Winter Wine Match Recipe: Bannockburn Pinot + Duck Pie
Some evenings call for a slow-cooked pie and a glass of Pinot Noir that can hold a conversation. Our Bannockburn Single-Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016 has that layered depth - earth, mushroom, warm spice, a flicker of anise - that slides neatly alongside our Confit Duck and Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie with Pumpkin Hutspot Mash.
About Wine Matching
Get the pairing right and the harmony and contrast of flavours make the whole meal more enjoyable.
Harmony
This is about pairing wine and food that share a key trait - body, flavour or texture. Think earthy Pinot with mushrooms, or buttery Chardonnay with lobster. Each matches like-for-like and that combined flavour feels unified rather than layered.
Contrast
These characteristics bring flavours and textures that the dish lacks - acidity to slice through fat, sweetness to temper spice, bubbles to lift richness. Think crisp Sauvignon with goat cheese, or sparkling wine alongside fried chicken. The tension keeps palate fatigue at bay and makes every sip reset the next bite.
Simple pairing rules worth knowing
Match the weight: Medium-bodied wine (such as Pinot Noir) like mid-weight dishes (duck, pork, mushrooms).
Echo one key note: Here it’s earthiness. In other pairings it might be smoke, citrus or herb.
Let acidity tidy up: Fresh wines refresh rich food so neither feels cloying.
Confit Duck & Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie with Pumpkin Hutspot Mash
Wine Match
Takapoto Estate Bannockburn Single-Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016
Tasting Notes
Aromas line up: The Bannockburn’s forest floor notes echo the mushrooms in the recipe, while a hint of baking spice (thanks to the barrel aging) lifts the thyme and star anise in the pie. The umami aspect of the Pinot Noir and the pie also match each other, creating that harmony of flavours.
Textures keep each other honest: Silky duck fat meets the Pinot’s bright acidity, so every bite feels rich but never heavy.
Flavours linger, not drag: Cherry-plum fruit nudges the sweetness of slow-cooked carrot, and the earthiness circles back.
Sip, bite, sip: Each mouthful resets your palate for the next, so dinner feels effortless and enjoyable.
Recipe
Serves 6 - 8. Preparation 45 min – Slow cook 3 hr + bake 20 min
By René Kappetein, Head Chef Takapoto Estate
Ingredients
Confit duck
4 duck legs, skin on
~1 litre duck fat (just enough to cover the legs)
4 garlic cloves, crushed
Aromatics: 1 sprig rosemary, 2 sprigs thyme, 4 juniper berries, 6 peppercorns, 1 bay leaf, 2 whole cloves, 1 star anise
Filling
1 red onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
3 celery sticks, diced
½ small fennel bulb, diced
300 ml red wine (not the Bannockburn!)
200 ml poultry stock or water
Few drops Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Juice of 1 orange
600 g mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 sprigs fresh thyme
Small handful chopped parsley and chives
Salt & black pepper
Pumpkin hutspot mash
6 medium Agria potatoes, peeled & cubed
2 large carrots, sliced
2 medium white onions, sliced
Roughly 1 heaped cup diced pumpkin (about ¼ small pumpkin)
250 g unsalted butter
1 heaped tsp whole-grain mustard
Splash of white wine (optional)
Finishing touches
200 g aged cheddar, grated
Toasted almonds, small handful (optional)
Method
1 | Confit the duck
Heat the oven to 110 °C.
Put the duck legs into an ovenproof dish. Add garlic and aromatics. Pour over melted duck fat until the legs are submerged.
Cover and cook for 3 hours. The meat should all but fall from the bone.
Cool slightly, remove the skin, and shred the meat. Keep 2 Tbsp of the fat for later (store the rest for roast potatoes).
2 | Make the filling
Warm 1 Tbsp reserved duck fat in a large pan over medium-high heat. Sauté by cooking quickly and stirring often: the onion, carrots, celery and fennel for about 8 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
Drop in the rosemary sprig.
Deglaze: pour the red wine into the hot pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits stuck to the base - those bits are pure flavour. Simmer until the wine has reduced by about half.
Add stock, then simmer again until the mixture thickens enough to coat a spoon.
Stir in Worcestershire sauce, mustard, orange juice, salt and pepper. Lift out the rosemary.
In a separate hot pan, melt the second tablespoon of duck fat. Add mushrooms, season, and cook for 5 minutes until browned. Add garlic and thyme for the final 2 minutes.
Fold mushrooms and shredded duck into the vegetable mix. Stir through parsley and chives. Taste and adjust seasoning.
3 | Pumpkin hutspot mash
Melt 50 g butter in a large pot. Add chopped onions, carrots and pumpkin. Cook for 5 minutes to soften. Splash in a little white wine (if using) and let it bubble away.
Add chopped potatoes, a good pinch of salt, and just enough water to cover. Simmer until the potatoes are tender (about 15 minutes).
Drain well, return the veg to the pot, add the remaining butter and mustard, and mash roughly - a traditional Dutch hutspot is meant to stay a little chunky. Season to taste.
4 | Assemble and bake
Raise the oven to 185 °C.
Spread the duck-mushroom filling in a baking dish (or eight small ones).
Spoon the hutspot mash on top, rake with a fork for crispy peaks, and finish with cheddar. Scatter almonds over if you like a bit of crunch.
Bake for 20 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Serve hot with a simple green salad, perhaps a side of sour dough, and a generous pour of Takapoto Estate Bannockburn Single-Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016 and enjoy the symphony of flavours. We sourced ingredients from the gardens of Takapoto Estate, topped up with produce from the Cambridge Farmers Market, and Quack ‘a’ Duck Cambridge.
CHEERS!