Drink with Roger Jones

Middle Eastern cuisine brings a wealth of aromatic flavours, and Lebanon has its own taste and uniqueness, with ingredients, such as pomegranate, sumac, herbs and spices, to uplift the barbecue experience as well as wines of great value and quality to share around the flames.

Wine

Lebanese wine comes from Bekaa Valley and I have picked the most famous wineries: Chateau Musar and Chateau Ksara. Using international and local grapes, both offer wines to suit most budgets.

Chateau Ksara, Merwah 2020

Merwah is an ancient indigenous grape, with lovely aromatic citrus notes with floral perfume and opens up on the palate offering clementine, blood orange, pomegranate and fresh herbs. It has a creamy finish, with fresh melon and almonds giving it texture.

Chateau Ksara Blanc de Blancs 2022

Sauvignon, Semillon, Chardonnay – crisp and fresh, then layers of stone fruit and grassy herbs. Think pears, peaches and nutty notes, with a refined, clean-cut finish.  

Chateau Ksara Blanc De l’Observatoire 2022

Obeideh, Clairette, Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc. Fresh and fruity, it reminds me a bit of white Bordeaux. It is a beautiful, clean, focused wine that offers citrus, stone fruit and freshness.

Chateau Musar Jeune White 2021

Viognier, Vermentino and Chardonnay give flavours of pineapple, pear, apricots and passion fruit. As the wine evolves on your palate, think peaches and cream, before a fresh, clean, delicate finish. This lingers on the palate giving a fabulous freshness, with lemon and thyme perfume. A great summer wine. 

Chateau Musar White 2014

Obaideh and Merwah grapes. These grapes are said to be related to Chardonnay, giving plenty of texture and weight to the wine. Citrus, lemon wax, beeswax, with rich, citrus notes.

Chateau Ksara Le Prieuré Rouge 2020

Carignan, Cinsault, Mourvedre and Grenache. Spiced black fruit, fresh and clean, this is very Rhone in style. I loved the vibrancy – raspberries, pomegranate, chilli, rosemary and black cherries.

Chateau Ksara Reserve Du Couvent Rouge 2020

Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. A classy modern Syrah/Cab blend giving texture, style and freshness. Black and red fruits with cedar spice, smoking nose and silky smooth, with bright precise dark red fruits with luscious dark blueberries and hedgerow blackberries. A wonderful wine.

Chateau Ksara Rouge 2019

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot. Think a young Bordeaux. This is excellent quality. Cassis, cedar, cigar, violets, blackcurrant and silky smooth. A luscious basket of red, blue and black fruit and vanilla that lingers an age on the palate.

Chateau Musar Jeaune Red 2021

Cinsault, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon. This is unoaked, giving a clean, focused, precise wine. Luscious red cherries, blackcurrants and blackberries, as well as dark chocolate and cocoa spice, with the Syrah dominating. 

Chateau Musar Hochar Pere et Fils 2019

Cinsault, Garnacha Tinta, Cabernet Sauvignon. This barrel aged, second wine of Chateau Musar offers a good insight into its top wines – 35-year-old wines from a single vineyard estate. Attractive spices, with dark red fruits, nicely balanced with savoury (dried herbs and meat juices) notes, fresh and vibrant in its youth.

 
Chateau Musar Red 2018

Inky and full flavoured, dark black fruit, cassis and violets with a silky, long, perfumed feel. This will age for years, but is already drinking well and packs a punch.

Food

Cauliflower Shawarma

Sumac, all spice, cumin, cardamom, chopped coriander, garlic, shallots; combine with tahina paste. Coat a whole cauliflower and chargrill for 30 minutes. Finish with parsley and pomegranate.

 
Lobster Sayadieh

This is a classic Lebanese dish, a distant cousin of paella, traditionally using cod, but I have replaced the cod with lobster and shrimps. I used a paella pan, but a frying pan would also work. It is all about spice, and you can use any rice, with basmati my preference. Finely chop shallots, red pepper, ginger, red onion and garlic. Pan fry on the BBQ with rapeseed oil and sesame oil and add Lebanese 7 Spice. Add the rice. Once sealed, add vegetable stock to the rice, cook for 15 minutes before adding the shellfish. Near the end of cooking, add sesame seeds, almonds and a dash of pomegranate sauce. Garnish with lots of chopped parsley, coriander and parsley, with lashings of squeezed unwaxed lemons.

