It’s rainy and cold throughout the country (maybe not so much in Durban) – and having just returned from Johannesburg, let’s just say the people there are scaaaaared for the winter to come.
Here in Cape Town, it’s been pretty cold and rainy too, and I’m loving it! Winter is my favourite time for going out to restaurants: all the comfort food is on the menus – oxtail stews and mashed potatoes, hearty curry, risotto – and nobody judges me for eating pasta for lunch and dinner. Plus, some of my favourite red wines are showing up on wine lists too. It’s a great time to be out and about!
So what are we choosing to pair with our favourite foods?
The 3 main rules of food and wine pairing
- Pair the sauce, not the meat.
- Sweetness in sauces is a killer for dry reds – it makes them feel more astringent on your palate. Choose wisely.
- Drink what you damn well love. If it gives you pleasure, drink it. If you love it just because, drink it.
For stews like oxtail, boeuf bourguignon, and coq au vin, you’ll find the most pleasure pairing them with a Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Cabernet Franc. If you’re going for a pea risotto or pesto pasta, try a Gamay Noir, Cinsault, or Pinot Noir.
Tomato-based sauces are a tough pairing, so your amatriciana, sugo, and other tomato sauces are best paired with Nebbiolo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and even a good old Pinotage.
If you’re having lamb – whether braised, braaied, or slow roasted – you absolutely want a Shiraz or a Grenache Noir. Interestingly enough, the right Grenache also pairs splendidly with a South African-style curry.
If you prefer a fragrant Thai curry, the red wine of choice should be a Carignan, Tinta Barocca, Cinsault, Grenache, or Pinot Noir. You can also grab a rosé bubbly off the menu for a very special pairing experience.
If in doubt, be adventurous. Trust a friend, a wine specialist, or the sommelier at the restaurant. Sometimes the best pairings come out of the most unexpected dishes and wines. I recently paired rabbit cannelloni in a rabbit béchamel sauce with a Mourvèdre from one of my favourite wine farms, and it was a killer pairing!
Go out, support your local restaurants, and drink lots of great wine this winter, taking advantage of all the winter specials – you won’t regret it! The most important thing about a great food and wine pairing is that it elevates your experience and adds an element of joy to your meal. That’s the magic right there. Lean into it.
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About Lauren Segers-Jewell
I believe people, wine, and food are among life’s greatest pleasures, and creating spaces to taste, learn, and connect is at the heart of what I do. I’m a wine writer, judge, and businesswoman invested in the South African wine industry, heading up local sales at Brice & Burnett. I also founded the Kak Fancy Supper Club and a tasting group exposing the next generation to global benchmarks and new perspectives. Through my work, I aim to shift our relationship with alcohol away from excess and towards appreciation, context, and connection – offering a look into the wine world through real experiences around the table.
Connect with Lauren
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