The only thing better than steak frites is enjoying it with the perfect glass of wine.
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The first time I went to France, I did the exact same thing as a lot of out-of-towners: I swooned over a €5 glass of wine. France is the top wine-producing country worldwide, and its varied landscape includes boldfaced estates whose prestigious bottles fetch thousands of dollars in global markets, as well as local wineries that specialize in inexpensive offerings called table wines. Easy-drinking and affordable, table wines have few regulations and restrictions—a rarity in French wine—and epic food pairing potential. When I tuck into bistro dishes like steak frites or leeks vinaigrette, a bright and balanced French table wine is what I want in my glass.
The words “table wine” rarely appear on labels, though, and definitions of the category vary, so you won’t spot retail shelves or menu sections devoted to them in the US. To explore the wide-ranging world of French table wines, I spoke with three experts: Gavin Honda, sommelier and sous chef at Tasting House in Los Gatos, CA; Grant Reynolds, founder of Parcelle restaurants and wine shops in New York City; and Matthew Sussman, proprietor of Bar Parisette in Chicago, IL. I also drew on my own decade-long experience in the wine industry as a server, journalist, and wine reviewer.
What Is Table Wine, Exactly?
The definition of table wine differs by country. In the US, any bottle with lower than 14% alcohol by volume (ABV) can be called table wine. That’s not to say every bottle of low-ABV wine is a table wine; it’s up to the producer’s discretion.
In Europe, table wine used to be a catch-all term for inexpensive bottles that didn’t follow local regulations about which grape varieties and production methods to use. In 2009, the European Union introduced new classifications, and table wines became referred to as Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) or Vin de France (VDF), depending on how strictly they adhere to regional guidelines.
Whichever name you use, table wines are easy to love, Reynolds says. “A good table wine is rarely complex—just a nice, medium-to-full body red or a crisp and refreshing white.” There are rosé and sparkling table wines, too. None are collector’s items meant to be aged in climate-controlled cellars for years—these are for everyday drinking.
“A table wine is meant to be enjoyed with food—it’s right there in the name,” says Sussman. “What that entails is more of a bright fruit profile, typically, and good acidity, which lends a lot more versatility with food.”
How to Find French Table Wines
Terms like table wine and Vin de France don’t typically appear on labels, but easy-drinking and affordable wines—which cost anywhere between $15 and $30 in a US wine shop—are made across France. One way to find them is to familiarize yourself with importers and distributors who specialize in this type of French wine. Look for importer information printed on the back label of the wine bottle. “Some of my favorite importers of French wine are Grand Cru Selections, Martine’s, Kermitt Lynch, and European Cellars,” says Reynolds.
Sussman likes New York-based importer Louis/Dressner’s French wines, as well as those from Chicago-based Loci and Candid Wines. He also suggests asking a sommelier or person working in a wine shop if they have any favorite table wines or know of importers or distributors who bring bottles to your city or town.
Another way to find inexpensive, easy-drinking French wines is to embrace regions and grape varieties that are lesser-sung than prestigious areas like Burgundy or Champagne. When shopping for French wine or choosing a wine from a restaurant menu, note that bottles are labeled by geographic area rather than grape variety. That’s why a red wine from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes in the Margaux appellation of Bordeaux will be labeled Margaux, not Cabernet Sauvignon–Merlot.
French Red Table Wines and What to Pair Them With
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The Loire Valley in central France produces high-quality wines that are often less expensive than those from nearby regions. Chinon, the Loire’s largest red wine-focused appellation, specializes in Cabernet Franc, which Sussman calls “the perfect wine for steak frites.”
“You want something that has depth and structure, but also has fresh fruit and more of a juicy profile and not an oaky profile,” he says of the pairing. “Wines like Chinon are pretty perfect: they cut through the sauce really well and they have enough structure to play off the fattiness of beef. They’re fresh but also fun enough to drink with French fries and it doesn’t feel wrong.”
Chinon isn’t the only option, though. Reynolds calls steak frites and Côtes du Rhône “a dream pairing.” Côtes du Rhône is a region in southeastern France whose namesake wines include red blends made from three grapes—Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre—that you might see labeled as Côtes du Rhône AOC (a designation that stands for Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée and denotes geographical specificity) or Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC. These wines tend to have dry, fruity flavors like raspberry and blackberry that would also complement steak tartare or steak hache.
Wines from Beaujolais, the region just south of Burgundy, include fresh reds made from Gamay. Bottles on the lower end of the price spectrum can be juicy and light-bodied, and are sometimes served slightly chilled—think 55°F (13°C) instead of the 60-65°F (15-18°C) typical for red wine service. To cool a room-temperature bottle quickly, submerge the unopened bottle in an ice bath for five minutes, or moisten a paper towel with cold water, wrap it around the unopened bottle, and put it in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes.
Honda recommends trying Beaujolais with poulet rôti, or roast chicken, calling the pairing “a winner every time.” You can also try it with lardon-studded salad Lyonnaise, steak hache, or a French cheese plate with double-crème Brie and other bloomy rind cheeses.
French White Table Wines and What to Pair Them With
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In coastal southern France, the Languedoc region has a long history of table wine production. The quality of wines from this region varies, but one type that’s pretty consistent is Picpoul de Pinet. “It’s quite inexpensive, but a very tasty, versatile wine,” says Sussman. He suggests pairing it with leeks vinaigrette, noting that it has “enough body and acidity to stand up to the vinaigrette.”
Muscadet, which is how white wines made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape in the westernmost reaches of the Loire are labeled, is similarly well-priced and easy-drinking. “There are some really conscientious, extremely talented producers making exceptional [Muscadet] and still getting them to us wholesale at extremely low prices,” Sussman says. “These are coastal wines, very classically paired with oysters and other seafood.”
Other great wine pairings for bistro seafood dishes include Vouvray—the name for Loire Valley white wines made from tart, citrus-scented Chenin Blanc grapes—with coquilles St. Jacques. Pouilly-Fumé, the label for aromatic, medium-bodied Sauvignon Blanc wines from the Loire, is a good pairing for trout almondine.
In addition to its world-famous red blends, the Rhône Valley is also home to high-caliber white wine blends, some of which are relatively wallet-friendly. Honda suggests looking for inexpensive white wine blends labeled Côtes du Rhône or Côtes du Rhône Villages and made from blends of Marsanne, Roussanne, and Clairette to complement greens topped with chèvre and other bistro salads.
