The search for wine

Sausages are a truly versatile food, perfect for any meal. But what drink is best to have with sausages? Option seems to be divided on this and it does, of course, vary according to the sausages in question.

As well as hunting for the best sausages in the UK I am always constantly looking for new ways to enjoy sausages, cooking methods, drinks, accompaniments etc.  Recently I found some wines which are really good with sausages.

We tried the Aglianico del Vulture DOC Le Ralle with some strong venison sausages and it was perfect. A deep crimson colour, smoky aromas and damson fruit balanced by soft tannins make this a distinctly fine wine. These Aglianico grapes are grown at around 1,500 feet in the area around the inactive volcano of Monte Vulture.

Throw in a bit of technology; Oronzo Alò, owner of Alovini, loves his ‘toys’ – gleaming stainless steel tanks, the latest pumps and filters, state-of-the-art bottling equipment – but only has three garages to store it in. He set up on his own in 2003, putting into practice for himself, all the knowledge gained from many years revolutionising winemaking as director at two co-ops in the area near Monte Vulture.

Venison, of course, is not to everyone’s taste so we also looked around for a wine that would work well with a spicy pork sausage.

We tried the Massaya Classic Bekaa Valley 2005 with a spicy pork sausage which wasn’t too heavy on the spice but one with an after-zing of heat.  The wine itself had spicy notes with ripe, meaty, blackberry and red fruits, and a touch of chocolate. This supple, round wine is from an exciting French-Lebanese collaboration, which owns vineyards at an altitude of 1,000 metres in the Bekaa Valley.

This exciting collaboration between the Ghosn brothers and their French partners, the Brunier brothers of Château Vieux Télégraphe and Dominique Hébrard of Château Trianon. The altitude of the vineyardsmean they enjoy long, warm summers and wet winters.

Both of these wines are available from Tanners Wine Merchants who we first came across at the Ludlow Food Festival.  As well as offering free delivery on orders over £90 they have also just been voted Britain’s Best Independent Wine Merchant and with their wealth of knowledge I can see why.

Highly recommended!

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