Here are five stunners this week’s to go with the Hairy Bikers magnificent pie recipes.
2010 Jacob’s Creek, Chardonnay, South Eastern Australia (£7.98, Asda). I cannot think of a better food and wine combination than this sensual, expressive, sun-kissed, modern chardonnay and a perfectly baked chicken and leek pie. The richness of dish and the harmony of this wine together are all-enveloping. JC is a legendary producer and this stunning white is fantastic value for money.
2009 Extra Special Valpolicella Ripasso, Veneto, Italy (£6.97, Asda). The ripasso technique, which involves combining young, fresh wine with fermented, dried grapes previously used to make Amarone, adds masses of oomph to a Valpolicella. This wine is dark and sturdy and it is brilliant with autumnal, meaty dishes. Give it an hour to breathe and then marvel at the complexity of flavour.
2009 Mount Langi Ghiran, Riesling, Ararat, Victoria, Australia (£12.79 – £13.36, Great Western Wine tel. 01225 322810, www.winebear.co.uk, www.agwines.com). Langi winemaker Dan Buckle is an acknowledged red wine making genius, but his riesling is terrific, too. Track this wine down for a scintillating treat of lime juice and taut acidity, made with total flair and spine-tingling precision.
2009 Arc du Rhône, Côtes du Rhône, France (£7.99, Waitrose). This is an unoaked red from a brilliant vintage and it is made from the traditional recipe of grenache, syrah and carignan. What I adore about Arc is the seamless, silky, summer pudding flavours and the delicious, lip-smacking twist of spice on the finish. Arc is a joyous wine.
2010 Inycon, Limited Edition Grillo, Sicily, Italy (£9.99, reduced to £4.99, until 4th October, Tesco). Get in quick to grab the last few bottles of this curious white from Sicily. Grillo is an intriguing variety with orchard fruit and a herbal tang. It is fairly weighty, too, but this is juiciness and not oak or alcohol, so drink it with richer chicken or fish pies and tick another new grape off your list.
