In this popular series we feature selected sommeliers from top restaurants around the world.
Each chooses his or her favourite Creation wine, tells us why and recommends a matching dish. This week we welcome Igor Sotric from the highly popular China Tang in London.
Igor says:
I have a close connection with the owners of Creation and since I first tasted the 2010 Creation Syrah, Grenache we’ve had this wine on our list. The blend has that Rhône finesse which I enjoy. It starts with intense and pronounced aromas of black and red fruit with spicy tones. Green herbaceous secondary aromas can also be observed. On the dry and vibrant palate cassis, cherry-plum and sweet spice are complemented by a hint of mint. There are also notes of vanilla and lavender – all very well balanced with soft tannins lending structure.
When it comes to Syrah I like to pair it with duck dishes served with plum sauce. In this instance I’ve paired the Creation Syrah, Grenache with a dish of Duck with Hoisin Sauce, Plum Sauce, Pancake, Spring Onions and Cucumber. The combination shows off the natural character of the Syrah beautifully while the presence of the Grenache adds good structure.
Click here to read the complete blog and here to read more about the Creation Syrah, Grenache and to order it online.
Wine and food word of the week: Balance
Wine and food pairing has become a popular practice with an ever-growing number of enthusiastic ‘foodies’, many of whom regard it as an essential part of their culinary experience. And why not? Wine is most often consumed with food and the perceived effects they have on each other can be either pleasant or unpleasant. So we have asked Creation’s Carolyn Martin, renowned as a pioneer in the art and science of flavour profiling, to share some of her secrets. This week she talks about Balance.
Balance in Wine
When the concentration of fruit, the levels of tannins and the acidity are in harmony, a wine is regarded as balanced. This is a desirable trait as these wines tend to be symmetrical and age gracefully.
A balanced wine is easier to pair with a balanced dish and one can create a balanced dish by combining opposite or complementary elements of the profiles indicated below:
Balance in Food
Taste: Sourness vs Saltiness; Sweetness vs Bitterness
Richness: Fat vs Acidity
Temperature: Hot vs Cold
Texture: Creamy vs Crunchy
Here are just two examples:
Avocado, Prawn and Citrus Vanilla Mayonnaise in Puff Pastry – Creation Chardonnay.
Texture: The buttery puff pastry echoes the texture of the avocado.
Taste: The prawn adds a touch of salty sweetness to the sourness of the citrus mayonnaise.
Cauliflower and Gorgonzola Soup with Herbed Sourdough Croùtes – Creation Merlot
Texture: The creaminess of the cauliflower and the cheese contrast rewardingly with the crunchiness of the croùtes.
Taste: The sourness of the sourdough croùtes counterbalances the saltiness of the blue cheese.
A Balanced Wine and Food Pairing
As stated above, a balanced wine is easier to pair with a balanced dish and vice versa. This is because certain elements (such as taste and texture) in both the wine and the dish react differently to each other. Finding the right combination will greatly enhance the dining experience, but that’s a story for another time. Suffice to say that one of the most basic tricks is understanding the balance between the weight (or body) of the wine and the weight of the dish.
Creation News
Carolyn Martin recently hosted a successful press lunch at 67 Pall Mall, London’s first club for wine lovers. Among those present was Darren Smith from The Drinks Business who reported highly favourably on the event in The Week in Pictures section.
Click here to see the feature and note the reference to Tim Atkin’s comparison between Dolly Parton and Jodie Kidd (regarding Chardonnay).
