Lemon roast chicken with spring vegetables and Brouilly

I’m always undecided as to whether I prefer red wine or white with roast chicken but of course it depends on the accompaniments and the time of year.

Last night we had it stuffed with lemon and sprinkled with a fantastic fines herbes mix of tarragon, chervil and chives I bought from the market in Nice a year or so ago. It’s a bit faded admittedly but I can’t bear to throw it away, the tarragon is so strong and the herbs so perfectly balanced.

I served it with asparagus, green beans and a mixture of celery and leeks braised in the lemony juices so it was as much a veggie dish really as a chickeny one.

The wine was a bottle of 2007 Brouilly La Croix des Rameaux from Jean-Claude Lapalu that had found its way into the back of the wine cupboard. Very funky on opening but delicious once decanted - still bright and fruity enough to keep the feel of the meal light and springlike but not remotely bubblegummy as you’d expect from a natural wine.

The dish would have gone equally well with a crisp white if I’d been inclined. I had a sip of not totally wonderful Falanghina with it which actually improved the taste of the wine. Chablis would have been good too.