What to drink with Biltong?

Do you know the Biltong? Of course! A culinary speciality that comes directly from South Africa. A recipe based on beef slowly dried with love after marinating in a mixture of vinegar and spices. The young startup Meat Me has made a herald of it and distributes it on our coasts to spice up our aperitifs. What wine to drink with? Follow the guide.

Goodbye sausages and pâtés, hello Biltong!

But what to drink with it at aperitif time? Meat Me now offers three recipes, all beef-based, but with different spicy flavours. As with any agreement, let's start by defining the taste of things.

Surprised when opening the package, the meat is deliciously tender, and not at all dry or hard. The small pieces to be pecked are therefore very melting in the mouth. Rich in proteins, salty, this little snack is much stronger than the Jesus of our countryside, it will be able to soften the tannins of full-bodied wines. As for light Beaujolais wines, red wines with a little more structure will be needed for a successful match. But which ones to choose?

Biltong and wine pairings

Meat Me's cooks now offer 3 different recipes of biltong. Let's start with my favourite, the one based on Peri peri peppers. A slightly spicy taste that titillates the palate: it should be a fruity and well spiced wine, like a pretty Syrah from the northern Rhône valley, rich and fragrant.

For a milder recipe based on garlic and cloves, less spicy in the mouth, the wine will be more supple and fruity, so why not choose a southern Côte-du-Rhône appellation? The Cuvée La Font du Vent from Domaine Font de Michelle would be ideal!

Finally, for the last blend, the traditional recipe based on Ginger, let's go for the sun and the heat, let's revive the soul of South African wines. I would opt for a full-bodied red wine from the south of France, in the Roussillon region: the Bastien cuvée from Domaine Lauriga. A rich and ripe wine but not too tannic and with a touch of freshness.

Biltong and Champagne Association

And if you don't like red wine? A challenge; I appreciate it! Then you can try a slightly more imaginative pairing. Then try a nice Champagne wine. But not just any wine. It needs a vinous side and a little bottle. Set your sights on a vintage Champagne with a dominant pinot noir. A Brut, not too dosed. Roundness, vinosity, power... Perfect for the meat and spices of the Biltong. The bubbles will bring the "pep" to refresh the mouth and marry with the saltiness of the marinated beef.

All this made me hungry. It's aperitif time, and I think I have a bottle of Champagne left in the fridge. Cheers!

Jules (Les Grappes)