I love paté, and my lovely wife Laura makes the best chicken liver paté ever. As such, it has become a real treat in our house, only being served on birthdays and special anniversaries.
As we were married on Hallowe’en in 1998, we’ve just had one of those special anniversaries. As I’m writing this article I’m yet to enjoy the event but by the time you read it, I assure you the paté will have been consumed with much delight and perhaps a small glass of wine. Or two.
So, what to pair with this wonderfully rich treat? A low tannin red with good acidity is the obvious choice, perhaps a Beaujolais or a Dolcetto. Alternatively, pick a mid-weight medium sweet wine to match the luscious note in the food. A carefully chosen Vouvray or a German Spatlese would be perfect.
Beaujolais is one of the unsung heroes of the wine world, too often associated with Beaujolais Nouveau and entry-level supermarket offerings. Beaujolais-Villages can be a wonderful thing, and the ten Cru wines are definitely worth exploring. Fleurie, Saint-Amour and Julienas are the easiest ones to find, but keep an eye out for Régnié and Brouilly which are usually exceptional value for money. The Gamay grape is one of the fruitiest in the wine world, with soft tannins and a decent acidity making it the perfect match with Laura’s paté.
Beaujolais Lantignié Louis Jadot 2016 (Majestic, £11.99). The village of Lantignié is just to the north of Regnié which makes this delicious wine the bargain of the week. It’s a lovely, bright colour in the glass and it’s perfect with paté. It is also brilliant on its own or with cheese and cold cuts of meat on an autumnal Sunday afternoon.
And so, to Vouvray. Vouvray is made entirely from the thin-skinned Chenin Blanc grape which means it can be any style from bone dry to very sweet. What you have to look out for on the label when matching with paté is the term ‘demi sec’ meaning medium-dry.
Chateau de Montfort Vouvray Demi Sec 2016 (Waitrose, £11.99). This is a great wee wine which will happily sit alongside veal in a creamy sauce, chicken fricassee, game birds and (of course) Laura’s paté.
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