Wine Pairing – Chicken Satay with Rioja

Hyatt Regency – Hua Hin

A dependable standby on many menus this chicken satay with peanut sauce proves there’s no substitute for traditional, heart-warming cuisine, especially when prepared in the hands of a dedicated Master Chef.

Chef Sanea Sripeaw prepares thin strips of boneless chicken breasts and marinades the chicken in coconut milk, turmeric, curry powder, soy sauce, sugar and seasoning for up to two hours. The chicken strips are then threaded onto pre-soaked wooden skewers ready for grilling. Whilst the chicken cooks they are basted with any leftover marinade. The satay is served with a peanut sauce containing massaman paste and tamarind for a regional kick. Chicken satay is a classic Thai dish which probably appears on virtually every Thai menu whether you are dining at a street cafe or a 5 star resort such as the Hyatt Regency in Hua Hin. Aside from the location and presentation there will be subtle differences to every chef’s recipe.

Chef Sanea Sripeaw’s Chicken Satay – Hyatt Regency, Hua Hin

Wine Pairing

Just because it’s chicken doesn’t mean the wine should be white. Satay has some strong flavors and so these need to be balanced with an equally robust wine. Pair this dish with the Altos Ibericos Crianza Spanish Rioja.

ALTOS IBERICOS – LABASTIDA, Spain

This wine is named after Alto Otero, home to the winery in the town of Labastida, north of the Iberian Peninsula and as with all Rioja wine is produced from the Temperanillo grape. In recent years this wine has won several awards from respected institutions such as Challenge International du Vin, Concours International des Vins and Selections Mondiales.

The wine is an opaque cherry red with rich fruit aromas of cherry and black plums with spicy and smoky tones. From the Torres wine makers it is described as being intense, warm, with firm tannins nicely structured by oak aging and a backbone of subtle fruit acidity. I agree with their description and it is just the right level of firmness to complement chicken satay. This wine is also excellent with all kinds of Spanish tapas where red meat, oil-rich fish or cheeses are the dominant ingredient.

Vineyard Location

An area called Alto Otero, near to the town Labastida, north of the Iberian Peninsula.

Varietal Composition – 100% Tempranillo

Cooperage – Aged for 12 months in oak barrels and then in the bottle for a minimum of 12 months.

Alcohol – 13.5%

Bart has been a hotelier and restauranteur all his life. With extensive wine experience and a level 2 qualification in the WSET his experience qualifies him uniquely to judge food and wine pairings.