Be Inspired Wine Pairing
In collaboration with Roberto Dessanti of Euro Concepts
Complete your vicarious tour of the Middle East with these drinks chosen to complement this delicious food. Order this month’s wine pack here for $225 (RRP $250)
Enter coupon BEINSPIRED at checkout & click ‘Apply coupon’ next to it for free delivery
As you explore the diverse cuisines of the Middle East, enjoy our pack of matched wines, beer, arak and a dessert cocktail created by Roberta to enhance the experience. This pack features two wines from the Beqaa Valley, Lebanon’s most important wine producing region and home to the much-lauded Chateau Musar estate. The original vines here were planted by Jesuit Christian monks in 1857, with vines from France brought via the Algerian colonies.
Almaza Beer (330ml) x 2
The flavours of our simple lentil soup transport me to a table in a rustic café on the Black Sea Coast, snacking and chatting with locals while sipping a couple of beers. I think you’ll enjoy a bottle of Lebanon’s most popular beer with yours.
Arak Fakra (350ml) – save a couple of nips for next week’s cocktail
Mezze is all about shared food and shared good times and always enjoyed with something to drink. Sometimes it’s mint tea … and often it’s arak. Pour a nip into a small tumbler and serve with a jug of water on the side. Typically you add about 2 parts water to 1 part arak which causes it to turn a lovely milky white (it’s also called lion’s milk for this reason).
Planeta La Segreta Il Rosso, Sicilia DOC 2019
There’s a lovely synergy between our harissa-spiced lamb and this wine, made mostly from nero d’Avola grown on Sicily’s south-west coast, a stone’s throw from North Africa. The soft tannins work well with the chilli and cumin and if you like, it even benefits from a light chilling.
Orange Harmony Cocktail
Michael Rantissi inspired me to layer orange zest and juice with orange blossom water in our classic syrup cake … so I thought why not go a step further and create a desert cocktail using orange blossom and anisey arak, another harmonious blending.
Tenuta Sant’ Anna Prosecco DOC Rosato
Shakshuka is a versatile dish … delicious as an entrée or light meal and especially popular for brunch. This lovely pale pink Prosecco is the perfect wine alongside it regardless of the time of day … bubbles are always a great idea at brunch, right?
Massaya Blanc, Beqaa Valley, Lebanon 2020
Grown in Lebanon’s famous Beqaa Valley, this blend of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and clairette has floral and ripe stone fruit notes with a full, round mouthfeel. It’s a great match with the complex flavours of saffron, coriander and cinnamon in our chicken bisteeya.
Massaya Terrasses de Baalbeck, Beqaa Valley, Lebanon 2018
Also from the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon, the nose of this flagship GSM (grenache, shiraz mouvedre) is rich with spice and dark stone fruits that marry well with the caramelised eggplant and capsicum in our imam bayildi. There are some serious tannins too to cut through the richness.
Maison François Labet Cuvee Lorraine Brut Blanc de Blanc
I love a glass of bubbles with crumbly ma’amoul, to cut through the sweetness and echo their shortbread notes. This French cuvee from the Loire Valley combines the classic Champagne grapes pinot noir and chardonnay rounded out with lesser known ugni blanc and rolle to create an intriguing fizz that I want a second glass of!
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Please call Roberto Dessanti on 0420 904 255 with any questions.
Prices include GST. Euro Concepts Sydney supports the responsible service of alcohol and therefore all deliveries are to be received and signed for by a person of 18 years of age or over. It is against the law to sell or supply alcohol to, or to obtain alcohol on behalf of, a person under the age of 18 years. Licence No. LIQP770010259.
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