Cool climate wines are known for their balance, often described as elegant and well-structured. They offer vibrant fruit flavours without being overpowering. With slightly higher acidity, they pair beautifully with food, cutting through rich, fatty dishes and refreshing the palate between bites. This acidity enhances the food’s flavours, bringing out its nuances without making the wine feel heavy.
Moderate tannins also play a role, adding a subtle grip that enhances the texture of the food, especially with proteins like meat, while remaining smooth enough to let the flavours of the wine and the dish shine through.
Adam was instructed in the art of wine and food pairing while working harvests at Château Carsin in Bordeaux. Michelin chefs were flown to the chateau to prepare degustation meals for the owner and his team (including Adam) to enjoy. Adam experienced first hand the magic that occurs when a dish complements a wine, and vice versa. It had a deep impression on him and was another reason for choosing to return to The Grampians, to make food friendly wines in Australia.
I love bringing people together and can think of nothing better than sharing a meal and a bottle of wine with friends. This is what draws me to cool climate wines. They are a piece of the orchestra rather than trying to take the centre stage. And when everything is in harmony, it’s a wonderful, multi-dimensional sound.
Here’s some recipe inspiration to pair with cool climate wines, especially our Shiraz and Viognier.
And make sure you check out our article – Understanding Cool Climate Wine Regions. Cool climate is a term that isn’t widely recognised. It’s not due to a lack of history; it simply doesn’t receive the attention we believe it deserves. We’re here to change that…
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Grilled Steak: We regularly do a BBQ at home. Scotch fillet steaks are our preferred cut and we both like it cooked medium rare. We’re fortunate to have an amazing butcher in our local area, the Pyrenees Premium Cuts. Family owned just like us. Love their sausages for the kids too. A simple salad a jacket potato, a glass of SubRosa 2019 Grampians Pyrenees Shiraz and dinner is done.
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Spaghetti Bolognese: This is one of those dishes that is great any night of the week. Adam and the kids love it so we tend to make it regularly. We often pair it with our SubRosa 2021 Grampians Shiraz, where the acidity of this cool climate shiraz is a great match to the acidity of this tomato based dish. If you need a reliable recipe, it’s hard to beat the Spag Bol from recipetineats, my go-to for many easy, family-friendly recipes.
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Mushroom Risotto: Often risotto is paired with a white wine for its ability to cut through the richness of the dish. If you’re after a red wine to have the same effect, a cool climate shiraz is a great choice. Try this creamy mushroom risotto recipe that doesn’t contain white wine so it’s a good one for the kids too. And it uses easy to find button mushrooms (or capped as they call it here) but sub them with portobello mushrooms if you like an earthy style. Put this with a glass of SubRosa Grampians Pyrenees Shiraz and you’ll be happy.😋
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Roast Chicken: The dish that keeps on giving. When it’s not all eaten in one meal, I shred the meat and make chicken quesadillas, with a serving of guacamole. It’s my cheeky leftover meal. For the roast chicken pairing, our SubRosa 2021 Grampians Viognier is a good choice, because its rich, aromatic notes of honeysuckle and flavours of grilled stone fruit complements the savoury, slightly fatty flavours of the chicken.
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Roasted Lamb Rack with Herbes de Provence: Adam spent five vintages in Bordeaux. Thanks to the Michelin star chefs who were frequently flown to the vineyard he worked at, he developed quite a French palate. Nothing beats Aussie lamb though… The thyme and rosemary in the lamb seasoning mirror the floral and herbal notes you’ll discover in our Grampians Viognier.
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Prawns & Avocado Salad: When it comes to summertime, my mind goes to fresh, straight off the trawler prawns. Must be my Gold Coast upbringing. What I’ve learnt about using prawns is they don’t need to be fancy and neither should they only be enjoyed on special occasions. Cos lettuce holds up well to prawns. Add avocado and dress with a simple olive oil, lime juice dressing topped with some fresh coriander. Here’s a quick recipe to follow – Prawn & Avocado Salad. The richness of the prawns pairs well with our aromatic SubRosa Grampians Viognier.
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Peach, Tomato & Burrata Salad: For a salad that tastes of summer try this vibrant recipe from Half-baked Harvest. We get our peaches from the Pomonal Orchard who sell their amazing fruits at farmers’ markets. We grow our own cherry tomatoes, which the kids love to pick straight from the vine. Pair this with our SubRosa Grampians Viognier for a delightful summer lunch next time you’re having friends over.
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Korean BBQ: Cool climate red wines match well with spicy Asian dishes especially where the food flavour is a combination sweet, spicy and salty like a Korean BBQ. This recipe for a Korean BBQ marinade, by The Kitchn shows how easy it is to make rather than order takeaway. Now you can use exactly the protein you prefer (we like lamb or chicken) and tofu works well too. For the pairing wine, matching spice with spice is a good rule to follow. In a recent Halliday Wine Companion, Campbell Mattinson reviewed our SubRosa 2021 Grampians Shiraz, with this in his comments – “smoky/savoury nuttiness, which itself is complemented by trademark regional pepper.” It has just the right level of spiciness to complement the spice in a Korean BBQ. We think you should give it a try too!
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