GEOFF’S tomato recipes above simply sing to me of summer holidays in Greece and Italy, so it’s no surprise that I’m heading to sunnier climes with this week’s wine choice.
Tomato dishes can be tricky when matching with wine due to the levels of acidity in the food. You should echo that with the wine, so a good Sauvignon Blanc would be a fine place to start. The more adventurous among you might prefer a Malagousia from Greece or an Italian Vermentino. If you’d like a red wine, the everyday Italians such as Barbera d’Asti or Montepulciano d’Abruzzo are specifically designed to partner dishes that favour the humble tomato. I can’t comtemplate a lasagne or a lamb ragu without them.
Here are a few suggestions for the weekend.
Friuli Grave Sauvignon Blanc 2014 (M&S, £9). This zesty little number is unoaked to let the fruit character shine through, and the acidity levels make it a perfect match with Geoff’s tart. The Italians are not well-known for making good Sauvignon Blanc, but this one bucks the trend and is really worth a try.
Thymiopoulos Malagouzia 2013 (M&S, £9). Don’t be put off by the different spelling (with the ‘z’ instead of the ‘s’), this is a cracking Malagouzia from the Thiva region in Greece. It’s astonishingly good value at less than a tenner, and you really should put one in your fridge immediately.
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Poggio Civetta 2014 (Majestic, £9.99). This has more depth and character than many similarly priced Montepulcianos with a warming, earthy note of clove on the palate. You still get the enhanced acidity, making the wine very food friendly and a suitable match for tomatoes with feta, basil and olive oil.
Pete Stewart is Glasgow director of Inverarity One to One, 185a Bath Street, Glasgow. www.inverarity121.com
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