red fruit in superb harmony.