But this is exactly what Hix and Buck are recommending to accompany a dish of Baked Apple with Melted Goats Cheese, Potato Galette with Walnut Balsamic Dressing; the wine being their its Mas d'Intras Cuvée d'Alphonse 2007 Vin de Pays des Coteaux de l'Ardèche.

The dish was created by Sebastien Gagnbe Head Chef of Perfect Blend the "south London café, bar and restaurant". Hix and co had sent over a bottle so a try-out was in order.

The dish (recipe below) was fine, despite my disaster with getting the 'petals' of the galette to stick together (how do you do that??), resulted in a tasty, if light dinner. (More suited to a starter or lunch dish perhaps). But paired with the wine? And the wine itself, basking in Southern French rusticity was firm, strong and flavoursome in a red fruits and spice manner. But really, matching with sweetened apples and a salad? Not for me I'm afraid. My thoughts move to wild boar sausages or barbequed lamb burgers.

Wine Tasting Note: Mas d'Intras Cuvée d'Alphonse, 2007, Vin de Pays des Coteaux de l'Ardèche, France
Price: £9.99 From Hix and Buck [More on Adegga / Snooth]

Not for green fruits, bring fire charred summer meats, a match sublime

Alcohol 13.5%.
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 86/100 [3.25 out of 5]

Hix & Buck is an importer of wine. Its aim is to bring good quality wines to the UK from undiscovered vineyards in Europe. In the spirit of discovery, the company's ambition is to surprise and delight the wine lover with unknown wines whilst offering them great value.

The wines are brought to the UK exclusively by Hix & Buck. The founders, Chix Chandaria and Dan Roebuck, are passionate about finding small producers, often with a family history of viniculture going back centuries, and bringing that wine, with its authentic qualities and characteristics, over here.

SPECIAL READER OFFER: All readers of Spittoon are offered 15% off their first 6 bottle case purchase at Hix and Buck an offer not restricted to the Alphonse detailed above. The promotion includes free delivery. Use the voucher code 'undiscovered'.

That's in my world of course, the reality being a little more humble. The vodka was real enough mind. The chat was with Mr Bob Bob Ricard himself, Leonid Shutov, a most generous and genial host. He, I am assured, is not a member of the Russian mafia, might well be an oligarch, but is certainly a Russian.

It's not often a jaded and life-worn old soul like myself gets a revelatory moment; the vodka and food tasting session was one such incident. We were instructed not to treat the vodka as a wine. No pre-sniff, no little sips, no rolling around the palate but to engage in a shoot and eat. The palate was singularly purified and enlightened.

These ultra vodkas are distilled and filtered to the nth degree. Purity is the key. In comparison a Stolichnaya seemed oily, heavy and disjointed. With the palate enlivened and cleansed by the ice-cold vodka shot the food, little Russian-inspired tapas style bites, took on a level of intensity and purity that was sensational. 'Quite Nice' is my stock in trade saying for a highly enjoyable experience; these were bloody amazing.

Marinaded cucumbers (£2.50) heavy with dill were superbly clean cut and intense, the Beluga Caviar topped belinis were revelatory and the tongue in aspic simply delicious.

There was a different vodka with each dish. The Jellied Ox tongue (£7.50) was served with Kauffman Collection Vintage 2006 (yep, a vintage vodka, distilled 12 times and several different filtrations), the Caviar with Kauffman Luxury Vintage 2003 and some home cured herring (£3.50) an Imperial Vodka (filtered four times, distilled 8 times). And it was insisted that the vodka was chilled down to -18 degrees.

These are standard dishes/vodkas on the Bob Bob Ricard menu. A 25ml shot works out at £4.75 for the Imperia, £7.50 for the Kauffman Collection 2006, and £11.50 for the Kauffman 2003. I won't mention the price of the Beluga Caviar...

There was more to the meal after the excellence of the vodka; (the excellence of the 'Beef Wellington, 28 Day Aged Fillet of Aberdeenshire Scotch Beef
With Truffle Gravy' (£34) has to be experienced!) more Bob Bob Ricard pictures on SpittoonExtra. I have to admit the experience at Bob Bob Ricard was really quite nice indeed.

My good friends Niamh and Denise launched another Guerrilla tasting onto London's streets - which Niamh reports "it went really well! We had 3 wines at the Green Onions Supper Club in Hackney. People loved them esp the Douro red" - and in deepest Thames-side Oxfordshire I made a stew, grilled some pork ribs and am about to throw some giant prawns on the barbie. Well, it would be a barbecue if I actually had a garden. And a barbecue. A griddle pan will have to suffice.

Failing to source all the wines involved in the tasting a make do and mend session, with two of the reds and the white, and matching them to the foods mentioned made for a fun weekend.

The Portuguese-created social wine discovery site Adegga has a full list of the Big Tasting events wines and you can track the activity on twitter via the #tbt2010 tag.

Of the wines the Vida Nova 2007 from the Algarve (that's a Cliff Richard wine), a blend of Syrah, Aragonez and Alicante Bouschet, and the Tinto da Ânfora 2007 (Aragonez, Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira, Alfrocheiro, Cabernet Sauvignon) were cracked open and sampled against a hearty beef stew and a pile of pork ribs that were marinated overnight in a chilli sauce. The one white in the six bottle line-up, a Quinta de Azevedo Vinho Verde, will be subject to a separate post, is about to be savoured with prawns, simply griddled and served with a little Lingham's Ginger, Garlic and Chilli Sauce mixed with a dollop of mayonnaise.

Price-wise there is little difference between the Vida Nova at £7.99 and the Tinto da Ânfora at £6.99 but the former was the deeper, richer, more classy, intense and more complex wine of the two. The Ânfora, obviously a different grape mix grown in a different region, is a touch more rustic and more hearty. The Vida Nova has a delicious top note of red berries while the Ânfora offers a fruity upfront sweetness before stroking the teeth with soft tannins and ending on a rustic lick of red fruits. Its combination of fruit, sun drenched earth and wafts of herbs and undergrowth is a winner.

Being hungry while the stew and rice bubbled atop the stove a chunk of Parmesan, being the only cheese in the fridge, was sampled with each. Not a great match with the Ânfora. The cheese stamped aggressively across the red berry flavours. The harder hitting Vida Nova had fewer issues. A rather nice combination.

And with the beef stew? Both were fine, its not a dish that many red wines would disagree with, but on balance I preferred the sweetness inherent in the Ânfora, the flavours melding beautifully with the richness of the sauce. The pork ribs - quite spicy from all that chilli sauce - did not disagree with either wine. A preference? The Anfora.

Tinto da Ânfora, 2007, Alentejo, Portugal [Adegga / Snooth]
Waitrose £6.99
Trampling along crumbly red hillside path, crushing wild herbs here, sweating in the dappled sun.

Vida Nova Syrah Aragonez, 2007, Algarve, Portugal [Adegga / Snooth]
Waitrose £7.99
Mixed berry throwing contest, who can hit the red tiles at the top of the farm wall? Using those sour cherries is cheating.

The recipes:
Best Lamb Cutlets with Special Basil Sauce matched with Dusty Dog Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 This Australian red is big, deep and juicy. Not the most complex of wines but decent enough. Matched well with the lamb - such a wine friendly meat - and even leapt over the brown dollop of sauce (pummelled pine nuts and basil, loosened with olive oil, with zing added by lots of balsamic vinegar, hence the unappealing colour) with ease. Despite the slight derogatory stance of the description the sauce is delicious. (Recipe from Jamie's Dinners)

Char-grilled Pork Leg with Asparagus linked with Bain's Way Merlot 2008. (Recipe from Jamie's Kitchen).

