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12 Good Burgundy Wines for Cooking

Choosing the right Burgundy wine is important not only for sipping purposes but for cooking uses, too. This is especially true if you are planning to serve a meat dish with an opulent wine-based sauce.

Some good Burgundy wines for cooking are those with fruity and floral notes and mild tannins. While white Burgundy wine is used for cooking, too, red Burgundy wine is more commonly used for creating various hearty meat and vegetable dishes, most especially those with French and Italian origins.

Burgundy wines are known for their complex taste, which is why the bottle you will go for as a cooking ingredient can spell the difference between serving a winning dish and having guests lying through their teeth.

Alas, it’s not that easy to find the right Burgundy wine for the job, especially given that there are around 100 appellations in the market. But worry not because I took on the challenging task of finding some really good Burgundy wines for cooking some of the most popular dishes on the face of the planet.

Resonance Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2019: Best for Beef Bourguignon

Beef Bourguignon with Resonance Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Beef Bourguignon with Resonance Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

When Burgundy cuisine is the subject matter, it’s almost always certain that beef bourguignon will pop out of someone’s mouth even before your own mouth has the chance to fill with saliva.

It goes without saying that it should be prepared with Burgundy wine, in particular its red wine-based sauce, if the goal is to serve something as close to the real deal as possible. And for this gastronomic undertaking, consider the highly rated product Resonance Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2019.

One of the nicest things about Resonance Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2019 is that, whether in the context of cooking wine or sipping drink, it goes well with red meat, chicken, duck and fatty types of fish. And as a critical beef bourguignon ingredient, its soft and pleasant tannins help tenderize the beef as it’s being braised.

With its 750-ml bottle costing less than $40, a hearty French meal need not wreak havoc on the pocket.

Product link: Resonance Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

Domaine Chenevieres Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume: Best for Jambon Persillé

Forget what you were told about cooking robust types of meat such as pork in red wine. There is a popular dish, an appetizer, in particular, from Burgundy that cooks pork in white wine: Jambon persillé.

Put simply, this traditional dish is ham simmered in white Burgundy wine and then held together with parsley in meat-wine gelatin. Jambon persillé is served chilled and sliced and with a sharp and tangy sauce. And if you would like to give a particular recipe for it a try, grab a bottle of Domaine Chenevieres Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume first.

Straw in color and medium-bodied, this chardonnay varietal boasts of white grape, pear, apple and lemon flavors. Not as sweet and fruity as most cheap chardonnays out there, Domaine Chenevieres Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume is great not only for sipping but also for cooking purposes.

And this is why having a bottle of it in your kitchen, which costs less than $40, is a great idea if you are planning on making Jambon persillé a staple masterpiece of yours whenever loved ones drop by.

Product link: Domaine Chenevieres Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume

Joseph Drouhin Laforet Chardonnay 2018: Best for Gaston Gérard Chicken

The minute you uncork a bottle of Joseph Drouhin Laforet Chardonnay 2018, you will immediately notice its bright aroma consisting of apples and citrus fruits and notes of dried earth. These qualities are also evident in the taste, which is precisely the reason why it goes so well with an assortment of seafood and vegetable dishes.

burgundy wines

Speaking of dishes, Joseph Drouhin Laforet Chardonnay 2018 is great for cooking Gaston Gérard chicken, which was created in the 1930s by the wife of the mayor of Dijon, Gaston Gérard.

Dijon mustard is the star ingredient. It’s due to this why it’s something shared by recipes of various versions of Gaston Gérard chicken. The classic French dish won’t be complete, too, without the addition of white Burgundy wine, which is also commonly served alongside Gaston Gérard chicken.

Joseph Drouhin Laforet Chardonnay 2018 is less than $20 for a 750-ml bottle.

Product link: Joseph Drouhin Laforet Chardonnay

Louis Chavy Coteaux Bourguignon: Best for Oeufs en Meurette

There is a traditional dish from Burgundy that’s really simple as it consists only of poached eggs served with sauce. In some instances, it is consumed with toasted garlic bread on the side.

Simple?

Definitely.

But plain?

Far from being the truth!

In preparing oeufs en meurette, you will have to reach for a bottle of red Burgundy wine a couple of times — one when poaching the egg as the acidity of the wine helps keep the egg neat and tidy, and another when creating the sauce, which also consists of onions, garlic, shallots, thyme, mushrooms and bits of bacon.

For the job, Louis Chavy Coteaux Bourguignon is perfect. Coming from Burgundy itself, the wine of the Pinot Noir varietal has a soft and elegant characteristic to it. Many love the fact that it has soft tannins and an aroma highlighted by red fruits and herbs, which is why it’s great not only for sipping but cooking, too.