 
Kafta Kebabs

The classic kebab on skewers and the trick is to get the meat to stick to the skewer; easily done with a splash of ice-cold water added to the minced meat. Use chicken, beef or lamb, with very finely chopped onions, garlic and ginger, and a range of spices, including ground cardamom, cumin, sumac, cinnamon, and dried herbs such as mint and sage (dried herbs give an intense aromatic flavour). Serve with pitta bread, yoghurt and salad.

 
Whole Grilled Sea Bream

The secret here is to get the skin crispy and left in one golden state. Gently wipe the scaled and gutted bream with olive oil and salt and place a small, preserved lemon inside. Grill till golden and crispy. Make a dressing from fresh pomegranate, chopped mint, parsley, wild garlic leaves and coriander. Pour over and serve.

 
BBQ Whole Poultry 

I used a guinea fowl but a chicken works equally well. Stuff the whole bird with mini preserved lemons, sage, bay leaf, and wipe the outside with olive oil and coat in Lebanese spices and a teaspoon of curry sauce. Cook till golden in colour.

 
Dressings and Sides

Very similar to Greek and Turkish but with a unique Lebanese twist. I made dips from butter beans and fava beans, as well as chickpeas, while pomegranate molasses give a wonderful lift to traditional hummus. There is also a lovely hummus where pickled red peppers are added, for flavour and colour. Always dress and uplift dips with a garnish such as chopped herbs with olive oil, pomegranate, blended flavoured oil, sesame seeds or Nigella seeds.

 
Lebanese Spices

Sumac is a ground spice made from dried berries, with a citrus feel, quite tarty, which uplifts dishes. Lebanese dried herbs are a combination of sage, coriander, mint, parsley and bay, a powerful spice for meat dishes, while Lebanese biryani spices are coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, cloves and garlic. Za’atar is sesame seeds, thyme, sumac, oregano, marjoram, cumin and salt, while Ras El Hanout consists of paprika, ginger, black pepper, coriander, cardamon, all-spice, turmeric, mace, nutmeg, chilli, cloves and rose petals.

Roger Jones is a Michelin Star chef and an international wine judge.

Wine and Dine

An English vineyard is taking its food outdoors to pair with its award-winning wines. RUPERT BATES heads to Ridgeview in Sussex.

There is perhaps only one hospitality reputation rising at the same rate in the UK as live-fire cooking and that is English sparkling wine – a marriage made in culinary heaven.

When it comes to sparkling wine, viticultural heaven on earth – or terroir – is the county of Sussex, and in particular the Ridgeview estate in the South Downs near the village of Ditchling. Wine, with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes flourishing at this B Corp accredited vineyard, is, of course, the hero. But food, served inside and out, is elevating the visitor experience at Ridgeview still further.

The Rows & Vine is the restaurant onsite at the winery, moving outside for spring and summer, as well as the potential to introduce open-fire dining and immersive masterclasses from pitmasters. Bubbles loves a BBQ. Let fizz meet fire.

Simon and Tamara Roberts

Ridgeview, with sustainability at its core, regularly triumphs on the world stage as an award-winning winemaker, including being voted World’s Best Sparkling Wine by Decanter up against the world’s finest Champagne houses and, last year, Ridgeview won the Best UK Winery Club award. Other accolades include being crowned the world’s best at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in 2018 and named 35th in the Top 50 World’s Best Vineyards in 2019.

Next year, this second-generation family business, led by CEO Tamara Roberts and her brother and head winemaker, Simon Roberts, celebrates 30 years of viticulture and sustainable winemaking.

“We are purpose-driven and committed to making a positive impact on the world around us. We strive to make our business a force for good. Our ambition to be at the forefront of sustainable and ethical practices for the English wine industry, means making every step of our production journey as efficient, ethical and ecologically positive as possible, from grape to glass,” says Tamara Roberts.

The Rows & Vine restaurant, under head chef Neill Kefford and championing local, seasonal produce, was completed in 2022 as ‘not simply a restaurant, but a unique English wine experience, the beauty of an al fresco space where you are outside amongst it all, sharing the magic of winemaking.’

Martin Garner, head of hospitality at Ridgeview, says the vision is to create the ultimate, immersive food and drink experience. You look over the Chardonnay vines and beyond to the hills of the South Downs National Park, with the native woodland of the estate another frame of reference and reverence. The dining space is a series of covered pavilions from Caribbean Blinds, open or closed to allow for all weathers, playing with light and shade, with a central bar area wrapped in cedar and a wall of natural flint. You suspect if Sussex artist Eric Ravilious, renowned for his watercolours of the South Downs and its landscapes, was alive today he would take his easel to the raised Ridgeview terrace. He’d enjoy a glass of Bloomsbury too.

