Alternative wine matches for lamb

The perfect match for lamb is red wine, right? Well, mostly but not always as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's recipes in the Guardian this weekend and my own recent experience have demonstrated

I cooked a leg of lamb, Indian-style on Friday night, an adaptation of a Madhur Jaffrey recipe. It was smothered in a spicy yoghurt marinade and accompanied by side dishes of a dry cauliflower and potato curry and spiced green beans and proved a terrific match with a Chivite Gran Feudo rosado from Navarra.

With Hugh's Greek-inspired Braised Lamb with Stuffed Vine Leaves with garlic, lemon and mint I'd chose a sharply flavoured white for preference - an unoaked Assyrtiko or a citrussy Sauvignon Blanc from South Australia

With his Barbecued, Butterflied Leg of Lamb, admittedly I would revert to a red. The recipe contains a generous amount of Pomegranate Molasses which would give the dish an exotic sweet flavour that would best be matched by a fruity Cabernet Sauvignon from say, Coonawarra or Chile. Or a ripe New Zealand, Californian or Oregon Pinot Noir

But his Lamb Chops with Anchovies and Garlic could easily take a strong dry rosé again - I'd suggest the Gran Feudo again (which is currently 20% off in Oddbins) or a southern French rosé from the Rhone or Languedoc.

If you haven't already made the deduction the time to reach for a rosé or white is when lamb is marinated with something acidic like yoghurt or lemon juice both of which can make a full-bodied red taste over-jammy and too 'hot' for summer drinking.

10 top Canadian wine pairings

One of the most impressive aspects of my visit to Toronto last week was the fact that almost every restaurant suggested a well chosen wine pairing against the dishes they served. Here are the ones that stood out for me:

White wines
There’s some good Chardonnay and Pinot Gris/Grigio in Canada but Riesling was the stand-out grape for me

Canoe ‘raw bar’ with Charles Baker Picone Vineyard Riesling 2007, Vinemount Ridge Ontario
Canoe’s ‘raw bar’ is by no means a standard seafood platter but full of inventive twists which made the choice of this delicious crisp, minerally riesling quite perfect. Standout components were some stunning oysters, scallop ceviche with horseradish, tuna tartare with pickled daikon, lobster with buckwheat noodles and cured sardines served ceviche style with a spiced apple confit

Yucatan Hot and Sour Soup with Fenwick Farms Smoked Chicken and Goji Berries with Thirty Bench Small Lot Riesling 2007 (Nota Bene)
Soup is notoriously difficult to pair, a spiced broth even more so but this partnership with an off-dry appley riesling (also paired successfully with Grilled Jail Island ocean trout with a rice paper roll of microgreens and herbs at Annona) was spot on.

Crisp Quebec sumac-dusted duck salad with green papaya slaw with Fielding Estate riesling (Nota Bene)
I’ve already picked this out as my match of the week. A stunning combination of a zesty Asian-inspired salad with a crisp citrussy riesling.

Butter-poached Nova Scotia lobster with cauliflower pure with 2007 Norman Hardie Chardonnay from Prince Edward County (Nota Bene)
Lobster and chardonnay is of course a classic pairing and this was definitely more than the sum of its parts, the chardonnay counterpointing a wickedly rich dish, the lobster and butter sauce accentuating the elegance of the wine and highlighting its citrus character.

Northern Rainbow Trout with fingerling potato salad and herb veloutwith Reif Estate reserve Chardonnay 2006 (cooked by Dylan McLay of The Epicurean on Niagara-on-the-Lake)
It was also to be expected that this combination would work but again it was well executed. A nicely crisped salmon trout fillet with a rich, herby sauce and a touch of mustard bacon all helped mellow and refine a broad-shouldered Chardonnay.

Arctic char gravlax with Meyer lemon relish and crme fraiche with Jackson Triggs Sauvignon Blanc ‘07 (Frank at the AGO)
Potentially a difficult pairing. A powerful lemon flavour in a dish can cancel out a similar flavour in a wine but this fresh, citrussy Sauvignon held its own. (The relish was a delicious accompaniment for a gravlax - worth trying)

Red wines
Canadian reds, especially Pinot Noir still have some way to go in my opinion before they reach the level of their New World counterparts so surprisingly it was two Meritage pairings that got my vote

Charcoal BBQ Alberta Kobe with sherry consomm, green asparagus and tiny potatoes with 2006 Laughing Stock Portfolio Red, a cult Meritage blend from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia (Annona, Park Hyatt)
Cabernet and beef is a bit of a no-brainer, of course but this dish was lighter than you might have imagined from the description and very skilfully handled.

