Veal Wine Pairing
Veal wine pairing can be a little confusing because, is veal red meat or white meat? I mean, veal is from a cow which is obviously red meat but gastronomically speaking it’s classified as white meat. Weird, right? So our usually tendency to pair red wine with red meat and white wine with white meat goes completely out the window. As I’ve talked about ad nauseam, it’s all about the preparation. The sauce, the cooking method, and the weight (heavy dish vs light dish) will always be a better indicator of what wines are the best match with veal.
I’ve included 7 of the most popular veal dishes and their wine pairing. Remember, you can learn how to pair wine and food on your own by reading my ebook.
Veal Marsala Wine Pairing
I’m a big fan of making veal Marsala on nights when I need to get dinner on the table quickly. It takes so few ingredients and so little time but always make it feels like a fancy dinner. Veal Marsala is made with veal cutlets sauteed with mushrooms, garlic, shallots, in a cream sauce with Marsala wine. Marsala is a city in Sicily that produces a fortified wine that’s been popularized in Italian-American cooking. If I had to guess, I’d say 99% of the Marsala wine purchased in the US is to make either chicken or veal Marsala.
Now, for a veal Marsala wine pairing, I would not recommend serving Marsala wine. Firstly, it’s only the very cheap cooking versions that are widely available. (If you need a Marsala to cook with, check this one out.) Second, it’s not a good pairing.
Veal Marsala Wine Pairing: Pinot Noir
By default, anything served with mushrooms is great with Pinot Noir. They both have an earthy characteristic that really complements the flavors. Pinot Noir is light to medium bodied which matches the weight of the dish.
Veal Marsala Wine Pairing: Nerello Mascalese
Nerello Mascalese is Sicily’s second most popular grape but #1 for perfect pairing with veal Marsala. Because Nerello Mascalese is grown in the volcanic soils of Mount Etna, the wines have this rustic, earthy element which is great with the herbs and mushrooms of veal Marsala.
More Options for Veal Marsala Wine Pairings:
- Cote du Rhone Red
- Nero d’Avola
- Agiorgitiko
Veal Scallopini Wine Pairing/Veal Piccata Wine Pairing
You may be wondering why veal scallopini and veal piccata are under the same veal wine pairing heading. Well, because for better or worse, they are interchangeable. Scallopini is meant to describe the meat which is sliced very thin while Piccata is the lemon-caper sauce on top. So technically it is Veal Scallopini Piccata; thinly sliced veal in a lemon-caper butter sauce. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, time for the pairing.
Veal Scallopini Piccata Pairing: Pinot Grigio
Since Veal Scallopini Piccata is made with a lemon-caper sauce, I find that a lighter crisp white wine goes best. Pinot Grigio is just that. The lemon flavors of Pinot Grigio will be a nice complement to the piccata sauce. Aim for a Pinot Grigio that’s on the dry side. A quick trick to see if a Pinot Grigio is dry is by checking the alcohol level; the higher the alcohol the drier the wine.
Veal Scallopini Piccata Pairing: Soave Classico
Soave is a wine region in northeast Italy and one of the oldest and greatest wine regions there. Soave is made from the Garganega grape (say that 5 times fast, most fun grape to pronounce, in my opinion). If you can find a Soave wine with a bit of oak on it it’ll be a great pairing with veal piccata. It’ll have a bit more body than a Pinot Grigio and isn’t as tart.
More Options for Veal Piccata Wine Pairings:
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Chablis
- Chianti Classico
Veal Saltimbocca Wine Pairing
My favorite dish when I visited Rome was Veal Saltimbocca, a veal dish with prosciutto and sage served in a white wine sauce. Mmmm so good. Saltimbocca literally translates to ‘jump in mouth’ as in this dish is so good it’ll just jump in your mouth. I was in Rome in July so it was hot hot hot so I’ll give you the pairing we chose which was fantastic and another option for cooler weather.
Veal Saltimbocca Wine Pairing: Rosé (Cesanese Rosato)
Cesanese is a hidden gem grape variety in Lazio, the wine region encompassing Rome. This rosé (or rosato) version was absolutely perfect with veal saltimbocca. The acidity of the rosato was great with the prosciutto and the wine sauce. Truly, any dry mineral-driven rosé would be a nice pairing with veal saltimbocca.
Veal Wine Pairing: Veal Saltimbocca with Sangiovese
Although veal saltimbocca is made with white wine, I would prefer to pair it with a lighter red wine like Sangiovese to complement the richness of the dish. Sangiovese is the most popular Italian grape variety and the basis of Chianti and Brunello, however a basic simple Sangiovese would be best.
If you’re hoping for a white wine with veal saltimbocca, try a Gruner Veltliner or Semillon. Both have the acidity and herbal notes to pair with the sage and prosciutto.
More Options for Veal Saltimbocca Wine Pairings:
- Pinot Noir
- Tempranillo
- Grenache
Veal Milanese Wine Pairing
Veal Milanese is breaded veal sauteed or fried in butter. It’s pretty classic and there are a lot of variations in terms of what sauce is served on top and what is served along side it. Veal Milanese is not unlike veal schnitzel.
