A Burns Night beauty and four stunning wines, including a few perfect wine and food matches for this week’s recipes.
Caol Ila Moch Single Malt, Islay, Scotland (£40.85, 70cl bottle, Waitrose: £35.95 www.thewhiskyexchange.com). I don’t drink Whisky very often, but I love it and Burns Night is a fantastic time to try a top flight version. Moch means ‘the dawn’ and this evocative, smoky, seaspray-scented whisky is utterly mesmerising. The ‘bonfire on the beach’ tasting note which I heard someone say is spot on!
2010 Domaine d’Aiguillon Viognier, Pays d’Oc, France (£8.99, www.virginwines.co.uk). I cannot think of a better combination for the Classic fish stew with fennel and parsley recipe than this heady, musk and peach-scented viognier. A dry wine, but with depth and lustiness, it is a superb accompaniment to this classic stew and it will challenge your senses if you are new to this grape.
2010 Lindeman’s, Bin 50 Shiraz, South Eastern Australia (£8.29, reduced to £5.99, until 29 January, Morrisons). Drink this bargain-priced Aussie stalwart with the Lamb with anchovies, garlic and rosemary recipe and watch how the juicy lamb romances the blackberry and spice notes in the wine. Jump on this discount – they don’t come around very often!
2010 Lava, Greco di Tufo, Campania, Italy (£12.99, Tesco). Named ‘lava’ after the volcanic soils in which the greco grapes are planted, this is an amazing, hauntingly beautiful white wine with a wistful stone fruit nose and an enchanting palate. Elegance and complexity are on offer here as opposed to bold, bombastic flavours.
2010 Artazuri Garnacha, Navarra, Spain (£10.99, www.virginwines.co.uk). Made by mega-star Spanish winemaker Juan Carlos Lopez de la Calle, this cracking red is an affordable slice of his genius! Drink this swarthy, swaggering plum-scented red with the Sausages with lentils and herbs recipe and dive head first into one of life’s most scintillating gastronomic combinations.