Ridgeview wines are natural food pairings, be it the depth and complexity of the Pinot dominance in the Cavendish to match with duck, the toasted spice of the Blanc de Noirs to go with lamb, or the Blanc de Blancs single estate Chardonnay to pair with scallops and lobsters.

“Our philosophy is ‘life is for celebrating’ and we want guests to experience this in every aspect of our estate,” says Tamara Roberts.

The time is ripe to pop a cork and light a fire. Let the party begin.

Drink with Roger Jones

Vegan food is not just for vegans, and, with plenty of added umami flavours, you may be surprised by the variety of dishes you can create; not to mention the quality of vegan wines to accompany them.

Wine uses fining agents to clarify wine and the two main agents are egg whites for red wine (albumen) and milk protein for white wine (casein). It is important to remember they are processing agents, not additives, so they won’t be clearly listed on a label and generally they are removed, although there will always be traces left.

With the rise of veganism, along with an increased desire for organic and bio-dynamic wines, winemakers across the world are taking note and adopting a more natural approach. If wines are left to develop completely naturally, they will usually self-fine, reducing the need to introduce animal products into the process. For the wines that don’t self-fine, there are alternative fining agents available for winemakers, including clay-based methods.

However, unlike vegan food where even avocados are out due to the forced movement of bees to pollinate them, vegan wine does not follow the same strict rules.

Two of the leading vegan wine companies are Spoke from New Zealand and Yalumba wines from Australia – top wines that also happen to be vegan.

Ben Glover from Spoke is one of New Zealand’s leading environmentally friendly winemakers, working with nature and climate to produce wines of exceptional quality. Yalumba, based in Angaston, South Australia and still family-owned through several generations, dates back to 1894 and epitomises all that is great about Australian wine.

Spoke Awatere Sauvignon Blanc 2022

Paired with sweetcorn ribs, coconut and sesame oil.
Forget the cliched ‘cat’s pee’ New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc; this is much more like a Sancerre from France. It is bright, fresh elegant and clean cut, with aromatics of white peaches and hints of gooseberry with lemon and lime zest. The raw corn on the cob is sliced down the middle, marinated in coconut and sesame oil, seasoned with salt and pepper and then glazed for five minutes on the BBQ. Throw some fresh herbs on top to enhance the experience.

Spoke Brink Sauvignon/Semillon 2022

Paired with charred leeks, and pistachio and coriander chutney.
Fabulously textured wine, the freshness from the Sauvignon combines with the textured creamy Semillon. There are notes of lemon grass, white peaches, and lanolin. The chutney is easy to make: combine two bunches of coriander including the stems, 100g/3½oz pistachios, two green chillies, a tablespoon of olive oil, a bunch of garlic chives and two squeezed limes.

This is such a simple dish to prepare, but make sure the leeks are not too big; the smaller they are the sweeter they are. Marinade in olive oil and sea salt, then straight on the BBQ till you have a good char colour to the leeks. Serve with the chutney.  

Spoke Amped Chardonnay 2022

Paired with roast celeriac with Perigord truffles and soy & shallot dressing.
Think Chablis. Crisp apple, fresh stone fruit and refreshingly moreish.  Wash/brush the whole celeriac (do not peel) and rub with a solution of olive oil and salt. If you do not have any fresh truffles to hand, substitute with truffle oil. Barbecue with the lid on for an hour. Allow the celeriac to char on the outside, pull off the heat, slice off the top and pierce holes into the root with skewers. Then fill with olive oil and salt or truffle oil. Or if you’re feeling generous, grate fresh truffles on top of the celeriac. Serve with gently cooked shallots with soy sauce and chopped parsley added.

Oxford Landing Merlot 2021

Paired with BBQ red cabbage, Asian spices, wild garlic and chilli chutney, raisins and balsamic vinegar.
This luscious Merlot is full of ripe fruit. Red cherries ooze off the palate, followed by juicy plums and a velvety silky finish. Wrap the red cabbage in greaseproof paper and then foil. Pour a handful of golden raisins on top, together with a good glug of balsamic vinegar, a dash of soy sauce, bay leaf and salt, and seal the foil. Bake in the BBQ for one hour then allow to rest. As you carve the whole red cabbage, watch the bloody red juices ooze from the ‘roast’.

