I read somewhere that a rich in flavours wines need rich food in flavours, right? So, why not combine it with substantial beef curry. I had no idea if it would work together though.
Most people tend to drink beer or Shiraz when eating curries. But I am here to change this trend and go for a Primitivo (Zinfandel) – which was again another object of study for me since I am not familiar to the history of this type of grape.
And guess what? It happens that the origin of Primitivo and Zinfandel seems to be an interesting and controversial issue.
But we will talk about it later here. Let’s focus on how a Diecianni 2017 | Primitivo (Zinfandel) | Sakura Double Gold Medal goes with some classic Indian food.
The Wine of my Choice
This is the first time I’ve tried a Primitivo. It was chosen for me by the amazing people from Independent Wine.
It was exciting to find out that these grapes are basically the same, but Primitivo is grown primarily in Italy while zinfandel (that I was a bit more familiar with) is grown in California. Do you agree with this? Let me know below in the comments.
Diecianni 2017 is a classic Primitivo produced by Feudi Di Guagnano – a family run group of winemakers in the town of Guagnano, in North Salento.
This is a full-bodied Italian red wine that has the flavour of ripe black cherries, with hints of vanilla and spices.
This wine comes from warm regions of South Italy and It’s fermented in stainless steel to be finally aged for three months in French oak barrels.
The Food of my Choice
We live in Birmingham, right? We do need to love curries. I remember moving here as a student and being fascinated with the history of the Balti Triangle and all the Indian and Bangladesh’s food culture around.
You can find outstanding Indian food everywhere here, but you can always cook yours as well. That was my plan. I chose beef curry because I thought red meat would go with red wine.
As you may know, curries can be served with several other complementary naans, basmati rice, samosas, dhal, sauces, etc.
I’ve decided to make a couple of them, and my Beef curry was served with Turmeric rice, Bombay potatoes, onion bhajis, naan bread and some poppadoms.
Goodness, that’s what I can a rich meal for two! That was a lot of food. I didn’t prepare the bread this time. But it was a lot of spices and fragrances in the kitchen that day. Everything in the name of the food and wine pairing task.
When Italian Primitivo meets Beef Curry
I confess that I wasn’t sure about this matching. I knew it would work well with lamb, but I am not a big fan of it. So, I took the risk of going for red meat, but mainly thinking about the spice elements added to this.
My wine was pretty chilled when open. Yes, did you know it’s fine to drink chilled red wine? I know. Shocking! Or maybe I am ready to become a sommelier – just joking.
All I can say is that it was absolutely amazing to taste the lush flavours of red berries complemented by notes of spice and vanilla spreading across the plate to cling to the sides of the mouth.
I am still not sure if the wine and food were a match. It was risky but I can say I enjoyed both, meal and drink, separately. Not together.
I guess it was failing for this task. But the wine is spectacular, and I do recommend taking it to a nice adventure in a nice cottage in some remote part of England where we can have a glass (or two) of Diecianni 2017 in front of a fireplace.
* I received this product complimentary from Independent Wine for testing purposes.
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