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Pairing oysters with sake and other seafood
Shirley Booth explains the different grades of sake and why it goes so well with oysters and other seafood.
Ten years ago, when I started the British Sake Association, my dream was to see sake being served in British bars and restaurants, being drunk by young hip urbanites: by people, and in places, with no relationship to Japan at all.
So when I was invited to a sake and oyster tasting at the newly opened Oystermen Seafood Bar & Kitchen in Covent Garden how could I resist? In Japan it’s a classic combination, as we were about to appreciate.
Oystermen was originally set up as a catering business by Matt Lovell and Rob Hampton back in 2016. The following year they established a permanent home in Covent Garden, which expanded into the adjoining building at the end of last year.
As well as an oyster bar, with oysters from Ireland, Maldon, Whitstable, Jersey and Menai, there is a selection of seafood dishes, prepared in the (tiny) kitchen by the talented Alex Povall and Joel Ryan, both formerly at Murano. And, alongside the great selection of wine in the fridge, there is Japanese sake.
The tasting was part of the Japanese government’s JFoodo initiative, a series of events, called Journey of Sake: Harmony Series, created to introduce sake as a partner to a variety of non-Japanese cuisines and was hosted by Oliver Hilton-Johnson from TenguSake
Ollie, as he is known, began by explaining the polishing rate of sake, and how this determines the categorisation and, of course, the flavour. In brief, the more highly polished the rice grain, the more delicate and elegant the taste.
The different styles of sake
Ginjo is polished down to 60% (i.e. 40% of the rice grain is milled away); together with a long slow fermentation this results in a sake characterised by floral and tropical fruit aromas; a DaiGinjo is polished even more – at least 50%, and sometimes down to 38% or even 19%., resulting in a supremely delicate (and expensive) sake.
These styles often have a little (up to 10%) brewer’s alcohol added - to stabilize and enhance the flavours and aroma. But a further categorization, Junmai, refers to sake with no added alcohol, sometimes described as ‘pure rice sake’. Junmai tends to have a more rice-based umami character.
Another categorization concerns the style of brewing, in particular the starter mash. Yamahai and Kimoto are both made with old fashioned slow methods, producing a style of sake which is more complex, dense, earthy and more full bodied, sometimes with ricey or lactic notes.
Honjozo is polished down to only 70%; and Futsushu is ‘everyday sake’ rather like vin de table, and outside the Premium Sake designation. In futsushu the polishing rate, as well as additives and procedures, are not bound by such strict rules: which means you can get some terrible ones, but also some very decent futsushu.
Sake and Food
The synergy of sake with food was enthusiastically explained by Ollie, who told us the three things that sake can do (that wine can’t).
First: temperature. Unlike wine, sake can be - and is - drunk at varying levels of temperature. The Japanese have poetic names for a range of subtly different temperatures (‘flower cold’ and ‘snow cold’ for example) but the main differences are between chilled, room temperature and warm.
This ability to determine the serving temperature means you have the ability to mask or enhance the characteristics of the sake as you serve it. Warmth will mask acidity and seem to make it taste sweeter: chilling it will enhance acidity, and so on. To me this is one of the most instructive things you can do to learn about sake: try the same sake at three or four different temperatures and see how it changes.
The second difference, Ollie explained, was the acidity in sake. Sake has a fifth of the acidity of wine – it’s significantly low in citric and malic acid - the ones you find in wine. Conversely though, whilst wine is low in glutamic acids (15mg per litre in red wine), sake contains a lot : 250mg glutamic acid per litre.
This glutamic acid component of sake is the key to the third big difference from wine. Amino acids - glutamic acid as well as lactic acid and succinic acid - are the agents responsible for what has been described as the fifth taste, umami. Sometimes described as ‘deliciousness’ or ‘savoury’, umami is one of the reasons why sake is so good with food. Amino acids, especially if present in both food and drink in combination, intensify taste, creating more and more umami – enhancing taste, and making everything more delicious.
Oysters too are high in amino acids (particularly succinic acid and glutamic acid) and this is why sake and oysters ‘do so much for each other’.
Our first dish confirmed it. Maldon Rock Oyster (a large oyster) is high in salinity, so Ollie had paired it with Tatenokawa 50 ‘Stream’ - an aromatic Junmai Daiginjo which stood up to the saltiness. Alongside, the smaller Kumamoto oyster, a Japanese breed, was meatier and was paired with Konishi Gold, a Daiginjo Hiyashibori: this was a less aromatic, creamier and richer sake, paired with an oyster with more depth and richness, the sake bringing out the creaminess and richness of both.
