Rolf Binder 2008

Selection Shiraz, Barossa Valley, Australia $ 17.99

Tina: This wine has a velevety fruit that doesn’ t hit you in the face. It’ s nicely balanced, but not edgy— it carries the alcohol. The beet greens and especially the sauce, soften the wine. The sweetness of the beets compliments the wine.

Darren: It punches above its weight in terms of structure and style and stands up to the spice accents of the lamb. The textures of this dish make the pairing interesting. You’ ve got soft, buttery textures in the wine that meld with the crunchy textures.

Mike: This is a rich, structured wine with an inky, blueberry spice and a little bit of licorice. It has a backbone to it. The alcohol comes out with the spice rub. The oils in the macadamia nuts calm the spice, and soften the alcohol.

Burge Family Winemakers 2005 The Homestead Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley Australia $ 39.99

Tina: Rick Burge picked great fruit for this wine. It is balanced and complex for the price. This is a great pairing with the lamb and the macadamia nuts really tame everything down in the Cab.

Darren: This has that Barossa richness and weight; it’ s elegant, and complex. This really goes well with the lamb. When pairing Cabs with lamb, you really have to watch the tannins, but this 2005 is at a really nice stage. It has a leafy bell pepper flavour that is brought out by the greens.

Mike: There is a lot of cassis and red licorice. His wines have structure, acidity, and length. This is a great pairing with the macadamia nuts especially. The nuts in this dish change the make-up of the wine.

Grosset 2006 Pinot Noir, Clare Valley, Australia $ 64.99

Tina: I’ m stunned! I would have never paired a Pinot with this meal. This wine is like a Lexus with all the bells and whistles— it handles all the bumps and corners. It handles all that this meal has to offer, even the weighty, spicy sauce.

Darren: People underestimate Pinots for a dish such as this, but it’ s not just the perfect balance of acidity that makes this a good pairing. Nothing in the meal changes the wine. It handles all the diverse flavours.

Mike: This is a surprisingly fine pairing— not all Pinot Noirs would go with this dish. The Grosset has concentration and tannins to match this dish; it is so well made. It marries perfectly with everything.

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