Match of the week

Game pie and Listrac

Posted by Fiona Beckett (Google+) on December 15 2008 at 07:44

A classic match for this time of year but no less enjoyable for that.

I was reminded just how good it was by a meal at a local Bristol bistro, the Primrose Café, a charming hark-back to the '70's that serves good, basic home-cooked English food.

The pie, which was really delicious with a good crisp crust and lashings of gamey gravy, came with parsnip purée and red cabbage but neither of those upset the accompanying wine - a very attractive half bottle of 1999 Château Fourcas Hosten, Listrac. (It was mid-week, so we resisted the full bottle!)

For a nine year old half bottle it was still remarkably fresh with attractive soft plummy fruit and that characteristic cedar twist that makes traditionally made clarets so appealing. It reminds one - if you need reminding - what a sympathetic pairing modestly priced claret can be. And what good value - this was only £14 on the wine list! (You can buy it from everywine.co.uk for £202.13 a case)

A mid-priced - or highly-priced Rhône or Rioja would also have worked well - this is a good dish to show off a red wine.

Image © Springfield Gallery - Fotolia.com

If you’d like be able to check out all the food and wine pairings on the site you can buy a bundle of credits here to access my premium content.

And/or for regular updates on what and where I’ve been eating, drinking and travelling sign up for my weekly newsletter Eat This, Drink That, Live Well.