As the bream carpaccio was served Ollie explained how sake can wash away, or minimise, any fishiness and saltiness , thereby allowing other aspects of the dish to shine. The Silent Blossom Junmai DaiGinjo had distinct aniseed notes, something you often find in sake and, as the dish featured aniseed herbs, this was a perfect complement. (I had kept back a bit of my Konishi Gold and thought that worked well too, but the Silent Blossom was sweeter).
Next came Oyster-Stout-Braised Beef Shin and Oyster Pie, with a toasted breadcrumb topping– a take on the classic nineteenth century London dish of steak and oyster pie made with stout brewed in south London. An umami-rich aged Junmai DaiGinjo called Aperitif accompanied it. Ageing breaks down sugars into amino acids, creating an umami-rich sake which is good with cheesecake or biscuits (hence the pairing with the breadcrumb topping). The mushroomy, soy sauce-rich flavours of the sake were perfect with this dish.
But we hadn’t finished: a ‘risotto’ made with orzo and braised cuttlefish from Dorset, with Lyonnaise onion and red butterfly sorrel was placed in front of us. This was a rich dish that needed the robust acidity of Black Face – another Junmai Daiginjo.
Then came tempura served with something quite different: Misty Mountain is a Bodaimoto, named after the temple in which it was first brewed. Bodaimoto is an ancient medieval method which results in a 17% slightly sour sake (from the slowly and naturally created lactic acid used in the mash ). It’s rich, fun and vibrant and, unusually for Japan, made by a woman.
We finished with a dessert of roasted peaches in sugar and butter de-glazed with sake (of course) served with peach puree and caramelized white chocolate: the toffee notes of this dish harmonized with a sweet sake UmeShu – sake infused with plum.
To discover more harmonies of sake and food go to https://foodandsake.com/london/ which lists all the places in London where sake is served - there are many more than you would think – and many of them non-Japanese.
For more information about sake and the British Sake Association, or to become a member, visit www.britishsakeassociation.org
To buy the sakes mentioned here on line visit www.tengusake.com
Shirley Booth is founder and president of the British Sake Association
© Shirley Booth 2018. Images © Nic Crilly-Hargrave / niccrillyhargrave.com
20 Christmas wine pairings to learn by heart
One of the most popular posts I’ve ever written on this site was one called 20 food and wine pairings to learn by heart - an easy reference guide to commit to memory.
Here’s a special Christmas version to help you through the next few days along with links to longer posts on the site which will give you more options
1. Smoked salmon + champagne or sauvignon blanc
Champagne is the more festive pairing but Sauvignon is the better match IMO.
2. Oysters + Chablis
A French tradition so a French wine. Muscadet and Picpoul de Pinet, both from oyster producing areas are also good options.
3. Duck (or chicken) liver parfait + pinot gris
I've chosen this in preference to foie gras as I don't personally eat it but like foie gras it can also take a wine with a touch of sweetness. You could even go for Sauternes or a similar sweet Bordeaux.
4. Seafood cocktail + Riesling
An off-dry riesling from, say, Washington State or New Zealand
5. Roast turkey + Rhone reds such as Chateauneuf du Pape
There are many other options but it's hard to beat this one.
6. Christmas ham + bright fruity reds such as shiraz or Beaujolais
The sweeter the glaze, the riper and fruitier the wine you need
7. Goose + Barolo or Chianti
Whites like spätlese riesling work too but most people would expect a red
8. Duck + Pinot Noir
Always works
9. Roast beef + Cabernet Sauvignon, red Bordeaux
Or, to tell the truth, almost any medium to full-bodied red you enjoy
10. Roast pork + Côtes du Rhône
Or, if you prefer a white and it's served with apple sauce , German or Alsace riesling
11. Baked salmon + white burgundy
Salmon and chardonnay is always a winner
12. Christmas pudding + muscat
Such as Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise or (a bargain this) Moscatel de Valencia
13. Christmas cake + tawny port
Sweet oloroso sherry is good too
14. Mince pies + cream or oloroso sherry or sweet madeira
Or port if that's what you happen to have open.
15. Chocolate Yule log + black muscat
Or any other sweet red wine
16. Stollen + auslese or other sweet riesling
But do check out the other options which are great too!
17. Panettone + prosecco
Cook's treat!
18. Trifle + Moscato d'Asti
Depending on the trifle and how boozy it is! Check my full post for more options.
