Fruit kebabs and Moët Ice Imperial

A combination I came across at the launch of Moët’s new Ice Imperial Champagne last week - a Champagne that’s designed to be served over ice (yes, that’s right - with the ice actually in it)

It’s a clever idea. Champagne still seems a special occasion wine and maybe a bit dry for younger drinkers so they’ve come up with this demi-sec (medium-dry) cuvée which is served ice cold in large Chianti-style glasses. If that seems like sacrilege they stress it’s meant to be served on a hot day by the pool like a cocktail.

You can drop fresh berries or lime zest into it or - even better - serve it with fresh fruit kebabs like the ones pictured. (The strawberries were specially delicious).

There’s one hitch. You can’t buy it in the shops (unless you’re a celeb in which case I gather Moët will find some way to get it to you) and only drink it in a limited number of venues including, mysteriously, 10 in the Bournemouth area.

However I’m sure the match would work with any demi-sec Champagne served nice and cold or with a bottle of Asti or Clairette de Die.

Lambs sweetbreads with girolles and Louis Roederer Rich Champagne

It’s a bit of a long story. A customer of my friends Stephen and Judy Markwick who own the Bristol restaurant Culinaria wanted to track down some Louis Roederer Rich and I helped him find it. He wanted me to share a bottle with him as a reward which was totally unnecessary but a gesture it seemed churlish to refuse. (Or that's my excuse anyway!)

I wasn’t sure what to choose from the menu because it’s off-dry - though not as sweet as a demi-sec - and the most likely starter struck me as the one I wanted to order anyway which was lambs sweetbreads on toast with girolles which is served with a rich creamy sauce laced with Madeira. And it worked brilliantly - the lushness of the wine picking up on the sweetness in the Madeira and the fizz preserving the delicacy of the sweetbreads.

Admittedly the combination is a bit of an acquired taste. On another, less lavish, occasion I’d probably go for a red burgundy or other Pinot Noir or, with the wine, some mildly spiced Thai dishes (I think it’s at its very best with spicy food). Though I'm not sure whether they're currently producing it. I can't find it listed among the wines on their website though Berry Bros & Rudd still seem to have a limited quantity if you're a fan.

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