Yalumba Galway Shiraz 2021

Paired with Jerusalem artichoke skewers, rosemary and garlic oil.
Blackberries and vanilla spice, fresh and vibrant, luscious and warming, this is a wine full of excitement. Jerusalem artichokes do take time to cook so give then a good scrub, but do not peel. Then boil for 20 minutes prior to chilling, before placing in a plastic bag filled with chopped garlic, rosemary, sea salt and olive oil with some lemon rind. Finally, place on a skewer and throw on to the flames.

Yalumba Organic Viognier 2022

Paired with aubergine/eggplant Madras, mango chutney and coconut cream.
This Viognier is aromatic with a fragrant herbaceous nose. On the palate think honeysuckle, fennel and apricot. These nectar flavours combine into a silky, succulent, juicy wine, perfect for spiced food. Cut the aubergine/eggplant in half and then take out as much of the core as you can, looking to leave the shell perfectly shaped. Chop up the aubergine/eggplant core, combining with finely chopped garlic, ginger, shallots and sweet red peppers. Cook with curry spices for 20 minutes in olive oil and add chopped vine tomatoes, coriander and coconut. Place back into the aubergine shells and roast on the barbecue.

Fizz, Fish and Fire with Roger Jones

Issue 11 | Spring 2023

One of the most common mistakes consumers make is to categorise Cava and Prosecco in the same ice bucket.

The traditional method of making a bottle of fizz involves creating a still wine and then bottling it with yeast and sugar, which form bubbles when left to ferment.

Champagne, English Sparkling and Cava are made in this way, while Prosecco uses the tank method.

Adding yeast means time is needed for the flavours to evolve. Champagne takes a minimum of 15 months to produce the best flavours and aromas, while Cava can be made from nine months, but often much longer.

The tank method used by Prosecco is a much more economical and simpler process, with everything processed in a tank, with this process taking from less than six weeks to six months.

Prosecco is made from one grape variety – Glera. It is a white variety of Slovenian origin, which was brought to the Italian village of Prosecco. Prior to 2009 the grape was called Prosecco, but EEC rules forced the name change to protect the wine’s status.

The Glera grape has little complexity or flavour, hence the addition of sugar resulting in a sweeter style sparkling.

The key, besides the quality of the grapes, is time, which is then reflected in the cost and style.

Cava is aged from nine months to over 48 months (for Gran Reserva), or even over 100 months for special releases.

Cava uses not only traditional Champagne grapes such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but local Spanish varieties, which make up the majority of the production. The main ones are Macabeo (providing fruit), Xarel-lo (strength and body) and Parellada (softness and aroma).

95% of Cava comes from the Penedès region of Catalonia, about an hour’s drive from Barcelona. However, not everything has been ‘sparkling’ for Cava growers.

Firstly the EEC upset them with regulations when Spain joined the Common Market in 1986 and more recently the setting up of clubs by the small growers seeking to highlight their quality against the big two giants Freixenet and Codorniu.

The latest club, set up in 2018, is Corpinnat, consisting of 11 members. Rules to join this club include certified organic grapes and historical varieties, manual harvest and 100% vinified on the premises, with minimum ageing of 18 months.

This naturally means that certain great Cava producers are excluded, for example, for using Chardonnay, but it is definitely a way forward to highlight the quality coming from Sparkling wine in Penedès.

So what can we expect from Cava? It is made in the exact way as Champagne or English sparkling wine and will offer you excellent quality and value. You can spend more, just like with Champagne, and rest assured these are quite superb, but I would suggest to start with you look at something like Pere Ventura at £8.99 and Juve & Camps at under £15.

Cava will be dry, not sweet like Prosecco. Cost is, of course, a reflection of quality but spending between £9 and £15 offers great value. Cava in this price range should reflect cheaper Champagne brands.

Pere Ventura Reserva Non Vintage is fresh, clean and easy drinking, with toasty brioche with fresh apple, and great value at £8.99 in Waitrose. The range includes the excellent Pere Ventura, Vintage Brut, 2012.

Juve y Camps, Brut Nature Gran Reserva, 2017 is made from free run juice, with 55% Xarel-lo, 35% Macabeo and 10% Parellada. This is fresh and clean on first taste; then the golden wine evolves with some toasty brioche, stone fruit and fresh citrus.

This has been aged on average for three years giving it great complexity, with a perfect alcohol level of 12%. Priced at £14.99 at Majestic makes it one of the best value aged vintage sparkling wines in the UK.