19. Stilton + vintage port
THE Christmas pairing. Other types of port like Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) and 10 y.o. tawny are good too
20. Vacherin Mont d’Or + vintage champagne
Not the classic pairing of the region but a great way to end a meal!
You may also find the original 20 food and wine pairings to learn by heart useful.
Is there any other pairing you regard as classic or wouldn't miss over the Christmas period?
Image copyright jasoncoxphotography at fotolia.com
20 top Australian Chardonnays
To celebrate Australia Day here's a feature I wrote a year ago on Australian chardonnay - not as out of date as you might think as many of the vintages will only just have worked through.
"As you can see from my Guardian article today, I’m a born-again Chardonnay lover since returning from Australia last month.
Did the sun go to my head? I don’t think so. Australia now produces some of the most gorgeous, seductive, beautifully balanced Chardonnays I’ve tasted. Not cheap, mind you, but in comparison to some of the white burgundies I’ve been tasting this week, great value.
The problem is that many of the best haven’t yet made it over here. Most of them were 2009s and ‘10s which haven’t yet arrived on our shelves. A few are from producers whose wines don’t get exported or are available in such tiny quantities that they’re almost impossible to get hold of. Something we want to watch in the UK. There are many other markets for Australian wine who will snap up bottles like these without worrying about the price. Some wines you can now buy more cheaply in the UK than Australia which can’t be right.
Anyway, here’s the pick of the wines I got to try, organised by region, I don’t do scores, though I obviously have personal preferences. They wouldn’t be in this list if I didn’t think they were good. Search wine-searcher.com for stockists."
MARGARET RIVER
Western Australia’s premium winegrowing region for Chardonnay (though there are some interesting wines being made further south)
Cherubino Margaret River Chardonnay 2010 (not available currently in UK. $49 in Australia)
A totally modern Australian Chardonnay from one of Western Australia’s star winemakers Larry Cherubino (named winemaker of the year by Australian wine critic James Halliday last year). Whole bunch pressing, no settling, no fining, naturally fermented. Incredible freshness and delicacy yet sensuously creamy. One to hunt down
Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay 2009 (£55-65, $95-99 in Australia)
The wine I think I currently like best of Vanya Cullen’s wines despite being a longstanding fan of the Semillon-Sauvignon blend. A rich, sumptuous serious chardonnay from one of Australia’s leading biodynamic estates. Eye-wateringly expensive, sadly - on a par with Yattarna (below)
Flametree Margaret River Chardonnay 2010 (this vintage is not yet available in UK, around $20 in Australia)
This was the vintage I tasted in Aus which was cracking but still had some way to go. You can buy the 2009 vintage I recommend in the Guardian for 20 from Aus Wine Online. Rich, opulent with some lovely fruit character - citrus, ripe pears, canteloupe melon. Both have good ageing potential
Fraser Gallop Winery Chardonnay 2011 (not yet available in UK, $221 by the case from the winery)
If you tasted this blind you’d be hard-pushed to locate it in Australia. Consciously made with more restrained oak in an almost Chablis-like style it’s a singingly pure, crisp, clean wine that would be hugely flexible with food. (They suggest oysters)
Vasse Felix Heytesbury Margaret River Chardonnay 2009 (about £24-26, $45 in Australia)
I’d have put this award-winning wine in my Guardian article but we’re only on the 2008 vintage in the UK. The 2010 has done even better but buy any one of them you can lay your hands on. 100% wild yeast fermented. Gloriously rich and textured but with a perfectly pitched acidity. Sexy stuff.
ADELAIDE HILLS
The premium area for chardonnay in south Australia.
First Drop Mere et Fils Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2010 (£14.99 www.thesecretcellar.co.uk, $25AD in Australia)
Classic creamy elegant Chardonnay from the irreverent First Drop boys “we have fun with the packaging but we’re deadly serious about the booze.” “Restrained sophisticated and best drunk in the shower” according to the website. No sulphur, wild yeasts. Great value.
Yalumba FDW (7C) 2008 (available in the UK from February at around £18, $24-25 in Australia)
Another gorgeous creamy Chardonnay with an elegant lift, born from a realisation says winemaker Louisa Rose, that “none of us [in the winery] were taking Chardonnay home and drinking it”. You would this one. FDW? Stands for Fine Dry White.
McLAREN VALE
Not renowned for its Chardonnay though, as these wines show, there are some more than decent ones being made.
