SIOC Language Labs · French Wine Dialogues · B1–B2

French Wine Dialogue: Choosing wine with meat

A warm, practical dialogue for a real food pairing situation. Start with one useful sentence, listen to the reply, and build from there.

Food pairingDialogueB1–B2
You do not need to sound like a sommelier. Natural wine conversation is usually about giving useful information: what you are eating, what you like, how much you want to spend and whether you want to explore something local.

Core dialogue

Vous
Qu’est-ce que vous me conseillez avec ce plat ?
What would you recommend with this dish?
Sommelier
Si vous voulez rester local, je vous conseille celui-ci.
Sommelier
Je préférerais quelque chose de plus structuré.
I’d prefer something with more structure.
Sommelier
On peut commencer par un verre et voir ensuite.
Vous
C’est quel millésime ?
What vintage is it?

Choose your next move

Keep it simple

Qu’est-ce que vous me conseillez avec ce plat ?

Best when you want a clear, low-pressure opening.

Add one preference

Je préférerais quelque chose de plus structuré.

Useful when you know roughly what direction you want.

Go a little deeper

Merci, c’est exactement ce que je cherchais.

Use this when the conversation is already flowing.

CEFR progression

A2: make one clear request and understand a simple recommendation.

B1–B2: add a preference, budget, food pairing or regional interest.

C1: compare style, producer, vintage or origin while keeping the conversation natural rather than performative.

Useful phrase bank

Qu’est-ce que vous me conseillez avec ce plat ?
What would you recommend with this dish?
Je préférerais quelque chose de plus structuré.
I’d prefer something with more structure.
C’est quel millésime ?
What vintage is it?
Merci, c’est exactement ce que je cherchais.
Thank you, that’s exactly what I was looking for.

Your turn

Repeat the dialogue with one detail changed: choose a different budget, dish, region, style or bottle format. Then try again without reading the English support.

Checked with care

SIOC uses these dialogues to teach practical language and cultural confidence. They are not scripts you must follow word for word; natural service language varies by region, venue and person.

Last editorial check: 9 August 2026.

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