Summer vegetable highlight – wine and food in Mediterranean harmony
Wine with food is the perfect motto for this summery, light Loire-style ratatouille, which combines the traditions of the south of France with the flavors of the Loire. Wine and food merge here into a culinary experience: Fresh zucchini, aubergines, colourful peppers, sun-ripened tomatoes, red onions and tender fennel are slowly cooked in the best olive oil and retain their bite and colour. With fragrant herbs, a hint of garlic and fine olives, the ratatouille gets its unmistakable Mediterranean character. Whether as a vegetarian main course, summer lunch or aromatic side dish – in combination with a Loire Sauvignon Blanc, this dish becomes a feast for all the senses, bringing uncomplicated enjoyment and lightness to the plate.
Ideal wine pairing: Sancerre Blanc AOC (Sauvignon Blanc, Loire, France)
Sancerre Blanc AOC is the perfect accompaniment to Loire-style ratatouille. The Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre convinces with lively freshness, clear citrus aromas, gooseberries, fine herbal spice and elegant minerality. Its animating acidity acts as a freshness kick to the delicate vegetable sweetness and highlights the aromas of zucchini, tomatoes and fresh herbs. The mineral notes reflect the nature of the vegetable dish, while the balanced aromas leave room for olives and garlic.
Taste experience in detail – How the wine makes the ratatouille shine
Sancerre Blanc is the ideal partner for Ratatouille because it brings freshness, liveliness and aromatic complexity. Its intense fruit aromas of lime, green apple and gooseberry are in an exciting interplay with herbs such as thyme, oregano and basil in the dish. The concise acidity of Sauvignon Blanc highlights the natural vegetable sweetness and makes the dish light and elegant on the palate. The mineral tones bring depth and also allow the pickled olives, aubergine and garlic butter to come into their own. The interplay always remains balanced and thus ensures a pleasant balance between sunny lightness and fine melting.
Further wine recommendations for this dish
Pouilly-Fumé AOC (Loire, France)
Pouilly-Fumé convinces with smoky-mineral notes, citrus fruit and freshly cut grass. The fine smokiness combines particularly nicely with the fried aubergine, while the acidic freshness makes herbs and tomatoes shine vividly. The subtle spiciness and clarity of the wine give the ratatouille structure and enhance the vegetable melt.
Verdejo DO Rueda (Spain)
Verdejo from Rueda shines with notes of white grapefruit, fennel, fresh pear and a slight bitter note. The mild herbal spice and crisp acidity bring a Spanish twist to the French dish, while the lively freshness enlivens the Mediterranean vegetable flavors. The pairing remains palatable, light and inviting – ideal for balmy summer evenings.
Grenache Rosé IGP Pays d’Oc (Languedoc, France)
This rosé scores with strawberry and raspberry aroma, floral spice and freshness. The animating nature brings lightness and pleasantly emphasizes the vegetable sweetness. The combination makes the ratatouille summery, uncomplicated and gives the dish youthful flair as well as a touch of southern French joie de vivre.
Albariño DO Rías Baixas (Galicia, Spain)
Albariño with lime, ripe apricot and salty minerality is a versatile white wine with vegetables, aromatic herbs and fine olives. Its animating acid structure keeps the dish airy, while sea and floral notes pick up on the Mediterranean style and create a uniquely fresh taste experience.
Chardonnay Unoaked (Tasmania, Australia)
A Chardonnay aged in steel inspires with apple, pear, lemon and fine minerality. Its freshness emphasizes the lightness of the ratatouille, while the subtle creaminess underscores the olive oil and the soft aubergines in a multifaceted way. The pairing whets the appetite for modern, international vegetable cuisine.
The recipe:
Ratatouille auf Loire-Art
Cooking utensils
- 1 Gusseiserner Schmortopf
- 1 Schneidebrett
- 1 Messer
- 1 Rührlöffel
Ingredients
Für das Ratatouille
- 1 kleine Zucchini
- 1 kleine Aubergine
- 1 rote Paprika
- 1 gelbe Paprika
- 1 Fenchelknolle
- 200 g reife Tomaten
- 1 kleine rote Zwiebel
- 2 Knoblauchzehen
- 3 EL Olivenöl extra vergine
- 1 TL getrocknete mediterrane Kräuter
- 40 g schwarze Oliven entsteint
- Salz Pfeffer, Zucker
Preparation
Gemüse vorbereiten & anbraten
- Gemüse waschen, in ca. 1cm große Würfel schneiden.
- Zwiebel und Knoblauch fein hacken, in Olivenöl anschwitzen.
- Fenchel, Aubergine, Paprika und Zucchini zugeben, 5Min. scharf anbraten.
Schmoren & vollenden
- Tomaten würfeln, mit Kräutern, Oliven, Salz/Pfeffer/Zucker zufügen.
- Zugedeckt bei kleiner Hitze 25Min. schmoren, dabei gelegentlich rühren.
- Bei Bedarf mit Olivenöl und frischen Kräutern abschmecken, lauwarm servieren.
Empfohlene Beilagen
- Frisch gebackenes Baguette
- Lauwarmer Ziegenkäse
- Mediterraner Nudelsalat
