What is true for artists’ collaboration is also true for wine pairing: The cultural mixes often work! So instead of your usual sake why not go for wine with yakitoris? The Yakitoris are those famous grilled skewers of chicken, tofu, meatballs that you delightfully eat on after-work events.

Time to know how to pair this Japanese popular dish with a glass of French wine and enjoy valuable moments with your colleagues! French and Japanese have both a strong cuisine tradition and the trend of “Izakaya” bars outside Japan borders make it possible for this new culinary experience!

Yakitoris can be prepared only with salt, like traditionally done in Japan, or with sweet soya sauce. The sweetness of the teriyaki marinade makes it inappropriate for most of the wine matches. If a sweet white wine is a good idea on almost any case, we introduce you below three more specific pairings. 

Beef Yakitori

Grilled beef calls for full-bodied yet fruity red wine. Combining Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah grapes, fruity and spicy, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation is what you can look for! Chicken Yakitori With Chicken you can go for a medium-full bodied red wine like a Burgundy Pinot noir. If you are keener on white, we recommend trying a full-bodied, woody flavor dry wine. In that case a Burgundy Chardonnay should give you satisfaction. 

Shrimp Yakitori

For seafood or fishes you should look on white wines. A Sauvignon blanc from Bordeaux region has these fresh, citrus and fruity notes that would perfectly get along with you shrimp yakitoris. A must try for almost all your “fusion” food! 

More wine pairings are available here (examples of pairings with French wines: Duck confit, Pad Thai, Seafood Laksa, Beef Steak, Sushi, Singaporean Chicken Rice, Peking Duck, Roast Lamb…) 

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