When the cold weather hits, there’s nothing quite like indulging in rich, comforting dishes that warm you from the inside out. Fondue, raclette, tartiflette, truffade and Mont d’Or are classic winter dishes from the Alpine regions, each featuring copious amounts of delicious cheese. Here’s a guide to the best wine pairings to enjoy these dishes to the fullest.
Raclette
Raclette is a traditional Swiss dish that is enjoyed during the winter months and made by heating some raclette cheese and scraping the melted cheese onto potatoes, cornichons and cured meats – what more do you need on a cold night?
The best wines to pair with raclette are typically those from the same region. A crisp, refreshing white wine from Savoie, such as Jacquère or Apremont, that has a nice minerality that balances the richness of the raclette.
A Jura wine made of Chardonnay and/or Savagnin could also be a great option as it has great texture and richness with lovely minerality and salinity – perfect to match the cheese.
A full-bodied white wine such as a Chardonnay or a Viognier is also an excellent choice as the rich flavours will complement the cheese while the acidity in the wine will balance its richness.
If you’re more of a red person, a light-bodied red wine such as a Gamay or a Pinot Noir can also work well with raclette thanks to their bright and fruity flavours along with a nice acidity to balance the richness of the cheese.
Fondue
Cheese fondue is a quintessential winter dish, literally made of melted cheese, white wine and eaten with bread.
The best wine pairings for it are typically the same wines used in its preparation. Swiss white wines like Fendant (Chasselas) or a dry Riesling are ideal. These wines have high acidity that cuts through the rich, creamy cheese, cleansing your palate with each sip.
For more inspiration with cheese fondue or other types of fondue, check out our Fondue pairing guide.
Tartiflette
Tartiflette is a hearty and comforting dish from the French Alps, made with potatoes, reblochon cheese, lardons, and onions.
A full-bodied white wine like Pinot Gris from Alsace is an excellent match for tartiflette. Its rich, slightly oily texture and ripe fruit flavours pair perfectly with the creamy cheese and smoky bacon.
Other options could be along the same lines as for the fondue or the raclette with wines like Savoie or Swiss wines, a Gewürztraminer from Alsace, a dry German Riesling or a Gamay from Beaujolais if you want a red.
Truffade
Truffade is a decadent dish from the Auvergne region, featuring sliced potatoes cooked with lard and fresh Tome cheese from Cantal.
The perfect pairing for truffade is a light-bodied red wine like a Beaujolais. The wine’s bright acidity and red fruit notes complement the earthy potatoes and gooey cheese without overpowering the dish.
Baked Mont d’Or
Mont d’Or is a dish from the Jura region, featuring a whole cheese baked with a splash of Jura white wine until molten.
The pairing then comes naturally, with the same wine used for cooking – a Jura white wine such as Chardonnay or Savagnin. The wine’s nutty, slightly oxidative qualities make it a perfect match with the creamy, melted cheese.
