With many hospitality businesses open again under COVID-19 alert level 3, many Aucklanders will be eagerly looking forward to digging into their favourite takeaways over the weekend - if they didn't already indulge on Wednesday.
But if you're looking for ways to make another lockdown weekend a little special you don't need to wait for Michelin star restaurants to reopen before matching your wine with dinner.
We asked a couple of the country's best wine specialists which wines they would match with some of the most popular takeaway choices
Jess Bell, Villa Maria wine marketing specialist and Nat Christensen, Yealands Wines chief winemaker, have put together their top picks for whether you're a fan of a pizza, craving Thai food or planning to go for a classic fish and chips.
All you need to do is get changed into your comfies and prepare to order in advance - if Wednesday night is anything to go by, the wait times are going to be long.
Pizza
Nat: My personal takeaway fave is Dominos 'El Scorcho' with cheesy stuffed crust, matched with our Yealands Merlot - it is just bloody delicious. The deep fruity, rich ripe style of Merlot, with a nice charry smoky character coming from the oak is an awesome match with this pizza. This wine stands up to spice and compliments the cheesy stuff crust beautifully.
Jess: We may have tried to make our own pizza dough or even just tried our best with store-bought bases, but when my local pizzeria opened its doors I knew what it needed to be, a creamy cheesy pizza, paired with our Esk Valley Artisanal Chardonnay. This Chardonnay's a full-bodied white which gives the structure and body to support the pizza's richness and density.
Thai food
Nat: Chicken Larb Gai is an awesome match with our Single Vineyard PGR (Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and Riesling). The freshness and the spice of this takeaway works beautifully with the floral fragrant bouquet of the PGR and the rich oily palate really kicks things off.
Jess: Pair Pad Thai with our Esk Valley Rosé. It's light and fresh like other white grape varieties which are more on the typical side, but the appeal of rosé with Pad Thai lies in its crisp acidity and delicate flavours. This dry rosé, in particular, harmonises beautifully, bringing balance to the whole experience - whether you decided to go mild or spicy!
Fish and chips
Jess: What grows together, goes together and our iconic summer evening takeaway treat and a glass of our Earth Garden Sauvignon Blanc is no different. It's mouth-watering acidity is lively and the perfect choice to cut through the rich fattiness of a quintessential fish and chips. A quick recommendation - if you squeeze lemon onto a dish, you can't go wrong with Sauvignon Blanc.
Butter chicken and naan bread
Jess: Even if we're sticking with a trusted favourite, let's all give stepping out of our comfort zone a shot and go spicy - after five weeks at alert level 4 we really should be living life on the edge. For that you can't go past the Villa Maria Private Bin Riesling: It's fresh, juicy and vibrant, cutting through some of the serious creaminess that we all love, but its hint of sweetness allows a perfect balance to soften some of that spice as some pairings can do the absolute opposite!
Burgers
Jess: What makes a burger so good leaving you wanting more after every single bite? It's got the perfect more-ish saltiness and an abundance of flavours. It's perfect pairing? An intensely flavoured wine that happily plays along with various sauces, spices and flavours. For that you can't go past the Leftfield Hatchling Red Blend - six different grape varieties in one wine, yes please!
