Understanding the style and where it’s from opens up an entire world of flavour. Wikimedia Commons

Fancy a glass of fresh lime zest, just-mown grass, or a hint of cat pee on a gooseberry bush? Or perhaps a mouthful of lanolin, a sip of buttered toast, or a few wet stones in your mouth for good measure?

Put like this, you most likely wouldn’t fancy any of them in the slightest, yet these are all classic aromas you might find in some of the finest and most popular wines made from sauvignon blanc and semillon. Alongside more inviting notes of passionfruit, grapefruit, pear, and white blossom, these wines are intensely aromatic, fresh and crisp, often steely and flinty. Beloved by wine fanciers everywhere, you might think such overtly expressive varieties would be difficult to match with food.

And yet, despite their sometimes challenging descriptors, sauvignon blanc and semillon are remarkably versatile at the table.

Sauvignon blanc

New Zealand’s Marlborough sauvignon blancs are instantly recognisable for their exuberant aromatics: passionfruit, lime, green capsicum, and that infamous hint of cat pee. Their piercing acidity and vibrant fruit make them ideal with raw seafood such as fish crudo or tuna tataki, and those with a slight hit of residual sugar make them particularly perfect with Vietnamese or Thai chilli-spiked and herb-laden dishes of fresh noodle salads or Mexican ceviche.

In Australia, Adelaide Hills sauvignon blancs are celebrated for poise and lifted citrus notes, excellent with lightly grilled yabbies, a Sriracha-laced fish cocktail taco, or a contemporarily retro prawn cocktail complete with crunchy iceberg lettuce. Orange in NSW produces intensely aromatic sauvignon blancs with flinty undertones and crisp acidity which work superbly with sashimi-style fish and deliciously crispy chilli salt squid.

In France, the Loire Valley’s Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé are elegant, mineral-driven wines, showing flint, citrus and subtle floral notes. These pair beautifully with goat’s cheese—Chabichou du Poitou is a favourite, or a warm grilled Crottin de Chavignol salad—or with freshly shucked oysters highlighting the clean, saline flavours (avoid the mignonette dressing, though: far too much acidity!) and spring salads of pea shoots and broad beans.

Skin-contact sauvignons—where the juice ferments with the grape skins—add aromatic exoticism, colour, texture and tannins, making them exceptional with spices: pumpkin curry or shawarma chicken, umami foods like miso-glazed eggplant and salty cheeses such as Reggiano, where the wine’s aromatic and textural complexities can truly shine.

Semillon

Hunter Valley semillon is a unique expression of the variety, often strikingly austere in youth, with lime, green apple and lanolin aromas, making it a precise match for seared scallops, tempura prawns, Sydney rock oysters (again—what doesn’t go with oysters?), or seared tuna. With age, it develops honeyed, waxy and nutty complexity, and will pair confidently with richer seafood—go crazy on the lobster mornay!—or creamy fish pie, or even roasted chicken with a sauce made with a splash of the wine.

Barossa semillon, on the other hand, offers a contrasting style: more textural, fruit-driven and citrus-led while retaining bright acidity, making it approachable in youth but still capable of developing honeyed richness with time. These wines are wonderful with BBQ prawns, lobster rolls, steamed prawn dumplings at yum cha, and caramelised aburi salmon nigiri.

Sauvignon blanc & semillon blends

Blends bring together sauvignon blanc’s lift and freshness with semillon’s weight and texture. Margaret River is Australia’s benchmark, producing vibrant, citrus-lifted blends that pair beautifully with local ocean bounty: mussels marinière, oysters, naturally, prawns on the skewer, or lightly spiced seafood dishes. With age, these wines gain honeyed, nutty and toasty notes, elevating wok-tossed crab, grilled whole baby barramundi or spice-dusted charcoal chook.

The Yarra Valley also produces some of Australia’s most refined white blends, combining purity, finesse and length. These wines—especially with a few years’ bottle age—can stand up to richer flavours, like the anchovy and garlic combo of bagna cauda with crudité vegetables, or fancy grilled lobster, whole fish baked en papillote. A salad Niçoise with grilled tuna, boiled potatoes and green beans would be a treat too.

In Bordeaux, semillon is almost always blended with sauvignon blanc (and often a touch of muscadelle). The dry whites of Pessac-Léognan are weighty yet lifted, perfect with a fillet of grilled snapper or pan-fried dory and buttery baby potatoes—think elegance on a plate without being stuffy.

Most sauvignon blancs—and most semillons, including those from Hunter Valley—see little or no oak, which makes them ideal partners for dishes with chilli, where acidity and fruitiness soothe the palate instead of clashing with spicy heat. Oak-influenced wines, like fumé-style sauvignon blancs, develop richer texture, gentle roundness, and notes of vanilla, tropical or ripe stone fruits, allowing them to handle more complex, gently spiced dishes such as Moroccan tagines or seafood claypots—just go easy on the chilli!

Sweet wines

The lusciously sweet wines of Sauternes are famously influenced by the humid mornings that create botrytis ‘noble rot’, a mould that shrivels grapes and concentrates sugar and flavour to produce richly sweet, golden wines. These have honeyed, apricot-like notes with a bright line of acidity. Australia’s famous takes on this style have the same playful, indulgent feel as Sauternes but with a sunnier twist. Traditionally paired with foie gras—let’s be honest though, most of us aren’t eating foie gras every day—more realistic companions might be apple tart tatin, poached pear with crème anglaise, or baked quince, letting the wine’s marmalade richness sing. Or, for an affordable foie gras substitute, chicken or duck liver pâté.

