By LOUISE RHIND-TUTT
Ina Garten's Favorite Type Of French Wine Is Light And Drinkable
France has many famous wine regions, but Bordeaux and Burgundy likely spring to mind first when you think of French wines, and chef Ina Garten is a particular fan of Burgundies.
She describes Burgundies on her website as "fruitier and lighter than Bordeaux." She likely prefers them due to how well they pair with food, both to drink alongside and cook with.
The main focus of Burgundy's production centers around red Pinot Noir and white Chardonnay, and Garten is a fan of both, using them either in recipes or to drink alongside dishes.
Compared to many other French wines, the fragrant, fruity red Burgundies are lighter in color and tannins, with fairly high acidity and notes of red or black fruits, like cherries.
White Burgundy, made from the Chardonnay grape, has a variety of styles depending on its provenance, from refreshing Chablis to floral Puligny-Montrachet or buttery Meursault.
For slow-cooked, meat-heavy French dishes, Garten prefers Burgundies over other wines. For example, she opts for a dry red Burgundy when cooking dishes like beef Bourguignon.
Garten also uses red Burgundy (Pinot Noir) when making the French classic coq au vin. She favors white Burgundy, too, choosing Chablis for her skillet-roasted chicken and potatoes.
Apart from using Burgundies for cooking, an elegant Chablis is also Garten’s wine of choice for drinking alongside snacks like her toast spread with fig jam and goat cheese.