Duck
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General InformationGeese and duck meat are dark meat which tend to be fattier, giving an oily, greasy texture and wieght to the meat. They also tend to have quite intense flavor. You need a wine that can cut the oily texture, stand up to the weight of the meat and the intensity of the flavor. Duck and goose tend to be cooked rare to medium rare and reserve their juiciness, so a less acidic and more astringent wine will do well. Bottom line, the darker earthier meat of goose and duck pair well with a darker, earthier wine.
In Depth PairingGoose pairs well with a jammy Petite Sirah or Cabernet Sauvignon. Zinfandel is a good choice for spicier notes and Sangiovese for more dried fruit and spicy flavours. Other choices include Barbera, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Syrah.
For duck, Pinot Noir from Europe is the classic pairing with its earthy tones. a. Cabernet Sauvignon is a good choice too. This wine tends to have an inherent pepper spice with its tart currant fruits. It also tends to include a green bell pepper hint when the grapes used are slightly immature, giving a vegetal quality that pairs well with the flavors of duck. Sangiovese with its spice and tartness and baking spice hints also pairs well, as does a spicy and jammier Zinfandel. A Syrah from Europe can also stand up to the qualities of duck, along with Merlot. Nebbiolo goes well with mushroom based sauces as does an earthy Pinot Noir from Europe. Duck is a great occasion to try a St. Laurent, descendent of Pinot Noir but with silkier, smokier quality. Duck a la Orange goes well with a Gewurtztraminer, Riesling or Torrontes with their aromatic tendencies. Riesling tends to go well with duck overall, even though duck is a darker richer meat and Riesling is a white wine. |
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