Match of the week

Grilled lamb with mustard glaze and a 25 year old Xinomavro

Posted by Fiona Beckett (Google+) on May 18 2022 at 15:36

I’m conscious I don’t post as many red wine pairings as I should partly because I tend to drink white wine more often, particularly at this time of year but this was a really spectacular match at a Visit Greece lunch at Above at Hide last week held to promote the Greek wine trails.

The main course, a hugely clever dish from chef Ollie Dabbous was Herdwick lamb, grilled over charcoal, glazed with violet mustard (and some kind of sweet element (maybe honey, maybe fig compote) served with a grain salad and pickled vine leaves, was one of the best mains I’ve had this year.

It was boldly served with a 25 year old xinomavro from Pegasos in the Naoussa wine region which echoed the figgy notes in the dish. And it was fascinating to see how long and how well a xinomavro could age, particularly when served from such a huge and flamboyant decanter (old wines don't always stand up to being decanted). You can, rather amazingly still buy the wine from Hedonism Wines.

The other great match of the lunch was a salad of chicory and pink grapefruit with herbs and a manouri cheese and acacia honey dressing with a 2020 Gaia Thalassitis Assyrtiko from Santorini. Equally good if less surprising.

I attended the lunch as a guest of the Greek Tourist Board.

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