The butter and lemon in this dish make a delicious pairing with a Chardonnay from the Willamette Valley
Savvy match: A classic pairing for sole à la meunière is something fresh and bright like Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne) but any light fresh white — an unoaked Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Grenache Blanc — will do just fine. You’ll want a crisper white wine to help balance out the butter from the sauce while the wine’s acidity complements the lemon’s citrus in the dish. There are many Oregon wines that would be an excellent choice, especially Chardonnay from the Willamette Valley.
A quintessential dish of the Loire Valley is sole à la meunière, a simple preparation involving butter, lemon, and parsley. I can think of few better representations of the cuisine of the Loire than this delicious and humble dish. À la meunière translates to “the style of the Miller’s wife,” something à la meunière was to cook by first dredging it in flour. In this case, then sautéed in butter, finished with parsley and lemon.
