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I know there is a lot of received wisdom about what sorts of wines to pair with, say, beef or fish or chicken, though I couldn't quote any of it off the top of my own head, as I am the furthest thing from a gourmand in this world. Nevertheless, I am wondering: are there the same kind of "traditional" or "standard" wine recommendations for pairing with horse meat, and what are they?

ETD
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  • Since my question quickly got a downvote, I'll clarify my own thinking here: I view the wine selection for the meal as "ingredient selection and use." But if I've misinterpreted the FAQ and this is actually off-topic here, I will happily remove the question posthaste. – ETD Aug 21 '12 at 15:08
  • I think the question is absolutely on topic. Anyway, downvoting without explaining what is wrong is just plain useless. – nico Aug 21 '12 at 21:47
  • You're not going to find this in the corner store and it is not cheap, but it is probably the best thing with horse -http://www.avenuedesvins.fr/vin_effervescent-cremant---bouvet-ladubay-tresor-rose-brut_505.php Now you need to decide if the horsemeat is worth the effort! – klypos Aug 23 '12 at 10:24
  • I guess you mean [gourmet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gourmet), not [gourmand](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gourmand)? – Stephie Feb 25 '16 at 19:02
  • @Stephie, thank you, but I actually meant gourmand, as I wrote. Quoting your own link: "A gourmand is a person who takes great pleasure and interest in consuming good food and drink." That is *exactly* what I am not; I partake in the same handful of largely flavorless foods every day of my life, as I do not care for the taste of the vast majority of foodstuffs. (Now, I'm also not a gourmet, but I intended to emphasize the stronger point that the topic I'm asking about is truly alien to me, not from a lack of refinement, but from a total personal disinterest. Thus my word choice.) – ETD Feb 26 '16 at 00:36

1 Answers1

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Having not had horsemeat myself, I can only inquire with one who has: they found it to taste like bland but tender red meat. So, use mild reds for pairing like you would for beef tenderloin:

  • Cabernet Sauvigonon
  • Pinot Noir
  • Lighter-bodied Shiraz/Syrah
BobMcGee
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  • Bland is not an adjective I would really use for horse meat... it has a quite easy-to-spot sweet taste. – nico Aug 21 '12 at 21:51
  • @Nico: I'm just going on what I heard... are the wine pairings still reasonable? – BobMcGee Aug 21 '12 at 22:30
  • I'd have said the same, more or less: red meat, red wine. At any rate, some will combine an aged white where they'd use a young red (it's a fashion thing). – BaffledCook Aug 21 '12 at 23:18
  • @BaffledCook, when you say that's a fashion thing, am I right that you're saying there's really no reason beyond that? Or is there actually some affinity between an aged white and a young red in terms of flavor/taste that undergirds such a fashion? (I'm *really* not an oenophile, and I enjoy all of this feedback.) – ETD Aug 22 '12 at 01:11
  • @BobMcGee: yes I think the wines are fine, a Cabernet Sauvignon would probably be my first choice I guess. I was just surprised to read horse meat is *bland*! – nico Aug 22 '12 at 06:24
  • @EdDean, the reason is that aged white wines have more flavor than ordinary white wines and can indeed combine with red meat. However, combining white wines with red meat is a recent thing and might blow over, therefore fashion. – BaffledCook Aug 22 '12 at 06:57
  • @BaffledCook, ah I see. Danke! – ETD Aug 22 '12 at 06:59