Pan-Roasted Salmon with Purple Sprouting Broccoli and Anchovy-Rosemary Sauce with Gosling Creek Verdelho 2008 (Recipe from Cook with Jamie: My Guide to Making You a Better Cook)

Pasta Peperonata with Castillo de Tafalla Rosado 2009. (Recipe from Jamie's Dinners)

Incredible Roasted Shoulder of Lamb with Smashed Veg and Greens with Parrot Valley Red Blend 2009 (recipe from Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life)

Cheese and Onion Salad with Creamy Herb Dressing with Mistral Chardonnay 2008. Billed as a starter but a 'double' portion served as a late evening meal when served with a few slices of toasted French bread. The photo is a stylised shot of the salad; although in this form it could be served as hors d'oeuvres. Now, if you don't over-do the crumbled Roquefort, for it is strongly flavoured and would over power most wines, this un-wooded Chardonnay from Chile made for a rather satisfying combination. (Recipe from Jamie at Home)

Crispy Prawn Tempura with Ribbon Salad matched with Kimbao Sauvignon Blanc 2009. Good ol' SB; versatile in food matching. While the tempura is on the 'to try' list the first bottle was opened to accompany little filo pastry parcels stuffed with leek, caramelised onions and cheese; details on Spittoon Extra. A jolly decent match indeed.

Rhubarb and Custard Kinda Soufflé with Las Moras Late Harvest Viognier 2006 Not convinced this is sweet enough for a dessert, high acidity halts any cloying sensation; nice apricot flavours. Wouldn't automatically think of viognier though. Alcohol 12%. Sampled with a sorta trifle - layers of stewed rhubarb, crumbled ginger biscuits, custard, whipped double cream topping - the match was just 'OK'. Maybe the soufflé proper would work better. Thinking a pâté would be more suitable... or indeed the Roquefort left over from the salad! (Recipe from Jamie at Home)

The mixed case of 12 wines - some (the more expensive I imagine) are just single bottles, the others are doubled up - comes in at £70..

The lamb was cooked at a very low temperature for neigh-on 18 hours. This certainly results in a deeply juicy joint of meat so it was a fine choice indeed to accompany with a cannelloni bean mash laced with water cress and fresh spinach.

The next sentence is going to be contrary. The match - lamb and Cockburn's Port - was surprisingly lovely and beautifully paired only it was too rich and decadent! I loved it but drinking more than a glass or two could became a little too overwhelming for some. All down to the ports 20% alcohol.

The recipe was designed by chef Steve Bulmer as an Easter Day special. Even I know that roasting a leg of lamb for 18 hours isn't a standard way of preparing a Sunday roast but if you can't do something really special for Easter...

"This Easter, impress your guests with an extra special slow-cooked lamb dish matched with a glass of rich Cockburn's Late Bottled Vintage 2004. The recipe for this tender, 18 hour slow-cooked lamb was created by Steve Bulmer, head chef at Brook Hall Cookery School and inspired by the UK's favourite port.

This melt-in-the-mouth lamb is satisfyingly rich, and virtually cooks itself, making it the perfect dish for Easter Sunday lunch. Pairing it with Cockburn's Late Bottled Vintage 2004, a full and fruity port, will really complement the sumptuous nature of the lamb. The port's hints of cherry and dark chocolate on the palate will further enhance the depth of the dish, whilst its complex character will leave your taste buds tingling."

Cockburn's Late Bottled Vintage 2004 is widely available, 75cl, RRP £11.22.

Cockburn's have the recipe and a video on their site (direct link to load video here) describing the cooking of this lamb dish. The recipe is below if you wish to try it out.

With 25 to his name, the world's most Michelin starred chef, Joël Robuchon announced a culinary collaboration with 'true friend' and fellow super savvy businessman, Bernard Magrez, Wednesday. The venue: London's installment of his 'La Cuisine' restaurant, suspended between the leafy ground floor 'Atelier' and gilt, cut glass and onyx edged penthouse bar. Checkerpot tiled, with shiny ingredients mounted on racks, it felt oddly tempting to draw parallels between the formally informal decor here and that of a Pizza Express. Alas, big, black, bulbous apple sculptures blocked the view of fellow diners - a fillet of the good, greying and greedy members of the British wine world's glitterati...

Born in 1930's Bordeaux, press pack printings qualify Magrez's determination to succeed as stemming from a ruthless stonemason father. Indeed, the charming, confident, statuesque icon was apparently forced to endure daily hikes to school bearing the sign, 'I am lazy'. According to lucid top wine scribe Robert Joseph, Magrez was awakened to the world of commerce aged 25 whilst taking a bus road-trip around the US, being 'struck by supermarkets'. Back in Bordeaux, he purchased a small Port wine importer, channelling his energies into turning it into the vehicle for a best-selling whisky and budget, branded Bordeaux - an operation eventually bought by 'Castel' seven-years ago.

Whilst still fascinated by quantity, this collector of vineyards continues to harbour the ambitions of one who is 'rich and restless' (Peter Hellman). However, Magrez's focus now concerns solely top quality beverages, resulting in an enviable portfolio comprising Chateaux, Pape Clément, Tour Canet and Fombrauge (allegedly St. Émilion's largest) as well as plantings in Iberia, South America and North Africa.

Before being instructed to take root in a surprisingly warm chair at a long table today named after Magrez's estate, 'Les Grands Chênes' (winner of an '05 competition of 'Bordeaux versus California') smiling and occasionally winking staff plied guests with thickly chipped, joyously fatty slithers of Jamón Ibérico de Bellota. Aided by sticky '07 white Fombrauge (Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Sauvignon Gris) the ruddy, soft, salty meat provided epic culinary foreplay.

The soundtrack of piped whistling mercifully dimmed and everyone's cod liver oil lubed joints folded into place, it was time for lunch proper, prepped by chefs whose full names were embroidered on red-piped black tunics. Under starters orders, a creative statement 'par' Robuchon made a luxurious statement. Initially resembling a tin of boot polish, when its lid was clasped, as a mini closh, free, the 'en surprise' was tense oscietra caviar pressed over sweet crabmeat.

Substantial curls of pink foie gras with truffle discs on firm, but absorbent truffle marinated potato landed next, followed by moist, plancha cooked sea bass with baby leeks, poignantly fresh ginger and bright spiced honey. This trio of dishes were partnered with '05 Pape Clément Blanc (Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Muscadelle). Powerful, oak bevelled, and despite an illusion of nectarine-like sweetness, dry, with a feint lag of tannin, this struck me as the finest Pessac-Léognan I've ever slurped. It worked best with the smooth bass, but least against the ascerbic dressing of the truffled dish. Frustratingly, its dramatic price tag of over £100+ per bottle is exacerbated by the diminutive quantity in which it is made.

After hearing an engaging sizzling from the open plan kitchen, I delightedly fed on the milk fed result - two fragile looking lamb cutlets. Their cosy, greeting, fatty aromas mingled with a dried posy of fresh thyme and a gooey, roasted garlic bulb. A glorious plop of Robuchon's dare I say infamous, gluttonous, adhesive, mash potato was possessed by butter (against any doctor's advice, I begged seconds). Being soft, with silky tannins (the profile of many of Magrez's wines, beloved by critic, Robert Parker jnr.) the '00 magnum of Pape Clément (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot) enveloped the mashed pat, retaining acidity through to the end. Perhaps this was 2010's most seductive gastronomic combination, so far?

