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What wine goes best with roasted chicken?

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Are you looking to pair a glass of wine to enjoy with fresh roasted chicken? Roasted chicken has a recognizable fragrance, crackly skin, sweet taste, salty succulence that is easy to serve for any dinner setting. 

In fact, roasted chicken goes well with a number of foods as a perfect combo. In addition, both white or red wine can be used depending on side dishes, sauce, seasonings, and personal preference.

What wine goes best with roasted chicken? A simple roasted chicken pairs wonderfully with a full-flavored red, medium-bodied rosé, or dry white. Generally, roasted chicken taste best with an oaked Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Vermentino, Blanc de blancs Champagne, or any sparkling wine.

However, if the chicken dish is served with savory gravy as topping, select a medium-bodied red wine like Côtes du Rhône.

Pairing chicken and wine doesn’t have to be a complicated task. This is because chicken has a subtle taste making it a versatile dish to serve with a variety of ingredients.

When pairing wine and chicken, concentrate more on how well it pairs with the ingredients used during its preparation and the sauces. Answered below are frequently asked questions about different wines that pair perfectly with roasted chicken and everything you need to take into consideration.

What red wine goes with roast chicken?

The combination of red wine and roasted chicken is best for a meatier or richer taste. If the sauces are heavy gravy or dark roasted, then a medium bodied red wine will be best.

The red wines that go best with roast chicken include:

  • Pinot Noir: Most popular red wine that is not too heavy and does not have high in tannic content. This wine has acidity and earthy flavors that complement the flavor of a roasted chicken very well.
  • Burgundy: Accompanied with mushrooms or truffles, or the chicken is seasoned with tarragon or served with a creamy sauce, red burgundy is preferred wine choice.
  • Beaujolais-Villages: This is a light red wine made from Gamay Noir grapes, and depending on the grape type of the region it can be sweet or dry wine. When serving the chicken at a room temperature with a salad or seasoned with lemon, this wine is perfect for spring or summer season food pairings.
  • Côtes du Rhône: It is a red, rosé and white wine from a region that has natural sweetness in the terroir. This makes it wonderful to pair with traditional meat-based gravy or serve with strong flavored vegetables.
  • Schiava: Known for red fruit flavors like strawberry sauce and cotton candy taste, therefore pairing with teriyaki and other soy-based sauces are highly recommended.

Does merlot go with roast chicken?

Yes, merlot goes well with roasted chicken because this type of wine is loved for its supple and soft fruity qualities. 

It is ideal for pairing with roast chicken as it gives a sweet fruity aftertaste. In combination with roast chicken, one should include tomato and pepper-based sauces to increase the savory taste.

Not only does merlot pairs well with different sauces, but also with simple roasted chicken seasoned with variety of herbs or spices.

Why is white wine good with chicken?

White wine is the most preferred when it comes to chicken due to its fruity freshness. Additionally, it is known as the best pairing for lean white meats versus rich dark meats.

Furthermore, white wine doesn’t overpower the taste of chicken. It also has lower acidic levels, and it’s far much sweeter than red wine. 

Red wines, on the other hand, have fairly complex notes that are better served with rich flavored, full fat, darker meats.

Be sure to pair white wine with lightly flavored chicken, not covered in a red wine sauce or roasted gravy. However, if the chicken is prepared rich in flavor, consider more color, richness, and tannin of red wine to pair with the roasted chicken.

Best Italian wine pairing with roast chicken

Wine goes well with roast chicken, the selection is an important decision. Furthermore, wine that is full-bodied will overwhelmingly limit the taste of chicken meat because it has a rather delicate flavor. 

Best Italian wine to pair your roast chicken with include:

  • Chianti: Bit acidic and tannic wine with complex flavor including red fruit, oaky, and earthy notes.
  • Vigneto Riveselle Tai Rosso: Slightly bold and dry red wine that has cherry and strawberry red fruit notes. 
  • Cirò rosso classic: Uses Gaglioppo grapes in a southern Italy red wine style that has bold tastes that blend the flavor of red and black fruits with hint of leathery notes.
  • Valdarno di sopra: Made from merlot grapes in Toscana Italy that has a bold, tannic, and soft palette with dry aftertaste. Mostly has earthy notes with hint of oaky and chocolaty taste.
  • Carillo Pinot Nero: From Pinot Nero grapes in Northern Italy that are very acidic and dry. Flavored with cherry and raspberry with touch of oaky and black fruits.
  • Rafaèl Valpolicella Classico Superiore: Produced by Corvino grapes, the wine has a subtle smoothness and acidity with a slight dry feel. It has good balance of fruity and oaky notes.
  • Chardonnary Vigna: Made from Chardonnay grapes, it is a popular Southern Italy white wine. It is bold and dry wine that has vanilla with stone fruit and hint of citrus notes at the end.
Best wine with roasted chicken

Roasted Chicken With Wine: Conclusion

Classic roasted chicken is quite versatile and easy to serve with sauces, vegetables and many side dishes. As a result, the combination will blend perfectly with a variety of wines. 

Apart from consuming roasted chicken alongside a glass of wine, both can be used in the cooking process and add up a very sensible delicious dish. This is much of a case whereby one has lots of wine to use in the cooking and serving a complex reduction sauce with the chicken.

Typically, a full-flavored red, medium-bodied rosé or dry white wine pairs best with roasted chicken. Try Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Vermentino, Blanc de blancs Champagne, and any sparkling wine.

In addition, merlot pairs wonderful with roasted chicken due to it’s light and fruity taste. In fact, it even goes well with heavy sauces like tomato or bold pepper-based sauces. 

Consider choosing red wine if the ingredients are strong with bold sides dishes, otherwise a lighter white wine will be better suited.

When a wine and chicken combo strike a harmonious balance, then you’ve selected the correct wine. Whether the chicken is topped with sauce or herbs, use the wine pairing formula to enjoy vin de table with roasted chicken at any time. 

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