Below are a few seasonal dishes that always go down well with the Genesis staff, perfectly accompanied by a hand selection of our favourite wine matches.
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Autumn
Guinea Fowl
Pure, pure, soft pinot fruit- We always think of red Cote d’Or with guinea fowl but Mount Beautiful Pinot Noir, Cheviot Hills, Canterbury is an interesting alternative (and better value) from a new sub region of NZ. This fruit driven, feminine style of pinot is preferred to the more masculine styles with far too much oak for the weight of this dish. Moreover there is also a little earthy truffle character to add complexity to the Mount Beautiful. Leaning more to Burgundy in character. However if classics are your thing then the Givry 1er Cru Clos Jus, Domaine Laurent Mouton, is not to be missed and is a lovely plumper style of everyday red Burgundy of great quality and value, especially with regard to the pure fruitiness.
Venison (roasted saddle)
There are differing opinions in what wines to go with venison, especially depending upon the way it is cooked and the cut of the meat. We have chosen to focus on the roasted saddle and for this we want to highlight the soft tender nature of the red meat, but also give a meaty wine that can handle the fuller flavours especially as customers (who let us not forget are always right???) think of bigger red wines coming into the colder months. Our number one choice is Cedro do Noval, Quinta do Noval, Vinho Regional Duriense, which as a blend of 2/3 Port grapes led by touriga nacional and the balance of syrah. A wine of real aromatic intensity, wild dark fruits, medium to full bodied with the addition of syrah lending real style to the final product. A more conventional choice seen in many restaurants last year is an Argentine malbec and we would like to showcase our new arrival which is more restrained and European in style than most thanks to old malbec clones and a Bordelais winemaking mentality, Poesia Malbec Cabernet, Mendoza. A turbo charged pinot noir could also work well if the meat is cooked sous-vide and the leading contenders would be the highly Parker rated pinot noirs from Melville Estate, California.
Scallops (with Butternut Squash)
Scallops, the fine dining staple is back on the seasonal specials. This time however, we have matched it with in season butternut squash-whether it be pureed or pickled. This exotic addition also makes me scratch our head as normal, boring old white Burgundy won’t match the same as when scallops are served with cauliflower puree or the classic black pudding like other times of the year. Our heavenly choice is from our up and coming superstar Francois Chidaine who makes the essence of chenin blanc in a dry style. Clean as a whistle and fairly full- the palate is packed full of apple and quince and reflects the true balancing act of this match, Vouvray Les Argiles, Francois Chidaine. Having said that if you are inclined towards bubbles the Brut Platine 1er Cru NV, Nicolas Maillart is just about the finest Champagne at this price point.
Brill (with Mussel garnish)
As you often hear this much underrated fish is simply brilliant and one of my favourites. Meaty but delicate and again we have paired this dish with a seasonal garnish, mussels. We want the flavours of the sea to be the main stage which is why we have gone for two wines which have that required salty minerality for different reasons and a nice light to medium body. We could not pick between the two- Bourgogne Aligote, Domaine des Temps Perdus or Verdicchio di Matelica, Fattoria La Monacesca.
