Miele’s key innovations in refrigeration enable you to pair and optimise the flavour and freshness of your food and wine, by ensuring it is served at the perfect temperature every time.

“Wine served too cold will mask its true flavours, and wine served too warm, can lose its vibrancy and appear hot and flabby,” says Kim Bickley, one of Australia’s most highly respected sommeliers with more than 15 years’ experience.

Currently sitting on the 2018 Wine Selectors Tasting Panel that rates thousands of wines all over Australia providing a Gold, Silver or Bronze rating, Kim has also worked as sommelier at Luke Mangan’s Glass Brasserie in Sydney, as well as Black Bar & Grill at The Star Casino.

“Strong fluctuations of heat or cold can damage any wine. Mid to long term storage of any wine depends greatly on a still, dark environment with a constant cool temperature,” Kim said.

Miele’s Wine Conditioners offer the perfect temperature with both practicality and impeccable style. This provides wine connoisseurs with the ability to showcase their most prized signature bottles, slightly raised in the dimmed light of the Miele wine conditioner.

“Miele Wine Conditioners can store up to three different types of wine such as red, white and champagne or sparkling at the same time and under perfect conditions for the specific wine type in a beautifully styled appliance,” said Melissa Taylor, Miele ANZ Product Manager.

“The flush LED lighting presents wine bottles in the right light. This maintenance-free LED lighting ensures efficient and optimum illumination of the cabinet and its contents,” said Melissa.

And with the perfectly stored wine, comes the need to have the freshest ingredients, a must to whip up a Michelin star meal.

Pairing food and wine

“Cooking style, dressings and textures are often just as, if not more, important than the old ‘red wine with red meat, white wine with white meat’ rule” said Kim.

“There are a lot of important elements to consider when matching food and wine in a restaurant setting. We look at the affect of sweetness, acidity, spice, salt and umami in the food and find a wine to pair by either matching ‘like with like’ or by contrasting. Both options can offer some really exciting pairings,” said Kim.

 

Recipes (and wines) to try:

Maggie Beer’s Roasted Chook (https://www.mieleexperience.com.au/recipes/chook-roasted-with-garlic-and-verjuice/) “A classic and very flexible dish that will go with quite a few wines. Medium to full bodied whites with not too much oak, Pinot G (Gris or Grigio) or a toasty Aged Hunter Semillon for example.”

Shannon Bennett’s Coq au Vin (https://www.mieleexperience.co.nz/recipes/coq-au-vin/): “Light to medium bodied reds will match with this Pinot Noir or Nebbiolo.”.

Shannon Bennett’s Spicy Beef Cheeks (https://www.mieleexperience.co.nz/recipes/spiced-beef-cheek/): “There’s a little bit of heat spice to this dish so a fleshy juicy, fruitier red like a Shiraz or Tempranillo with lower tannin will balance that heat.”

Orange spiced lamb shanks (https://www.mieleexperience.co.nz/recipes/orange-spiced-lamb-shanks/): “This dish is crying out for a full bodied red like Cabernet Sauvignon or even a Shiraz Cab blend.”

 

Restaurant quality freshness and taste

Miele’s MasterCool refrigerator and freezer range features a microclimate area called MasterFresh, where you can adjust the humidity and temperature based on the food type you’re storing, ensuring longevity and freshness.

“With Miele’s refrigeration technology you can trap the moisture to ensure your food won’t dry out or become stale. Plus, you can adjust the settings for any type of food, whether it be cheese, vegetables, fruit or fish,” says Melissa.

“Fresh food is the basis for healthy living. With Miele’s refrigeration technology, MasterFresh throughout the MasterCool range, and PerfectFresh Pro throughout the freestanding and integrated ranges, your food stays fresher longer, ensuring your culinary masterpiece tastes fresh and delicious, ready to serve with the perfect wine,” said Melissa.

Kim’s Top Tips about wine

• “If you’re in a hurry to cool a wine, submerge the bottle in an ice-bucket with ice and water. This will cool it down fast. But be sure not to leave it in there too long.”
• “Don’t forget transportation, don’t leave your wine purchases in a hot car or in the sun while you’re out and about, sunlight (or even fluorescent light) can damage wine.”
• “Wines sealed with cork should be kept on their side so the cork is in contact with the wine.”
• “Extended periods in a standard refrigerator can cause corks to dry out and allow too much to oxygen to enter the bottle, damaging the wine.”

 

Kim’s favourite drops

“In Summer, I love Hunter Semillon, it’s refreshing as well as naturally low in sugar and alcohol, so I don’t feel guilty having those extra drinking days. I’m also a Riesling fan and love to dabble in some interesting Mediterranean varietals such as Assyrtiko and Albariño,” said Kim.

“Chardonnay is one of my favourite Winter whites. And I enjoy Pinot Noir from all around the world. Of course, I love an Aussie Shiraz… but prefer to more medium style myself,” said Kim.

 

View Miele’s complete refrigeration range online here.