Australia’s Hunter Valley has a viticultural history dating back to the early 19th century, with long sunny days and cool bright evenings allowing the region’s grapes to experience a long and natural ripening process. This is why the McGuigan family have been producing wine here for more than 100 years. Since then, they’ve kept one foot in the Hunter while also expanding into the vast growing region of south-east Australia.
Along the way, they’ve continued to produce many favourite everyday wines – from whites such as the light and peachy McGuigan Reserve Chardonnay or the crisp and citrusy McGuigan Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, to reds such as the smooth McGuigan Reserve Merlot and the lusciously deep McGuigan Reserve Red Velvet.
With such a broad and distinct portfolio, there’s a wine to complement every style of meal and, for that matter, every type of diet – as all McGuigan Wines are suitable for vegans. Find out what goes with what below.
Prawn and avocado salad
Paired with McGuigan Reserve Pinot Grigio
Few dishes are more evocative of summer than a fresh prawn salad. In its classic form, this may be not unlike a prawn cocktail, which (whisper it) has been having something of a comeback. But if you’ve picked up a bottle of McGuigan Reserve Pinot Grigio, try throwing your prawns together with some rocket, creamy avocado and an Asian-inspired vinaigrette of sesame oil, soy, fresh chilli and mirin. The light-pear flavours and notes of citrus and stonefruit in pinot grigio are perfectly calibrated to meet the combination of delicate prawns, bright peppery salad leaves and the punchy, umami dressing. A match made in heaven.
Slow-cooked lamb shank
Paired with McGuigan Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
The tender and succulent morsels that fall off a slow-cooked lamb shank are things of true culinary wonder. No knife work here, please; the meat should have so completely surrendered itself to the cooking process that you are able to gently pry it away from the bone with a spoon. There are so many flavours and textures built into this hearty dish – from the melting of the rich bone marrow, and the deeply salty and savoury pan juices, to the infused herbiness of the bouquet garni that ought to be customary to all slow-cooked lamb shank recipes. The vibrant blackcurrant aromas and dark fruit flavours of the McGuigan Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon will lift all of those strong, smoky flavours straight out of the lamb and on to your taste buds.
Roasted vegetable lasagne
Paired with McGuigan Reserve Red Velvet
Oozing with gooey bechamel, grated parmesan and with a rich tomatoey base, lasagne might just be the archetypal dish to share with friends on a cold night in. And various vegetarian versions – try layers of roasted aubergine topped with earthy mushroom ragu – now grace as many, if not more, tables as its carnivorous cousin. You’ll find an ideal match in the bold, fruit-forward McGuigan Reserve Red Velvet. This classic Australian blend balances notes of blackcurrant and cherry with a subtle oakiness that melds particularly well with the best part of any lasagne: the crispy, cheesy-charred edges.
Grilled vegetable medley
Paired with McGuigan Reserve Sauvignon Blanc
From the grassy flavours of asparagus to the smokiness of charred courgettes and aubergines and the sweetness of caramelised peppers and onions – putting a spread of vegetables, generously seasoned and doused in olive oil, to a hot grill can create a surprisingly complex dish. In terms of a wine partner then, a grilled medley of veg will be looking for something dry, with a nice bit of acidity to balance the more salty and savoury elements on your plate. That would be the McGuigan Reserve Sauvignon Blanc: a fine Australian take on the varietal, exhibiting light citrus and gooseberry flavours that lock into a crisp, refreshing finish. There’s no better way to enjoy it.
Ribeye steak
Paired with McGuigan Reserve Merlot
Also known as a scotch fillet or entrecote, the ribeye is regarded as one of the truly choice cuts of beef. When you’re choosing one at the butcher, remember this: fat means flavour, so look for something with nice internal marbling, and opt for grass-fed over grain-fed if you can.
One of the simplest, and arguably one of the most delicious, ways to cook a ribeye is to do the following: give both sides of the steak a good whack of salt and pepper (you won’t be adding any more during cooking, so make it count). After that, apply it to a near-smoking hot griddle pan for no more than five minutes either side – depending on the thickness of the steak – using a herb brush made of thyme and oregano to baste it with garlic-infused olive oil. Make sure to give it at least five minutes to rest once you’ve taken it off the heat and that’s it. It’s a dish of truly elemental flavours, and you don’t want a wine that will get in the way of it. Meaning that its proper sidekick is the soft and supple McGuigan Reserve Merlot, with its luscious plum and cherry notes acting as a loving foil for the deeply caramelised outer layer and juicy inner core of a medium-rare to medium ribeye.
Grilled seafood
Paired with McGuigan Reserve Chardonnay
There is an undeniable union when it comes to matching the McGuigan Reserve Chardonnay with the flavours of fresh seafood tossed on a barbecue. In fact, the sun-filled summer days mean that now is the ideal time to delight in this light, but elegant meal with family and friends. The diverse textures of a mixed grill of seafood – white fish such as sea bass, for instance, alongside scallops, calamari and prawns – combine winningly with the subtle ripe apple and white peach fruit on display. This is a wine lovingly produced in the Hunter Valley’s Mediterranean-style climate, so the continental tones of this smooth and creamy chardonnay couldn’t make a more natural pairing.
McGuigan Wines are available in most UK supermarkets. For more information, please go to: mcguiganwines.co.uk
