Lets take a short trip to the Northern Rhone region of France – a region unilaterally known as being home to the Syrah grape. It is here you will find an extensively documented history of Syrah, being a stellar single varietal wine but perhaps more famously used in combination with other Rhone varietals like Grenache, Mouvedre or Viognier, commonly referred to as an SMG or SMV.

When it comes to preparing food at home, to pair with a Rhone blend wine, you should consider making a mouth watering yet simple dish. From personal experience nothings pairs better than slow cooked comfort food. A wine with the complexity of blended Rhone varietals needs hearty red meats, such as beef and lamb, to compliment the nuances of the wine. Rich stews, slow-roasts and grilled meats that incorporate marinades, braises and plenty of herbs and spices accentuate a full-bodied, silky smooth tannin wine like a Syrah Mouvedre and mirrors the spicy bold characteristics of this blend.

Today we have chosen to pair the Domaine des Dieux 2013 Syrah Mouvedre with a slow-cooked beef short rib dish, braised in red wine and herbs, accompanied by oven roasted potatoes and honey-glazed carrots.

Slow-cooked beef short rib braised in red wine and herbs (serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 tsp of Olive Oil
8 thick-cut meaty beef short ribs
1 large garlic head, cut in half horizontally
1 heaped tbsp tomato purée
1 x 750ml bottle red wine
1 litre beef stock
250g small chestnut mushrooms, trimmed and halved
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped basil, to garnish

4 Medium Potatoes
2 Tbsp Butter

20 baby carrots (5 per portion)
1 tsp Olive Oil
Honey

Method

Short rib:
Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Heat a deep-sided roasting tray on the hob and add a glug of olive oil. Season the short ribs thoroughly, then fry for 10–15 minutes to brown really well on all sides.

Add the halved garlic head, cut side down, pushing it to the bottom of the pan. Add the tomato purée and heat for a minute or two to cook it out. Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up the bits at the bottom. Bring to the boil and cook for 10–15 minutes until the liquid is reduced by half, then add stock to nearly cover the ribs (you’ll need less stock if your roasting tray isn’t very large). Bring to the boil again, basting the ribs with the juices.

Cover the roasting tray with foil and cook in the preheated oven for 3–4 hours, basting now and then until the meat is tender and falling away from the bone.

Add the mushrooms and cook for 4–5 minutes until tender. Drain off any excess fat.

When the short ribs are ready, remove from the oven and transfer to a serving dish. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins and pass through a sieve. Spoon off any excess fat from the beef cooking liquid, then strain it through the sieve and mix with the garlic. (If the sauce is too thin, reduce the cooking liquid by heating for 10–15 minutes more after straining.)

Serve the short ribs topped with the mushrooms and the sauce poured around. Garnish with chopped basil.

Oven roasted potatoes:

• Peel and slice the potatoes and boil until soft

• Place 2 tbsp butter in a oven roasting tray

• Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees

• Place oven tray into the oven until butter melts, once butter has melted place your potatoes in the oven tray. Make sure to turn them over so that both sides has butter on.

• Allow potatoes to roast until they are crispy and golden.