Which wine goes with blanquette de veau?

How’s your blanquette? This traditional French dish is famous for delighting our taste buds and warming our hearts. But hang on: wouldn’t it be even better with a good glass of wine? Of course it would! 

Understanding blanquette de veau

A blanquette de veau is a bit like a good Marcel Proust novel: complex, rich and quintessentially French. It’s a dish with character, history and soul. With tender meat that melts in your mouth, a creamy sauce that warms the heart and vegetables that add a touch of freshness, blanquette is a true culinary feat. It takes time, patience and plenty of love. Rather like reading a good Proust novel, in fact.

But like any great work, blanquette de veau isn’t meant to be enjoyed alone. It needs a companion, a partner that will bring out its best qualities without overshadowing it. That partner is wine. A good wine can turn a simple blanquette into a veritable feast, just as good lighting can turn a simple scene into a painting worthy of a great master. So which wine should we choose to accompany our blanquette? Let’s find out.

What makes the ideal wine for this dish?

So which wine should accompany our culinary Proust? A white wine, of course — but not just any white wine. Imagine you’re a conductor choosing the instrument that will play the solo in the grand finale. You wouldn’t pick just any instrument. You’d look for one that adds the finishing touch to your symphony and balances the others without drowning them out. That’s exactly what we’re looking for here: a wine that balances the richness of the sauce, complements the flavours of the meat and rounds off the whole dish.

But how do we find that wine? We need one with good acidity to balance the richness of the sauce, fruity aromas to complement the meat, and enough roundness to bring everything together and leave a lovely long finish. A wine that will accompany our blanquette without overpowering it, bringing out its best without stealing the show. One that can play the perfect solo in our grand culinary finale. For a successful pairing, it’s best to choose dry white wines. So which wine fits the bill? 

Our 3 favourite wines to pair with blanquette de veau

So which wine virtuosos can play the perfect melody for our blanquette? Here are three grape varieties we suggest for a memorable meal.

A Chablis 

Chablis is more like a violinist: precise and lively, able to hold its own against even the largest orchestra. With its bright acidity and aromas of green apple and lemon, it balances the richness of the blanquette. It brings a freshness and vibrancy that highlight the tenderness of the meat and the smoothness of the sauce. 

You can find it in our tasting box created in collaboration with La Petite Cave. It contains nearly four carefully selected wines. An excellent choice if you’re new to the world of wine!

A Pouilly-Fumé 

If you’re looking for the equivalent of a pianist, with deep, enveloping notes, choose a Pouilly-Fumé! Its mineral notes and roundness on the palate make a lovely contrast with the smooth sauce. It adds complexity and depth that bring out the blanquette’s subtle flavours. A duet that will take you from the far reaches of Burgundy to the heart of the Loire Valley.

A Viognier 

If you’re after a warmer, more sensual wine, like a harp perhaps, we recommend Viognier. Its peach and apricot aromas add a touch of sweetness and fruitiness that complements the blanquette beautifully. It brings a sense of escape and indulgence that elevates your dish. A solo that will transport you to the sun-drenched vineyards of the Rhône.

Among our wines, we offer an exotic Viognier in the “Great Wines of the World” tasting box. Grown in Lebanon, this French grape variety develops flavours that are more unusual than those of its French-grown counterparts. A good choice if you’re tired of typical white wines and fancy something new!

Each of these wines has its own personality, but all can play the perfect melody for your blanquette and give you an unforgettable culinary concert. These suggestions are just a guide. You could also choose a red wine, for example, although it’s less well suited to the dish.

How should you serve wine with blanquette de veau?

Now that we have our wine, how should we serve it? It’s a bit like conducting an orchestra: you need to choose the right moment and tempo. Serve your wine at around 10–12°C. At this temperature, it reveals all its flavours — its melody reaches its peak, so to speak.

But that’s not all: like a musician warming up before a performance, wine sometimes needs to breathe to express itself fully. Don’t hesitate to decant it if necessary to release all its aromas. For visual pleasure, choose an elegant wine glass, just as you would choose the finest concert hall for your orchestra. Enjoying wine is a feast for the eyes too, and a beautiful glass can enhance the tasting experience. If you want to taste wine like a pro, we’ve put together a complete guide right here.

You now have everything you need to choose the perfect wine for your blanquette de veau. And remember, what matters most is enjoying yourself. So don’t be afraid to experiment and venture off the beaten track by discovering new grape varieties. After all, life’s too short to drink bad wine!