The Occasion
Ratatouille toasts, coq au vin with garlic mashed potatoes, and a French apple tart, paired with eight wines that will have your guests asking for another glass and all the recipes. This is the first Wine Night post and the first in a series exploring the unsung wines of France, Italy, and Spain. All three are known for great wine; now we get to know some of their lesser-known treasures.
Serves 8. Plan on about 4 hours of cooking the night before (time permitting) and about 3 hours of hands-on work on the day, spread across the afternoon and evening.
Jump to: Wines · Menu & Recipes · Hosting · Timeline · Shopping List
The Wines
In tasting order.
Château Le Grand Verdus Les Petites Bulles Blanc de Noirs
A pét-nat from an Entre-Deux-Mers estate. It’s naturally sparkling and made white from black grapes, Cabernet Franc and Merlot grown in cool sites, with a touch of Sauvignon Blanc. About $20 to $25.
Pairs with: Ratatouille Toasts
Château des Antonins 2023 Bordeaux Blanc AOC
The estate sits in Pondaurat on the left bank of the Garonne, near Graves. Only about 3 of its 27 hectares are white grapes, so the blanc is a small part of production. It is a blend of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. About $15.
Pairs with: Ratatouille Toasts
Sol & Rive Grenache Colombard 2025 Coteaux du Pont du Gard IGP
Grenache Blanc blended with Colombard gives a crisp, fruity, easy-drinking white. The IGP is one of Languedoc’s most northerly wine areas, at the crossroads of Languedoc, the Rhône, and Provence, and its fine, elegant, and fruity whites are meant to be drunk young. About $15 to $20.
Pairs with: Ratatouille Toasts
Clos du Joncuas Rosé 2025 Gigondas AOP
Gigondas is almost entirely red, so this is a rare one. This rosé is heady, with cooked-fruit and toasted-almond aromas, and it’s made in very small quantities. A blend of Grenache with Cinsault and Mourvèdre, a deep peach color. This is a food rosé, not a pool rosé. About $25 to $30.
Pairs with: Coq au Vin
Domaine de l’Idylle Mondeuse Le Tithonien 2025 Vin de Savoie AOC
Mondeuse is a signature red grape of Savoie, and this version offers bright berry scents and savory red fruit. Tastes of black cherry, raspberry, and black pepper. About $20 to $25.
Pairs with: Coq au Vin
Château de la Vieille Chapelle Tradition 2020 Bordeaux AOC
On the right bank of the Dordogne, the property was certified organic in 2013, and received Demeter biodynamic certification in 2017. A blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with plum and blackcurrant fruit flavors, lively acidity, and moderate tannins. About $15 to $20.
Pairs with: Coq au Vin
Serge & Marie Domaine Cabirau 2019 Maury Sec AOP
The Maury Sec appellation is highlighted by its dry wines. The cuvée is Grenache, Syrah, and Carignan from schist soils. It shows old-vine Grenache character, with black fruit, fine-grained tannins, and a hint of orange zest on the finish. About $15 to $20.
Pairs with: Coq au Vin
Château de Myrat Sauternes AOC 2016
Myrat has a great comeback story. In 1976, Max de Pontac pulled up the vineyard because he couldn’t sell his Sauternes, and in 1988 his sons, Jacques and Xavier, replanted it. The blend is Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle, with flavors of candied peach, citrus zest, and a hint of ginger. About $25 for a half bottle, the size that’s easiest to find in the US, and plenty for eight small pours.
Pairs with: French Apple Tart
Why this lineup: This is an eclectic group. They are all unique in their own way, some hard to find, some not well known, some fairly new to the scene, but all of them are fantastic food wines. They’re poured light to heavy, sparkling to sweet, so each wine sets up the next. Italy and Spain come next in the Unsung series. After that, Wine Nights will go back to more traditional pairings: a region’s classic dishes with its best-known wines.
Alternatives: These wines are just suggestions; don’t worry if you can’t find these specific wines. Several of the bottles above are hard to find in the US, which is part of the point of the series. This menu could easily work with a Crémant de Loire (around $15 to $25) and a Sancerre (around $25 to $35) or other Sauvignon Blanc (from about $12) to start. A full-bodied rosé such as Tavel (around $15 to $20) and a couple of red Burgundies (Bourgogne Rouge, around $25 to $35) with the main. And any Sauternes or Barsac with the dessert (a half bottle from about $15 to $20).
The Menu
The appetizer, main, and dessert link to their own recipe posts. The sides are written out here.
Appetizer: Ratatouille Toasts
Pairs with: the Château Le Grand Verdus pét-nat, the Château des Antonins Bordeaux Blanc, and the Sol & Rive Grenache Colombard
Make ahead: The ratatouille can be made the night before (time permitting) and the toasts up to 2 days ahead.
