What to drink during the France-Australia match ?
Do you love rugby but don’t know which wine to enjoy during the France matches? Don’t panic! Vintage has asked the best experts for advice. Read on to discover our crash course on “rugby pairings”.
The fire has been lit, the nights are inevitably drawing in and the new international rugby season has kicked off. The sacred trilogy in late Autumn.
Saturday 22 November, 9pm. After having crossed swords with the Springboks and the Fidjis, the France national rugby union team is hosting Australia at the Stade de France for a gala match. You have pulled out all the stops for the occasion and are having a few friends over for an aperitif to remember!
To help you prepare, we have called on the help of Jacques Lurton, the most Australian of Bordeaux winegrowers. The owner of Château La Louvière, in the Pessac-Léognan appellation, he also has a vineyard on Kangaroo Island, in Australia, southwest of Adelaide.
To greet your guests, you open a bottle of 2021 red Château La Louvière. Surprise! On the advice of Jacques Lurton, you take it out of the fridge just before tasting it.
Sceptical at first, your friends are soon won over. When consumed chilled, the vintage is very crunchy and highly enjoyable. An instant hit. Its freshness seems to inspire “Les Bleus” who attack, guns blazing. Led by the Bordeaux centre, Yoram Moefana, the back row is in fine form creates a gap in the Australian defence. Our Great Growth from the Right Bank goes down a treat, but in the field it is from the wing that the spark flies. Louis Bielle-Biarrey speeds up, hooks two opponents and heads off to the promised land. “Bordeaux has talent”, you remark, while nibbling on cracklings. To celebrate the try, you prepare toasts with farmhouse pâté and serve truffle crisps. A great pairing with this wine. With its fruity taste and “New World” character, our 2021 Château La Louvière should delight the Australians. But they don’t have time to think about it, submerged by the blue waves and crushed by the assaults of the props.
At half-time, Les Bleus are well ahead and it is time to pay tribute to the unfortunate Wallabies.
You open a bottle that you are thrilled to show your friends: a Semillon from Hunter Valley. This region north of Sydney is home to superb white wines. Your Tyrell’s 2021 vintage confirms this judgement. Lively and light with a lovely nose of citrus and white flowers, it leaves a lasting impression on your guests. The only problem is that this spirited Semillon also seems to please the Wallabies.
They react by reducing the gap after an amazing try by Harry Potter, a magical wingman. A bit chauvinistic, you decide to put the Australian wine away and only serve Château La Louvière. And guess what? It works. The French rugby team goes into overdrive and ultimately wins by a landslide. Another successful soirée!