Surprisingly, the riper '03 (from an Impériale, equivalent to eight standard bottles) played out well with a fine, 'Haliborange' vitamin perfumed dessert featuring orange cream and sheerly cocoa rich Araguani chocolate. Adorned with a little flower, and brightly coloured, it was sufficiently inviting aesthetically and decadently perfumed to utterly ruin my Lent promise to avoid chocolate.

Magrez mentioned that with 35 estates, he could satisfy the most demanding of customers. 'As long as we listen to what they say, we won't get it wrong'.

Despite awful, over-stewed tea, and a slightly silly use of attractive but inedible garnishes such as coloured sandy grains to accentuate the pudding, Robuchon's meal had been as delicious as it was meticulous without being desperately filling, with dishes conversing well with Magrez's outwardly modern, but inwardly classic wines.

The duo will continue to 'celebrate their friendship' through food and wine synergy over all Robuchon's restaurants, which currently span eight cities worldwide. From where I sat, their mantra of kudos through quality and quantity seems believable.

Not a dish I'd make that often, the diet ain't that great, but lapping up a tasty rich dish once in a while can't hurt (can it?). It's all part of the challenge put out some time ago by The Cheese Lover to find the ultimate Macaroni and Cheese recipe. A local dimension earns extra points but sadly a really local cheese was next to impossible to find; the wine though was local...

A new-to-me vineyard and wine - Oakengrove Vineyard Dry White 2006. It's an Oxfordshire based winery although the basic website is short on specifics mentioning that they are "a small family run vineyard nestled in the beautiful Chiltern Hills of South Oxfordshire".

Only this one wine is available at present (local Waitrose stores stock it) although plantings of Pinot Noir are coming on stream for a rosé wine to be released in the summer of 2010.

Wine Tasting Note: Oakengrove Vineyard Dry White, 2006, Oxfordshire, England.
Stockist: Local Waitrose stores Price: £8.99 [More: Adegga / Snooth]

Fresh and crisp are the initial impressions; the peachy-honeyed edge comes though first followed by a more apple and pear like flavour. Very 'English' if you follow. A little expensive for what it is (but then are not all English wines a touch pricey?). Dry with a light, stony texture. Lemons with a hint of honeysuckle. A blend of Bacchus, Madeleine Angevine, Reichensteiner and Seyval Blanc coming in with a lowish alcohol level of 11.5%.

And with the macaroni cheese? Selected for its high acidity (you get high acidity in wine from cool climate regions; how could England be anything else but cool!) to cut through the richness of the cream and cheese the Oakengrove worked beautifully. Not 'complimentary'; more a delicious palate cleanser leaving you wanting more of both the wine and the food. The lemon edge to the wine linking with the lemon zest topping to the macaroni.

Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 86/100 [3.25 out of 5]

Also opened for a comparison and contrasting flavour combination was a Spanish red -

Wine Tasting Note: Vega Escal, 2005, Priorat, Spain
Price: £9.99 available from Waitrose [More on Adegga / Snooth]I adore the texture of this thumping great red; all dusty gravel spread with a deep blackfruits and vanilla flavour profile. There is an overlay of melted dark chocolate wrapped up in a red berry dipped silken cloak. It just so happens to be made with my favourite red grape combination - Carignan (60%), Grenache (30%) and Syrah (10%). Robustly structured. Alcohol 14.5%.

Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 92/100 [4 out of 5]

For a highly drinkable, highly enjoyed wine the red wins. It wasn't however my favourite match with the food. The red turned softer and hugely drinkable when combined with the food; the white however was the palate cleanser leaving the mouth crying out for replenishment.

Ranging from Jool's Favourite Beef Stew through to Meatballs and Pasta each recipe is lifted from an existing Jamie Oliver book - sadly no original recipes (at least in this batch). Each recipe is linked to one of the wines in the mix, a couple of which I've tried since the case arrived:

Jool's Favourite Beef Stew* matched with La Croix du Chêne, Costières de Nîmes, 2007 [Adegga / Snooth]
With an aversion to parsnips (evil little blighters that they are) the Scribblers version of this hearty stew also lacked fresh sage. Waitrose let me down on that score! But after two hours in the oven, considerably less time than the stated 3-4 hours cooking, the dish emerged in all its bubbling glory. Cold weather needs such substantial dishes and the wine, in typical Naked Wines soft, drinkable-ness went fine with it. It didn't really 'shine' though. Would a lack of sage really make much of a difference or is the wine simply 'ok' rather than a value-packed stunner I was hoping for?

English Onion Soup with Sage and Cheddar*** with Nomada Rustica Sauvignon Blanc

Oysters With Chilli, Ginger and Rice Wine**** with Arabella Viognier 2009 [Adegga / Snooth]

Scrummy Warm Rocket Salad**** matched with Raats Parrot Valley Chenin Blanc, 2009, Stellenbosch, South Africa [Adgga / Snooth]
A very versatile food wine; not sampled with this pinenut/bacon/rocket based salad but was near perfect with roast pork complete with excellent crackling (if I say so myself, a triumph) and a homemade apple sauce served in freshly baked rolls for a boxing day lunch. The wines hint of sweetness and inherent lemon-apple-pear flavours and a streak of cleansing acidity made for a superb match. Got to try it with this salad next!

Hamilton Squash **** with Canepa Novisimo Chardonnay 2008, Chile [Adegga / Snooth]
The wine is in the fridge as I type, for this vegetarian dish is planned for tonight. "This warming veggie dish will develop lovely smoky flavours in the oven, so a lightly oaked Chardonnay will match perfectly"

Wild Mushroom and Venison Stroganoff** matched with Foley's Corner Reserve Shiraz, 2008, Australia

Spicy Pork and Chilli-Pepper Goulash** with Mistral Merlot 2008, Chile

Meatballs and Pasta** recommended with Milani Nero d'Avola Sicily 2008, Italy
Was maximum fun making the meatballs, getting your hands deep and dirty squishing the ingredients together and rolling the mix into balls is really what 'cooking' is all about. The simple tomato sauce matches nicely with the soft tartness of the wine. There's a kick of tannin and acidity to meld all the juicy, rich fruit together into a rustic-edged wine.

* Recipe from Jamie's Dinners

** Recipe From Jamie's Ministry of Food: Anyone Can Learn to Cook in 24 Hours

*** Recipe From Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life

**** Recipe from Happy Days with the Naked Chef

The four course set menu comprised the following:

Cold Partridge Salad In Marinade matched with the delicate, rose and strawberry hinting Vinha da Defesa Rosé 2008. A 13.5% mix of Aragonês and Syrah vinificated with the "Blanc Noir" method. [Adegga / Snooth]

A delectable Dogfish Soup - they are big on soup in Portugal - with the crisp, peachy, waxy, grapefruit acidity, lightly oaked Esporão Reserve White (a blend of Antão Vaz, Arinto and Roupeiro with 14% alcohol) [Adegga / Snooth]

Loin of Wild Boar with Plum Sauce matched with the delicious Esporão Reserve Red 2007. A blend of Aragonês, Trincadeira, Cabernet Sauvignon and Alicante Bouschet with 14.5% alcohol. [Adegga / Snooth] A complex palate that cries out for a juicy meat dish such as this Wild Boar.

