Food and Wine Pairing with Woodchester Valley

Woodchester Valley Vineyard was planted in 2007 by the Shiner family on steep-sided, limestone soil slopes in the Cotswold's beautiful Five Valleys. This area is steeped in history with records showing vineyards dating back at least 1,100 years and most likely to when Romans occupied the valley.

Woodchester are producers of award-winning English wine and are becoming renowned for their exceptional still wines in particular. The unique Cotswold brash soil gives distinct clarity and pure tasting characteristics which can be found throughout their whole collection. Woodchester have won awards for many of their wines but the Orpheus Bacchus 2018 is a Barbury Hill favourite.

We were lucky enough to spend time with their team sampling their distinctive wine and debating the best food parings; from what to eat with their light and crisp Bacchus to what pairs best with the award-winning cheese Baron Bigod, also available on Barbury Hill.

In a blind tasting what characteristics would help identify a Woodchester wine? 

Look for the distinctive finesse and purity of flavour which is partly due to our unique mineral rich limestone soils and partly due to meticulous care in the winery. Our goal is to craft wines that in effect 'translate' the flavours of our glorious grapes into beautiful wine. We don't want the hand of the winemaker to be evident - and ironically it takes a winemaker of Jeremy's calibre to achieve this.

A Barbury Hill favourite is Woodchester’s 2018 Bacchus, beautifully light with a dry and crisp finish.  What dish should we be eating with this?

I love this wine as well! I always say that you should drink Bacchus with any dish that you'd squeeze lemon juice over. It's also superb with Thai food and any other hot/spicy/sour dishes. My favourite however is a simple Chilli & garlic prawn recipe.

Ingredients

• 200g raw King Prawns (fresh or frozen)
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon chopped red chilli
• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus extra for frying
• 8 slices sourdough

Method

• Marinate prawns in chilli, garlic, olive oil and salt.
• Rub slices of sourdough with garlic and brush with olive oil.
• Heat a teaspoon of oil in a wide saucepan until smoking hot. Heat a skillet until also smoking.
• Add prawns and marinade to pan immediately and place slices of sourdough on hot skillet.
• Turn the sourdough and toss prawns a couple of times until just cooked but still juicy.
• Arrange slices of toasted sourdough on a plate, spoon prawns over and drizzle with pan juice deliciousness.

Baron Bigod, also available on Barbury Hill and widely acclaimed as one of the best cheeses being made in the UK, is a soft white-rinded Brie-style cheese. Its creamy, rich with distinct mushroom and earthy flavours. Which Woodchester wine would you pair with the Baron Bigod? 

I'm a huge fan of matching cheese with sparkling wine and our newly released Reserve Cuvee 2017 is amazing with Baron Bigod (I love this cheese!). It's a blend of 49% Pinot Noir, 36% Chardonnay & 15% Pinot Meunier. The Pinot brings a lovely smoky berry character that slots in nicely with the earthiness while the Chardonnay has a toasty citrus aspect that combines to give a lovely 'mushroom on toast' character. Delicious.  The acidity cuts through the creaminess nicely and leaves the mouth watering and ready for the next bite/sip.

At Barbury Hill we are committed to supporting and championing award-winning producers and our range includes English wine, cheese and exceptionally good gifts.  All are tried and tested and delivered to your door.

by Tor Saner, Product & Marketing

Tor ensures our platform and product selection is as good as it can be and is always on the lookout for delicious hidden gems.  Tor has eaten her way around the globe and loves nothing more than a glass of chilled Rosé in the sunshine with friends.