If lamb is on the menu, rejoice, red wine fans, as there is
nary a red wine that doesn’t go with this meat. If your joint is proper spring
lamb, then stick to the lighter end of the scale with a Beaujolais or a juicy
New World Pinot Noir.
Marius Michaud
Moulin-à-Vent 2014, Beaujolais - £8.99 mix six price at Majestic
From one of the best Beaujolais crus, or villages, this is a
lovely Spring-like wine with perfumed, juicy red fruit with a meat-friendly
savoury finish.
Errazuriz Wild
Ferment Pinot Noir 2013 - £13 from Morrison’s
Wild ferment means letting the naturally occurring yeasts on
grape skins and in the air to ferment the grape juice into wine – the norm in
Europe, but not so in the New World. This gives the wine more layers of flavour
and complexity and, here, adds a layer of interest to the red fruit and clove
spice.
Last year’s lamb, known as hogget, offers a fuller flavour
and matches happily with all manner of full bodied reds. The French are brought
up knowing that a gigot d’agneau should be served with a claret, preferably
from the commune of Pauillac – and I am not about to contradict them. But you
could also happily serve it with any full-bodied, savoury red from Bordeaux,
Rioja, the Rhône and beyond.
Penfolds Bin 8 -
£19.99 from Waitrose
I’m not a fan of naming wines by numbers, but I doubt my
opinion counts for much, and it doesn’t seem to have done any harm to the
fortunes of Penfolds – and in any case the wine itself is quite delicious. This
is that quintessential Aussie blend of Shiraz and Cabernet that delivers plenty
of rich, ripe blackcurrant fruit with a lovely herbal edge and proper tannic
structure. It’s made for meat.
If you’re a white wine drinker only, look for something full
flavoured and rich – so a white Burgundy or other oaked Chardonnay would work,
as would a richer Chenin Blanc from either the Loire or South Africa.
Marques de Casa
Concha Chardonnay 2013 - £8.50 at Asda, down from £12 to £9 until 12 April at
Tesco
Don’t let the dull label put you off, this is a great buy at
these prices. This Chardonnay, from the Concha y Toro stable, is from Chilean Chardonnay hot spot Limari and offers plenty of peachy, nutty flavour; the
richness balanced with great acidity.
Cornelia Swartland
White 2015 - £10 from Marks and Spencer
A Chenin Blanc dominant blend from South Africa’s arguably
most exciting wine region, made by one of its most exciting winemakers. There’s
lots going on here – it’s juicy, fruity, savoury and herbal.
Then comes the thorny question of wine and chocolate. If
you’re tucking into a dark chocolate, high cocoa egg, you could try an LBV
Port, or other fortified wine made in a similar way, such as Maury from
Southwest France.
Taylor’s LBV 2010 -
£15 from Asda, Sainsbury, Morrison’s, Waitrose and The Co-op
LBVs are a step up in quality and flavour from regular ruby
Ports. They still have plenty of rich fruity flavour and some lip-smacking
tannins, making them a good partner for dark chocolate, or for rich dark
chocolate desserts, especially if there’s some red fruit in there too – Black
Forest Gateau anyone?
If your tastes are for something made of milk chocolate, be it
Dairy Milk or a Lindt bunny, I do hope it’s yours and not one that you’ve
nicked from the children. And the best thing to drink with it? A cup of tea.
