Black pudding calls for a fruity, supple red, low in tannin, such as a Pinot Noir or a Gamay. Its texture is soft, almost creamy: a very tannic wine makes it feel hard, while fruit and freshness carry it.
In Switzerland, black pudding is a winter product, mostly from November to January. In the canton of Jura, boudin à la crème, a black pudding made with cream, is the star of Saint-Martin in Ajoie, served before the sauerkraut platter. Elsewhere in French-speaking Switzerland, it comes with elbow pasta or potatoes, often with cooked apples. Our selection follows these plates one by one.
The perfect matchCream black pudding: a Neuchâtel Pinot Noir
In Ajoie, boudin à la crème is a true Saint-Martin institution, the feast marking the end of work in the fields, according to Swiss Culinary Heritage. In Jura it is made with equal parts cream and milk, or with cream only, plus coarsely chopped leek. Originally it came with a salad of cooked beetroot: rösti and cooked apples were added by restaurant owners in the 1960s.
The 2025 Pinot Noir Sélection Tradition from Caves du Château d'Auvernier comes from the canton of Neuchâtel, Jura's neighbour. Red fruit, a hint of toasted hazelnut, plenty of finesse: it follows the cream without crushing it. For a Pinot Noir of this level, it stays very affordable.
Also greatBlack pudding with pasta and apple: a La Côte Gamay
This is the everyday plate in French-speaking Switzerland. The Terroir Fribourg recipe serves black pudding with buttered elbow pasta and a compote of caramelised Boskoop apples. The pudding is warmed whole for 5 minutes in simmering water, or cut into 2 to 3 cm pieces and pan-fried for 1 to 2 minutes per side.
The 2025 Gamay Domaine de la Treille from Les Frères Dutruy comes from La Côte, in the canton of Vaud. Limited yields give it more concentration, while the tannins stay soft and round. Crushed raspberry, fresh red fruit: it links the pudding and the compote. Serve it around 13°C. A great price-to-pleasure ratio.
Also greatGo for Pinot Gris with cream black pudding
On the Saint-Martin menu published by GastroJura, cream black pudding comes after the broth and the aspic, before the bouilli, the grilled meats and the sauerkraut. The Jura version relies on cream and leek: that is exactly where a white wine fits.
The 2025 Pinot Gris Sélection Tradition from Caves du Château d'Auvernier, in the canton of Neuchâtel, has a deep golden colour. On the palate it is dry but round and generous, with an almost creamy texture that matches the pudding. For anyone sticking to white, a very good price-to-complexity ratio.
Also greatBlack pudding with cabbage or apples: a Valais Gamay
Swiss Culinary Heritage lists black puddings in Valais made with potatoes, cabbage or cooked apples, and even with rice in Vissoie. The cabbage version is typical of western Switzerland, especially the Pays d'Enhaut and Valais. It is often called «Vaud» style, even though the source places it mainly in those two regions.
The 2024 Gamay Vieilles Vignes from Domaine Thierry Constantin comes from Valais. Its old vines bring concentration and depth. On the palate, fresh raspberry and blackcurrant juice, a structure that is present but never pushy, enough for cabbage as well as the sweetness of apples. A price-to-pleasure ratio that is hard to beat.
Also greatPan-fried black pudding with rösti: a Geneva Gamaret
Black pudding is not only cooked whole in water: you can also slice it and pan-fry it, notes Swiss Culinary Heritage. Rösti, for their part, were added to the Ajoie menu by restaurant owners in the 1960s. The crust from the pan and the richness of rösti call for a little more substance in the glass.
The 2024 Gamaret Tradition from Domaine de Beauvent, in the canton of Geneva, offers ripe red fruit and good structure, with a straight, mineral palate. Serve it slightly cool, at 15 to 16°C, to keep the fruit in front.
Also greatBlack pudding, the French alternative: Crozes-Hermitage
If your table prefers a French classic, Syrah from Crozes-Hermitage is our pick. It has more substance than the Swiss reds in this selection, useful when the pudding is well browned or served with rösti.
