Wine-pairings

Red, white and sweet winter matches for the table

Pour it right in, I say. I’m a believer one should always pick the best wine for the meal, or in the meal. So, in goes a whole bottle of Monster Cabs (Monster Vineyards Naramata.)

A succulent meal of short ribs is braising and building with flavours over time with herbs from my garden and that triumphant mirepoix of French cuisine: carrots onion and celery.

Flavours take time to develop, and layer upon layer brings a depth we find in our winter fare of hearty soups, stews, pastas and braised and roasted meats. These savoury foods call out for a medium to full-bodied wine, whose ageing, often in barrel, has also created complexity in both flavour and aroma.

I serve the succulent short ribs with a well-aged Okanagan Syrah, a perfect match for all things rich and hearty. Its peppery finish with its savoury fruit expression from our cool climate nicely balances the spiciness of a stew or a dark fruit-based sauce.

Read the full story in Okanagan Life Magazine.