Red Wine Pairing when White is Best

I am looking for some help with a wine pairing for an upcoming dinner where the main dish (lemon chicken) calls for white, but the people attending don’t like white wine. I was thinking potentially a light red Burgundy, but really am not sure what will pair well. Any suggestions?

Maybe a Beaujolais like Fleurie or Brouilly? Another option could be a bright, crunchy Sangiovese like Pian del Ciampolo.

How much are you trying to make the pairing a really great pairing, versus how much do you just want to serve a wine that your company likes?

If it’s the latter, probably just about anything would go well enough. And it’s definitely not wrong to choose “serve wine your company actually likes” over “find some geeky thing that’s a more perfect match for the food.”

If it’s the former, I’d probably think of high acid, lower oak reds. Among more mainstream categories that your company might still like on its own terms, maybe a crisper, redder style new world pinot, like something in the Kutch, Navarro, Copain type of style. Or maybe something like Brunello, which has good fruit to appeal to civilians but enough acid to work okay with that food.

I’m making an assumption that your company has “regular wine drinker” tastes rather than a European or wine geek set of likes, but if that’s not correct, then disregard my suggestions.

I guess the other option is to make a different dish than lemon chicken. It sounds like you’re locked in on that, but if you aren’t, just make any of the thousand things that would go pretty well with the wines they like.

Other than lemon, what seasonings (e.g. herb components) will be involved? The wine pairing doesn’t have to just focus on the lemon. The chicken itself is largely irrelevant. It’s just a base material.

Also - dark meat (thighs) or white meat? Dark meat is more flexible.

Can you meet in the middle with a Rosé? I also like Ilkka’s Bojo suggestion. His mention of Sangiovese reminded me of Il Poggione Brancato, which is a rosé made from young Sangiovese.

Thanks so much for the recommendations so far! To answer the questions:

  1. We are brining wine and someone else is cooking, so I wouldn’t be able to change the dish (nor would I want to, host is a fantastic cook).
  2. I am not sure about herbs or white / dark meat.
  3. I think I am pretty much the only one going who is a wine geek. I think everyone else would be happy with just about anything, but I want to bring some nice wines in recognition of thanks for preparing the full meal.
  4. Because of my desire to bring a “upscale” wine, I would also pass on rosé.

Good sentiments Mike, and I understand where you are coming from in wanting to share good wine. Hope it works out for you. Cheers.

I like the idea of a lighter red for sure. Bojo is always a good choice, but you could consider other reds like Cinsault, a lighter Grenache, or even some carbonic stuff.

Good luck.

If you can find a bottle of Domaine Tempier Rose that is a quite upscale wine! [cheers.gif]

Hmm…Rose Champagne!!

There are definitely some “upscale” rosés, but if you definitely want to go red, probably a Burgundy or new world Pinot Noir with a bit of acidity to it would probably pair well.

On the other hand, I’m a big red wine lover, myself, so I’d drink just about any red, even if it was not the best complement to the food. Maybe not a really big cabernet, but merlot, cab franc, tempranillo, sangiovese . . . I’d be down with any of those.

To me, Tempier Rosé is pretty much a regular rosé (albeit a very well-made one) with an upscale price tag. [stirthepothal.gif]

If one wants to bring a true upscale rosé, I’d go with Viña Tondonia GR Rosé or Valentini Cerasuolo. It might just be quite difficult to source those.

I would take the categories and styles of wines that these folks would like the best just on their own irrespective of the food, and out of those, pick one that is the more relatively high in acid and relatively low in oak. That should result in a wine that they actually like and that is passable as a pairing with the food. My #1 guess would be a crisper (but not heavily underfruited AFWE extreme) new world pinot.

Thank you everyone for the suggestions! I was originally thinking Burg, but I do have a Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose champagne I can bring that might pair well based on everyones recommendations. Perhaps I’ll open that with dinner and bring a nice cab for after dinner.

I would second what Chris Seiber and others have suggested. Tannins, whether from grape skins or oak, will probably clash with lemon.

Lighter-bodied reds ought to work as long as the acidity is balanced with the dish’s flavors. Tarragon or capers with classic red wine flavors sound like a potential disaster, IF either is included in the recipe.

I have enjoyed whites with steak, so I am by no means a proponent of regimented pairing rules.

I always enjoyed pairing a simple Cotes du Rhone with chicken.

Please explain why Europeans are irregular. [stirthepothal.gif]

What about Champagne (not rose)? I feel like it would pair wonderfully and a lot of non-wine geeks don’t often consider Champagne to be “white wine.” I’ve met people that wouldn’t be interested in drinking “white wine” but would be excited to have some Dom Perignon for example or even just any Champagne.

Plus the method of preparation. Are whole lemons roasted with the chicken or is there a sauce involving lemon juice. The latter is a tougher proposition than the former.

Bubbles to start and a Mourvedre, Grenache or Carignane with the meal. Medium body, acid and tannin.