There comes a time in every student's life when you must stop choosing wine based solely on what's cheapest, has the cutest bottle, or contains the most alcohol. Not every time, obviously – we’re not made of money. But perhaps for one glorious evening, while sitting in a BYO and pretending the $9 bottle of wine you picked up from New World on a Club Deal was an intentional culinary decision, you can aspire to something greater.
Wine pairing can seem like an incredibly wanky science because, to some extent, it is. There’s acidity, tannins, body, sweetness – apparently an entire vocab designed to describe fermented grape juice that’s not to be understood by the wider public. But the basic idea is less hoity-toity: some wines make some foods taste better.
So Critic staff did the hard yards. We ate. We drank. We Googled terminology. If you hear us calling something “off-dry”, just ignore it. So with a lot of deeply undeserved confidence, here is our mildly pretentious guide to pairing your next BYO dinner with something slightly more ‘considered’ than whatever bottom-of-the-shelf-shit was on sale.
Del Sol: Malbec
Ah, Del Sol, the most festive BYO spot in Ōtepoti. Del Sol means “the sun”, and it sure is accurate. As you step into the brightest restaurant on Moray Place, make the bright choice: pulled pork sliders, a sizzling Fajita, and a luscious Argentinian Trapiche Malbec.
Argentina makes a killer Trapiche, and Critic Te Ārohi makes stop-you-from-being-killed recommendations. Kidding, that's mostly an exaggeration. But red wines can be risky with hot food – we'd know, we've tried a few – and sometimes the flavours clash super aggressively. However, the modest smoky-spice of a nice cheap Trapiche Malbec pairs perfectly with a sizzly Fajita, leaving your tastebuds feeling like they went to heaven, and not a spicy hell.
So sit back and enjoy the warm atmosphere where the sun never sets, and sip away on this deep purple-ruby delight. Cheap wine is usually shit wine, but this one looks and tastes fancy enough for you to act like you know what you’re doing.
Little India: Merlot, Gewürztraminer, or Sparkling Rosé
If you’re looking for a great meal just outside the Octagon, pop Little India on your list. Cosy and intimate, this BYO is ideal for a date night or mandatory flat bonding. Of course, the big question is what to spend a corkage fee on.
Once again disregarding all ye who consider wine to be cat piss, we’ve narrowed it down to three: Giesen Estate Merlot, Ngatarawa Stables Gewürztraminer, or a Jacob’s Creek Sparkling Rosé. The Merlot pairs beautifully with the richer lamb dishes, brightening the flavour and complimenting the meat. Gewürztraminer (GUH-VERTZ-TRA-MINIR), possibly the most pretentious wine name, is a tart white wine with subtle ginger notes, and goes nicely with butter chicken. For variation, sparkling rosé serves as a palette cleanser. Who doesn’t love a bit of carbonated pink shit?
The wines were each about ten bucks. Were they great quality? Nope! But they did the trick. This particular author has never been kicked out of a BYO, but between these three bottles they came pretty close. If that doesn’t show their merit, Critic don’t know what does.
Maharajas: Lager, Pilsner, or Riesling
As you may know, Maharajas is one of Critic’s favourite spots for takeaway Indian cuisine, but it’s also a great BYO spot for a flat dinner, with a mere $6 corkage fee.
For the average attendee wondering what to pair with their mild butter chicken and garlic naan, we’d recommend a crisp lager or pilsner. With a nice crisp and clean taste, these are the perfect thing to pair with vibrant, flavourful Indian cuisine without overwhelming the meal.
For those of us who prefer to cosplay being high-class, a bottle of Giesen Estate Riesling may be the move. Its high acidity and crisp light taste both work nicely with spice. So our conclusions: beer if you want foolproof; Riesling if you want to start swirling your glass and muttering something about the body and ‘robust-ness’ of the flavour profile.