Recipe: Ratatouille Toasts
A classic French dish turned into an appetizer is a fun and easy way to kick off the evening. The goat cheese adds another layer of flavor and really stands out with the Sauvignon Blanc in the Bordeaux Blanc.
Main: Coq au Vin
Pairs with: the Clos du Joncuas Gigondas rosé, the Domaine de l’Idylle Mondeuse, the Château de la Vieille Chapelle Bordeaux, and the Domaine Cabirau Maury Sec
Make ahead: Steps 1 through 7 can be done the night before (time permitting).
Serve with: the two sides below and a crusty French loaf on the table to soak up the sauce
Recipe: Coq au Vin
Another classic French dish that pairs well with the variety of wines being served. The chicken base is lighter than beef, so it is more friendly to the lighter wines, while the deep flavors of the braising hold up to the more powerful reds. The rosé leads off the main course and bridges the whites and the reds.
Side: Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Make ahead: The potatoes can be peeled and chopped earlier in the day and stored submerged in cold water in the fridge to keep them from turning brown. I use the same pot I plan to cook them in, dump them in a colander and rinse/dry them while I start step 3. The garlic can also be poached in advance; put the half-and-half back in the fridge with the garlic until you're ready to use it.
If the coq au vin is the star of the show, this is the best supporting actor. The subtle garlic flavor plays nicely with the chicken and the sauce acts like gravy on the potatoes, giving another means of getting the sauce into your mouth.
Serves 8 · 40 minutes hands-on, about 1½ hours total
You’ll need:
4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, quartered, and cut into ½-inch pieces
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
16 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups half-and-half, divided
½ cup water
Salt and pepper
Do this:
Simmer the garlic cloves in the half-and-half over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Reserve both.
Rinse the potatoes in a colander under cold running water until the water runs clear. Let them drain.
Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Smash the garlic, add it to the pot with the sugar, and stir for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rinsed potatoes, 1¼ cups of the reserved half-and-half, the water, and 1 teaspoon of salt, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, which can take 15 to 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered and stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 25 to 30 minutes more.
Remove the pot from the heat, add the remaining butter, and mash to your desired consistency. Fold in another ¼ cup of the reserved half-and-half (more or less to taste) until the liquid is absorbed and the potatoes are creamy.
Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
Notes: Poaching the garlic in the half-and-half softens the sharpness and provides better balance with the coq au vin.
Side: Green Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette
Make ahead: The vinaigrette can be made a day or two ahead. If it separates, whisk it again before dressing the salad.
The coq au vin and mashed potatoes are both rich dishes. This light, crisp salad, with a tangy bite from the shallot and Dijon, balances the plate.
Serves 8 · 10 minutes hands-on
You’ll need:
Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
2 small shallots, finely minced
1 teaspoon mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon table salt
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salad
12 ounces spring mix
Do this:
Whisk together the vinegar, shallots, mayonnaise, mustard, and salt.
Slowly drizzle the oil in, whisking constantly.
Dress the greens just before serving.
Both sides are on one printable recipe card below.
Dessert: French Apple Tart
Pairs with: Château de Myrat Sauternes
Make ahead: The tart can be made earlier in the day than the timeline shows.
Equipment: a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom
Recipe: French Apple Tart
Sauternes and apple are a classic match. The wine’s candied-peach and citrus notes echo the apricot glaze, and its acidity keeps the sweetness from feeling heavy.
The One Thing to Know
Don’t get hung up on the timing; stick with the progression. If you’re ready to eat before the whites are finished, sit down. They hold up to the main course.
Hosting Notes
Divide and conquer: If this looks daunting, don’t be discouraged. This can easily be done as a potluck with assignments passed out to your friends. You do the coq au vin and salad, someone brings the toasts, someone else makes the dessert, and someone makes the potatoes. The toasts travel best with the ratatouille packed separately and assembled on arrival, and the potatoes can come in a slow cooker or a covered pot to stay warm. Just make sure the appetizer and the first bottle go to your most punctual friends. You can also hand out the wine list and have everyone bring a bottle.
Glassware: One glass per guest is fine. If you have enough, though, giving everyone two glasses lets them taste wines side by side. The way the progression is developed, there is no need to rinse the glass(es) between wines with the exception of the Sauternes at the end.
Starting and sitting: I like to have the appetizers and paired wines in the kitchen before sitting down for the main event. This is less formal, more conducive to conversation, and accommodates latecomers more easily. If you have the glassware, have one wine glass per person on the kitchen counter and set the table with the second wine glass.
The lineup: Stage the bottles on a counter in tasting order so anyone helping pours the right one next.
Pour sizes: Pour about 3 ounces of each wine and 1½ ounces of the Sauternes. Eight bottles for eight people is a bottle each over the night, so small pours let everyone taste every bottle and still enjoy dessert. There will also be a little left in each bottle if anyone wants another splash.
