Match of the week

Cold rare fillet of beef and Cinsault

Posted by Fiona Beckett (Google+) on January 26 2016 at 09:10

Given that it’s been in the mid-30s in the Cape Winelands recently it’s not surprising the local prefer their beef cold rather than hot but that also requires a change of thinking - from full-bodied to lighter reds.

The wine I’ve been finding hits the spot perfectly is Cinsault (or Cinsaut as it’s sometimes spelt) a traditional Cape grape variety that’s being given a new lease of life producing wines that are more like Beaujolais in style

The one that prompted this post was the 2014 Hinterland Cinsaut from Blackwater - a beautifully pristine, fresh, fragrant young wine that went perfectly with a beef fillet marinated (I would guess) with garlic and herbs, simply seared, cooled and served rare.

Cabernet Franc is another good candidate for cold roast beef as I discovered at Warwick as of course is pinot noir but we haven’t been in pinot country for the last couple of days. Good tip to remember for summer!

Image © koss13 on fotolia.com

If you’d like be able to check out all the food and wine pairings on the site you can buy a bundle of credits here to access my premium content.

And/or for regular updates on what and where I’ve been eating, drinking and travelling sign up for my weekly newsletter Eat This, Drink That, Live Well.