Craig Beattie Travel by Glass

Firstly guys,

Don’t be scared food and wine pairings can be challenging and sometimes you may feel like your not sure where to start. I'm going to try and convince you that its not that hard.

 

If you look at the crazy flavour wheel, you may think how am I going to find the perfect pair? But, consider that this is subjective.  

People have different sensitivities to various flavour and aroma compounds, i.e. the same level of bitterness can affect one person a lot more than the other. The perfect pairing to one person may be totally uninspiring to another and that is the beauty of it and inspires conversation at the table about food and wine and what each individual person enjoyed.  

Food has over 20 different tastes profiles including Umami, Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter, Astringent, Creamy, Rich, Cooling, Spicy, Metallic, Fatty, Smoky, Earthy, Herbal, Floral, Nutty, Tart, Tangy, Alkaline.

Some well-known food pairing principles include:

•Acidity in food, increases the perception of body, sweetness and fruitiness in the wine. Also decreases the perception of acidity in wine. 

•Spiciness in food, increases the perception of bitterness, astringency, acidity and the burning effect of alcohol in the wine. Also decreases the perception of body, richness, sweetness, and fruitiness of the wine.

When looking at the salad above, the wine should have more Acid than the dish, so in this example we are looking for a wine with some acid, therefore, we would not pair with a bold red wine. Also, the wine should have the same flavour intensity as the dish, in other words, a lighter dish should be paired a lighter wine. (white) 

At Hello Beasty, I try and focus more on smaller producers that focus more on organic and biodynamic principles. 

James Opie of Bryterlater, North Canterbury makes some of the best wines coming out of North Canterbury in my opinion, and I love the way each wine sings.  The Petina Petillant Naturel Pinot Noir 2023. James’s Tasting Notes describe it as Raspberry cheesecake. Aperol. Yogurt. Sea mist. Acid. Mouth-filling.

Beef tartare served on a rice cracker, accompanied by mayonnaise, pepper, and chili.

Atipico Wines is the work of Jordan Hogg in Marlborough. Atipico Sundial 2024 is a field blend of 39% Pinot Blanc, 26% Gruner Veltliner, 24% Riesling and 11% Pinot Gris.

Kingfish wrapped in nori accompanied by an orange/citrus glaze and segments, with coriander. 

This is a very versatile dish which can pair with lots of different styles of food and has been a work horse on the Hello beasty for several vintages now. Hello Beasty pair is the hibachi prawns.

Moko Hills is located in Bendigo, Central Otago. It is the vision of Donald van der Westhuizen who graduated with a Masters in Ecosystem Ecology before re-directing his focus towards making wine.

Kōwhai is the Māori word for yellow and the name of the Chardonnay block at Moko Hills. Pockets of mature kōwhai overlook the chardonnay block, adorning the hills with a golden yellow come spring. This block is the highest in altitude at Moko Hills at 350 – 370m above sea level.

Crispy fried chicken served in a lettuce cup, accompanied by yuzu-pickled cucumber and a touch of wasabi.

Now to one of my favourite wines Atipico Under the Plum Tree - a field of 3 pinots: Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris -

Jordan has an interesting method amongst his winemaking arsenal – and he has a rather great name for it ‘vinsitu’. The barrels of wines are taken out to the vineyard where the grapes were picked and fermented right there. I saw one particularly ace photo of the Pinot Noir ‘Under the Plum Tree’ barrels…literally under a plum tree, with rows of vines either side.

Wonton filled with slow-cooked lamb shoulder, seasoned with cumin and fennel, accompanied by a Szechuan pepper dipping sauce.

The Kawarau Gecko is accompanied by Korokia (Corokia cotoneaster), a divaricating shrub found throughout the schist outcrops along the slopes of Moko Hills.

Mini slider with fried and pickled onion rings, accompanied by black pepper mayonnaise. Served with crispy fries.

Craig Beattie

17/5/2025

And thanks to our team in the kitchen... Diploma of Cookery students at NZSFW.

Dumpling duty

White fish wrapped in nori – Accompanied by an orange/citrus glaze and segments, with coriander.