Food and wine pairing: Grilled lamb + syrah

Syrah (called shiraz in Australia) is a full-bodied, peppery and heady wine with flavours of sweet blackberries, cherries and plums. These intense qualities make it a natural match for weighty, rich meats — grilled lamb in particular — since the slight fattiness softens the syrah’s robust, mouth-drying tannins. In return, the wine’s rounded fruitiness gently curbs the lamb’s earthy character.

Along with its signature juiciness, syrah, especially from southern France, often has floral notes of dried herbs and lavender. These same flavours show up in Provençal cuisine, so the region’s hallmark vegetable dish, ratatouille, complements both the meat and the wine. Serving syrah barely cool, or just below room temperature, helps beat the summer heat and enhances the wine’s fruit.

Perfect pairing: Syrah + grilled lamb chops and ratatouille

Related:
Pulled pork + gamay
Grilled halibut + sherry
Stuffed artichokes + sauvignon blanc