Product link: Louis Chavy Coteaux Bourguignon

Vincent Girardin Santenay Le Beauregard Premier Cru 2016: Best for Poires au Vin

In Burgundy, pears are poached in fruity wine and a bunch of other flavorful ingredients. And when the pears are slightly soft, they are removed from the liquid, which is then simmered to thicken into a sauce. The sauce is then poured over the pears when served. This traditional dessert is referred to as poires au vin.

Honey, vanilla, orange zest, cinnamon, peppercorns and clove are some of the most important ingredients. And then there’s also Burgundy wine necessary for making this treat.

Vincent Girardin Santenay Le Beauregard Premier Cru 2016 is teeming with raspberry and pomegranate flavors, which is why it’s perfect for just about any poires au vin recipe you can find on the internet. It also has a floral hint, which complements the aromatic herbs and spices added into the pears being simmered.

The red Burgundy wine is the product of the fermentation of Pinot Noir grapes grown just above Les Gravieres, which is one of the finest vineyards in Santenay, a small village in the east center of France.

Product link: Vincent Girardin Santenay Le Beauregard Premier Cru

Ropiteau Bourgogne Pinot Noir: Best for Coq au Vin

Coq au Vin with Ropiteau Bourgogne Pinot Noir
Coq au Vin with Ropiteau Bourgogne Pinot Noir

Coq au vin is a traditional and well-liked French chicken stew where pieces of chicken meat are braised in a shiny dark-red sauce. And an important component of that sauce is red Burgundy wine, although people from various parts of France prefer to use regional wines that are easily accessible to them.

To thicken the sauce, chicken blood is added. However, the blood of a duck, goose or pig may be used, too. Lots and lots of red Burgundy wine also have to be added. As a matter of fact, it’s not unlikely that you will encounter a coq au vin recipe online that calls for adding up to half a bottle of red Burgundy wine to the pot.

Due to this, you can rest assured that the taste of the red Burgundy wine will be noticeable. And this is why you should choose a bottle wisely, especially if you want to be known by your family and friends as the coq au vin master.

Consider getting your hands on Ropiteau Bourgogne Pinot Noir before you start doing your magic in the kitchen. Coming from Burgundy itself, this product of the Pinot Noir varietal is revered for its medium body and red fruit notes.

Product link: Ropiteau Bourgogne Pinot Noir

Faiveley Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2019: Best for Veal Ragu

Like French cuisine, Italian cuisine also typically uses red and white wines as cooking ingredients. Case in point: veal ragu. In most instances from where the dish comes from, it is served with pasta.

But it can be an amazing stand-alone dish provided that veal is cooked and tenderized in the right sauce. These days, there are many different veal ragu recipes online, but the ones that can make a lot of tummies happier are those with red Burgundy wine in their sauces — it generously imparts its flavor and tenderizing properties to the dish.

Something that’s rich and has a pleasant red fruit taste and aroma is what’s perfect for veal ragu since it helps tie together the tomato sauce and the herbs and spices added to it, including onions, garlic, fennel, rosemary and sage.

One product capable of providing exactly what veal ragu’s sauce needs is Faiveley Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2019.

Its role doesn’t begin and end with simmering veal for a long time, which can last for up to an hour in many instances. A bottle of Faiveley Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2019, a Pinot Noir varietal, can also be served alongside veal ragu.

Product link: Faiveley Bourgogne Pinot Noir

D’Autrefois Pinot Noir: Best for Burgundy Wine-Braised Short Ribs

You can cook short ribs only so much. When in doubt, it’s a good idea to braise them, which is arguably one of the most popular ways to serve short ribs. And because your family and friends might have had short ribs endless times before, you can make yours a complete standout by adding red Burgundy wine to the sauce.

After pan-searing those short ribs, it’s time to infuse the meat with flavors, usually lent to it by ingredients such as onions, garlic, celery, leeks, thyme and crushed tomatoes.

Braised Short Ribs with D'Autrefois Pinot Noir

D’Autrefois Pinot Noir has cherry and red fruit flavors that can add sweetness to the sauce. More importantly, the red Burgundy wine from the Vins de Pays d’Oc region in France can help tenderize short ribs, thus allowing you to wow the minute everyone realizes that the beef falls apart like magic.

One of the nicest things about D’Autrefois Pinot Noir is that a 750-ml bottle of it costs less than $14, which means that you can have a fine-dining vibe in your kitchen all the time without leaving your budget in shambles.

Product link: D’Autrefois Pinot Noir

Henry Fessy Beaujolais-Villages Vieilles Vignes 2020: Best for Slow-Cooker Sauerbraten

Coming from Burgundy itself, Henry Fessy Beaujolais-Villages Vieilles Vignes 2020 has hints of strawberry, raspberry and peach taste- and aroma-wise. With a round mouthfeel, the product is commonly served with various meat dishes, from roasted gems to those with rich sauces.

