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Carefully selecting a complementary wine to partner a particular dish can bring out the best of both; transforming a good meal or pleasant tipple into a fabulous feast of flavours. Get this partnership wrong and you could end up with a sour taste in your mouth.
The Wine Maestro simplifies the task of wine and food pairing for you, providing informative, straightforward, expert advice & tips, utilising his wealth of knowledge and experience. Enjoy!
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| Recipe:
Brussel Tops with Oyster Sauce |
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Brussels sprouts, “but not as you know them Captain” (who said that?). All the interesting ingredients call out for an interesting wine, such as a Riesling from Alsace. Off-dry with lovely floral, fruity notes that will complement all the gorgeous flavours in this dish. If your prefer a red Chilean Merlot would fit the bill. |
EG recommends
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Riesling matches beautifully with fish or seafood, especially the more fatty varieties, try with simple trout, salmon or tuna dishes, or a full flavoured bouillabaisse, also, a fine partner for sauerkraut, or as the basis for a delicious Coq au Riesl |
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| Recipe:
Caramelised Chicory |
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Chicory can be quite bitter but the honey softens this. You need a white with some character so I shall suggest a couple of wines. Either a gently dry Apremont from the Savoie region of France (some of you may have tasted this wine whilst skiing in the French Alps) or a white Côtes du Rhône, a wine that has an attractive weight. |
EG recommends
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The perfect wine for when on the piste, Acremont pairs well with a warming cheese fondue or raclette, also good with creamy chicken or veal dishes. |
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| Recipe:
Caramelised Shallots |
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The wine to have with this lovely shallot dish will depend on whether you have meat or fish with this dish. Caramelised shallots go so well with a steak, and Californian Zinfandel will be just the match. Should you have fish or poultry try a Chardonnay such as a white Burgundy – Macon Villages for example. |
EG recommends
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Zinfandel sings when paired with full flavoured meat dishes, from barbeque pork ribs or a leg of lamb, to a hearty beef casserole. |
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| Recipe:
Wild Salmon Teriyaki |
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The spiciness of the teriyaki saucing and the colour of the salmon cry out for a fruity rosé. Look for a Merlot rosé from Chile or from the south of France; the hint of sweetness in the wine stands up so well to the gorgeous flavours of this recipe. |
EG recommends
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A delicious fruity rose ideal chilled and served as an aperitif. Fabulous with grilled or steamed fish and seafood with a hint of spice, and can even hold up well to barbecued meats, especially pork or chicken. |
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| Recipe:
Purple Sprouting Broccoli With Garlic & Sesame |
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Enjoy this slightly oriental-flavoured dish with a medium dry, and medium bodied, white such as a Sylvaner from Germany or a Viognier from the south of France. The little touch of sweetness in these wines provides a counterpoint to the garlic and sesame notes. |
EG recommends
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Silvaner pairs surprisingly well with powerful and sharp cheeses, like goats’ cheese, Roquefort and Gorgonzola, also a good partner for mild pates, such as a duck liver pate with a fruity piquant. Wiener schnitzel and Silvaner are a classic match. |
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| Recipe:
Mildly Spiced Celeriac Chips |
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These delicious celeriac chips (aka crisps) would be fine with an aperitif such as Prosecco, from north east Italy. A sparkling wine that is softly dry it would match the spiciness of this recipe. If you eat the chips as a vegetable accompaniment to, say, pheasant try a Rioja red. |
EG recommends
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Prosecco is a wonderful aperitif and a fine match for finger foods, especially where seafood is concerned, think tempura prawns, sushi or oysters, also, a good match with light meats, such as chicken, pheasant or veal in creamy sauces. |
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| Recipe:
Lemon and Parsley Fried Hake Fillets |
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There is a wine from a region ‘inland’, away from the river Loire from Sancerre, called Menetou Salon which is a delicious dry Sauvignon, not dissimilar from Sancerre, which would be a great match for this fish dish. Or you could choose a more punchy Sauvignon from New Zealand, though remember to add a little more lemon juice to the fish! |
EG recommends
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Very good served with young, creamy goats’ cheese, or grilled fish dishes. If you are feeling flush, enjoy with half a dozen naked oysters. |
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Cauliflower Cheese |
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The wine to accompany cauliflower cheese depends on whether you have this with meat, fish or on its own. With meat a soft fruity red, such as a southern Portuguese from Alentejo; with fish or on its own an unoaked Chardonnay from, say, Australia. |
EG recommends
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This popular rich Portuguese wine stands up well to beef and lamb dishes, from a char-grilled juicy steak to a slow roasted leg of lamb with herbs. Try with the regions wild boar for a very special treat. |
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Eating Out In Essex