Searching for the perfect autumnal wine? Need to know which wine to pair together with your favorite consolation meals? Learn on for the best bottles out there, then try the greatest grocery store crimson wines to purchase.
Lengthy, darkish nights and chilly climate make us all crave consolation, and if we will match our favorite meals with a wine we all know we love, a lot the higher.
Strong, meaty dishes cry out for full-bodied reds, whether or not it’s an Argentinian malbec with steak and chips, or a basic rioja with cottage pie or a chorizo stew. In case you desire one thing lighter, corresponding to pinot noir or gamay, sausage and mash or mushroom risotto make very pleasant companions, as do earthy veggie dishes, particularly in the event that they comprise lentils. Medium-bodied Italian reds – chianti, montepulciano d’Abruzzo or maybe one thing punchy from Puglia – are no-brainers with pizza.
Assume much less about the primary substances and extra about the way in which they’re cooked while you’re pairing wine with meals. Fish when it’s merely grilled, or cooked en papillote within the oven, will go well with a brilliant and zesty white corresponding to sauvignon blanc or albariño, however for those who put it in a creamy fish pie or a buttery sauce, a frivolously oaked chardonnay or South African chenin blanc will make a a lot better companion. Each additionally go brilliantly with roast rooster, and are my go-to match with macaroni cheese.
Scorching and spicy meals is extra of a problem with wine – chilli can conflict horribly with tannin and oak in reds, whereas it strips out all of the flavour in delicate whites. I like unoaked, peppery reds corresponding to syrah (or shiraz because it’s additionally recognized) with most tomato-based curries, whereas fruity rosés and off-dry whites (attempt riesling, torrontés or gewürztraminer) are beautiful with rooster tikka masala or a Thai curry, and something flavoured with coconut, lemongrass, lime and ginger.
Dessert wines to search for embrace sauternes, candy tokaji or different late-harvest whites to go together with fruity tarts and crumbles, particularly in the event that they’re served with custard or cream; they’re additionally tremendous to sip alongside blue cheese, almond-flavoured biscuits or a slice of afternoon cake. I’ve not too long ago found how good chocolate is with Japanese umeshu plum wine, however it additionally goes very nicely with tawny port or slightly tot of rum.
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5 autumn pairing wines to attempt
Ramon Bilbao Rioja Crianza, £9, Tesco
Wealthy with autumnal flavours of blackberries, spice and a whiff of bonfire smoke, that is pretty much as good with a trusty spag bol as it’s with a veggie lasagne, and so many different issues moreover.
Weinhaus Sauvignon Blanc Kalkstein, £9.99, Waitrose
A cracking sauv blanc from Germany, recent and grassy with elderflower and gooseberry fruit. Unbelievable with roast scallops, or attempt it with celeriac shawarma.
Château Thieuley, Bordeaux Clairet 2021, £9.95, The Wine Society
Clairet is the title for Bordeaux’s deeply colored rosés, which go well with winter higher than their pale cousins from Provence. That is nice with grilled vegetable dishes, and is surprisingly good with an Indian takeaway.
Jackson Property Classic Widow Pinot Noir 2018, £17, Ocado
Prime-notch pinot noir from New Zealand for a special day. Delicate and herbaceous with crunchy crimson fruit and a few woody spice – the pork stomach with beans and pistou could be beautiful with it.
Torres Vina Esmeralda 2021, £9, Tesco
Off-dry mix of muscat and gewürztraminer, fragrant with scents of lychees and roses, this sits very well with Southeast Asian dishes. Attempt it with this sprout som tam.
