Maghreb cuisine – spices galore, paired with the right wines

Lemon chicken from the tagine & Chenin Blanc
A classic of Moroccan cuisine: chicken is slowly braised with preserved salted lemons, green olives, ginger, coriander and saffron. This calls for freshness, but also substance. A wine like the Beaumont Family Wines Chenin Blanc 2024 from South Africa offers both. Its juicy fruit complements the intense lemon flavour, whilst its acidity and structure interact beautifully with the olives, herbs and the roasted notes of the chicken. Those seeking an even more complex and profound wine pairing will find what they’re looking for in the Domaine Huet Vouvray Clos du Bourg sec 2019 – one of the great dry Chenins from the Loire.

Tunisian brik with harissa & Riesling Kabinett ‘
’ Crispy pastry, egg, potatoes, parsley, a little tuna if you like – and the distinct heat of harissa. A high-alcohol, completely dry wine would quickly be overwhelmed here. The JUBILUM Kabinett No. 1 2024 from the Loersch Winery works much better. Its fruit sweetness takes the edge off the harissa, whilst the Mosel acidity ensures that the interplay remains light and lively. If you’re looking for a slightly more mature style here too, the Maximin Grünhaus Abtsberg Riesling Kabinett 2019 is the perfect choice.

Lamb tagine with plums & Grenache
Lamb , prunes, almonds, cinnamon, cumin and ras el hanout create that sweet and spicy combination we love so much about Moroccan cuisine. Our JUBILUM Grenache No. 2 2023 from Saint Cosme seems almost tailor-made for this: ripe dark and red fruit, garrigue, spice and a soft, silky texture. The fruit echoes the prunes, whilst the Mediterranean herbal notes blend with the spices of the tagine. From the same estate, but here too the more complex and mature choice would be the wonderful Saint Cosme Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2019 from the exceptional winemaker Louis Barruol.

Pastilla with chicken, almonds & Crémant
And then there’s pastilla, one of Morocco’s most unusual specialities: wafer-thin, crispy pastry, spiced chicken (or pigeon, which is actually in keeping with the original recipe), almonds, cinnamon and a dusting of icing sugar. The Tement Ried Wielitschberg Alte Reben Gewürztraminer 2021 is a fantastic accompaniment to this dish. Not a broad, sweet and perfumed Gewürztraminer, but dry, savoury and quite taut, with notes of rose petal, grapefruit, candied ginger, dried fruit, nutmeg and mint. It’s almost an aromatic extension of the pastilla. For those who’d prefer a red wine here, especially if pigeon or duck is served instead of chicken, we highly recommend the Louis Latour Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2023, served slightly chilled: light-bodied with plenty of freshness. Liquorice and earthy notes harmonise with cinnamon, almonds and roast poultry. In that case, however, it’s best to leave out the icing sugar.