Lunch with a wine list

There were many days when blending and bottling trials ran all day and a decent dinner in the evening was a just reward for all concerned. Did an occasional meal affect my decision making? – absolutely not, but everyone has to be so careful these days in case these things are misconstrued.

And it is for that reason that I would like to declare that, not only did I eat a terrific salad lunch at the Marks and Spencer tasting the other week, but after I had ploughed my way through 135 wines, making careful notes along the way, I sat around and enjoyed more hospitality in the form of scones, cream and a cup of tea.

Then, because it was so late in the afternoon that I had to hang around for the slightly less expensive train back to Yorkshire, a group of other wine writers and myself raided the tasting table for a bottle of Manzanilla (£6.99) which is when I realised that it was not just good as I had noted, but very good indeed.

The thing about Manzanilla that it surprises your tastebuds with its lively fresh-tasting, salty tanginess. When the palate is tired, the day is coming to an end and when you might otherwise think of having a beer, a glass of chilled Manzanilla zips round each tastebud and gently polishes them, ridding them of all the day’s work and preparing them for dinner. Sadly dinner was non-existent, so I was glad I had been given lunch, but the taste of that refreshing sherry survived two hours on the train, all the way back home.

There was a lot more of note at the M&S tasting. Amongst the fizz I enjoyed the zesty, crisp citrus flavours of Mount Bluff Sauvignon Blanc Brut from Marlborough New Zealand (£10.99) which has a splash of Chardonnay and the merest whiff of Pinot Noir in the blend to add depth. This is a simple “bicycle pump” type of fizz with no long aging on lees but even so it will be good as soon as the sun begins to shine again.

Also good in sunshine and made in the traditional way with 18 months of bottle age is Sparkling English Brut (£20). Made by Chapel Down in Kent from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier grapes, plus a splash of English favourites Reichensteiner and Müller Thurgau, this has the springtime freshness that is rapidly becoming the signature of English wine.

With clean elegant lines, hints of white tree blossom, and a lift of aromatics on the finish, this is the perfect wine to enjoy in the garden or at a summer wedding. Its partner Rosé (£22) is so delicate in colour that it hardly qualifies as pink but it has a delicious streak of strawberry fruit demonstrating that English wine has moved out of the shadows into mainstream quality wine.

Among the still whites I gave good marks to the great value Gers 2011 from South West France (£4.79). Made from the local workhorse grapes of Colombard and Ugni Blanc this wine is packed with zesty, clean, granny smith and kiwi fruit flavours. Team it with anything from a fish supper to an evening watching old episodes of Corrie and it will go down a treat.

If fish is on the menu, perhaps oven-baked with a sprinkle of herbs then Vermentino 2011 (£6.99) should be your wine of choice. It comes from Lazio which is the area close to Rome while Vermentino is the grape with subtle additions of Malvasia, Greganico and Fiano giving layers of citrus fruit and hillside-fresh herbs.

Chardonnay has become so unfavoured by the Pinot Grigio crowd that its quality-value ratio has to be really good to grab the attention of drinkers and Xanadu from Western Australia is definitely one to buy, especially since it is on offer right now.

Normally £16.99, it is down to £13.99 until May 7 and for that you get a really elegant, restrained, balanced wine with notes of green fig, tropical fruit and toasted hazelnuts. This is a good dinner party wine to serve with fish or salad starters or white meat main courses.

M&S has done Chablis well for several years but they have moved up a notch by buying Domaine Pierre de Préhy 2008 (£13.99) from Domaine Brocard. It has peachy fruit backed by distinct crunchy, minerally flavours and a long elegant finish. It is ready now to be enjoyed with shellfish, but if stored properly it will keep perfectly well for another couple of years.

Among the reds I was impressed by the light, cherry-charged flavours of Eclipse Pinot Noir 2010 (£7.99) from the distinctly cool Bío Bío Valley in Chile. Made by Adolfo Hurtado who also makes Cono Sur Pinot Noir, this wine captures the elusive fruit and aromatics of good Pinot.

Also from Chile, Syrah Aymura 2009 (£11.99) gives masses of flavour for the price. Made by Alvaro Espinoza in the cool northern region of Elquí he has captured layers of dark plum fruit layered with spice to create a wine that can go with roast meats, barbecues or hard cheeses.

For sheer fun, try a bottle of Tractor Tube Malbec from Clare Valley, Australia. Malbec is more usually associated with Argentina but this is fabulously deep with dark fruit flavours and the name was conjured up while one of the winemakers was floating on an inflatable tractor tyre in a swimming pool. Less expensive at £9.99 but no less enjoyable is Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 (£9.99) for its plush, dark, blackcurrant fruit with balance and grip.

Many of these wines are new to the shelves at M&S and they will gradually make their way through the delivery chain, starting at larger stores first, but many are also available by mail order on their website www.marksandspencer.com