Chili crusted venison with sweet potato pure, roasted beets, feta cram and devilled egg yolk with a 2005 Meritage Blend from Fielding Estate, Niagara (C5)
A very different Meritage pairing at C5 at the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum). A graceful wine (rather than a blockbuster) which held its own with an interesting and complex dish with cleverly balanced savoury, sweet and earthy elements

Sweet wines
I’d always thought of ice wine as better drunk on its own that employed in a pairing but was surprised to find how well it partnered a range of different desserts

Sticky toffee pudding and Fielding Estate Ice Wine 2007 (Jamie Kennedy at the Gardiner)
I would never have thought of pairing ice wine with sticky toffee pudding which shows that you never stop learning. I would have thought it would be an over-sickly combination and that the rich hot sweet sauce would have overwhelmed the wine. Not so at all. Its terrific acidity kept its character intact and lent a refreshing citrussy edge to the combination.

Apple mascarpone trifle with Henry of Pelham 2007 Riesling Icewine (Eric Peacock of Wellington Court at Henry of Pelham)
Another great combination of a creamy, appley dessert with a lovely fresh citrussy icewine. Shrewd observation from marketing director Daniel Speck who led the tasting “A sweet wine should be more like biting into a piece of pineapple than a spoonful of honey” Spot on.

10 top Austrian dry whites - a personal pick

Continuing our series where guest wine writers pick their top wines from the major London wine tastings here are wine writer David Furer’s favourite whites from the recent Wines of Austria tasting, together with his suggested food pairings.

David writes: The following list is by no means exhaustive, only a tiny snapshot of the many terrific wines available in the UK which I tasted the annual February tasting of Wines from Austria in London

Brndlmayer Riesling Heiligenstein Alte Reben Niedersterreich 2005
32 Richards Walford 01780 460 451 www.r-w.co.uk
US: Michael Skurnik Wines www.skurnikwines.com
In the charming Kamptal wine village of Langenlois rests one of Austria’s best-distributed family wine labels. Willi Brndlmayer’s production is culled from a relatively large estate, 70ha owned and 12ha rented. The estate’s dedication to the use of old wood and avoidance of malolactic conversion reflects that of his close friend and colleague, Schloss Gobelsburg’s Michael Moosbruger. This earth-, honey- and fruit-layered riesling is a classic. Its minerally structure braces the understated fruit and finishes both long and complex. Suits the fresh salmon marinated in chive-infused oil with radish sprouts at Fred Loimer’s Loisium restaurant.

Birgit Eichinger Grner Veltliner Hasel Kamptal 2007
10 Armit Wines 020 7908 0600 www.armit.co.uk
US: Weygandt-Metzeler www.weygandtmetzler.com
I first took notice of Frau Eichinger’s clean and straight wines (stainless steel and added yeasts are the rule here) at last year’s Austrian tasting. While it was a noble 2006 riesling which then intrigued me it was a far more accessible gv from less-favored loess soils which delighted me last month. Concentrated dried yellow fruits with a powerful and long high-acid finish. She recommends this with sea bass sashimi drizzled with yuzu sauce such as she tried the previous evening at London’s Zuma restaurant.

Johann Donaubaum Riesling Bergterrassen Smaragd Wachau 2006
28 Novum Wines 020 7820 6720 www.novumwines.com
US: Monika Caha Selections www.mcselections.com
The Wachau’s current wunderkind fashions wines from his 5ha in the Spitzer side valley. He eschews botrytis, preferring his wines to be “a window into the soil.” His dry wines yield approximately 20hl/ha, a meagre measure by any standard other than that for noble sweet wines. Formerly only sold in the family pub along with all Donaubaum’s wines, his top riesling has an understated nose of green appple and dried peach. Filigreed, medium body, with a hint of warmth on the long and earthy finish. His suggested wine match is steamed freshwater fish with mildly-seasoned green vegetables, better to emphasize the mineral purity in the wine.

