When combining duck and wine, choose a light red wine or a medium- to full-bodied white wine. Rosé wine is a good alternative in many cases, too. Ensure the wine has some acidity but a rather low level of tannins.
Depending on the preparation method and the side dishes, other duck and wine pairings might be an option. In some cases, you can even choose sweet or sparkling wines. These pairings will give you more details:
- Peking Duck and Wine
- Orange Duck and Wine
- Confit de Canard
- Foie Gras and Wine
- Duck Curry and Wine
- Duck Cassoulet and Wine
But before we go into specific duck and wine pairings, let us have a quick look at the characteristics of duck meat.
WHAT IS DUCK AND HOW DOES IT TASTE?
Duck meat belongs to the category of poultry and thus is considered white meat. That is despite the fact that it is darker than other poultry meats. Typically, duck meat comes from either the breast or the legs. In comparison with chicken, it is fattier and more flavorful. In some cases, it might remind you of game rather than poultry.
THE BEST DUCK AND WINE PAIRINGS
To compose the optimal duck and wine pairing, you should consider the specific dish. That includes the preparation method, the seasoning, and the side dishes. Some of these combinations might call for wines other than those stated above. So let us talk about the best duck and wine pairings.
Peking Duck and Wine
One of the most popular dishes from Asian cuisine is Peking duck. It is also one of the oldest recipes, with a history going back to the 13th century. The duck gets cooked until its skin becomes golden and crispy, and the meat is very tender. Usually, Peking duck comes with steamed spring pancakes, different vegetables, and sauce. Hoisin sauce is the traditional choice that adds powerful sweet, salty, and spicy aromas. Another option is a plum sauce, which is more viscous and not as salty and spicy.
A fruity red with a medium body is the right wine to match these flavors. Think of a Grenache or a Pinot Noir. Their aromas of red fruits match the meal’s flavor profile superbly, while their tannins are not too powerful.
A Zinfandel can be a good match as well, given it is not too bold.
For white wine lovers, a Chardonnay is a nice pairing for Peking duck. Make sure to go on an unoaked wine, though. It should be ripe and feature tropical fruit notes to complement the dish’s aromas.
Peking Duck with Vegetables and Spring Pancakes
Bodegas Mas Alta La Basseta 2006
- type: red, still, Vintage
- origin: Spain, Priorat
- varietal: Carignan, Garnacha, Merlot, Syrah
- alcohol: 14.5%
Bodegas Mas Alta Romani La Basseta 2017
- type: red, still, Vintage
- origin: Spain, Priorat
- varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Garnacha
- alcohol: 14.5%
Clos Figueres Font de la Figuera Priorat 2018
- type: red, still, Vintage
- origin: Spain, Priorat
- varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Garnacha, Monastrell, Syrah
- alcohol: 15.0%
Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel 2019
- type: red, still, Vintage
- origin: United States, California
- varietal: Zinfandel
- alcohol: 15.0%
Rombauer El Dorado Twin Rivers Zinfandel 2019
- type: red, still, Vintage
- origin: United States, California
- varietal: Zinfandel
- alcohol: 16.0%
Hartford Russian River Old Vine Zinfandel 2019
- type: red, still, Vintage
- origin: United States, California
- varietal: Zinfandel
- alcohol: 16.0%
Joseph Drouhin Macon Villages 2019
- type: white, still, Vintage
- origin: Burgundy, France
- varietal: Chardonnay
- alcohol: 13.0%
Bouchard Pere & Fils Meursault (Domaine) 2017
- type: white, still, Vintage
- origin: Burgundy, France
- varietal: Chardonnay
- alcohol: 13.5%
Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles Premier Cru 2018
- type: white, still, Vintage
- origin: Burgundy, France
- varietal: Chardonnay
- alcohol: 13.0%
Orange Duck and Wine
A traditional recipe from France is Orange Duck (or “Canard à l’Orange”, as the French say). Especially for Christmas dinner, this crispy roast is a delicious classic. Orange duck features rich meat, sweetness, and acidity from oranges, and subtle tart and bitter notes.
