At the table

Poutine

Freshness and fruit to cut through the fat, with enough character to stand up to the brown gravy and cheese curds.

The pairing

Why it
works.

Poutine brings together three elements that matter a lot in a pairing: the fat of the fries, the salt of the cheese curds and the savory character of the brown gravy. The wine therefore needs to refresh the palate without disappearing behind the dish.

Dry sparkling wines create a particularly effective contrast with the fries and the cheese. A lively white with enough texture also works very well. For reds, it's better to stick with fresh, fruity, low-tannin wines that can match the sauce without weighing the whole thing down.

In practice

With poutine, don't look for a wine as heavy as the dish. Do the opposite: lots of freshness, fruit and moderate tannins. Sparkling wines are an excellent option, but a light red served slightly chilled can be just as convincing.

In the glass