UNLIKELY COMPANIONS

Spain has so many much-loved culinary traditions that it can be easy to fall into the trap of pigeonholing Spanish food and wine pairings. But, as they say, one must learn the rules like a lawyer in order to break them like an artist...

- PAIRINGS JONATHAN EICHHOLZ MS WINE NOTES & SCORES INES SALPICO

Spanish wine and food have traditionally been sentenced to the adage 'what grows together, goes together' - think Sherry with sardines, Rioja with pork or Ribera del Duero with lamb. However, the wines of Spain often get overlooked when pairing with dishes outside the country's borders. This is a shame, because they can comfortably sit at the table with cuisines from all corners of the planet.

Here, Spanish wine is going to rack up some frequent-flier miles as it goes on a journey to meet new friends and create pairing memories that will make heads turn at the taberna.

Vino de pasto
with burgers

I've been enamoured with vino de pasto (unfortified wine from Jerez) since I had my first sip last October. An inspiring and trailblazing group of young winemakers are bringing the spotlight back to Jerez, and its province of Cádiz. The Palomino variety on its own brings elements of macadamia nuts, dried flat peaches and preserved lemons. These are white wines that are magic with meat. I'm a huge fan of the 'smashburger' craze, where burger patties are pressed, or smashed, flat on to a griddle to maximise the flavour-creating Maillard reaction. The Maillard elements of a crispy seared patty are perfectly matched by Palomino's nuttiness. The soft sweetness of the bun meets the dried stone fruit and citrus zip of the Andalucían coastline. Next time you're invited to a cookout, bring a bottle from Bodega de Forlong, Willy Pérez (of Bodegas Luis Pérez) or Meridiano Perdido and watch the crowd go wild.

De la Riva, Vino de Pasto Macharnudo, Jerez, Andalucía 2021 96

£85 Burnett & Herbert, The Sourcing Table