Miguel Torres Days of Summer Muscat 2015

Miguel Torres Days of Summer Muscat 2015, Chile

(from £7.49, Majestic)

No shortage of aromatic, grapey flavour with this Chilean Muscat, which just bursts out of the glass in joyous fashion. But neither is it a one-trick pony – quite the opposite.

I chose this to partner a cheeseburger with a difference on Saturday Kitchen. This creation came courtesy of US chef Dan Barber, who specialises in re-using ingredients that would otherwise be wasted (among many other things). In short, he’s a guy with an intriguing ethical and philosophical stance when it comes to food.

I wanted to reflect some of these ethical values in the wine I chose. This wine is Fairtrade, sourced from small-holders growing old vines using largely organic practices in the far south of Chile. Miguel Torres has been a leader in sustainable winemaking in Chile and championing the south, which has often been an overlooked and unfashionable area in Chilean wine hitherto. In short, it’s a wine helping reveal a new reality in Chilean wine, one that’s authentic and sustainable.

But of course this is all for nothing if the wine isn’t delicious – which it happily is. It’s fun, fresh, fruity and vibrant, a lovely balance between freshness and roundness, and which manages to cope admirably with all the different flavours encapsulated in the burger. It’s also fantastic value for money.

‘Delicious,’ was Dan’s verdict. Cheers to that!

(Susie, 6.5/10, March 2017)