Pairing Soup and Wine... Yes, Really!
The Perfect Pairing of French Onion Soup and Wine
The Comfort of French Onion Soup: A Perfect Pairing with Beaujolais Wine
French cuisine has an uncanny ability to turn humble ingredients into dishes that encourage both nostalgia and indulgence. Among these, French Onion Soup (Soupe à l'Oignon Gratinée) stands out as a timeless classic—a dish that’s not just about feeding the body, but also comforting to the soul. It’s a celebration of flavors that build upon each other, creating a harmonious balance of savory and sweet elements. The caramelized onions, which take time to cook down to sweet, golden perfection, combine with a deep, flavorful beef broth, then get crowned with toasted baguette slices and bubbling Gruyère cheese. This dish is an experience all on its own, a real treat for the senses.
But there’s one more element that can elevate this experience: the wine you drink with it, of course! Pairing soup and wine is not something we often consider, but it can be a real treat. In this post, we’ll not only dive into the magic of French Onion Soup but also explore how to pair it with a Burgundy wine that’s just as complex and comforting—Beaujolais.
The Layers of Flavor in French Onion Soup
Intensity abounds with the one-and-only French Onion Soup, a dish that's all about layers upon layers of flavor. From the very first spoonful, it’s clear that this is no ordinary soup. The savory richness and velvety texture of the broth are what you'll notice first. (It means when we choose a wine, it should be one that brightens and balances this decadent dish, which is served au gratin in its own cute ceramic crock.) The top layer is a bubbling mass of Gruyère cheese, golden and melty, with crispy edges that provide texture.
Beneath this, we have sliced baguette that has been completely soaked with beefy, oniony broth, absorbing all the flavors from the pot.
The richness of the soup comes from the slow-cooked onions, which release their natural sugars over time, lending a delicate sweetness to the base. The wine needs to match that sweetness and cut through the heaviness of both the cheese and broth. Here lies the beauty of a carefully chosen wine pairing: it should act like a refreshing counterpoint to the soup’s indulgence while also complementing its complexity.
White vs. Red: How to Pair Soup with Wine
When it comes to pairing wine with French Onion Soup, it often depends on what else is being served with the dish. If you're having the soup as part of a lighter meal—perhaps with a simple green salad or Caesar salad—you might lean toward a white wine. The acidity and minerality in white wines can offer a clean, crisp contrast to the richness of the soup.
But if you’re enjoying French Onion Soup with something heartier—like steak and baked potatoes—you'll want a red wine that can stand up to the deep flavors of the soup without overpowering them. This is where one of Burgundy's most famous wines - Beaujolais, especially Cru Beaujolais - comes in as an excellent choice.
Why Beaujolais With Soup?
For a red wine that will complement the layers of flavor in French Onion Soup, we suggest reaching for a wine made from the Gamay grape. Gamay is known for producing wines with low tannins, which means it’s smooth on the palate and won’t clash with the richness of the broth or the cheese. Additionally, Gamay grapes ripen early, which imparts a burst of bright, fruity acidity to the wine—just what’s needed to balance the soup’s richness.
While many might first think of Beaujolais Nouveau—the light, fruity, and easy-drinking wine released every November—there's a whole world of Cru Beaujolais wines that are more complex and robust, making them an ideal pairing for French Onion Soup. Cru Beaujolais comes from 10 villages in the Beaujolais region of France, and these wines are considered to be of much higher quality than the mass-produced Beaujolais Nouveau.
Cru Beaujolais: The Most Complex, Structured Beaujolais
When you're looking for something that can handle the richness of French Onion Soup, we recommend reaching for a bottle of Cru Beaujolais. Cru translates to "growth" in French, and in the context of wine, it refers to a wine from a specific, high-quality vineyard. The Beaujolais region was once best known for producing Beaujolais Nouveau, a quick, easy-drinking wine made to celebrate the grape harvest. But Cru Beaujolais is in a league of its own, offering wines that are more sophisticated, structured, and complex.
Cru Beaujolais wines, like those from Moulin-à-Vent or Morgon, are made from Gamay grapes but have more depth and complexity than their Nouveau counterparts. These wines feature fruity notes of cherry, plum, and raspberry, while also carrying earthy, mineral undertones that make them the perfect match for a rich, savory soup like French Onion Soup. The vibrant acidity and fruit-forward profile of Cru Beaujolais cut through the richness of the soup, ensuring each bite feels fresh and balanced.
Moulin-à-Vent: The King of Beaujolais
When it comes to Cru Beaujolais, Moulin-à-Vent reigns supreme and is often referred to as the "King of Beaujolais." This wine has the ability to age well, unlike many other Beaujolais wines, and its aging potential gives it more tannins and structure. However, even a young Moulin-à-Vent remains relatively light compared to other red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah, making it a fantastic choice to pair with French Onion Soup. Young Moulin-à-Vent wines offer vibrant notes of cherry and plum, while older versions deepen into more complex, muskier flavors. These characteristics make a great complement to the caramelized onions and melted Gruyère cheese in the soup.
The acidity in Moulin-à-Vent also provides a beautiful contrast to the hearty soup. It refreshes the palate after each spoonful, ensuring that each bite of the rich, savory soup feels like a fresh experience.
Here at BurgundyWine.com we offer a fantastic example of this appellation: the Richard Rottiers Beaujolais Cru Moulin à Vent. It's a great example of the pure Gamay fruitiness, with those typical lingering notes of violet and a structure and finesse that comes from six months in oak barrels.
Meursault Chardonnay: A White Option
Now, if you're pairing French Onion Soup with lighter fare, like a Caesar salad or something less hearty, you might opt for a white wine. Interestingly, French Onion Soup is traditionally made with white wine, which opens the door to exploring white wine pairings as well.
For a white wine that will complement the rich, savory flavors of the soup, we lean toward White Burgundy, specifically from Meursault. Meursault is known for producing Chardonnay wines with enough body and richness to stand up to the flavors of French Onion Soup. These wines offer a balance of acidity and minerality, which provides a refreshing contrast to the soup’s richness, while the oak aging gives them a creamy texture that works well with the melted Gruyère.
Wines from Meursault often feature ripe stone fruit flavors, like peach and apricot, alongside buttery and spicy notes, making them a sophisticated and complex match for French Onion Soup. Look for Chardonnay from Premier Cru vineyards such as Les Charmes, Les Perrières, and Les Genevrières, which are revered for their full-bodied texture and complexity.
Follow this link to discover a wine from Les Perrieres on Burgundywine.com made by Domaine Potinet-Ampeau.
Follow this link to read about a wine from Les Charmes made by the same producer.
The Perfect Pairing Experience
Whether you’re sipping a glass of Moulin-à-Vent, Morgon, or a rich Meursault Chardonnay, the right wine has the power to elevate your French Onion Soup experience. Each of these wines brings its own layer of complexity, acidity, and fruitiness, all of which complement the sweet caramelized onions, the rich beef broth, and the melty cheese. So, the next time you prepare French Onion Soup, don’t forget to choose the right wine to make your meal unforgettable.
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