One of our great pleasures in life is trying out different foods to match our English wines. We've done our research and have eaten and drunk our way through a fair few recipes before arriving at our top ten combinations to show off the best of our wine. It's a tough job but someone had to do it!
1. Dover Sole with lemon and herb butter served with English spring greens.
Perfectly paired with our Twelfth Night – 2019 Sauvignon Blanc & Bacchus.
Why we love it!
The slightly tropical buttery notes of the Sauvignon Blanc balanced with the grassy fresh Bacchus really come together to compliment this dish. Even better when you add some English, asparagus, broad beans or peas. Plus, its super simple to prepare and cook and perfect for a hot summer’s day!
2. English Asparagus with soft boiled Crispy Hens Egg, wild garlic mayonnaise and white truffle oil.
A great accompaniment to The Tempest – 2019 Bacchus.
Why we love it!
Bacchus pairs perfectly with English Asparagus and, in fact, all spring greens. We love this combination as a starter.... crispy, yet soft, egg oozing into the asparagus and bought to life with a zingy wild garlic mayonnaise and finally the white truffle oil to seal it all off…………… a spectacular way to start any meal.
3. Pan Roasted Monkfish on a tomato, chilli & garlic sauce.
Perfectly paired with the A Rose by any other name – 2018 Rosé.
Why we love it!
Served chilled, and finished dry, our Rosé packs a real punch of stoned dark cherries and fresh strawberries. It drinks well with fish and spicy food (we often enjoy this with Thai food) and the combination of fresh tomatoes, chilli & garlic, with the fruitiness of the Rosé, perfectly pairs this fabulous summer's day dish.
4. English Sparkling Wine risotto with fresh black truffle.
Perfect when cooked and drunk with Ophelia – 2018 English Sparkling Wine.
Why we love it!
We first came across this dish at a friend’s wedding in Lake Como and immediately agreed it was pure luxury on a plate. Granted, you won’t taste the bubbles in the risotto but the sharp acidity of English Sparkling Wine really cuts through the richness of this dish, especially when you finish off the bottle whilst eating it!
5. Scallops served with celeriac purée, fresh apples & roasted hazelnuts.
A perfect combination with The Tempest - 2019 English Bacchus.
Why we love it!
I am not a big fish eater, which is a letdown for Nichola who is, but with beautifully fresh scallops we can both be in total agreement. The dry acidity of our 2019 Bacchus with hints of lemon verbena and green apples pairs so well with the scallops, with fresh apple and nutty hazelnuts. The bacchus also helps to cut through the richness of the scallops and the celeriac purée - in fact this is one of my favourite ever dishes!
6. Fish and chips.
A perfect sparkling companion in Ophelia - 2018 English Sparkling Wine.
Why we love it!
Because we all deserve a night off and we all have our favourite fish and chip shop. OK, so we don't recommend the curry sauce over the top but a combination of the bubbles and acidity keeps your palette fresh to enjoy this naughty treat!
7. Eton Mess.
An English marriage with our A Rose by any other Name – 2018 Rosé.
Why we love it!
Dark cherries, strawberries and cream of our English Rosé matched with the meringue, strawberries and cream from the Eaton Mess…….what could be a more English way to celebrate a hot summer's day. This is made even more special when the best local strawberries are lovingly grown by our neighbours. All in all as local a dish as we can produce!
8. Windrush goats cheese with roasted heritage beetroot.
Spectacular pairing with our Twelfth Night – 2019 Sauvignon Blanc & Bacchus.
Why we love it!
Sauvignon Blanc & Bacchus both pair brilliant with Goats cheese. On its own we prefer a harder goats cheese, but with this dish we have chosen a goats cheese from Windrush in Oxfordshire. It has a big aroma but a gentle flavour with a hint of citrus that matches these grape varieties perfectly.
9. Seafood Platter.
Make sure you share with Ophelia – 2018 English Sparkling Wine.
Why we love it!
Well, nothing says bonus time quite like laying out a spectacular seafood platter and a bottle of English Sparkling Wine! In all seriousness, the joy of this dish is to get the fish straight from the sea to the plate as quickly as possible and it doesn't have to be overly expensive. We have had great success from the fantastic https://colchesteroysterfishery.com/ amazing fresh fish caught the day before and delivered fresh to your doorstep. This is a great and easy way to kick off any celebration in real style!
10. Barbecue Lemon & Herb Quail.
A perfect match for The Tempest – 2019 Bacchus.
Why we love it!
This is a really nice alternative to plain old chicken on the BBQ. Make sure you don't overcook it and constantly baste with a mix of melted butter, herbs (tarragon, chives & parsley) and lemon juice. The slightly gamier taste of the quail to chicken, combined with lemon and herbs, makes for a mouth-watering hot summer's day feast! Add some grilled asparagus to really finish it off!
We would love to hear about your favourite wine and food pairings. Leave a comment below and we will give the dish a test!