Food Matching with Heart Healthy red wines

AOC Madiran and our other heart healthy red wines from southwest France are by their nature tremendous food matching wines. You will enjoy enhanced flavour experiences that you will not get with many modern, sweet, soft, any-time drinking style red wines. It really is very pronounced. See also the comments about food matching with the wonderful sweet white wines of southwest France. That's why some of NZ's best restaurants stock these wine styles from Lifestylewines.

In the words of a Madiran winemaker "It is good to prepare the mouth with food before Madiran". The rewards with these red wines and food are tremendous.

The heart healthy and food friendly range from appellations Madiran, Cahors and St Mont are traditionally big powerful concentrated wines best suited to full flavoured and rich foods. But in our extensive range of Madirans there are also more modern styles that are softer and less dry. Consequently Madiran wines are suited to a wide range of foods. The Fronton wines are also lighter styles.

From the winemakers recommendations, our experience and other reviewers we have compiled the following list of foods suited to the traditionally made food friendly red wines.

Serve these red wines at 15º to 18ºC. Too cold and the tannins (dryness) are too evident.  Too warm and the alcohol can burn on the tongue which diminishes the pleasure. To store the wine over several days in hot temperatures store the opened bottle in the fridge and return your glass full to serving temperature before consuming.

For immediate consumption of a bottle, particularly the richer most concentrated Madiran reds, decanting the wine is beneficial to your experience and pleasure of the wine.

Traditional foods of southwest France -

grilled meat, beef is very traditional in Gers
roasted poultry
spicy chicken dishes
black pudding
game - hare, wild boar
roast duck
cassoulet
French cheeses, particularly -
Roquefort, Bleu d'Auvergne, Ossau Iraty, Chaumes
     (ask in NZ French Delicatessens - they will have some of these)
and, Pyrenees blue cheeses
spicy Moroccan style dishes

Other recommendations are - other red meats venison roast pork BBQ'd meats and sausages leg of lamb spicy bean dishes olives and pickles pates antipasto casseroles NZ mature & strong cheeses - such as cumin Gouda sheep cheeses - hard & soft Kapiti Chevre Tihi (semi soft goats cheese) works well even a rich ratatouille (without proteins) works well For a wonderful richly flavoured salad that matches Madiran perfectly see our October 2007 newsletter. To gain the healthy benefits of these red wines you only need to drink one glass per day on a regular basis, we say at least five days per week. The research shows that after two weeks the cardiovascular benefits will start to occur.

Food with Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh and Jurancon sweet whites The stunning late harvest sweet Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh and Jurancon wines are made to have with Foies Gras, pate, terrine, parfait, strong blue and sheep milk cheeses, fresh fruit and desserts. DO NOT pigeon-hole these wines as only “dessert” or “pudding” wines. There are a flexible and perfect compliment for many other foods. These wines are also superb as an aperitif before that special occasion which is how we often serve them. Offer a small serve, well chilled, in a big glass so the aromas can be experienced at their best. These wonderful sweet white wines are characterized by their aromatic richness. With pronounced acidity and less sugar than Sauternes they are wines of superb balance and sophistication that rank with the world's finest sweet wines.

Warning - We recommend that you consume alcohol in moderation. 

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