The optimal Peking duck and wine pairing calls for a fruity white wine from France. It needs some acidity to cut through the meat, but it should be low in tannins. Go for an Alsace Gewürztraminer or a Chenin Blanc from the Loire region:
- type: white, still, Vintage
- origin: Alsace, France
- varietal: Gewürztraminer
- alcohol: 14.0%
Zind-Humbrecht Gewürztraminer 2019
- type: white, still, Vintage
- origin: Alsace, France
- varietal: Gewürztraminer
- alcohol: 14.0%
Albert Boxler Gewürztraminer Reserve 2018
- type: white, still, Vintage
- origin: Alsace, France
- varietal: Gewürztraminer
- alcohol: 14.0%
Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Le Haut Lieu 2019
- type: white, still, Vintage
- origin: Loire, France
- varietal: Chenin Blanc
- alcohol: 13.0%
- type: white, still, Vintage
- origin: Loire, France
- varietal: Chenin Blanc
- alcohol: 13.0%
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux 2020
- type: white, still, Vintage
- origin: Loire, France
- varietal: Chenin Blanc
- alcohol: 13.0%
If you are a fan of bold whites, here is another suggestion: The spicy vanilla notes of an oaked Chardonnay, for instance, from the United States, make a great duck and wine pairing. Try these wines:
- type: white, still, Vintage
- origin: United States, California
- varietal: Chardonnay
- alcohol: 14.0%
- type: white, still, Vintage
- origin: United States, California
- varietal: Chardonnay
- alcohol: 14.0%
Beringer Luminus Chardonnay 2019
- type: white, still, Vintage
- origin: United States, California
- varietal: Chardonnay
- alcohol: 14.5%
Confit de Canard and Wine
Another classic duck dish from France is Confit de Canard (English: preserved duck). As the name hints, this preparation method was a means to preserve duck for later consumption originally. Nowadays, refrigeration can do this job much better. But the French still follow this preparation technique to create a very flavorful meal.
First, the meat is marinated with salt, pepper, and other spices and herbs such as bay leaves, garlic, or thyme. Then, it slow-roasts in its own fat for up to 24 hours, traditionally in a copper pot. After this preparation, it is so flavorful that you can serve it without a sauce. Instead, it goes with scalloped or mashed potatoes and steamed or fried vegetables.
Confit de Canard is a very wine-friendly dish and a great basis for various duck and wine pairings. A very common recommendation to enjoy with this dish is Alsace Pinot Gris. Vintners harvest the grapes for this white wine late in the year, so they contain a lot of sugar. The wines they make from these grapes are medium- to full-bodied and deliciously sweet:
Domaines Schlumberger Spiegel Grand Cru 2018
- type: white, still, sweet, Vintage
- origin: France, Alsace
- varietal: Pinot Gris
- alcohol: 13.5%
Albert Boxler Sommerberg Wibtal 2016
- type: white, still, off-dry, Vintage
- origin: France, Alsace
- varietal: Pinot Gris
- alcohol: 14.0%
- type: white, still, off-dry, Vintage
- origin: France, Alsace
- varietal: Pinot Gris
- alcohol: 13.5%
In case you are not a fan of sweet wine, try a Marsanne or a Roussanne wine. Both varieties are native to the French Rhône Valley and produce dry, medium-bodied white wines that feature citrus and tropical fruit flavors. A red alternative to pair with Confit de Canard is, for instance, Burgundy wine. In general, lighter styles are better than bolder variations. Here is a list of recommendations:
Joseph Drouhin Laforet Pinot Noir 2019
- type: red, still, Vintage
- origin: France, Burgundy
- varietal: Pinot Noir
- alcohol: 12.5%
Remoissenet Beaune Teurons Premier Cru 2019
- type: red, still, Vintage
- origin: France, Burgundy
- varietal: Pinot Noir
- alcohol: 14.0%
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2018
- type: red, still, Vintage
- origin: France, Burgundy
- varietal: Pinot Noir
- alcohol: 13.0%
Foie Gras and Wine
Here is another French duck dish: Foie gras. It is made from a duck’s liver (or alternatively a goose’s liver) and is considered a delicacy in France. Traditionally, the French season foie gras with mushrooms and cognac (or a similar spirit), cook it at low temperatures and serve it cold. But it becomes more and more common to grill, roast, or sear it at higher temperatures. No matter the preparation, foie gras is a rich and fatty dish that calls for a juicy wine.
A sweet dessert wine is a perfect wine for foie gras. To cut through the fat, it should have a high acidity level. Noble rot wines such as Hungarian Tokaji or French Sauternes belong to this category. They both have an outstanding balance, so neither their acidity nor their sweetness dominates the taste. The formerly mentioned Alsace Pinot Gris is less sweet but nevertheless a fine wine pairing for foie gras.
