Should a £3.99 wine be an award-winning food match?

The results of this year’s What Food, What Wine? competition were announced yesterday and, as in previous years, I’m sure eyebrows will be raised at some of the trophy winners.

The award-winning under £10 wine with mushroom risotto, for example was a £3.992011 Toscano Rosso from Aldi while Blossom Hill’s 2012 Winemaker’s Reserve Chardonnay - Blossom Hill! - scooped the top award as a match with chicken korma.

Critics of wine competitions will no doubt feel vindicated that professional tasters can’t tell their a*** from their elbow when judging wines blind but as a member of the judging panel myself - which also included four MWs and a couple of fellow wine writers - I can assure you that these matches worked. The winning wines might not all have been ones I would have chosen personally but they were ones that the majority felt went best with the dishes which were all prepared to home-cooked recipes by TV cook Jo Pratt.

The fact is - as I remarked last year - you don’t necessarily need an expensive wine to create a successful wine match. In fact sometimes it gets in the way. And the fact that you can indulge in a spot of wine matching whatever your budget is surely something to be celebrated? It shouldn’t be the exclusive province of those who can afford expensive bottles and posh restaurants.

Other interesting results from the competition:

* The most successful wines overall were Spice Trail White 2012* (£6.49) an inexpensive aromatic white which won two trophies (for Chicken Tikka Masala and stir-fried prawns) and De Bortoli’s 2008 Deen Vat 5 Botrytis Semillon which scored 5 stars with both apple pie and custard and Stilton. (Though the trophy for apple pie went to Brancott’s Letter Series B Late Harvest 2011)

* It was good to see an English sparkler do well: the 2010 South Ridge Cuvée Merrett won the over £10 trophy with fish and chips (Cono Sur, surprisingly picked up the gong for best under £10 wine with their sparkling brut)

* The under £10 trophy for shepherd’s pie - a new category this year - was won by Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 and the over £10 by Vidal’s 2010 Reserve Series Syrah (so much for red Bordeaux, my usual go-to match). Vidal also scooped the trophy for the best wine over £10 with stir-fried king prawns with their White Series riesling 2011. In fact New Zealand came top of the trophies’ table with 7 trophies compared to France’s 5, Chile’s 4 and Australia’s 3.

* No trophies were awarded for wines with chocolate roulade which maybe highlights the difficulty of matching wine with chocolate or for wines under £10 with Christmas turkey though the winning over £10 wine - Hurtado Reserva Pinot Noir 2011 - only just tipped that price point at £10.99.

The greatest disappointment of the competition this year was that the winning wines were quite similar in style to those that won the previous year which at least shows consistency in the judging but perhaps a lack of adventurousness among the wineries, importers and retailers taking part. Hopefully introducing some new food categories which don't have the previous year’s results to draw on for inspiration will rectify that.

You can find the full list of winners and 5, 4 and 3 star-rated wines on the What Food, What Wine? website.

* Frustratingly the 2012 vintage we tasted seems impossible to track down at the moment. Booth's may have it next month (September 2013)

Top food and wine matching experiences in the Cape Winelands

So sophisticated is the South African food and drink scene now that you can expect to find suggested wine pairings at practically every restaurant you go to but some wine farms have made even more of a feature of their skill at combining the two - a fun way of learning the art of matching food and wine.

I visited three during my recent visit, the most ambitious of which was at Creation in Hemel-en-Aarde whose owner Carolyn Martin has taken a keen interest in food and wine matching since the winery was opened in 2007. For a very reasonable R125 (£8.92) per person you can order a selection of ‘wine pairing canapés‘ to sit and nibble in their light, airy tasting room. (There’s also a vegetarian version).

The pairings are spot on, not only showing off the food but flattering the wines (by no means as common as you’d think) making the long drive up a dirt track to the winery well worthwhile (don’t worry, you will get there!).

Highlights for me were an aubergine and goats’ cheese cannelloni with the Creation Sauvignon Blanc (goats cheese and Sauvignon is a well-established pairing but the aubergine really made the flavours of the wine sing), Viognier with a chicken laksa-flavoured bite, wild mushrooms on polenta with the Creation Pinot Noir (always a reliable match) and - less expected - a chorizo empanadita with the Syrah. All delicious and really imaginative. They also offer a 'surprise' 4 course wine pairing for R180 (£12.89).

At La Motte in Franschhoek the Wine and Food Tasting Experience is just one of a number of experiences you can enjoy including an organic walk, historical walk and visit to the permanent Pierneef exhbition. (Pierneef was one of South Africa’s most celebrated artists.)