Juve y Camps, La Siberia Gran Reserva Rose, 2012 is at the other end of the price range and available at Harvey Nichols at £160 a bottle. This 100% Pinot Noir is named La Siberia because of the cold climate the vines are grown in, which ripen very slowly, producing an incredible quality wine that has aged on lees for about 80 months.

There are tangerine, fresh bakery notes, hints of mineral and barbecue smoke, freshened with dark raspberries, cherries, frais de bois, rosebuds and a scent of pure joy. The packaging looks not dissimilar to Dom Perignon and very much in the same class.

Gramona Imperial, Corpinnat, Brut 2017 is of the exclusive Corpinnat group. This Cava has had 15 months on lees and is full of clean precise stone fruit, nectarines and peaches, savoury and spiced – a very elegant style for just over £20 a bottle. The range goes right up to the incredible Celler Batlle Brut 2010, which has been aged for 108 months and will set you back over £100.

In terms of food pairings, paella is of course a classic Spanish dish we know and love and its contents vary dependent on the region or closeness to the sea. This gives you the opportunity to expand your culinary skills and impress your guests. To most people paella is based on seafood, but it can equally work as vegetarian, meat only, or a combination of all three.

Some basic cooking tips are to use either paella or Arborio rice. Add plenty of juicy ingredients, so chicken should be skinless thighs; use cooking chorizo – with spice – picante, red onions, sweet pointed red peppers, good quality paprika, extra virgin olive oil. In a variation from normal mussels, look to monkfish (on the cartilage), shelled raw frozen prawns, langoustines and clams. The best liquid to add is Big Tom tomato juice or a quality supermarket tomato and basil sauce.

Paella pans are inexpensive with lots of good value ones online. The secret is in keeping the heat monitored.

Fish is a fine match for Cava. Be it small sardines, sea bream or sea bass, these oily fish are lovely dipped in olive oil and salt prior to grilling. A touch of charcoal burn is fine on the skin, while a splash of lemon juice will refresh it.

The big new food pairing for Cava is Japanese, especially sushi. So if you are starting off your BBQ with some nibbles, either order some sushi in, or make up a few simple bites to go with your Cava.

Fizz, fish and fire – the perfect combination.

Grenache with Roger Jones

This may not be on everyone’s shopping list, but, in recent years, the Grenache grape has grown in momentum and stature. At the very top, from the Rhône in France, there is Chateau Rayas at £2,000 a bottle, to an Australian wine at under £10.

There cannot be many grape varieties that have seen such a monumental change in their prosperity than Grenache, especially from Australia. Grenache was originally used in Australia for their fortified wines; after the end of World War II vineyards were planted in South Australia with Grenache and given to returning soldiers at hugely discounted prices. For many years these went into bulk and homemade wines, with the vineyards now highly sought after due to their age and quality.

Grenache is popular in the Rhône, especially with Châteauneuf-du-Pape, although this wine can include Mourvèdre and Syrah. The flavours from a classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape have a raspberry and plummy feel to begin with, then they will evolve in your mouth, giving savoury and herby notes. Wine buffs call these herb notes garrigue, reflecting the local scrubland around the vines, full of sage, rosemary and lavender. On the finish there is a sweet strawberry freshness.

Spain is another hotbed of Grenache, known there as Garnacha and made famous by some superstars from Priorat. This success prompted some of Spain’s younger, more modern winemakers to see that Garnacha had potential all over the country. Consequently you will find winemakers in places like Aragón in the north, and in central Spain around Madrid. Garnacha is also often used in blends to give their red wines a fresh uplift.

The style of Garnacha from Spain is fruitier, often with a touch more alcohol – think raspberry and strawberries with a dusting of white pepper; with older, more expensive wines think plummy, rich ripe figs.

California also has Grenache on an upward spiral but check the percentage as they can hit 15%, although anything below 13.5% will be pretty pleasant on the head.

Summer Road Old Vine Grenache 2022

South Australia | £7.49

A bargain here from Waitrose. Fresh bright strawberry notes, hints of vanilla spice, juicy and lively – an excellent introduction to the Grenache grape.

Care, Garnacha Nativa 2020

Carinena, Spain | £11.95

Textured with a minty chocolate note, creamy strawberry mid-palate and a full mouth feel. Great Spanish style.

Willunga 100, 2021 Smart Vineyard Clarendon Grenache

McLaren Vale, Australia | £28

Loganberries, delicate blackberries, gentle perfume, spiced fruity and velvety. This is fresh, clean and focused – a glorious mouth feel, young and fresh, but plenty of character, with an impressive cool feel on the end. This winery makes a range of Grenache wines, with the cheapest starting at £12.50 a bottle.

