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Domaine Seguinot Bordet- Pairing Wine with Avocados

Domaine Seguinot Bordet

I’ve been known to say that “wine is a health food.” Recent medical journals recommend that a glass or two of red wine is good for your heart and can actually prevent cancer (UK’s University of Leicester study). Plus the “French Paradox” is often cited: how can the French eat so much rich food, sauce and butter, and drink so much wine and still be healthy and thin?

Well the same idea holds true for avocados. Although rich, creamy and fatty “avocados are a health food.” One that lowers bad cholesterol and raises the good kind. What gets tricky is combining these two health foods. Pairing a wine with an avocado dish is only slightly less tricky than the notoriously-difficult asparagus pairing.

There are a few guidelines, however. Steer clear of reds (except maybe a gentle Beaujolais or Pinot Noir). Strong chewy tannins will destroy the creamy texture of the avocado. The right rosé would work (I prefer the pale salmon pink-hued ones like Brad and Angelina’s popular Miraval), but I’d like to focus on whites.

You’ll be looking for a white wine with a nice level of acidity to complement and cut the fattiness of the avocado. Sure, a Pinot Grigio or many other minerally Italian whites would work, like the Verdicchio di Matelica from Le Marche region. Or a crisp grassy New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. But I believe that a classic French Chablis such as  those produced by Domaine Seguinot Bordet might be your best bet.

Chablis is made from the Chardonnay grape. When we hear ‘Chardonnay’, thoughts of rich buttery, vanilla and baking spice notes come to mind. It doesn’t have to be that way. Un- or lightly-oaked French Chardonnay from the region outside of Paris (called Chablis!) capitalizes on an ancient fossilized sea bed to impart a fine vivacious mineral structure supporting fresh floral and fruit flavors. Having met the meticulous winemaker from Domaine Seguinot Bordet some months back, I’d heartily recommend starting with his eponymous Chablis as a perfect foil to your rich and healthy chilled avocado soup.

Domaine Seguinot Bordet Chablis

Pairs With Cucumber-Avocado Soup

Price $24

Also pairs well with appetizers, Asian dishes, egg dishes, fish, oysters, sushi

  • Category White Wine
  • Varietal Chardonnay
  • Region Chablis France