Jizo: Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling
Get in the Ji-Zone for Jizo. Nestled on Princes St, Jizo delivers high-quality food and enough sophistication to make it worth an Insta story post. Critic strongly recommends the mixed sashimi: the fish is fresh and buttery, and melts in your mouth like a choccy bar in a toddler’s hand.
Giesen Estate Blush Riesling is the perfect pairing for a cheeky sushi date. It’s sweet, and bright, providing the perfect accompaniment to the fattiness of fresh fish. If you’re wanting something heavier like a rice bowl or udon, try a stiffer wine like the Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc. Whether fish or teriyaki chicken, Japanese cuisine generally calls for a light, complimentary wine to highlight its flavours rather than body-slamming them with fermented grape flavour.
Whatever the choice, make sure you put some thought into it. A good wine can change the trajectory of your entire evening, or of your date (wink wink).
Chopsticks 101: Pinot Noir, Asahi, or Riesling
Ah, yes. The classic. If you’re looking for a George St standout, you can’t go past Chopsticks 101. The combination stir-fried noodles are dependable and affordable, while the crispy boneless duck is beautifully tender and irresistible.
In terms of beverage, Jacob’s Creek Pinot Noir is the tried-and-true pairing with duck. If a beer is more your speed, you may be tempted by an Asahi. The rice lager cuts through the dish to leave a crisp, clean finish. Giesen Estate Riesling, an off-dry Riesling with a bit of sweetness, provides a suitable white wine option – its high acidity which cuts through the intense gorgeous flavours of whichever dish you choose.
It’s close to uni, buzzy, and blessed with large tables required for any dinner involving approximately 14 people. Bring your parents, boyfriend, flatmates, flatmate’s non-exclusive unlabelled situationship – there’s something for everyone at Chopsticks 101.
La Porchetta: Red (with a fancy Italian name)
Everyone knows Italian is peak comfort food, and La Porchetta is the true embodiment of this cheese-oil-carb fantasy. Next time you’re ambling down George Street and fighting the urge to trip into Big Mac territory, divert your gaze and you just might fall into this BYO staple instead.
But let's be real: Italians are pretty picky with their grape juice, and choosing the right bottle can be intimidating. No need to stress queen, we’re here to hold your hand. Rule of thumb: no wine fits all. If you’re going tomato-heavy or pizza, it’s best to pick a light red such as Piccini Collezione Oro Chianti Riserva to match the natural sharpness of the tomatoes.
If you're feeling a creamy, cheesy bowl of goodness, instead look out for a light and crisp wine like a Villa Sandi Pinot Grigio or Ventiterre Soave to cut through the heavy, creamy textures.
Korea House: Riesling, Pinot Noir, or Lager
Korean food poses an exciting challenge for the amateur sommelier because there are always approximately seventeen things happening at once. There’s spice, sweetness, salt, smoke, fermentation, charring, kimchi, and of course the rice all sitting before you. Naturally, one wine cannot solve all your problems – or so mum used to say.
For anything spicy or kimchi-heavy, Giesen Estate Riesling (#GER) is once again your best friend. Its sweetness softens chilli heat while its acidity keeps everything bright. Riesling is basically the right option if you think that wine would be shit with a meal.
For sweeter, savoury meat dishes like bulgogi, Jacob’s Creek Pinot Noir is a safe bet. It has enough fruit to work alongside the marinade and enough body to stand up to beef without bulldozing every other flavour.
And if pretending to be a sommelier is getting exhausting, embrace the humble lager. Crisp beer, sizzling meat, kimchi, rice, and whichever new side dish you decide to try: sounds like the perfect meal.
Ultimately, BYO wine pairing is not about finding the objectively correct bottle (it’s Giesen Estate Riesling). It's about choosing something you enjoy that makes the food taste good (?). It’s about making sure you take enough coins to have the whole table polishing off their glasses before they even have the chance to think about whether or not they even like the wine they chose.
Keep well, and BYO!
