Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Bordeaux

Discover the best flavour pairings for Bordeaux based on data analysis of thousands of recipes. Find perfect ingredient matches & delicious recipes.

Bordeaux conjure the evocative embrace of cedar and the bracing kiss of graphite. But look beneath its obvious bitterness and you'll discover a captivating symphony of softer notes, a whisper of vanilla, a hint of tobacco, and subtle accents reminiscent of tannin that give it remarkable depth. The key to an exceptional combination lies in knowing how these elements harmonise and interact.

To illuminate these harmonies, we embarked on an ambitious journey, analysing thousands of ingredients. Each was meticulously deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, allowing us to pinpoint precisely which notes complement in both classic and unexpected ways. Our analysis reveals, for example, how beetroot purée's petrichor tones ground Bordeaux, and how caster sugar's saccharine notes create a surprising synergy with its woody aroma.

An ingredient's flavour profile is determined by its core characteristics (e.g. woody, spice, and herbal) enhanced by layers of subtle aroma notes (outer bars). When pairing ingredients, aim for a mix of core traits to build balance, and select complementary aroma notes to create harmony.

The Art of Flavour Pairing

To understand how flavour notes harmonise, we analysed more than 50,000 popular ingredient combinations. By exploring these pairings, we identified specific flavour notes that frequently occur together, indicating they share a harmonious relationship.

The Flavours That Harmonise With Cedar Notes

Our analysis reveals a strong connection between cedar and sugar flavours. Since Bordeaux has a distinct cedar flavour, try pairing it with the sugary flavours of caster sugar.

The recipes below provide inspiration for pairing Bordeaux with caster sugar.

Harmonious Flavours Of Bordeaux

Just as our analysis reveals that cedar and gentian flavour notes are often combined, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the flavours present in Bordeaux. Similarly, the tobacco-like accents of Bordeaux frequently pair with burnt and coconut accents.

The aromas complementing the various aromas of Bordeaux can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.

Matching Flavour Profiles

The flavour profile of beetroot purée offers many of the accents complementary to Bordeaux, including petrichor and sugary accents. Because the flavour profile of beetroot purée has many of the of the features that are complementary to Bordeaux, they are likely to pair very well together.

The chart above shows the unique profile of beetroot purée across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with Bordeaux.

Recipes That Pair Bordeaux With Beetroot Purée

Linked Flavour Notes

Looking at the accents that are most strongly associated with the various flavours of Bordeaux, we can identify other ingredients that are likely to pair well.

The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of Bordeaux, along with the complementary aromas associated with each note. While the right side shows some of the ingredients that share many of the notes complementary to Bordeaux.

Which Fruit Go With Bordeaux?

Choose fruit that resonate with its sharpness or embrace its earthy aroma. Coconut offers vibrant, clean counterpoints, its verdant freshness lifting the palate. Peach add a gentle, oniony brightness, while papaya introduces a sophisticated, anise-tinged elegance.

Alternatively, embrace fruit that harmonise with Bordeaux's woodiness. The addition of fig purée, with its subtle saccharine notes, can complement the cedar beautifully. Grape tomato bridges earthiness and citrus zest, while golden delicious apple lends a clean sweetness.

How Flavonomics Works

We've pioneered a unique, data-driven approach to decode the intricate art of flavour pairing. Our goal is to move beyond intuition and uncover the science of why certain ingredients harmonise beautifully. This rigorous methodology allows us to provide you with insightful and reliable pairing recommendations.

Our analysis begins with over 50,000 carefully selected recipes from acclaimed chefs like Galton Blackiston, Marcello Tully, and Pierre Lambinon. This premium dataset ensures our model distils genuine culinary excellence and creativity.

Each ingredient from these recipes is deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, creating a unique numerical "flavour fingerprint." This quantification allows us to apply advanced analytical methods to identify complex patterns between flavour notes.

We identify popular ingredient combinations that frequently appear in our recipe database. Regression analysis is then performed on these pairings to statistically validate and pinpoint truly harmonious flavours.

These insights drive our predictive model, which allows us to take any ingredient (e.g., Bordeaux), analyse its detailed flavour profile, and accurately reveal its complementary flavours and perfect ingredient partners.