What I liked about this tasting, which just took top prize in the 2013 Drinks International Wine Tourism awards, was that it went into that the basic principles of food and wine pairing - what the main taste sensations are (sweetness, acidity, salt, bitterness and umami) and how different areas of the tongue can pick them up.

The thinking behind each of the pairings is also really well explained - for example that the acidity of tomatoes works with the acidity in Sauvignon Blanc and that the big tannins of Cabernet need fat to smooth them out.

Again the food is high quality - from the restaurant kitchen - giving you a good sense of what it would be like to pair the wines with dishes at home. You need to book ahead if you want to do the pairing which takes place on Fridays and costs R120 (£8.59)

Other wineries focus on one particular food. For example the innovative new Spice Route visitor centre in Paarl has a wine and chocolate pairing which features the artisanal De Villiers chocolate which is also made on the farm.

They’re really quite bold about this, pairing chocolate with dry white wines rather than sweet. (I didn’t expect it to work but the ripe gooseberry and tropical fruit flavours of the Spice Route Darling Sauvignon Blanc went surprisingly well with the citrus and raisin flavours of a 70% Madagascar chocolate bar. And the rich, brambly Mourvèdre was great with the berry flavours or a Venezuelan Caracas. I haven't always been convinced about this but plain dark chocolate and red wine really can hit it off. You can also attend a chocolate tasting in the Manor Farm building where they make the chocolate.

Spice Route’s neighbouring property Fairview, also owned by the enterprising Charles Back, offers a food and wine tasting too - in this instance with cheese from their famous herd of goats*. We ran out of time to visit it this time but you could easily take in both farms in a day.

You can also do a chocolate and wine tasting around the lovely Tuscan-style courtyard at Waterford in Stellenbosch. I’ll be adding more food and wine tasting experiences as I discover them.

*They also offer a Junior Cheese Masters experience which shows kids how to make cheese

20 food and wine pairings to learn by heart

Inspired by the recent spate of minimal ingredient cookbooks such as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s Three Good Things I thought it might be helpful to come up with 20 wine matches that are easy to remember and which pretty well everyone will enjoy.

Of course there will be exceptions - if you’re allergic to shellfish you won’t go for oysters but here, in no particular order, are the 20 I’ve found work time after time.

1 Sauvignon Blanc and goats’ cheese

A winning combination that comes as a revelation to those that think cheese only goes with red wine

2 Duck and Pinot Noir

Especially crispy duck. When you think how well duck goes with red fruits like cherries it all makes sense. Chilean pinot is the best value at the moment.

3 Oysters and Chablis

Whether it’s the traces of oyster fossils in the soil or simply that Chablis is the pure, clean accompaniment that undressed oysters need but it’s brilliant. (As are Muscadet and Picpoul to be fair)

4 Rioja and roast lamb (above)

True other medium-bodied red wines work well too but this is a favourite combination in the region and they should know.

5 Steak and Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet’s big tannins are miraculously softened by a chargrilled steak, making it taste smooth and velvety. Closely followed by steak and Malbec which some would hold is even better. Certainly if they come from Argentina!

6 Mushroom risotto and Pinot Noir

In fact almost any kind of mushrooms and pinot (which is what red burgundy is made from). The silkier and more special (and unfortunately the more expensive) the pinot the better.

7 Chardonnay and chicken with a creamy sauce

Chardonnay loves chicken especially when it’s served with an unfashionably creamy sauce or as chicken pot pie. Avoid very oaky styles though

8 Chianti and pasta with tomato-based sauces

Chianti has a sharp acidity that’s brilliant with acid tomatoes. Other Sangiovese-based Italian reds will work too

9 Chilled fino sherry and olives. Or almonds. Or jamon. Or tapas generally

You may be uncertain about the idea of drinking chilled sherry but I promise you it’s delicious. From a freshly opened bottle, please, not one that’s been kept since last Christmas!

10 German riesling and smoked fish

German riesling is fruity, flowery and refreshingly low in alcohol but also has a slight oiliness that makes it the perfect partner for smoked fish - especially smoked eel or trout - but see smoked salmon below

11 Smoked salmon and Sauvignon Blanc

Champagne may be match most commonly associated with smoked salmon but I personally prefer the zesty citrussy hit of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

12 Parmesan biscuits and champagne

Crisp parmesan biscuits - in fact warm cheesy canapés of any kind are ace with champagne. (As are crisps and chips but don’t tell anyone)

13 Parma ham and prosecco

There’s something immensely soothing about silky folds of parma (or San Daniele) ham and a glass of gently sparkling prosecco

14 Seared scallops and chardonnay

Seared scallops have a sweetness and creaminess that chimes in perfectly with oak-aged chardonnay such as white burgundy, especially if you accompany them with a Heston Blumenthal-style cauliflower purée. Gorgeous.

