The Deliciously Delectable and Undoubtedly Understandable
GUIDE TO
WINE PAIRINGS
Long ago, before time was divided into seconds, hours and days,
a single garden contained creation. A man and a woman walked
in shaded valleys, laughed with the animals, ate from fruitful trees
and it was good. Adam was as handsome as the sun; Eve alluring
as the moon. Everything was balmy innocence, wonder and joy,
when along came a slithering serpent with a taste for apples. The
original salesman, the serpent sold the apples and Adam and
Eve traded paradise for a two-for-one deal. The good-looking
couple was banished from the garden and tasked with starting
the human race. While they were busy, time rolled on.
Continents collided, and tore apart. As the earth heaved and
plunged, the first garden of creation was flung in pieces far into
a new ocean.
Time kept on rolling. Ancient seafarers, great grandchildren of
the handsome Adam and alluring Eve, discovered a beautiful
island in the middle of the Indian Ocean and believed this to be
the lost paradise of Eden. Praslin’s white sandy beaches lapped at
primal palm forests where the Coco-de Mer tree bore a strange and
provocative fruit shaped like a woman.
The soft breezes on the island whispered about times long gone, about a
handsome man loving an alluring woman with a hibiscus flower in her hair. They
whispered of Eden being scattered and how Praslin, with her sensuous fruit was
only part of paradise found. The mariners listened and asked the breezes to tell
them more.
And so they heard of a place poised between heaven and earth. A place where
cool hills reach down to the sea and the fertile soil of the first garden nourishes
another provocative fruit.
Time kept on rolling and today, you’ll discover the mythical piece of paradise whispered of by the breezes of Praslin. Pristine vines grown from virus free mother stock,
shyly offer up their fruit to create wines reflecting the unique terroir of this little piece
of Eden.
the elements of wine
alcohol
sugar
sour
fruit
bitter
sugar
acid
salt
tannin
fat
savoury
the elements of food
What are wine pairings?
Before we explain wine pairings let us first say there is no ONE
strategy or methodolology of proper wine pairing. At its
core, the concept is simply to try different flavours together
to create an enhanced experience. Some look for balance
in wine pairings, some look for contrast, etc. We’ll explore
these in more depth later, but suffice to say, when in doubt,
come back to this simple idea. It is also important to remember that everyone has different tastes, therefore, what is a
great pairing for one person may not be a winner for the
next.
However, there are some basic concepts that can
significantly help you get started and have more immediate
success in your food and wine pairing efforts. You don’t
need an in-depth knowledge of wine to start learning and
immediately add enjoyment to your meals.
As you experiment, this is where people start throwing a lot
of jargon at you. We find, at this point, it’s good to know
some basics about food and wine to keep the intimidation
factor at a minimum.
red wine pairings to try
You’ve likely heard that red wine goes best with red meat.
While this is true, there are so many other foods that would
benefit from being paired with red wine. Although white
wine is primarily matched with fish, you will be in for a pleasant surprise if you pair red wine with a dish made from rich
fish, such as crab and lobster. Fish like salmon and tuna
should be left for white wine. Red wine can also be paired
with meals consisting of hard cheese especially those dishes
heavy on the carbohydrates.
Some popular types of red wines include our SATYRICON
Sangiovese / Barbera, our gold winner The Affair Pinot Noir,
our NYMPHOMANE Cabernet Sauvignon and our ANTHELIA
Shiraz.
Barbera wine is best served with dishes based in tomato,
which is why Barbera is often served in Italian restaurants.
Cabernet Sauvignion brings out the flavour of beef and
roast lamb dishes whereas Pinot Noir complements any
perfectly grilled steak.
White wine pairings to try
There are three styles of white wine:
Rich White, Sweet White and Light White
Rich White
white meats
Sweet White
Light Dry White
carbs
roasted
vegetables
soft cheeses
carbs
cured/smoked
meats
desserts
green
vegetables
roasted
vegetables
carbs
most types
the age of wine
You’ve heard it being said that wine only gets better with age. The reality is that’s not
always true. In fact, some young wines have a lot to offer and even some modern wines
are specifically made to be immediately consumed and aren’t even suited for aging.
An easy way to conceptualize this basic principle is to think about the kind of food you
are eating as either “old world” or “new world”. In the modern world, our diest doesn’t
vary as much with the season as it used to when we were a farming society. To get
started, try pairing younger wines with more modern fare of fresh produce and seasonal
citrus, or try more earthy and less modern food with older wines or at least older varietals.
the fundamentals of pairing
When it comes to creating food and wine pairings, there are two basic
approaches. The approach you choose should depend on your personal
tastes, as neither approach is inherently better than the other. In fact, for
expanding your palate, you should switch between the approaches.
