Von Buhl Riesling QBA 2005
Top food matches: Creamy mild chicken curries, Fresh salmon steaks, Fresh fruit salad, Brie and Camembert, Roast chicken.
The finest white grape, a truly great producer, an exceptional vintage and it's EXCLUSIVE!
When it comes to top-quality Riesling there is concord amongst experts. They differ only in choice of superlative the�most sublime'...�most mouthwatering and elegant'... �aristocratic'...�prince of grapes'.
The family-owned Von Buhl estate has been one of the finest producers of supreme quality Riesling since it was founded in 1849. Today their Rieslings consistently receive ratings over 90 points from Wine Spectator and Robert Parker. A leading German wine publication lists a Von Buhl wine amongst the best 100 in the world, and their top releases sell for £150-a-half bottle!
The vintage (very sunny with a short, early harvest) was, according to one local expert �perfect! One of the best in the last 50 years.�
Elegantly pairing Riesling's lightness of touch with ripe, full-flavoured fruit. Luscious, not sweet, yet zippy too - and with a delightful echo of peaches and pears. Fresh and appetizing with almost any food, from salmon to chicken to cheese and fruit - even Indian and Thai curry.
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Grape variety:
Riesling
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Country:
Germany
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Style:
Off Dry
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Appellation:
Pfalz QbA
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Type:
Still White Wine
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Alcohol:
10.5% -
Serving Temperature:
10.0
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Units:
7.875
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Drink By:
N/A
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Latest Award:
2007
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Bottle size:
75CL
Awards
Rose Murray Brown Scotsman 1/9/07 2007 , United Kingdom
Asian and Spicy recipes
Mussels in Black Bean Sauce
Wonderfully aromatic, this seafood stir-fry with its unique blend of spices looks impressive, but is surprisingly simple to create.
Serves 4 as part of a Chinese meal
Total time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins
Ingredients
1.4 kg mussels
3 tbsp groundnut oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1cm fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
5 spring onions, thickly sliced on the diagonal, white and green parts separated
1½ tbsp fermented black beans, rinsed and mashed
2 tbsp medium-dry sherry
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
½ tsp sugar
3 tbsp chicken stock
1 tsp cornflour, dissolved in 1 tbsp water
chopped fresh coriander, to garnish
- Rinse the mussels in cold running water, then scrub the shells very thoroughly, using a stiff brush to remove any grit and barnacles. Pull away the hairy beards with your fingers or scrape them away with a sharp knife. Tap any open ones sharply with a knife and discard any that don’t close. Rinse the mussels again in cold running water.
- Heat the wok over high heat until hot. Add the oil and swirl around. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli and spring onion whites. Stir-fry for a few seconds. Add the black beans and stir, then add the mussels and stir-fry for 30–45 seconds.
- Pour in the sherry around the sides of the wok, continuing to stir. When the sizzling dies down, add the soy sauce, sugar and stock or water. Bring to the boil, cover, lower the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes, or until the mussels have opened, removing them to a warm serving dish as they open. Discard any that do not open.
- Reduce the heat and add the cornflour mixture to the sauce, stirring as it thickens. Add the spring onion greens and pour the sauce over the mussels. Garnish with the chopped coriander and serve at once.
Top tip
Mussels can be bought live and should be kept in a bucket of cold water until you are ready to cook them. Don't buy any with broken shells and discard any that do not close when they are tapped.
Perfect partner
Murray Fishing Club Colombard/Chardonnay 2007 - A glass or two of this fruity wine served with this unusual but simple dish is sure to draw compliments from your guests.
Thai Chicken Curry
In this all-time favourite, the lime, chilli and lemon grass are perfectly complemented by the coconut milk to make a delightfully fragrant curry.
Serves 4
Total time: 45 mins
Cooking time: 25 mins
Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 stalk lemon grass, very thinly sliced
1–1½ tbsp Thai red curry paste, to taste
400g chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp fish sauce
½ tsp palm or soft light brown sugar
4 kaffir lime leaves
300ml canned coconut milk
150ml vegetable stock
4 tomatoes, quartered
chopped fresh coriander and thinly sliced red chillies, to garnish
jasmine rice, to serve
- Heat the oil in the wok over high heat. Add the shallots and lemon grass and fry for 3 minutes. Stir in the curry paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the chicken and stir to coat in the curry paste, then add the fish sauce, sugar, lime leaves, coconut milk, stock and tomatoes.
- Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Garnish with the coriander and chillies and serve with jasmine rice.
Top tips
To prepare lemon grass, remove the tough outer layers, then chop or very thinly slice the rest, starting at the thinner end and stopping when it becomes woody. In some recipes the stalks are bruised and used whole to infuse the dish, then removed before serving.
Perfect partner
Stonewall Sauvignon Blanc 2008 - We couldn't resist trying out this combination on a large, boisterous dinner party. It was a roaring success. We think we've discovered a perfect modern coupling!
