It’s easy to reduce wine pairings to the most basic terms: red wine with meat and white wine with fish. We’ve gone a little deeper to discover the perfect wine pairings for some of our favourite recipes on the website to help you partner up these dishes when cooking them at home, no sommelier necessary!
PINOT NOIR
Perfect pairing: Grilled Onglet of Irish Beef, Sautéed Wild Mushroom, Pancetta, Potato Puree and Red Wine Sauce
Light-bodied, but still retaining depth of flavour, Pinot Noir is generally a safe choice when choosing a wine that will work with your food. However, it pairs particularly nicely with dishes that include earthy flavours, like mushrooms, as this will bring out the fruity notes in the wine.
CHAMPAGNE
Perfect pairing: Salt Beef Brisket with Capers and Gherkins
Although generally considered an aperitif, rather than a wine to drink alongside a meal, the subtle sweetness of champagne makes it extra-refreshing and complimentary when served alongside salty foods.
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Perfect pairing: Blackened Sirloin Steak with Salted Caramel Onions and Parsley Salad
The full-bodied, peppery character of the Cabernet Sauvignon makes it an ideal partner to juicy red meat. Go bold with both the wine and the food, as the firm tannins will refresh the palate after each bite.
DRY ROSÉ
Perfect pairing: Rare roast beef pizza with Cashel Blue and pumpkin
Although for some, Rosé is a wine to be quaffed only when on holiday, a rosé can in fact provide the perfect pairing to many homecooked dishes at any time of the year. Select a dry variety, such as a Pinot Noir or Tavel Rosé, to go well with rich, cheesy dishes.
MALBEC
Perfect pairing: Smothered Sticky Barbecue Short Ribs
This full-bodied red, most commonly grown in Argentina, has dark fruit flavours and a smoky finish. It can stand up to stronger flavours, and works especially well with sweet and spicy barbecue sauces.
SYRAH
Perfect pairing: Moroccan beef tagine served with fresh green couscous
If your dish contains a lot of spices and seasoning, aim to pair with a wine that contains similarly spicy notes. Syrah, a wine loaded with flavour and a spicy aftertaste, perfectly fulfils this requirement.