Chardonnay | Giggly Grapes

Miso and Wine: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

23/08/2024

Bowl of miso soup beside a glass of white wine on a timber table

Miso is salty, sweet and full of umami, which is hard on red wine. What to pour with miso soup, miso black cod and miso ramen, and the reds to keep off the table.

Mushroom Ravioli and Wine: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

17/08/2024

Bowl of mushroom ravioli beside a glass of red wine on a timber table

Mushroom ravioli flattens big reds. Here is why, plus the wines that actually work, what to avoid and one stock-checked bottle to try tonight.

Clam Chowder and Wine: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

24/05/2024

Bowl of creamy clam chowder beside a glass of white wine on a timber table

Crisp unoaked whites for the creamy New England bowl, something sharper for Manhattan. The three chowder styles and the wine each one wants.

What Is a Riddling Rack? The Champagne Tool Explained

21/05/2024

Wooden riddling rack holding sparkling wine bottles neck-down in a cellar

A riddling rack holds 120 bottles neck-down so the yeast slides into the neck. Here is how it works, who invented it, and why machines replaced it.

Moët vs Veuve Clicquot: Which Champagne Is Better?

17/05/2024

Two Champagne bottles and two glasses side by side on a timber table

Same region, same method, same parent company, two different personalities. The grapes, the history, the taste and which one to buy for which night.

Chardonnay Food Pairing: What to Eat With Oaked and Unoaked Chardonnay

15/05/2024

Glass of Chardonnay beside a golden roast chicken

Roast chicken, buttery seafood, creamy pasta or a plate of prawns: what to eat with Chardonnay, why oaked and unoaked need different dinners, and what to avoid.

What Wine Goes With Ravioli? A Filling-by-Filling Guide

25/04/2024

Plate of ravioli beside a glass of white wine on a timber table

Ravioli is a shape, not a dish. Here is the right wine for cheese, meat, mushroom, pumpkin and seafood fillings, plus what to avoid.

Seafood Risotto and Wine: What to Pour (and What to Cook With)

24/04/2024

Bowl of seafood risotto with prawns beside a glass of white wine

Creamy, salty and delicate all at once. The crisp whites that suit seafood risotto, the ones that ruin it, which wine to put in the pan, and one bottle that does both jobs.

Octopus and Wine: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

13/03/2024

Grilled octopus on a plate beside a glass of rose wine

Grilled octopus is lean, salty and smoky, which rules out tannin. Here are the wines that work, what to avoid, and one stock-checked bottle.

Waipara Valley Wine Region: New Zealand’s Riesling Heartland

20/12/2023

Vineyard rows on limestone hillsides with distant snow-capped mountains

An hour north of Christchurch, sheltered by low hills and built on limestone clay. What Waipara tastes like, which cellar doors are actually open, and when to go.