My husband and I have always been partial to a weekly curry – either in our local Indian restaurant where he insists we go on a regular basis to maintain our ‘VIP status’ as he calls it or a home-made curry – extra hot with chillies if cooked just for the two of us or a mild one if we are entertaining guests.
This weekend we were entertaining and my husband decided to cook Chicken Bhuna and also a Beef ‘Raj’ Curry (a Rick Stein recipe) with beef stock, coconut and sultanas accompanied by Aloo Gobi (a la slim Hairy Bikers) and a dhal preceded by dozens of poppadoms and dips etc and finishing with a delicious home-made kulfi ice cream.
My job was to do the research and find some wines to match (thank you in part Sarah Rowlands, friend, wine writer and educator) so on Saturday afternoon I headed off to Majestic.
The evening was a great success and this is what I came up with and would highly recommend.
To start and with the chicken curry – one of my favourite white grape varieties which I have personally not tried before with spicy food, the not so well known Gruner Veltliner -Austria’s ‘signature grape’ – this one from the Wachau Valley in Austria. Weissenkirchen Gruner Veltliner Federspiel 2014. £9.99 in Majestic.
The wine was easy to drink with a slight citrussy ‘tang’, some hints of mineral and a touch of white pepper on the nose. Definitely a food and guest friendly wine and a bonus for me in that I was reminded what a great alternative it is to Sauvignon Blanc (Refer to Whittle Wine of the Week 22nd Feb ’16). It is available in most supermarkets but you have to look carefully as there is usually only one variety on the shelf!
With the beef curry – Sarah recommended a Rioja Reserva – specifically one which had been aged in US oak (as opposed to French oak) such that it would give notes of coconut (as opposed to vanilla). Tra la….I found two excellent wines and both at a good price.
Lagunilla Gran Reserva 2007 – definitely got dried fruits and maybe cinammon- £11.99 but on offer @ £8.99 for 6. Majestic.
Vina Pomal Centenario Reserva 2011 -100% tempranillo, aged for only 18 months so still quite ruby in colour and fruity to taste. £11.99 (£9.99 for 6). Majestic.
Visit Majestic Wine Warehouse
The Periodic Table of Wine by Sarah Rowlands. Available on Amazon
If you try these wines, please let me know what you think +
PS Surely I can’t be the only person who enjoys a G&T with their curry too – my current favourite gin which is everywhere at the moment – Silent Pool – watch this space!
Whittle On….wine, women and wellness 