Wine & Food

On the high pastures around Cromwell and Queensberry, merino sheep graze, their meat known for its mild, slightly sweet flavor, quite different from the bolder taste of lamb raised on lower, damper pastures. Grilled with nothing but salt and a touch of rosemary, this lamb pairs beautifully with a Bannockburn Pinot Noir. Its acidity cuts through the fat, while its tannins soften against the meat.

Just as important is venison from the surrounding mountains, marketed in New Zealand under the name Cervena. Its meat is lean with a light earthiness, often served as a ragout or briefly seared steak. Here, a somewhat bolder Pinot Noir from Bendigo or Alexandra suits better than a lighter one from Gibbston. The venison isn't overwhelmed by more structure in the glass; it's carried by it.

The Cromwell Basin also produces nearly half of New Zealand's cherry exports, along with apricots and peaches grown along the old irrigation channels dug by gold miners. Eat a ripe Central Otago cherry alongside a sip of Pinot Noir, and suddenly both taste like the same thing, since the wine already carries its own fruit character in the glass, even before the cherry from the plate joins in.

Sparkling wine from Quartz Reef or other Bendigo producers, on the other hand, pairs beautifully with salmon or trout from one of the region's clear lakes, served raw and marinated or just briefly seared. The wine's fine acidity and the carbonation from bottle fermentation lift the fish's richness without overwhelming it. This contrast rarely misses a spot on the region's menus.

Not every dish calls for Pinot Noir. A dessert of warm Central Otago apricots with cream, for instance, doesn't pair well with a dry Pinot Noir. The dry red suddenly tastes harsh and sour, no matter how refined it is otherwise. What's needed here is sweetness in the glass, at least matching the sweetness on the plate, or the wine loses all balance next to the dessert.