The Language of Yes Grenache 2020

Santa Maria, California | £30

Big, aromatic, perfumed style, clean on the palate, pomegranate, hint of ice cream, cool and fresh with a silky luxurious feel. Restrained on the alcohol, this is a lovely wine, showing great class.

Annexus Grenache, John Duval 2022

Eden Valley, Barossa, Australia | £40

I first met John Duval when he was holding the keys to Penfolds Grange, Australia’s foremost wine, and have followed the journey to his own label.

This 95% Grenache (with a small amount of Shiraz and Mataro) is sourced from vines planted 165 years ago, at the Stonegarden Vineyard, just outside Springton in the Eden Valley.

This is plush with dark but precise notes, voluptuous and restrained in the same mouthful – rich spices, vibrant aromatics, focused with a racy acidity. This is complex and complete, with a beautiful perfume. Quite exceptional.

Yangarra High Sands Grenache 2019

Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale, Australia | £150

This vineyard was planted in 1946. Yangarra has championed Grenache for some time and this wine shows real class, albeit it at £150 a bottle. This has sensitivity throughout, seamless with bright freshness balanced with spices and savoury notes. Cranberry and cherries, with some herbaceous notes, as the wine opens up on the palate with a wonderful mouth feel. This really does showcase how good Grenache can be.

BBQ food to pair with Grenache

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Tandoori chicken

The simplest way to make a great Tandoori chicken is to blend a jar of lime pickle with equal amounts of Greek yoghurt and coat the whole chicken with the mixture. Roast in the barbecue until golden in colour and allow plenty of time to rest before serving.

Ox tongue

Possibly the cheapest, most tender, flavoursome piece of meat you will find. Firstly, precook the whole tongue, ideally in a pressure cooker. When it is cooked, allow to cool down in the liquid; do not skin it until its chilled, otherwise it will form another skin. Place on a large skewer or rotisserie fork, and coat in spices of your choice, from a masala mix to Thai spices. Wrapping it in some bacon will give it extra moisture, then simply barbecue until hot.

Duck heart skewers

Succulent, meaty and sweet, with smoked paprika.

Whole grilled sea bream

A great winter dish, spiced up with Arabic ground spices.

Sparkling Wines of France with Roger Jones

There is no better way to celebrate the Rugby World Cup (RWC) in France than exploring the country’s array of sparkling wines – a mere 550 million bottles a year.

Eight French sparkling wine regions, with some 50 Appellations within these areas, are allowed to use the term Crémant, replacing the Méthode Champenoise term.

The regions are Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Die, Jura, Limoux, Loire and Savoie.

Alsace

Nearest RWC host: Paris

Dirler was the first sparkling producer in Alsace and made a Vin Mousseux as far back as 1880, although it was Dopff au Moulin who put this region’s sparkling wines on the map in the early 1990s.

You may not have Alsace Sparkling on your shopping list, but it is big in France, with 80% of the annual production of 32 million bottles drunk in France.

Generally, Pinot Blanc is the main grape in Alsace Crémant, with some Pinot Gris and Chardonnay used, but Riesling rarely.

Top names to look out for include Cave de Ribeauvillé, Dopff au Moulin, Jean-Claude Buecher, Domaine Joseph Cattin, Willm, Rentz and Frey-Sohler (Riesling).

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Chargrilled turbot head with Alsace Cremant

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Chateau Bauduc Bordeaux

Bordeaux

Nearest RWC host: Bordeaux

Not a huge producer. Both Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon are used for the white-

based sparkling and then all the Cabernets are allowed for the sparkling Rose.

Top for me is Château Bauduc, Blanc de Blancs 2019, Crémant de Bordeaux, made by Englishman Gavin Quinney, where I was recently invited to cook for 150 guests at his chateau.

“Our Crémant comes entirely from a hectare of Sémillon vines that we planted in 2004. The density is 5,550 vines to the hectare, from which we always get a decent yield. That’s helpful as we’re not looking for too much concentration and we need a lighter, more acidic juice for the base wine,” says Gavin.

“It’s handpicked into stackable crates, and the boxes taken to the winery 300 metres away, where the bunches are tipped into the pneumatic press. After light whole bunch pressing, we settle the juice and then cool ferment it in a single stainless steel vat.