A world of flavour

Whether enjoyed as a single varietal or a blend, sauvignon blanc and semillon demonstrate that what might sound odd on paper—cat pee, wet stones, lanolin—translates into wines of grace, energy and remarkable adaptability. They’re wines that reward curiosity, inviting you to venture beyond the expected: from bright, razor-sharp styles that bring seafood to life, to textured, savoury examples that play beautifully with spice, and luscious sweet wines that can turn dessert into theatre.

Understanding the style and where it’s from opens up an entire world of flavour, one that encourages a sense of adventure, with playfulness and excitement in every glass. Go on, try!

December dining is about connection between people, between food and wine. Pexels

The festive season is upon us—that glorious stretch of late-year sparkle when the dining rooms are full, corks are flying, and someone always starts a round of bubbles before the mains hit the table. For those of us working the floor, it’s the best kind of chaos. The energy hums, the laughter carries, and every night feels like a small celebration.

And as the sommelier, I get a front-row seat to all of it—the triumphs, the stumbles, the surprises, and the joy that a perfectly chosen bottle can bring.

Here’s something I’ve learned after years of working the floor: the guests who have the best nights aren’t necessarily the ones who know the most about wine. They’re the ones who know how to delight their sommelier. And when that happens—when there’s a spark of trust and playfulness across the table—the whole night changes. The service loosens, the wine gets better, and suddenly it feels like everyone’s in on the same great secret.

So, as you head into party season, here’s my insider’s guide to making that magic happen.

Curiosity beats knowledge every time

You don’t need to be a wine expert to drink well. In fact, some of my favourite guests are the ones who admit “I don’t really know much, but I love crisp whites and light reds.”

That’s music to my ears. It tells me you’re curious and open. With just a few clues—what you’re eating, your mood, your budget—I can do the rest. My job isn’t to test you; it’s to translate your taste into something that’ll make your night.

In December, when everyone’s feeling festive and a little adventurous, curiosity is the best thing you can bring to the table.

You don’t need to impress me

This season can make people funny about wine lists. There’s always that table where someone wants to prove they know their burgundy from their barolo. But honestly? None of that impresses your sommelier. We’ve seen it all—the bluffing, the name-dropping, the dramatic sniffing and swirling.

What does impress me is authenticity. Say “We’re having steak and fish—what would you suggest that ties them together?” or “I want something special but not serious.”

That’s where the magic happens. When you invite me into the conversation, I get to do what I love most—connect the right wine to the right moment.

Trust me (and tell me the budget)

Trust is the currency of good service. When you tell me “We’d like something interesting around $120,” it gives me freedom. I can stop guessing what’s safe and start finding what’s perfect.

The festive season is when cellars get raided and rarities come out to play. If I know your price range and what you enjoy, I’ll reach for that bottle I’ve been saving for someone who’ll appreciate it—the left-of-centre gem that’ll light up your night.

I’m not trying to upsell you, I’m trying to surprise you. That’s the fun part.

Ask questions—you’ll get stories, not sales pitches

Every wine on the list has a story—and during the silly season, I’m in the mood to tell them. The family that still hand-picks their fruit. The winemaker who farms by moonlight. The vintage that nearly broke them but somehow produced magic.

When you ask “What makes this one special?” you’re not making small talk, you’re opening a door. I promise you’ll taste the wine differently once you know the story behind it.

December dining is about connection—between people, between food and wine. Asking questions is part of that rhythm.

Speak up

Sometimes a wine just isn’t what you hoped for—too rich, too light, too… something. That’s okay. I’d rather you tell me than sit there quietly while it gathers dust in your glass.

A simple “This isn’t quite what I expected—could we try something fresher?” is all it takes. You won’t offend me. You’ll actually make my night, because it means I get another shot at getting it right. That’s why our wine list says “Life’s too short to drink sh*t booze”.

The festive rush can be frantic, but good hospitality still runs on conversation—not guesswork.

Embrace the spirit of play

This time of year, everyone’s in the mood for a little fun—and so am I. Nothing delights me more than someone saying “Surprise us with something we’d never order.”

That’s my cue to bring out the good stuff: a pét-nat that tastes like sunshine, a skin-contact white that smells of apricots and attitude, or a chilled red that turns the table into a party.

Wine should be joyful, not intimidating. When guests lean into that sense of play, it transforms the room.

Respect the ritual

There’s a quiet theatre to wine service—and it’s worth leaning into. When I present the bottle, I’m confirming your choice, not demanding a nod of authority. When I pour a small taste, it’s to check the wine’s sound, not your sophistication.

So, relax. You don’t need to sniff, swirl, or compare prices with your local bottle shop. This is hospitality—a dance we do together. When it flows, it feels effortless.

Gratitude is contagious

The festive season is long and loud for hospitality staff. We’re on our feet for 12-plus hours, our voices hoarse from describing the same wines a hundred times over. But the exhaustion melts away when a guest looks up at the end of the night and says “Thank you—that was brilliant.”

You don’t have to flatter me to make my night. What really sticks is sincerity: “That pairing was perfect,” or “I’d never have picked that, but I loved it.”

That kind of feedback fuels my work more than any Instagram tag or big spend. Those are the guests I remember when something special comes in. And come January, when the festive fizz fades and the quieter months roll in, it’s those faces I look forward to seeing again.

