What wine goes with seafood? What’s best served with Turkey? What wine should you serve at a lunch or day-time party? These questions are a lot more common than you may think and wine pairings can make or break your meal.
To bring you expert advise, I’ve team up with Australian company Just Wines. Just Wines began with a clear vision of “Supporting Australian Wineries” by providing them with a single online platform for selling their wines. It is now one of the largest online wine retailers in Australia. With over 6,000 wines on offer, they source bottles from even the most remote wine regions of Australia and New Zealand. Better yet, their Trophy Club offers regular shipment of a range of wine with free postage, a dedicated Account Manager to scout new tastes to fit your palette, free bonus bottles and secret deals.
So, with so much wine on offer which one should you choose? Here is the very basic, high level wine guide to get your palette tingling!
Red Wines
Cabernet Sauvignon: Red Meat
This big, bold red wine is perfect wth a juicy piece of red meat. A Carbernet Sauvignon is terrific with steaks, lamb chops and braised beef. The firm tannins in these wines refresh the palate after each bite. For a summer alternative, serve mini beef sliders with a side of grilled, herbed mushrooms.
Pinot Noir: Earthy vegetables
This lighter red wine has less tannins and therefore more food-friendly than other more richer reds. Recipes made with earthy vegetables like mushrooms and truffle taste great with reds like Pinot Noir. Saying that, you can pair this with almost anything. Consider a duck mushroom risotto for something a little different. Add a hint of truffle and have a delicious, European inspired meal.
Shiraz: Barbecued everything
Australian Shiraz is typically lush, sweet and ripe… the ideal pairing for grilled or barbecued beef. Western Australian shiraz is made in a more elegant style making it a good pairing for lamb. Wherever it’s from in Australia, a Shiraz is a perfect compliment to an Aussie BBQ. Think ribs, spicy sausages and barbecued veggies like sweet potato and zucchini. For an extra Aussie flavour try Kangaroo steak which suits a Shiraz a treat.
Rosé: Cheese
Some cheeses go better with white wine, some with red; yet almost all pair well with dry rosé, which has the acidity of white wine and the fruit character of red. Also try pairing it with light salads or light seafood pasta and rice dishes. Perfect hot weather drinking.
White Wines
Sauvignon Blanc: Tangy food & seafood
Tangy foods go great with a Sauv Blanc! For a Spring day-time party serve goat cheese and crackers, lots of salads and green vegetables like asparagus and zucchini. Don’t be afraid of using herbs, pesto and viniagrettes. Marinade a light fish in lemon and herbs and serve with vegetables. For a starter consider oysters and scallops.
Pinot Grigio: Creamy seafood
Light seafood starters, like smoked salmon canapes or seafood tostada bites, seem to take on more flavour when matched with delicate white wine like Pinot Grigio. For a main, try creamy pasta dishes like Spaghetti Carbonara, Creamy Smoked Salmon Pasta or Cream Parmesan Chicken.
Chardonnay: Fatty Fish
Chardonnays are delicious with fish like salmon or any kind of seafood in a lush sauce. Fish pie and fish cakes work well for starters. For mains, any simple salmon dishes work best when paired with a rich buttery sauce. You can also experiment with buttery chicken, pork, ham or pasta in a creamy sauce. For a side consider cheese-based salads such as caesar salad or chicken salads that include peach, mango or macadamia nuts.
Riesling: Sweet & Spicy Dishes
The slight sweetness of a Riesling helps tame the heat of spicy Asian and Indian dishes. Consider a flavoursome Thai Green Salad with duck cracklings. Thai curries and spicy Indian dishes do well with a dry Riesling. A glass of this also shines when served with bold, savoury flavours, such as a sharp cheese plate.
Moscato: Fruit & Nuts
Moderately sweet sparkling wines such as Moscato help emphasise the fruit in the dessert, rather than the sugar. Try it with figs, nuts and seeds, strawberries and raspberries. A great dessert option!
Champagne: Is perfect with anything salty
Most dry sparkling wines, such as brut Champagne have a faint touch of sweetness. That makes them extra-refreshing when served with salty foods so make it an asian inspired meal! Serve spring rolls, crispy udon noodles and Japanese Fried Chicken. Your guests will love it!
So, what did you think? What combination will you be trying next?
Thank you Just Wines for helping me pair my foods with delicious wines sourced from all over Australia.
Can’t get enough of wine? See my previous posts: 2017 Wine Guide or How to match wine with seafood!
Natalia x
