The lamprey is a frightfully ugly creature, similar in shape to an eel but with a large, blood-sucking mouth. In France's Bordeaux region, the lamprey is braised with red wine, leek and herbs to make the classic dish lamproie a la bordelaise. The obvious match for this dish would be red bordeaux, but any wine with enough richness to stand up to the oily, succulent jawless fish will work.
Shaw & Smith Adelaide Hills shiraz 2008, South Australia
The northern Rhone valley used to have the monopoly on heady, peppery shiraz (which in France is called 'syrah'). But New Zealand's Gimblett Gravels and the Adelaide Hills in South Australia are increasing putting out worthy contenders. This shiraz is all black pepper and brown spice. It's perfumed with a hint of violet and red flowers. It's tasty without being heavy or full-bodied. There's plenty of richness to work with the succulence of the lamprey. The spiciness of the wine is the perfect link to the dish's red wine-based sauce. The wine's elegance allows the rich lamprey to shine and the silky tannins cleanse the palate of the fish's natural stickiness.
Available for HK$245 at Oliver's (tel: 2869 5119)
Cloudy Bay pinot noir 2009, Marlborough, New Zealand
I suspect some of you will complain that this wine is a tad too light to go with the lamprey, but lightness isn't everything and it's the fruit purity that matters. And this wine has fruit - in fact, the wines of Marlborough are known for their pure fruit expression, with loads of cherry, raspberry and strawberry, whose sweetness pairs perfectly with the red wine-braised lamprey. The suppleness of this Cloudy Bay pinot massages the lamprey and all of its succulence. It's a pretty, easy pairing.