With a promise that high pressure will be the dominant factor in this coming week’s weather then this dish, originally conceived in the Southern French city of Nice, might feature as an option over supper and lunches as June progresses.
Traditionally made of tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, olives, anchovies, green beans, croutons and tuna accompanied with a vinaigrette, it real does encompass the feeling of summer.
The recipe was first published in 1903 by Henri Heyraud, and there have been countless debates about what should be included in the ingredients with traditionalists and innovators disagreeing over minutiae.
Therefore, four whites were lined up as possible wines to accompany a classic salad: a well-priced White Burgundy, a superb Southern Rhône, an unusual Chardonnay from Sicily, and arguably the finest white Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
There is also an interesting red magnum at the bottom of the page, assuming BBQs will be the order of the day over the coming months.
1 - Pernand-Vergelesses Les Belles Filles 2022, Domaine Jean-Jacques Girard
I have written about this father and son domaine in the past as it consistently produces first-class wines at very competitive prices.
Pernand-Vergelesses is an appellation at the northern end of the Côte de Beaune, on the western side of the Corton hill.
An impressive nose with touches of peach skin, dried lemon and granite. The palate is crisp and taut on the entry, quite spicy and certainly brimming with energy. At this price it is absurdly good value. Buy several cases and drink very happily over the next 12 months.
£26.99 - Waitrose
2 - Côtes du Rhône, Lieu-Dit Clavin Blanc 2022, Domaine de la Vieille Julienne
La Vielle Julienne is a highly respected producer of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, located at the northern end of the appellation. This white comes from a 3.7 acre vineyard that has an average vine age of 65 years.
With a cépage of Viognier, Marsanne, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, then this is a real summer lunch wine: apples, stone fruits and a flinty acidity all wrapped together in a medium-bodied wine that would sit perfectly alongside the Niçoise, but work equally well with light pasta dishes and veal in a creamy sauce. Definitely needs food. Buy a bottle from one of the Lea and Sandeman stores to try it out this weekend.
£28.95 - Lea & Sandeman - when you buy a case of 12
3 - Passobianco IGP Tenuta di Passopisciaro 2018
In the image below, the panel had tasted this superb white from Sicily. However, it is now out of stock and there seems to be very little of the 2019 left. Therefore, will include it again next year when current vintages will have been shipped.
4 - Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 2022, Le Vieux Donjon Blanc
An earlier missive covered the red from this domaine. Highly regarded in France, this property only makes two wines: a red and a white, fairly unusual for a high quality Châteauneuf producer. Clairette and Roussanne are added in equal quantities to produce this delicious and superbly crafted white wine. Think tropical fruits of pineapple and tangerine on the nose, with pears and peaches on the palate and a long, long finish. Many think this wine should be allowed to mature over the next five years or more, but I think it is drinking very well today and the vibrance and concentration are its strongest points. Aged in stainless steel, it has balanced acidity sitting comfortably alongside the fruit and with a rich dressing on the Niçoise with plenty of anchovies, then this works extraordinarily well.
£49.00 - Yapp
BBQ Magnums
5 - The Chocolate Block 2022, Boekenhoutskloof Winery, Franschhoek
Arriving as a guest and handing this magnum to the host of the lunch or supper would be a welcoming moment and a promising start to the gathering. Majestic are currently selling these magnums for under £40 - an absolute bargain.
Five grapes make up this vibrantly young wine with Syrah playing the leading role. It is youthful and it is playfully exuberant in its delivery: if you are serving beef with a richly defined sauce, then this is a perfect match.
Dark cherries sit well on the nose alongside spices and ripe plums. Succulent fruits explode on the palate, with very well balanced acidity and fine tannins. Almost rustic blackcurrants seem to be the dominant flavour and then it mellows, encasing the senses.
£39.99 - magnums - Majestic - in a mixed six case