Tonight, an escape into the cellar brought on by a dearth of ‘every day’ white wine.

My wife decided to make a kedgeree recipe for our dinner tonight, and for those unfamiliar with the dish, the main ingredients are rice, smoked haddock and some curry powder (or in our case saffron instead, with some added salmon). Not the easiest thing to match with wine.

I’m low on ‘drinking’ wines at the moment, but my wife knows that we have a small cellar of better wines that benefit from ageing and the right occasion.

I’d like to claim ownership of the choice for tonight, but in truth it was my wife who called up asking if “1999 Rolly Gassmann” would be OK? The answer, as anyone knows, is YES!

Yes, for this dish. Yes for ANY dish. Rolly Gassmann are GORGEOUS wines, especially with a certain age.

Rolly Gassmann, 1999 Tokay Pinot Gris, Brandhurst de Bergheim
Amazing nose of wild herbs, fresh tea, honey and something nutty. The palate was an explosion of that wild, floral honey in a full bodied wine with lovely fresh, yet never overpowering, acidity. The nuttiness from the age showed on the finish, but it does not taste at all past its best. Absolutely Delicious

The dish was lovely. Smoky, creamy and a touch of sweetness from some peas (yes, sorry!).

The wine was a marvellous complement. Do please check out wines from Alsace as matches for an amazing array of dishes, from Eastern cuisine to traditional British.