3. When not drinking Australian wines, what are some of your favorite wines? Do you find some wines easy to pair with a wide variety of dishes?
When not drinking Australian wines, I like Spanish Tempranillo and Italian Sangiovese. But the wines I find easiest to pair with a very wide variety of dishes are Riesling and Shiraz. For Riesling, I recommend Jacob’s Creek Reserve Dry Riesling. In relation to Shiraz, I was recently having a bit of fun looking at salmon, pork, beef and lamb dishes prepared various ways, and we were quite astounded that, while some of the wines suited only one of these dishes, Wyndham Estate BIN 555 went readily with all of them.
4. What is your favorite autumn food and wine pairing?
I really enjoy warm salads in Autumn. The days are still warm but there is that slight crisp edge to the air that makes you start to move away from cold summer meals. Perhaps a crisp, fresh Chardonnay with a salad of pan-fried chicken strips with roasted carrots, oranges and some glacé ginger, dressed with orange rind, mustard and some pistachio nuts or candied walnuts sprinkled over the top.
5. What is the most challenging wine to pair with food and why?
Very acidic wines can be a real challenge! You really need to get the balance of acid, sugar and seasoning just right and it’s something that can really only be done by taste. It’s difficult to write such nuances into a recipe for someone else to cook. You can match acidic wines to acidic dishes to an extent. If the wine is very acidic you want to bring some sweetness to the dish, but it still needs to have an acidic backbone, such as sweet and sour sauce. I quite like using fragrant herbs such as lemongrass and chili with acidic wines as well. It’s all an adventure.
Comments
Person
OK, what's a 'green' prawn?
I've never had a moscato rose' but being a long time dry tavel person, you've sparked some interest to give that a try. thanx.
Sedrick
i
Feb 01, 2013 at 6:23 PM
Lamb pairing can be tricky. On a recent trip to Buenos Aires, I had some slow roasted lamb with some Sauvignon Blanc. Unusual pairing but was quite unreal as the sweetness of the meat blended perfectly with the citrus taste of the wine. Never be afraid to experiment.
Mort G - Montreal Canada
Feb 02, 2013 at 1:03 PM
Sedrick - A green prawn is a raw prawn. Not cooked yet.
Feb 05, 2013 at 7:50 PM
One of the great pairings for lamb is a classic firm red like a Tempranillo from DOCa Rioja. I prefer those wines from Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa. Look for a Reserva (1 yr in the barrel and 2 in the bottle before release) from Haro, El Ceigo, Laguardia, and Logroño. The typical price point for these wines can be in the $22 to $29 range. The Grand Reservas kept longer in the barrel and bottle (aged 2 yrs in the barrel and 3 bottle) are $15 to $20 more and of coarse some even more from the famous "bodegas".
The Reservas and Gran Reservas represent some of the greatest values in the wine world; no other regions offer similarly aged wines at these prices. Compare an upper tier Classified French Bordeaux or upper-end (Silverado Trail, Oakville, Stags Leap AVA's etc) )Napa Valley Cab to the Spanish Wines I describe and the price value is very evident.
This medium bodied Spanish wine, with it's well balanced (leathery aroma) raspberry and blackberry is suitable for most meats like pork and beef, but it pairs particularly well with lamb. The wine will enhance the meat's taste on the palate and will linger for the next bite.
Ribera Del Duero also produces beautiful wines with a more international finish that is very compatible with the typical American palate.
Mark Salazar, CS
Mar 01, 2013 at 8:28 PM
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