Spaghetti Bolognese: Adam’s all time favourite and one the kids gobble up without complaints too. He doesn’t even think about what to pair it with…it’s always our 2019 Grampians Pyrenees Shiraz. So everyone tends to have their own recipe, many times passed down from generation to generation. But in case you need a reliable one, it’s hard to beat the Spag Bol by recipetineats.

Shepherd’s Pie: We’re talking the classic version here, with lamb mince. That’s why it’s called Shepherd’s Pie…When made using beef mince it’s a Cottage Pie. Both have creamy mashed potato on top, it’s just the type of mince that changes. Adam’s mum would mix things up and make it with a blend of pumpkin and potato mash on top and add peas in the mince for some extra greens. Taste has a good, classic recipe for Shepherd’s Pie and gives you some ideas on jazzing it up. We also make it with our leftover roast lamb. Just shred up the lamb, instead of buying some mince. A very economical dish!

Coq au Vin: Adam was treated to the authentic version of this dish while living in Bordeaux so he developed a taste for it. The traditional recipe uses a Burgundian wine like a Pinot but since moving back to the Grampians, he likes to use a cool-climate Shiraz. It’s not too overpowering, but adds a touch of pepper spice to the dish. And he always uses chicken thighs on the bone. Try this Coq au Vin recipe from Damn Delicious, where skin-on chicken thighs are used.

Portobello Pizza: You might think this is a carb loaded pizza…Fooled you. This is a pizza where the base is a portobello mushroom. What a great idea for a large surface mushroom! It will surprise all your guests and this Portobello pizza recipe from Cafedelites only takes 10 mins to prepare and bake. A great one to pair with our Italian varietal, the 2019 SubRosa Pyrenees Nebbiolo.

Chorizo, Salami & Olive Pizza: Now we have a real pizza recipe, but not your everyday cheese or pepperoni version. Winter calls for warming ingredients which chorizo delivers here. Occasionally it’s worth making your own base from scratch and other times it isn’t…These days you can buy a decent ready-made pizza dough from your local grocery. For the whole recipe including the base, try this one from Taste.com.au – Chorizo, Salami & Olive Pizza. And for a wine choice, match the spice of the chorizo with the black pepper spice of a shiraz but you don’t want to overpower it with something too big and bold. We think a cool-climate shiraz is a better food-friendly choice. It’s more refined characteristics is designed to compliment, not overwhelm. May we recommend our SubRosa 2019 SubRosa Malakoff Estate Pyrenees Shiraz…

Roast Chicken: The ultimate dinner that pleases everyone, young and old. If you like crispy skin, here’s a top tip, dry brine it. The night before, remove the chicken from the package. Dry pat it with paper towels outside and inside. Then sprinkle kosher salt or coarse salt all over it, top, bottom, and inside the cavity, and use a liberal amount. Overnight the salt draws out the moisture and the result is a crispier skin when roasted. Here’s how to dry brine and how much salt to use. Now for the wine with this crispy skin chicken…With white meat a white wine makes sense but serve it at room temperature rather than icy cold in the colder months. Our SubRosa 2021 Viognier goes beautifully with a roast chicken. Why Viognier? The wine’s moderate acidity helps balance the richness of a roast chicken, while its floral and fruity notes add a layer of complexity to the meal.

Pork Roast with Crackling: I love making crackling. It barely gets to the table before everyone has cracked off a piece. What’s the trick to pork crackling? I went right to the ultimate source, the Australian Pork website, for their hot tips. It starts with the driest of dry pork rind. Match this with a Viognier or a Nebbiolo.

Lasagna: Pre-made lasagna has come a long way, especially if you spend a bit more for the gourmet level. But it’s something worth learning because once you’ve done it a few times, it can be done quickly enough and ahead of it. What takes it to the next level is making your own white sauce (or Béchamel), which is not as hard as you think. Stick to the three ingredients (butter, flour, milk) and leave the parmesan cheese for between the pasta sheets. This Creamy Béchamel Sauce recipe does a good job of keeping it simple. Lasagna is a heavy dish, so pair it with a red that isn’t too bold. Our SubRosa 2019 Pyrenees Nebbiolo would be a good choice and given it’s an Italian varietal, why not!

Lamb Shanks: First let’s talk wine pairing. Lamb shanks tend to be a gamey flavour. Straight away our SubRosa 2022 Mourvèdre comes to mind. With its earthy flavours and hint of spice, it pairs beautifully with meat, especially roasted game meat. Venison would also pair well with this wine varietal. The trick to cooking lamb shanks is time. Keep it low and go slow. Like 160 degrees at 2 1/2-3 hrs. Try the Roasted Lamb Shanks recipe by the Tasman Butchers.

Slow Roasted Lamb: This one Adam makes with his eyes closed. It was tough to get the recipe written down from him but now we have it recorded for posterity…First make a spice rub mix. Amount depends on your lamb roast size, but for a general guide, use mainly paprika, then equal amounts of garlic and onion powder, and a couple decent grinds of black pepper and salt. Shake all this together in a jar then rub over the lamb. Best done the night before to let the spice flavour infiltrate the lamb flesh. Now the recipe. Cut up about 4 onions into rough chunks. This is your bottom layer of the dutch oven. Pour in a cup and a half of red wine (like our SubRosa 2019 Grampians Pyrenees Shiraz or the SubRosa 2022 Mourvèdre), place the lamb roast on top, cover it with the lid. Total cooking time is 4 hrs. Set the temperature at 160 degrees for the first hour, then drop to 120 degrees for the next 3 hrs. Serve up this rich, deliciousness with scallop potatoes and some freshly steamed greens like broccoli. No gravy required! Just scoop out some of the self made juices in the dutch oven. And of course, the wine pairing…you already have the Grampians Pyrenees or Mourvèdre open, so start with a glass of either of these first. The Subrosa 2019 Malakoff Estate Pyrenees Shiraz is also wonderful with this multi-layered, slow roasted lamb dish.