WINE+FOOD MATCH

THE DISH

Caprese Lasagne

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THE DROP

Sometimes it’s the simplicity of a dish that allows for a compelling and delicious wine and food pairing. The ingredients in this Caprese Lasagne include lasagne sheets, heirloom tomatoes, basil oil and a whisper of garlic. The pasta is cooked and cooled to an al dente state, adding a fine texture. The cheese is chopped to about a tablespoon size and the tomatoes – any colour heirloom is fine – are sliced about 1cm thick. Though the recipe doesn’t call for it, a small amount of chardonnay vinegar (1-3tsp) can be used to break the power and richness of the basil oil (you decide). You can also change the cheese to curd, burrata or vegan cheeses. The entire dish – ingredients, texture and flavour combinations – lends itself to wines with lots of crunch, high acidity and moderate weight. Te Whare Ra’s Riesling Dry, Auntsfield SV Sauvignon Blanc and the Nautilus Cuvée Marlborough NV Méthode traditionnelle are three outstanding wines to pair with this dish. Acidity in the wine will contrast slippery oil and lasagne bite. The core of fruit in the wine marries well with the natural sugars in the tomatoes and the natural power of the wine easily matches the power of basil.

INVESTORS SWOOP ON THE SAV

New Zealand brand Nobilo has changed hands again. In the pipeline for well over a year, the world’s largest privately owned wine company, E. & J. Gallo Winery (Gallo), has finally announced the acquisition of more than 30 wine brands from the Constellation Brands portfolio, which includes Nobilo. Other brands acquired that you may recognise include Clos du Bois, Estancia, Franciscan, Ravenswood and Wild Horse. With sauvignon blanc sales increasing in the US, the acquisition of Nobilo’s sauvignon production will allow Gallo to service the demand for New Zealand’s most well-known grape variety.