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French Onion Soup Food and Wine Pairing

by | Jul 3, 2024 | ASW Blog, What Are We Drinking Tonight, Honey?

This wine and food pairing blog was inspired by my husband, Ron. Almost every night, as we prepare dinner, he will look across the kitchen and ask, “What are we drinking tonight, honey?” As he knows, I like to complement even the simplest of meals with the appropriate wine.

The blog intends to inspire others to purposefully pair wine with food by sharing examples of meals we have made, the wine we drank, and the story behind it. It will hopefully be an insightful, informative, and entertaining journey through my love for food and wine pairing.

Tonight, it’s French Onion Soup. Beaune Appetite.

Susan Richards and husband Ron

 

French Onion Soup

On November 30th of every year, I celebrate my dad’s birthday by asking my husband Ron to make his favorite dish, French Onion Soup. Buzz passed away in 2013 before I met my husband, but yet every year, Ron happily makes his excellent version of this tasty dish to remember and honor my dad.

I am not sure exactly when this became Buzz’s favorite dish, but on his 85th birthday at his favorite restaurant on Cape Cod where he lived, I remember it was all he wanted for his meal. Buzz was particular about how the French Onion Soup was prepared. It had to have just the right amount of cheese with a bit of brown singe covering a thick slice of rustic French bread and a broth that wasn’t too salty. He would have approved of Ron’s rendition of it for sure.

 

French onion soup with croutons and cheese

French onion soup with croutons and cheese

 

Pairing with Meursault

So, today is November 30, 2023, and once again, Ron has been busy in the kitchen all afternoon, preparing French Onion Soup from scratch. So now the question is, what will we drink with this honorary and sentimental meal? I knew I wanted to serve something special but also a wine that would match the beautiful flavors this particular soup offers, the savory caramelized onions, the bit of sweetness from the Cognac, and, of course, the lovely gooey Gruyere Cheese that is broiled on top of toasty croutons. I said to myself, I thought to myself, “a French dish deserves a French wine” and decided a white Burgundy from the village of Meursault would be the perfect pairing.

Meursault is located within the Cote de Beaune wine region, just south of Beaune in Eastern France. Vineyards there produce primarily white wine from the Chardonnay grape, and wine aficionados regard Meursault as one of the best white wines in the world. Meursault typically has a soft round texture on the palate and notes of peach, pear, and tropical fruit, with a hint of butter or cream on the finish. A bottle in the United States will likely run you over $100 or more if it is from an esteemed producer or a première cru-level vineyard.

I visited Meursault in 2019 and have a couple of nice bottles in my “wine cave”(more on that in the future) in the corner of our basement. While there, our group did a private tour and tasting at Chateau Pommard, located in the city of the same name. During our visit, we enjoyed their lovely rendition of Meursault wine and others with deliciously well paired bites. It seemed this was a good night to re-visit that lovely wine, and I chose a Chateau Pommard 2019 Meursault from the rack to accompany the soup.

 

Bottle of Chateau Pommard Famille Carabello-Baum Meursault 2019

Bottle of Chateau Pommard Famille Carabello-Baum Meursault 2019

 

The Result

The wine paired beautifully. With its subtle fruit notes and richness, it stood proud next to the aromatic and cheesy soup. The wine truly honored my dad and the lovely dish Ron had worked so hard to prepare. Although my father, not being much of a wine drinker, would have preferred a gin martini.

Cheers to Buzz!

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