Domaine Treloar

This can be drunk as an aperitif on its own but there are certain foods that make it more impressive.

We suggest fresh goats cheese (must be fresh, not aged), with bread dipped in good olive oil (but not with olives themselves).

While not many wines go with asparagus, it works surprisingly well with this Muscat.

Our favourite match, however, is Vietnamese chicken with lemongrass and ginger.

It's a pretty complex wine so it works best with simpler dishes.

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We love it with grilled fish, such as Bream or Bass.

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Also works with delicate pasta dishes with both creamy and tomato sauces and is excellent with Bouillabaisse and similar seafood stews - even Moules Mariniere.

The greatest pairing I've experienced was a local delicacy called Carn de Parol with balsamic vinegar and truffle oil. Try it if you can find it.

In France this is served as an aperitif. The best cheese to try alongside Muscat de Rivesaltes are creamy blues, like Roquefort or Gorgonzola.

It's also a lovely dessert wine, not as cloying or rich as Sauternes.

Try it with simple things like ice cream or or more complex fruit-based desserts, especially ones that are not that sweet.

Personally I like to drink our Muscat de Rivesaltes as a dessert!

The fragrant, low tannin style of this wine makes it a great red for more casual buffet-style food or tapas.

A perfect accompaniment to the fabulous range of Catalan charcuterie, Manchego slices, Tortilla Espanola or those tasty little grilled Padron Peppers.

It's also surprisingly fine with grilled white fish like Cod or Bass. 

Another of our lower tannin wines that is pretty versatile for a nice barbecue party or dishes like lamb chops, toad-in-the-hole or pasta dishes based on tomatoes. I love Putanesca sauce but a simple tomato, garlic and basil works just as well.

I was impressed by the way it went with a slightly spicy chickpea dish at Alimentum in Cambridge.

Also try it with a piece of good quality dark chocolate.

The go-to wine of choice chez nous. A very versatile wine for meat dishes of almost any kind, roast chicken, stews, steaks and grills.

Vegetarians should try it with someting rich and warming like aubergine parmigiana or a tomato and courgette tagine.

And cheese or course, who could forget cheese?

There is something about Syrah that just says "beef". Whether that is a lovely entrecote and real chips, a proper roast or even a gourmet burger.

The combination of intense fruit, structured tannins and complex length just go perfectly.

The lighter character of this Carignan, with no new oak, makes it a very nice choice for more delicate dishes.

It's a lovely red wine to serve with fish, such as roast cod.

We've also really enjoyed it with a pumpkin risotto with truffle oil. It has enough body and ripe dusty southern fruit to pair with grilled meat too.

The wild, animal character of the Mourvedre is a perfect match for game dishes. We love it with duck breast in a wine and chocolate sauce (knicked from Rick Stein's French Odyssey).

Also great with Venison steaks or stews. Ours were provided by our friend David who works at Welbeck Estate.The tannin and acidity of the wine works a treat with birds like Pheasant and Guinea Fowl too.

However, one of the greatest cheese and wine matches I've ever tasted was with Bleu d'Auvergne.

A classy wine like this deserves a classy dish. However, it's pretty versatile, like the Three Peaks, so we don't worry too much about the specifics.

Having a Maori name suggests a roast leg of New Zealand lamb, or hogget, would be perfect, and it is. But it's also a fabulous wine to savour with hard cheeses like Bethmale, Compté, Cantal and Cheddar - nibbling away as the flavours evolve in the glass.

This is a serious wine with robust tannins and fine acidity. Therefore it merits something rich and wild, like venison or wild boar. 

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It's also a great wine to have with cheese and can handle strong flavours of aged Cheddar, Cantal or Vacherin.