Marks & Spencer is possibly the most-loved British brand on the high street. Founded in 1884 in Leeds, M&S is cherished as a trusty resource for good quality underwear, classic homeware, gifts for mums, an excellent huge beauty offering and their food halls by millions of people up and down the country and around the world. We always have lots of M&S food at Christmas and this year will be no exception. A few weeks ago I spent the evening with the in-house M&S wine experts at a round-the-world regional food and wine pairing dinner and tasted two wines from England, two from France, two from Spain, two from Argentina and two from South Africa. Each wine was paired with complimentary food from each respective region and we heard from the experts about why they chose each wine, tasting notes and the delicious food combinations.
As a fan of the burgeoning English wines industry and a sparkling lover, my favourite was the vintage Marksman Brut Blanc de Blancs produced by the award-winning Ridgeview estate in East Sussex. It's made with 100% chardonnay grapes and as it's created in the traditional method and grown in the same chalky soil as the Champagne region, it has a similar texture, acidic flavour and long finish. I loved it. It goes particularly well with seafood and is the perfect choice for a pre-dinner aperitif with canapés.
I have a real soft spot for French whites, so my second favourite was the traditional, vintage Florent Rouve Viré-Cléssé from Mâconnais in southern Burgundy. It's also 100% chardonnay with a dry, crisp yet rounded taste with citrus aromas, peach, honeysuckle and mineral flavours. I bought a few bottles and recreated some of the food pairings at home with Serrano ham, smoked salmon blinis, crab mousse, antipasti, nocerella olives and grilled artichoke, chilli and coriander king prawns, Yorkshire blue cheese, Special reserve Gruyère, camembert and water biscuits, and will be stocking up again for Christmas.
Learn more about M&S international wines | Read more food & drink features
Learn more about M&S international wines | Read more food & drink features
