With creamy veal kidneys, serve white wine

During the chilly months of the year, veal kidneys just beg to be enjoyed at the winter dinner table. In the kidney family there are what we call the whites, that is

bull testicles, and the reds, that is veal, pork or lamb kidneys. Veal kidneys are a very tasty dish, and the right wine pairing depends on how the dish is made. The sauce and the side dishes play an influential role. They are the factors that determine the type of wine match and send the wine expert in the direction of a red wine or a white wine. Veal kidneys make without a doubt the most subtle of kidney dishes. The kidneys are seared whole and served while still pinkish to reveal their flavor to the utmost. Their characteristic taste, very animal and fleshy, calls for a strong red wine with good vinosity. However, there could be an advantage to serving a wine which evolves in the glass, to better underscore the refinement of the veal dish.
To go with the classic kidneys in a Madeira wine sauce, there is no law saying one has to serve a Madeira wine.  I actually recommend a Loire valley Cabernet Franc, from a sunny year, preferably a few years old. This is a match that would be highly approved by Jacques Puisais and Alain Senderens, well acquainted with the Loire valley. I recall with great fondness a sauté of kidneys served with a 1989 Chinon from Clos de l’Olive made by the Couly family. Such perfect balance,  such freshness. Nothing was missing – the powdery aspect, the gorgeous Loire tension - a wine made in heaven. Another wine which could be matched with such a dish is a clayey-chalky Bourgeuil from the village of Besnais, from the Les Chesnaies estate (Lamé-Deslile-Boucard) – and from the same 1989 vintage. 
A lovely whole lobe of veal kidney, sautéed in a braising pan and served with wild mushrooms, is superb with the gorgeous expression of a Cahors. At the Cosse-Maisonneuve estate, the 2004 Les Laquets 2004 cuvée comes across in all its complexity, concentrated and elegant, with polished tannins. Its evolution tempers the mushrooms. A perfect  choice with this dish.
A Savagnin white from the Jura
Veal kidneys in a mustard sauce are coated with a sauce made of crème fraîche and mustard. This makes all the difference. The cream tones down the mustard, however red wines just do not get along with creamy sauces. Dairy proteins do not go hand in hand with wine tannins. In addition, grainy mustard such as mustard from Meaux adds a vinegar component. To go with creamy veal, I recommend you try a white wine from the Jura, made from the Savagnin grape – without going all the way to a vin jaune.
Savagnin wines are interesting for they express a light “vin jaune” taste, and they can truly stand up to the strength of the mustard. I recommend choosing a 2007 Côte du Jura from the Jean Macle estate – a powerful wine with the stunning minerality of the Château-Châlon soils. A pure Savagnin can provide another choice. One example, in the Etoile appellation, could be a 2006 from the Domaine Montbourgeau, with a very “vin jaune” component and lots of flair.
Now, up to you to hone in on your favorite match!