Jurtschitsch-Sonnhof Grner Veltliner Kferberg Niedersterreich 2007
24 Awin Barratt Siegel Wine Agencies 01780 755810 www.abswineagencies.co.uk
US: Wein-Bauer www.weinbauer.com
Once a most traditional Austrian estate, the Jurtschitsch family are now no strangers to innovation (their 22nd edition of the trademarked ‘GrVe’ wine is now available); the three working generations are now converting to full organic production. I’m rarely one for oak on my gvs but this is the exception proving the rule. The oaky blast on the nose carries through to the palate then is quickly ushered away by layers of spices and fresh yellow fruits. Would be delicious accompanying a summer lunch of oak-grilled chicken & veggies with a side of creamy curried cabbage salad.

Loimer Riesling Steinmassl Niedersterreich 2007
32 Liberty Wines 020 7720 5350 www.libertywine.co.uk
US: Vin di Vino www.vindivino.com
Fred Loimer’s slick ‘Loisium’ restaurant, hotel, and Wine World museum cum wine playland allow him a grand stage to play around with wine & food pairings. He grows biodynamically and Loimer is one of Austria’s great proponents of screwcapped wine. It’s not often one encounters a wine stinking of cannabis but this one puts me squarely in the mind of my native California’s most important cash crop. Medium-bodied with a big, minerally finish, try this with freshwater fish like pike-perch (zander) or mountain trout (saibling) in a saffron-cream sauce.

Nikolaihof Wachau Riesling Steiner Hund Wachau 2003
30 Richards Walford 01780 460 451 www.r-w.co.uk
US: Michael Skurnik Wines www.skurnikwines.com
Although the Saahs family have resided here only 110 years, the Nikolaihof is Austria’s oldest continuously inhabited building at over 2000 years. The estate is comprised of 22ha solely planted to white varieties in Wachau and is noted for owner Christine’s early adherence to biodynamic viticulture. ‘Rocky Dog’ is a terraced, south-facing vineyard over the Danube they share with another vintner or two but this is the only one available on export. The booming, honeyed Riesling nose gives way to a heavy mineral palate with - considering the vintage - a remarkably fresh finish. Just beginning to unravel, this would be terrific with stewed veal in a cream-caper-shallot sauce.

Petra Unger Grner Veltliner Alte Reben Oberfeld Kremstal 2007
15 Fields, Morris & Verdin 020 7819 0360 www.fmvwines.com
US: Adventures In Wine www.adventuresinwine.com
“My wines reflect my dedication to nature and my passion for winemaking,” the Kremstal/Wachau winemaker is fond of saying. This gv was picked late, in early November, from a 45-year old loess vineyard, whole bunch-pressed, and fermented dry to 2g/l of residual sugar in stainless steel with no added yeasts. Reticent both on the nose and palate, it’s an earthy monster needing time to relax. The friendly Frau Unger recommended this with beef or duck glazed with moderately strong Thai spices.

Pichler-Krutzler Grner Veltliner Klostersatz Wachau 2007
15 Richards Walford 01780 460 451 www.r-w.co.uk
US: Weygandt-Metzeler www.weygandtmetzler.com
After doing time at the FX Pichler estate young Erich Krutzler struck out on own with his successful Marof project across the border in Slovenia, and with his wife Elisabeth Pichler-Krutzler. Their eponymous dual estate encompasses Burgenland for blaufrnkisch and Wachau for gv, pinot blanc, and riesling. This young gv, redolent of white currant and grapefruit with a notable minerally background, pairs beautifully with (slightly) sweet & sour pork.

Salomon Undhof Grner Veltliner Von Stein Reserve Kremstal 2007
22 Lea & Sandeman 020 7244 0522 www.londonfinewine.co.uk
US: Michael Skurnik Wines www.skurnikwines.com
“2006 will give us less but better wine, 2007 more but earlier-drinking wines,” declared Bertold Salomon of his family’s wines. “There is much to be gained by working closer with nature.” His decidedly open perspective, spurred by time spent at his Australian winery, has led him to introduce glass stoppers on some of his wines. During a visit I was lucky to taste his 1979 Riesling Reserve Kgl, still vibrant and juicy. The Vom Stein bottling at this 18th C. family estate is amongst the most representational gvs this country offers. This version has layered fruit and tea flavours with a fine mineral expression. The hint of honey on the finish gives a sense of concentration which helped Salomon to suggest this with leaf-wrapped, baked black cod or bollito misto.

