Despite belonging to the white meat category, duck has distinct and aromatic flavours quite different from those of chicken. For this reason it requires an equally strong and full-bodied wine accompaniment, taking into account the cooking method and accompaniments.
Here is what wine to drink with duck, to make a big impression with guests at a gourmet dinner or barbecue!
Flavours of the Orient: Peking duck and wine
One of the world's most famous recipes with duck meat as the protagonist comes from China. It is Peking duck, a recipe with an ancient history, but one that continues to delight the palates of consumers today. Particularly popular in the Chinese courts of the 5th and 6th centuries, this preparation soon spread to the Empire's most fashionable restaurants.
While at one time only the skin of the animal was served, the modern version calls for the skin to be peeled away from the rest of the meat, but not removed, while the inner surface of the duck is brushed with a mixture of honey, soy and spices. It is then usually baked in the oven and served with its skin (which has become crispy), to be enjoyed inside steamed crepes with raw vegetables.
The flavours of this dish are bittersweet and spicy, and need to be accompanied by a warm, yet pleasantly mineral wine. In this case, an excellent wine to pair with duck is a ‘Sole di Sesta’ Syrah Sicilia DOC 2020. Beautiful to look at and good to taste, this wine has an elegant ruby colour mottled with violet, and a spicy profile that leaves one speechless. The olfactory examination opens with fruity notes of plums, blackberries and blueberries, but with time it is possible to perceive soft hints of vanilla, chocolate, black pepper, liquorice and roasting, conferred by the long ageing in wooden barrels. Noteworthy is the refreshing, mineral taste, which deflates the more unctuous hints and balances the sweeter notes with silky tannins.
Duck with orange and duck confit: the best wine pairings
Home of fashion and gourmet restaurants, it is to French cuisine that you can turn when you are in the mood for a duck recipe that is both tasty and elegant, capable of leaving your guests speechless. In fact, among the recipe books of the greatest chefs, one can find two great classics that are well worth revisiting: duck with orange and duck confit.
Duck with orange and wine pairing
Called canard à l'orange in its homeland, duck à l'orange is an evergreen of French cuisine (although its origins are believed to date back to 14th-century Tuscany).
The preparation calls for the duck - cleaned and boned - to be browned in a pan for a few moments, tinged with Grand Marnier, stuffed with oranges and transferred to the oven to cook with orange juice. Once cooked, it is then sliced and served with a thick orange sauce, which gives the dish a slightly sweet and alcoholic hint.
The best wine for duck with orange is a white wine with good structure and intense aromatic charge, such as a ‘Flora’ Sauvignon Alto Adige DOC 2022. Its most evident trait is its elegant straw yellow colour, but what is most surprising is its herbaceous profile, which opens with notes of nettle and then evolves into hints of elderflower. The palate is fresh and harmonious, yet full-bodied enough to accompany this dish with dignity.
Duck confit and wine
Another recipe suitable for a gourmet dinner is confit de canard, or duck confit. The meat is cooked in its own fat with flavourings of your choice, for at least 3 hours and at a temperature as stable as possible. The slow browning transforms each bite into a symphony of flavour and tenderness, to be accompanied by a side dish of your choice - potatoes or salad - and of course a good wine.
The ideal wine to go with duck confit can be found in a red wine, perhaps even a compatriot, such as a Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2022. The fine winemaking tradition of Burgundy is all reflected in this wonderful wine, the result of organic farming and careful vinification. The aromas of cherry, raspberry and vanilla are deep and intense, flanked by a structured, juicy and fresh taste, which immediately invites you to continue with the tasting, between one mouthful of duck and another.
Duck ragout and grilled duck
The many existing duck recipes testify to how versatile this ingredient is. As an alternative to the classic roast or pan-fried duck, therefore, it is possible to enjoy the full-bodied and softness of an Italian-style duck ragout or a tasty grilled duck!
The Italian recipe: duck ragout and wine pairing
A country like Italy, which makes lasagna alla Bolognese one of its strong points, could not fail to dedicate at least one type of ragout to duck meat. Duck ragout is consumed in many parts of the peninsula, but it is very popular in the culinary tradition of the Veneto region, which generally prepares it in the white version (without tomato sauce) and uses it to season the local fresh pasta, bigoli.
The recipe is similar to a classic ragout one: the mince is cooked slowly with a sauté of celery, carrot and onion and the addition of rosemary and bay leaf (or herbs to taste). Ideally, everything should be blended with the same wine that will be chosen for the pairing, in this case a Valpolicella Ripasso DOC Classico Superiore ‘La Casetta’, also from the Veneto region.
This wine flaunts a deep ruby red colour with violet hues in the glass, and bewitching aromas of ripe red fruit and spices, which lend a slightly sweet hint to the nose. In the mouth it is enveloping, thanks to a warm, full-bodied profile and good structure, ideal for intense meats like this or other game dishes.
The best wine for grilled duck
When the cold winter temperatures begin to give way to fine weather, duck can make an excellent ingredient for grilling. This type of cooking gives the meat a slightly different flavour than other preparations, with a special smoky aftertaste that enriches the experience.
To find a good wine for grilled duck breast, we go back to France - to Bordeaux, to be precise - with a Château Cantemerle Haut-Médoc 2019. This wine offers the consumer a complex and articulate bouquet that is far from cryptic. Hints of berries, violets, roses and herbs are clearly perceptible on the nose, with spicy tones and a hint of tobacco and mint that makes the tasting even more special. The taste is balanced, excellent for holding its own against the smoky and slightly bitter nuance of the grill.
Wine and duck pairing: the general rules to follow
Creating a good pairing between wine and duck is not a complicated undertaking, but there are nevertheless a few simple rules to follow in order to avoid the biggest mistakes, taking into account the various factors involved, such as seasoning and cooking:
- Reds are the most suitable choice, but not the only one: strong flavours call for energetic, deep wines that create a balanced taste experience, but it is not necessary to choose only red wine for duck.
Some recipes - especially the more aromatic and citrusy ones - go well with white wines, as long as they meet the same criteria: they must have a gutsy structure and a captivating aromatic profile.
- Pay attention to spices and condiments: another fundamental element to take into account when choosing wine for duck is the seasoning, such as fruity reductions, tasty and spicy sauces or wine-based sauces. In this case it is good to respect concordance criteria, i.e. to match a hint with a wine with the same sensory suggestions.
- The cooking method counts: the cooking method has a considerable impact on flavours and thus also on pairings. Delicate cooking goes well with intense, but softer and more docile wines, while oven roasts and barbecuing are better with powerful wines with well-presented tannins.
Now that you know how to pair duck - in its many variations - explore the Svinando catalogue to find the right bottle!