Which Wine to Drink With Lamb Navarin?

SUPPLE AND FRUITY RED WINE

Navarin lamb is a simmered dish, whose name originally comes from the turnips that made up the vast majority, if not all, of this seasonal dish. The meat used is a suckling lamb of about one and a half months old, and the shoulder and collar are preferred for the preparation of navarin lamb. The meat is tender, juicy and simmered for several hours. The garnish is usually made up of new vegetables, symbols of a winter that is coming to an end. Turnips, onions, carrots, potatoes and peas make up this French speciality, which is often served at Easter. To accompany the tenderness of the meat and the crunchiness of the vegetables, a soft, fruity red wine is greatly appreciated.

BEAUJOLAIS CRUS

The champions of supple and fruity wines are the Beaujolais wines. Made from a single grape variety, Gamay, the tannins in these wines are light and integrated. The wines of this region are particularly known for their absolutely crisp fruitiness. These aromas of fresh fruit echo the small, highly aromatic new vegetables that make up the dish. Appellations such as Brouilly, Chénas, Fleurie and Chiroubles perfectly meet the criteria sought for a cuvée marked by freshness, fruit and delicacy.

RED WINE FROM THE RHONE VALLEY

Lamb is a meat that can be found in several southern recipes. Thus, navarin lamb, with its bouquet garni and aromatic herbs, also goes very well with red wines from the Rhône Valley. These wines are more robust and tannic than the Beaujolais crus and bring a different dimension to the food and wine pairing. They emphasise the meat more thanks to the tannins in the wine which combine with the proteins in the lamb and the aromatics that make up the dish.

VACQUEYRAS AOC OR BANDOL AOC

If your lamb navarin has a more Provençal profile, incorporating aubergines, fresh garlic and typical Provençal herbs such as thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil or tarragon into the recipe, all the more reason to head for the crus of the Rhone and more particularly to the south, in Provence!

BANDOL ROUGE - DOMAINE LA BASTIDE BLANCHE

Bandol, an AOC from Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, offers wines marked by ripe fruit aromas and fairly present tannins, contributing to the wine's velvety profile. Notes of spice and liquorice often reveal themselves on the nose as well as on the palate for these jewels of south-eastern France. The red wines of Bandol are a sure bet for lamb navarin. Vinatis recommends a wine with a generous and concentrated mouthfeel, absolutely adapted to any meat dish simmered in sauce!

CROZES-HERMITAGE - NOBLES RIVES - CAVE DE TAIN

In Crozes-Hermitage AOC, Vinatis recommends a wine from the Cave de Tain, which alone produces 50% of the wines in the appellation. This wine is full and generous on the palate, revealing aromas of spices and violets brought by the Syrah grape, the unique variety of this cuvée.

CABERNET FRANC FROM THE LOIRE VALLEY

Although most recipes for lamb navarin do not contain green vegetables such as peas, snow peas, asparagus or green beans, they can actually vary from region to region and according to individual taste. These ingredients should be taken into consideration when making a wine and food pairing, as they bring particular notes, including a certain bitterness that hardens the tannins of the red wine. In this case, it is best to choose red wines from the Loire Valley made from the Cabernet Franc grape variety.