Contents
- Chicken Around the World: A Universal Poultry
- A Brief History of Chicken
- Best Parts for Roast Chicken
- Roast Chicken: A Dish of Simplicity and Complexity for Wine Pairing
- What to Drink with Roast Chicken? Still Wines
- Which Champagne Should You Drink with Roast Chicken? The Sommeliers’ Secret
- Which Champagne Should You Choose? Focus on Laurent-Perrier
- Laurent-Perrier Brut Millésimé 2015 or 2018: The Gastronomic Dimension
- Summary Table: Roast Chicken & Wines (Including Laurent-Perrier Champagnes)
- Conclusion: Which Champagne Should You Drink with Roast Chicken?
Behind this seemingly simple question lies one of the finest “gastro-bistro” food-and-wine pairings. Before turning to bubbles and cuvées, let us first consider the place that chicken occupies in our culinary traditions.
Chicken Around the World: A Universal Poultry
Today, chicken is one of the most widely consumed meats in the world and the leading source of animal protein in many countries. According to the FAO and the OECD, poultry already represents the largest share of global meat production and is expected to account for nearly 40% of meat-based protein by 2030, ahead of pork and beef.
Why this privileged position?
- ● Often more affordable than beef or lamb
- ● Almost infinite culinary versatility: grilled, roasted, fried, braised, in sauce, in broth
- ● Perceived in many countries as a lighter meat, easy to integrate into balanced recipes
Chicken is found everywhere
- ● Europe: Sunday roast chicken, coq au vin, fricassées, Basque-style chicken
- ● Americas: fried chicken, pollo asado, chicken tacos
- ● North Africa & Middle East: tagines, chicken with preserved lemon, spice-grilled chicken
- ● Asia: tandoori chicken, butter chicken, Japanese yakitori, ginger chicken, Thai curries, Hainan chicken rice
A Brief History of Chicken
The domestic chicken descends from the red junglefowl (Gallus gallus), native to South and Southeast Asia and domesticated around 7,000–8,000 years ago. Initially raised for fighting, rituals, and eggs, it gradually became a source of meat in the Mediterranean and Europe. By the 18th and 19th centuries, it had firmly established its place in bourgeois cuisine. Today, it is a universal symbol of family cooking.
Best Parts for Roast Chicken
- ● Supreme (breast): fine, delicate, lean flesh – perfect roasted with a light jus or cream sauce
- ● Thigh: more marbled, juicy, well suited to longer cooking times
- ● Wing: concentrated flavour, ideal balance between meat and crispy skin
For roast chicken, the challenge lies less in choosing the cut than in achieving the balance between tender flesh, crispy skin, and flavourful jus.
Roast Chicken: A Dish of Simplicity and Complexity for Wine Pairing
A quintessential Sunday dish, roast chicken requires a thoughtful approach to wine pairing:
- ● A wine too powerful or tannic overwhelms the delicate flesh
- ● A wine too acidic feels harsh against the fat of the skin
The goal is to find a wine that is fresh, savoury, structured but never excessive. Red wine, white wine, sweet wine… or champagne?
What to Drink with Roast Chicken? Still Wines
Red Wines: An Instinctive – and Often Correct – Choice
Bordeaux
A well-balanced Bordeaux Supérieur or a wine from Graves or Pessac-Léognan can work beautifully, particularly when the blend includes a significant proportion of Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Examples: Château Carbonnieux, Château Olivier, Château de France – whose red and white wines pair elegantly with roasted poultry.
Southern Burgundy: The Mâconnais
Mâcon rouge (mainly Gamay) delivers crunchy fruit, a juicy palate and a fresh, lightly spicy finish – ideal for roast chicken.
Producers:
- – Domaine Prosper Maufoux,
- – Domaine Céline et Laurent Tripoz,
- – Domaine Régnard.
Côte Chalonnaise: Givry
Givry reds offer a refined expression of Pinot Noir: supple, fresh, with concentrated fruit and elegant structure.
- – Benchmark estates: Domaine Joblot,
- – Domaine Desvignes
Loire Valley: Anjou, Saumur
Cabernet Franc (and sometimes Cabernet Sauvignon) brings ideal freshness to pair with roast chicken.
- – Examples: Anjou-Villages, Saumur, Saumur-Champigny
- – Producers: Thierry Germain, Château Yvonne
An Iconoclastic Match: Sauternes
More surprising, yet one of the most refined pairings with roast chicken is a great sweet wine – particularly Sauternes.
- ● Château d’Yquem: the ultimate reference
- ● Château de Fargues, Château Coutet or Château Guiraud: magnificent pairings
Why does it work?
