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Pairing Wine With Chicken Cordon Bleu

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Chicken stuffed with ham & cheese: it does not get more simplistic than that. That is exactly what chicken cordon bleu is, and it is one of the favorite entrees across America. The different layers of this dish make for a very interesting partner to pair with wine, with a diverse variety of different tastes to combine. These layers are flavorful, all at the same time, which calls for a pairing that can match its energy as well.

Wine Characteristics To Pair With Chicken Cordon Bleu

Characteristic Detail
Sweetness Dry
Acidity Low to high
Tannins Low-High
Body Light to Full Body 
Tasting Notes Red fruit, oak, black fruit, citrus, spices, green fruit

Best Red Wine To Drink With Chicken Cordon Bleu

Chicken cordon bleu calls for a red wine pairing of powerful & unique marriage. If you break it down piece by piece, each individual component can have its own pairing. Ham, chicken, cheese, sauce, breadcrumbs & seasoning. This variety screams originality and creativity, which is the cornerstone of most red wines.

Pinot Noir

The simplicity of a pinot noir, from Oregon regions for example, make for a perfect way to break into a pairing with chicken cordon bleu. The flavor profile of red fruit and its crisp acidity are perfect for the rich and creamy components in the dish. A very safe bet for a very delicious dish

Brunello

A young Brunello is boasting its crisp and almost sweet flavor profile, with a very firm body to round it out. This makes it a perfect pairing partner for a dish as rich as chicken cordon bleu, as it will do nothing to detract, only enhance. The keyword is “young” however, as Brunello is known to age very strongly with its flavor profile following suit.

Best White Wine To Drink With Chicken Cordon Bleu

Cheese and the white sauce served with chicken cordon bleu are arguably the most notable aspect of this dish, and most memorable. This type of taste is bound to be brought back to the basic food taste component of “fat”, which as we all know, is destined to be paired with “acid”. White wines open the door to many different possibilities of a crisp option to compliment those flavors of chicken cordon bleu.

Alsace-style Riesling

The dry and acidic alsace is a perfect match for such a creamy dish. It packs the necessary body of flavor to stand up to its many layers, and has the ripe acidity to cut through the rich textures of the dish. Look for this specific style, however, and make sure you don’t grab the sweet varietal!

Chardonnay

Chardonnay can be such a fantastic partner to chicken cordon bleu, and the most fascinating part is how both popular versions of it can work as a pairing: the classic French style acidity with its citrus profile, or the New world beloved style of its buttery and full body. It boils down to how you want to complement the chicken cordon bleu, and the sides with it, but you can’t go wrong with either choice.

Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc is the best “simple” option we recommend for a chicken cordon bleu dinner. The acidity speaks for itself, as it’s the most well-known feature of a good quality sauvignon blanc. Its strong body makes it able to stand up on its own as a wine, and when paired with a dish that is destined to be the star, it has no problem at all being the backup on your palate.

Best Wine To Drink With Chicken Cordon Bleu

Chicken cordon bleu is such a beloved dish in the great United States, and it is another example of the creativity that food can sometimes have in such spectacular fashion. With this type of dish, the wine varietal partners could be endless, but it’s best to have a benchmark of very flavorful, and very yummy.

  • Pinot Noir
  • Brunello
  • Alsace-style riesling
  • Chardonnay
  • Sauvignon Blanc