wine for haggis
Wine chat and quaffing advice from the Corney & Barrow wine experts!
“Go bring to me a pint o wine,
And fill it in a silver tassie;
That I may drink, before I go”
-The Silver Tassie, Robert Burns
While Burns famously enjoyed a dram, he surely would not have been averse to a glass (or a pint!) of wine either. If you have a Burns Supper planed for 25th January and you are more of a wine lover than a whisky lover, consider saving the malt until the end of the meal and pairing your haggis with a delicious glass or two of wine. Here are Corney and Barrow’s Burns Night picks.
Traditional haggis is savoury, peppery and rich, so consider matching ‘like for like’ and selecting a full-bodied red with an earthy, peppery character. The Shiraz/Syrah grape often has this savoury quality, particularly when it hails from cooler regions such as the Northern Rhône in France. It also offers plenty of structure and tannin to stand up to the meaty, dense flavours of haggis.
C&B recommends Crozes-Hermitage Vieilles Vignes Tardieu-Laurent 2022 – 100% Syrah, fresh red fruit, violet, and crushed black peppercorns, with a long, evolving finish, £36.25.
Other robust red grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec will also be perfect partners for haggis.
Alternatively, select a super juicy, fruit forward red wine that will contrast the spice – Italian reds like Valpolicella from Veneto or Primitivo from Puglia will work well. Or look to even warmer climes such as Chile. Argentina, and Australia for lots of fruit concentration.
C&B recommends Pai-Gar Loncomilla Maturana Wines 2020 – 100% Garnacha from Chile’s Maule Valley, an intense nose of kirsch and redcurrant, with plummy and earthy flavours on the palate, £15.95.
And if your preference is white wine, there are a couple of grapes that have the body and concentration to stand up to those powerful flavours. Viognier has an exotic perfume, honeyed richness, and a creamy or oily texture which is robust enough to work will a plate of haggis, neeps and tatties, but the C&B white of choice is Gewurztraminer, which has both floral and spicy notes and is a classic match with a variety of spicy dishes.
C&B recommends Gewurztraminer Beblenheim Domaine Trapet 2022, aromas of roses, apricots and Turkish Delight, refreshed by a firm acid backbone and stony minerality, £23.75.
And speaking of Robert Burns, did you know that Corney and Barrow’s incredible cellars were established just a few years after Rabbie was born? Built in 1766 and constructed for the sole purpose of storing imported wines, ports and sherries shipped from across Europe, these cellars are still in use today for long-term customer reserve storage and they also make a magnificent back drop for wine tastings. If you haven’t visited before, why not liven up a dull January day with a visit to Corney and Barrow?
Corney & Barrow Ayr is open Tuesday – Saturday,
10 – 5.30pm.
