Category: Media

Bay Radio’s Sunday Brunch Wine Recommendations

Steak Diane
 
Beef is usually happy with most red wines including some deeply flavoured and oaked examples, as long as the wine flavour doesn’t take over the flavour of the meat.
 

Noelle, or Diane? I'm confused, blimey this wine's good!

However we also have to consider here the influence of the Brandy and Cream as well as the Dijon Mustard. In fact it’s the Dijon that allows us to choose red wines of a slightly tannic nature as this French mustard negates any negative tannin effects.

 
I think the best match for this dish will be a red wine with some oak ageing made from the ‘bridesmaid’ Bordeaux variety, Cabernet Franc. However I only know of one 100% Cabernet Franc and this is from Noelle’s favourite DO Penedés Bodega, Bodegas Avgvstvs!! (as in the Emperor!).
 
An alternative, and a mighty good one at that, would be Bodegas Enrique Mendoza’s Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Rosa.
 
Salud!

Bay Radio – Sunday Brunch Wine Recommendations!

Chorizo Chicken & Chickpeas:
 
As we’ve said before, chicken is very wine friendly and isn’t proud – it is happy to share the table with all colours and most styles of wine. So it’s the highly flavoured chorizo that we have to deal with in this dish. A young red from Navarra, where Garnacha is the predominant variety in the blend, would suit it quite well.
 

Sunday Brunch Presenters, Noelle and Bob, enjoying the recommended wines!

However, the chilli included in the recipe would emphasise and noticeable tannin, making the wine harsh and therefore detracting from the dish as a whole.

 
It might be better, therefore, to go for a Rosado – same place and same grape variety or maybe from Rioja where Tempranillo may also be involved. Spain is home to some excellent rosado wines which are often well under 10€ a bottle, so I think that I’d go for this.
 
Salud!

Bay Radio’s Sunday Brinch Programme

Quick Lamb & Spinach Curry
 
This recipe is a real challenge – thanks Noelle! There are so many flavours happening in this dish, which individually would require different style wines, that it is difficult to come up with a ‘catch-all’ wine.
 
For example: generally we’d like red wine with lamb; but coconut milk based dishes are good with Sauvignon; Spinach is happy with fairly bland white wines; Chilli can relish (excuse the pun) the company of a fruit-driven, slightly spicy red, Spanish Syrah/Shiraz for example; and Curry is good with aromatic whites such as Viognier.
 
So I’m going to hedge my bets and give two white and one red wine recommendations! Red wine drinkers will be quite happy with young, un-oaked fruity Tempranillo. However I think white wine will go best and I’ll opt for either a Verdejo from DO Rueda or probably my favourite, Gewurztraminer from DO Somontano.
 
Salud!

BAY RADIO’S SUNDAY BRUNCH WINE RECOMMENDATION

Salmon and Potato Pie
 

Sunday Brunch Presenters Noelle & Bob

Salmon can partner really classy white wines so you can bring out some of your best slightly oaked Chardonnay when salmon comes calling. However as there is also potato and pastry involved here you’ll be pleased to know you don’t have to push the boat out re the cost of the wine.

 
I still think a judiciously oaked Chardonnay will be the best partner, Avgvstvs from DO Penedés will be perfect. Enate unoaked Chardonnay will also be excellent. However if you want to be a touch daring you may like to look for a rosado instead.
 
I often like to link the colours of wine and as Salmon has a pink tinge to it, rosado often works well. It has to be dry, though, and you can very occasionally find a slightly oaked rosé – this would be very good too.
 
Salud!