“A few months later we add the yeast and sugar before the second fermentation in bottle. This takes place in limestone cellars about five miles from us near

Haux, the next-door village. There they do the ageing and riddling, and the disgorgement some 24 months after the bottling. We add a light dosage of 8g/litre and the alcohol is 11%. “

Burgundy

Nearest RWC host: Lyon

Some 20 million bottles of Crémant Bourgogne are produced, generally made from the Chardonnay grape, with Pinot Noir used for the Rosé.

Top names include André Delorme (Rully), especially its Crémant Rosé.

Die

Nearest RWC host: Lyon

This is in the eastern Rhone area, and, as with Limoux also has two styles of sparkling – Crémant de Die made from mainly Clairette grapes, and Methode Dioise Ancestrale, a sweeter, lower alcohol style that ferments in the bottle.

Look out for Crémant de Die, Domaine Achard-Vincent Brut, made from Clairette, Muscat and Aligoté grapes.

Jura

Nearest RWC host: Lyon

Located between Burgundy and Switzerland, this cool climate region is famous for making Vin Jaune; white wines not dissimilar to sherry, but its Crémant du Jura are generally made from Chardonnay grape and are excellent.

Top names include Domaine Désiré Petit. Try its Blanc des Blancs.

Limoux

Nearest RWC host: Toulouse

Slightly complicated here as there are two distinct styles – the Crémant de Limoux made from Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc and the Blanquette Methode Ancestrale, a luscious, sweet wine not dissimilar to Asti.

Try any of Gérard Bertrand’s Crémant de Limoux. A nice World Cup link here, as Gérard Bertrand played top-class rugby for Narbonne and Stade Francais, before building up one of France’s most respected biodynamic wine estates.

Loire

Nearest RWC host: Nantes

Dominated by the Chenin Blanc grape, and to complicate things there are six different mini appellations: Crémant de Loire, Anjou, Montlouis-sur-Loire, Saumur, Touraine and Samur.

My highlight here is the Crémant Samur, as predominantly the grapes are Chardonnay not Chenin and they sell over 16.5 million bottles a year with over 50% exported.

Top names include Bouvet-Ladubay, with some brands just trading under the Bouvet name, such as Bouvet Saphir Saumur Brut Blanc.

Savoie

Nearest RWC host: Lyon

Relatively new on the scene, this Alpine region was recognised as a Crémant in 2015, despite a long history in making sparkling wine. Using the native Jacquere and Altesse varieties, which thrive well in the higher altitude. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are also allowed.

Names to look out for are Domaine Belluard and André & Michel Quenard.

Champagne

Nearest RWC host: Paris

Of course, we cannot leave out the finest bubbles of them all – Champagne. Last year, 326 million bottles were sold, with 187 million exported.

And if France win the Rugby World Cup, it will be champagne flowing down the Seine.

Whether it is Non Vintage, Vintage or Multi Vintage there will certainly be bargains coming up to help the celebrations.

As a passionate Welsh rugby fan, I am going for Pommery, as it is a favourite of former Wales, British & Irish Lions and Racing Metro centre Jamie Roberts.

Wines of Portugal with Roger Jones

Portuguese cooking is not just about sardines. Dig a bit deeper and you will uncover a rich variety of styles and dishes, and in the south, especially in the coastal area of the Algarve, a hint to Indian cuisine.

Portugal has had a huge influence on India, especially in Goa, which Portugal ruled until 1961, and introduced some spices to India. The name vindaloo actually derives from the Portuguese dish carne de vinha d’alhos, which is a dish of meat, usually pork, with wine and garlic.

The Portuguese dish was modified by the substitution of vinegar – usually palm vinegar – for red wine and the addition of red Kashmiri chillies with spices to evolve into vindaloo.

Another popular dish, which mirrors paella from Spain, is arroz de marisco, more of a seafood stew, and not completely dry like the traditional paella, and does not contain saffron, but light spices, chilli and coriander. It is cooked in a pot with a lid, as opposed to an open pan.

BBQ SEAFOOD

Grilled fish

Everything from turbot to sea bass to gilthead bream, all simply slit in half but kept whole with pin bones taken out, sprinkled with salt (no oil) then grilled and seasoned again once cooked with sea salt and extra virgin olive oil.

Clams

Whether it is surf, razor, middle neck, violets, carpet-shell, Portugal, especially along the coast, is awash with clams. These are perfect cooked on a BBQ in specially designed grill mats/mesh, although, traditionally, in Portugal they are cooked in extra virgin olive oil, white wine and parsley or coriander.