And for a dessert a Boiled Pear in Private Selection White Wine matched with a late harvest Semillon simply labeled as Late Harvest 2008. [Adegga / Snooth] A lovely wine offering hints of orange, peach and other fruits but nulled a little by the ice-cream served with the pear.

A charming selection of wines from an interesting, large, estate. Shame the wines do not seem to be available in the UK! Post lunch I annoyingly missed out on buying a bottle of the estates olive oil too...

A prefect showcase you would have thought for the unique cuisine of South Africa to be displayed against the countries wines at the recent South African Mega Tasting. Rather than slithers of delicious indigenous game or slices of home-produced cheeses we had to slum it with an over-chilled sandwich, a bag of crisps and an apple. And a Mars Bar.

Logistics and cost I imagine are the main stumbling blocks but the attendees at the Fells Portfolio Tasting on the 22nd October put on a fine display of canapés matched specifically to a selected number of wines.

As this was the second consecutive year of offering such food and wine combinations the logistics can't be that tricky to overcome...

There was some real thought put into these matches; each dish accompanied each wine beautifully and in several instances revealed hidden depths to the wine and added greater complexity to the flavours.

While the dishes could possibly be recreated, even without specific recipes, at the very least the descriptions should give some indication of the flavours that married so well with the wines.

• Domaine William Fèvre Chabils, 2007 (£15.99) matched with a Saffron Queenie Scallop, Roast Chorizo and Wood Fried Piquillo Pepper.


• E Guigal Condrieu 2008 (£30) with Chinese Chinese Satay with Chili and Ginger and Black Sesame Sprinkle (apparently meant to match any from Hugel's Alsace wines; but we went to the Rhone instead!) Viognier plus Satay!


• Murrieta's Well White Meritage 2007, Lovermore Valley, San Francisco Bay (£18.99) matched with Label Anglaise Chicken & Buttercup Cheddar Ploughmans with Perry Pickle, picturted to left (another we picked the wrong wine for; but a marvellous revelation. A disappointing wine by itself; spectacularly transformed by the food!) The wine is a blend of barrel fermented Semillon (52%) and Sauvignon (48%).


• Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rosé with Toasted Maltbread with Double Gloucester, Carrot and Ginger Marmalade


• Ibericos Rioja Crianza, 2006 (£9.49) matched with Cinnamon Smoked Lamb, Confit Pomme de Terre, and Roast Choke and Mustard (photo on flickr)


• Edmeades Mendocino Zinfandel, 2006, (£17.99) with Tandorri Venison and Bombay Potato with Tomato and Juniper Chutney. A hearty beast and not just Zin either but also 7.2% Petite Sirah, 3.7% Merlot, 2.7% Syrah and 1% Grenache.


• Chakana Reserve Malbec, Agrelo, Mendonza, 2007 (£10.49) with Roast Beef Fillet, Sweet Potato Chop, Beetroot Confit


• Torres Moscatel Oro, NV, Penedes, Spain (£8.49) Coconut Cheesecake with Mango topping (photo on Flickr with a different wine!)

The new Billingsgate Fish Market Cookbook supplied the recipe, as detailed on SpittoonExtra. Naked Wines provided the wine, a rich, unoaked Chardonnay brimming with ripe peach and nectarine flavours with that required herb component.

Wine Tasting Note: Amadio Wines Fetch Unwooded Chardonnay, 2008, South Australia
Stockist: Naked Wines Price: £7.99 [More: Adegga / Snooth]

Coupled with that New World Chardonnay richeness is a an edge of peach, pear and nuts, Good cleansing acidity keeps that creamy soft (and slightly sweet) palate in check and balanced; that forms a great little wine for fish and poultry dishes especially those in cream sauces. Alcohol 13.5%.

Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 88/100 [3.5 out of 5]

"After enjoying this wine recently with freshly caught King George Whiting from Kangaroo Island of South Australia , one of Austrlia's iconic, premium and most loved fish, served in a beer batter and lightly fried for 10 mins, accompanied by a crunchy loaf of fresh home made Italian Bread, with locally or home grown organic garden salad and roma tomatoes, finished with a dash of premium olive oil over the top. WARNING !!! This food and wine combination served amongst your friends and family will likely enusre that you are a requalr host amongst all."

The Fetch Unwooded Chardonnay was one of 15 wines Naked Wines sourced via their unique 'flash mob' auction.

"Part flash mob, part social networking and part online auction all rolled into one. It seems crazy that this hasn't been done before - it's the next best thing to visiting three dozen wineries in one night and picking products straight from the cellar."

Of the A$100,000 purchasing budget Amadio Wines, the producer received an order ammounting to A$8,050. The same auction also gave the Plunkett Fowles Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch Chardonnay a listing at Naked Wines.

At just £3.50 down at Iberica (195 Great Portland Street, London) it was also fantastic value. Perfectly judge crunch to the top, a judicious sprinkling of cinnamon and served just a little warm. Perfect.

The pud completed a light lunch ostensibly to sample Iberica's new Expressions Menu. The aim is to offer a mini 'desgustacion' menu of pinchos that can be "

enjoyed exclusively during lunch hours (12-3pm) Monday to Saturday, the Expressions menu highlights the cutting edge approach to tapas for which head chef Santiago Guerrero is fast becoming known in London's gastronomic circles."

The Expressions menu, served at Iberica's impressive 15 metre bar, comprises eight delicious pinchos delivered within 10 - 15 minutes of being ordered. The mix of hot and cold pinchos are presented on a single serving slate and are to be eaten from left to right. They are also served with a 100ml glass of Tio Pepe sherry. As the chef enthused the menu will change with the seasons, every month in fact, to reflect the freshest ingredients available.

Of the selection the ham croquettes were equally historic (so we ordered a further plate) with only the additional bean stew with black pudding being a little disappointing (the beans lacked a little bite and the black pudding was of miniscule proportions).

Not all the pinchos matched the Tio Pepe. The opening Cherry Gazpacho with arbequina olive oil was a particularily clashing match but the mix of ingredients - especially those difficult to match with wine - generally played well with the sherry.

The wine list offers 7 reds and 6 whites by the glass. The Adras 2004 from Bierzo, Vinos de la Tierra Castilla y Leon (£5.75 a glass/£24 a bottle) was a particularily succesful choice. A full and spicy Tempranillo with just enough structure and bite to offset the soft, rounded, berry-led palate to be a super little food wine. The Beronia Reserva 2005 from Rioja (£7/£29.75) was drier, more structured and would benefit from more meaty, hearty, dishes from the main menu.

There are four sherries available by the glass. In addition to the Tio Pepe (£4) Iberica offer a Palo Cortado Apostoles (£7), a Dry Amontillado, Del Duque (£8) and two sweet versions Matusalen, Oloroso Dulce (£8) and Noe Pedro Ximenez (£7.50). The wine list offers 2 rosés. 2 sparkling wines and 31 reds ranging from the basic Gonzlez Byass Altozano 2006 Tempranillo-Shiraz at £15.50 a bottle up to the extravagance of Arte Miro Reserva, 2001, Rioja at £92.50. Of the 13 whites the bins range in price from a Muscat/Sauvignon Blanc blend, Carla 2008, Catalunya (£18.75) up to an interesting white Grenache, Mar d'Avall, 2008, from the Costa Brava (£33).

While the Expressions menu and (another additional) plate of mixed hams were superb it is that rice pudding that really sticks in the memory; and that's from one who adores tapas. Actually those ham croquettes were also bloody fine too.