The 2024 Crozes-Hermitage rouge cuvée Domaine from Domaine Yann Chave, in the Rhône Valley, smells of blackberry, blackcurrant and violet. The attack is gentle, then the wine broadens, with a touch of eucalyptus and a fresh finish that keeps it from feeling heavy. Serve it at 16 to 18°C.
The smart pickTuesday's black pudding: a Geneva Gamay
At craft butchers, black pudding long remained the Tuesday product, since Monday was slaughter day, recalls Swiss Culinary Heritage. It keeps only a very short time: some butchers say it should not have heard the noon bell ring more than three times. A simple dish for a weeknight.
The 2024 Gamay from Domaine des Esserts, in the canton of Geneva, smells of fresh strawberries and raspberries, with a hint of spice. Lively, with silky tannins, it is served slightly cool, around 14°C. In a 70 cl bottle and at this price, it is practically a gift.
Treat yourselfSpiced black pudding: a Mont-sur-Rolle Mondeuse blend
The spices in black pudding change from one butcher to the next: nutmeg, marjoram or cinnamon for some, just salt and pepper for others. And for Saint-Martin, the Living Traditions of Switzerland entry puts it plainly: a good wine is a must to help digest the feast.
The 2021 Mont-sur-Rolle Grand Cru Mondeuse Noire & Pinot Noir from Domaine de Maison Blanche, on La Côte in the canton of Vaud, combines the peppery side of Mondeuse Noire with the elegance of Pinot Noir. Two years in barrels, black fruit, fine tannins, a long finish. Decant it for an hour and serve it at 16 to 18°C: this is the bottle for the big table.
Black pudding likes fruity, supple reds served slightly cool, and the plate decides the rest. Jura cream, pasta and apple compote, cabbage or cooked apples, pan-fried slices: you have a bottle for each.
At Saint-Martin, the sauerkraut platter comes soon after, and it has its own pairing. If the table works through broth, aspic, black pudding, grilled meats and sauerkraut, remember that Ajoie planned ahead: the coup du milieu exists precisely to make a little room.
To stretch out the winter evenings, a wine subscription as a gift makes a nice surprise for the whole table.
Frequently asked questions
What wine goes with black pudding?
A fruity, supple red, low in tannin, most often Pinot Noir or Gamay. Our first pick is the 2025 Pinot Noir Sélection Tradition from Caves du Château d'Auvernier. If you prefer white, a dry, round Pinot Gris works well with the cream.
What wine goes with the cream black pudding of Saint-Martin?
A Pinot Noir from the canton of Neuchâtel, right next to Jura. Its red fruit and suppleness follow the cream and leek, and its lightness does not harden the soft texture of the pudding. The one from Caves du Château d'Auvernier adds a hint of toasted hazelnut and plenty of finesse.
What do people eat at Saint-Martin in Ajoie?
The full GastroJura menu lists eight courses, in this order: broth, gelée de ménage (pork in aspic), cream black pudding, bouilli (boiled meat), grilled meats, sauerkraut platter, roast and totché, a Jura cream tart. The feast falls on the second Sunday after All Saints' Day, around mid-November. Halfway through, just before the sauerkraut, tradition calls for a small glass of damassine: the «coup du milieu».
What do you serve with black pudding?
Usually elbow pasta or boiled potatoes, often with cooked apples, according to Swiss Culinary Heritage. In Ajoie, the original side was a salad of cooked beetroot: rösti and cooked apples were introduced by restaurant owners in the 1960s.
What is «Vaud» black pudding?
It is the name often given to black pudding made with cabbage. Swiss Culinary Heritage describes it as typical of western Switzerland, especially the Pays d'Enhaut and Valais. The Pays d'Enhaut also makes chantzet, a cabbage and blood sausage sold raw and eaten with potatoes and turnips, or with elbow pasta and cooked apples.
What is the difference between black pudding and liver sausage?
Black pudding is made with pig's blood. Liver sausage, Leberwurst, is made from head meat and offal of beef and pork, with no blood. In German-speaking Switzerland, people rarely eat one without the other, especially at the Metzgete, the autumn pig-slaughter feast.
When can you find black pudding in Switzerland?
Mostly from November to January. For a few decades, production has run from October to February, sometimes into March. Black pudding keeps only a very short time, which explains its link with the pig-slaughter season.
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