Pinot noir is so often a possible answer to the “what shall I drink with this?” question. It is very good with the earthy flavour of mushrooms – think garlic mushrooms on toast; mushroom risotto; monkfish with ceps and artichokes; macaroni cheese layered with mushrooms. The L’Atzar Reserva has had 15 months in that second ferment phase. Resting on dead yeast gives a creamy spiced character to the soft mineral talc, floral, ripe apple and lemon fruit. It is dry and those flavours last around for a long moment becoming more spicy and more floral as it finishes. Don’t limit these bubbles to celebratory occasions, it will work well with light dishes as well, including with some spice. And just as, in food, there are happy marriages such as strawberries and cream or Yorkshire Puddings and beef gravy so, too, there are combinations of food and wine that go particularly well together.

With dishes such as chilli con carne or red meat cooked in a spicy marinade or rub, red wine can be good but choose one that is generously fruity because the chilli will effectively turn down the volume on the fruit and you want to have some left.Of course, you can cook anything on a barbecue but this is predominantly the territory of meats, spicy rubs and relishes, and a certain smoky, charry taste that can destroy a delicate old wine. Barbecues also tend to be eaten outside with a riot of different side dishes and a lot of chatter, so any wine you open had better be able to compete with that. So many people ignore port unless it’s Christmas; a mistake, in my view. Tawny port is a great drink at any time of year. Aged for a long time in wood, until its colour fades to a gleaming garnet and it begins to taste of orange peel, caramel and roasted hazelnuts, tawny port is at its best served straight from the fridge, after dinner. This L’Atzar Cava offers a lot of heart for the value, it is generous, fruity and dry. Particularly compared to the Italian Prosecco which keeps its fruity appeal by being made in large steel tanks from start to finish. However, Cava is one of the traditionally made bubbles of the world. This means it is made using the same method as Champagne. After the initial ferment in a stainless steel tank, the dry wine is then bottled for the second ferment. This captures the bubbles in that bottle, giving you a more complex wine with finer bubbles.

Rioja is really good with both pork and lamb. For the pork, think pulled pork or meltingly soft, slow-cooked pork shoulder (you could serve this with a date and almond couscous); lamb could be a classic roast leg of lamb studded with rosemary and garlic or a slow-cooked joint. This is partly a mood thing. It’s also about the fact that what you’re eating has the power to change the perception of the wine you are drinking. For instance, salty food makes a wine taste less refreshing, a big steak seems to soften the tannins in a red wine, and so on. And yes, if you’re wondering about the first two dishes on that list, this is a red wine with fish situation – the Spanish put Rioja with fish all the time. Palataia Pinot Noir 2020 For some people, wine is just a drink. For me, it’s as much a part of dinner as whatever is on my plate. And just as a cook might say, “this is good with French beans or a green salad”, or think about how the different parts of a meal might sit together to satisfy the appetite, I think about the place of the wine, its taste and perfume, on the table. Mind you, these bubbles make me think of sitting on a beach with an impromptu picnic and watching the world go by. However, I am sure that you can come up with your own ideas.Basil has a slightly anise-like smell and contains the aroma compound linalool, which is also found in lemon peel. If you’re eating basil in pesto or putting a lot of it in a tomato salad then try wines made from the cortese grape (used to make Gavi) which tastes a bit like lemon pith and bay and seems to go very well. Spicy food Gramona has long been a pioneer in research and has plenty to show the interested visitor – including its own ice wine. Codorníu has an experimental cellar that is producing a new top tier of wines, as well as providing insights into polishing up the mainstream brands.