Written on 20/01/2022
A few tips to avoid mistakes
It's no secret that aperitifs are a very French custom. More and more French people like to get together in the early evening for a drink, to chat, share and laugh.
In the past, certain spirits were the stars of these convivial moments, such as Ricard, Whisky and beer. But recently, these alcohols are being upstaged by...wine!
According to a study by Wine Intelligence, there has been a 17% increase in the use of wine as an aperitif. 70% of French people serve wine as an aperitif at least once a month.
For many years, wine was only served at the table. It was almost inconceivable to drink it on its own, without accompanying a dish. But this practice is now a thing of the past. It's now more and more common to serve a good wine as an aperitif, and to make sure you don't go wrong, here are a few tips!
Since the wine will be served on its own - or even with a few mignardises - it's important to have a fairly light wine that won't take up too much space in the mouth, especially so that the palate can perfectly accommodate the meal that's about to follow. Avoid sweet wine above all! A Burgundy white will perfectly enhance a rillettes, a gougère or a cheese puff pastry.
Also consider the Bourgogne-Aligoté. A wine that has enjoyed great success with kir and is now a very good aperitif white, as winemakers Alice and Olivier de Moor confided to our colleagues at Le Point: "A few years ago, it was strange to sell aligoté to restaurants, but not anymore.A few years ago, it was strange to sell aligoté to restaurants, but not anymore".
Of course, there's no need to open a grand cru, which may not be sublimated enough.
For red aperitif wines, you'll also find what you're looking for in the Burgundy region, with the grape variety Pinot noir grape variety, which makes perfect wines to enjoy with a few slices of sausage, for example.
