Wines to match the menu at Jamie's Italian

Yesterday Jamie Oliver opened the first branch of Jamie's Italian, his much heralded new chain of affordable Italian restaurants, in Oxford. (Others will follow later this year in Bath and Kingston. )

Despite the involvement of his mentor Gennaro Contaldo the menu is not that Italian - more like a fusion between an Italian and an American diner - but there is an imaginative, short, largely Italian wine list, most of which is available by the 500ml carafe and the glass.

Crispy squid with spicy roast red pepper mayo

Sounds like this will have quite a punchy flavour so I’d pick a glass of the Sauvignon Blanc di Friuli from Cantina ZellinaBaked chestnut mushrooms with smoked Scamotza (sic) cheese. This smoky, savoury starter could take a white or a red. I’d probably pick a glass of the organic house red - an organic Sangiovese Terre di Chieti from the Abruzzo

Tagliatelle Genovese

Not the easiest pasta dish to match with wine - a combination of potatoes, green beans and pecorino with a basil pesto. I’d be tempted to crack open a bottle of the Pieropan Calvarino Soave Classico with it (one of the three wines flagged up as ‘Jamie’s Favourites’)

Truffle tagliatelle

I’m not quite sure how Jamie’s doing a dish like this for six quid. It’ll surely cause a run on the world’s truffle stocks. Maybe it justifies cracking open a bottle of the classy Billecart Salmon champagne that he has on the list.

Ravioli Caramelli

Described as ‘sweetie shaped and stuffed with pumpkin and ricotta cheese and beautiful rosemary sauce’ this is one of those Italian agro-dolce dishes that again poses a bit of a challenge for wine. Normally I’d pick a rich chardonnay to go with this type of dish but as there’s (bravely!) no chardonnay I’d go for the Fiano di Avellino from Vesevo, tipped by Jamie as the ‘new ‘It’ grape”. (Well now it is . . .)

Jamie’s ‘Flash steak’

This steak which is ‘pounded with sage and prosciutto’ has a spicy kick from its accompanying tomato, basil and chilli salsa. The gutsy Promessa Negroamaro from Puglia would be a good match.

Prosciutto, pear and pecorino salad

This typical Jamie-style salad sounds delicious, I have to say. It's dressed with an olive oil & balsamic dressing but that shouldn't cause a problem. I’d go for a glass of the Pinot Grigio delle Venezie from Anselmi.

Gennaro’s Amalfi Orange Tart

I can’t find a wine match for this delicious tart which is filled with ricotta, orange and candied fruit and served with mascarpone but if they had it I’d pick a Passito di Pantelleria, a fabulous marmaladey sweet wine from an island just off Sicily. Jamie, if you read this, how about it?!

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