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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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Watercress Butter |
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Pungent, peppery and creamy are just three of the criteria in this little recipe; the fourth is what it will accompany. If it’s steak try a lovely characterful red Malbec from Argentina (they eat a lot of beef in that country!). For pork seek out a fruity red from southern Spain, Jumilla. |
EG recommends
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Malbec is just made for red meat, especially a big juicy steak or piece of char-grilled beef; give it a go with a grilled flank steak accompanied by chimichurri, Argentina’s herb-based, national condiment. Another great wine for tomato based dishes |
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| Recipe:
Course Sardine Pate |
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Sardine paté as well as most fish patés are given a lift with the spicy touch of cayenne which requires a wine that is a tad aromatic. So for a real treat I suggest an Australian Riesling, especially one from the Clare Valley, which is a particular region of South Australia where great examples of this variety are made. Or look for a Vermentino from Sardinia – sunny spice in a glass! |
EG recommends
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A fabulous wine to enjoy with Seafood, especially white fish. Stands up very well to the stronger flavours and spices of Thai and Chinese chicken, pork or seafood dishes. |
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| Recipe:
Salmon With A Creamy Sorrel Sauce |
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Sorrel is very underrated and can be easily grown, even in a flower border! Classically associated with salmon, it adds a refreshing piquancy to the dish. And this hint of spiciness will be complemented delightfully by a Gruner Veltliner from Austria, or a good Sauvignon from New Zealand. |
EG recommends
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A perfect pairing with seafood, especially simply prepared white fish. Good with simple chicken dishes, and all sorts of vegetable dishes, try with asparagus, artichokes, or Austrian style foods such as sausages and sauerkraut, or mushroom dumplings |
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| Recipe:
Honey Roast Sea Trout with Hot Potato Salad |
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Sea trout has a deeper flavour and the honey in this recipe enhances this. Look for one of the classic matches for fish, Chablis, but up a level, Chablis Premier Cru. Slightly more concentrated in flavour this would be a special treat. Keeping with Chardonnay you could also try a Chilean Chardonnay. |
EG recommends
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Premier Cru Chablis is a delight with simple grilled fish dishes and also a good companion with white meat and can even hold up to a good touch of spice; try it with some Tandoori Chicken, to see what I mean. |
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| Recipe:
Champ |
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Champ is a very satisfying vegetarian dish and the spring onions will have lost their pungency by simmering in milk, thereby not offering a strong challenge to wine. A white with some depth like a Macon Villages Blanc from Burgundy or a Chardonnay from Trentino, NE Italy would be delicious. |
EG recommends
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Mmm, a chilled glass of Macon Villages also pairs well with fresh oysters or light creamy chicken dishes, one to put aside for asparagus season too. Surprising good partnered with Cheddar or Boursin cheeses. |
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| Recipe:
Pear, Cucumber and Radish Salad with Spicy Dressing |
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A Sauvignon would be a fine accompaniment to this delightful and refreshing salad. Pouilly Fumé, on the other side of the river Loire to Sancerre, produces a weighty and characterful dry white. Further along the Loire you can also find decent Sauvignons, simply called Sauvignon de Loire, which offer better value. |
EG recommends
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A perfect partner for rich, oily fish such as salmon, tuna or herring. Also very good with creamy fish dishes, or asparagus with hollandaise sauce. |
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| Recipe:
John Dory with Tomato Salsa and Herb Crushed Potatoes |
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Normally one thinks of white wine with fish, but the tomato salsa in this recipe encourages the choice of red wine, a southern red wine. Try a red from Sicily, Nero d’Avola, or a red from the Alentejo, towards the south of Portugal. |
EG recommends
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A fine accompaniment to lamb, venison and stronger beef dishes, as well as gutsy tomato sauces, think spaghetti puttanesca, or even a good pizza with Italian sausage. |
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| Recipe:
Spaghetti with Chilli and Garlic Oil |
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Pasta, spicy chilli and garlic, needs a wine that is not too strong in alcohol but has a fruitiness to match the pronounced flavours. Valpolicella from the vineyards to the north of Venice, the Veneto, is one to try or, further west, a Barbera d’Alba from Piemonte. |
EG recommends
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An Italian favourite, try with cured meats and sausages from Pancetta or prosciutto to salami or chorizo. A good partner for tomato and red meat based dishes and stews. |
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Eating Out In Essex