Aussie flavours

It’s a bonza time for Aussie wine, beer and spirits with inventiveness, quality and diversity at never-seen-before heights. There’s no hard and fast rules – drink what you like, whatever’s on your plate – but here are some drink pairing ideas for a few of Australia’s most iconic dishes. Mike

Sausage roll: Wildspirit Distilling Co Pure Passion Alcoholic Sparkling Water (NSW,$5)

A classic food and wine match for a sausage roll is a can of Passiona, so why not drink something a bit more refined and a bit more boozy? Wildspirit Distilling Co do some of the best Australian adult sodas on the market.

Meat pie: Sailors Grave Dark Emu Dark Lager (Gippsland, Victoria, $7)

Sailor’s Grave Brewing is one of my favourite breweries, but they’ve taken things to the next level by releasing this original beer. Brewed in collaboration with Bruce Pascoe, author of the Aboriginal history book Dark Emu.

Fish and chips:

Shobbrook Poolside Syrah 2020 (Barossa, South Australia, $37)

Being high in natural acid, bright and crunchy in texture, it’s the perfect foil for the saltiness and greasiness of fish and chips, resetting the palate with each sip. The wine comes from super happy, organic farmed grapes and there are no additives.

Lamington: Ovant Royal Alcohol Free Spirit (Western Australia, $50)

A wellness-type, a winemaker and a sommelier brought this non-alcoholic spirit brand to life with zero sugar or artificial flavours. With a splash of soda over the rocks with a blood orange garnish, it is delicious with a lamington.