Battle of Bosworth Chardonnay 2010 (N/A in UK. About $25 in Australia)
Slightly funky Chardonnay in the natural wine mould though winemaker Joch Bosworth does employ sulphur as needed. Loads of creamy, leesy texture. More than a third of the first vintage of Penfold’s Yattarna came from the same now organically cultivated vineyard.
Paxton Thomas Block Chardonnay 2009 (N/A in UK About $20-30 in Australia)
Good Chardonnay doesn’t just come from the cooler regions in Oz as this beautifully crafted example from Paxton proves. Vines are subject to biodynamic treatments. The 2008 was spot on too.
MORNINGTON PENINSULA
One of the most expensive vineyard areas in Oz, hence the hefty prices.
Kooyong Clonale Chardonnay 2010 17 Wine Society £18.40 Theatre of Wine, £18.50 L’Art du Vin, Great Western Wine, £18.99 Cambridge Wine Merchants, about $25 in Australia.
Recommended in my Guardian piece today though I’ve added a couple of other stockists. Could easily be white burgundy. Really subtle, elegant, creamy, beautifully in balance. The Pinots, which I’ll be writing about, are lovely too. Great value.
Ocean Eight Verve Chardonnay 2010 23 Theatre of Wine, $37 in Australia
Classy, cool climate, citrussy Chardonnay from this boutique Mornington Peninsula estate. Subtle and restrained - and just 12.2% which is remarkable.
Ten Minutes by Tractor Wallis Chardonnay 2009 (£168.84 per case of six in bond with Bancroft Wines = approx £40 a bottle, $52 in Australia
The more mineral elegant of 10 Minutes two single vineyard Chardonnays though I liked the richer, lusher McCutcheon Vineyard 2009 better with food (especially rare tuna).
Yabby Lake Block 1 Chardonnay 2009 £46 swig.co.uk (which doesn’t look a bad price when you see it’s $83.33 from the winery)
Apparently only 748 bottles were made of Yabby Lake’s top end Chardonnay - and you can only buy a maximum of two. Worth it I’d say if you can run to it though the single vineyard Yabby Lake Chardonnay which is pretty gorgeous too is ‘only‘ 26.50. “We don’t want them to be better than our single vineyard wines” says winemaker Tom Carson “we want them to be different”. Collectors items.
YARRA VALLEY
If I had to pick one region for chardonnay in Australia this would be it.
De Bortoli Reserve Release Chardonnay 2008 £23.49 simplywinedirect.com, $40 in Australia
One of the most impressive things about the trip was that it wasn’t just small boutique operations that were making great Chardonnay. Large companies are too as De Bortoli proves with this beautifully balanced wine. "We are paranoid about making fat Chardonnays” says winemaker Steve Webber.
Chandon Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2010 (not available in UK), $19-25 in Australia
This tends to be eclipsed by producer Domaine Chandon’s sparkling wines but I reckon it’s the best wine of the range - quintessential Yarra Valley Chardonnay. Confusingly it’s still marketed as Green Point in the UK and only available in older vintages which doesn’t help. Good value in Oz though.
Giant Steps Arthur’s Creek Chardonnay 2010 (currently on offer at £25 from thegoodwineshop.co.uk. About $40 In Australia
I mentioned the Sexton Vineyard in my Guardian feature and the cheaper Innocent Bystander Willing Participant Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2010 which is excellent value but my own favourite of Phil Sexton’s single vineyard bottlings was the Arthur’s Creek which is apparently the coolest of the sites. It has incredible purity and persistence.
Oakridge Lieu-Dit Chardonnay 2010 (not available in UK. About $44 in Australia)
Winemaker David Bicknell is apparently known as Mr Chardonnay a well-deserved accolade judging by this near-perfect bottling. Oakridge was also nominated Winery of the Year in this year’s The Age and Sydney Morning Herald Good Wine guide. Minimal intervention - no malo no acidification, natural yeasts, It’s lush - goodness it’s gorgeous - but still manages to be refreshingly crisp.
Wedgetail Estate Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2009 (not available in UK. About $40 in Australia)
A classically Burgundian Chardonnay (if that’s not an insult to the Aussies) from owner/winemaker Guy Lamothe. From a cool dry hilly area in the north west of the valley. Elegant, pure, rich but restrained. Just 12.8%
Mac Forbes Woori Yallock Chardonnay 2010 £23.90 slurp.co.uk $44 in Australia
My favourite of the two Mac Forbes single vineyard Chardonnays though the Hoddles Creek was also pretty impressive. Restrained use of oak (only 22% new) resulting in a beautifully integrated wine with a really fresh, citrussy finish.
And from no specific region . . .
