Which wine with charcuterie? Pairings product by product

Charcuterie is salty, fatty, sometimes smoked or spiced: it needs a wine that refreshes it rather than one that crushes it. Here are our pairings, product by product, so the glass and the board answer each other.

The general rule

With dry-cured meats, look for freshness and fruit, not power. A wine that's too tannic or too oaky will turn hard next to the salt. The safe bets:

• a light, fruity red, served slightly chilled (12 to 14 °C),
• a dry rosé,
• a crisp white with a little richness,
• and for tapas, a Spanish wine of course.

Saucisson sec and dry sausage

The great classic: Beaujolais (Fleurie, Morgon, Brouilly), Côtes d'Auvergne or Saint-Pourçain to stay local, or a Pinot noir from Burgundy or Alsace. The fruit in the wine answers the fat in the saucisson without weighing it down. In white, a lightly oaked Chardonnay also works very well.

Auvergne PGI ham

Its mildness calls for a wine all about finesse: red Côtes d'Auvergne, Saint-Pourçain, or a Chénas. In white, a Saint-Pourçain blanc or a Chablis. If you're serving Saint-Nectaire alongside, a light red goes with both.

Serrano ham and Bellota ham

Off to Spain. With Serrano: a Rioja joven or a young Tempranillo, a Navarra rosé, or a Verdejo from Rueda in white. With Bellota, richer and more complex, step up a level: Rioja Reserva, Ribera del Duero, or the connoisseur's pairing, a Fino or a Manzanilla from Jerez, dry and saline, which make the hazelnut aromas explode.

Mild and spicy chorizo

Paprika and chilli call for fruit and a little roundness. Grenache (Côtes du Rhône, Roussillon), Spanish Garnacha or a light Syrah. With spicy chorizo, avoid high-alcohol wines that amplify the heat: a well-chilled rosé or even a lager are often better.

Iberian lomo

Lean, fine, scented with paprika: lomo loves elegant wines. Pinot noir, Mencía from Bierzo, or a Galician white (Albariño). A Fino is also superb.

Catalan fuet

Mild and peppery, it goes with just about anything. For the regional pairing: a Penedès red or a brut Cava, the bubbles cleaning the palate between slices.

And alcohol-free?

A sparkling grape juice, a lemony sparkling water or a lightly sweetened kombucha bring the freshness and acidity you look for in wine.

Frequently asked questions

Red or white wine with charcuterie?
Both work. Light red is the classic reflex; a crisp white surprises and refreshes, especially with ham and lomo.

Should red be served chilled?
Yes, slightly: 12 to 14 °C. A red that's too warm feels heavy next to the fat.

Which wine for a mixed France-Spain aperitif box?
A Beaujolais or a Rioja joven bridge the two. Or a dry rosé, which goes with everything.

Got your wine? All that's missing is the board: our aperitif boxes and our guide to putting together a charcuterie platter.