What to drink with raclette?

Savoy cheeses, cheeses from the Swiss canton of Valais, smoked cheeses, Morbier... Generally speaking, the choice is quickly made when it comes to choosing the ideal cheese for a raclette, but it can be much more complicated when it comes to choosing the wine to accompany it.

But don't worry! We're here to guide you and suggest the best vintages to accompany your meal. Whether red or white, here are our food and wine pairing ideas for the best raclette ever! Follow the guide!

What to drink with raclette?

What could be better than a good bottle of wine to enjoy with friends over raclette? Whether white or red, depending on your preference, wine is the perfect match for your dish. Unlike other beverages, white wine has the particularity of counteracting the fat of cheese thanks to its acidity, and reducing the oily aspect that melted cheese can have.

If you don't fancy uncorking a bottle, you can also pour yourself a cup of black tea- I hear it works wonders! With its herbaceous notes and slight bitterness, black tea is more intense but sweeter, even if less sweet than wine. Cheese tends to dry out the mouth. Tea is perfect for preventing it from drying out, unlike wine, which contains ethanol that dehydrates. Much more hydrating, tea is also better for digestion.

Which wine to drink with cheese raclette?

To accompany your raclette, choose a white wine that's not too dry to match the fat of the raclette, and red wines not too tannic, which will go well with charcuterie.

Here's our selection of wines for an unmissable food and wine pairing:

A white wine from Chignin ( Savoie) and its emblematic grape varieties Bergeron and Mondeuse
A red wine from Morgon or Moulin-à-Vent (Beaujolais): soft, fruity and supple
A Côtes-du-Rhône from the north of the appellation containing Roussanne in white or Syrah in red
A Mâcon Villages or Pouilly-Fuissé from Burgundy

White or red: which wine to drink with raclette?

If you're in charge of wine, here's some advice from Les Grappes: traditional raclette is all about uncooked pressed cheese (to be precise) and potatoes. It was the Savoyards (many thanks to them) who added charcuterie last century.

This division results in two schools of thought: for the first raclette, without meat, a white wine is best. It shouldn't be too dry, as it might be too different from the overall fat of the raw-milk cheese. It will also go wonderfully with your potatoes.

If you've opted for raclette charcuterie (Savoy raclette), with a farandole of hams and their gherkins, a red wine will go perfectly with your dish! Varieties such as Pinot noir and Gamay, which are soft and not too tannic, are made to go with the melted cheese of raclette. We recommend Beaujolais 100% Gamay from Domaine Saint-Pré.

Variation: The Jurassiens are not to be outdone with their morbier-based variant, to be accompanied by Jura crus wines such as Arbois and Savagnin en Blanc or a Pinot Noir from the Jura foothills.

Ideal appellations for raclette

Which white wine to choose?

For whites, we recommend appellations from the Loire such as Cheverny and Mont-Louis-sur-Loire, or more local appellations likeApremont and Chignin-Bergeron in Savoie.

Speaking of Savoyard wines, note that the Bergeron grape variety changes its name when it leaves Savoy and becomes Roussanne in the Côtes du Rhône. In Burgundy, choose Mâcon-Villages or Saint-Véran, which go very well with your raclette.

Which red wine goes well with a cheese and sausage raclette?

For reds, the Gamay from Beaujolais such as Moulin-à-vent and Morgon bring suppleness and hints of red fruit. Pinot Noir in Bourgogne from the terroirs of Maranges, Côtes de Nuits Villages and Beaune are our three favorite appellations for Savoyard and Jura raclettes, thanks to their warm character and fine hints of spice.

Not sure about Burgundy? Then choose a Chorey-lès-Beaune for its liquorice and small red berry notes (when young) and animal and leathery touches as it ages.

Which Savoy wine to choose?

If you want to drink wine from the same region as your raclette, opt for Savoiewines like Chignin or Jongieux, which will go very well with hams, potatoes and charcuterie.

Which Alsace wine goes with raclette?

Are you a fan ofAlsace wines? They're perfect with raclette! You can opt for the tangy notes of Riesling or Pinot Blanc.

Riesling is surely Alsace's best-known wine. Its aromatic bouquet is perfect for all cheese-based recipes. This elegant, fresh grape can enhance both melted cheese and charcuterie. With its ample mouthfeel, it brings freshness to the dish, while revealing light, flowery notes. Ideal for such a generous, nourishing dish.

Pinot Gris, on the other hand, is perhaps more discreet: less dry than a Riesling and less sweet than a Gewurztraminer. So it won't weigh down the dish or mask its flavors. In the end, choosing a Pinot Gris is like choosing the inevitable. This Alsace wine will be ideal for your raclette evening, being both tender and slightly fruity, while still providing the necessary freshness. On the palate, it can reveal notes of peach, apple and even a few floral hints. If we have any advice to give you, prefer it young if you want it to accompany your raclette.

Raclette and wine: a great table and friends

Raclette is a dish that's enjoyed by many, and as always when there are people at the table, we wonder what we're going to drink with our raclette! Which bottle will bring out the best in this traditional Savoyard dish?

For the perfect wine and food pairing, the first thing you need to do is provide enough cheese and charcuterie for a whole regiment - there's no shortage of it around the raclette machine.

This dish, originally Swiss, is best served with melted raclette cheese, neither too strong nor too bland. Raclette isn't known for its "light" side, but that doesn't mean you have to limit yourself!

Why not surprise your guests with a rosé ? After all, Swiss and Savoyards have never forbidden us to drink a rosé with their traditional dish! We recommend rosé wines from Languedoc, such as Terres de Grès from Domaine Sibille. Delicious with raclette!

It doesn't matter if it's white, red or rosé, as long as the wine served with the raclette is as generous as the meal, you're guaranteed to have a great evening!

If your guests bring their own wine, you'll be in for a surprise, and everyone has their own ideas about the perfect wine to go with raclette.

Choose wines from local winegrowers

Chez Les Grappeswe've put together a selection of our best harvested wine nuggets to accompany your raclette! Red or white, it's up to you to choose the wine that will delight your taste buds...

Domaine Jeanne Gaillard, Roussanne, 2020: This is a highly aromatic, perfectly balanced wine. The attack on the palate is harmonious, with a very mineral finish. Slow barrel fermentation preserves the wine's fruitiness and freshness. Delicious with raclette!

Domaine Descombes, Morgon 2020 : The color is ruby red with violet highlights. On the nose, this Morgon reveals lovely red fruit aromas with hints of spice. The attack on the palate is fleshy and structured. Pair it with a raclette and you're in for a real treat.

Domaine de l'Idylle, Cruet 2021 : The nose has subtle pear and citrus aromas with lovely floral notes. The attack on the palate is frank, with good vivacity and elegant minerality. The finish is soft and pleasant. This is the cuvée you need for a raclette.

These cuvées will make you melt! Enjoy!