Escargot in a rich butter, parsley and garlic sauce (Escargot de Bourgogne) calls for a either a red or white Burgundy or a dry Rosé. For Escargot cooked in a chicken stock, a crisp Chablis, dry Pinot Grigio, or glass of Champagne makes for a beautiful match. Finally, for Escargot in a lemon sauce, you can’t go wrong with a steely Sauvignon Blanc or citrusy Riesling.
Escargot is the French word for Snail, and if you grew up in the 80s, you’d certainly remember the famous scene in Pretty Woman when Julia Roberts attempts to eat them. Wines from France always pair best with Escargot as France has a historical relationship with the Burgundy snail. These snails were raised in vineyards and fed off of the grape leaves, later on, they were plucked from the vines and cooked where they could be enjoyed with wine made from the grapes they were eating.
Escargot comes canned, but the preference is for fresh or frozen as canned Escargot has a reputation for being rubbery. If you are making Escargot at home, canned might be your only option as it’s easiest to find. High-end restaurants in North America tend to serve Escargot from frozen, and you’ll often get six snails. When prepared properly, Escargot should not taste fishy, slimy or gamey, instead, it is chewy like a doughy piece of bread.
Best Wine with Escargot
Escargot de Bourgogne & Puligny-Montrachet Pairing
Escargot de Bourgogne is your classic Escargot pairing where the snails are drowned in a buttery parsley garlic sauce. Escargot de Bourgogne pairs best with Puligny-Montrachet from France, which is a White Burgundy, which is a French Chardonnay. There are several Burgundy styles, and Puligny-Montrachet pairs best as it has a salty and buttery quality, much like Escargot.
Puligny-Montrachet also features flavours of green apple, pear and starfruit along with hints of truffle, hazelnut, toasted bread, and vanilla which add a luxurious sense of richness to this pairing..
A buttery Chardonnay is often recommended with Escargot as it complements the buttery flavours of the dish. As the buttery flavours are already strong, my preference is for a nuttier or toasty Chardonnay, such as a Côte de Beaune. The toasted almond notes blend in perfectly with the buttery garlic flavours, while the apple, pear and lemon flavours are refreshing against the assault of the pungent garlic.
If you can’t find a Puligny-Montrachet, try a Côte de Beaune which is another White Burgundy from France, it has a very similar profile to Puligny-Montrachet. Côte de Beaune and Puligny-Montrachet, or any White Burgundy are not cheap (expect to pay $40 and up). Thus, if budget is an issue, seek out a nice buttery and toasty Chardonnay from California. Go for something balanced that isn’t overly oaked, so it tastes like rancid popcorn. Instead, find a $25 Chardonnay that is lightly oaked, so it maintains its tropical fruit, pear and apple flavours while teasing you with fleeting kisses of oak, butter, caramel and toast.
Escargot à la Bourguignonne & Rosé Pairing
Rosé will not complement the herbaceous, buttery, and garlic flavours in Escargot de Bourgogne but instead requires a refreshing contrast to the rich flavours of your Escargot. Crisp with bright flavours of raspberry, cherry, strawberry, and citrus, Rosé helps wash all the cloying garlic oils and buttery fats from your taste buds in between bites. This ensures each bite of Escargot tastes as delicious of the first bite. Rosé also has notes of herbs, tea, and white pepper, which jives wonderfully with the parsley in your Escargot sauce.
Many people in North America assume Rosé is sweet and girly due to its pink colour, but instead, the wine is often dry, tart and wonderful with a wide variety of foods.
Escargot – Snails in Limousine & Champagne Pairing
Escargot with roasted walnuts or peanuts, known as Snails in Limousine, makes such an incredibly delicious meal. A toasted Chardonnay would complement the roasted nuts’ nuttier flavours, but seeing as we’ve already discussed Chardonnay above, I am going to suggest Champagne Blanc de Blancs for an amazing pairing.
A dry Champagne Blanc de Blancs features notes of almond, caramel, smoke, vanilla, toast and chalk that all complement the nutty flavours of the roasted walnuts or peanuts used to make your Snails in Limousine. You’ll also find creamy and rich flavours of apple, apricot, citrus, honey and pear that provide a refreshing contrast. Much like Burgundy, Champagne is pricy, so if budget is an issue, seek out an Italian Prosecco which isn’t as vibrant as Champagne but still gets the job done.
Escargot in a Lemon Sauce & Sauvignon Blanc Pairing
Another popular way to serve Escargot is in a buttery lemon sauce, and with this variation, Sauvignon Blanc makes for an excellent pairing. With its zingy flavours of lemon, lime, gooseberry and grapefruit, Sauvignon Blanc complements the lemon sauce perfectly. Meanwhile, the grassy and green herbal notes found in Sauvignon Blanc are excellent with any chopped herbs in your lemon sauce, such as parsley or oregano.
Escargot in a Chicken Broth & Pinot Grigio Pairing
Escargot’s meaty flavours are more noticeable when cooked in a Chicken Broth because they aren’t hidden by the strong flavours of garlic, butter, or lemon. A variety of light and crisp white wines would go well with Escargot in a Chicken Broth, but our favourite is an Italian Pinot Grigio. A dry white wine, Pinot Grigio has subtle flavours of pear, lemon, apples, figs and peach, which won’t overwhelm the savoury Escargot flavours.
Escargot à la Romana & Terlano Pairing
Escargot à la Romana (or Lumache alla Romana) is an Italian Escargot dish that consists of snails cooked in a tomato sauce with anchovies, pepper flakes, and mint. As a result, you’ll have a salty, peppery Escargot dish that calls for a crisp white wine like Terlano or Vernaccia di Gimignano.
Terlano is a blended Italian white wine (there are also red wines) made mostly of Pinot Bianco and/or Chardonnay, with Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Sylvaner thrown in for good measure. Terlano is a dry wine with medium acidity that can stand up to the salty anchovy flavours while also providing some relief from the chilli flakes. Expect flavours of mango, green apple, peach, and fresh herbs, as well as a hint of minerality to round off your meal.