Some dishes are made for the wine before you have poured a drop. This is one of them. A lamb shoulder that has been in the oven long enough to fog up the kitchen windows, a jus stained deep with blackberries, potatoes crushed and crisped in the pan, and greens charred at the edges. Set the Wine Lovers Tempranillo beside it and the whole plate falls into place.

The wine

Wine Lovers Tempranillo is plush with dark fruit and savoury spice, all carried across a silky palate. There is generosity here, but never heaviness. It is the kind of red that leans into slow-cooked meat and rich, fruited sauce without losing its poise.

Why it works

Tempranillo and lamb is a classic for a reason. The smoked paprika rub picks up the wine's savoury spice, and the blackberry jus mirrors its dark fruit note for note, so the glass and the plate seem to be finishing each other's sentences. The silky palate softens the richness of the shoulder, while the char on the greens gives the wine's fruit something bright to push against. Fruit meets fruit, spice meets spice, and the silk of the wine smooths the whole thing over.

The recipe

Smoked Paprika Lamb Shoulder with Blackberry Jus, Crushed Potatoes and Charred Greens

Serves 4 to 6. Prep 20 minutes, cook about 4 hours.

Ingredients

For the lamb:

• 1.8 kg lamb shoulder, bone in
• 2 tablespoons (40 ml) smoked paprika
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tablespoons (40 ml) olive oil
• 1 tablespoon (20 ml) sea salt flakes
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 brown onion, thickly sliced
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 250 ml chicken or beef stock

For the blackberry jus:

• 200 g blackberries (fresh or frozen)
• 250 ml red wine (a glass of the Tempranillo is perfect)
• 250 ml beef stock
• 1 tablespoon (20 ml) brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon (20 ml) red wine vinegar
• 20 g cold butter

For the crushed potatoes:

• 800 g chat potatoes
• 40 g butter
• 2 tablespoons (40 ml) olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• sea salt

For the charred greens:

• 2 bunches broccolini
• 1 tablespoon (20 ml) olive oil
• 1 lemon
• sea salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160C fan-forced. Mix the paprika, garlic, oil, salt, cumin and pepper into a paste and rub it all over the lamb.
2. Scatter the onion and rosemary across a roasting tray, sit the lamb on top, and pour the stock into the base. Cover tightly with foil.
3. Roast for 3.5 to 4 hours, until the meat pulls apart easily. Remove the foil for the last 30 minutes to colour the top. Rest for 20 minutes before serving.
4. For the jus, simmer the blackberries, wine, stock, sugar and vinegar in a saucepan until reduced by half and syrupy, about 15 minutes. Strain if you prefer a smooth sauce, then whisk in the cold butter off the heat for gloss.
5. For the potatoes, boil until tender, drain, then tip onto a tray and gently crush each one with a fork. Heat the butter and oil in a pan, add the garlic and potatoes, and fry until golden and crisp. Season.
6. For the greens, toss the broccolini in oil and char in a hot griddle or pan for 3 to 4 minutes until blistered. Squeeze over the lemon and season.
7. Pull the lamb into large pieces, spoon over the jus, and serve with the potatoes and greens.

At the table

Pour the Tempranillo a touch generously here. This is a plate that rewards a full glass, and the wine has the fruit and the silk to keep pace with every bite.