The first approach goes for a similar or complementary outcome. For
example, pasta in a creamy rich sauce would call for a creamy, rich
wine. You could choose a ripe, soft and very balanced white wine like
our double Gold Winner JEZEBELLE Chardonnay to match the richness of
the dish. More good examples of matching the richness and texture of a
dish would be the typical well-cooked steak with our velvety SATYRICON
Sangiovese, or chicken cordon bleu paired with our light and buttery
ORIGINAL SIN Sauvignon Blanc. The only match you should avoid is bitter
with bitter. Because our taste buds are incredibly sensitive to bitter tastes,
a bitter wine should always be paired with contrasting flavours such as
salt, fat or savoury.
The second approach looks for an experience of contrasting tastes. To try
this method, you could select a crisp, dry white wine with that same bowl
of creamy pasta. If you wanted to contrast the flavours even more, you
might choose a bolder red like our NOIR to cut through the creamy with a
bit of roughness. In general, beginners tend to find it easier to create a
matching food and wine pairing. On the other hand, a contrasting pairing may give a sense of wholeness and more satisfaction to your meal
due to the broader scope of flavours represented.
Either way, if you drink the wine in between bites, it will cleanse your
palate in preparation for the next fork full of flavour. If you are having
trouble creating great food and wine pairings, you should always remember that you want to champion the wine. Something in the food should
be highlighting the very best characteristics of the selected wine variety.
Another tip is to remember that wine should be sweeter and tarter than
the food in the vast majority of cases.
pairing our wines with food
Follow our food and wine pairing guide below to make sure that you enjoy your La Vierge wines to the fullest by choosing
the perfect dish to pair with any of our award winning wines.
seduction pinot noir
la vierge noir
la vierge nymphomane
Enjoy this wine with tapas
snacks, cheese and light
meals with friends and
good times. To show her
true delicate nature,
serve slightly chilled.
Enjoy this wine with
mushroom risotto, wide
range of roast game,
cream-based pasta and
a variety of hard and soft
cheese platters.
Is great for dishes with
earthy flavours. Enjoy this
wine with all red meats,
venison and a variety of
hard and soft cheese
platters.
aNTHELIA Shiraz
JEZEBELLE Chardonnay
ORIGINAL SIN Sauvignon Blanc
The intense, fruity wine
that comes from the Syrah
grape pairs well with all
red meats, barbecue
flavours, dark chocolate
and a variety of fruit.
For fatty fish or fish in a rich
sauce. Our award winning
Chardonay is delicious
with any fish like salmon or
any other kind of seafood
in a lush sauce.
This fruity wine pairs well
with hard and soft cheese
platters, fresh oysters,
delicate fish, fresh
vegetable dishes and mild
vinaigrettes.
satyricon sangiovese / barbera
Enjoy this traditional
Italian variety wine with
creamy pastas, earthy
mushroom risotto’s and a
variety of hard and soft
cheese platters.
lavierge riesling
the affair pinot noir
Enjoy this crisp Alsace style
wine with spicy and
perfumed stir fry’s as well
as a variety of eastern
dishes and salads.
Enjoy this wine with tapas,
cheese platters and light
meals. To show her true
delicate nature, served
slightly chilled.
a final thought on desserts
Dessert wines are incredibly sweet and intended to be
consumed with dessert or as the dessert alone. Sparkling
wines are easy to pair with any food and dessert because of
their natural acidity, which has the effect of emphasizing the
delicious flavour of any food. That may explain why you see it
at fancy parties and events where it pairs equally well with
rich party foods like beef sliders, bacon-wrapped appetizers,
or porok ribs and find it served alongside the dessert as well.
One helpful pairing tip for desserts is to keep the wine sweeter
than the dessert. Follow that and you can’t go wrong.
the best part about wine is that you can buy it online
Its is important to us that you share wine, which by default will enhance the taste. As your
friends gather, we hope that this little bit of information makes your next meal more
enjoyable. Whether we see you in our restaurant, get to have the full La Vierge wine
tasting experience in our fabulous tasting room, or simply gain the satisfaction of knowing
you are no longer confused standing in the aisle at your favourite wine store, we raise our
glass to you! Because without you, we wouldn’t have anyone to enjoy our wines with.
For more information on our wine selection or to purchase a bottle or ten, contact us or
visit our website where you can find all the information you need about our award
winning wines or make a quick and easy online purchase.
Hermanus
Western Cape
12 Hemel en Aarde Valley Road
028 313 0130
[email protected]
www.lavierge.co.za