What to drink with brunch?

An excuse for all kinds of culinary delights, brunch presents guests with a sweet-and-salty assortment of hot and cold dishes that, by definition, are already served with beverages: fruit juices and hot drinks. That gives you an idea of the scale of the challenge we’ve decided to take on.

New York-style brunch – light red wine

How can you write about brunch without mentioning America and New York! And it was right in the heart of that city, at the famous Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, that a brunch classic was invented: Eggs Benedict (a poached egg served on a slice of bacon and a muffin topped with hollandaise sauce).

Add to that pancakes generously drizzled with caramel, cheesecake, potatoes, a variety of sausages and bacon, and of course scrambled eggs: you’ve got the perfect American—or English—brunch right in front of you.

To complement this explosion of flavors—both savory and sweet—and textures, as well as hot and cold elements, we recommend a fairly light red wine with delicate spice and supple tannins: try a Beaujolais Village, a Beaujolais Cru (Moulin à Vent, Chénas, Fleurie …) or, if you prefer wines with more body, a Côtes-du-Rhône (Ventoux Rouge, Costières de Nîmes, Côtes du Rhône village).

As for coffee or tea, have some first with your pancakes or scones—it will leave room for wine.

Wines recommended with an American or English brunch:

Beaujolais Village, Beaujolais Crus (Moulin à Vent, Chénas, Fleurie, etc.), Côtes-du-Rhône (Ventoux Red, Costières de Nîmes, Côtes-du-Rhône Village), Burgundy Red (Hautes Côtes de Beaune, Hautes Côtes de Nuits, Côte Chalonnaise, Mâcon, Mercurey, etc.)

Norwegian/Scandinavian Brunch – White Wine

A classic take on brunch, the Nordic brunch can be endlessly reinvented but is built around a few staple ingredients: smoked fish, tarama, and fish roe, all served on slices of rye bread. To accompany these dishes: an artichoke salad or fresh, seasonal white asparagus. For something sweet, try blinis with cranberry or blueberry jam and honey-sweetened cottage cheese.

Smoked fish such as salmon are fatty foods; their flavor can be very salty, as in the case of herring, more mellow in the case of salmon or tuna, or even slightly sweet if the tuna is gravlax.

Choose a white Bordeaux, an Entre-deux-mers, or a white Graves—a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon—whose balance of liveliness and roundness will highlight the fish’s qualities.

Fish roe (trout, salmon, etc.) and tarama (cod, sea urchin) are also must-haves for a true Nordic brunch! Their texture can be quite unusual, and you might find yourself wondering about the perfect wine pairing. The key is to complement the salty, ocean-fresh character of these ingredients.

Our recommendation: a white wine made from Chenin Blanc grapes, from a fine Loire terroir such as Montlouis, Vouvray, or Savennières—wines with a salty, almost briny character and lovely liveliness. White Sancerre and other Pouilly-Fumé wines made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes are also suitable, or a lovely Muscadet for those seeking liveliness. The more adventurous may want to try pairing it with a smoky, briny whisky from the Isle of Islay.

Wines recommended with a Scandinavian seafood brunch:

White Bordeaux (Entre-deux-mers, Graves Blanc), White Loire (Montlouis, Vouvray, Savennières, White Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Muscadet)

French Brunch – Champagne!

Why does brunch have to be so exotic?

Plan on serving golden pastries, apple-carrot juice, sautéed fingerling potatoes, cottage cheese with mustard seeds and pink peppercorns, and thick slices of cooked ham… and don’t forget the poached eggs. For a sweet touch: a delicious Normandy-style apple tart or crêpes, a great alternative to pancakes.

To accompany this French-themed brunch: a slightly sweet white wine such as an Alsace Pinot Gris, or perhaps a Gewürztraminer; or, for those who prefer sparkling wine, an extra-dry or brut Champagne.

For red wine lovers, let’s go with a light, low-tannin red: Pinot Noirfrom Alsace or the Jura, red Anjou, red Touraine, red Reuilly, or red Menetou-Salon. On sunny days, opt for a rosé—a classic like a Côtes de Provence rosé, or, for a change, a Bordeaux rosé—and for those with a sweet tooth, a Cabernet d’Anjou, a fairly sweet rosé from the Loire.

In the mood for a change? Add a touch of whimsy with some foie gras on toast (or French caviar from the Gironde estuary). Pair it with a bottle of rosé or vintage Champagne, and the afternoon is sure to be a good one.

Wines recommended with a French brunch:

Alsace Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Champagne, Rosé Champagne, Alsace Pinot Noir, Red Anjou, Red Touraine, Red Reuilly, Red Menetou-Salon, Rosé Bordeaux, Rosé Loire, Rosé Côtes de Provence, Cabernet d’Anjou

Italian-style brunch

"Brunch" is an Anglo-Saxon term, but there’s no rule against giving it a Latin twist—which is exactly what more and more trendy Italian restaurants are doing.

Savory dishes: Soft-boiled free-range eggs with truffle butter bread sticks, assorted mini bruschettas, sliced smoked scamorza cheese, broad bean salad with San Daniele ham, herb-seasoned boiled ham …

For something sweet: sheep’s milk yogurt, panettone, pistachio panna cotta, pastries, and of course bomboloni (those little Italian doughnuts) …

An Italian-style brunch naturally features classic Italian flavors!

Both red and white wines pair well with these varied appetizers. Start with Italian whites, such as Pinot Grigio from Tuscany or Bianco di Custoza from Veneto, and light Italian reds like Bardolino or Valpolicella, both from Veneto. But to really have some fun, treat yourself to a bottle of Prosecco, the famous Italian sparkling wine—it will add a truly festive touch to your brunch. If you can’t find any Italian wine, why not try a Pinot Gris from Alsace or a red Ajaccio?

Wines recommended with an Italian brunch:

Pinot Grigio, Bianco di Custoza, Bardolino, Valpolicella, Prosecco

Enjoy your meal!