ASI World’s Best Sommelier 2019: Has the best sommelier tips on game dishes

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As the days begin to get shorter, delicious game dishes bring autumn to our tables. Whether grilled venison leg, aromatic venison peppers or a hearty game stew, they are all characterized by their strong and unique flavour. The right wine pairing is key to getting the most out of a game meal. World champion sommelier Marc Almert gives us his insider tips.

Blick: Mr. Almert, not all wild things are the same. What are the game dishes you encounter most frequently as a sommelier?
Marc Almert: deer and elk in any form; fillet, goulash, pepper, pate… but game birds also appear regularly on our menu. At the award-winning Pavillon Restaurant, our chef Maximilian Müller is currently serving roasted venison with mushrooms and Grand Veneur sauce on the autumn menu.

What has the biggest impact on pairing wine with game: the type of meat, the preparation method, or the level of spiciness?
The type of meat determines the basic aspect, but most importantly, the type of preparation is important, as well as spices and garnishes. For example, lots of peppers require different wines than a cranberry-heavy dish.

How do game preparation methods, such as roasting, grilling or steaming, affect wine selection?
When a dish is roasted – this is called a roasted aroma – it pairs perfectly with tannic and/or wood-aged wines. For example, in our current wine pairing we have a Malbec blend from Tuscany Tenuta Sette Cieli. If the food is fried, it should be slightly less tannic and richer. Cuvés made from Grenache and Syrah, such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape or Priorat, are ideal for this.

Which flavors in game dishes should ideally be complemented or contrasted by a wine?
Besides the flavor of the game itself, spices such as pepper, cloves or juniper are almost always involved. Some acidity and strength from the wine helps stand this out. Similarly, wines from warm regions feel more comfortable with game than lighter wines from cool regions.

When many people think of game meat, the first thing that comes to mind is red wine. Are there also suitable white wines?
In any case. A white Rioja, a wood-aged Chardonnay from Napa (e.g. Duckhorn) or a Bündner Completer make great accompaniments to some game dishes.

What about sherry or port?
These are challenging but can work well depending on the sauce. The well-known principle applies here; The wine in the sauce often goes well with the dish. Oloroso sherries would be ideal for cooking and to accompany the game. I prefer to add a Ruby Port from Sosa Douro because you want to celebrate the accompanying Vintage Port in a glass. Many port houses now produce excellent dry red wines that also go well with game. My personal recommendation: Quinta de la Rosa from Pinhão.

Which grape varieties do you generally recommend to accompany game dishes? Are there particular wine regions or origins that go particularly well with game?
Syrah is one of my favorite varieties for this pairing, from both Valais, France and South Australia. Nebbiolo from Piedmont is a match for the game, especially when mushrooms or truffles are also included in the dish. You can also find some wood here, like at the Rocche Costamagna and Paolo Conterno wineries. And I can’t defend myself against a well-ripened Cabernet Sauvignon. All of these wines are strong and spicy enough to be excellent accompaniments to game dishes.

What would be your personal favorite Swiss red wine pairing for a typical Swiss game meal?
Cornaline! For me personally, this often underrated native grape variety from the Valais has a lingering acidity and firm tannins, along with a bit more spice than Syrah. It pairs perfectly with many hearty game dishes, especially if you let it mature a bit in the bottle. For example, I still have several bottles of Didier Joris lying dormant in the basement of my house, waiting for the right saddle of venison…

Are there any specific suggestions for garnishes or sauces that will make pairing game and wine easier?
Mushrooms! Truffles! Grand Veneur Sauce! Chili sauce! Cranberry! Pear! Red cabbage! Cabbage with bacon! Spaetzle…all excellent with game and wine. Mushrooms and truffles set the stage for earthy wines like Nebbiolo. Pepper and other spicy sauces include Syrah, Cornalin & Co., which brings plenty of spice. Perfect to pair with. Cranberries emphasize the fruitiness in the wine, for example in a ripe Pinot Noir or Humagne Rouge. Cabbage also provides a slight sense of freshness, often in combination.

Finally: Do you know any unusual or lesser-known wine combinations you can recommend for game?
When we think of wild wines, we often only think of European wines. But it is also worth looking beyond Europe. De Toren Bordeaux blends from Stellenbosch in South Africa can blend just as well as Luddite Shiraz from Bot River. If you want to change the colour: Ripe dry champagnes with a long yeast storage, especially Blanc de Noirs, pair perfectly with many spicy game dishes as they develop an earthy and nutty aroma. Adventurers can try ripe, dry Riesling from Germany with lighter game dishes such as poultry served with berries. Cooler regions like the Middle Rhine can be particularly surprising here. The wow effect is guaranteed and the combination is amazing!

Source : Blick