A meal paired with great wine can turn an ordinary day into something special. Today I am teaming up with Famille Hugel, a family-owned 13th generation wine producer in France established in 1639, to share some food and wine pairings. These are meals that are easy enough to make any day, but exceptional enough to serve for a holiday or special occasion.
Famille Hugel produces wine at a variety of price points from everyday wines to special occasion bottles. The Gentil retails for $15 while the Gewürztraminer Vendange Tardive retails for $165. The Gewürztraminer Classic, Pinot Noir Classic, Pinot Blanc “Cuvée Les Amours”, and Pinot Gris Classic are all between $17 and $25. These highly rated French wine are affordable yet outstanding.
If you want to stock up on Hugel wine, mark your calendar for Hugel Day! Taking place this Saturday, November 9th, this is the day that retailers across the United States offer specials on Hugel’s Rieslings and other wine varieties. This is the time to purchase wine for the holiday season. Plus, you can participate in free wine tastings. You can learn more about Hugel Day and find a participating retailer near you on the Hugel Day website.
Hugel Food and Wine Pairings:
I love the versatility of these wines and how well they pair with a wide variety of meals. I drink wine with dinner nearly every night; it makes the meal feel more complete and replicates the experience of dining out. Here are some of my favorite ways to pair Hugel wines with meals fitting for a casual weeknight or a dinner party.
Baked Brie with Cranberry Chutney paired with Hugel Gewürztraminer Classic
The baked brie has creamy cheesy flavors of brie and tart slightly bitter tastes from the cranberry chutney. This pairs wonderfully with the Hugel Gewürztraminer Classic an off-dry wine with a lively fruity taste. The slight sweetness balances the bitterness of the cranberry chutney and brings new richness to the brie.
This wine retails for $25 and was given a 90 point rating by Wine Enthusiast.
Sirloin Tips and Cheesy Grits paired with Hugel Pinot Noir Classic
I love this meal because the sirloin tips are slow cooked and they taste even better the next day. It is a meal that you can make a day in advance if you are hosting over the holidays, or just a great Sunday dinner that will give you leftovers to eat throughout the week. Steak and red wine are a classic pairing, and I love the Famille Hugel Pinot Noir Classic because it is easy to drink and it pairs well with a wide variety of foods. It isn’t so tannic or strong that it overpowers your meal. If you are a red wine drinker, this is a great go-to wine to pair with red meat, charcuterie, and cheese.
The 2015 vintage is available now and received 91 points from Wine Enthusiast and it retails for $19.
Roast Chicken and Mashed Potatoes paired with Gentil
Poultry and white wine is a go-to wine pairing. This roast chicken goes especially well with Famille Hugel’s Gentil because it is a thirst quenching dry wine that is both rich and elegant. Gentil is a blended wine made of noble grapes known for its full flavor and fruity aromas. It played off the herbs and citrus of the chicken and the mashed potatoes with gravy so well.
The Gentil is also a great pairing for Thanksgiving dinner since it pairs well with poultry. Plus, at $15, this is a budget friendly wine to serve. Wine Enthusiast gave it 89 points.
Mini Apple Pies paired with Hugel Gewürztraminer Vendange Tardive
Everything is cuter when it is smaller, and these mini versions of a classic apple pie are so easy to serve. Pair this dessert with Gewürztraminer Vendange Tardive, a wine that is considered to be one of the finest in France. This late-harvest wine is the pride and joy of the Hugel family. It is a refined sweet white wine with fruity notes of mango, orange, passion fruit, and citron that pairs especially well with apples.
Serving this wine with dessert is a perfect end to a dinner party and a fitting way to celebrate a special occasion.
Cheers to the upcoming holiday season and to picking the right wine to pair with your meal.
This post was sponsored by Famille Hugel. Thank you for supporting the brands that make The Kittchen possible.