“I’m a great believer in avoiding disappointment by cooking what you want in the way you want it from fresh-bought ingredients; no more for me the admonition, I could have cooked this better at home,” says wine writer RICHARD CALVER.

After earlier celebrations at local restaurants, on my birthday I just wanted a quiet night in, enjoying my own cooking and wine that I knew should be good.

I’m a great believer in avoiding disappointment by cooking what you want in the way you want it from fresh-bought ingredients; no more for me the admonition, I could have cooked this better at home.

Plus, with my son there as birthday guest, I could tell my groaning dad jokes without pause: “Son, why do the French eat snails?” He hesitates and shrugs. “Because they abhor fast food!” 

I’d marinated some prawns in chilli, lemon juice and a little olive oil in the wine I’d also serve with them once cooked, 

The wine was a Burge Family Winemakers 2025 Survivor Semillon that I had bought on special direct from the winery. Normally $35 a bottle, the price had been reduced to $16 each for six or more.

This was the second bottle of the semillon I’d tried. I was very happy with this food and wine match as the semillon has a bright acidity to cut through flavourful fish and crustacea and is zesty and lemony. 

Young semillons often exhibit characteristics that are fresh with green apple and lemon flavours predominant, as with this wine. It also had a pleasing minerality on the finish. 

Middle age is the worst time for this varietal. But after about five to eight years good semillons develop a pleasing toasty, cashew nut flavour that goes well with roasted fish. 

However, I doubt this particular wine will last that long in my collection, given how it is a very pleasant drink now. 

For the main course I cooked a mild chicken curry. I have developed a liking for curries with the onions slow cooked and the spices merging in with the meat or vegetables.

Ideally with a curry, you match a wine with sweetness and some acidity, like a half-dry Helm riesling.

But on this occasion I decided I wanted the richness of an aged red that I hoped would still have some fruit characteristics to complement the dish but that would also, in contrast with the curry, finish with velvet. 

That choice was reinforced by the fact that the temperature outside had suddenly plummeted us back to winter. A comforting red would assist.

I checked my spreadsheet and chose a Robert Oatley 2018 limited release Barossa shiraz.

It showed that I’d bought this wine for $50 in September 2023. One website was offering it at $105 a bottle now, another at $65 by the case, but indicating they’d sold out of stock. 

The shiraz was deeply coloured and had a bouquet of ripe blackberry and a hint of plum.

On taste it was earthy with some liquorice showing and a hint of pepper on the finish. We had a glass before we started eating.

It shone as an aperitif, but was less suited to the meal than some other wines I could have chosen.

It did, in that initial glass, ward off the resurgent cold temperatures and the disappointment that feeling wintry winds can generate. It was comfort in a glass.

There was still at least a half bottle left at the end of the meal and when, the next day, I went back to it, it had become jammy, thickened and was much less pleasant. Perhaps a bit like me as I age.

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