WITH Shirley conjuring up such a traditional dish as the Tweed Kettle, it falls to me to ensure the wine match has enough gravitas to complement the grub.
You’ll need a crisp white wine with good minerality, as well as character and depth in the glass. Ideally the crispness should be balanced by floral notes and possibly a touch of honey. But where could you find such a wine? Surely this is the vinous equivalent of the search for the Holy Grail. Happily, I took on this quest on your behalf, and I found the perfect wine to sit alongside the Tweed Kettle on your dinner table.
Fiano di Avellino has been grown in Campania (east of Naples) for over 2000 years. As a grape, it can now also be found in Sicily, Australia and Argentina but Campania is its spiritual home. The volcanic soil in the region provides the minerality for these low yielding, early ripening grapes and (in the right hands) the wines can be spectacular. Fiano fell out of favour in the 1970s and 1980s as it is a hard grape to cultivate and, due to the lower yields, it’s difficult to make a commercially viable product. Improved wine-making techniques in recent years mean that you can now find a few producers making lovely wines that don’t cost a fortune, and they’re available at home instead of exclusively when you’re visiting the region. Incidentally, if you happen to find yourself in Sorrento, make sure you ask for a Fiano in the restaurant. The waiter will immediately greet you like an old family friend and will advise on the best of the bottles on the wine list.
If you like Fiano, you should also try the other local specialities, Greco di Tufo and Falanghina.
Here are some suggestions for this weekend.
Pietracalda Fiano di Avellino Feudi di San Gregorio DOCG 2016 (Inverarity One to One, £19.49). This single vineyard Fiano is the jewel in Feudi di San Gregorio’s crown and it’s nothing short of sublime in the glass. The crispness coupled with notes of honey and nuts make this the perfect companion to Shirley’s lovely salmon dish. Feudi started making wine in the mid 1980s but has totally focused on the very traditional aspects of wine-making in Campania. It is without a doubt, one of my favourite producers.
As a wee glugger and an absolute bargain, you should try a bottle of Falanghina Beneventano IGT 2015 (M&S, £7.50). This is a lovely wine and ideal with barbecued sea bass, if we see another sunny evening before winter. It doesn’t have the complexity of the Pietracalda, but few bottles do. Stick one in your fridge.
Pete Stewart is Glasgow director of Inverarity One to One, 185a Bath Street, Glasgow (0141 221 5121) www.inverarity121.com
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