Remember: my goal is your joy

At the end of the day, my job isn’t to show off what I know; it’s to make your night better. To read your mood, your meal, your moment—and find a wine that fits.

Delight your sommelier, and we’ll go the extra mile every time. Because when you give us that spark of trust and curiosity, it reminds us why we love this madness—the packed dining rooms, the laughter, the endless corks, and the quiet thrill of seeing someone take that first sip and smile.

The guests I’ll never forget

When people ask who my favourite guests are, it’s never the collectors or the critics. It’s the ones who come ready to enjoy themselves—who listen, laugh, and treat wine as something to share, not show off.

Those are the guests who get the off-list pour, the cheeky taste of something new, the whispered “I’ve got something you’ll love.”

Because engaging your sommelier isn’t about showing you know wine—it’s about showing you love the experience. And at this time of year, when every night feels like a celebration, that’s what makes the whole room sparkle.

The trick to pairing fizz with food is to lean into what the style is offering. Pexels

Sparkling wine isn’t just for stand-alone consumption, it’s one of the most versatile wines that can lift delicate flavours, cut through richness, and even stand up to spicy dishes.

The trick to pairing fizz with food is to lean into what the style is offering: acidity, fruit profile, texture, and sweetness. Like all food and wine matching, there are no strict rules—the best combinations are the ones that make you want to take another bite, then another sip.

Blanc de blancs: pure and precise

Blanc de blancs is sparkling wine made entirely from white grapes, most often chardonnay. It’s usually the most precise and linear of the sparkling family—think green apple, lemon zest, chalk, and tight acidity. The wines can be racy and bone-dry, with a texture that feels like a fine blade cutting across the palate.

Because of that tension and drive, food matches need to be delicate but not bland. The acidity loves richness, while the minerality sings alongside clean flavours. A classic fit is simply prepared white fish—grilled snapper with a squeeze of lemon, or whiting fillets pan-fried in butter. The brightness of the wine sharpens the fish, while the butter smooths the edges. It also has an affinity with creamy cheeses like brie or triple cream find balance here, even a simple cauliflower gratin, baked golden on top, becomes something more lifted and refined with a glass of blanc de blancs.

Traditional blends: the classic all-rounder

Usually a mix of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier, these wines are all about balance—fruit, acidity, and richness working in harmony. The non-vintage styles are made to be consistent year after year, and that reliability is what makes them such a food-friendly staple.

With their notes of citrus, apple, brioche, and gentle creaminess, these wines are incredibly versatile at the table. The medium weight, and savoury biscuity characters love cured meats, pâté and terrines, while bright acidity freshens up roast poultry or salmon. Leaning into the more premium vintage blends, richer earthy dishes like mushroom risotto come to the fore.

Blanc de noirs: power and depth

If blanc de blancs is precision, blanc de noirs is muscle. Made exclusively from black grapes (pinot noir and/or pinot meunier), these wines often have more body, richness, and red-fruited generosity. Expect flavours of red apple, cherry, brioche, sometimes even a whisper of spice or smoke.

That extra weight means you can step up the food. Roast game birds is a sweet spot, the savoury depth of the meat links perfectly with the broader fruit profile of the wine. Pork is another winner, a roast loin with crackling or an Asian-style glazed pork belly are great partners for these wines. The salt and fat are met by acidity, while the wine’s roundness enhances the richness. For the warmer months, blanc de noirs also loves beetroot.

Sparkling rosé: elegant and playful

Rosé sparkling wines are a little hard to pigeon-hole as they come in such a variety of styles but on the whole they sit somewhere closer to the blanc de noirs but often with a little more youthful fruitiness on show. Expect flavours of wild strawberry, raspberry, sometimes even blood orange, backed up by freshness and a gentle, creamy weight.

They’re excellent with charcuterie boards, where cured meats, cheeses, and pickles all find their moment with the wine’s fruitiness and acid. They are also a fantastic combo with fresh sashimi and sushi, or a classic goat’s cheese and tomato tart. The more mature styles also match with ocean trout, duck breast and quail, not dissimilar to the matches that work with blanc de noirs but leaning into lighter accompaniments.

Late-disgorged: depth and complexity

Late disgorged sparkling wines are those that have spent extended time on their lees before release. The result is intensity and complexity: brioche, toasted nuts, honey, mushroom, truffle. They’re still sparkling, but the character is deeper, more savoury, and profoundly layered.

Food pairings here need to step up. A simple grilled fish won’t cut it—you want richness and depth. Here’s were the rich and slow cooked dishes, pork, veal or lamb, can really come to the party. While you’re at it, save some for the cheese board: think mature cheddar, comté or parmesan.

Think of late disgorged wines as “grand occasion” fizz. They deserve food with an equal sense of occasion.

Sweet sparkling wines: playful and indulgent

Not all sparkling wines are dry. Demi-sec, doux, and other sweet styles are often overlooked, but they open a whole new arena of matching. These wines are usually softer in acidity, bursting with orchard and tropical fruit, sometimes honeyed, sometimes floral.

The obvious thought is dessert, and yes, sweet sparkling wines can work magic there. I like the fruit-based desserts as a match here, but also panna cotta can work very well. The key is to balance intensity: the wine should be at least as sweet as the dish, otherwise it risks tasting thin or sharp.

