Some of these wines have been chosen to complement a few recipes from the ’Unofficial Downton Cookbook’.
I have chosen some suitably impressive wines to complement this week’s lofty culinary theme.
2011 Longview, The Whippet Sauvignon Blanc, Adelaide Hills, South Australia (£13.00, Oddbins). The delicious Moules en sauce recipe needs a crisp, vital and piercingly fresh sauvignon to cut through its distinguished flavours and The Whippet is just the ticket. One of the finest sauvignons in Australia, this is a new wine to the UK and so I am delighted to alert you to this vinous scoop!
2011 Brancott Estate, Letter Series R, Sauvignon Gris, Marlborough, New Zealand (£13.15, Sainsbury’s). The rare sauvignon gris grape is on epic form in this complex, grapefruit and herb-scented wine. With more depth and persistence than most Marlborough sauvignon blancs this quirky and fascinating white has the required punch of flavour to match up to the eminent Roast chicken recipe.
2011 Finest* Gavi, Piemonte, Italy (£7.99, reduced to £6.00, until 2 October, Tesco). I adore this Gavi and with two pounds sliced off the price tag it is a steal. Clean lines and a wistful citrus aroma make it the ideal wine to accompany this week’s Salmon with Hollandaise sauce recipe. If you fancy a glass while you are cooking, it makes for a scrummy aperitif, too!
2008 Jim Barry, Clare Red, Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon, Clare Valley, South Australia (£11.99, reduced to £8.99, until 9th October, Waitrose). This mighty and yet inexpensive red comes from an estate that I have included in my new book, The 100 Most Iconic Wines Estates. Who’d have thought that such an expert winery could make a wine that sells for £8.99? Get in quick – it is a rich, brooding beauty.
2008 Château Trillol, Corbières, France (£9.75, www.fromvineyardsdirect.com). Made by the famous Sichel family, of Bordeaux fame, this brilliant red is a seriously good find. A blend of grenache, syrah and carignan, Benjamin Sichel, a member of true winemaking aristocracy, has crafted a wine of immense style. With dark, spicy fruit and a sensational finish this is a stunning wine.