Schloss Gobelsburg Riesling Zbinger Heiligenstein Kamptal 2007
15 Clark Foyster Wines Ltd. 020 8567 3731 www.clarkfoysterwines.co.uk
US: Michael Skurnik Wines www.skurnikwines.com
When a count of the world’s most restless winemakers is made Gobelsburg’s Michael Moosbruger invariably makes the cut. He works with six erstes gewchs on 40ha. Concerned with enough acidity to balance Austria’s fuller-bodied dry whites Moosbruger said “I think 2006 is one of the most exceptional years for Austria though 2007 was more ripe.” His top riesling rises from the glass with aromas of flowers and white peaches. A bit of fruit pops out on the palate before being buried under an avalanche of minerality. With its high-acid finish the cerebral winemaker recommended this wine with a slightly piquant lobster ceviche.

Californian David Furer is the author of Wine Places (MitchellBeazley, 2005), a contributing editor to the US restaurant magazinesSante and Sommmelier Journal and a contributor to Tom Stevenson’sannual Wine Report (Dorling Kindersley)

Image by Peter H from Pixabay 

10 top Australian wines: a personal pick

Food and wine writer Natasha Hughes picks the 10 wines that appealed to her most at the recent Australia Day tasting in London and suggests the ideal food match

Giant Steps, Sexton Vineyard Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, 2007 (15.95, O W Loeb 020 7234 0385)
Giant Steps, in my opinion, makes one of the best Chardonnays in the Yarra Valley. The 2007, with its sensitive oaking and clean, pure fruit, won’t be available in the UK for another year or so, but the 2006 (which has reached our shores) is a more than acceptable substitute. With a wine of this elegance, you don’t need culinary fireworks to get it to reveal its best – serve it with a simple roast organic chicken, perhaps with some roast vegetables, and allow it to speak for itself.

Tamar Ridge, Devil’s Corner Pinot Grigio, Tasmania, 2007 (9.49-9.99, Ellis of Richmond, 020 8744 5556; Amps Fine Wine, 01832 273 502; Sheridan Coopers, 01273 870 055; Corks Out, 01925 267 700)
Tasmania has already got a growing reputation for the quality of its Pinot Noir and its Riesling, but some producers are beginning to explore the potential of other aromatic white varietals, particularly – on the evidence of last week’s tasting at least – Gewurztraminer and Pinot Grigio/Gris. Like most Aussie Pinot Grigio/Gris, this version occupies the middle ground between the neutrality of Northern Italian wines made from the grape and richer examples from Alsace. It’s got a slight herbal twist to some clean, refreshing ripe pear fruit, and it should work nicely with a mildly spiced seafood dish – perhaps a Keralan prawn curry – as well as smoked salmon or eel.

Mesh, Riesling, Eden Valley, 2008 (12.50-16, Philglass & Swiggot, 020 7924 4494; Highbury Vintners, 020 7226 1347; Flagship Wines, 01727 865 309)
Mesh is a joint venture between two of South Australia’s most iconic winemakers, Robert Hill Smith and Jeffrey Grosset. The grapes for this wine are grown in the Eden Valley, and it shows all the region’s characteristically intense lime fruit, along with hints of peachiness and minerality. It should age well, developing a toasty, marmalade character over time, but I wouldn’t be able to keep my hands off it long enough for that to happen. I’d aim to drink my bottle this summer with some simply barbecued prawns, fresh off the griddle and tossed with a bit of chilli and a squeeze of lime juice. The 2008 hasn’t been shipped to the UK as of yet.

Suckfizzle, Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, Margaret River, 2005 (18.40, Alliance Wines, 01505 506 060)
Margaret River is a great source of Sauvignon/Semillon blends, the best examples of which provide competition for some of Bordeaux’s dry whites. Suckfizzle’s version has an intense nose full of grassy, herbaceous notes as well as citrus and gooseberry fruit. The palate reveals a flinty minerality, as well as a rich, creamy texture derived from the time the wine spends in oak. I’d be tempted to pair this with some white fish, perhaps something like bass or bream cooked with herbs, or even a turbot with a creamy sauce.

