Match of the Week

Match of the Week is a classic food and drink combination or a less conventional one that's recently inspired me. Most will be based on wine but some will involve beer, spirits, cocktails or other drinks.

It's just intended as a quick, stimulating thought rather than a long explanation. For a more in-depth approach check out Top Wine Matches and Wine Pairing Tips and Techniques

Recent articles

Ribs, bourbon and picklebacks Jan 30, 2012: It’s not often these days that I hit on a totally new discovery but this combination at the newly opened Pitt Cue Co, a southern American-style ribshack is the business.

Dim sum and champagne Jan 23, 2012: A very Western approach to Chinese food, admittedly, but if you're celebrating Chinese New Year today with a dim sum lunch you'll find that champagne - or other sparkling wine - makes a perfect pairing

Bacon, egg and claret Jan 16, 2012: You might think the idea of eating bacon and egg with a serious red Bordeaux is sacrilege but bear with me.

Sea bass rillettes and Joseph Burrier Macon-Vergisson 2007 Jan 9, 2012: One of the most reliable wine matches is white fish with white wine and cream and/or butter and white burgundy - one of those blissful combinations that actually makes the wine taste better than it otherwise would.

10 year old tawny with bitter chocolate and malt tart with salted caramel ice cream Jan 2, 2012: I was hoping for an interesting pairing from the last meal of the year and wasn't disappointed.

Roast turkey and Chivite Coleccion 125 reserva 2001 Dec 26, 2011: A bit of a departure with the turkey this year - a magnum of Chivite Coleccion 125 we unearthed in a cellar sort-out the other day.

Stichelton (or Stilton) with Maury 1974 and Bristol Beer Factory Glenlivet-cask stout Dec 19, 2011: Two matches for the price of one this week - both killer pairings at our Christmas Cheese School last week

Duck with figs and Kooyong Ferrous Pinot Noir Dec 12, 2011: I know duck and pinot is a bit of a no-brainer but this was such a good dish and such a stellar wine that it's worth revisiting. (Coupled with the fact that some of you may be having duck for Christmas.)

South-east Asian seafood dishes and salads and aged Eden Valley riesling Dec 5, 2011: It was a tough call to find a match of the week this week - there have been so many but I'm picking three dishes from a meal I had at a brilliant south-east Asian restaurant in Tanunda called Ferment Asian

Wagyu beef steak and Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay Nov 28, 2011: It showed great confidence to choose a restaurant on the basis that it was near my hotel rather than the fact that it prepared food they knew would go with the wines. Chardonnay and Cabernet are not the obvious matches for Chinese food . . .