Stir-fried Pork with Chilli
A tasty Thai-style stir-fry that is very easy to make and presents a wonderful fusion of flavours.
Serves 4
Total time: 40 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins
Ingredients
450g thin fresh egg noodles
75g fine French beans
3 tbsp vegetable oil
300g pork fillet, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 carrot, cut into thin strips
1 small red chilli, deseeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
40ml fish sauce
2 tsp palm sugar
20ml lime juice
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
chopped fresh coriander, to garnish
- Cook the noodles according to packet directions, drain and reserve. Add the French beans to a pan of boiling salted water, simmer for 2 minutes, then drain and reserve separately.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok over high heat. Fry the pork, in batches, for 2–3 minutes, or until cooked through, then remove from the wok and set aside.
- Heat the remaining oil in the wok, add the onion, carrot and French beans and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the chilli, garlic and curry paste, then stir-fry for a further minute.
- Return the pork to the wok and add the fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, noodles and spring onions. Cook until everything is heated through, then garnish with the coriander and serve.
Top tip
Palm sugar, also known as jaggery, is a crumbly, light brown sugar with a distinct flavour, but you can use ordinary soft brown sugar instead.
Perfect partner
Los Curitas Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 - This silky-smooth red wine will go down a treat!
Tom Yum Soup with Prawns
Fragrant herbs and spices are used in abundance in this popular Thai soup, renowned for its distinct hot and sour flavours.
Serves 4
Total time: 45 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins
Ingredients
1 garlic clove
2 lemon grass stalks, coarsely chopped
4 kaffir lime leaves
2.5cm fresh root ginger, peeled
1 small bunch fresh coriander, stems only (reserve leaves for garnish)
2 small hot chillies, deseeded if wished
2 shallots
1 tsp palm sugar
3 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for frying
400ml coconut milk
200ml vegetable stock
12 raw tiger prawns
1 handful beansprouts
1 red pepper, very thinly sliced
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
150g button mushrooms, thinly sliced
lime wedges, to serve
- Put the garlic, lemon grass, lime leaves, ginger, coriander stems, chillies, shallots, sugar and oil into a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Heat a little oil in a saucepan and gently fry the paste for 4–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until it is aromatic.
- Add the coconut milk and stock and stir well. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add the prawns and simmer until pink and cooked through. Meanwhile, divide the beansprouts, red pepper, spring onions and mushrooms among 4 warmed serving bowls.
- Ladle the soup into the bowls. Garnish with the reserved chopped coriander leaves and serve with lime wedges.
Top tip
Lime leaves (sometimes known as kaffir lime leaves) have a distinctive citrus aroma. You can buy them fresh or freeze-dried; the fresh ones can be frozen for up to 6 months.
Perfect partner
Il Papavero Rosato 2008 - Dry, refreshing and great with seafood – a perfect complement to the fruity heat of this dish.
Beef and Chickpea Curry
Slow-cooked beef in coconut milk and spices makes a rich and satisfying dish that’s ideal for a relaxed supper with friends.
Serves 6
Total time: 2½ hours
Cooking time: 2¼ hours
Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tbsp medium curry powder
¼–½ tsp dried chilli flakes, to taste
1kg braising steak, diced
400ml canned coconut milk
150ml beef stock
800g canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
200g baby spinach leaves
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onions and garlic for 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the curry powder and chilli flakes, and cook for a further minute, stirring constantly. Add the beef and stir to coat in the spices. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the meat is lightly browned all over.
- Stir in the coconut milk and stock. Cover and simmer for 2 hours or until the beef is tender, stirring occasionally and adding the chickpeas after 1½ hours.
- Remove any large stalks from the spinach. Stir the spinach into the curry and cook until it has wilted, then serve.
Top tip
Like most curries, this tastes even better when it is made in advance and reheated. Add the spinach just before serving.
Perfect partner
Split Rock Dry Riesling 2007 - Try this curry with a zippy, crisp dry white such as this Riesling and we think you'll be impressed!
Mixed Vegetable Balti
In Indian restaurants, baltis (a type of quickly cooked curry) are sizzled in the flat-bottomed wok-shaped pans that give the dish its name. Serve straight from the pan.
Serves 4
Total time: 1 hour 20 mins
Cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 dessert apple, peeled, cored and chopped
3 tbsp balti curry paste
225g butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 4cm cubes
2 carrots, thickly sliced
1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
400g canned chopped tomatoes
425ml vegetable stock
100g frozen peas, defrosted
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic and apple and cook for 5–6 minutes, or until the onion is soft. Stir in the curry paste, then the squash, carrots, cauliflower and red pepper and stir to coat.
- Add the tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and cook for 45 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thick. Stir in the peas and cook until heated through, then serve.
Serving suggestion
Baltis are traditionally served with naan bread, but they go just as well with rice.
Perfect partner
Coopers Pale Ale NV - This refreshing, fruity beer will set off your balti beautifully.
