Here are a few ideas and key pairing points before you delve into our pictures of mouth-watering inspirations:
- Le Gros Plant du Pays Nantais is undoubtedly the best accompaniment for raw shellfish. This light, refreshing wine is in harmony with their salty, lemony flavours. This combination never fails to be a winner!
- Le Coteaux d’Ancenis rosé, , a dry but fruit-driven wine, makes a cheerful companion to picnics with delicious salads and charcuterie, or summer meals with grilled meats and Mediterranean vegetables.
- Le Coteaux d’Ancenis red is generous and spicy, with depth from the best terroirs. It’s a natural choice for roast chicken, prime rib or raclette in the depths of winter.
- Le Coteaux d’Ancenis Malvoisie, a medium-sweet white wine with a perfect balance of freshness and sweetness, enhances eastern-inspired sweet and savoury dishes. It cannot fail to appeal for an aperitif or as a bold accompaniment to slightly acidulous fruit tarts.
For Muscadets, there are no limits! They are a good match for every type of cuisine. The popularity of this dry white wine is boundless due to its diversity of styles drawn from the terroirs, the winemakers’ expertise and, above all, the length of time it matures on the lees, which makes each cuvée unique :
- As a guideline, fresh, fruit-driven Muscadet AOC is a good choice for an apéritif, a simple starter or plain everyday cooking.
- Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, Coteaux de la Loire and Côtes de Grand Lieu (matured on the lees for between 6 and 18 months) are richer with more structure, exuding aromatic notes of white fruit and citrus, yet still extremely fresh.
These are quintessential Loire wines influenced by both the river and the ocean, ideal for vegetables and freshwater fish, and for raw or cooked seafood in a salad, fish and shellfish. And why not try them with cold chicken, vegetarian starters, grilled vegetables or street food? They’re also a perfect match for the classic prawn cocktail with avocado and grapefruit, salmon pasta, fish and chips or mussels marinière.
The Muscadet crus (aged on lees for more than 2 years) are undoubtedly the least well known and yet the most surprising when it comes to pairing. Their elegance predestines them for fine dining. At once racy and subtle, deep and intense yet always fresh, these are the most Burgundian of the Loire wines.
- Your guests are bound to enjoy them as an aperitif in an unusual match with a seafood appetizer, or paired with lightly seared scallops or fine fish topped with a creamy lemon sauce.
- They can also accompany white meat tajines with mild spices, veal carpaccios and comforting blanquettes.
- And last but not least, serve them with mature pressed cheeses for an unexpected match made in heaven.