Ox cheek (again) and Jumilla

I know I talked about ox cheek a couple of weeks ago (with nero d’avola) but here it is again in an even better combination with Jumilla at a lunch hosted by wine importers Morgenrot at Bar 44 in Bristol.

Jumilla, for those of you who are not familiar with it, is a full-bodied red from the south-east of Spain based on the monastrell (mourvèdre) grape. This wine was the 2016 Goru 38 Barrels, a blend of monastrell and cabernet sauvignon. You can buy the 2015 version from Ake & Humphris in Harrogate.

What was clever about the match - part of a six course lunch in which all the pairings were really well thought out - was that it involved three elements that played to the rich almost porty sweetness of the wine: the braised ox-cheek which was cooked in red wine, calçots (which are basically young leeks and have a natural touch of sweetness) and an unctuously creamy cauliflower purée. Sipped alongside these rich, sweet and savoury ingredients (there was also a slice of aged sirloin) the Jumilla kicked beautifully into touch.

Given the other good matches which you’ll find on the site, it suggests that ox cheek (or tail for that matter) is the perfect match for the strong sweet reds that are so popular right now. And for other mourvèdres.

Try this delicious José Pizarro recipe for ox cheek