Have you ever gone to an Asian restaurant, ordered or BYO’d a white wine you normally enjoy and yet found it bland when accompanied with the food? This is often the problem with cuisine that has exotic flavours and spices which can dumb down the flavours of a normally flavoursome wine. In cases like this, it is best to marry strong flavours in wine with that of your food, or balance the dish’s spiciness with a little sweetness in the wine.
Introducing Aromatico from S.C.Pannell in the Adelaide Hills. This is a considered blend by winemaker Stephen Pannell of predominantly Gewurztraminer followed by a little Riesling and Pinot Gris. The former provides the exotic aromatics of lychee, strawberry and native frangipani, the Riesling balances the acidity and the Pinot Gris offers a roundness and balance to the overall wine.
I was previously not a big fan of Gewurztraminer wines. Prior examples had been too bubblegum-like in flavour so I would intentionally steer clear from them on a wine list. This version has made me reconsider and has everything going for it and works perfectly when trying to match that more complicated dish.
Stockists: Direct from the S.C Pannell website/cellar door or check at your local independent wine merchant.