Kiralyudvar Tokaji Aszu 6 Puttonyos 2008
- type: white, still, Vintage
- origin: Hungary, Tokaj
- varietal: Furmint, Hárslevelű
- alcohol: 10.0%
Royal Tokaji 5 Puttonyos (Red Label) 2016
- type: white, still, Vintage
- origin: Hungary, Tokaj
- varietal: Furmint, Hárslevelű
- alcohol: 11.5%
Royal Tokaji Late Harvest 2018
- type: white, still, Vintage
- origin: Hungary, Tokaj
- varietal: Furmint, Hárslevelű, Muscat
- alcohol: 11.5%
Chateau Bastor-Lamontagne Sauternes 2016
- type: white, still, Vintage
- origin: France, Bordeaux
- varietal: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon
- alcohol: 14.0%
Chateau Guiraud Sauternes 2020
- type: white, still, Vintage
- origin: France, Bordeaux
- varietal: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon
- alcohol: 13.5%
Chateau d'Yquem Sauternes 1999
- type: white, still, Vintage
- origin: France, Bordeaux
- varietal: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon
- alcohol: 14.0%
Curry with Duck and Wine
Asian cuisine is famous for its fabulous curry dishes. And one of the best curry dishes is Thai Red Curry. This dish from Thailand offers a complex combination of aromas, including hot chiles, spicy onions, salty fish sauce, a bit of sugar, and multiple herbs. Chefs prepare it with all types of meats. When they choose duck, they typically use breast meat, either with or without the skin. The result is a rich, mildly spicy meal.
Combining curry with duck and wine is a bit difficult. On the one hand, you need a wine that can counter the spiciness. But on the other hand, you don’t want to overpower the dish with a bold wine.
A great match for duck curry is a semi-dry white wine. Especially wines with aromas of citrus or tropical fruit complement the curry flavors excellently. They need a good acidity level to help clean your palate and reduce the heat after having a bite. Gewürztraminer from the Alsace region in France is precisely that. And you might also find bottles from California or Washington State that fulfill these criteria.
- type: white, still, Vintage
- origin: United States, California
- varietal: Gewürztraminer
- alcohol: 13.9%
Claiborne & Churchill Dry Gewürztraminer 2020
- type: white, still, Vintage
- origin: United States, California
- varietal: Gewürztraminer
- alcohol: 13.3%
Clif Family Winery Dry Gewürztraminer 2019
- type: white, still, Vintage
- origin: United States, California
- varietal: Gewürztraminer
- alcohol: 14.1%
Duck Cassoulet and Wine
Last but not least, here is one final dish for a French duck and wine pairing: Duck Cassoulet. Cassoulet is a stew made from white beans, bacon, garlic, and several herbs. Besides, it contains at least one, but often multiple types of meat such as beef, pork, lamb, goose, or duck. All ingredients slow-cook in a ceramic pot called “Cassole”, from which the dish’s name derives.
Duck Cassoulet is a very hearty, flavorful meal. To counter the dominating meat aromas and create an enjoyable duck and wine pairing, you need a powerful, full-bodied wine. For red wine lovers, a bold Zinfandel, Barolo, or Malbec is the right choice. These wines have the tannins, the acidity, and the structure it needs to stand the rich Cassoulet.
Paolo Conterno Barolo Ginestra 2016
- type: red, still, Vintage
- origin: Italy, Piedmont
- varietal: Nebbiolo
- alcohol: 15.5%
Marchesi di Barolo Barolo Sarmassa 2014
- type: red, still, Vintage
- origin: Italy, Piedmont
- varietal: Nebbiolo
- alcohol: 14.5%
Cordero di Montezemolo Barolo Enrico VI 2015
- type: red, still, Vintage
- origin: Italy, Piedmont
- varietal: Nebbiolo
- alcohol: 15.0%
Crocus L'Atelier Malbec de Cahors 2018
- type: red, still, Vintage
- origin: France, Southwest France
- varietal: Malbec
- alcohol: 14.5%
Cosse et Maisonneuve Cahors Solis Malbec 2018
- type: red, still, Vintage
- origin: France, Southwest France
- varietal: Malbec
- alcohol: 14.5%
Chateau Du Caillau Cahors 2019
- type: red, still, Vintage
- origin: France, Southwest France
- varietal: Malbec
- alcohol: 13.5%
If you prefer a white duck and wine pairing, you are somewhat limited in your options. Only full-bodied whites that spent some time aging in oak barrels have the power to stand Duck Cassoulet. Try a New World Chardonnay, for example, the formerly mentioned styles from California.
FINAL WORDS
There is a wide variety of great duck dishes. You can consider many of them festival dishes as they are so rich in flavor (and require plenty of time for preparation). And what could be better than a delicious festival meal with a fine glass of wine? With the information from this article, you are ready to compose great duck and wine pairings and provide a fantastic culinary experience to your guests. Enjoy!
