Excitedly the Euro Cup this year is being hosted by France. While I've begun to watch the matches I was thinking how fun to pair them with wines and beer from and near France!
I've looked at all the stadium locations and as the Euro Cup is for most of the month of June you have plenty of time to join in the fun!
Bordeaux - What else.....one must drink Bordeaux of course!? Intimidated? Go to your local retailer and tell them what you're comfortable paying. As expensive as Bordeaux can be you can also find some great values at $20-25 for a Cabernet or Merlot based red blend and often even better for a crisp Sauvignon Blanc based Bordeaux Blanc! Trader Joe's also has excellent value Bordeaux for a day of Bordeuax, Burgers and Euro Cup!
Lens Agglo - As beer is king here, being so close to Belgium, and within the region of Artois,
Stella Artois seems the logical and delicious choice. Not in the mood for beer? Why not try their Cidre?
Lille Metropole - Lille is right on the border of Flanders in Belgium so my suggestion would be a Flemish red. They are known for their tart, fruity character so if you're a fan of sours, these are your beers! Rodenbach Grand Cru is an excellent option. Not a fan of sours? Lille has been called a miniature Paris and is also known for having a Champagne bar located in the 17th century Convent Les Minimes so why not go Champagne? But this time with a classic, such as Moet Rose Impérial.
Lyon - Hailed as the Gastronomic Capitol of France and just south of Burgundy...go there for your wine! If you're feeling like a white wine I'd go with a Pouilly-Fuisse, a delicious style of Chardonnay. It's a crowd pleaser! A great red option is a Cru Beaujolais like Fleurie, it's light, bright and tastes great with a little chill to it.
Marseille - Located in the South of France and not far from Bandol brings me to the suggestion of drinking a refreshing Bandol Blanc, usually consisting of a blend of varietals Clairette, Ugni Blanc and Bourboulenc. Two of my favorite producers are Domaine Tempier and Domaine Terrabrune.
Nice - The French Rivieria requires rose! Whispering Angel is easily found in most markets these days or other favorites are MIP or Minuty, also from Provence.
Paris - What pairs better with Paris than Champagne!? Champagne Lanson, Black Label, Brut is one of the most popular Champagnes found in Bistros all over Paris!
Saint-Denis - A suburb of Paris, having a historic tie to royalty with Kings such as Louis XV taking interest in the city of Saint Denis brought me to the suggestion of Cabernet Franc from Chinon. Chinon is in Loire Valley, another area in France with a vast history with Kings.
Saint-Etienne -A fascinating city brimming with creativity and the only French city to have been made a UNESCO City of Design. Located within the Rhone-Alps Saint Ettienne
offers wine options from both the Savoie showcasing wines from white varietals rarely found ( Altesse, Jacquere and Roussane ) and to the Rhone you can find the wines from the Savoie they are quite fun or go with a tried and true Cotes du Rhone red blend such as from M. Chapoutier's Belleruche
Toulouse - Nicknamed the "Pink City" with it's terra cotta bricks in most of the buildings, with a Spanish influence due to proximity to the Spanish border a "pink" wine seems perfect! One of my favorites from the nearby Languedoc-Rousillon region is Domaine De Fonsainte's Grus de Gris Rose.
Cheers & enjoy the matches!
http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=2016/matches/index.html#md/2
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