Luscious with lamb

A Bordeaux would be perfect with a traditional Easter Sunday roast, but with Domini Kemp's spicy lamb fingers, go for something more robust, writes JOHN WILSON

AS I MENTIONED in my article recommending drinks for St Patrick’s Day, there are few more suitable partners for your finest (or indeed more modest) Bordeaux than a pinkish roast of lamb. Those fine tannins and elegant structure work perfectly with the mildly flavoured meat.

You don’t have to confine yourself to this region alone though. Lamb will showcase any of your very best red wines from new world or old. Most Cabernet Sauvignon, or if your taste runs to Spain, a fine Rioja reserva or, even better, a Ribera del Duero, will all do very nicely.

If you do have a special bottle this is the perfect opportunity to get it out of the cellar. Remember to plan ahead and stand it upright for 24 hours at a cool room temperature, and then gently decant just before dinner tomorrow. Keep all the accompanying sauces and vegetables fairly bland. You want the wine to be the star and not the food. In particular, steer clear of mint sauce, which will slaughter any wine.

French wines tend to go perfectly with French food. However, they can get a bit lost when drunk with a plateful of chilli and spice or sweet/sour combinations, especially those with balsamic vinegar.

Domini Kemp’s recipe for spicy lamb fingers on the previous page requires a wine with a bit of power and fruit. Here, I would tend to avoid Bordeaux. The obvious choice to accompany a Middle-Eastern dish is a wine from the same area. The individual and excellent Château Musar from the Lebanon might get a little lost amid the sweet spiciness of the currants, cumin and harissa, but the more robust Château Kefraya Les Breches or Château Kasara, both from the Lebanon, will certainly do the trick. See jnwine.com for Kefraya.

Another option is to go for a Languedoc or maybe a more substantial Cabernet from Australia or Chile. These have the added benefit of riper tannins, always easier to stomach with finger food.

If you are splashing out tomorrow, don’t forget the dessert wine. The rhubarb and custard tart on the previous page cries out for a sweet German Riesling, a beerenauslese if you can afford it. If not, a budget option would be a Moscato from Italy.

WINES OF THE WEEK

Taltarni Three Monks Cabernet Merlot 2006, Victoria, 14%, €12.95 (down from €15.45)This is one to drink with the spicy lamb. It certainly has the necessary oompf to take on all those flavours and come out smiling, yet it still retains a certain elegance. Lovely, ripe, black fruits with a nice juiciness, and a touch of chocolate too. Stockists: O'Brien's

Château Penin Tradition, Bordeaux Supérieur 2006, 13%, €14.99If you are having a traditional roast of lamb, look no further than Château Penin, which consistently outperforms its lowly Bordeaux appellation. The 2007 is a classic Bordeaux, with subtle, perfectly balanced, juicy blackcurrant fruits, and a supple, easy finish. Stockists: Donnybrook Fair; McCabe's, Blackrock and Foxrock; Vanilla Grape, Kenmare; Gibney's, Malahide; Mitchell Son, IFSC, Glasthule and Rathfarnham

Ascheri Moscato d'Asti 2008, Piemonte, Italy, 5.5%, €9.99I have written about this wine before but return to it as a failsafe crowd-pleaser at the end of a heavy meal. Light in alcohol and full of lovely summery grape and elderflower flavours, this is the wine to drink with rhubarb and custard tart. Stockist: O'Brien's

TWO UNDER €12

Domaine Félines Jourdan Merlot 2008, Vin de Pays d'Oc, 13%, €8.60 for the month of AprilAt under €10, this has to be one of the best value reds around. A delicious, supple, easy Merlot with plenty of plummy red fruits and a dry but very moreish finish. Perfect with spicy lamb fingers, or any other party fare. Stockist: winesdirect.ie

Carmen Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2008, Colchagua, 14%, €11.19An attractive, fresh nose, with clean, toothsome, red cherry fruits and light, spicy oak, but the overall impression is one of freshness. Perfect with roast lamb, but a possible option with the spicy fingers too. Stockists: Tesco; Dunne's Stores; SuperValu; Centra, Molloy's Liquor Stores; Harvest, Galway; Higgins's, Clonskeagh; McHugh's, Artane and Kilbarrack; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; Nolan's, Clontarf; McCabe's, Blackrock