White Wines for Roast Chicken
Here’s the simple answer and a great place to start: good quality Chardonnay.
- Aiming for under £10? Look to southern France, where high‑altitude vineyards in the Languedoc produce refined Chardonnay reminiscent of Burgundy at a friendlier price.
- For something special, upgrade to white Burgundy for richness, freshness and a classic dinner‑party feel.
- For adventurers, dive into exotic Viognier (especially if you’re cooking with mushrooms or tarragon), a white wine full of apricots and soft spice aromas.
- For a trendy alternative, try Grüner Veltliner. This Austrian favourite offers nutty, spicy notes with a spectrum ranging from citrus‑fresh to apricot‑rich, making it a superb partner for chicken's mild flavour.
Tip From the Tasting Room: Aluado Chardonnay - If you enjoy a white with a zip of freshness, along with appealing ripe peach fruit, this ocean-cooled Chardonnay from Portugal perfectly fits the bill.
Red Wines for Roast Chicken
For the red-wine drinker, we’d suggest an elegant Pinot Noir - and nowhere does elegant Pinot Noir like the French, although New Zealand is another great option.
Look for raspberry, strawberry, cherry, violets and, with age, gamey notes. Its light tannins and bright fruit characteristics make Pinot Noir a great choice for white meat, and even fish.
- You could also try a top-rated Cru Beaujolais, which is also light and fruity. The French have a word for how nice Beaujolais feels going down the throat, gouleyant … a lot like the pleasure of eating roast chicken.
- For value, choose a plucky Spanish Garnacha or Cotes du Rhone.
And whatever else you do, leave your big, black reds on the wine rack! There’s a time and a place but they will overwhelm the mild flavours of poultry. You could be eating anything!
Tip From the Tasting Room: El Bombero is a regular Top 10 favourite. For over 20 years, fans have sought it out for its winning combination of velvety smoothness and intense richness, thanks to very old vines. Bundles of spicy raspberry and damson fruit.
