Delicate and light: The best wines for seasonal suppers
OUR expert chooses lighter wines to serve with seasonal suppers
Big, heavy, fruit-driven wines have their place – and that’s by a roaring fire in a few weeks’ time, when summer is just a memory. But this week’s recipes, for lighter ways to make the most of the autumn harvest, call for more delicate wines with subtlety as their strong suit.
My choices range from an inexpensive Hungarian blended white through to a really well-priced pinot noir from the northwest coast of the US – via one of the best-value sparkling wines on the market.
From left:
Hilltop Premium Pinot Grigio-Királyleányka 2013, Hungary £4.49, Co-op, 11% alcohol
Super-fresh and bright, this Hungarian white is a real bargain, with flavours of lemons and grapes as well as a subtle herbal twist.
Pierre Bonnet Crémant de Loire, France £6.79, Aldi, 12% alcohol
Outstandingly cheap for a good sparkling wine, this is deliciously focused, with citrus, white-peach and subtle toasty notes. It’s great on its own or with the butternut squash salad.
Gabriel Meffre Sainte-Baume 2013, Lirac, Rhône, France£9.99, Waitrose, 13.5% alcohol
This Rhône red is bright and fresh with nice cherry and berry fruit plus a touch of pepper spiciness. It’s pure, fresh and juicy.
Underwood Pinot Noir 2012, Oregon, USA £12.99, Marks & Spencer, 13% alcohol
Just above California, Oregon is a hotspot for the pinot noir grape. It’s rare to see a decent example at this price, but with bright fruits and a silky texture, this is an excellent buy.
From left:
Tesco Finest Chablis 2009, Burgundy, France £9.49, Tesco, 12.5% alcohol
Chablis, the northern outpost of Burgundy, makes distinctive and crisp white wines from the chardonnay grape. This is true to type, with lively citrus fruits, and would be good with the scallops.
Dr Hermann Erdener Treppchen Riesling Spätlese 2005, Germany £10.99, Majestic, 8.5% alcohol
Spätlese means “late harvest”. That intensifies the flavours, and this is a really aromatic wine with powerful lime, some sweetness and keen acidity. It would be perfect with this week’s tomato and thyme tart.
Domaine de Pontfract Rosé 2013, Côtes de Provence, France £10.99, laithwaites.co.uk (0333 014 8198), 12.5% alcohol
Pale pink in colour, this is a benchmark Provence rosé with nice texture to the smooth cherry and pear fruit. A versatile food wine, it’s well worth a try.