Junk Food Wine: Bakery Pt. 2
We're back at it again with the most ridiculous but completely necessary food and wine pairing series, and coming through with the most anticipated sequel since The Godfather II, we're going back to the bakery, complementing the savoury classics with everyone's favourite sweet flakey pastry goodness. In my humble opinion, you've gotta go one of each every time you go to a bakery, get a pie and a turnover, a saussie roll and an eclair - honestly the best use of around $10 I can think of. Unbelievable VFM (that's value for money for those playing at home). Shall we not waste any more valuable time and get stuck into it? Absolutely - let's get snacking!
Chocolate Doughnut - Gamay
The chocolate doughnut will never disappoint you. It's like a sitcom from the 1990s, it's always there for you. Like a fluffy and chocolatey cloud that's been plucked from the heavens, with that display cabinet light illuminating it like a halo. Delicious, begging for something frisky and fun in the red category, and of course, it's Gamay. Rising Wines - from the mind of Tom Belford of Bobar fame - make an epic one out of the Yarra Valley, something that's incredibly fun and lively, but just a whiff of seriousness about that keeps you going for another glass. Fantastic - and great value too!
Apple Turnover - Gewurtztraminer
Something of a dark-horse in the bakery sweet's line up, an oft-forgotten and somewhat old hat pastry, but man when an apple turnover is good it's good. When that pasty is just so crisp, light and flakey, the apples are perfectly cooked and well seasoned, it's a desert to be reckoned with. In the exact same vein, Gewurtztraminer is the exact same, outshone by Riesling and Gruner Veltliner in Australia at least, but when it's on song, it's on song - especially when it's in the hands of Anna Pooley of Pooley Wines. Scintillating example of what Gewurtz can do when handled appropriately, not too sweet, not overly aromatic, balanced and structured acid - a perfect expression of what the climate and sites of Tasmania can do to varieties like this. Superb.
Jam Berliner - Dry Reisling
Boom, heaaaaps of flavour in a good jam berliner. A good one should be stuffed to the brim with jam, covered in cinnamon sugar and as fluffy as a pillow. If you're not getting jam on your fingers after your first bite, it's not as good as it could be. A very good bakery treat, but you definitely need something the refresh you whilst you enjoy your jammy goodness, and there isn't much more refreshing than a good bone dry riesling. While there is no shortage of really, really, really tasty dry rieslings in the country, we're gonna yell about one of the greats from a special plot of dirt in a special part of the country: Isolation Ridge in Franklin River, made of course by Frankland Estate. Not much to write about here that hasn't already been written - this is a sublime wine and arguably the greatest riesling in the country. And really good value.
Lamington - Pink Pet-Nat
No politics. I don't want to hear anything from across the ditch. It might not be ORIGINALLY from Australia, but it's become a staple snack in our bakeries too. Spongey goodness covered in chocolatey and coco-nutty goodness - ideally with a bitta jam and cream! Honestly, it's a really really fun snack, so it needs a super fun drink. Nothing more fun than Pet Nat, especially when it's pink, so you should totally grab some delicious Ngeringa Pink Pet Nat, and if you really want to, you should grab it in a Magnum. You won't regret it.
Vanilla Slice - Chardonnay
One of those bakery goods that are better at some bakeries than others - it's a pastry that requires a lot of finesse. A key ratio of pastry to custard - the custard has gotta be superb and the pastry has gotta be flakey as hell - and we can argue about coconut or no coconut till the cows come home, but when it's well-executed, it's outstanding. A lot like Chardonnay too, a skilled hand is required, and we reckon Alex Shulkin has got a very, very skilled hand, particularly with his Fawn Chardonnay under the Other Right label. Amazing texture really smart winemaking choices, and for a wine with absolutely no additions, it is stellar. Standing ovation for you Alex!
Custard Tart - Champagne
Honestly with this one you don't even need to go to the bakery, just go to the supermarket and get a Balfour's twin pack, maybe the ultimate Custard Tart. And if you do that, it gives you a bit more money to spend on some really good champagne, and that's what we'd all prefer wouldn't it? If you don't wanna ball out on some baller grower stuff, get some Pol Roger, arguably the best of your widely available really good champagnes - like Dan Murphy's available. Baller on (almost) a budget!