The best red wine to prepare your beef bourguignon

Last week, we introduced you to the best white wine to pair with your beef bourguignonA traditional dish from the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, and one of the French people's favourites. Renowned for its perfect harmony between slow-cooked beef and a flavourful AOC red wine, today we recommend the best red wine to prepare an exceptional beef bourguignon: a good Côtes-du-Rhône.

Beef bourguignon, an iconic dish in French cuisine, stands out for its richness and exquisite flavor. To truly appreciate its complexity, choosing a good wine that harmonizes the flavors during cooking is essential. For this, it's important to understand the balance of food and wine pairings.

 

Rule No. 1? 

The wine and the dish should both have the same intensity of flavors. For example, with a beef bourguignon, a rich and complex dish, you’ll need to choose a red wine that is equally rich and powerful. What’s the risk of choosing a red wine that’s too subtle? You might end up tasting only the flavor of the meat, because the wine and sauce will be too weak in taste to create a balanced pairing.

How to choose the ideal red wine for your beef bourguignon?

To choose the ideal Côtes du Rhône for preparing beef bourguignon, it is important to consider several factors.

First, the wine must have enough structure to withstand long cooking and enhance the flavor of the meat. A wine that is too delicate might lose its aromas during cooking, while a wine that is too robust could overpower the other flavors in the dish. Wines from the Rhône Valley, especially those based on Syrah, are often recommended for their body and ability to complement stewed dishes. A simple but well-structured Côtes du Rhône can be an excellent choice.

It is also advisable to choose a wine you would enjoy drinking, as this will be reflected in the taste of the final dish. It is wise to consider the vintage; a younger wine tends to have more tannins and acidity, which can help tenderize the meat and balance the richness of the beef bourguignon.

In summary, we recommend a Côtes du Rhône with a good balance of fruitiness, acidity, and tannins, complementing your personal taste to achieve the best result in your beef bourguignon.

 Millésime 2021 - TERRA 6840

 

Terra recommends for preparing this delicious dish: its red wine Vintage 2021.

A beautiful tannin content and a distinctive roundness bring finesse and gentle power to the palate, reflecting a carefully controlled temperature during its vinification. A perfect pairing awaits you with this vintage cuvée!

Côtes du Rhône Red Vintage: Serving and Food Pairing

Serving a beef bourguignon with a vintage Côtes du Rhône red can elevate this traditional meal to an exceptional culinary experience. To fully enjoy this pairing, serve the wine slightly chilled, around 16-18°C, to reveal all its complexity and aromas.

Serve this dish with simple sides like seasonal vegetables or new potatoes, allowing the rich flavors of the red wine and beef bourguignon to blend perfectly.

Other dishes to pair with vintage Côtes du Rhône red

In addition to beef bourguignon, vintage red wines from the Côtes du Rhône also pair wonderfully with a variety of red meat dishes, game, or poultry in sauce. Their tannic structure and deep aromas make them ideal partners for rich and flavorful dishes, offering great flexibility and diversity in your food and wine pairings.

You can also prepare these dishes with our vintages:

  • Roast leg of lamb The structured tannins and spicy notes of the red Côtes du Rhône perfectly complement the tenderness and bold flavors of roasted lamb.
  • Duck breast with red berries The balanced acidity and fruity aromas of the wine enhance the flavors of the duck, creating a refined taste harmony.
  • Provençal stew This rich, slow-cooked dish pairs perfectly with the robustness and aromatic complexity of Côtes du Rhône red, each bite revealing a new layer of flavor.

The red wine beef bourguignon recipe by Terra 6840:

You will need:

  • 1.5 kg of chuck steak
  • 2 onions
  • 3 carrots
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 300g of smoked bacon cut into lardons
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1 bottle of Côtes-du-Rhône Vintage 2021
  • 300g of mushrooms
  • 1 bouquet garni (thyme, parsley, bay leaf)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt, Pepper

Preparing the marinade

  1. Marinade Place the beef cubes in a large bowl. Add the sliced onions, carrot rounds, bacon lardons, minced garlic, and the bouquet garni.
  2. Red Wine Pour a bottle of 2018 vintage Côtes-du-Rhône over all the ingredients. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for 24 hours.

Cooking

  1. Draining The next day, take the meat and vegetables out of the marinade. Drain them carefully while reserving the marinade.
  2. Meat Browning In a cast-iron pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the beef cubes and brown them on all sides. Remove the meat from the pot and set it aside.
  3. Vegetables and Bacon In the same pot, sauté the vegetables and bacon for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and mix well to coat the ingredients.
  4. Meat Return Return the meat to the casserole. Strain the marinade and pour it over the meat. Add water if necessary to completely cover the meat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Simmering : Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer gently for about 3 hours. Stir occasionally. The meat should be tender and the sauce thick and creamy.

Finalization

  1. Mushrooms While the beef simmers, sauté the mushrooms in a pan with a little olive oil for about 5 minutes.
  2. Adding Mushrooms Add the mushrooms to the casserole about 30 minutes before the end of cooking.

Service

  1. Presentation Serve the beef bourguignon piping hot, accompanied by potatoes, pasta, or rice. This dish is even better enjoyed with a glass of 2021 Côtes-du-Rhône Millésime.

 

This beef bourguignon recipe, enhanced by the 2021 Côtes-du-Rhône Millésime, promises an exceptional culinary experience, blending the robust flavors of the meat with the rich aromas of the wine.