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Published on January 27, 2008

Similar thoughts were on Australian army major Allan Lowe's mind when he finished recent Thai-Aussie field exercises at various simulated battlesites in Thailand.

It wasn't that Lowe and his colleagues were deprived of an occasional beer during the rigours of training. He did, however, find himself thinking about the possibility of a glass of wine with various combat rations provided in the field. Carrying his quest a step further, he brought a daily Australian Defence Force Combat Ration pack, all 38 assorted cans, packets, tubes and sachets of it - 1.8 kilograms in all - back to civilisation with him.

Pondering the prodigious pack at a watering hole frequented by Bangkok aficionados of the fruits of the vine, Lowe challenged his mates to select appropriate wine complements for combat cuisine. His mission, while unlikely to be taken seriously by headquarters, isn't as far-fetched as it sounds.

For years, many European combat forces were provided rations of wine to accompany their meals. Even today, though no longer listed in official provisioning orders, wine or beer is regularly offered in field mess halls of military units.

Correcting this woeful deficiency in Australian ration packs obviously must include only wines of Aussie origin. A review of the five menu choices for each three-meal pack was the logical starting point. Menu A, featuring spaghetti and meatballs, was a no-brainer. Tasters looked for an approximation of Chianti and found it in Rosemount's Diamond Label sangiovese - fruity, well-balanced and full on the palate.

Menu B touts lamb and vegetables with rosemary, tailor-made for shiraz, Australia's answer to Rhone reds. Lowe, flexing his rank, insisted on Penfolds Grange for this course although his superiors may balk at the Bt40,000 price per bottle.

Easier to pair was Menu E's main course, BBQ chicken, which went glamorously with Lindeman's Premier Selection unoaked '06 chardonnay. More challenging was Menu C with beef satay plus a lunch choice of sausages and vegetables. We settled on Hardy's ubiquitous "Stamp" series, in this case '05 shiraz-cabernet blend. Light-bodied with a touch of tannin, it supported the beef sausages while harmonising with the tangy satay.

Rounding things out was accomplished by adding a "go with anything" wine in the form of De Bortoli's Sacred Hill Rhine Riesling. With little complexity, marginal sweetness and a touch of citrus, it complemented chicken curry, chicken and vegetables and a bevy of other mixed concoctions.

Commenting on the omnipresent tube of Vegemite, a salty wheat paste spread found in every ration pack, Lowe, currently with the Australian Embassy's Office of Defence Attaché in Bangkok, said in his after action report: "Vegemite is the pick of the pack and keeps the Army going, but it tastes a helluva lot better with wine."

A unanimous salute to that!

JC Eversole is a consultant to various companies in the wine industry and is employed by Bangkok Beer & Beverages.