When it comes to great food and wine matches there are classic pairings like sparkling and oysters, caviar and Champagne, off-dry riesling with South-East Asian cuisine, shiraz and steak, and dessert wines with blue cheese. But while there are pairings that have been tried and tested, it's also important to challenge the classics and trust your palate.
Below are five wines that are perfect with food. Try two rieslings from Atlas Wines in the Clare Valley, a schönburger – a white grape native to Germany – from Barringwood in Tasmania, a grenache from South Australia's Heirloom Vineyards, and a shiraz from Zema Estate in Coonawarra.
2022 Atlas Wines Vintage Project Eden Valley Riesling
Very pale straw in the glass. The nose displays classic Eden Valley characters with delicate floral aromas and powerful lemon and lime fruit, hints of talc and wet stone. The palate balances delicate floral and mineral fruit with lemon and grapefruit flavours wound around a taut acid backbone that gives the wine intensity and length.Winemaker Adam Barton says: Each year we like to try something new – whether it's experimenting with a new technique, a new variety, or perhaps we are lucky enough to source a parcel of fruit with exceptional provenance. These are small parcels that are lovingly crafted in limited quantities. In 2022 it was a small parcel of Eden Valley riesling that captured our imaginations and received our attention.
H. What is the ultimate food pairing for this wine and why?
AB. We enjoy this delicious, textural riesling with grilled marron from Kangaroo Island, coated in lemon butter and thyme. It's equally delicious with fuller flavoured seafoods. Serve the 2022 chilled, but allow it to slightly warm up in the glass to reveal the exceptional aromas.
RRP $29.99 | Drink to 2035 | atlaswines.com
2021 Barringwood Schönburger
Hand-picked from our ultra-cool Lower Barrington vineyard from vines up to 25 years old, this 2021 schönburger is oozing with varietal characters. Aromas of rosewater and musk, a fleshy palate of lychee and hints of citrus make a beautifully balanced and versatile wine.Winemaker Vanessa Bagot says: I love how this wine surprises and delights people who are trying it for the first time (which is almost everybody). It challenges people’s perceptions about sweetness – they taste a wine that they perceive as off-dry, but it has minimal residual sugar and the varietal characters create sweetness. In the vineyard, it’s a wonderfully resilient variety and the grapes taste exactly like the wine!
H. What is the ultimate food pairing for this wine and why?
VB. Goan prawn curry with coconut – the chilli, cumin, coriander, turmeric and ginger pair beautifully with this exotic white wine. Serve chilled in a tall and narrow glass.
RRP $30 | Drink to 2025 | barringwood.com.au
2021 Heirloom Vineyards Alcala Grenache
Darkish and purplish but with a youthful eye. There are aromas of dark soy, five spice, rice wine vinegar, cinnamon, musk, cardamon, balsamic, pastis and then English Christmas cake. Sharp and heightened aromatics but with depth to plumb below, and underplayed complexity. The palate is clean and clear. Acidity ushers everything in – round tannins that are miniature and everywhere. Dark berry fruits are cool, dry and savoury flavours and textures trip in as if all naturally intended.Winemakers Elena Brooks and Alexandra Haselich say: Grenache is a hearty variety that soaks up the flavours of soils it is grown on. This grenache is grown on deep soils in McLaren Vale, which can be generous, fruit forward, dense and complex. We use whole bunches (50 per cent) and French oak puncheons to add savouriness to our style – this creates balance between fruit purity, natural acidity and tannin structure.
H. What is the ultimate food pairing for this wine and why?
EB & AH. The purity and plushness of the fruit makes this wine so enjoyable. There’s plenty of potential for food pairings – this is the perfect red wine for old fashioned sweet and sour duck or pork. Try the 2021 with a crispy quail with a side of Asian slaw.
RRP $80 | Drink to 2031 | heirloomvineyards.com.au
2018 Zema Estate Coonawarra Shiraz
Aromas of spice, pepper, and a hint of leather with red fruits shining through. The palate is full and rich. There are savoury notes of olive and spice with attractive supporting oak in the background. Silky tannins produce a moreish finish.Winemaker Joe Cory says: Our Estate Coonawarra Shiraz is a vibrant expression of varietal flavour and the Coonawarra wine region. Before release we aged the wine in a bottle for two years to enhance the smoothness and drinkability. This wine is a true Coonawarra classic that will repay handsomely with cellaring for at least 10 years.
H. What is the ultimate food pairing for this wine and why?
JC. The 2018 works in harmony with rich and savoury flavours like roast beef, Mediterranean foods, and dark chocolate. Its bold tannins and acidity help to cut through the richness of the dishes, and the pepper notes in the wine complement and enhance the flavours of food. Our shiraz is best enjoyed around the dining table with friends and family, while engaging in a passionate story or two. This wine is drinking well now and it will continue to gain complexity. The 2018 offers excellent cellaring potential – like all Zema Estate wines – our tip would be to make sure you have another bottle handy!
RRP $29 | Drink to 2028 | zema.com.au
2022 Atlas Wines 172˚ Watervale Riesling
Very pale with green hues. Delicately lifted floral and lemon aromas with hints of wet river stones and flint. The palate is zesty and concentrated with lime, grapefruit and green apple fruit flavours that are supported by briny texture and a fine acid backbone. A delicate and reserved expression of the vineyard from an excellent year that will only improve with time.Winemaker Adam Barton says: The exceptional 2022 vintage in the Clare Valley resulted in incredible natural acidity, which makes this wine a standout. We’ve been making this wine for a decade now, so seeing the excitement in the winery when this was being created was special.
H. What is the ultimate food pairing for this wine and why?
AB. The 2022 is delicious with a baked King George whiting with lime, ginger and garlic. As a delicately flavoured fish, King George whiting pairs perfectly with the equally as delicate Atlas 172˚ Watevale Riesling. Serve slightly chilled at around 10–12 degrees.
RRP $29.99 | Drink to 2040 | atlaswines.com