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Octopus

Portugal must be the capital of the octopus, and there are fishing villages dotted along the Algarve coast that specialise in octopus fishing, none more so than Santa Luzia near Tavira. There is even a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant here, Casa do Polvo Tasquinha, specialising in octopus dishes, all 24 of them.

One of my favourite dishes is the chargrilled octopus, served with roasted sweet potatoes seasoned with curry spices, and finished with chopped coriander.

Cuttlefish

Another classic Portuguese seafood is cuttlefish, which is also in abundance around the southern and western coasts of the UK and offers excellent value. Simple to prepare but be aware of the black ink. Slice in half leaving the cuttlebone inside to protect it while cooking, and simply grill for 10 minutes with a seasoning of sea salt. Once cooked, sprinkle with extra virgin olive oil.

WINES

White grapes

Arinto is grown throughout Portugal. This grape produces vibrant wines with flavours of orchard fruits and citrus, which are best enjoyed young.

Fernão Pires is a versatile varietal that is found more widely in southern Portugal. Fernão Pires – also known as Maria Gomes in northern Portugal – can be picked at various ripeness levels for different flavour profiles, from bright citrus, to luscious peach, and fragrant tropical fruits.

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Alvarinho is grown throughout Portugal and is the country’s best known white varietal. The grape produces a wine that is full of character, deep in body and with zesty acidity. The best examples are highly aromatic with notes of peach, passion fruit, orange blossom and lychee.

Verdelho originated in Madeira. This native Portuguese varietal is highly regarded for its ability to retain a high natural acidity when grown in warm climates. Extremely fragrant, this grape showcases notes of mango, papaya and citrus, as well as fresh herbs and stony minerality.

Other white grapes found in Portugal include Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Viognier.

Red grapes

Touriga Nacional is Portugal’s best known red varietal. Producing wines with high tannins, full body and flavours, like dark berries, plums and purple flowers, this grape loves southern Portugal’s very warm climate.

Trincadeira is a hot-weather-loving varietal flourishing in the southern regions where the growing season is longer, allowing the grape to achieve full ripeness. Although difficult to grow, Trincadeira produces wines with bright raspberry flavours, herbal and spicy tones while retaining its acidity.

Castelão is found predominantly in southern Portugal, and prospers in the poor, sandy-clay soils. The grape has the ability to produce well-structured wines with vibrant acidity and an endearing rustic quality with notes of plum, redcurrants and meaty aromas.

Aragonês is known to the Spaniards as Tempranillo and as Tinto Roriz in northern Portugal. This varietal makes rich and robust wines and is often found in blends rather than as a single varietal wine. Thriving in both sandy and clay soils, Aragonês produces smooth, fruit-forward wines with undertones of spice.

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Others to savour

Alvarinho

This is, for me, Portugal’s star grape.

It is a lovely elegant ancient grape, intensely floral and fruity, offering notes of honeysuckle, white peach, grapefruit and apple alongside a refreshing crispness – and yes it’s the same as Albarino from Spain.

Moscatel Graudo

This may have originated from Greece where it is known as Muscat d’Alexandrie. Joao Pires Branco, Moscatel Graudo is an excellent fresh floral white wine that excels with sunny temperatures and shellfish.

Ninfa

The best sparkling wine that I have tried from Portugal is from the Ninfa vineyard in Tejo. 100% Pinot Noir, it is an evocative mouthful of delicate bubbles, a touch of salmon pink colour, beautifully balanced with a restrained elegance. The acidity is very gentle with the Pinot showcasing how good a Blanc de Noirs can be with a barbecue. The vineyard also makes an outstanding Sauvignon Blanc – the Ninfa Sauvignon Blanc 2020, fabulous with a salad of chargrilled octopus.

Vineyard spotlight

Taboadella, owned by Luisa Amorim, is a stunning state-of-the-art, fourth generation family winery in the Dao region of Portugal. The winery provides a range of styles and prices, from the discovery wines of Villae Branco and Tinto, moving on to Reservas using ancestral local grape varieties and culminating in its superb Grande Villae wines.

The grapes for the Villae Branco (white) include Encruzado, Bica and Cercial, giving a fresh citrus outlook, hints of tropical notes, with plenty of depth and texture.

Top of the range is the Taboadella Grande Villae red made from Alfrocheiro, Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz. This is rich and full of red and hedgerow fruits, spices, vanilla and delicate perfume aromas and opens up beautifully in the glass. A wine to cellar.

Dao is a region to look out for, with many excellent wineries being established there since it became a DOC in 1990.