Zenato Villa Flora Lugana 2015, Italy (£9.99, Waitrose, or via Wine Searcher) I took in the sights of a delightfully festive (and Beatrix Potter-themed) Leeds Castle in this Christmassy episode of Saturday Kitchen - before selecting what is a consistently delicious and great value Lugana to go with salt cod...
Fief Guérin Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu Sur Lie 2015, 12.5%, France (£7.99, Waitrose or via Wine Searcher) Muscadet is enjoying a bit of a renaissance at the moment and this Fief Guérin is not only a pleasantly refreshing, saline-inflected rendition, it also makes a fine match for...
Le Montrachet 2007, Lucien Le Moine, Burgundy, France - en jeroboam (Not commercially available but see Wine Searcher for other vintages) OK, OK, so it came as the 12th wine during a marathon dinner at the domaine. And yet, for a dinner positively swilling in fine wine of the highest...
Passimento Bianco Pasqua 2015, Italy, 13.5% (from £7.99, Majestic or via Wine Searcher) Oooooh but this Passimento Bianco by Pasqua is yummy! It's also seriously versatile with food. And you need versatility when you're trying to find a wine to go with confit chicken wing with blue cheese mousse and...
Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle 1990, 14%, France (£350-500+, see Wine Searcher) ‘As a winemaker, you have to be humble in front of a wine like this,’ muses Caroline Frey, whose family took over historic Rhône producer Paul Jaboulet Aîné in 2006, of the estate’s iconic Hermitage...
Taste the Difference Rioja Reserva 2010 Cepa Alegro, Spain, 13.5% (£7, Sainsbury's) We're big fans of Ben Tish in this household and his Saturday Kitchen dish this weekend made his stock rise even further. I mean, who couldn't love roasted partridge with caramelised chicory, orange, honey and...
Taste the Difference Barbera d'Asti 2014, Italy, 13.5% (£7, Sainsbury's) This own-label Barbera from Sainsbury's is really good value - and very autumnal in feel, with a heart-warming touch of spice to an otherwise silky dark-fruited style. It made a fantastic Saturday Kitchen match for a very autumnal dish...
Chavy-Chouet Bourgogne Rouge La Taupe 2014, 12.5% (£30 for a magnum (150 cl), Marks & Spencer or via Wine Searcher in different formats) Looking ahead to autumn and the festive period can be dismaying. Planning the wine menu, on the other hand, proves remarkably uplifting. Take this wine....
Villa Borghetti Valpolicella Ripasso 2013, 13.5% (£10.99 when you buy 6, Majestic or via Wine Searcher) So what to choose with a classic bolognese ragu with focaccia by the delightful Italian maestro Gennaro Contaldo? There are plenty of options, from Bardolino (in a lighter style) to Chianti (in a...
Chatel-Buis Montagny 2013, 13% (£10.39, Waitrose or via Wine Searcher) I recommended this classic white Montagny to go a with a suitably classic, elegant dish on Saturday Kitchen by Frederick Foster - paupiette of sole with wild mushrooms and herb sauce. We found that a good Chablis also works...