The Expressions Menu costs £16 per person and currently offers:

• "Copita" of Tio Pepe Fino Sherry
• Cherry Gazpacho with arbequina olive oil
• Air cured beef cecina ham with almond vinaigrette
• Fresh Cured Anchovies with peppers and onion 'pipirana'
• Pan fried monkfish 'Pixin'
• Iberica ham croquettes
• Chorizo lollypop
• Artichoke with pear aioli
• Grilled Iberica Pork loin 'Presa' with mojo rojo

More photographs of Iberica are available on SpittoonExtra.

With the foodie-hero again in the lime-light with his American trip currently showing each Tuesday (9pm Channel 4) the recipes are taken from this TV series and the (rather good) recipe book - Jamie's America - that accompanies the programs.

Naked Wines are offering the mixed six pack for £34.99. The first two hundred cases ordered come with a free copy of Jamie's America. It's tricky tracking down the recipes from the wines (there were no notes included in the wine case which I expected) and there are no obvious links from the wines on the Naked Wines site to the recipes. You have to go to the Jamie Oliver website...

One wine-recipe combo I had a go at replicating over the weekend was the Brewery Hill Chardonnay-Viognier matched with the 'easy to cook' Green Chilli. It did strike me as a bit of a 'silly' recipe - pick as many green things as possible (sage, green chilli, mint, lettuce, spring onions) and mix them with minced pork. Tastes good mind; although a little more spice heat would have been good... and I would have peeled the tomatoes rather than ending up with bits of tom-skin in the mix.

Wine Tasting Note: Brewery Hill Chardonnay-Viognier, 2008, McLaren Vale, Australia.
Stockist: Naked WInes Price: £8.99 [More: Adegga / Snooth]

Don't overchill else the subtle peachy Viognier component will be swamped by the cool acidity. Medium to full bodied, ripe and rounded initially with a crisp acidity supplying life to the Chardonnay fruit. I rather like it - it makes for a good, easy-drinking wine and can hold onto the medley of flavours - especially the rather forceful fresh mint - in Jamie Oliver's Green Chilli rather nicely. A Naked Wines exclusive. Alcohol 13%.
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 88/100 [3.5 out of 5]

Taking the Italian version of tapas, cichetti, and matching a different dish with a Prosecco from the Bisol range was the aim of the tasting at the newly opened Wine Theatre in Southwark. Not only a stylish venue and, I should add, free food and drink but a chat with the owner/chef too (who use to be the personal chef of Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed. Well, it impressed me!). They source their ingredients from the local markets of Borough and Smithfield and offer punters a free selection of cichetti everyday between 5:30 and 8pm. Surprisingly they find some reticence with us Brits on the take-up of the food; many expecting a hefty bill at the end I guess.

In Madrid I adore the tapas dishes - free or paid for; it is the main reason I returned there a couple of weeks back (for the tapas and seeing my old mate Roberto too of course). But this is cichetti, the Italian version, with the bubbles supplied by Bisol.

First with the 'basic' Bisol Jaio Prosecco a superb calamari brushetta

We were here for a Circle of Wine Writers Wine and Charcuterie Tasting hosted by Fiona (matchingfoodandwine.com) at the new Terroirs wine bar in William IV Street, London. The Charcuterie comprising a delicately flavoured Jamon de Teruel from Spain, a nicely textural Duck Rillette, Saucisson Sec from the Pyrenees and a garlic and spice Terrine Terroirs.

Rather than the 'usual suspects' to accompany charcuterie (simple rustic French wines) Fiona picked a more eclectic list of bottles to sample, each calling on the intrinsic flavours of the food (smoky, spicy, garlic). The only thing not offered was a sparkling...

Wine Tasting Note: Maitres Vignerons de Saint-Tropez Rosé Carte Noire, 2008, France. Price: £9.99 Nicolas A nice opening shot - and as expected a fine match for the array of foods. Nice berry fruits and a decently long, dry, finish. A 'standard' rosé wine for such fare and I thought a superb foil to the Terrine, although others disagreed.

Wine Tasting Note: Assyrtiko Hatzidakis, 2007, Santorini, Greece. Stockist: Caves de Pyrene Waitrose Price: £9.00 Not a wine I would ever have considered, interesting but didn't really work for me lacking a bit of zip and zing. Seafood and shellfish apparently work better. The pepper edge in the saucisson was really emphasised by the wine.

Wine Tasting Note: Weingut Christmann Riesling IDIG Grosses Gewaechs, 2007, Pfalz, Germany. Stockist: Charles Taylor Price: £35 Not being a lover of Riesling - heresy I realise - I did enjoy this wine. Very young still but the way I like it; a touch of weighty sweetness, superb fruit but sadly not a wine that worked well with any of the food. Too delicate in flavour I think; but then what do the Germans eat with all their charcuterie?

Wine Tasting Note: Chapel Hill Verdelho, 2007, Australia. £9.49 in independents including Planet of the Grapes, Ongar Wines Ltd, Australian Wines Online, Rehills of Jemond, Badmington Wines A zesty citrus and nettle wine; far too forceful with the charcuterie though.

Wine Tasting Note: Lambrusco Reggiano Concerto, 2007, Emilia Romagna, Italy. Stockist: Everywine, Harrods, Booths Price: £8-£10 In terms of matching with the food this was the star. A combination of bubbles, a bitter twist to the wine and perfect acidity was great with the rillettes and the (positive) fat of the jamon.

Wine Tasting Note: Jean-Luc Matha Cuvee Lairis Marcillac, 2006, Marcillac, France Stockist: Caves de Pyrène Price: £9.99 Not convinced this rustic country wine (from the South West of France) really worked as well as others seemed to think. Remained rustic and overly tannic for me.

Wine Tasting Note: Domaine Jean Foillard Morgon, 2007, Beaujolais, France Price: around £16 a bottle from Caves de Pyrene, slurp.co.uk I believe there were a couple of markedly different bottles of this being poured; I managed to get some of the 'good' bottle. The lack of tannins and the soft fruit brought out the wonderful sweetness in the jamon particularly. For someone who never drinks Beaujolais this was a revelation; my second choice for the top match.

Wine Tasting Note: Isabel Estate Pinot Noir, 2005, New Zealand £18.55 Berry Brothers & Rudd A lovely fruit-forward Pinot that worked with the charcuterie much better than expected. Lovely spicy, sprightly palate that seemed particularly good with the duck rillette (duck plus pinot is always a good choice) and managed the garlic infused Terrine too.

Wine Tasting Note: Manzanilla La Gitana Sherry, NV, Spain. £8.49 at Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury, Majestic, Somerfield, Wine Rack, plus independents. Not a fan of Riesling nor Sherry; more howls of derision from my neighbours. Despite being a tapas favourite this wine just trampled over all the food. Far too forceful and strong. The salty component matched the salt in the jamon OK but the delicate flavour was lost. Unsurprisingly this was many peoples preferred choice.

Wine Tasting Note: El Grifo Canari, 1997, Lanzarote, Spain. A cream sherry (or rather sherry-style wine) from Lanzarote. Far too sweet for the charcuterie but a marvellous opportunity to try such a delicious wine. There you go - sherry and delicious in the same sentence!

A learning experience; just much more enjoyable than my (detested) school days. I did miss the juvenile giggling at the cookery teachers hairy legs encased in green tights mind...

Fiona has posted her own take on the session on Matching Food and Wine.

Many of Marks and Spencer's ready meals are on double offer - buy one get 1 half price plus a 1/3 discount and includes the Gastropub King Prawn, Cod, Salmon and Smoked Haddock Pie and Chunky Chips. Throw in a bottle of wine and a meal for two worked out at just over a fiver-a-head. Which also includes 5p for a carrier bag.

