Party Time - Kitchen Supper

For Kitchen Supper read any time you just want to drink a bottle of decent wine with or without food, on your own or with family and friends, either in front of the television or with a meal in the kitchen.

The emphasis here is on the simple, pleasing and uncomplicated.

Chardonnay, 2007 - Vin de Pays d'Oc, Domaine St.Hilaire, Languédoc - £7.11 per bottle

Unoaked, dry and elegant, a light wine with soft peachy fruit, and a hint of spice. This has been one of our very best discoveries over the past twenty years. Situated just inland from the Mediterranean at Montagnac, this estate was planted, in the late 1960’s, with a wide range of classic (and sometimes very unusual) grape varieties by the forward-thinking André Hardy. Last year, Monsieur Hardy sold this important estate to a delightful English couple, Jonathan and Anne James. Jonathan had been a successful QC and Anne had, for many years, managed the Monty Python team. Both had experienced far too much of the high-pressure life of London and wanted to take on another challenge. They arrived at St. Hilaire with their eyes wide open and under no illusion that this was going to be a pleasant, easy retirement venture. The James’ have kept the existing team of St. Hilaire with the very talented young wine-maker Vincent Laurel being given much more of a free rein than he was under the previous owners. The secret of this domaine’s success is the considerable age of the vines and the consequential reduced yield, ensuring wines of great character and surprising complexity. CHICKEN/FISH/SMOKED FISH/APERITIF/VEGETARIAN

Tempranillo, Crianza, 2004 £10.58 - Bodegas Ochoa, Olite, Navarra, Spain

Tempranillo is considered the most important variety for quality wines in Spain. This red crianza wine is made entirely from a selected clone of this variety, grown in Ochoa's vineyard Finca El Bosque. The wine was aged in American oak casks, where it gained finesse and elegance, becoming rounder and more supple in the bottle. Good structure, fine fruit, balanced ripe tannins lead to an elegant, fresh finish. The name of Ochoa has been famous in Navarra since the 14th century, as witnessed by the fascinating document that states that Ochoa de Ayanz, wine master of Olite, was to be paid 36 ‘libras’ (pounds) and 20 ‘sueldos’ for 216.5 ‘carapitos’ of wine. The bill is dated 1370 and made out to Queen Juana, first-born daughter of the King of France, Queen of Navarra, Countess of Evreux and wife of Carlos II of Spain. No mention is made as to whether it was paid or not! The Ochoa philosophy is that quality begins in the vineyard. Years of experimentation have totally convinced them of this: great wines start out in life as great grapes. Ochoa make wine exclusively with grapes from their own vines. They planted the vines themselves, and every year they are personally involved in the pruning and harvesting. Their quest for top quality grapes sometimes means accepting lower yields from their vines but they believe in working in harmony with the environment. They treat the land as their ancestors did, but with the aid of modern-day technology, mechanisation allowing them to provide their vines with precisely the nurture they require. And with careful, innovative vinification, they are able to make a specific wine from every individual patch of vines. All the wines are estate bottled. GRILLED MEATS/CASSEROLES/MATURE WENSLEYDALE