But don’t stop at dessert. Sweet sparkling wines also thrive with spicy or salty foods. A lightly sweet moscato next to a Thai green curry, or a demi-sec Champagne alongside Korean fried chicken, is an absolute joy. The sugar tames spice and heat, while the fizz keeps everything lively. On the salty tangent, blue cheeses of the sharper style like stilton, roquefort or gorgonzola create one of those matches where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Sparkling red wines: bold and unexpected

No article on matching fizz with food written by an Australian would be complete without touching on sparkling shiraz, but lambrusco from Italy also has a long tradition. These wines are rich, fruity, sometimes even tannic, and they bring a great versatility to the menu planning.

Sparkling shiraz, with its blackberry, plum and spice, loves hearty fare. Think barbecued meats, where the sweetness and fizz can cut through char and fat. Christmas in Australia wouldn’t be the same without a glass of sparkling shiraz, working its magic year after year with both the ham and the Christmas cake!

Proper lambrusco is brilliant with pizza and pasta. The bubbles freshen up tomato sauces and melted cheese, while the earthy red fruit slips into step with cured meats and mushrooms. It’s a casual food wine—fun, refreshing, and surprisingly adaptable.

Let the bubbles take you

The beauty of sparkling wine is its versatility. Acidity and bubbles are natural palate cleansers, meaning even rich or fatty dishes feel lighter and fresher. At the same time, the range of styles means there’s always a version that matches the weight and character of the food.

And you must try a chunk of good parmesan with any of the white sparkling wine styles: the combination of the calcium crystals and the bubbles is a sensory delight. It is the joy of experimentation: sparkling wine doesn’t need to be reserved for special occasions. So whether you’re roasting a chicken, throwing a pizza in the oven, or making a simple cheese toastie, open a bottle, try a match, and see where the bubbles take you.

Malbec can be fantastic as a stand-alone varietal wine. Wikimedia Commons

Malbec, originally a Bordeaux red variety, was brought to Argentina in 1868 by Frenchman Michel Pouget, where it has reigned as the most-widely planted grape variety in the country since 2011.

According to Wines of Argentina, in 2023 it occupied more than 47,000 ha of vineyard, or about 25% of the all the vineyard land in Argentina. For reference, New Zealand had 42,519 ha of vineyard in 2024 (according to NZ Winegrowers). Such was its success that it even sparked a renaissance for the variety in its French home, Cahors.

New Zealand’s history with malbec is much more recent, with Stonyridge on Waiheke Island being the first named commercial planting of malbec in 1983.

As is the case with most new grape varieties, Gisborne had rows of it planted, being the region with the vine quarantine facility, and Gordon Russell famously backed this dark horse in the 1990s as head winemaker for Esk Valley. He was so confident of the variety that he planted it on their best vineyard and it became a key part of the blend for their top wine, The Terraces.

It can be said that Gordon paved the way for Hawke’s Bay merlot malbec blends—a style of wine which became increasingly popular and reliable in the 2000s and 2010s. The ‘black grape of Cahors’ brought intense colour, body and black fruit flavours to merlot’s rounder, fatter, more approachable plum and chocolate profile. Merlot is usually the dominant partner, which is unsurprising considering there are 843 ha of it planted in Hawke’s Bay to malbec’s 59 ha (or nationally, 938 ha and 83 ha respectively).

However, as is evident in the highly-regarded wines from Argentina, particularly Mendoza and Patagonia, malbec can be fantastic as a stand-alone varietal wine too. There are, increasingly, examples from Aotearoa which prove this point, such as Fromm Winery, which lays claim to the longest-running single vineyard malbec in the country (it has been made since 2008) and several good wines from Hawke’s Bay. Daniel Brennan of Decibel swears by the variety and his varietal malbec is always a good buy.

For Argentinians, there is no better match for malbec than grilled red meat. Its tannins bind preferentially with the proteins in beef and lamb, helping smooth out its texture. Oak treatment echoes the smokiness of barbecue and the rich flavours of the wine are more than enough to cope with the strong flavours of the meat. The variety also often displays earthy and smoky spice complexity alongside the very dark fruit and violets, a combination which some tasters (myself included) can mistake for felt-tip marking pen! Warm, earthy spices such as cumin, black pepper, and paprika can enhance this complexity.

Semi-hard and hard cheeses, such as Manchego, Ossau-Iraty or aged Cheddar are also interesting matches and some riper, fruitier malbecs can even stand up to crumbly blue cheese. For those eschewing animal proteins, roasted root vegetables, lentil stews, black bean dishes, and mushroom-based recipes can bring the earthiness and flavour richness to match malbec with umami depth.

With the right food, shiraz can show off its generous side or lean into its peppery, savoury edge. Pexels

Shiraz is the kind of red wine that knows how to make an entrance. It’s bold, rich, and full of personality — a wine with spice, structure, and loads of dark fruit. But for all its power, shiraz is surprisingly versatile at the table. It’s not just for steak or wintery roasts (though it does those very well). With the right food, shiraz can show off its generous side or lean into its peppery, savoury edge. It all depends on the style.

There are no strict rules, of course — the best pairings are the ones that make you want to take another bite, then another sip. But if you’re looking to get the most out of your next bottle, here’s a guide to what shiraz does best alongside food.

Rich and ripe shiraz

(Think Barossa, McLaren Vale, and other warm-climate styles)

This is the plush, powerful version of shiraz. Ripe blackberries, plums, maybe a touch of mocha or vanilla from oak. Full-bodied, velvety, and loaded with flavour.

What do you put next to that? Meat. Grilled, roasted, smoky—the kind of food that’s got its own swagger. A pepper-crusted ribeye is a classic. So are lamb chops with garlic and rosemary, or a slow-cooked beef brisket that’s falling apart in a sweet, sticky glaze. The fat in the meat softens the tannins; the wine’s dark fruit lifts the dish.

Barbecue is another winner. Smoky ribs, pulled pork, even grilled sausages with caramelised onions. Shiraz has the fruit and spice to stand up to smoky rubs, sticky sauces, and charred edges. It’s also pretty forgiving with sweetness, which makes it one of the few reds that still tastes great with a little molasses or barbecue sauce in the mix.

Even something as humble as a good-quality cheeseburger—with bacon, cheddar, and a bit of mustard—can sing with a glass of big, juicy shiraz.

Spicy, peppery shiraz

(Cooler climates like Canberra, Grampians, Great Southern, or Northern Rhône syrah)

Not all shiraz is a fruit bomb. In cooler climates, it turns savoury and spiced. Less jammy, more focused. Black pepper, olive tapenade, smoked meat, even a bit of dried herb or earth.

These styles love food with spice—not fiery heat, but depth. Think cumin, paprika, fennel, coriander seed. A Moroccan lamb tagine with prunes and warm spices? Perfect. So is a smoky eggplant stew or a lentil dish with a bit of harissa and roasted tomato.

Charcuterie works too—salami, prosciutto, even a bit of pâté. The wine’s spice and acid cut through the richness, while the savoury flavours meet it half-way. Add a crusty loaf of bread and some olives and you’re set.

Another great match: peppery Asian-inspired dishes. A black pepper beef stir-fry, or even duck with a fivespice glaze. Just steer clear of dishes that are too sweet or too hot—shiraz likes spice, but not sugar bombs or heavy chilli.

Aged shiraz

(Think museum releases or well-cellared bottles)

Give shiraz some time and it starts to soften. The fruit mellows, the tannins round out, and you get more leathery, earthy, almost savoury notes. Still powerful, but more refined. Like a loud singer dropping into a whisper and suddenly making everyone lean in.

This is when slow-cooked meats really shine. Braised lamb shanks, oxtail stew, venison with a wine reduction—anything that’s had a few hours in the oven. The wine wraps around the richness and gives back a whole lot of subtlety in return.

Duck is another stand-out. Whether it’s roast duck breast with cherries or a duck confit with crispy skin, the fat and gamy flavour find a friend in an aged shiraz.

If the wine has developed more of a savoury, earthy tone, you can even take things simpler—roast chicken with thyme, or mushrooms on toast with truffle oil. Let the wine do the heavy lifting.

Cheese pairings

Shiraz isn’t shy, so it needs cheeses with confidence. Aged cheddar, manchego, gouda, even a blue like gorgonzola or roquefort if you’re feeling bold. The saltiness brings out the fruit, and the fat balances the tannins.

For something a bit more special: pair with cheese and a little something sweet—fig jam, quince paste, or a drizzle of honey. It plays beautifully with the wine’s natural spice and richness.

Vegetarian dishes that work

You don’t need meat to make shiraz shine. You just need flavour and a bit of umami.

Mushrooms are an obvious go-to: grilled portobellos, mushroom risotto, or a creamy mushroom and lentil pie. Eggplant is another favourite, especially when roasted or smoked. Think baba ganoush, moussaka, or eggplant parmigiana.

Hearty beans, lentils, smoked tofu—all fair game. Add some earthy spices and maybe a touch of char or sweetness and you’re in business.

Sweet things (Yes, really)

Shiraz isn’t a dessert wine, but it can do dessert — especially if you stay on the dark and bittersweet side.

A flourless chocolate cake, Black Forest gâteau, or chocolate-dipped cherries can all work. Just avoid anything too sugary or light—the wine needs a dessert with depth to meet it in the middle.

Shiraz is one of those reds that knows how to hold the spotlight—but it also knows when to share. Whether it’s playing off smoky ribs, rich stews, grilled veg or aged cheese, it brings something bold and generous to the table. It’s a wine that doesn’t just work with food, it thrives on it.

So next time you’re opening a bottle, don’t just reach for the steak. Try something spiced, something slow-cooked, or something unexpected. When the pairing clicks, it’s not just dinner, it’s a moment.

Pinot noir is very food friendly. Wine Australia

Pinot noir is one of the most food-friendly reds out there. It doesn’t need a steak to shine. In fact, it’s often at its best with more delicate dishes, where its subtlety and charm really get to play.

As with any food and wine matching, there are no hard rules — it’s about what you like and what you’re trying to bring out in both the wine and the dish. Are we going for harmony, where flavours and textures line up and flow together? Or are we playing with contrast — bright acid cutting through richness, or fruit lifting something earthy? Pinot can do both, and that’s part of the fun.

I’ll break pinot noir down into three styles. First up, the light and savoury types from places like the Adelaide Hills and Great Southern. Then we’ve got the mid-weight, fruit-forward versions — think Yarra Valley, Mornington and Tasmania. And finally, the richer, fuller-bodied pinots — grand cru Burgundy, California and those with just a bit more oak and/or ripeness, often seen as ‘reserve’ blends.