Penfold’s Yattarna 2008 £48-77 in the UK (an extraordinary price range) Majestic has it for £55, $129.99 from the cellar door
Is Yattarna better than any of the above wines? Debatable. Is it worth twice as much as most of them? I’d say not. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a delicious Chardonnay but its role as ‘white Grange’ undoubtedly distorts its market value. A much better deal in the UK than Australia though which must be galling.
I didn’t visit Tasmania or New South Wales on this trip hence the absence of recommendations from the Hunter Valley, Orange, etc.
And if you want some ideas as to what to eat with these rather nice bottles you'll find some suggestions here.
Possibly the best truffle dinner ever
Did I want to go on a truffle trip to Spain at the end of January? Balmy Barbados seemed like a better option but since that wasn’t on the cards and the enquiry came from an old friend I said yes. The 2 day visit - the annual Viñas del Vero ‘Days of Wine and Truffles’ in Somontano would include an outdoor picnic in the foothills of the Pyrenees (eek), a truffle hunt and - the clincher - a multi-course truffle menu by one of the region’s most talented chefs followed by a gastronomic brunch. “Bring the Gaviscon”. my friend sagely advised.
I’ll be writing about the truffle hunting in due course so let’s concentrate on the dinner at Bodega Blecua which was the best truffle experience I’ve ever had. It kicked off in style with a selection of truffle-flavoured canaps including truffle flavoured macarons, parcels of truffle threads in lambs skein (sic), tartlets of pigs trotters and truffles (awesome) and best of all, truffle flavoured truffles of the satiny consistency of the best chocolate truffles. These were served with Tio Pepe (also owned by Viñas del Vero’s owner Gonzalez Byass) and V de V’s fragrant Gewürztraminer which I’m not sure I didn’t marginally prefer, to my surprise. (The 2009 is currently on offer at £6.49 at Majestic)
The first proper course was a glassful of truffles served with a hot broth which transformed it into truffle consommé followed by ‘Royal de Trufa with egg yolks and passion’. Fortunately this turned out not to be passion fruit as I had feared but a sumptous blend of truffles and pork fat of the consistency of creamy mash, scattered with yet more truffles. (I hadn’t thought of the combination of pork fat and truffles before but it’s a winner, let me tell you). With that we drank the 2010 Viñas del Vero Clarion, a rich, structured white about whose components they were curiously reticent but which seems to be Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Chenin Blanc.
That was followed by one of my favourite dishes of the meal, cardoons with oysters and almond sauce topped with a truffle shaving. Again a really imaginative and delicious combination of ingredients. This was served with a 2008 Clarion in magnum which suited the dish better than the younger fruitier vintage would have done.
They then brought on a potato ‘mushroom’ with ceps, a mound of fluffy truffle-infused mash moulded into a ... well, not a mushroom, more like a potato but fantastic anyway and a good match with the Blecua 2004 served in magnum.
Blecua is the flagship wine of Viñas del Vero - a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Garnacha, and Tempranillo from seven different parcels and possibly one of the best wines you've never heard of. It has more warmth and generosity than many Bordeaux and more finesse and complexity than most Spanish reds. The '04 also went perfectly with the next course, a truffle infused risotto topped with an outrageous amount of truffles.
By this stage even I was almost truffled out but just about found room for a mouthful or two of veal shanks with truffle sauce and chestnut purée (particularly good with the richer, more complex Blecua 2005) and some local truffled cheese.
And I didn’t make much impact on either of the two interesting desserts - a semi-frozen cylinder of something faintly ice creamy with amaretti crumbs and ‘snow truffles’ on muscovado cream, a truffle-inspired but, to some relief, not truffle-flavoured finale.
The general conclusion? That truffle dinners could be a lot more inventive than they generally are, that Spanish cuisine, dare I say it, has a lot to teach the French and that truffles can take younger, fruitier wines than you might imagine. Quite an experience.
The event I went to was a private one but If you want to sample chef Carmelo Bosque’s cooking go to his restaurant La Taberna de Lillas Pastia it’s in Huesca. It specialises in truffles and has a Michelin star. Tel: +34 974 211 691.
I attended the dinner as a guest of Gonzalez Byass.
The 10 best wines for spring and early summer drinking
The last two days have been quite, quite beautiful, starting mistily, basking midday in an unseasonally warm sun and finishing with an extended dusk that announces that spring is finally here. I immediately want to eat lighter meals: the new season’s vegetables are not quite in yet but I can at least plan for summer and that means a spring clean of the cellar, pushing the full bodied reds to the back and assessing what whites, lighter reds and rosés I still have lurking in the racks.
