Wine pairing w/ bouillabaisse?

WINE TALK
1

I’d love suggestions. We’re going to a friend’s house tomorrow night & I’ve been assigned w/ supplying the wine. Don’t know any of the details as far as specific ingredients.

2

How about a nice rose from Bandol?

3

2007 Huët Vouvray Sec Clos du Bourg

4

The classic pairing is Cassis, a bone dry white wine from a tiny AOC further along the coast in Provençe. However, if the bouillabaise is served with French bread and rouille I’d say forget about wine altogether. If not, I like Jim Swayze’s suggestion of the Clos du Bourg, but wouldn’t mind trying even a demi-sec. In any case: forget about Chardonnay.

Bouillabaisse is one of those dishes which possibly contains some very critical ingredients which dictate the choice of the wine. I afraid you will have to be assertive and ask about them, if you want to make sure you get it right.

5

I’ve always enjoyed CdP or Pinot. Whites don’t hold up if it’s a hardy red broth.

6

The best quality Pouilly Fuisse you can find.
Bret Brothers?

7

My thought initially was Vouvray. I’ve got plenty of '07 secs from Huet, so I like that idea. I also like the Bret Bros. idea Don, but I have virtually no white Burg except for Dauvissat, Fevre & a few Raveneau Chablis. I feel like I need to probably bring some red just in case some philistines insist on red. Cru Beaujolais? Young red burg ('04, '06, '07)?

8

Ditto Bandol Rose or another Provencal rose.

9

Yup rose. One of life’s great experiences is sitting at Nino in Cassis with a big bowl of bouillabaisse washed down by the local rose.

If you are watching tv afterwards you may wish to go for the 04 La Tache (sorry Alan).

10

I can see that I’m in for a long period of harassment.
alan

11

2009 Domaine Tempier Bandol Rose for like $32 - $40. Usually quite good, not that it’s a QPR. What other Roses costs as much, without bubbles?

RT

12

Can’t go wrong with Kermit’s favorite drink.

13

I’m in this camp, too. Perhaps not so much because I can’t find a built and flavorful white–in fact, a nicely mature white Hermitage sounds tasty–but because a) I rarely enjoy hot soups with cold whites, and b) as Lange pointed out, bouillabaisse is highly variable in terms of seasonings, but always intensely flavored, and I think a red would be more generally compatible not knowing the exact dish preparation.

14

Todd, don’t you know by now that Huet goes with everything? [cheers.gif]

Back in '95, I asked David Lillie at Garnet (before I started working there) what to pair with bouillabaisse and he gave me a St. Joseph blanc and it worked great. So, that said, I’d suggest a Rhone white or the Rose idea.

15

My thoughts exactly. Had some with cacciucco last Monday. Lovely.

Best,

N

16

We drank both '09 Tempier Rosé & '07 Huet Le Mont sec. Both were outstanding. I preferred the Huet. The group was about evenly split on preference.

Thanks for the suggestions.