Journey's End Honeycomb Chardonnay 2016, South Africa (£10, Marks & Spencer) Poor old Chardonnay. I was told of someone recently who refuses to even allow it into the room, such is the virulent distaste they have for it. I'd argue this is to throw the baby out with the...
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche 2014, France (On very limited release from Corney & Barrow: £2,475 / case of 3 bottles in bond, £825 / case of 1 bottle in bond, £1,660 / case of 1 magnum in bond) As the frenzied excitement of the Burgundy 2015...
Meerlust Pinot Noir 2016, South Africa (£17-22, 2015 vintage currently at The Wine Society, Four Walls, Hedonism or via WineSearcher) I remember my first visit to Meerlust, back in 2003. Over a very convivial lunch with gravel-voiced owner Hannes Myburgh, a fair old quantity of his fine Pinot Noir...
Atlantis Santorini 2015, Greece (£11.50, Marks & Spencer) It's a little more expensive than we normally have on Saturday Kitchen, but this invigorating, succulent, illuminating Santorini white worked so beautifully with Tonia Buxton's lamb koftas with spicy tahini that I just couldn't resist. This truly was a delightful dish....
Lava Beneventano Aglianico 2012, Italy (£8, Tesco or via Wine Searcher) I recommended this hearty, seductive Beneventano Aglianico to partner a delightfully hedonistic beef fillet with cabbage and truffled mash by chef Fernando Stovell on Saturday Kitchen. The dish itself is like a deconstructed beef wellington - and...
Domaine Jean Grivot Nuits-St-Georges 2015, 1er Cru Les Boudots (£660 per 6-bottle case, in bond, Goedhuis, Justerini & Brooks) Although the price of the Grivot wines this vintage veers into eye-watering territory, the quality remains unparalleled. I particularly like this Nuits for its gamey depth of flavour, allied...
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Nuits-St-Georges Blanc 2015, Clos des Grandes Vignes 1er Cru Monopole (£795 per 6-bottle case, in bond, Justerini & Brooks) My scribbled note for this white Nuits-St-George kicks of with the words ‘delightful, absolutely delightful’. From me, this is saying something. Tasted in the damp,...
Muga Rioja Blanco 2015, Spain (£9.99, Majestic or via Wine Searcher) This Muga white Rioja is a rare example of an elegantly oaked white under a tenner on the UK high street (and indeed elsewhere, if you care to check the Wine Searcher link). It made a seamless pairing...
Côté Mas Vermentino 2015, France (£8.49, Waitrose or via Wine Searcher) I'll admit it. When I first saw the recipe that Atul Kochhar was cooking on Saturday Kitchen - sumptuous spiced roast chicken with bread sauce, brioche-filled stuffing and gravy, all with an aromatic Indian twist -...
Domaine Jacques Rouzé Reuilly Rouge Pinot Noir 2014, France (£130 per case, Lupton Wines) It's rare to find a wine region described as somewhere 'Jeremy Corbyn would buy his Y-fronts', or a winemaker 'who makes Jeff Capes look like John Inman'. But then not every wine merchant is like...