Autumn
Later than planned is our latest food and wine matching newsletter with the main ingredients in season between now and the New Year. In addition to normal we have given two choices of wines to allow greater flexibility in menu design and the garnish of the dish or the way that the main ingredient has been cooked. Below are special prices and please feel free to contact us if there are other ingredients of interest.
Prices include Duty and VAT
Guinea Fowl
Pure, pure, soft pinot fruit- We always think of red Cote d’Or with guinea fowl but Mount Beautiful Pinot Noir, Cheviot Hills, Canterbury, 2007 is an interesting alternative (and better value) from a new sub region of NZ. This fruit driven, feminine style of pinot is preferred to the more masculine styles with far too much oak for the weight of this dish. Moreover there is also a little earthy truffle character to add complexity to the Mount Beautiful. Leaning more to Burgundy in character. However if classics are your thing then the Givry 1er Cru Clos Jus, Domaine Laurent Mouton, is not to be missed and is a lovely plumper style of everyday red Burgundy of great quality and value, especially with regard to the pure fruitiness, a trademark 2007 vintage.
Venison (roasted saddle)
There are differing opinions in what wines to go with venison, especially depending upon the way it is cooked and the cut of the meat. We have chosen to focus on the roasted saddle and for this we want to highlight the soft tender nature of the red meat, but also give a meaty wine that can handle the fuller flavours especially as customers (who let us not forget are always right???) think of bigger red wines coming into the colder months. Our number one choice is Cedro do Noval, Quinta do Noval, Vinho Regional Duriense, 2006, which as a blend of 2/3 Port grapes led by touriga nacional and the balance of syrah. A wine of real aromatic intensity, wild dark fruits, medium to full bodied with the addition of syrah lending real style to the final product. A more conventional choice seen in many restaurants last year is an Argentine malbec and we would like to showcase our new arrival which is more restrained and European in style than most thanks to old malbec clones and a Bordelais winemaking mentality, Poesia Malbec Cabernet, Mendoza, 2005. A turbo charged pinot noir could also work well if the meat is cooked sous-vide and the leading contenders would be EQ Pinot Noir from Matetic or the highly scored and Parker rated pinot noirs from Melville Estate, California.
Scallops (with Butternut Squash)
Scallops, the fine dining staple is back on the seasonal specials. This time however, we have matched it with in season butternut squash-whether it be pureed or pickled. This exotic addition also makes me scratch our head as normal, boring old white Burgundy won’t match the same as when scallops are served with cauliflower puree or the classic black pudding like other times of the year. Our heavenly choice is from our up and coming superstar Francois Chidaine who makes the essence of chenin blanc in a dry style. Clean as a whistle and fairly full- the palate is packed full of apple and quince and reflects the true balancing act of this match, Vouvray Les Argiles, Francois Chidaine, 2008. Having said that if you cannot drag yourself away from Burgundy this top cuvee Macon Verze Le Chemin Blanc, Nicolas Maillet, is a dream, concentrated and creamy, lemon and mineral.
Brill (with Mussel garnish)
As you often hear this much underrated fish is simply brilliant and one of my favourites. Meaty but delicate and again we have paired this dish with a seasonal garnish, mussels. We want the flavours of the sea to be the main stage which is why we have gone for two wines which have that required salty minerality for different reasons and a nice light to medium body. We could not pick between the two- Bourgogne Aligote, Domaine des Temps Perdus, 2008 or Verdicchio di Matelica, Fattoria La Monacesca, 2008.
Your feed back is appreciated. Should you have any queries please contact us.
Summer
Mackerel (season June onwards)
Gruner Veltliner Rosensteig, Weingut Geyerhof, Kremstal 2008 (certified organic)
A lately fashionable fish due to sustainability. Classic oily fish in character needing a wine with cleansing high acidity like Vinho Verde, a classic Portuguese match. However we can be more eclectic that and here it is matched with the fashionable white grape of the moment GV. The white pepper varietal character works really well with the strong flavours of the fish (peppered mackerel) and there is enough minerality and acidity to keep the match in balance. This wine is drinking so well right now also.
Monkfish (season end of July onwards)
Muscadet de Sevre et Maine Terroir Gneiss, Domaine de l’Ecu 2008 (certified biodynamic)
Pioneer of French Biodynamics and a full on expression of Muscadet due to the rocky soil. This wine is fuller bodied and riper than most Muscadets which matches up to the meaty character of the Monkfish whilst the Muscadet heritage adds great minerality and austerity to the pairing.
Venison (season middle/late June onwards)
Corbieres Terrasses Clos de l'Anhel 2006 (organic cultivation)
An insiders wine to the new wave of premium red wine producers in the deep south of France. Dark blackberry and plum fruit with lovely purity, silky and freshness. Full bodied, stylish and very polished, lots of fruit, ripe tannin and cleansing acidity. Simply dense and a sublime combination!
Summer Fruits (season June onwards)
Coteaux du Layon, Philippe Delesvaux 2009
Sweet wine and value are not something that go hand in hand, but this wine truly is with a prestigious name to match. Slightly less sweet than most allowing the match with may different fruit types from gooseberries through to strawberries and plums and offers huge versatility by the glass.
Spring
Asparagus (season April-May)
Mount Beautiful Sauvignon Blanc, Cheviot Hills 2008
New sub region of Canterbury with only Mount Beautiful as producer at present. It is a venture by one of the richest men in New Zealand so there has been a lot investment into the site, clones and varieties. As far as New Zealand sauvignon is concerned it is not as tropical, guava etc as most. It does have the exuberance of Marlborough on the nose, definitely more herbaceous than tropical, restrained and very textural on the palate.
Crab (season March-May)
Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, Vila Medora 2008
There is current rave about new world wines from Alsace varieties with seafood. However we have chosen something more unusual and interesting from Italy which has good mid weight from it’s warm but cool positioning in central Italy. Slightly floral and spicy such as a gewurztraminer but the aromatics are definitely more subdued such as a torrontes.
Scallops (season March-April)
Rully, Deux Montille, Burgundy 2006
White Burgundy and scallops-classic! especially as most chefs will combine the dish with a cauliflower puree and wild mushrooms, making this match pretty damn ideal. This Rully is not on our trade list presently but offers great value, fuller than most Rully whites but retains that lovely, delicate but mealy character with fresh acidity typical of the Chalonnaise wines.
Rabbit (season March-April)
Bierzo Joven, El Castro de Valtuille 2006
Midweight to light reds with a bit of a wild, rugged character are perfect with rabbit. This Bierzo from the mencia grapes fits the bill to a T. It does not have too much structure to it but is packed full of flavour and should play very well with the gamey character of the Rabbit. It has mellowed out a lot with age and has gained rather complex flavours rather than just fruit associated with younger red wines.
Spring Lamb (season April-May)
Santenay Vieilles Vignes, Vincent Morey 2005
Tender spring lamb and structured red Burgundy should be a very good combination. Typically soft and elegant plus a vintage known for it’s purity of flavour. We think Beaune wines here are more ideal over the wines from the Cote des Nuits as they are a little more sturdy and provide a touch of useful tannin to go with the lamb. A wine that will show quality but also interest.