Lighter styles

These pinots tend to be pale in colour, bright with acidity, and often have a touch of herbal and mushroom characters. They’re more about subtle red fruits, some dried herbs, and a forest floor note.

These wines love subtle food. My first thought is mushrooms — a mushroom risotto, a tart, even a grilled portobello. Roast chicken is a classic too, especially with herbs or a light stuffing. If you’re leaning toward cold dishes, something like rillettes or a jambon persillé terrine is great — the acidity keeps it fresh, and those savoury flavours meet the wine right in the middle.

Mid-weight styles

This is the sweet spot for a lot of people. These have a bit more ripeness, often a bit of oak, and tend to show a mix of red and darker fruits, and sometimes cola or spice. They’ve still got the lift and acidity that makes pinot noir so good with food, but there’s a bit more generosity to them.

Here, I start thinking about pork — roast pork with crackling, pork belly with a plum glaze, or even pork sausages with caramelised onions. Grilled salmon is another great one — the richness of the fish and the silkiness of the wine just work. And don’t be afraid to throw in a little spice or sweetness. Sichuan pepper, hoisin duck, and beetroot-based dishes are all solid options.

Because these wines are that little bit fuller, they can take on more complex dishes without getting lost. The key is still balance — nothing too heavy, nothing that bulldozes the wine.

Richer styles

This last group includes the bigger pinots — from warmer spots, with more oak, or maybe just a few years of age behind them. They’ve got darker fruit, more spice, and a plusher texture.

These wines can handle a bit more weight on the plate. Lamb is a natural fit — grilled, roasted, maybe with a herb crust or red wine jus. Veal works well too, or even richer fish such as trout or salmon with a smoky, buttery glaze. If the wine’s older and showing more savoury, earthy notes, keep the food simple — roast chicken, pan-fried mushrooms, grilled tuna with a little soy and citrus. Let the wine do the talking.

The takeaway

The real joy of pinot noir is that it doesn’t need fancy food to shine. It’s not trying to be the loudest thing in the room — it just wants a good conversation. Whether you’re going all out with duck à l’orange or just throwing together a mushroom toastie on a Tuesday night, pinot’s got your back.

And because it comes in so many styles, there’s always something new to try. You might not get it perfect every time, but that’s half the fun. When the match clicks, it’s magic.

Inside Aberdeen Dining in Haberfield. Aberdeen Dining

As restaurant wine prices have flown into the stratosphere, the ongoing search for good BYO restaurants has intensified.

I’m lucky enough to live near a new one: it’s a pan Asian (but mainly Cantonese, with some Japanese inspired dishes) restaurant called Aberdeen, in Haberfield. It’s on the site of the former longstanding pizzeria, Napoli In Bocca. Aberdeen is the name of Hong Kong’s harbour, which explains the somewhat occidental name.

The food is superb and very good value, and the wine policy is extraordinary (but don’t tell the owners that). They charge AUD $5 a head. That’s not per bottle, but per head. AND they also have a pretty decent little wine list, in case that’s your wont.

The second bit of good news (and heaven knows, we need some these days) is that the former One Penny Red in Summer Hill, an old post office building which is now Postino Osteria, has a Raid Your Cellar night on the first Monday of each month. I was there on February 3, and was pleasantly surprised the place was brimful and humming, and there were several familiar faces in the place, all wine nerds with their special bottles in their carry-bags. The food was unfussy and good, the vibe was upbeat.

There’s a set menu and the corkage fee is AUD $20 per bottle. And even better news: Raid Your Cellar night is going weekly from March 3. And you’ll be able to choose the sharing menu or select dishes from the à la carte menu.

Postino Osteria is at 2 Moonbie St, Summer Hill.

Aberdeen Dining is at 73 Dalhousie St, Haberfield.

When isolated, the capsaicin in chilli causes reactions when it is in contact with our mucous membranes. GoodFon

Hot chilli spice, particularly with the influence of various South-east Asian, South Asian and Southern Chinese cuisines, has become more common in Australia and New Zealand over the past two decades. Whether in a traditional form or in fusion food, hot spices pose challenges for wine which did not previously exist in classical sommelier training, where the dominant focus was on European cuisine—France, Italy and Germany.

Throughout the early 2000s, it was common for younger sommeliers to be told that Alsace gewürztraminer was the wine to pair with spice and this recommendation was found in restaurants serving everything from Madras to gong bao ji and pad krapao to laksa. In my previous roles working in hospitality, I found these rarely worked in practice, and menu development tastings would often yield negative interactions between the wine and the heat.

So, were these well-respected European writers and sommeliers wrong? Not necessarily: it is possible that this common error arose due to a misunderstanding of the word ‘spice’. Gewürztraminer is indeed often described as ‘spicy’, though it does not refer to chilli or hot spice. The only heat which is found with any regularity in gewürztraminer comes on the palate and is a result of elevated alcohol levels (14% and above), due to the variety’s tendency to develop full phenolic ripeness at high sugar levels.

Extensive testing with both components and full dishes involving chilli suggested a very different outcome. Wines like albariño and gamay tested very positively whereas riesling, viognier, gewürztraminer, pinot noir, syrah and cabernet sauvignon tended to test poorly. There has also been a lot more scientific study of chilli in the past three decades.