It’s perfect not only for sipping at the table but also for cooking in the kitchen. Its supple tannins make it ideal for marinating meat, breaking down those tough protein fibers without leaving the meat tasting too acidic.

True enough, a bottle of Henry Fessy Beaujolais-Villages Vieilles Vignes 2020 is a must-have if you have been meaning to give that delightful slow-cooker sauerbraten recipe a try for some time now. The red Burgundy wine shines in the marinating part, and makes mouths fill with saliva as an integral sauce ingredient.

A 750-ml bottle of Henry Fessy Beaujolais-Villages Vieilles Vignes 2020 costs less than $15. It offers the best bang for the buck if you want quality red Burgundy wine that you can cook with and sip, too.

Product link: Henry Fessy Beaujolais-Villages Vieilles Vignes

Carlo Rossi Burgundy: Best for Instant Pot Beef Burgundy

An instant pot is an electric multi-cooker that combines the functionality of a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker and steamer — some models have even more bells and whistles and thus come with added functionality.

Got one and thinking of serving something classic that no one would suspect was cooked in an instant pot?

All you have to do is scour the web for the best instant pot beef Burgundy recipe. As the name pretty much suggests, the one ingredient that makes this dish stand out from all the rest of beef stews is Burgundy wine.

Just in case you don’t have red Burgundy wine, which is what an instant pot beef Burgundy recipe typically calls for, in your kitchen, consider a 1-liter bottle of Carlo Rossi Burgundy that costs less than $14 only.

It’s a rich, full-bodied red Burgundy wine with fruity notes that will surely help make the sauce of your instant pot beef Burgundy awesome. And because of its massive size, you can give more recipes of dishes with Burgundy wine-based sauces a try, including especially those that you can quickly whip up with the help of your trusted instant pot.

Product link: Carlo Rossi Burgundy

Louis Latour Marsannay Rouge 2018: Best for French Country Beef Stew

There is a delicious and hearty traditional beef stew from France that consists of tender meat and tangy sauce. The most basic version usually has red potatoes and green beans, while more filling ones tend to also have carrots, turnips and rutabagas. Whether simple or complex, the dish isn’t complete without red Burgundy wine.

Beef Stew with Louis Latour Marsannay Rouge
Beef Stew with Louis Latour Marsannay Rouge

It’s called French country beef stew. A quick look at the recipe will tell you right away that the rich sauce heavily relies on red Burgundy wine — it’s not uncommon for seasoned chefs to use two to three cups of red Burgundy wine in order to achieve the most tender meat and silky and a little fruity sauce.

Something that’s full-bodied is the best red Burgundy wine for French country beef stew, which is why the perfect product for it is Louis Latour Marsannay Rouge 2018.

Made from grapes grown in iron-rich soil, Louis Latour Marsannay Rouge 2018 has an unmistakable robust quality. It also has intense fruity and floral notes, which adds delicateness to a host of beef dishes. With silky tannins, it can tenderize beef very well without leaving you puckering with each bite.

Product link: Louis Latour Marsannay Rouge

Gallo Family Vineyards Hearty Burgundy: Best for Herb and Garlic Crusted Prime Rib Roast

It’s during the holiday season when prime rib truly takes the spotlight. Marbled with fat, many love it roasted. But there is no need to wait for the nights to get longer for you to enjoy prime rib roast because it’s so easy to make that you can serve it at any given time of the year — although make sure that you have a bottle of red Burgundy wine!

Preparing herb and garlic crusted prime rib roast starts the night before as the meat has to be marinated in red Burgundy wine for at least eight hours in order to make sure that it’s tender and infused with its fruity and floral notes.

A whole prime rib can weigh anywhere from 12 pounds to 16 pounds, which is why you have to make sure that you have plenty of red Burgundy wine handy. For a trouble-free prime rib roast preparation, get your hands on a 1.5-liter bottle of Gallo Family Vineyards Hearty Burgundy — fret not for it’s less than $9 only.

Hailing from California, Gallo Family Vineyards Hearty Burgundy has a rich flavor consisting of deep-red fruits, from red plums to blackberries. It has a dry taste and mild tannin levels, thus making for a central marinade ingredient for herb and garlic crusted prime rib roast.

Product link: Gallo Family Vineyards Hearty Burgundy

Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to cook with Burgundy wine that you would actually drink, too. And there is no need to spend a lot of money either — some of the best that you can opt for have price tags of less than $40.

Above, we talked about a total of 12 Burgundy wines perfect for preparing a variety of dishes, from the iconic Beef Bourguignon, everyday instant pot beef Burgundy to the yearly staple prime rib roast.

Paired with the perfect recipe, the right bottle of Burgundy wine can make homemade meals more unforgettable.

Read Also: Best Red Wine for Cooking Chicken

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