4 wine and food pairings you have to try!
Gone are the days when a slippery slope of rules and regulations about wine and food pairing appeared hopelessly impossible to navigate. We’ve come to realise that experimentation is far more progressive with so many possible pairings to explore. And when it comes to wine & food pairing, personal preferences are what really matters.
There are some helpful guidelines that go some way to explaining why certain wine styles and food types go together and have a pleasing effect.
Here are a few:
Wine and Welsh rarebit
Allan Scott Cecilia Brut Sparkling (£17.99 or mix 12 for £16.19) from Marlborough, New Zealand and wonderful Welsh Rarebit.
The racy acidity of the sparkling is a dynamic foil to the creaminess and richness of the cheese and lifts the dish right up (making it seem just a little less dense). The zesty, pure flavours of the sparkling and the Welsh Rarebit work seamlessly so that neither overpowers the other.
Spice things up with wine and curry
Allan Scott Riesling 2019 also from Marlborough, New Zealand (£12.99 or mix 12 for £11.69) and Thai Red Curry (with light to moderate spiciness) is a delicious combination.
The spiciness of the curry reduces the fruitiness of the Riesling, but as there’s so much fruit, there’s still plenty to go around. The curry also reduces the slight sweetness of the Riesling and makes it that bit more bracing.
All the juicy pineapple, fresh lime and nectarine flavours of the Riesling rise up beautifully to the richness of the curry.
Red wine and roast lamb
Marques de Caceres Excellens Reserva Rioja 2015 (£15.99 or mix 12 for £14.39 each) and Roast Welsh Lamb is another luxurious pairing.
The flavours meet together and any tannin in the wine immediately appears to disappear as the saltiness of the lamb softens the wine. This immediately brings the flavours of the Rioja forward. Both are quite full flavoured and the wonderful black fruit and sweet spices such as clove, add complexity to the overall pairing.
A sweet dessert pairing
Chateau du Seuil Cerons 2018 (50cl) from Cerons, France (£16.99 or £15.29 mix 6) and Pwdin Eva or Welsh Apple Dessert is a beautiful sweet match.
The sweetness of the Pwdin Eva means that the sweetness of the Chateau du Seuil Cerons becomes perceptibly less, so this really makes it feel even more alive and racy with the fruitiness coming forward.
It’s refreshing and the acidity balances the sweetness nicely. The luscious and vibrant aromas and flavours of concentrated apricot and fresh ripe pineapple in the wine add dimension to the Pwdin Eva.
Enjoy these pairings and keep experimenting!
Take a look at our wine
Have we peaked your interest to try one of these four food and wine pairings, or even to try an experimentation of your own?
If so, our extensive wine collection can help you find a wine and food match made in heaven.