Review0.3
Wine Tasting Note: M&S Australian Chardonnay, 2007, South Australia
Stockist: Marks & Spencer Price: £5.99 [More: Adegga / Snooth]

Generously flavoured - all guava and pears with a nice dash of apple and crisp, stone fruits. A small part has seen some oak for 'a subtle dab of extra richness'. Full, firm but balanced with good acidity.
Produced and bottled by the Yalumba Wine Company, states the small print, for this, like all M&S wines is an 'own-label'. On-line a case of 12 is listed at the equivalent of £4.49 a bottle - great value (add 2 value points to the rating). Alcohol 14%.


Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 88/100 [3.5 out of 5]

Maybe just a touch too flavoursome for the fish pie but the creamy elements in both wine and food really complimented each other. The wines acidity at the same time cutting through the richness. Hell, its mid-week, who cares! Buy and enjoy.

For a wine match a rosé seemed the obvious choice.

Review0.3
Wine Tasting Note: Torre Beratxa Garnacha Rosado, 2006, Navarra, Spain.
Stockist: Threshers Price: £5.49 [More on Adegga]

A touch of paint on the nose but little else. Deep red fruits, a smidgen of licorice and a tannic splash on the finish. A touch of sour cherry, a little blackcurrant all mixed with a soupçon of raspberry. Fresh, crisp and lively.
100% Garnacha/Grenache. Alcohol 13.5%.

Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 86/100 [3.25 out of 5]

For me that supermarket is Waitrose. The wine is a bottle of £4.99 South African white while the eye is drawn to a tortilla from the new Delicatezze range. Specifically Edamame Bean, Artichoke and Lemon Pesto Tortilla made from free range eggs, which appeared better value than other dishes in the same range; and more substantial too. Add a salad and a meal is made.

Taking little more than 15 minutes in the oven you might need to make use of the quick-chill machine to get the white to non-shelf, drinkable temperature.

Review0.3

Wine Tasting Note: Nederburg Chardonnay-Viognier, 2007, Western Cape, South Africa.
Available from Waitrose for £4.99. [More on Adegga]
Crisp and refreshing - a touch acidic perhaps but nicely rounded with peach, melon and floral notes. The Chardonnay has seen some barrel ageing, but the whole is lifted by the lemon floweriness of the Viognier. It's fine and fine summer-garden drinking. Alcohol 13.5%. Fine with the salad-tortilla combination; you don't afterall, want anything you have to think too much about.

Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 84/100 [3 out of 5]

Wine Tasting Note: Château Laures Blanc, 2006, Entre-Deux-Mers, Bordeaux, France
Available from Bordeaux-Undiscovered [more] for £6.75 (normally £9.64)
The Semillon really comes though on the nose giving a lovely herby touch to the lemon-citrus that dominates. Palate is nicely rich and full with a slight spritz and good acidity balancing it all out. A honeyed touch to the lemony complexity all melds together wonderfully.

Château Laures is a 70 hectare estate owned and run for many generations by the same family. They've pulled together a typical Bordeaux blend for this bottle - 60% Semillon, 30% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Muscadelle. Alcohol 12.5%.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100 [4 out of 5]

While more than suitable for a wide range of foods - salads and fish particularly recommended - a match with a Marmade Tomato Tart worked superbly well. Based on a recipe in Rick Stein's French Odyssey this combines pesto, garlic, tomatoes and puff pastry into a lovely spring-type dish. I added a slice of ham and a little Mozarella to the topping just to make them a little more substantial.

Wine Tasting Note: Periquita White, 2007, Setabul, Portugal.
Currently on offer at Waitrose for £3.99.

Even at the normal price of £4.99 it's a fine little blend of Arinto and Moscatel from the Setubal Peninsula, south of Lisbon. The Arinto gives the crispness and freshness, while the Moscatel lends a lovely aromatic component plus a level of spiciness to the flavour that proved to match so well with the fritters.

Scribblings Rating - 90/100 [3.75 out of 5]

The fritter recipe comes from the regular food-blog event, Waiter There's Something In My..., that I co-host over on SpittoonExtra with this particular round, 'Pulses', selected and hosted by Cooksister. As a regular host I do try and make some of the dishes submitted to each round. The varied creations from across the globe never ceases to amaze. The Spicy Chickpea Fritters came from Australian blogger Kazari at I Think I Have A Recipe For That. The mix of caraway, cumin and coriander also complimented the wine; the yoghurt sauce is a must too!

The delightful Joanne of Henley Fine Wines popped over the other week, brandishing, as his her want, a couple of bottles of wine - one of which was a sparkling red. The NV Bundaleer Shiraz is one of the prize offering that her small company imports direct.

I really wanted to do this wine justice with its food accompaniment and scoured another new addition - Rick Stein's French Odyssey - for something that would benefit from the bubbles and the red fruit flavours. Step forward Sautéed Lambs Kidneys on Toasted Brioche with Sauvignon Blanc, Mustard and Tarragon!

Bundaleer Sparkling Shiraz, NV, Southern Flinders Ranges, South Australia
Available from Henley Fine Wines [more] for £8.50 More on: Adegga / Snooth
While there is a touch of sweetness it just makes this blackberry flavoured wonder all the more drinkable. Nicely balanced with plenty of classy fizz and good balance. Medium bodied. Alcohol 13.5%.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100 [4 out of 5]

Sautéed Lambs Kidneys on Toasted Brioche with Sauvignon Blanc, Mustard and Tarragon.
Adapted from Rick Stein's French Odyssey [Amazon.co.uk £13]
For one
4 sliced lambs kidneys with white cores removed
Knob of unsalted butter
Large glug of Sauvignon Blanc
¼ tablespoon Dijon mustard
Fresh tarragon
Double cream
2 thick slices of brioche toasted

Melt some butter and fry the kidneys over a high heat for about 2 minutes on each side until lightly browned but still pink in the middle. Remove and keep warm. De-glaze the pan with the wine and reduce. Add the mustard, any free-run juices from the kidneys, chopped tarragon and cream and boil until a nice sauce consistency is reached. Season.

Top the brioche with the kidneys and spoon over the sauce. Garnish with tarragon.

The dish is very rich - all that glorious cream I guess - with the wines bubbles cutting through, leaving the palate refreshed (and hankering for more!). The sweetness of the brioche and the wine matched nicely; I was enjoying the combination so much I failed to notice the tannins. In fact I failed to notice much else until the bottle ran dry!

Extremely Spring-like in its use of fresh broad beans and rocket it also proved a superb match for the 'green' flavours inherent in the Howard Park Sauvignon.

Wine Tasting Note: Howard Park Sauvignon Blanc, 2007, Western Australia
Soon to be available from Bibendum for £11 per bottle
The punch on the palate perfectly replaces what it lacks in colour; it is rather pale and lemon-juice in colour. The green, grassy, herby, mouth-wateringly juicy fruit is from the portion of grapes sourced from the Pemberton region of Western Australia. For the citrus characteristics and the weighty feel say thanks to the 50% from the Margaret River. Very focused. Very crunchy and fresh. Alcohol 12.5%.

Scribblings Rating - 88/100 [3.5 out of 5]

The recipe for Oven-baked Sea Bream/Bass with Fennel and Dill (specifics below) was created by Giancarlo and Katie Caldesi to accompany the Gabbiano Pinot Grigio 2007. The producers also suggest that the wine would be great with Baked Lemon and Herb Crusted Salmon but the Sea Bass looked so tempting from Oxford's Covered Market I plumped for this recipe instead.

