The last few weeks have seen a major focus on Europe, what with the Eurovision Song Contest and Thursday’s vote for the European elections.
So, I thought this would be an ideal opportunity to focus on the wonderfully diverse wines of Europe. When I was growing up in the wine trade, Europe was the benchmark. Any Chardonnay producer in the rest of the world would be compared to Burgundy and similarly with Cabernet Merlot blends and Bordeaux. A new world Tempranillo had to live up to Rioja, and anyone who dared to grow Riesling had to stand up to the might of Germany.
There is no doubt that the new world produces amazing wines, but the European classics are classics for a reason.
The balance between fruit, minerality and oak in a white Burgundy is the Holy Grail that everyone tries to emulate. This weekend, scoop up a bottle of M&S’s Viré Cléssé Florent 2015 (M&S, £14), and you’ll see just what all the fuss is about. This is especially true if you pair the bottle with simply cooked scallops or a nice creamy chicken dish such as fricassée.
If you pop in to any decent wine merchant and ask them for a bottle of their house claret (Bordeaux), they should be able to give you something good. And you shouldn’t be paying more than £15.
In terms of Rioja, my go to bottle is Campillo. Owned by the Faustino family, Campillo is their family reserve. In terms of the range, there’s a joven (young) wine, a Reserva, a Gran Reserva and some limited editions. Try a bottle of the Campillo Reserva Rioja 2012 (Inverarity One to One, £14.99) with lamb or brisket.
For a very old fashioned, classic German Riesling try the Balthasar Ress Schloss Reichartshausen Rheingau Riesling Kabinett Feinherb 2011 (Inverarity One to One, £17.49). This is more or less, the perfect aperitif…but it is also incredibly food friendly. Let’s celebrate Europe, with some really tasty wines. Cheers!
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