Best pairings for the supermarkets’ finest
We are blessed with our independent wine merchants in Ireland. The diversity of regions and styles that they offer is astounding and I’d urge everyone with a real interest in exploring the world of wine to buy from them at least occasionally. And be prepared to spend €20 and upwards because, by and large, they deal in stuff that are of no interest to the supermarkets.
It’s not just a question of buying power; major multiples can’t deal with really small producers.
Of course, we all shop in supermarkets and most of us buy most of our wines there. So, this week, I thought I’d look at some of the best supermarket buys right now and match them with food. It has been no hardship, I’ll admit.
Aldi’s new autumn/winter collection is now in store but the wine I’ve chosen is one of which I buy a lot, the Cairanne.
This is meaty stuff and my best match for it has been beef cheeks done in the slow cooker with red wine and garlic. It has virtually no residual sugar but has a kind of wholesome sweetness from the gloriously ripe fruit.
The Garnacha from Tesco is a crowd pleaser, but it’s decent stuff and will tackle a burger with all the trimmings, right down to dill pickles and raw onion. But the best value in Tesco has to be their two own label Champagnes at just €35, and the Tesco Finest Vintage Port 2003 which I reckon is from Gould Campbell, at €29.50.
Lidl’s Hachon Ribera del Duero packs a lot of fruit and comes with the region’s hallmark payload of oak in the Reserva. Maybe not subtle but it has power and will partner a sensitively cooked ribeye superbly, even with a load of garlic butter.
SuperValu is doing much to revise the general opinion of German wines, and their Albert Glas Riesling is a fine ambassador, underlining that German whites are often dry these days. It’s very comfortable with mildly spicy dishes such as korma.
Dunnes Stores have a longstanding relationship with one of the big Bordeaux négociants and it pays dividends in the shape of Château Haut-Canteloup which weighs in at just €15.20 but could well cost a tenner more.