Wine Tasting Note: Gabbiano Pinot Grigio, 2007, Venezie, Italy.
Available from Sainsbury's and Tesco for £5.99.
A soft, gentle wine. Not one that makes you sit up and explode with adjectives but pleasurable and with a touch of character - hints of almonds, orange rind and citrus. Its lightly herbed edge would make it a fine partner for salads and most fish dishes, so with this specific partnership it was understandably a great match. I might have overdone the garlic a little and under-utilised the dill (I often find it a little overpowering in flavour and I'm not a huge fan) but the Pinot Grigio melded all together - a recommended pairing.

Scribblings Rating - 88/100 [3.5 out of 5]

Many an Aussie Sparkling Shiraz has passed my lips, but a sparkling Merlot? This may just be a first.

Wine Tasting Note: Hollick Sparkling Merlot, 2004, Coonawarra, Australia.
Available from Independents including Andrew Chapman Fine Wines for £13.99 & Australian Wines Online £14.20.

The aroma from this lovely wine leaps from the glass - pure blackberry fruit. The fizz, hardly noticeable in the glass, really explodes in the mouth giving a fine, frothy, sensation. A fresh palate followed by a mellow finish. A good, long, length and a lick of tannin evident but generally soft, fruity and hugely drinkable. Alcohol 13.5%.
Scribblings Rating - 90/100 [3.75 out of 5]

The problem with eggs, when matching with wine, is their mouth-coating qualities. What a sparkling wine does well is clean the palate and counter this effect. The thought that the salmon might be better replaced with a slice of black pudding might have worked better; as it is though it is a good, interesting, combination.

Ouefs Hollique

Ingredients:

Muffin - halved
Fresh baby spinach
quality smoked salmon
poached free range egg
Hollandaise Sauce

Method:
Simply layer the spinach on to a toasted muffin followed by a slice or two of smoked salmon. Carefully place a freshly poached egg or two on top and complete with a dollop of Hollandaise.

Eggs are never that easy to match - the mouth-coating texture can play havoc with a wine. It might be a touch tricky to find a top-notch wine match this time.

• 1 tablespoon fresh white breadcrumbs
• 150g shelled walnuts or hazelnuts
• 1 small clove garlic
• 50g freshly grated Pecorino cheese
• Salt
• 1 tablespoon chopped Marjoram
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons strianed Greek yoghurt
• 450g fresh green fettuccine
• freshly ground black pepper

Alex at Eating Leeds went all sparkling on us with a bottle of Domenico de Bertiol Prosecco. Great with the prawns themselves but a very bad clash with the salad.

It's a fresh, light, citrussy wine with some residual sweetness and it went really well with the prawns - the citrus cutting through the richness of the butter and prawns, the sweetness mixing well with the fish sauce and lemon. A very happy match."

Something a little different for me too - a white Côtes du Rhône. I can't claim any great thought went on the choice; more a question of 'a white in the fridge lets use that'.

Wine Tasting Note: Jaboulet Côtes du Rhône Parallèle 45, 2006, Rhône, France.

Available for £7.99 from Surf4Wine [more]

A waxy, herby aroma very distinctive and unusual flavour. Quite full but dry with good length of flavour. The herby element picked up the coriander in the recipe but, rather than the wine being a complimentary match, the contrast was marked.

This is not to say it was a bad combination, rather that the flavours were contrasting and brought out subtle complexities in both. The wines quite substantial acidity cut through the garlic-buttery sauce beautifully. Served with noodles the dish could have benefited with a little peppering up with a dash of chili, as Francesca explained in her comment.

Parallèle 45 refers to the 45th latitude, half-way between the Equator and North Pole which runs through the vineyard. Alcohol 13.5%.
Scribblings Rating - 88/100

As can be read in the Foodie List review the cook book makes it easy to both purchase the ingredients (a shopping list of requirements is supplied) as well as giving minute by minute instructions on cooking each dish. The shopping list suggests a wine or some other drink for each dish; for this recipe 'Sizzling Garlic-Buttered Prawns' they mention a Viognier. I wonder...

Garlic-Buttered Prawns hardly requires a recipe being basically uncooked tiger prawns tossed in a little butter with a little flavouring...

Sizzling Garlic-Buttered Prawns
Heat a 'large slurp' of olive oil in a frying pan or wok over a medium heat. Add about 1/4 block of butter. Add tiger prawns to the pan. Keep them moving.

Add a teaspoon of Thai fish sauce and some black pepper. Add 2 large chopped garlic cloves and the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Add 3/4 packet of fresh coriander, chopped. When prawns cooked serve over a fresh salad, topped with the remaining coriander and some crusty bread. I might serve with noodles, 'cause I like noodles.

I was after something a 'little different' to match this mix of sweet juicy melon, salty Iberian meat and firm Pecornio cheese, the twelth edition of Combinations. A Prosecco was initially top of the list until this half bottle of Vino Dulce came my way while in Spain last week.

Wine Tasting Note: Fariña Val de Reyes, 2004, Castilla y León, Spain.
No idea of UK stockists. Decanter Wines list wines from Fariña, this bottle is not one of them.

Lemons all the way on the palate mixed with a little orange peel and a dash of sherbet. Val de Reyes is a mix of Moscatel and Albino according to the back label, with an alcohol level of 13%. It is just a lowly Vino de Tierra.

It just matched so deliciously with the food. The mix of flavours from the salty ham (I used Palata Ibérico from Spain), the fine Pecorino, the freshly plucked basil, the heat from the chili countered by the sweetest melon were all handled, tamed and emphasised by the wine. Just a superb match.
Scribblings Rating - 90/100

In total contrast to my sweet wine selection Eating Leeds, a few weeks ago, selected a 'lightly chilled bottle of Brown Brothers 2005 Tarrango' as their choice of wine to match the food. An interesting choice and one that I would never have considered.

The recipe for Melon, Pecorino and Culatello Antipasti with balsamic vinegar and chilli dressing appears on page 139 of the May 2007 issue of Delicious. Culatello, the focus of the magazines preceding article, is a select air-dried ham. I am sure other 'lesser' quality air-dried meats can be used as a replacement.

Finding a wine to compliment the mix of sweet melon, salty cheese and the ham plus some heat from the chilli dressing, is going to be tricky...

Melon, Pecorino and Culatello Antipasti with Balsamic Vinegar and Chilli Dressing.
Serves 4 as a starter (or 2 as a mains I suspect)
Per person take 4 wedges of melon (cantaloup, galia or honeydew) and pile 3 slices of culatello on top. Scatter with a few very finely sliced pieces of Pecorino and 6 small fresh basil leaves.

The dressing is a red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped, mixed with 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and seasoning. This is drizzled over the dish.

I'll go with the second version.

Since Eating Leeds first put out the challenge for a wine to accompany garlic soup I have had several wine suggestions whirling around in my head - a Chardonnay, a Viognier or perhaps a full Pinot Gris.

The wine twitters (see the sidebar) suggested a Southern Rhone or a Priorat blend. An Italian white - Pigato, Vermentino, Arneis, Garganega, and interestingly a Prosecco.

Did I go with any of these ideas? Did I 'ell!

Wine Tasting Note: Domaine du Tariquet Rosé, 2006, VdP des Cotes de Gascogne, France.

