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One of the great pleasures of drinking wine is matching it with equally mouth-watering food.
Traditionally, red wine with meat and white with fish are no longer flexible enough to accommodate the multi-cultural taste influences that modern cuisine reflects. Common sense dictates that every wine experience should start with taste. When pairing food and wine, you should keep in mind that you are trying to find balance and harmony – balance between flavours, textures, intensity and taste. To increase your chances of a successful match, consider how the food was prepared, seasoned, the texture and also any accompaniments. Food and wine has its own flavour and texture, so too does every palate. So please use this tool as a guide only. There are no hard and fast rules, rights or wrongs. Just experiment to find your matching ideas.
Game Simple/Basic
Duck & Game birds have a more intrinsic flavour and fat than chicken, and so they require a fully flavoured wine to accompany them. A medium-bodied, flavouful Pinot Noir is a good match to the richer flavour in these birds. (Ref: Red Burgundy is made from Pinot Noir)
Game Venison
Roast Venison is flattered by a mellow, premium quality Pinot Noir. Marinated and left to hang for a while before roasting, it can take on a rich reds such as Shiraz Cabernet, or Shiraz Mourvedre blend. Serve Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Shiraz with a more powerfully flavoured venison casserole.
Game Goose/Foie Gras
Roast goose deserve gamy, mature reds made from Pinot Noir and Shiraz, or rich Cabernet Merlot blends. Try a fine Chardonnay Pinot Noir, like Jacob’s Creek for something out of the ordinary. Both Botrytis Riesling or a Premium dry Riesling with concentrated, full fruit flavours will do the honours with Foie Gras.
Game Pheasant
Look for a savoury, herby, smooth palate Shiraz or rounded Pinot Noir to accompany roasted pheasant. Casseroled pheasant with bacon and shallots is delicious with a fruity, mature Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz.
Game Quail
Quail is quite flavoursome when roasted and a good quality fruity Shiraz is a fine choice, as are mature, elegant Cabernet Merlot blends. The Cabernet blends and Pinot Noir will also partner the mose delkicate of quails too. Serve it with a herb stuffing, and offer a fine cool climate Chardonnay.
Game Pidgeon
Pidgeon casserole is dark, rich and full – flavoured, and needs a red wine with fruit and body to stand up well to it. Try a weighty Pinot Noir, or plum and spice mature Shiraz or rich Cabernet Shiraz blend. Fruity but low – tannin Merlot or cool – climate Cabernet Merlot blends will partner a salad of warm pidgeon and crispy croutons.
Turkey
Roast turkey is flattered by many fine reds, particularly Pinot Noir, ripe Shiraz and cool – climate Cabernet Sauvignon. These can all survive the stuffing !!
A well structured, lightly oaked Chardonnay is a good white choice. For a memorable roast turkey, serve with lashings of cranberry sauce, choose a Sparkling Shiraz.
Game Duck
Rich reds stand up well to fatty roast duck – try a ripe fruity full – bodied Shiraz, or a sweet full Pinot Noir or Cabernet Merlot. Add cherry sauce, definately a new ball game, go for a mature Cabernet Sauvignon. Sparkling Shiraz is perfect with Peking duck. A fruity sweet Chardonnay will partner duck and orange sauce. Aromatic crispy duck or pate ? Try a crisp Riesling.
