No matter the menu, these red wines are coming with.
‘Should we BYO?’ Three words we love to hear. In fact, name a better dinner plan – we’ll wait. Not only is your bank account in for a treat, but so are your mates because this is an opportunity to free a couple of bottles from the wine rack. But hands down, the best thing about bringing your own bottle to a restaurant is that while you eat something outrageously delicious that you didn’t have to cook, you get to drink exactly what you want. A bang-for-buck bottle to keep the cost down? BYO. Something special you've been saving? BYO. Leftover wine from yesterday’s barbecue? BYO. Tasked with getting the wine to your mate’s place? That’s also BYO, right?
Now, we know it’s still cold outside, and maybe the closest you’re getting to Italy any time soon is your local pizza haunt, but, in good news, we have three perfect red wines to see you through the rest of the season.
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Take it to pizza
Stonyfell Waymaker Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir
Pizza and pinot noir – say less. There’s just something about BYO night at your local pizza place. Whether you’re drinking from a glass with a stem or straight from a tumbler, pizza night (especially mid-week) really does hit different. But back to the pinot – the Stonyfell Waymaker comes from the Adelaide Hills, a cool-climate region just 20 minutes from Adelaide’s CBD. Put your nose in the glass and you’ll notice it’s bursting with red cherries, strawberries and has a dusting of oak. Take a sip. It’s medium-bodied with loads of redcurrants, blueberries and pinot’s signature earthy, mushroomy undertones. These flavours make the Waymaker a great partner for those chargrilled crusts that can only come from a woodfired pizza oven.
Take it to Thai
Two words you don’t hear that often are Thai and shiraz, but we’re here to prove that this wine isn’t just reserved for steak night. What we love about Thai restaurants (other than the food) is that a lot of them offer BYO, so, tonight, we’re bringing the Pepperjack Barossa Shiraz. It’s big and bold and plush as hell, which is exactly what we love about Pepperjack. Have a whiff, and you’ll get bright red, blue and black fruits, plus there’s dark choccie for the fans and a little bit of mocha. Pause for a roti and satay sauce break.
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If you’ve worked your way through a couple of servings of roti (if it’s not all over the tablecloth then you’re doing it wrong), it’s time to get serious about mains. Now, the key to matching shiraz and Thai food is to steer clear of anything too spicy, so this is a great time to invite that mate who doesn’t do so well with chilli, as the heat will only clash with the tannins in this shiraz.
But the Pepperjack Shiraz also has layers of blackberries and blueberries, which calls for a massaman curry with beef as the hero. Massaman is a rich curry that has a unique sweetness – especially if your local packs in chunks of sweet, juicy pineapple – and aromatics like chilli, garlic, ginger and lemongrass. So, a fruit-forward shiraz like the PJ, which also has notes of chocolate, works with the sweetness of the curry. Sides? We thought you’d never ask. Rice, obviously, lots of it. We’ll need a few chicken-satay skewers and we’d also order a serving of pad see ew – that umami-rich sauce with its slight sweetness will work with the shiraz, rather than against it.
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Take it to Middle Eastern
Cat Amongst the Pigeons Flyaway Cabernet Sauvignon
It’s perhaps one of the most underrated cuisines, especially when it comes to BYO restaurants, but Middle Eastern is a slam dunk for a group dinner. We’re talking about family-style share plates, a big bowl of baba ganoush and loads of crispy fried bread to mop it up with. So, what are we BYO’ing? It has to be the Cat Amongst The Pigeons Flyway Cabernet Sauvignon.
Cab sauv fans may be surprised because the Flyway is lighter and fresher than your usual cabernet from the Barossa. In the glass it’s a deep red that throws a few glimpses of purple – it’s jam-packed with mint, cassis and spice, fresh blackberry and bright blackcurrant fruit and a little bit of choc mint. Yum. The best thing you can do at your local Middle Eastern is designate one or two people to order for the group, that way you get a bit of everything.