When isolated, the capsaicin in chilli causes reactions when it is in contact with our mucous membranes. The actual biological mechanism involves the Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1(TRPV1) which is part of a super-family of sensors which perform a wide range of sensory functions in the body, but more specifically, it is one of a smaller set of six temperature-sensing receptors (which explains why we detect capsaicin as ‘heat’). It’s a relatively newly discovered receptor, being isolated in humans as recently as 1997. We know that milk is good at neutralising it because casein helps create an emulsion with the fat and water in it. Capsaicin is fat-soluble so water alone will not help. This allows us to remove the molecule from contact with the TRPV1 receptors.

This is no help, of course, when it comes to wine as we don’t have significant levels of fat or casein in wine to replicate this process. However, chilli in food does not exist in isolation; often there will be some fat present so the following findings could help you in planning your own wine matches for spicy food. To make things simpler to follow, they are broken down into structural components.

Sugar

Sugar has a positive and calming reaction on spice. The prevailing theory is that it works as a palate cleanser and can mechanically help with removal of the capsaicin from physical contact, though it is less effective than the fat/casein/water emulsion at doing so.

Temperature

Cooler temperatures have been shown to reduce the perceived impact of the heat caused by capsaicin. This is due to the temperature-sensing and temperature-activated nature of the TRPs.

These receptors work within a relatively narrow band of temperatures so lowering the temperature of the surrounding tissue will lessen their effectiveness. It also triggers the temperature ‘response’ which is an expected outcome of sensing heat. When the body senses a lowering of temperature, it takes that to mean that the ‘signal’ has done its job and can be deprioritised.

There is also a hypothesis that the activity of TRPV1 could be the reason for capsaicin’s ability to lower body temperature via hypothalamus activity (there are TRPs located there too, though obviously not ones which capsaicin in hot food can reach!) If you have ever wondered why people who live in tropical countries consume chilli in larger quantities, this might be an explanation. It is also why consuming very spicy food can cause some people to sweat, as it is the body’s attempt to lower its temperature.

Alcohol levels

Perhaps unsurprisingly, higher alcohol levels have a negative interaction with capsaicin. We already perceive higher alcohol in the mouth as ‘warmth’ or if high enough, as a ‘burn’, so that exacerbates the effect of both the chilli and the alcohol. Lower alcohol levels do not have this negative effect.

Acidity

The effect of acidity levels varies depending on the presence of other components, though very high acid levels test less well in menu tastings than more moderate ones. This interaction was often described as having a ‘searing’ quality, which is akin to salt on a wound. However, this was not observed if there was a high fat sauce or other source of fat present as it would form an emulsion like it does in milk.

Tannins

High tannin wines, in the absence of other mitigating factors like fat or sugar, have a somewhat negative interaction with chilli. The action of tannin, which binds preferentially with the proteins in our saliva and thus rendering it ineffective as a palate cleanser or neutraliser interferes with the body’s own mechanism for removal of chilli.

Complexity and nuance

Lastly, complexity and nuance in wine tends to have a negative interaction since the sensory apparatus are preoccupied with the ‘burning’ sensation on the immediate tissues. Conversely, intense fruit flavours tend to elicit a more positive response since they are able to ‘punch through’ the burning and still make themselves felt.

With these interactions in mind, it is perhaps unsurprising to see why gewürztraminer did not always work. Most gewürztraminers have quite high alcohol and, increasingly, many are dry rather than sweet. They also rely on a lot of perfume for their appeal, something which is lost in the match. Albariño on the other hand, particularly those from Spain’s Rias Baixas, tend to have an off-dry level of sugar in them and lower alcohol levels.

Wines which are traditionally served colder also help mitigate the spice, and complex, subtle wines like pinot noir or méthode traditionnelle sparklings lose most of their finesse and nuance whereas a slightly chilled, fruity and bright-tasting gamay shows well despite being ostensibly a simpler wine. Keep in mind that as spice levels rose, our testing generally found fewer and fewer wines worked until none were considered suitable as a match.

Hopefully, this sparks some curiosity to test out these theories for yourself and in the process, find a glass of wine which can accompany a spicier dish.

Food and wine matching is always a fun experience and often the finished product is more than the sum of its parts. Pexels

Chardonnay is often called the winemaker’s wine. As a variety it offers a wide and stable base on which winemakers can build, and a multitude of weights and styles can be produced. Because of this, chardonnay offers a very wide variety of food matching options depending on the style of wine you’re looking to match.

As with all food and wine matching, beauty is in the eye of the beholder but for this exercise let’s work on the assumption that we all love chardonnay, even those that ‘hate chardonnay’ but love Chablis. Whenever we’re looking at matching food and wine the first decision that needs addressing is: are we looking to match flavours and textures or instead trying to contrast them? I generally find that medium to full bodied whites suit best to match flavours and textures because the structural elements we would use to contrast are often more background and guiding than the driving force of the wine. However, like all rules there are always exceptions.

Because of the chameleon nature of chardonnay I’ll break it up into three brackets of style. Firstly, the light, unoaked styles that we might describe as Chablis-esque. Second, the largest bracket, the medium bodied modern style, of which Australia is in the upper echelon of production. And finally the full, rich buttery styles, not as common as they once were but they still have a place in the discussion.

The lighter style of chardonnay such as Chablis are built around delicate fruit, apple and some subtle stone fruits, and often acidity is higher as they usually come from cooler regions. Depending on the local terroir, a chalky or saline minerality is also noted and this is often the driving factor when matching food to these wines. Saline, sea shell and sea breeze are all descriptors that are used around that minerality, and give a solid clue as to the foods we might match to these wines. Yes, seafood.