Veal Milanese Wine Pairing: Franciacorta
Franciacorta sparkling wine is from the namesake region just outside of Milan. Sparkling wine is always an amazing pairing with anything breaded and fried, Veal Milanese is no exception. Franciacorta is made with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir (Pinot Nero), and Pinot Blanc (Pinot Bianco) grapes so it’s not unlike Champagne in its composition, but much much less expensive.
The high acidity of Franciacorta will cut right through the breaded veal and cleanse the palate.
Veal Milanese Wine Pairing: Cote du Rhone Rouge
For a red wine with Veal Milanese consider a red wine from the Rhone Valley in Southern France. The blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre (abbreviated to GSM) will have enough acidity to pierce through the fried batter while still not overpowering the rest of the flavors of the veal.
More Options for Veal Milanese Wine Pairings:
- Gruner Veltliner
- Lagrein
- Riesling
Best Wine with Veal Chops
Veal chops are a bit fattier, usually with the bone still attached, and often prepared on the grill. This changes the pairing considerably. The fat content will need acid and tannin and the grill adds a smokey flavor which begs for oak-ageing. Here are my picks for the best wine with veal chops.
Veal Chops Wine Pairing: Xinomavro
Xinomavro is a Greek grape that I am obsessed with. About once a month we got to a local restaurant here specifically for their veal chops. I always pair the veal chops with a bottle of Xinomavro. Xinomavro is high in acidity, has stable tannins, but doesn’t have a thick mouthfeel so it doesn’t overpower the still delicate veal.
Veal Chop Wine Pairing: Bordeaux Rouge
For a easier wine pairing with veal chops, try a red Bordeaux. Bordeaux reds are blends of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. I would choose Bordeaux over say California or Australia for these varieties because they aren’t as full-bodied or alcoholic; again, to keep the balance and not outshine the veal chops. Bordeaux wines don’t have to be expensive. A lower to mid price Bordeaux will pair just great with veal chops.
More Options for Veal Chop Wine Pairings:
- Malbec
- Super Tuscan
- Barolo
Veal Osso Buco Wine Pairing
Is there any dish more mouth watering than veal osso buco? It is absolutely delicious and such a great comfort food. Veal osso buco is veal shanks braised with vegetables, tomato sauce, and wine usually served over polenta. The veal just falls off the bone and the sauce and the polenta is magnificent. There are a few wines that pair with osso buco. Generally medium-bodied, earthy red wines will be best.
Veal Osso Buco Wine Pairing: Barolo or Barbaresco
Either Barolo or Barbaresco, the King and Queen of Piemonte, are the best wines with Veal Osso Bucco. Both are Nebbiolo-based wines from northwest Italy. Barolo has a bit more tannins and Barbaresco is a bit more elegant so choose which style you like more.
More Options for Veal Osso Buco Wine Pairings:
- Dolcetto d’Alba
- Rioja Riserva
- Chateauneuf du Pape
Veal Parmigiana Wine Pairing
Veal Parmigiana, or Veal Parmesan, is predominantly an Italian-American dish. It’s fried veal cutlets covered with tomato sauce and cheese served with pasta. Acidity in a wine is necessity to cut through both the fried breading and to balance out the tomato sauce.
What wine goes with Veal Parmesan? Chianti Classico
Chianti Classico is a great wine pairing with veal parmesan. It’s a classic pairing because Sangiovese (the grape of Chianti) is perfect with the tomato sauce. Chianti is a medium bodied, high in acid, and doesn’t have too many tannins. These make the Chianti and Veal Parmesan pairing perfectly harmonious.
More Options for Veal Parmesan Wine Pairings:
- Valpolicella
- Brunello
- Oaked Sauvignon Blanc
Frequently Asked Questions about Veal Wine Pairing
What wine goes well with veal?
The best way to determine what wine goes with veal is to take a look at the way the veal is cooked and what sauce is served with it. Veal cutlets and fried veal will generally be great with white wines. Grilled veal chops or veal stews will be better with red wine.
What drink goes with veal?
Wine is the best drink with veal. Veal is most common in Italy where wine is found at every table.
What Italian wine goes with veal?
Barolo, Barbaresco, Dolcetto, Chianti, Brunello, Sicilian reds, and Valpolicella are all classic Italian wines to pair with veal. If there is a particular Italian wine that you love, try to find a veal recipe from that region for the perfect pairing.
What wine goes best with veal scallopini?
Veal scallopini is a preparation of veal. It’s thinly cut or tenderized cutlets of veal. Veal scallopini could pair with both a white wine like Sauvignon Blanc if it’s with a lemon sauce, or with a Chianti if there’s a tomato sauce.
Does Merlot go with veal?
Yes, Merlot would be a great pairing with grilled veal chops.
Does Barolo go with veal?
Barolo is an excellent pairing with both Veal Osso Buco, Veal Chops, and Veal Milanese.