Established in 1849, Yalumba is Australia’s most historic family-owned wine company. Fiercely independent through the generational ownership of the Hill-Smith family, our longevity and success is a result of patience, collaboration and extremely progressive thinking.
When we talk about the history of the Barossa, you cannot do it without doffing your hat to Grenache. Like Shiraz, it has been a much loved workhorse and our recent pleasure has been crafting these spicy, savoury tonal wines which have prevailed in our vineyards for decades and often longer. We love Pinot Noir and drink it often, but Grenache is local and has many similar characteristics, particularly in palate weight.
It adds lustre and spice to rustic foods such as winter stews and roast vegetables, oxtail, beef bourguignon and lamb cutlets! Our winemaker Kevin Glastonbury’s recipe of pork belly with Asian salad beautifully blends the freshness of Asian flavours with rich, succulent pork, and is balanced perfectly by the mouth-watering mid-palate and gentle acidity of our Old Bush Vine Grenache.
"Our winemaker Kevin Glastonbury loves cooking and is Grenache obsessed, so he knows a thing or two about what to pair with the great grape." Robert Hill-Smith
Kevin Glastonbury’s pork belly with Asian-style salad
1kg boneless pork belly
2–3 tablespoons sea salt
¼ cup Australian extra virgin
olive oil
½ cup brown sugar
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2–3 star anise
1 cup chicken stock
Juice of 1 lime (plus wedges to serve)
1 cup mint leaves
1 cup coriander leaves
1 cup Thai basil leaves
3 spring onions, sliced
1 long red chilli, thinly sliced
METHOD
1. Pre-heat the oven to 220°C.
2. Place the pork on a rack in a roasting pan with the skin side up. Score pork at 1cm intervals. Rub the sea salt into the skin, then drizzle with the olive oil.
3. Fill the pan with water to just under the rack then place in the oven and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the skin has puffed up and become crispy.
4. Once crispy, reduce the oven to about 160°C and roast for a further 90 to 120 minutes, or until the meat is tender. Top the baking tray with water as necessary.
5. While the pork is roasting, place the brown sugar, vinegar and star anise in a pan over low heat, and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
6. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the chicken stock before simmering for a further 5 to 10 minutes until the liquid has reduced by half.
7. Add the lime juice and continue to reduce until syrupy.
8. Take the pork out of the oven and rest for 10 minutes before carving into cubes and arranging on a platter to serve.
9. Scatter with herbs, spring onion and chilli, then drizzle with the dressing. Serve with lime wedges and a glass of Yalumba Old Bush Vine Grenache.