The classic North African dish of lamb tagine is comforting and delicious. Finding the right wine doesn’t need to be a chore. Tagine’s can vary in their style – but are often rich and aromatic. Working with spices like cumin, coriander, cinamon – and the acidity of lemons can be difficult so you want to find the right wine to pair properly that won’t overpower or fade away when enjoyed together.
The Classics
A bold, spicy Syrah or Shiraz are great matches for lamb tagine. The full body of the wine will hold up against the dish as and the darker fruit flavours, peppery notes and spices will pair well. For example – an Australian Shiraz (again, conflict of interest here) or a Rhone Valley Syrah are excellent choices.
My second pick would be something like a Grenache/Garnacha. Typically a more juicy wine with subtle hints of herbs and spice – these wines typically pair well together with a dish that has the intsensity of a tagine.
If you’re after another fuller-bodied red – another option could be a Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This is a personal favourite as well as I love the complexity that these wines bring – especially when pairing with a dish like a delicious lamb tagine.
Looking for something a little lighter? Pinot Noir is a typical wine that pairs well with lamb – although – do take care that the other flavours within the tagine don’t overpower this dish.
Something a little alternative?
If you’re looking for something a bit left of field to try and impress – then you can always fall back to the old rule “What grows together goes together”
Morocco has a growing (pun intended) wine scene. There are a few varieties that can play quite well together with a lamb tagine.
The Mediterranean climate is actually quite similar to the South of France and Spain which makes it great for a warmer climate grape! The riper fruit and balance in the acidity actually make it quite a useful pairing with a lamb tagine.
The other charecteristic of Moroccan wines that can work well with this dish is the ‘spicy’ nature of the wine that often plays well with the spices found in dishes like a tagine.
Whatever you decide to taste – here’s to a lovely wine and tagine filled evening. Cheers.
