The Manta wine list is intended to be a balanced and approachable collection of wine working in harmony with the Manta menu.
The wine list seeks to bring a synergy of flavour when matched to menu dishes. Acids, tannins and sugars in the wine interact with the food to provide different taste sensations.
Memorable food and wine pairing is achieved when you find similarities or contrasts of flavour or texture.
Structure
For a wine to make it onto the Manta wine list, it must first meet certain criteria;
True to Style
A Manta wine must be honest and reflect its varietal and origin.
Regionality
Glen aims to keep multi-regional wine off the list. He feels a wine has more soul if it is an expression of a single area.
Appropriateness
Glen has always tried to keep the list synchronised with the style of the menu. As Manta’s food style nuances Mediterranean cooking styles, the list has responded by moving in a more ‘Euro’ direction.
The wine must not only work well with the food, it must also fit well with the other wines in its category. Glen always aims to keep balance in each varietal.
Something as simple as a change of vintage on a single wine can affect the balance of an entire area of the list. The list becomes a constant work in progress as wines constantly sell out, change vintage or even change in the bottle to something that becomes either faulty or no longer appropriate.
Food and wine pairing is a highly subjective and inexact process. There's considerable room for experimentation and expression of your own personality in pairing food and wine. The goal is synergy and balance. The wine shouldn't overpower the food, nor should the food overpower the wine.
6 Cowper Wharf Road, Woolloomooloo
Telephone: 02 9332 3822
Facsimile: 02 9332 3655
reservations@mantarestaurant.com.au