27/06/2020

Caesar salad with langoustines
Les Dauphins Côtes du Rhône White Cuvée Spéciale, 2018, France 
Tesco, £8
Les Dauphins Cotes du Rhone White is richly textured with heaps of refreshing as well as exotic flavours. What I love about the pairing is the zing sets off the salty-sweet shellfish and the richness works a total charm with the dressing. They have the largest area of organic vineyards in the Rhône Valley, 90% of their waste is now recycled and they have 700 metres squared of solar panels on the roof of the winery. Great quality for under a tenner, a silver medal at the Decanter awards and if you’re after an alternative, Côtes du Rhône white is what to look for - for grape varieties look for Marsanne, Grenache Blanc or Viognier for this dish.

Charred flatbreads with spiced lamb stew 
Firebrand Old Vine Grenache, 2019, France
Co-op, £9.50
Firebrand Grenache 2019 is made by a master of wine, Giles Cooke from old vines - up to 80 years old which gives more concentration and complexity to the flavours and in the case are 'dry grown' which means no irrigation so less pressure on natural resources, the vines are bushes which also means lower costs in the vineyard - no trellising, wooden posts, wires, irrigation tubes or water pumps, no electricity need either. That’s how the cost of the wine is under ten quid yet the quality is EPIC. Vibrant soft fruit works with the soft textures in Ollie’s recipe and there’s no oak in this wine which keeps in light on its feet but big on flavour. For an alternative to red Grenache, you could choose a modern Rioja but stick to either ‘Joven’ or Crianza’ to steer clear of oak, maximise fruity flavours and let the aromatic spicing in Ollie’s dish flourish.