Scallops are one of my favourite foodie treats, and my choice of wine to go with them is viognier, a peachy grape that hails from the Rhone valley.
It’s a difficult grape to grow – which makes it expensive – but can be amazingly lush, and wines such as Condrieu (which is 100% viognier) from the northern Rhone are well worth the expense. The good news is we’re seeing more and more alternatives from the rest of the world that are extremely tasty, but don’t come with the hefty price tag.
One of my new favourites is the Elegant Frog Viognier 2010 (Sainsbury’s, £7.99). This is brilliantly crisp and zesty with a mojito-like burst of fresh lime juice before the rich peaches roll in over the palate.
As well as showing off the possibilities of the grape, the Elegant Frog is a super ambassador for the wines of France’s melting pot, the Languedoc, which continues to produce quality wines at great prices. If that’s not enough to convince you to buy a bottle, check out the label … where else can you see a frog wearing a tuxedo, a bow-tie and a natty chapeau?
From the new world, if you get down to the Co-op this week, you can still grab a bottle of its Chilean Anakena Chardonnay/Viognier 2010 blend for the price of £4.99 (on offer until Tuesday; normally £5.99). This is a lovely fresh blend with the two grapes marrying really well. It is a simpler wine than the Elegant Frog, but works well with scallops flambéed in an Islay single malt such as Bruichladdich. Just remember to stand well back.
Pete Stewart is Glasgow director of Inverarity One to One, 185a Bath Street, Glasgow. www.inverarity121.com
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