Tasting Notes for the Evening's Pairings
At this delicious dining event we showcased five magnificent wines, one with each course, to ensure that all the food had beautiful wine pairings to match its scrumptiousness! Here’s a handy reminder of the wines we all enjoyed; you can purchase them by following the links in the headings.
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Mac-N-Chini – Sparkling Rosé, Chile
To kick things off, complementing the starter of a crispy panko-coated mac-n-cheese ball with marinara sauce is a light, bright Pinot Noir fizz from Undurraga, one of Chile’s most prestigious wineries. It offers abundant notes of fresh red berries combined with subtle floral hints of rose, with a crisp, bubbly, fresh acidity that will offset the creaminess of the mac-n-cheese. A delicious start!
Olive Tapenade – Vouvray Sec, France
The next course is a delicately seasoned Kalamata olive spread, perfectly accompanied by a locally-sourced sourdough bread. A stone-cold classic will be its ideal partner: the single vineyard 'Les Calcaires' from Domaine de la Rouletière has attractive aromas of apple, grape and vine peach complemented by mineral overtones. Beautifully balanced with a lively and persistent finish, its gently creamy texture will complement the salty, oily olives to perfection.
Pulled Pork Slider – Pinot Gris, New Zealand
Boston butt, cooked low and slow; meat so tender it melts in your mouth. Served on a brioche bun with mop sauce and house slaw, the Rockburn Pinot Gris from Central Otago is an absolute shoo-in to pair with it. Ripe peach, nectarine and pear aromas are backed by a hint of spice and a streak of minerality. The wine is off-dry with a rounded texture, and will melt into your palate as surely as the pork!
Beef Short Rib – Zinfandel, USA
Red meat and red wine – a match made in heaven when done right! This dry-rubbed and smoked beef short rib is served on a bed of creamy garlic mashed potato, with gravy and braised cabbage, and deserves something equally rich and indulgent alongside it: enter the Maggio Old Vine Zinfandel! It's deep and decadent, showing ripe black fruit flavours with subtle jam and chocolate overtones. Gentle on the palate with a subtle, smoky finish; perfect.
Trio of Mini Desserts – Botrytis Sémillon, Australia
Into the realm of sweetness we delve, and we're all in: a New York cheesecake, Bajan rum cake and passionfruit pavlova, all alongside a sumptuous sweet wine? Yes please! This luscious, Sauternes-style noble rot wine from New South Wales is intense and honeyed, with layered aromas of orange rind and apricot. The palate brings notes of almond biscotti which carry through to a beautifully balanced finish enhanced by toasted notes and subtle spice – the perfect amount of complexity to balance with the multifarious flavours of these desserts. What a finish!