The Wines Julia Child Recommended For Her Iconic Coq Au Vin

Beyond her already extensive and impressive list of amazing recipes, Julia Child has a cooking tip or recommendation for nearly every meal. The simplest dishes could be upgraded according to Julia Child, like her tuna salad sandwiches or her creamy scrambled eggs. Even certain ingredients mattered to her, down to the brand of chocolate Julia Child used when she baked.

Recipes like Julia Child's Coq au Vin require certain ingredients in order for it to really shine. Wine is a key component in this recipe, but not just any wine will do. Julia Child recommends full-bodied red wines, as well as young wines, for her Coq au Vin recipe. 

While Coq au Vin can be made with either white or red wine, Julia Child noted that red wine is the more characteristic wine. Her 1961 book, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," which features the beloved chef's Coq au Vin recipe, specifically states that wines like Burgundy, Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone, or Chianti work best. The original recipe also recommends pinot noir.

While Julia Child specifies that Coq au Vin should use a red wine that is specifically full-bodied and young, she did not specify any brands or countries of origin. However, she did mention that the same wines that work well in the Coq au Vin would also make a perfect pairing with the meal itself.

As much as she recommended certain wines, there were definitely wines that Julia Child did not approve of for her Coq au Vin recipe. Her original recipe notes that bold and heavily oaked red wines were not suitable. She also noted that red wine varietals like cabernet would not work well.

Her original recipe called for only 2 cups of red wine. However, more modern and adapted versions of the recipe call for an increased measurement of 3 cups. Regardless, if you are using the original or modern recipe, both versions call for young, full bodied red wine.