Melon is clearly one of the must-haves of the summer season. At the same time very fragrant, light and refreshing, it can be consumed at any time. Popular for aperitifs, on the warm sand of the beach or even hiking, we find it on our plates from aperitif to dessert.
How to choose the right melon ?
In the southern regions, melon picking begins before summer. But in less hot and temperate areas, you often have to wait until September to taste these fruit full of sweet juice.
First of all, know that, even if it sounds a bit barbaric and a little silly, it works ! Weigh your melon : the heavier it is, the sweeter it is. And so, delicious ! You can also grope his tail, called pécou. When it starts to peel off, it's good that melon how to be at the right. Do not hesitate after palpating the tail of the melon to feel his ass ... A sweet scent should emerge from it. Avoid a melon that smells too strong, it means it's probably too mature.
Melon and ham : stars of the aperitif dinner ... with wine !
Often served with Bayonne ham, melon can also easily accommodate with San Daniel, Parma ham or with petals of Black Pork ham from Bigorre. Yes the Porto is the natural sweet wine most often proposed to accompany a melon, then you have to be sure that it is ripe so that Porto does not take over. To change, you can opt for a wine less rich in residual sugar such as Banyuls, the Maurys where the Rivesaltes. These are real assets to enhance your melon thanks to their spicy aromas., leather and ripe fruit !
With the salty raw ham, you can choose a rosé to bring a tonic side while keeping a fruity enough present to exist in front of the marked aromas of melon. In that case, take your bottle of Côte de Provence rosé bought for 3 euros in your supermarket and throw it as far as possible to never see it again !
Head for rosés with more panache like a Bandol. These rosés will keep you under their spell. They cultivate their difference through their typical roundness and generosity. The Mourvèdre grape varieties, Grenache and Cinsault used to produce a Bandol give a structured and refined wine. In their youth, they seduce with their freshness. With age these wines exalt aromas of honey, wax, dried fruit, and cinnamon. Rosé wines from Tavel or from Lirac are wonderful alternatives to our Bandol and will sublimate your melon just as much.
Finally, for white wine lovers, you can set your sights on a muscat sec d’Alsace for its floral aromas and its fine thirst-quenching bitterness or a white Côtes-de-Gascogne IGP.
Melon, cheese and white wines or bubbles !
We regularly find our melon paired with mozzarella or feta cheese for a fresh starter ! So as not to get out of this guideline, the Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley will be your best ally thanks to its citrus aromas, honey and white flowers. It's time to rummage in the direction of Vouvray demi-sec or Montlouis sur Loire.
To bring a little excitement to life, a Prosecco Extra Dry might surprise you in this original chord !
What wine for melon served for dessert ?
Even if it seems to me a huge heresy, some people seem to consider that melon can be eaten as a dessert... And not to offend the most sensitive of you, I have to offer you some wines to pair your melon served as a dessert.
Whether you eat a simple piece, in sorbet or served in a fruit salad, melon has its place on many plates during the summer. At the end of the meal, you can play on the sweet notes with a Gewurztraminer or a Riesling in late harvest.
And if you don't like melon as a fruit, you can serve your guests a Melon wine ! And yes, the White Melon - also called Melon de Bourgogne — is also the name of the Muscadet grape variety.
The best food and wine pairings around melon !
| Regions | Appellations |
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| Languedoc-Roussilon |
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| Rosé wines |
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| Dry white wine |
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Il est vrai que je ne l'ai pas évoqué dans l'article, mais l'accord entre melon et pineau des Charentes fait partie des grands classiques de la gastronomie française !
Thank you for this comment @Farid
moi comme j'habite dans les Charentes je préconise un pineau rouge ou rosé ,at least from 10 years for the Pineau rancio to be exhaled during tasting .