Available from Everywine for £6.65 bottle min purchase 12 bottles. Also listed by Museum Wines [more].

A beautiful colour - grenadine has been suggested but it is the mirror of an old rose just outside my front door. The aroma is light and fresh - the suggestive rose image brings hints of flower petals. The palate has a hint of spritz, a nice medium weight and a good, long fruity finish with an edge of raspberries and a soft tannic finish.

It stood up very well to the powerful garlic soup. The acidity leaving the palate refreshed with the raspberry flavours amply able to force there way through the garlic.

A blend of Merlot, Syrah and Tannat. Alcohol 11.5%. Screw-capped with a great label design.

Scribblings Rating - 90/100

The wine is made by the Grassa family. Maïté Dubuc-Grassa and her brother Yves Grassa make wine from 900 hectares (2224 acres) of vines, making them the largest independent vineyard in France. They produce 7 million bottles of wine.

The Famille Grassa signature style relies on the winemaker capturing the first aromas of the grape, a process which involves meticulous care at every stage. Using state-of-the-art technology and facilities (Tariquet owns the largest pressing room in Europe), Yves Grassa has created a fine, unique and fruity style of wine that bears the Tariquet signature and corresponds perfectly to the taste of todays consumer."

Toyed with several possibilities - an off-dry Chenin (to match the vegetable element and counter the sweetness in the sauce) from South Africa or perhaps using the weight of an Alsace Pinot Gris, again often with a little sweetness - but settled on something sparkling. With a Champagne off the list due to budget constraints I plumped for a New World Sparkling.

I am sure it is not difficult to rustle up a lemon sauce but this recipe, lifted from the March 2007 issue of Fresh magazine, uses 2 packets of Blue Dragon Lemon Sauce. I am sure it is fine... But the soda water is something you cannot substitute, as I have heard several times this week - both on a TV cookery program and direct from a chef.

It is also Chinese New Year so this steamed pak choi and lemon chicken recipe seemed apt. The difficulty with a wine selection will be with the sauce - how sweet is it? And will the wine clash or marry with the flavours of the pak choi?

Wine Tasting Note:Dorio Primitivo Del Salento, 2001, Salento, Italy.
Listed by Oddbins for £6.99.

Intense in colour and restrained in that typical Italian way on the nose - although hints of leather and a floral, light note came through. Superbly delicious on the palate. An array of complex flavours - orange, chocolate, spice and so much more. A sweetness of fruit, a depth and juiciness that bowled us over. Excellent.

The distinctive nose is down to the 15% Aglianico included with the Primitivo. Alcohol 13.5%.
Scribblings Rating - 94/100

The wine stood up well to the spice-laced dish. The palate-ruining qualities of the eggs were washed away with by the acidity and, while perhaps the hot chili deadened the complexity of flavours just a touch, it worked rather well.

The mouth-coating properties of egg yolks are what cause the problem. Breakfast-style dishes that involve eggs are often delicious with a sparkling wine or champagne, but here, with the addition of spices, tomatoes and chorizo sausage such a match is not a guaranteed success.

The recipe below is taken from the February issue of Delicious magazine. Another reason for selecting this particular dish is the large quantity of Choirzo I have; not all of it will be used in the Waiter There Is Something In My... Stew event.

Paprika and Choirzo Baked Eggs (serves 4)

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil


• 100g chorizo sausage skinned, roughly chopped


• 100g thick cut Serrano ham, roughly chopped


• 1 red pepper deseeded and diced


• 1 medium onion, finely chopped


• 2 garlic cloves crushed


• 2 medium-hot green chillies deseeded and finely chopped


• 1 tsp cumin


• 2 tsp hot paprika


• 1x400g cans chopped tomatoes


• 1/2 tsp Tabasco


• 1 tbsp chopped Oregano


• 150ml vegetable or chicken stock


• 8 medium eggs


• 100g cheddar, grated (optional)

With no tinned green lentils on the shelf at Waitrose, and I'm buggered if I am going to simmer raw one for hours on end, I substituted Puy Lentils. Despite my loathing of parsnips I did indeed put one in the pot and actually had a couple of bites too. Still the devils vegetable though!

The dish was lovely; the lamb juicy and deliciously tasty and, while I should have reduced the gravy a little to aide its concentration, it went marvellously with the soft red I selected.

Wine Tasting Note: Bodegas Ribera de Pelazas Abadengo, 2003, Vinos de La Tierra Arribes del Duero, Spain.
Available from Oddbins for £7.49.
Juan Garcia, obscure, packed with potential for bigger league stuff - especially with juicy, smooth wines like these blazing the trail. Plenty of fruit, wrapped up in an oaky whole. Touches of spiced blackberries and red currants. Alcohol is quite high at 14.5% and noticeable when sipping as the stew bubbled away. But the palate feel is immensely attractive - soft and juicy before a gentle cascade into that fruit medley and a tannic burst into a long blackcurrant finish.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100

The recipe, below, is taken from the November issue of Delicious - lamb shoulder marinaded in garlic and rosemary, cooked for a couple of hours until the succulent meat falls from the bone and served with a gravy spiked with redcurrant sauce. A red wine is the immediate, perhaps obvious, wine choice; something mellow but rich...

Back home I hoped this Viognier from Australia would make another brilliant match. It didn't - quite. While the body and the vibrant flavours were of a type to balance out the fiery chilli in the food and match the teriyaki and sweet chilli the wine's inherent dryness let the side down; but only just.

Duncan MacGillivray Beau Sea Viognier, 2005, Adelaide Hills, Australia.
Available from Oddbins for £9.99.
A gorgoues Australian take on Viognier. Lime is the basis but there is so much more - tropical fruits and more than a dollop of fresh, crisp apple flavours. It has had a touch of oak but this just adds a touch of creamy complexity rather than denuding the wine of fruit. A single vineyard wine which is listed on the Oddbins website as Longview Viognier. The grapes were sourced from Longview's vineyard at Macclesfield in the Adelaide Hills. Screw-capped. Alcohol 14%.

It is a lovely wine, perfectly balanced and just right with the dish, rather than a perfect match (a touch more sweetness required).
Scribblings Rating - 90/100

1. An Austrian Dessert
2. Baked Mackerel with Rhubarb Sauce
3. Flatbreads with Spiced Chicken, Pistachios and Green Peppers hosted by Eating Leeds
4. Fresh Herbs hosted by Beau of Basic Juice
5. Southern Style Lamb Chicken hosted by Benito

For this round, as we slip into Autumn, something seasonal: Roast Partridge with Grapes and Walnuts. This is From Sophie Grigson’s Country Kitchen. I am hoping that some form of game bird are available locally where you live, any could be substituted if partridge cannot be found, and at a pinch I guess chicken could be used although the intensity of flavour will not match that of a ‘proper’ game bird.

Matching Game with Wine

Serving feathered game (partridge, quail, pigeon, grouse, guinea fowl, pheasant) is a great excuse for opening the best possible wines. Older vintages from Burgundy, Bordeaux and Rioja are superb accompaniments while the richer, fruitier wines from the New World should appeal to fans of the styles too. Depending on how strong you make the sauce you could also consider something spicy from the Rhône or, by taking the grapes and the walnuts as the starting point, a good white wine might be an option – a top Italian white to bring out the nut flavours perhaps or an Alsace Pinot Gris or Pinot Blanc with enough weight, (maybe even a touch of sweetness to match the grapes), to balance the richness of the meat. As the advert says – the possibilities are endless. .