What to drink with couscous

Simple to prepare, tasty, hearty, this mixture of fine semolina, vegetables, chickpeas and meat brings friends and family together in a balanced and complete dish. The grail, at a low cost! Steamed durum wheat semolina or prepared with olive oil in the pure Berber tradition, seasonal vegetables cooked in a broth and, with a choice of merguez, chicken or lamb, couscous can be adapted to everyone’s taste.

The recipe is certainly one of the oldest in the world, couscoussiers dating from the third century BC having been found in the tombs of Numidian kings (now northern Algeria)! Imported in France in the 16th century – Rabelais speaks about it in his Pantagruel – then popularized at the beginning of the 20th century by the pieds-noirs of Algeria, this dish knows no refractory. If there are several variations, with or without raisins, peas, onions or chard, all of them agree to serve a light wine, to accompany the broth, and refreshing, to counteract the spices. A full-bodied Tavel rosé is the ideal ally. In the same vein, a full-bodied rosé, whether from Bordeaux (clairet) or Alsace, based on pinot noir, like Marsannay, in Burgundy. In the light reds, look to the Jura, between poulsard and trousseau. Finally, a nice Beaujolais from Brouilly or Fleurie, served slightly chilled. The only rule is to match the tannin strength of the wine with the intensity of the meat!

A WORD
Merrain.
This piece of wood, usually oak, is the prerequisite for the barrel; split into thin planks – the staves – it is used to make barrels and casks of all capacities.

A KNOWN GRAPE VARIETY
Meunier.
The second most important grape variety in the Champagne region, occupying 32% of the vineyards, Meunier offers a fruity and supple juice that brings freshness and roundness to the Chardonnay / Pinot Noir blend. This variety of pinot is present in most of the brut wines without year, or even vinified pure in special vintages.

A FORGOTTEN GRAPE
Tibouren.
A pure Provençal, this black grape variety, precocious and sensitive, thrives on the shores of the Mediterranean, on sunny schist soils. It produces fine and delicate wines in Palette, Côtes-de-Provence and Coteaux-Varois, generally vinified as rosés.

A MILLENNIUM
2015.
A sculptural vintage, driven by a sunny climate, 2015 was highly successful in Bordeaux, but also in Beaujolais, Burgundy, the Loire and the Rhone Valley.

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