As a sommelier and the owner of Adelaide bar Good Gilbert, which took out the People’s Choice trophy at the Wineslinger Awards in late 2021, Wilson Shawyer spends his days – and nights – helping people make the most of their dining experiences.

And there’s one common habit he sees over and over that could mean you’re missing out on discovering new delights.

“One of the biggest mistakes I see when people choose wines is that they’ll go for the safe bet, something they’re used to,” he says. “People sometimes try one wine from one producer in one region that they don’t like and then block that variety out of their life, which is a shame, because there can be so much diversity in a variety, and also palates change over time.”

Shawyer insists it’s “always worthwhile giving something you think you don’t like a second chance”, when it comes to wine and food, noting that he “hated beef stroganoff” as a child and now “cannot eat it enough”.

Shawyer rediscovered the dish as an adult by putting a premium spin on it and making it with “a ton of brandy”, cream, paprika and, inspired by his German wife, homemade spaetzle (egg noodles). For the perfect finishing touch, he pairs it with an elegant red, such as Yalumba’s Vine Vale Grenache.

“It’s got beautiful, dark, rich forest fruit. It’s got great acidity that stands its ground against the cream in the dish, rather than competing against it, and beautiful, crunchy tannins that just bring out the spice nicely,” he says.

The best way to get out of a wine rut and discover new favourites is to ask a sommelier if they can provide an unexpected food pairing suggestion or recommend a wine that’s similar to something you’ve had before, according to Shawyer.

He uses a recent dish from the Good Gilbert menu, which is “super seasonal” and changes every week, as an example.

“One of the dishes we’ve had on rotation recently is Murray cod, which we fillet in-house and serve with an à la grecque sauce, pencil leeks and fresh dill,” Shawyer says, adding that he likes to complement it with “a left of centre pairing that people might not usually think of”, such as The Virgilius Viognier from Yalumba.

“It’s got really beautiful aromatics and this kind of voluptuous weight behind it. It’s a bright and refreshing white wine, but then it’s got this volume that just works so well with the butter in the sauce.”

For more inspiration, visit Yalumba, then head to goodgilbert.com or book a table at one of the below restaurants to continue discovering new food and wine experiences.

Adelaide 
Chianti 
The Ottoman Grill
Georges on Waymouth
Kyoku Yakiniku

Sydney
La Spiaggia
Nour
Saké

Melbourne
Cosi Bar Ristorante
Maha restaurant
Bellota Wine Bar
Tokyo Tina
Yakimono 

Brisbane
Massimo
Ahmet’s Turkish Restaurant
Opa Bar + Mezze
Rico Bar and Dining