Match weight to weight
Light food calls for a light wine, rich food for a fuller one. Do not kill crisp spring vegetables with a heavy red, and a light white will not stand up to game.
Wine and food
belong together
This guide was born at the table in our cellar. For every Zlatý Roh wine, we chose the dishes it tastes best with.
Our pairing philosophy
The best pairing is the one
you enjoy
Rules are only a guide. Your palate has the final say. At Zlatý Roh we approach this the way we approach the wine itself. No theater, no needless lecturing. What you will find here is simply what works for us.
Five rules from the cellar
Just as much theory as you need.
Acid calls for acid
Tomato, lemon, vinegar, sour cream. If the food has acidity, the wine needs it too. Otherwise it tastes flat. Veltliner, Riesling and Sauvignon know how it is done.
Fat needs tannin or acid
Steak, duck, pâté, hard cheeses. Tannin in a red dissolves the fat and both sides open up. No red at hand? Reach for higher acidity.
Sweet with sweet, only sweeter
A dessert wine has to be sweeter than the dessert. A dry wine with cake tastes like water. Straw wine with fruit, a sweet red with dark chocolate.
The region almost always works
Sheep cheese dumplings with Veltliner. Chive spreads with Riesling. Sausage with Blaufränkisch. Wine and food from the same soil grow in the same climate. That is the whole secret.
Want more? Read five pairing tips from Zlatý Roh.
Wine for the table
A guide to our bottles
For every Zlatý Roh wine we found a dish it gets along with. Plus one unexpected pairing we like to try ourselves.
White · the original variety
Veltlínske zelené BIO
At home on limestone. At home in Devín.
- At the table
- Roasted saltwater fish, asparagus, chicken with tarragon, crisp vegetables, Asian dishes with an herbal undertone. Young sheep's and goat's milk cheeses.
- Also try
- Potato dumplings with cabbage and bacon. A Slovak classic that breathes in the same key as Veltliner.
White · the architect
Rizling rýnsky BIO
A citrus spine and cool minerality.
- At the table
- Raw fish, sushi, ceviche, sweet and sour Asian dishes, goat cheese with honey, summer salads with citrus. Baked river fish with lemon and herbs.
- Also try
- A mature Riesling (5+ years) alongside roast duck with orange. The petrol note cuts through the richness from an unexpected angle.
White · cuvée
Cuvée Blanc BIO
Oak smooths it, acidity holds it.
- At the table
- Roasted saltwater fish with butter and thyme, chicken breast with lemon and tarragon, young sheep's milk cheeses, asparagus with hollandaise.
- Also try
- Breaded schnitzel with potato salad. The oaked Cuvée balances the fat of the fried crust perfectly.
Pet-nat · aperitif
Pet-nat Rosé BIO
A wine for the start of the evening.
- At the table
- An aperitif with olives and almonds, fruit tartare, ceviche, sushi, light summer salads, goat cheese with figs.
- Also try
- Fried cauliflower with harissa. The bubbles rinse the palate and open up the next bite.
Red · a Central European classic
Svätovavrinecké / St. Laurent BIO
Old vines, four surviving rows.
- At the table
- Roast duck breast, game in red wine, mushroom ragout, semi-hard cheeses with nuts.
- Also try
- Roasted beets with goat cheese and walnuts. Earth to earth, fruit to fruit.
Red · Pinot Noir
Rulandské modré / Pinot Noir BIO
Barrel, amphora and whole clusters.
- At the table
- Roast duck, game with forest mushrooms, fine mushroom dishes, lamb carpaccio, long-aged cheeses.
- Also try
- Baked salmon with grilled peppers. Pinot handles a fattier fish surprisingly well.
Red · blend
Merlot Cabernet BIO
Clean, drinkable, dependable.
- At the table
- Roast beef, game, lamb chops with rosemary, aged hard cheeses, mushroom risotto.
- Also try
- Dark chocolate, 70%, with sea salt. Tannin meets cocoa and you get a calm second coffee.
A board for the evening
How to build a cheese plate
that talks to the wine.
Three cheeses, one spread, something sour, something sweet, good bread. That is enough. Layer from the mildest to the strongest, open two bottles and let people wander back and forth.
- 1
Young cheese
Fresh goat cheese, bryndza, mozzarella di bufala. Pair with Veltlínske zelené or Pet-nat Rosé.
- 2
Semi-hard cheese
Manchego, a younger Comté, smoked sheep cheese. This is where Cuvée Blanc feels at home. So does a young St. Laurent.
- 3
Aged cheese
Aged Gouda, Parmigiano, blue Roquefort. Pinot Noir, Merlot Cabernet. With the Roquefort, add Straw Wine if you have it.
- 4
Sides with character
Honey, fig preserves, pickled onions, dried apricots, walnuts, good bread. Without a sweet and sour contrast the board falls flat.
Tuned to the season
What to open, and when.
Each season calls for a different wine and a different plate.
Spring
Veltlínske zelené · Pet-nat Rosé
Asparagus with hollandaise. Young lamb with mint. A salad with goat cheese and strawberries.
Summer
Grilled fish with herbs. Ceviche. Chilled melon with feta and olive oil.
Fall
Mushroom risotto. Roasted pumpkin with ricotta. Game braised in red wine.
Winter
Beef ragout with polenta. Roast duck. Hard cheeses with nuts and pear in honey.
“The best pairing is the one you enjoy”
Filip Nagy · winemaker
Dinners at the Roh
A long table, candles,
a guest chef.
A few times a year we open the cellar doors or set the table right in the vineyard. A seasonal menu from a guest chef and wines from the current vintage. No rushing. No dress code.
Open Devín at your table.
Pick a bottle for your dinner. Or book a seat at ours.
