WineNZ Summer 2019-20

Food | Vic's Food N Wine...
Vic Williams
Vic Williams is a seasoned wine and food writer who
has spent the last 25 years communicating about
their combinations in print and on radio.
Time to relax
The sun is shining,
the working year is
behind us and the
lengthening days
suggest a twilight walk
followed by a relaxing
glass of something cool and
undemanding before dinner.
That is the promise of summer,
and after a spring induced by
climate change to deliver even
more unpredictability than usual,
it’s quite a relief.
Now is the time to get creative
about our evening meals,
trying new recipes that may
well become staples in the
year ahead accompanied
by wines that are new to our
repertoire. Statistics tells us that
most shoppers, confronted
by the bewildering number of
labels on the shelves, stick with
those they know. That’s a shame.
Winemakers are an adventurous
lot, and because our industry
is relatively young they are
constantly experimenting, with
often-exciting results.
As consumers, we can support
this initiative, but venturing
further afield we can also add
imported styles that have a long
history in their countries of origin
but are not commonly seen on
our own tables.
The fact that you are reading
this magazine shows that you
have a keen interest in the
product of the grape, and are
well aware that it is the only
beverage specifically designed
to accompany good, honest
food. That is the premise of
this column, but as always, the
matches outlined on these
pages are only suggestions. Real
joy is to be found in discovering
your own ‘perfect combo’.
Have fun!
Mirin-grilled carrot sticks
in nasturtiuM leaVes
Wine match: Méthode Traditionnelle sparkling wine
This idea for a pre-lunch or
dinner nibble was born from a
desire to find a new use for the
prolific nasturtium plants that
occupy a corner of the garden.
Trim carrots to form straightsided
batons and place in
boiling water for three or four
minutes, until slightly softened.
Cut each baton lengthwise
into four sticks, toss in olive oil
and mirin (sweet Japanese rice
wine) and grill briefly to lightly
caramelise. Smear a
thin layer of miso paste
onto the underside of
nasturtium leaves and
roll each one around
a carrot stick. It is the
miso that makes the
dish work so well with
a yeasty Méthode.
Made from fermented
soy beans, it has an
earthiness that sits
perfectly with the wine.
52 WineNZ Magazine | Summer 2019/2020