Rounded, mellow and mature, Yalumba’s reds make for perfect pairings with gently spicy foods
Australia’s oldest family-owned winery also has a well-deserved reputation as one of the country’s most contemporary producers, with a superb range of wines that reflect the quality of Yalumba’s Barossa and Eden Valley homelands, plus the long-established Coonawarra region and the more recently fêted Wrattonbully.
With a plethora of old vines and some of the best vineyards at her disposal, head of winemaking Louisa Rose’s signature style of crafting complex wines, combining fruit purity and elegance of expression with concentration and depth, is apparent across the entire Yalumba portfolio. This combination of fresh fruit richness and quite full-bodied styles, with ripe, rounded tannins in the reds, means these wines pair well with the bolder flavours and often spicy background of much modern British cooking.
With this in mind, Square Meal asked Laurent Chaniac (right), head sommelier at London’s Cinnamon Club, to pick three favourite pairings of Yalumba wines from his list with dishes from chef Vivek Singh’s outstanding modern Indian menu.
“High acidity can raise the perception of spicy heat,” says Chaniac, “while warmer-climate wines that have riper fruit and rounder tannins match more readily with gentle spices, which is why these wines work so well in complementing these dishes.”
Yalumba The Reserve Cabaret Sauvignon and Shiraz
Paired with: Smoked saddle of Romney Marsh lamb with corn and yoghurt sauce, pilau rice
“The corn in the sauce is naturally sweet, and the dominant spice is clove, which generates a delicate heat. This mature wine, with its structured Barossa Cabernet and spicy Shiraz, meets the sweetness of the tandoor-cooked meat, which in turn reinforces the richness of the wine, so it sits well with the delicate heat of cloves.”
Yalumba FDR1A Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz
Paired with: Sorpotel of Iberico pork presa with Goan spiced pork dumplings, steamed wine rice cake
“Goan spices are reasonably hot and it’s the richness of this wine’s fruit that has the ability to deal with that heat, with really rounded, polished tannins and a freshness that helps to tune down the heat of that spice.”
The FDR1A Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz is now available by the glass at The Cinnamon Club via the Coravin system
Yalumba The Octavius Old Vine Shiraz
Paired with: Roast loin of Oisin red deer with pickled baby root vegetables, black stone flower reduction
“The sauce is onion based, again with natural sweetness, and this, plus the richness and leanness of the meat, matches beautifully with the concentration of this hundred-year-old vine wine, mellowing its power, which in turn allows it to balance the dish’s spices.”
This article was published 9 September 2015