One Hill and Dale down and nine to go as I begin another season of my ‘suffer and reward’ regimen.
If I live ‘til about 108, as per the masterplan, my ‘secret’ when interviewed about the key to this amazing longevity will be that if you knock your pan in for a few days you’re allowed a wee treat at the end of it.
Unless you’re elite level, I’m no believer in this six months off the drink because you’re training carry-on. You love it when you’re at it and you miss it when you’re not, but there has to be a night off for recovery if nothing else.
I don’t think there’s any scientific basis for this whatsoever, but wine surely helps recovery, well insofar as it helps you relax. Obviously the usual guidelines on over indulgence apply!
With Easter just over us, Mayo lamb is still on the menu and I’ve no intention of insulting the poor beast with some mediocre wine.
There’ll be miles clocked up against a backdrop of Mweelrea and Croagh Patrick as the endorphins sweep away the fatigue of the daily grind. But when the early morning session is done, thoughts will turn to what to wash down that roast leg with.
I consulted a few of the more esteemed purveyors of decent vino I know and the consensus came back as Rioja. I could not agree more. Well I suggested either Pinot Noir or Rioja, but I’m more than happy to leave the Pinot in the hoover cupboard (sorry wine cellar) this Easter and reach into the corner for a bottle of Spain’s best known export.
In fairness, there’s a lot of options for roast lamb, but that stewed red fruit, the tannin working with that fat, the oak giving you a little vanilla, a little cedar, a little spice - that’s a match for lamb that’s hard to beat. Nowadays you find more French and Hungarian oak being used as opposed to old school American which sometimes resulted in a bit of a vanilla overload.
Don’t think for second that just because it’s Gran Reserva it definitely going to be way better than a Crianza. Gran Reserva means it’s had (according to legal requirements) two years in oak and three in bottle compared to Crianza’s one in oak, one in bottle.
It depends on the producer and the style you’re after. Rioja Vega’s Crianza (from DWS) is just stunning with a deft touch used on the oak. Try Tesco’s Finest Vina Del Cura Rioja Gran Reserva if you want that cedar spice and whiff of cigar. Get that leg in the oven, do a few press-ups then try one of these.
Rioja
That Rioja Vega Crianza I had with lamb a while back prompted the words “stewed fruit” and “hint of cloves”. This is a modern style Rioja. A lovely wine. £11 at Direct Wine Shipments.
The Tesco Finest Vina Del Cura Rioja Gran Reserva is raved about by the likes of Decanter. You’ve got the dark, plummy, raisiny fruit. grippy tannins and the cedar spice from all that time in oak. £11.50.
El Coto Crianza offers velvety fruit and nice cinnamon and spice from its time in oak. £11.99 in good indies like The Vintage.
Coto Mayor is another value Crianza with a nice balance of oak induced spice, tannin and fruit. £12.50 at indies including Lavery's.
As a curve-ball I'll throw this one in. Sobreiro de Pegoes is one from across the border in Portugal. Well, actually this is from down near Lisbon, but no matter. A Castelão, Aragonez, Cabernet Sauvignon blend given ten months on French and American oak. This is all intense fruit and spice. A muscular wine for only a tenner at the independents.
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