Despite the salt content of Gammon this meat can be overwhelmed by strongly flavoured wines and tannic reds would feel even more harsh in the mouth. Reds just wouldn’t suit cauliflower cheese, being honest a white wine would be its best partner. So we need a compromise and why not use a rosado?
Spain is the Rosado Capital of the wine world, with a myriad of choices from light pink to dark crimson and every shade between – one rosado I know, made with the very dark skinned Petit Verdot variety is practically the same colour as most reds and in fact darker than some!
I’d go for a Tempranillo Rosado for this dish – Marqués de Cáceres in La Rioja would be a good choice, or one from Valdepeñas where the Tempranillo grape variety is called Cencibel.
French Style Chicken with Peas and Bacon
Chicken, still the wine lover’s favourite meat as it sits happily with many different wines. The bacon will make an impact too though, so we are looking here I think for a fruity red wine. You cold try Care Tinto from DO Cariñena – this very fruity un-oaked red is made with Syrah and Tempranillo and is really juicy on the palate.
Or if you like a bit more substance with your fruit try a joven (young) red from Ribera del Duero where the Tinto de Pais (aka Tempranillo) always seems to have a bigger fruit content than Tempranillo’s spiritual home, La Rioja. I think Viejo Mundo Roble 2009, which I presented at a tasting last night, would be a super match. It’s had a few months in oak, but it’s understated, being used simply to add some body and a touch of extra flavour.
Salud!
Gammon and Cauliflower Cheese