● Sweetness complements the salty crispness of the skin
● The liqueur coats the texture of the chicken
● Acidity keeps the pairing lively and prevents heaviness
And What About Dry White Wines?
Dry whites can be excellent partners too, provided they balance freshness with texture:
- ● Beaujolais Blanc (Chardonnay on granite): lively, white-fruited, with a touch of roundness
- ● Mercurey Blanc: more structured, with impressive mouthfeel and persistence
Enough freshness for the jus and enough body for the crispy skin and potatoes – delivering a modern reading of roast chicken.
Which Champagne Should You Drink with Roast Chicken? The Sommeliers’ Secret
Often described as a “sommelier’s secret”, roast chicken and champagne form a truly remarkable pairing.
Why does it work so well?
A “Gastro-Bistro” Pairing Par Excellence
- ● Fat of the chicken (crispy skin, jus) is balanced by acidity and effervescence of champagne
- ● Brioche, toasted or lightly grilled notes in a good champagne echo the golden skin of the roast
- ● Bubbles cleanse the palate, stimulate the appetite, and keep the dish feeling fresh
Which Champagne Styles Are Best?
- ● Brut Non-Vintage (BSA): well-balanced, blending Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier
- ● Blanc de Noirs (Pinot Noir / Meunier): more substance, subtle “vinous” character, perfect when more volume is desired
- ● Vintage Champagne: greater density, aromatic complexity, and seductive length – ideal for premium poultry or gastronomic roast chicken
Which Champagne Should You Choose? Focus on Laurent-Perrier
Laurent-Perrier “La Cuvée”: The Benchmark Brut Non-Vintage
La Cuvée is Laurent-Perrier’s benchmark Brut Non-Vintage champagne.
- Blend:
55% Chardonnay,
35% Pinot Noir,
10% Meunier.
Profile:
- ● Crystalline freshness
- ● Refined aromatics (citrus, white flowers, hints of brioche)
- ● Impressive length, supported by extended ageing
Perfect with:
- ● Simple herb-roasted chicken
- ● Farm chicken with potatoes
- ● Roast chicken with light jus, garlic, or lemon
Why?: La Cuvée refreshes the richness, highlights the crispness of the skin, and supports the flesh without overpowering it.
Laurent-Perrier Brut Millésimé 2015 or 2018: The Gastronomic Dimension
For premium poultry (Bresse chicken, free-range farm chicken) or gastronomic service (reduced jus, truffles, mushrooms, roasted root vegetables), a vintage champagne is ideal.
Profile:
- ● Pronounced structure
- ● Broader, more textured palate
- ● Complex aromatics (ripe fruits, fine brioche, hazelnut)
- ● Ideal length to support concentrated poultry jus
Perfect with:
- ● Roast chicken with mushrooms or morels
- ● Roast chicken with mushrooms or morels
- ● Roast chicken with autumn vegetables
- ● Poultry served in fine-dining context
Summary Table: Roast Chicken & Wines (Including Laurent-Perrier Champagnes)
| Style of Roast Chicken | Possible Red Wine | Possible White Wine | Recommended Champagne |
|---|---|---|---|
Classic roast chicken with potatoes | Mâcon rouge, Givry, Bordeaux supérieur | Beaujolais Blanc, Mercurey Blanc | Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée |
| Farm chicken with herbs | Givry, Anjou-Villages (Cabernet Franc) | Mâconnais Chardonnay | La Cuvée or Brut Millésimé 2015/2018 |
| Gourmet roast chicken with reduced jus | Graves or Pessac-Léognan | Mercurey Blanc, structured Rhône whites | Brut Millésimé 2015 or 2018 |
| Roast chicken with potatoes and sweet-savoury pairing | – | – | Sauternes (Yquem, Fargues, Coutet, Guiraud) |
| “Chic bistro” Sunday roast | Mâcon rouge, supple Anjou red | Beaujolais Blanc, Bourgogne Blanc | Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée |
| Festive roast chicken, premium poultry | Elegant Burgundy red | Great Burgundy white, Hermitage Blanc | Laurent-Perrier Brut Millésimé 2015/2018 |
Conclusion: Which Champagne Should You Drink with Roast Chicken?
Roast chicken calls for wines that are balanced, fresh, savoury – and champagne expresses this better than any other wine.
- ● Classic roast chicken: Laurent-Perrier “La Cuvée” – freshness, precision, length, perfect balance
- ● Gastronomic roast chicken: premium poultry, concentrated jus, refined garnishes – Laurent-Perrier Brut Millésimé 2015 or 2018
Roast chicken – the quintessential Sunday dish – finds in champagne not only a companion but a true gastronomic partner, capable of transforming a simple moment into an exceptional experience.
