IN the last days of an Indian summer, there is nothing better than relaxing outside with cool food and a glass of wine.
However, quaffing wine in the open air is not as simple as it sounds. Whites and rosés should be well chilled and relatively bold to ensure you get at least an idea of the flavour. The subtleties of a delicate or expensive wine will often be swamped by the elements, so instead pick something full-flavoured and cheap. Reds shouldn't be too heady or too tannic as neither attribute mixes well with a hot sun. So choose something softer with a lower ABV (alcohol by volume), and you won't go wrong.
To match Geoff's street food, I'd have to pick a decent German Riesling. You'll need something with body and character, and good acidity to stand up to the strong flavours in the dish. Happily, we're now seeing more of these excellent wines in good supermarkets and, as a wine-drinking nation, we're far more accepting of the quality and value to come from regions such as the Mosel, Rheingau and Nahe.
Here are two of my current favourites.
Leitz Rudesheimer Rosengarten Riesling Kabinett 2013 (Waitrose, £14.49). Johannes Leitz is based in Rheingau, and his wines are exceptional. 2013 was a decent year in terms of quality, although the yields were lower than normal so make sure you snap this one up before it runs out.
Donnhoff Riesling Qba 2013 (Inverarity One to One, £15.99). Helmut Donnhoff is one of Germany's best winemakers and was named the Gault Millau Winemaker of the Year in 1999. This off-dry Riesling is incredibly moreish and extremely food-friendly. It would certainly stand up to Geoff's sticky Chinese five spice ribs.
Pete Stewart is Glasgow director of Inverarity One to One, 185a Bath Street, Glasgow. www.inverarity121.com
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