Following on from Easter, I thought it might be inappropriate if I tried to match a wine to organic corn-fed poussins (wee chicks), or a rabbit (Easter bunny) stew. So instead, I’m looking at what you should be doing with your leftover lamb.
And what you should be doing is going into the spice cupboard and making a curry. A good lamb curry is a thing of beauty, and there are many wine matches.
With a simple roast leg of lamb, you’d be after a nice, safe claret or a decent Rioja Reserva. With a lamb curry, you have to consider a spicier wine match. You could pick a very lovely Barossa Shiraz (with a touch of pepper on the palate) or a well-made Californian Zinfandel. Or an earthy Pinotage if you’re looking for even more character. The possibilities are endless.
Here are a few to whet your appetite this weekend…
Ebenezer & Seppeltsfield Shiraz 2014 (£13, M&S). Although this is labelled as Shiraz, there is a massive nod to the old world (central Europe) in the style of the wine in your glass. It’s undeniably big, spicy and full-flavoured, but there is also a lovely, soft warmth from the earthy fruit. Just watch out for the ABV (alcohol by volume)…it weighs in at 15%.
Springfontein Pinotage Terroir Selection 2011 (Inverarity One to One, £14.49). This wine hails from a small farm just outside of Walker Bay, not too far south of Stellenbosch and it is a smoky, earthy delight. Bear in mind, this is another heady wine (with an ABV of 15.5%), so it’s not for the faint hearted. Although to be fair, you get no notion of the alcohol in the glass.
Brazin Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel 2017 (Waitrose, normally £14.99…although it’s on offer at £11.24 until 14th May). The rich, jammy Zinfandel characteristics in the wine match the spicy lamb curry perfectly. (Especially with a wee spoonful of mango chutney at the side of your plate). If these recommendations are stretching your budget this weekend, you can always try a Primitivo from Salento (you'd normally find a good one for around £9.50) for a similar, albeit more restrained style. Cheers!
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