My time has been very full over the last week, so I have decided to Blog on two episodes of Nigel Slater's programme at once.

What Grows Together Goes Together

• Grilled Lamb with feta and Lemon - the combination of lamb, oregano and feta immediately point me towards recommending something classy and classic to drink. It would be really well accompanied by a good Southern Rhone, say a Gigondas, made by a producer focussed on quality. Alternatively something from Priorat in Spain would fit the bill. The Syrah and Grenache would really work with the lamb and the cheese [From the Aldeby Wines list I would recommend the Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup Cuvee Saint Agnes Rouge 2006, or if that is too pricy the Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup Cuvee Classique 2006]
• Raspberries with Toasted Oats and Cream - I probably wouldn't try to match any wine with this lovely sounding dish, but if you must try a new wave sweet renache from Languedoc, or a fortified Grenache from Banyuls or Maury
• Tomato Sauce for Pasta - The tomato is often a difficult thing to match wine to, it is the combination of acidity and sweetness (when they are truly ripe), the best things to go for are the wines of regions where they eat a lot of cooked tomatoes, like Italy, so a Tuscan Red, or anything made with plenty of Sangiovese in the blend, or possibly a good Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. From our range I would recommend the Mas d'Exindre Rouge 2007, which has plenty of fruit on the nose and palate, but enough ommph to cope with the tomato flavours
• An Extraordinary Way with Lettuce - This looks a fantastic early summer dish, I would be looking for something summery to drink with it, like a dry full flavoured rose, or an unoaked cool climate Chardonnay from Victoria in Australia, or a Leyda Sauvignon Blanc from Chile, alternatively a Corsican or Southern French blend including a good dollop of Vermentino (Rolle) would also go very nicely (Try the Chemin des Reves Abracadabra Blanc 2008)
• Thai Inspired Noodle Soup - The lovely blend of spices and coconut milk make this a difficult dish to match with wine, At worst the wine could clash badly with the food, or it could disapointingly just disapear. I think that some sweetness in the wine would help, as would some nice minerality and possibly some spicy characteristics, so I would try a white wine made from Chenin Blanc, like a demi-sec Vouvray from the Loire, or a halb-troken Riesling from Germany. With either wine, if on first taste the wine is wrong, it can safely be left to be drunk later, either with or without food.

Made For Each Other

• Sausages and Mustard - Real comfort food like this calls for real comfort wine: Chateauneuf-du-pape, or even a decent reasonably old Cornas or St Joseph from the Rhone Valley would be great; as would a good mature St Emilion from Bordeaux. From the New World I would choose a top Malbec from Argentina or a new wave Syrah from Limari in Chile or rom the Gimblet Gravels in New Zealand. From by favourite Languedoc, I would try the Plan de l'Om Paysage 2006, the Mas de Valbrune Pas de Deux 2007,or the Domaine de Rieussec Orangerie 2007.
• A Creamy Crunchy Fruit Sundae - Often I don't even try to match sweet dishes with wine, they often don't work, but in this case, I can picture a good sweet Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc blend working well, as long as it doesn't have any botrytis, so try a Montbazilliac. A sweet Pacherenc du Vic Bilh would also go nicely, as would a sweet Chenin Blanc from the Loire, say a Quarts de Chaumes or a Coteaux du Layon.
• Green Beans with Ham and Cheese - I think this dish would be enhanced if you had a good red wine to drink with it! I think it cries out for something full of red berry and spice flavours, and that means one thing - Grenache. The best Grenache based wines in the world come from the South of France, including some Chateauneuf-du-pape amd Costieres de Nimes. But in the Languedoc you find in my opinion the very best, like Miejour from Plan de l'Om, or Calice from Mas de la Barben, or from our list 1000 Roses Cuvee Lea 2006 or Domaine Jordy Cuvee Tradition 2007
• Smoked Haddock Chowder with Leeks and Sweetcorn - For me this says a white wine with plenty of character! So an oaked Chardonnay, say a Premier Cru (or better!) from the Cote Challonais in Burgundy, or a top Aussie Chardonnay like Bindi. Alternatively go for a wine made with Marsanne and/or Roussanne an important part of the blend, like a wine from the Northern Rhone like Saint Joseph or St Peray, or L'Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup Cuvee Saint Agnes Blanc 2007 - a blend of Roussanne, Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Marsanne - Plan de l'Om Feuillage 2006 or the remarkable and very rare Carignan Blanc from 1000 Roses. The weight, complexity and texture of these wines will work with the smoked fish and milky, herby "soup", lifting the flavours and adding to their complexity, while the oak will add a touch of richness to the whole dish.
• Carrot and Coriander Fritters - The cheese suggests a red wine, but I would go for a white and aromatic, with a definite, but not too marked flavour: a Pinot Gris from Alsace, a Gavi from Northern Italy, or a Marsanne from the Northern Rhone would be good choices. From the Aldeby Wines list I would direct peole towards the Praelude from Mas de Valbrune, a 100% Clairette that is dry, and made from old vines producing tiny yields of fruit.
• Pork Chops with Apple and Cider - Pork, sage, juniper and dry cider all push me towards a syrah based red, particularly one from a terroir that makes wines with a herbal character. Try a varietal Syrah from Margaret River in Western Australia, or from Piorat or Monsant in Northern Spain, or a good Cornas from the Rhone Valley. The flavours of these wines will partly reflect and partly add to the flavours on the plate, enhancing the whole thing. [Try the Domaine Grangeon Syrah 2006, or the Domaine de Rieussec Gentilhomiere 2006 from the Aldeby Wines range]

I hope that this theme continues to be interesting for you, I am certainly enjoying watching and even cooking some of the recipes. Finally, I'm sorry I have had to cover two episodes in one blog, I hope to be able to cover next week's episode a bit more quickly.

Best

Ian