Whether you’re hosting a dinner party, planning a romantic evening, or simply unwinding after a long day, your choice of wine can make or break the experience. Making a choice between red, white, and rosé may feel daunting, and you may feel tempted to stick to the type you know best, but exploring all of your options is key to elevating your wine drinking experience to its full potential.
For help with picking the perfect wine for your occasion, read on for help with picking the perfect bottle every time, along with a guide to pairing your choice of wine.
Red Wine
Red wine is bold and full bodied with a low acidity and a beautiful burgundy colour. It is typically produced from red grapes, but can sometimes be made using black grape varieties, and is usually aged in oak barrels.
The Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon is a stunning red wine varietal that offers a truly decadent drinking experience. Cabernet Sauvignon holds a long heritage in Australia, with Penfolds’ Barossa Valley vineyards being considered as the oldest continuously producing cabernet sauvignon vines in the world. This particular varietal from Penfolds is a flavour-intense wine with a rich opulence and exceptional balance.
Red Wine Pairings
Due to its richness and intense flavour, red wine is best paired with hearty, beefy dinners such as steak, beef bourguignon, and coq au vin. However, some red wines, such as pinot noir and merlot, are better suited to more mediterranean meals containing roasted chicken or salmon, grilled meats, and pasta dishes due to their lighter, smoother, fruitier texture and flavour profile.
White Wine
Crisp and refreshing, white wine is a light and zesty wine with a higher acidity and with a decided versatility. It is predominantly produced from white grapes and is typically aged in a stainless steel container.
The Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs is an incredible expression of Chardonnay. It was Nyetimber’s first style, marking the start of the brand’s pioneering journey in winemaking over thirty years ago. With an elegant light gold hue and a fine, delicate mousse, this sophisticated white offers a perfect, crisp white wine experience. This delicious varietal carries gentle aromas of freshly squeezed lemon, pink apple, and white blossom.
White Wine Pairings
White wine pairs excellently with light, summery foods. Buttery whites such as Chardonnay are best paired with creamy dishes such as spaghetti carbonara whilst crisp, citrusy whites are more suited to mediterranean dishes containing seafood. Extra sweet whites such as Reisling should be paired very carefully due to their high sugar content; generally, spicy foods or light appetisers will be the best choice here.
Rosé Wine
Many would consider rosé wine to be the best of both worlds. With its flirty, pink hue and delicately balanced flavours, rosé wine offers the same bold flavours as red wine whilst maintaining the same light freshness as white wine.
Aphrodise Sparkling Rosé is a celebration of youth, conviviality, and the height of carefree luxury. It is made from the indigenous Xinomavro grape, the most noble grape of Greece, from specially selected family vineyards in Northwestern Greece. This Greek sparkling wine boasts delicious, fruity flavours that pair delightfully, and each cuvée has a freshness that only low acidity can achieve, creating a versatile sparkling wine fit for any occasion.
Rosé Wine Pairings
From invigorating seafood dishes like lobster to convivial, fruity desserts, rosé wine is an incredibly versatile choice when it comes to pairings. Lobster is a decadent dish known for its sweet, slightly briny flavour and firm, meaty texture. The delicate, low acidity of the wine complements the saltiness of the meat excellently. Alternatively, berry cheesecake, with its luxuriously smooth texture and burst of fruity flavour, is an obvious match for sparkling rosé wine’s bright berry notes which mirror the sweetness of the cheesecake and the fruitiness of the berries, creating a delicious, harmonious pairing.