We’ve all been there, you have a group of friends and family coming over for a long lunch that turns into dinner, the next question is, what bottle of wine should you open that will go with the food you’ve prepared for the guests. A good juicy, flavoursome meal is great all on its own but pairing it correctly, takes it to the next level. And who said wine pairings are only for restaurants, elevate your next gathering with these wine pairings.
Here’s our top wine pairing suggestions.
1. Beef & Lamb Dishes
We know the unspoken (widely spoken) rule, red meat goes with red wine. Generally, the leaner the meat, the lighter the red wine should be, while a rich cut pairs nicely with a high tannin red wine. For lamb pairings, consider the sauce of the dish as lamb really takes on the flavour of the sauce.
2. Chicken & Other Poultry Dishes
Chicken is the most popular meat in Australia - and several other parts of the world, and so it's not surprising that chicken will most likely be making an appearance in your meals prepared for family and friends gatherings at home. White wine with chicken tends to be a go-to choice. However, lighter reds with good acidity can also be good alternatives and choices.
Our pick: Eden Valley Chardonnay
3. Spicy Food
It’s hard to have a blanket statement as there are different variations of spicy - is it hot spicy or sweet spicy? It’s key if both the wine and food are in harmony and compliment each other. Our pick is the Y Series Riesling which is a fun aromatic and refreshing white wine with classic Riesling aromas of citrus and grapefruit.
Our pick: Y Series Riesling
4. Cheese
The classic wine and cheese pairings is even better when enjoyed in the comfort of your home. Pinot Noir is a versatile wine that typically goes well with several things on the board. Hard cheese (cheddar, comte, manchego), go well with a medium bodied red such as a cabernet sauvignon. Soft cheeses from spreadable cheeses to semi-soft white rinded cheeses like brie and camembert go well with a fruity red like a pinot noir.
Our Pick: Y Series Pinot Noir
5. Vegetables
This might be the only way to get us to eat a salad, if you pair it with wine. In wine pairings, balance is key and similarly to spicy foods, there’s several things to consider when pairing wines with vegetarian dishes. The key is to ensure that the food and wine have roughly the same strength of flavour.
Our pick: Wild Ferments Sauvignon Blanc
Now that we’ve shared our favourite wine pairings, we can’t wait to see what Yalumba wines will be paired with the one night only special menu prepared by Jake Kellie and Joel Cugley at the Taste of The Barossa dining experience. Additionally, there will be a wine tasting of Yalumba’s wines during the dinner at Kingsford’s wine vaults. Book your seats!
