The 2010 Leopard’s Leap Culinaria Grand Vin is a noble wine based on the classic and elegant wines from France’s Bordeaux region. Ideally, it should be paired with equally noble food.

South African authority when it comes to finding food and wine matches, Katinka van Niekerk, helped with a few guidelines when pairing this style of wine with food.

Foods that match well with Culinaria Grand Vin

• Chateaubriand, pink and juicy and done to perfection, or plainly grilled good-quality aged steak.
• Herbal and earthy elements such as garlicky, herb-strewn meat roasts.
• Lamb is an excellent choice, especially with rosemary or thyme.
• Longer-cooked meats and stews, as well as roast chicken, turkey, duck and quail.
• Liver in all forms.
• These three hard cow’s milk cheeses: Cheddar, Red Leicester and Emmenthal.

Foods that shy away from Culinaria Grand Vin

• Delicate and subtle dishes.
• Spicy-hot foods.
• Crudités or delicately flavoured risottos, pastas and steamed vegetables. Protein, a bit of fat and texture are needed.
• Very strong cheeses, especially blue-veined.
• Chocolate – although plain chocolate cake without icing or a not-too-sweet mole sauce, for example, could be considered.