If you love a good glass of wine but don't fancy yourself as a wine connoisseur, you aren't alone.
Chef and owner of Hunter Valley's Verandah Restaurant Matt Dillow says he has met a lot of food lovers who have quizzed his culinary knowledge on the rights and wrongs of choosing the best wine to go with their favourite dishes.
He says that although there are ground rules, the real taste test comes down to the individual.
"Personally I prefer white meat with white wine, but this isn't always the case. Some people do enjoy red wine with fish," Matt says.
"To me if you like it, you should drink it. You're your own judge. I generally don't think there are any no-nos if you like the taste, but just make sure it's a good Hunter wine."
This is welcome news for wine lovers, but if you're sticking to the rules, Matt has a few suggestions.
"When I do a spicy dish, a sweet riesling or a gewürztraminer go perfectly," Matt says.
"If you prepared a nice chicken dish, a nice buttery oaked chardonnay is a good choice.
"It all depends on what you're eating. If I'm going to a Thai restaurant I would choose a riesling but if I'm going to a modern Australian restaurant for a nice eye-fillet steak I would be choosing a good shiraz."
Matt says the purpose of the wine is to enhance the flavour of the meal and that when the meal is over and dessert is served the same rules apply.
"Dessert wines do go a little but unnoticed," Matt says.
"Dessert wines aren't served in a full glass, it's only a small amount but it brings out those sweet flavours."
A true believer in the quality and taste of local Hunter region wines, Matt will showcase some of the culinary stand-outs on his menu at Hunter Valley Uncorked, an event which matches good Hunter food with good Hunter wine.
Among more than 20 winemaking labels and restaurants Matt will be offering two of his restaurant's specialities.
On offer will be a choice between Verandah Restaurant's signature cumin and cayenne baby calamari with lime aioli (which he says is perfectly teamed with a nice crisp new-release semillon) and his barbecued Thai coconut snapper and blue swimmer crab cake with lime aioli.
The free Hunter Valley Uncorked event will take place on this Sunday, April 18 at Pyrmont Bay Park (opposite Star City), Pirrama Road, Pyrmont between 11am and 5pm.
For more information Visit www.hunteruncorked.com.au
