by Rebecca Leigh, The Poor Print Oenophile

Hilary ’15 Week 3 Wine Recommendations

I got some really positive feedback on last week’s recommendations, so I’m back again this week! Again, please remember to enjoy wine responsibly.

Sunday

Watercress and leek soup
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Grilled mackerel with horseradish and gooseberries
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Rump of lamp served with hispi cabbage, smoked bacon and boulanger potatoes
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(V) Spiced lentil and sweet potato galette
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Lemon posset

This Sunday is Candlemas, and the wine is served from pre-selected choices: a white, a red and a dessert wine.

Monday

Brie wedges with Cumberland sauce
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Breast of chicken served with glazed onion and beans, and roasted new potatoes
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(V) Spinach and ricotta tortellini
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Citrus mousse

The meat main course is a simple classic that makes choosing a wine easy. White meat like chicken goes perfectly with a Sauvignon Blanc or a Chardonnay. So in this case I will make two recommendations: the Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc at £5.00 for a half-bottle if you’re wanting to keep Monday evening light; or, even nicer, the lovely Norte Chico Chardonnay which comes in a standard bottle.

With spinach- and ricotta-based pastas, Chianti goes well. Now, there isn’t any Chianti on the wine list (it can get very expensive) because it’s made of at least 70% Sangiovese grapes; instead, perhaps try the Allamanda Sangiovese for a red, or, depending on what the tortellini are served in, the Allamanda Pinot Grigio might work nicely, especially if it’s a tomato sauce.

Tuesday

Minestrone soup
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Roast sirloin served with potatoes creamed with garlic, Chantenay carrots and a Yorkshire pudding
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(V) Filo parcel with mushrooms and celeriac
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Coffee gateau

In the same way chicken on Monday calls for a white wine, beef wants a red wine. Sirloin is a lean cut of beef, which means you can be pretty free with your choice, though we do have to bear the garlic in mind. Generally, with fattier cuts of beef, a wine with a large amount of tannin in it will clean your mouth after each mouthful, meaning the taste of the meat comes through all the more. The Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon has some nice dark fruity aromas to it, I think you should try that!

Mushrooms go well with a Chenin Blanc, and celeriac with a Sauvignon Blanc. These two wines are similar to one another; therefore feel free to choose one of either of these from the wine list.

Wednesday

Spiced parsnip soup
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Braised venison with juniper and red wine sauce
Herb diced potatoes, spiced lentils and carrots
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(V) Gnocchi with butternut squash
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Baked vanilla custard cream with rhubarb

The herby cooking methods used for the venison lend themselves to a Cabernet Sauvignon; Berry Bros & Rudd suggest a Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah blend would be pretty much perfect with this dish. The Casillero del Diablo goes well with game, and the fact that it suits piquant flavours is only in its favour considering the spiced lentils the meat is served with.

Thursday

Pate with brioche
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Breast of pheasant with crushed sprouts, glazed carrots and roast new potatoes
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(V) Aubergine baked with feta cheese and savoury couscous in a filo parcel
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Profiteroles

For meat eaters today, the game bird would ideally be served with Pinot Noir, but in place of this, you can try the white wine equivalent, Chardonnay (the Norte Chico).

Feta cheese is tangy, lovely, and goes with a lot of white wines on the list: Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Riesling. Inconveniently, aubergine goes best with red wine. I think this means another outing (twice in the same day!) for the Norte Chico. It’s such a versatile wine; you can rely on it for awkward dishes like this.

Friday

Smoked salmon and crème fraiche tart served with tuna and fennel salad
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Elderflower sorbet
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Fillet of lamb with haricot beans and broccoli
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(V) Spiced chick pea risolle cake in Panko bread crumbs
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Lemon curd sponge pudding

The Clare Exchange is at Oriel this Friday, and so for the second time this week, the wine has already been selected, which makes my jobs easier for me!

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With two college functions on this week, my work is easily done! Again, any feedback would be very much appreciated!

P.S. A Note on Vegan-Friendly Wines!

The following wines are suitable for those who are vegan: Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc, Alta Rita Sauvignon Blanc, Emiliana Riesling Reserva and the Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon.