Manzanilla and tapas

I was reminded just how enjoyable this combination is the other day when I dropped by London’s latest tapas bar Barrafina and enjoyed a pre-dinner pick-up of a glass of Hidalgo with some al-i-oli and toast. The sharp tangy sherry was the perfect foil for the crisp toast and silky, garlic-flavoured mayo that accompanied it.

Manzanilla is the driest of Spain’s sherries. It’s made right on the coast in the small town of Sanlucar de Barrameda which gives it an almost salty flavour. It should be served freshly opened and well chilled. (It’s better to buy in half bottles than full size ones so you can finish it within a couple of days) It will go with any kind of tapa - roasted almonds, olives, slices of chorizo, wedges of tortilla and any kind of crisply fried fish as well as the more ambitious creations that they serve at Barrafina such as Tuna Tartar and Grilled Chicken with Romesco Sauce.

Barrafina, which is at 54 Frith Street in Soho, is the latest enterprise from brothers Sam and Eddie Hart who opened the very successful Fino a couple of years ago. It’s a tiny place, as many authentic tapas bars are - just a counter (if a very posh counter) with seating and standing along the side. There’s no booking which is a refreshing change in these days of 2 month waiting lists. Good for a pre-theatre drink.

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Thai beef salad and off-dry Riesling

It’s easy to get stuck in the trap of thinking red wine is the only accompaniment for meat, especially red meat but in these days of multi-cultural eating that’s not necessarily true. And a good case in point is a Thai beef salad with its zingy, hot/sour flavours which influence the match much more than the beef does.

An off-dry Riesling is a much better bet than a red, adding a freshness and vibrancy to the pairing instead of a jarring note. Surprisingly even mature Rieslings can hold their own. We once paired a nine year old Von Hovel Oberemmeler Hutte Riesling Spätlese with a Thai beef salad at a Decanter tasting and it was the star of the show. New Zealand Rieslings, which tend to be slightly more floral than South Australian ones, also make a good pairing.

If you’re not a Riesling fan a good zesty New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc will hit the spot as will the ever-flexible weissbier or witbier.

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Which wines - or beers - do you like best with Thai food? Do let me know what you think.

Scrambled eggs and sparkling wine

If your New Year breakfast today includes eggs, especially brunch-type dishes such as scrambled eggs with smoked salmon or eggs benedict there’s no better partner than Champagne or other dry sparkling wine.

The bubbles deal with the one of the perceived problems with matching eggs and wine - the way the runny yolk coats the palate and can make still dry whites taste thin and sharp.

But it’s not just the bubbles: the crisp, refreshing quality of sparkling wine is just want you want with a dish like eggs. Sparkling Chardonnays and blanc de blancs Champagnes work particularly well because of their creaminess. You can also mix your bubbly 50/50 with freshly squeezed orange juice for a restorative and slightly healthier Bucks Fizz.

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Foie gras and Sauternes

While I no longer eat foie gras myself (as explained here) for the French there is no other way to celebrate the réveillon, or New Year’s Eve.

Usually the foie gras is served cold, on its own or as a terrine and the lush, sweet lemon and honey flavours of the wine acts as a perfect counterpoint to the super-smooth texture and otherwise slightly cloying flavour of the foie gras.

Can you pull off the same trick with other dessert wines? To some extent yes. Other sweet Bordeaux such as Cadillac and Loupiac or sweet wines from around the Bordeaux region like Monbazillac are pretty good but they don’t have quite the intensity of Sauternes - or the impact when you put the bottle on the table. You can also partner foie gras with similar wines such as a late-harvest Semillon or Sauvignon.

The only downside is having to start a meal with a sweet wine which is not to everyone’s taste. An alternative would be to serve a mature reserve Chardonnay in which rich, buttery, caramelly notes have developed.