Each week I come up with a possible food match for each of the four wines of the week that feature here. Most of them I have tried out and enjoyed; others are the product of my fertile imagination. But what do winemakers eat with their own wines? After all, they know them inside out, and probably drink them several times a week. This week, I asked four producers from four different countries to reveal their favourite food and wine matches.
Germán Blanco makes wine in three regions of Spain; Bierzo, Ribera del Duero and Rioja. Germán chose his Rioja Bicicleta, a delicious, refreshing, fruit-filled wine. This wine is unoaked and very unusually has 20 per cent of the white grape Viura included, to give it aroma and freshness. In this it succeeds.
He says “La Bicicleta Voladora 2018 is a light, fresh and fluid wine that we frequently drink at home. We especially like to combine it with pasta and a crunchy chorizo and tomato sauce.” He said they cooked the tomato sauce on a low heat for 30-40 minutes, then served with spaghetti, topped with crisp grilled chorizo.
Moving over to Italy, Matteo Sega of Barbacan writes that his favourite combination is his Rosso di Valtellina served with tagliatelle al ragù as this reminds him of his nonna Erina making it for the all family on a Sunday morning. His grandpa would go out to pour a carafe of young and fresh rosso directly from the cask.
Matteo took over the estate from his father a few years ago. Located high up in the Alps, the vineyards are on very steep slopes with traditional terraces where everything is done by hand.
Denise Desvignes is a sixth generation grower in Beaujolais, producing a wide variety of wines, including several crus, the top wines of Beaujolais. This region produces some of the most food-friendly wines of all.
Moulin-à-Vent is one of the more structured and tannic crus, so I wasn’t surprised that when Denise Desvignes, wife of Didier, wants to show off the domaine’s Moulin-à-Vent, she serves a rare roast of beef, a beef stew, or alternatively carpaccio of beef. All three sound very good to me.
I have very happy memories of tasting the Pittnauer wines alongside superb Austrian tapas created by Brigitte Pittnauer, an accomplished cook. Her husband Gerhard suggested Erdäpfelgulasch, a traditional Austrian potato goulash that includes beef soup, sour cream, garlic, onion, paprika and cumin.
La Bicicleta Voladora 2018, Rioja
13%, €17.95
A fresh vibrant aromatic Rioja brimming with juicy pure dark fruits, made even more gluggable by a palate-cleansing acidity and an easy rounded finish. Drink it by itself or with the pasta dish above.
From Baggot Street Wines, Dublin 4, baggotstreetwines.com; Clontarf Wines, Dublin 3 clontarfwines.ie; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock, jusdevine.ie; Fallon & Byrne, Dublin 2, fallonandbyrne.com; Listons, Dublin 2, listonsfoodstore.ie
Pitti 2016, Weingut Pittnauer, Burgenland, Austria
13%, €19
This is a delightful, exuberant, wine overflowing with clean refreshing brambly fruits. A great all-rounder. Drink it with red or white meat dishes.
From Baggot Street Wines, Dublin 4, baggotstreetwines.com; Blackrock Cellar, Blackrock, blackrockcellar.com; Clontarf Wines, Dublin 3 clontarfwines.ie; Drinkstore, D7, drinkstore.ie; Eleven Deli, Greystones, Elevendeli.ie; Ely Wine Store, Maynooth; elywinebar.ie; First Draft Coffee & Wine, Dublin 8, Firstdraftcoffeandwine.com; Green Man Wines, Dublin 6, greenmanwines.ie; Higgins, Clonskeagh, Higginsfflicence.ie; Mitchell & Son, Dublin 1, Sandycove, and Avoca, Kilmacanogue & Dunboyne, mitchellandson.com; Wine Pair, D8; SIYPS.com
Moulin-à-Vent Les Charmes 2014 Didier Desvignes
13.5%, €24.95
An utterly charming wine with silky-smooth dark fruits held together by a maturing soft tannic structure. Drink it with all things beefy, although it is soft enough to go nicely with white meats and even fish.
From Le Caveau, Kilkenny, lecaveau.ie; MacGuinness Wines, Dundalk, dundalkwines.com
Rosso di Valtellina 2017, Barbacàn
12.5%, €28
Sappy, concentrated and lively with layers of red fruits and herbs with lovely spicy bite. A beautiful, moreish wine. Serve cool. It's made for ragu.
From SIYPS.com; Sheridan's Cheesemongers, Dublin 2, Kells, Co Meath, Galway, sheridanscheesemongers.com; Ely Wine Store, Maynooth; elywinebar.ie; Green Man Wines, Dublin 6, greenmanwines.ie; Blackrock Cellar, Blackrock, blackrockcellar.com
