Pairing Wine With Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala is an American favorite with Italian origins. Made with marsala, a fortified wine from the city of Marsala on the island of Sicily, along with mushrooms and chicken stock. Chicken being a lighter white meat, allows for a wider selection of wines. However, when it comes to wine pairing with a dish like this one, the sauce is key. Based on the creaminess, earthiness and herbal notes of the sauce, we will be choosing our wines.

Wine Characteristics To Pair With Chicken Marsala

Characteristic	Detail
Sweetness	Dry
Acidity	Medium + to high
Tannins	Low to Medium
Body	Medium + to high
Notes	Herbal, Earthy, Citrusy

In terms of sweetness, a dry wine would be ideal. Generally the sauce is dry making it better to pair with a dry wine. However, sometimes a sweet marsala is used in the sauce rather than a dry one. In this case, it is okay to go with a wine which is off-dry and has a bit of sweetness to it, in order to match with the sauce.

Acidity is ideally in the higher range. Creamy sauces can feel heavy and rich on the palate. High acid wines contrast the weight of the sauce nicely, cleaning the palate before each bite, making you go back for more.

As mentioned earlier, since chicken is a lighter meat, the tannin in the wine does not need to be high. Even a wine with low tannic structure would be fine since the meat is quite delicate.

The body of the wine would ideally be big and complex in order to stand up to the richness and complexity of the sauce. The body refers to the weight of the wine on the palate and it is best to match it with that of the sauce. Similarly when referring to the flavors of the dish, matching the intensity and complexity of the wine with the intensity and complexity of the dish is the goal. The earthy and herbal characteristics of the wine will complement the earthy and herbal flavors of the dish.

Best Red Wine To Drink With Chicken Marsala

Nothing too strong and heavy is needed with this dish. Something to pair well with the earthiness and richness of the sauce is key. A light or medium red wine in terms of intensity and complexity along with herbal and earthy characteristics would be a perfect match.

Merlot

Merlot is one of the grapes that offers a great balance of structure and flavors. The wines coming from America are amore fruit forward and fragrant when compared to wines from France which are rather earthy. In this case, french merlot would be a better choice.

Pinot Noir

French pinot noir from Burgundy are some of the best and also most expensive wines in the world. They are light wines but very complex and can be quite earthy, especially the ones which have been aged for 5-10 years. Pinot noirs from new world wines regions such as Argentina and USA would also work well.

Sangiovese

Italian sangiovese has great structure and complexity as well as herbal aromas such as thyme and sage which will complement the herbal notes of the dish perfectly. This wine would be a great choice if you prefer wines which are not too light and are quite bold and “hefty”.

Best White Wine To Drink With Chicken Marsala

White wines can go well with this dish as long as the wine is not too light. Wines such as Chablis and light Sauvignon Blancs are best to be avoided since they are likely to be overpowered by the dish.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is a commonly grown white grape all over the world. If you prefer a wine that is not too fruity and quite mineral, look for something for France, more specifically from the region of Burgundy. A chardonnay from California would be a little more fruit forward and oaky if you prefer that style of wine.

Chenin Blanc

Chenin Blanc is a popular grape grown in the Loire Valley in France, and South Africa. Similar to Chardonnay, if you prefer a wine with less fruit characteristics and is quite mineral, choose a french chenin blanc rather than the fruitier, floral South Africa version.

Viognier

Viognier is a grape which is normally found in warmer regions such as the Rhone valley in France or even Australia. These wines tend to be very fruity and floral with a good body and weight on the palate. This would be a great choice if you prefer highly aromatic wines as it would complement the herbal and earthy notes of the dish.

Best Wine To Drink With Roast Beef

The best wines to drink with chicken marsala as mentioned above are ideally not too strong and powerful and have characteristics which complement that of the dish, mainly focusing on the creaminess of the sauce along with its earthy and herbal notes.