The first bottle: Starting with something sparkling is always fun and gets the evening off on the right foot. I find it also goes the fastest, and people often want more. Get a second bottle of whatever you start the night with. You might not need it, but you’ll be happy to have it if you do!
Chilling: Put the pét-nat, the two whites, the rosé, and the Sauternes in the fridge in the morning. Pull the rosé about 15 minutes before pouring so it isn’t ice-cold. Give the reds 15 to 20 minutes in the fridge before pouring so they’re cool, not warm. Keep the Sauternes on ice once it comes out.
Opening the reds: Open them when guests arrive so they have some air before the main course.
Do Ahead
Tasks to knock out in the days before, as time permits. None of these have to happen on a fixed day.
Make the toasts (up to 2 days ahead; store them airtight)
Make the vinaigrette
Simmer the half-and-half with garlic
Set the table
The night before (time permitting)
Make the ratatouille
Make the coq au vin through step 7, then cool it and refrigerate it in the pot. Refrigerate the chopped porcini and the cooked pancetta separately for the next day
Move the frozen pearl onions to the fridge to thaw
No time the night before or love spending the day in the kitchen? Both dishes can be made the day of. The all-in-one-day timeline is in the printable PDF at the end of the Timeline.
The Timeline
Built backward from food on the table at 7:30 PM, with the ratatouille and coq au vin made the night before. Shift every time by the same amount if your dinner is earlier/later or to fit your schedule.
1:30 PM Catch up on anything not done ahead: toast the bread before the tart takes the oven, make the vinaigrette, and poach the garlic in the half-and-half, then refrigerate it. Put the frozen pearl onions in a strainer over a bowl in the fridge to thaw and drain. If the pét-nat, whites, rosé, and Sauternes aren’t chilling yet, put them in now
2:30 PM Make and par-bake the tart crust
3:00 PM Make the tart filling
3:30 PM Assemble and bake the tart
4:15 PM Finish the tart
4:45 PM Peel and cut the potatoes, and cover them with cold water in the fridge
5:15 PM Take the ratatouille out of the fridge
5:45 PM Lift the fat off the coq au vin. Pulse the ratatouille and stir in the herbs and vinegar
6:00 PM Cook the pearl onions and mushrooms (steps 8 and 9)
6:05 PM Start the potatoes (steps 2 and 3). The liquid takes 15 to 20 minutes to come to a boil, so give them about an hour
6:15 PM Reheat the coq au vin gently, covered, over medium-low until hot through, about 45 minutes. Assemble the toasts
6:30 PM Guests arrive. Pour the pét-nat and pass the toasts
7:00 PM Move the chicken to a platter, strain and skim the sauce, and make the butter-flour paste (steps 10 and 11)
7:15 PM Mash the potatoes. Thicken the sauce and warm everything through (step 12)
7:25 PM Dress the salad
7:30 PM Plate the coq au vin (step 13). Food on the table
About 8:45 PM Put the mixer bowl and whisk in the freezer
About 9:00 PM Make the whipped cream
9:15 PM Serve dessert
Cooking everything on the day? Use the all-in-one-day timeline in the printable PDF below.
Shopping List
Grocery
Grouped by store section.
Produce
3 large onions
3 large heads of garlic (about 30 cloves)
¾ pound eggplant
1 pound plum tomatoes
1 medium zucchini
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 bunch fresh basil
1 large bunch Italian parsley
4 pounds russet potatoes
2 large carrots
4 medium shallots and 2 small shallots
10 Golden Delicious apples (about 5 pounds)
1 pound cremini mushrooms
12 ounces spring mix
Dairy & Eggs
1 (8-ounce) log goat cheese
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups half-and-half
41 tablespoons unsalted butter (5 sticks plus 1 tablespoon)
Meat & Seafood
6 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
12 ounces pancetta
Frozen
1 (14-ounce) bag frozen pearl onions
Pantry & Jarred
4 cups beef broth
½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 teaspoon mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ cup apricot preserves
Bakery
1 baguette, bought the day you make the toasts
A good loaf of crusty French bread, bought the day of, for the table
Wine & Spirits
Bottles for the table: the eight wines listed above or suggested alternatives, plus a second bottle of the opener
2 bottles Bourgogne Rouge for cooking
½ cup cognac
Pantry Check
Common staples you may already have. Check before you shop. Amounts are what this menu uses, rounded up to an easy measure.
Kosher salt, table salt, and black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil (1 cup)
All-purpose flour (about 1⅔ cups)
Sugar (about ⅔ cup)
Herbes de Provence (1 teaspoon)
Red pepper flakes (a pinch)
Bay leaves (3)
Dried thyme (2 teaspoons)
Sherry vinegar (2 tablespoons)
Champagne vinegar (3 tablespoons)
Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)
Cooking spray (for the tart pan)
Kitchen twine (for the herb bundle)
The printable shopping list PDF is right below.
Host the night. Pour the world.