In our latest wine column with Tennent’s, SLTN visited Port-Na-Craig Inn in Pitlochry to talk Scottish produce and fine wines with managers Mercedes Maloney-Drummond and Stephanie Hindle.
Situated on the banks of the River Tummel, and next door to Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Port-Na-Craig Inn & Restaurant is a family-owned restaurant with rooms specialising in dishes prepared using fresh, locally-sourced produce. The restaurant’s 30-strong wine list has been designed to pair perfectly with the menu and the vast majority of the wines are available by the glass
The Dishes
Venison Wellington with mash, broccoli and onion.
Seabass with potatoes and mussels.
The Wines
Angus the Bull Cabernet Sauvignon (Australia, paired with the venison).
Conde Villar Alvarinho (Portugal, paired with the seabass).
How would you describe the customer demographic at Port-Na-Craig?
Mercedes Maloney-Drummond, co-manager: “We get lots of tourists. Pitlochry Dam is the most visited place in Pitlochry and it’s less than a five minute walk from us. And we get a lot of Scottish people visiting the theatre as well.”
Stephanie Hindle, co-manager: “I think that we are so lucky in where we are, in as much as we have a broad range of people coming here and the majority of people want to experience Scottish local cuisine as much as possible. And if we can deliver that across different price points we can aim to please everybody that’s coming through the door.”
What wines did you choose to pair with these dishes and why?
Mercedes: “I wanted something Scottish, something more traditional, so I said let’s do a Wellington but let’s make it a venison Wellington.
“The wine we have chosen with that is our Angus the Bull Cabernet Sauvignon.
“We redesigned the wine list a year ago and everything is intentional and with stories behind it. Angus the Bull is quite interesting. It’s made by an Australian winemaker but who is originally from Scotland.
“When Bruce (Maclean, wine development manager at Tennent’s) showed us this wine we thought the name’s perfect, the wine’s lovely, so let’s get this on the menu.”
Stephanie: “The salinity with the Portuguese alvarinho really complements the seabass. Any sort of fish, really. And then the citrus side of it is like squeezing a little bit of lemon over your fish. It really adds to it.”
How did Tennent’s Direct help with the redesign of the Port-Na-Craig’s wine list?
Bruce Maclean, wine development manager, Tennent’s Direct: “Working with Mercedes and Stephanie at Port-Na-Craig Inn involved a collaborative review of their wine range to ensure it complemented the style and flavours of the menu.
“Through tastings and open discussion, wines were selected and paired to enhance key dishes while remaining accessible and well balanced. There is now a cohesive wine offering that supports the kitchen’s approach and elevates the overall guest experience.”