Now is the time to drink up any lighter wines from last year that may have slipped my notice and make a shopping list for the weeks ahead.
The idea of changing the wine you drink with the season, just as you change your diet and your wardrobe still meets some resistance. People tend to ‘like what they like’ when it comes to wine, drinking the same bottles right through the year. The more pronounced acidity and palate weight of lighter wines may not be to your taste. But try them with the right kind of food and you’ll see how perfectly tuned they are to the flavours of spring.
Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon blends
What more is there to say about Sauvignon Blanc? Only that there is much more variety than ever before and that quality seems on an unstoppable upward curve. Try those from South Africa if you’re not familiar with them. And revisit white Bordeaux and other Sauvignon-Semillon blends.
Best food pairings: goats’ cheese, asparagus, grilled fish and other seafood, dishes flavoured with coriander and dill
Grüner Veltliner
No sign of the Grüner bandwagon slipping off the rails. It’s still every sommelier’s darling - less demanding than Riesling, more sophisticated than Pinot Grigio (though see below). Drink young.
Best food pairings: Light Asian flavours e.g. Asian accented salads and noodle dishes, Vietnamese spring rolls
Albariño
Another fashionable option, Spain’s feted seafood white, which comes from Galicia in the North West of the country, has the intensity to cope with most light fish preparations. A good wine to choose in fish restaurants.
Best food pairings: shellfish, light fish dishes, spring and summer soups e.g. gazpacho, tomato salads
Chablis and other unoaked or lightly oaked Chardonnays
If you’re a Chardonnay drinker, time to change the register from oaked to unoaked or at least subtly oaked. (Those rich buttery flavours will overwhelm delicate vegetables and seafood unless they’re dressed with a rich butter sauce.) Faced with competition from the new world, Chablis is better quality than ever and a good own brand buy from supermarkets. Watch out for offers.
Best food pairings: oysters and other seafood, poached chicken, creamy sauces, fish and vegetable terrines, sushi
Dry Riesling
Like Marmite Riesling tends to polarise wine drinkers - some love it, some hate it. There’s no denying though that its crisp, fresh flavours and modest levels of alcohol it makes perfect spring sipping. If it’s the sweetness you’re not sure about stick to Alsace Riesling, German kabinett Riesling or Clare Valley Riesling from Australia. If it’s the typical kerosene flavours it can acquire with age, stick to younger wines.
Best food pairings: Smoked fish especially smoked salmon, crab, trout, smoked chicken, salads,Cantonese and lightly spiced south-east Asian food
Pinot Grigio
The tide of insipid, cheap Pinot Grigio has given the wine a bad name but the best examples (mostly from the Alto Adige) are elegant minerally whites that deserve a place in your cellar.
Best food pairings: antipasti, light seafood pastas and risottos, fresh tomato-based pasta sauces
Prosecco
The Veneto’s utterly charming sparkling wine, softer and more rounded than Champagne. It mixes fabulously well with fresh summer fruits such as peaches and raspberries as in the famous Bellini
Best food pairings: A perfect spring aperitif or to sip with panettone
Light rosé
I say light because so many rosés now are little different from reds in their levels of alcohol and intensity. Not that that style doesn’t have a place (it’s a great wine to drink with barbecues, for example) but it can overwhelm more delicate flavours. At this time of year try the lighter, less full-on styles from Provence and elsewhere in the South of France or from the Rioja and Navarra regions of Spain.
Best food pairings: Provençal-style dishes such as salad Niçoise and aioli (vegetables with a garlic mayonnaise), grilled tuna, mezze
Light Loire reds
Well, actually not so light if you look at the 2005 vintage but in general Loire reds which are mostly based on the Cabernet Franc grape are light and fragrant, perfect served cool. Examples are Chinon, Bourgeuil and Saumur-Champigny.
Best food pairings:
Seared salmon and tuna, grilled chicken, goats' cheese
Young Pinot Noir
I stress young because you want that bright, intense, pure raspberry fruit rather than the slightly funky notes you can get with Pinot (especially red burgundy) that has a couple of years’ bottle age. The most reliable place to find it currently is in the Marlborough region of New Zealand. Chile, California and Oregon have some appealingly soft, fruity Pinots too, though again, watch the alcohol and serve lightly chilled.
Best matches:
Seared duck breasts, salads that include fresh or dried red berries or pomegranate seeds, seared salmon or tuna.
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