Because of the light and delicate nature of the fruit and body of these wines I lean into simply prepared seafoods. Thinking cold shellfish or lighter white meats, but still more often cold than warm such as rillettes or chicken terrine. Another favourite of mine with these wines is rich creamy white mould or washed rind cheeses, this is where the acidity comes more into play to cut through the cheeses’ richness yet that saline minerality works in harmony with the salty nature of the cheese.

Modern chardonnay is a broad brush but the pendulum of style is in a really sweet spot for chardonnay currently. Oak is widely used but with subtlety and deftness, balancing more powerful stone fruit, citrus and pushing into pineapple characters. These modern styles still maintain a good acidity to drive them and keep an innate freshness to the experience. To round them out, reductive winemaking often adds a sense of smoky or flinty character, on occasion a little too much, but most have this balance worked out by now. These are complex and powerful wines: there’s often multitudes of layers and a density to the texture so they require food that won’t be overpowered by them and can offer some extra nuance to the experience.

To break it down, stone fruits, apple and pineapple are all fruits we see in chardonnay and every one of those has been paired with white meat or fish at some stage in its life, even if you’re not a Hawaiian pizza fan. This combo works because the protein has good flavour but isn’t overbearing, and like chardonnay itself, it takes on the flavours of its preparation. The base of the dish that suits it can be chicken, pork, white fish like snapper or even tofu.

Next we look at the acidity. It’s usually at medium level so we would like something with a bit of fat to use that acidity as a cutting agent. The fat could be intrinsic, such as a pork roast, or an addition like a light butter or cream sauce. The final part is that flinty character, that will sing with salty notes and also roasting characters, browning in a pan or baking at high heat. To me a good chardonnay and roast loin of pork is a fantastic combo.

The final bracket of chardonnay are the big boys, rich and buttery, golden-straw in colour. We all know the style and while it’s not the favoured style currently, it still has its place. These matching ideas will also work for aged chardonnays.

Pineapple, yellow peach, nectarine, all descriptors often seen with these wines and again they’re big and powerful flavours but not particularly savoury, so a white protein is still your best base. Because of the in-built power, though, we can branch into oilier fish such as salmon or trout and veal is also a good option. ‘Buttery’ as a description is a fantastic clue for saucing these dishes. Butter is a great base for cooking so many foods, and it matches so well to the creamy texture of these wines.

If it’s an aged chardonnay that is being matched, all this still holds true. With age comes complexity though, so I’d look to keep the amount of flavour to a minimum—simplicity being a virtue—to allow the wine to shine in the context. As an ideal, a lemon, tarragon and butter roasted chicken with a great old rich chardonnay is something everyone must try.

Food and wine matching is always a fun experience and often the finished product is more than the sum of its parts. The best part of this is the experimentation and right now, with the quality of chardonnay available, the end result is unlikely to be anything but delicious.

Wine matched menus makes an evening a lot easier for the guest as no decisions need to be made. Pexels

As someone who has worked in and around hospitality since my teens, I’ve seen trends come and go, practices evolve and prices rise inexorably over the past quarter century, but something that seems to still split diners (particularly along generational lines) is the practice of wine matched menus—hugely popular at the end of the previous millennium.

It continued to be a defining trait of many fine dining establishments until around the time of the global financial crisis before picking up again in the middle of the decade. COVID pretty much put an end to it but there are signs that it’s returning again.

I get asked to provide set matches for restaurant/hotel clients every now and then in New Zealand but that’s not a sign of global trends. An analysis of Scandinavian wine lists and restaurants in the Star Wine List awards (still arguably at the forefront of the European dining scene) shows that most restaurants have actually moved away from them. Some will offer to match the menu on any given night to wines, but these are not listed in the menu and are often created by the sommelier on a needs basis. Some establishments are clearly better suited to the practice than others, the most obvious example being that of the winery restaurant, like Amisfield or Terroir, where the restaurant aims to showcase the winery so tasting menus are roughly paired to different wines made on-site.

It makes an evening a lot easier for the guest as no decisions need to be made. It also makes life easier for the restaurant’s stockholding and purchasing as depletions are not only predictable, they are even across the board. However, as a practice which has been around for decades, it is also often quite stale and many offerings are either uninspiring or fail to deliver true elevated flavour combinations.

The gulf between a serviceable match and a fantastic match is wide and often demands a dedicated sommelier or team to test, experiment and hone the right matches. That tends to place this kind of program firmly in the domain of classical fine dining restaurants with high prices and, of course, set menus accompanied by comprehensive—or at least flexible—wine programs.

When I dine with groups of younger diners (excluding people who are specifically in the ‘somm trade’), I have found most people eschewing wine matched menus in favour of exploration of the wine list on the one hand, or picking wines individually and separately on the other. I also often see glasses of wine being passed around to try different wines out and a willingness to try something they haven’t heard of before.

I’ve started asking their views of wine matched menus, out of interest, and answers range across the board. Some profess to have baulked at the prices; others think they’re over-rated, citing poor experiences they’ve had in the past; some say that the wines on the matched menus are often boring or not the kind of wine they’d pick themselves; and some have interestingly replied that the matched menus contain too many servings of wine and too much alcohol for their personal drinking preference.

I find all of this fascinating and I would love to hear from you about your views and experiences.