Coq au Vin is classic French comfort at its best: slow-cooked, rich, and deeply satisfying. Traditionally made with rooster, we use hens or regular chicken today, since true hens are rare. Braised with bacon, mushrooms, and pearl onions, it shines alongside Château-Fuissé Juliénas 2022, a lively Gamay with red fruit, floral hints, and bright acidity that lifts the sauce and keeps every bite vibrant, rustic, and unforgettable.

Foie gras is a once-a-year indulgence that demands intention, and the right wine. Its richness calls for contrast: sweetness, acidity, and structure. Classic pairings like Tokaji Aszú or Sauternes balance fat with honeyed intensity and sharp lift, turning excess into elegance. Dry whites or Champagne can work, but this is advanced play. Foie gras isn’t about restraint; it’s about choosing indulgence wisely. Happy New Year 🥂

Chablis & Jambon Persillé in Aspic, or, outside France, leftover ham in jelly, is one of Burgundy’s quietly brilliant pairings. The richness and gentle wobble of the parsley-set ham call for acidity, not power. Enter Chablis, a cool-climate, unoaked Chardonnay from northern Burgundy, whose sharp freshness, saline minerality, and citrus lift cut cleanly through the pork while echoing the dish’s herbal notes. Rustic food, precise wine: a match that proves restraint beats embell