Mitchelton, Marsanne, Goulburn Valley, 2007 (11, Bibendum Wine, 020 7499 4110; Noel Young Wines, 01223 844 744)
Mitchelton’s Airstrip, a blend of Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier, is an absolute stonker, but I hadn’t tasted its single-varietal Marsanne until this year’s Australia Day tasting. While it’s less complex than its blended sister, it has plenty of attractive apricot, nut and honeysuckle flavour, as well as just enough creamy oak to flesh it out on the mid-palate. This rich but balanced white would be ideal with roast pork, especially if the pork was accompanied by some roast apricots.

Peter Lehmann, Futures Shiraz, Barossa Valley, 2006 (13.99 Oddbins, www.everywine.co.uk; Oxford Wine Company, 01865 301 144; Nidderdale Fine Wines, 01423 711 703)
Peter Lehmann’s Art Series range offers some of South Australia’s best value for money, and the top-of-the-range Stonewell Shiraz is an icon of the Barossa Valley. Somewhere in between, you’ll find the Futures Shiraz, which is a classic example of Barossan Shiraz. There’s plenty of ripe, sturdy plum and spice on the palate, along with a dark chocolate-tinged finish. The tannins are ripe and there’s just enough acidity to balance the whole thing out. While this would be terrific at a summer barbie, partnered with char-grilled lamb chops or steaks, it would also work well with the Sunday roast, especially if the roast in question was either lamb or beef.

S C Pannell, Nebbiolo, Adelaide Hills, 2006 (26.10-28.99, Liberty Wines, 020 7720 5350; Noel Young Wines, 01223 844 744)
Steve Pannell was chief winemaker for Hardy’s before going it alone as a consultant. Time spent working vintages in Piedmont inspired Pannell to try planting Nebbiolo in the Adelaide Hills and the resulting wine is the most successful version of a Nebbiolo I’ve tried outside of Italy. Riper than a standard Barolo, it shows great density of rosehip and cherry-perfumed fruit, as well as firm tannins that have a little less grip than their Italian cousins but still make their presence felt. I’d want to decant this wine for a couple of hours before drinking it with a haunch of beef or venison, cooked rare.

Yalumba, Bush Vine Grenache, Barossa Valley, 2007 (9-10.50, Highbury Vintners, as before; Flagship Wines, as before; Averys Wine Merchants, 08451 283 797)
Thanks to a history of fortified winemaking, the Barossa Valley’s vineyards are rich in old vine Grenache, much of which ends up in some of the region’s most sought-after cuves. This particular example represents decent value for money, and shows plenty of the pepper-tinged raspberry fruit that’s so typical of Grenache from the region. Luckily, however, it fails to tip over into the over-ripe boiled sweet end of the fruit spectrum, and shows great restraint and even a degree of elegance. It would work well with a dense, spicy beef stew – and might even be worth trying with roast gammon spiked with cloves.

Gemtree Vineyards, Bloodstone Tempranillo, McLaren Vale, 2006 (14, New Generation Wines, 01444 248 654)
Australia’s experimentation with ‘unusual’ (ie, non-French) varietals is beginning to bear fruit and McLaren Vale’s Gemtree Vineyards is understandably proud of its Tempranillo. A little riper than you might expect in a Spanish version, this wine tastes of mouth-watering blood plums and smoke, with a touch of spicy oak thrown in for good measure. The gently gripping tannins and lively acidity should help this wine cut through a Mediterranean lamb stew, cooked with tomatoes and herbs, or even a lamb tagine.

De Bortoli, Estate Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, 2007 (18.99, Oddbins)
Steve Webber is widely acknowledged as being one of the Yarra Valley’s star winemakers, especially when it comes to Burgundian grapes (he makes an annual pilgrimage to France to hone his techniques). His Estate Pinot Noir is silky and restrained, with an elegant purity of fruit. Once again, the vintage tasted is the one that will eventually succeed the one currently in stock (the 2006 in this instance). Either way, it would go down an absolute treat with roast duck, either cooked Western-style or the lacquered, shiny Peking version.

Image © Igor Klimov - Fotolia