What to drink with raclette and Savoyard dishes?

What motivates me to put on an unbecoming outfit, bulky boots, to face the rigours of the mountains, are the Savoyard specialities that we gorgeously stuff ourselves with once the day of skiing is over! Raclette, fondue, tartiflette, gratin de crozets, high-calorie dishes that we have well deserved after all these adventures. A maze of melted cheeses that requires fresh wines to get them through. So, what should we drink with Savoyard specialities?

My wine recommendations for raclette, fondue or tartiflette:

Fatter fatter, nothing goes!

Now that we are warmed up, let us avoid plumbing our stomachs (and the evening), let us privilege the tended wines, with balance in mouth on the acidity, which will degrease our palate.

For a total immersion, our choice will be oriented towards the wines of Savoy. Endemic grape varieties (Jacquère, Altesse, Chasselas, Mondeuse), high altitude vineyards, a majority production of whites, lively wines, perfectly adapted to local flavours.

To go beyond the borders, we won't hesitate to pick up other appellations known for their fresh and elegant whites: In Touraine, with a Sauvignon du Château de Fontenay. A wine that makes you salivate, with floral and mineral notes, and a mouth that bounces back with vivacity!In Savennières, the Clos des Perrières cuvée of Château Soucherie, a nervous Chenin, with refined aromas of white peach, ending with a pleasant hint of bitterness.

Wines to be avoided with raclette and other processed cheese dishes:

Let's trust the elders, the regions famous for their cheeses are mostly dedicated to white wines.

One will thus avoid almost all red wines with the trio raclette, tartiflette and fondue, apart from a few rare exceptions of the vintage. You will have understood it, one will be wary of the opulent whites, with balance on the fat!

And to ensure a nice restorative night, we'll have a little glass of génépi liqueur!

The WINEista