15 Seared tuna and light Loire reds

Look out for reds such as Saumur, Saumur-Champigny, Chinon and Bourgeuil and give them half an hour in the fridge. Totally delicious with a meaty tuna steak cooked on a ridged grill pan

16 Stilton and port

One of the great all-time classics. Almost any type of port will do - Late Bottled Vintage, vintage or 10 year old tawny (my own favourite). See this longer list of possible pariings here.

17 Chocolate and Maury

Dark chocolate and sweet red wine is a match made in heaven (think Black Forest Gateau!) Maury is an inexpensive port-style wine from the south of France - slightly less alcoholic than ruby port but with the same lovely brambly flavours

18 Strawberries and Sauternes

Sauternes is generally associated with foie gras and Roquefort, neither of which pairings I hugely enjoy. But give me some new season English strawberries and a bowl of cream and I’m in heaven.

19 Indian or Chinese food and off-dry rosé

Many still think that spicy Asian cuisines don’t work with wine but if you’ve never been convinced try a strong fruity rosé with a touch of sweetness. Except for . . .

20 Thai food and Pinot Gris

With its hot/sweet/sour flavours Thai food is challenging but Alsace Pinot Gris which generally has a touch of sweetness wins through.

Top image by Shebeko at shutterstock.com

Some food and wine pairing tips from What Food What Wine? 2012

I’ve just spent the past two days at What Food What Wine? tasting wine alongside dishes as disparate as smoked salmon and apple crumble, Stilton and steak and lasagne and lamb - a bit of an assault on the palate (and stomach!) but one of the best ways to work out what wine really works with your favourite recipes

It’s the second year of this groundbreaking competition which is fronted by popular TV presenters (and husband and wife) Susie and Peter of Saturday Kitchen. The big difference is that while the food may not be exactly the same as you’d serve it at home (roast turkey without sprouts and spuds? You must be joking!) the dishes have been devised by a proper home cook (TV chef Jo Pratt).

You’ll have to wait until the end of next month to find out which bottles we voted the trophy winners but in the meantime here are a few general observations and tips you might find useful:

* More expensive wines don’t necessarily make better food matches. Our judging categories were divided into under £10 and over £10 wines and sometimes the under £10 pairings were just as good

* Some classic wine matches stand the test of time, for instance roast lamb with Bordeaux-style reds and sweet or fortified wines with Stilton. On the other hand there are always new discoveries to be made - for instance how well Sauvignon Blanc pairs with smoked salmon. As good as champagne!

* Steak is not the breeze that everyone thinks it is. You really need to think about how it’s cooked. Serving it rare will smooth the rough edges off a rustic red or a very full-bodied tannic young wine which might taste a bit overpowering with a medium to well-done piece of meat. Lay off the ketchup if you don’t want to complicate things further - or at least leave it until you’ve tasted the wine with the steak

* In fact it always pays to taste a dish with a wine before you add extra seasoning or sauces. A citrussy white can do the same job as a squeeze of lemon, as we discovered with the fish and chips category.

* “You don’t want tannin with turkey” - a good observation from wine consultant Angela Mount. Think fruit, not oak when you come to buy your Christmas red - though an oaky white can conversely work quite well

* Wine pairings can have a different effect. Some will echo flavours and textures in a wine like the orangey dessert wine we tried with the Christmas pudding (yes, we had that too!). Others may provide a lighter, more refreshing contrast. It depends how adventurous you - and your guests - are. Complementary pairings tend to be less challenging than contrasting ones.

*There are always fascinating new discoveries to be made such as this year’s discovery that umami-rich parmesan can make some wines - whites in particular - taste almost sweet

* A home-made dish may need a slightly different wine from a shop-bought one. For example Jo’s delicious mushroom risotto had a strong flavour of porcini that proved a great match for Pinot Noir. A lighter, creamier one might pair better with a Chardonnay. If you want to get the best out of the award-winning wines use the recipes on the site (no great hardship there!)

I should make clear that I am a senior (paid) judge on What Food What Wine and that we have reciprocal links so obviously have an interest in its success. But I honestly think they're doing a terrific job in taking food and wine matching forward.