Grapes and wine Just as the caramelised flavours of a slow-cooked winter stew will harmonise and improve if left for a day, so these big, hearty wines will open up if decanted and left for an hour before serving. You don’t even need a decanter, any glass jug will do.
I’ve divided these wines into beef-biased and those with lamb leanings, but they would work beautifully with either. I’ve partnered lamb with the zingy red-fruit palate of Pinot Noir (red Burgundy), and beef with the brambly black fruit flavours of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Of course, you can’t go wrong if you match classic dishes with their local wines, such as boeuf bourguignon or coq au vin with Burgundy; and boeuf en daube or cassoulet with southern French bruisers like Fitou and Minervois with their feral grape cocktails of Syrah, Carignan and Grenache.
For sweeter, spicier dishes such as lamb tagine with dried apricots, or moussaka with its hints of cinnamon, unleash the spicy power of Syrah from the Rhone (or Shiraz as it's known in Australia), Californian Zinfandel or southern Italian reds made from Primitivo or Negroamaro. These also work wonderfully well with game stews such as venison with chestnuts, and cut through rich, gelatinous dishes like osso buco and braised lamb shanks.
Lovely with lamb
Le Froglet, Shiraz, 2007, Vin de Pays d’Oc
Hints of violet and freshly baked bread on the nose. Soft and fruity with oodles of fruity blackcurrant, and Mediterranean herbs. Full-bodied with plenty of bang for not many bucks.
Ravenswood Vintners Blend Zinfandel 2005, Sonoma, California
Rich and smooth with spicy, herbal aromas. Sweet red peppers with hints of liquorice on the palate.
Cune Crianza 2005, Rioja, Spain
Rioja’s trademark vanilla flavours (here in abundance) come from oak ageing, which, combined with Tempranillo, the region’s principal grape, harmonises beautifully with lamb.
Anakena Ona Pinot Noir 2007, Casablanca, Chile
Chilean exuberance from the red grape of Burgundy. Excellent acidity gives a sour cherry and rhubarb zing. Rich, smooth and whoppingly high in alcohol (14.5 %).
Tagus Creek Grande Vinho 2006, Ribatejo, Portugal
Inky-dark and brooding with a surprisingly timid aroma, considering its power and concentration. Mainly Syrah with Touriga Nacional (one of the grapes used to make Port). Juicy palate of damsons dusted with cinnamon.
St Chinian Syrah des Garrigues 2005, Languedoc, southwest France
Blackcurrant, mint and dark chocolate aromas with plenty of spice, juicy plums and zippy acidity on the palate. Soft, velvety texture.
Best with beef
Buenos Aires Shiraz Malbec 2007, Mendoza, Argentina
Lashings of ripe plummy fruit with uplifting acidity and plenty of spice. A rich smoothie from the foothills of the Andes with a long, dry finish and hints of bitter chocolate.
First Flight Shiraz Cabernet, 2005, South Eastern Australia
Smooth, rounded blackberry flavours enlivened by almost citrus-y acidity – great for cutting through fatty dishes. Medium-bodied, medium-dry and very quaffable.
Boschendal 1685 Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Paarl, South Africa
A weighty South African wine made from classic French grapes and matured in French oak, hence its subtle, Old World charm. Full-bodied and juicy with blackcurrant, vanilla, mint and wafts of smoke.
Reserve des Tuguets 2005, Madiran, southwest France
Comparatively lean, angular wine from the tannic Tannat grape. Brambly, briary forest fruit with bitter chocolate and chewy tannins. A piercingly dry rapier through the fattiest cassoulet.
This article was first published in the January 2009 edition of Saga Magazine.