Coq au Vin
As the curtain draws to a close on January, and those who have been avoiding vinous delights look longingly towards lifting their corkscrew once again, then I thought it was time to consider a few seasonal options.
A couple of weeks ago I had Coq au Vin for the first time in many years.
Chicken has probably been cooked with red wine in France since the Emperor Charlemagne owned a few vineyards in Burgundy several centuries ago. Perhaps even earlier. However, it was in 1906 within Edmond Richardin’s ‘La cuisine française: l'art du bien manger’, that it was formulated into a recipe.
Thirty or more years ago, every self-respecting French bistro, brasserie or restaurant in England would have listed this dish as a staple on their table d’hôte . Today it seems out of fashion rather like veal cordon bleu, chicken kiev, and beef stroganoff.
However, that Saturday earlier in January sparked my imagination, and I asked myself why this isn’t served on a regular basis, and obviously what wine would perfectly accompany this richly flavoured concoction of chicken, mushrooms, shallots, and lardons that has been quietly simmering in the lower Aga for several hours?
Tradition would have you drink a Burgundy with this dish. However, for this delicious creation, I think you need a richer, softer brew than wines from Burgundy’s Côte d’Or. To add a degree of fruit and body with some winter volume, then Southern Rhône wines based on the Grenache grape seem the perfect solution.
This grape forms the backbone of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and all the surrounding satellite villages such as Gigondas, Vacqueyras, and Sablet.
Typically blended with a host of other varieties - Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault - it is the usually the prominent component in the mélange of wines created around Avignon.
Therefore, to the tasting and an assessment of their suitability to accompany chicken in a red wine source. Where better to source wines from this region than Rhône specialists: Yapp Brothers in Wiltshire.
Over three tastings, 10 wines were considered. Three wines came out as clear winners:
Côtes du Rhône: Jean-Louis Chave Sélection 'Mon Coeur' 2020
Yapp Brothers - £15.95
Chave is a true legend in the Rhône Valley, creating superlative blockbusters from Saint-Joseph and Hermitage. This is his ‘entry-level’ wine sourced from the Southern Rhône villages of Vinsobres and Cairanne, made from a blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah. Dark purple in the glass, with a nose of kirsch, pepper, spice and blackcurrants. Rich and lively on the palate, it sits very comfortably with medium tannins gracefully embracing the dark fruit flavours. Will definitely keep and evolve for at least five years. A really delicious Côtes du Rhône that is exceptional value for money.
Gigondas: Domaine Saint Gayan 'Origine' 2017
Yapp Brothers - £21.00
Jean-Pierre Meffre’s family have been growing grapes in Gigondas since the 17th Century. The 80% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre blend shows promising flavours of red plums and cherries on the nose. A touch of oak on the palate supported by hints of blueberries and cinnamon with stronger tannins than either of the other two wines. Definitely a wine that would site perfectly alongside the Coq au Vin as well as any rich winter stews. Thinking of pork and lamb dishes here.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Le Vieux Donjon Rouge 2018
Yapp Brothers - £39.50
I know that I have promoted earlier vintages of this wine, but this 2018 is just outstanding. I have tasted it with many friends over the last couple of weeks, and the feedback has been top-notch every time a cork has been pulled. It has a serious ‘wow’ factor at this early stage of development, but with a wealth of potential that I can see myself enjoying this scintillating wine into the early 2030s. It is a real find, the domaine is not well known in England but it is renowned in France as one of the great Southern Rhône wines. Serve this and your guests will be delighted, praising your ability to find exquisite wines, and eagerly asking for another glass. Concentrated flavours hit the palate immediately with a well-defined structure of ripe red fruits - raspberries and cherries - that have an extraordinary length and refinement.
As small footnote: returning to the Emperor Charlemagne. Legend goes that his wife would only let white wine be grown on the hill of Corton-Charlemagne because it did not stain his beard. However, although the whites always steal the show, there are some excellent reds made on that mound just outside Beaune as well.
