Wine of the Month: March 2021

Wine of the Month: Trastullo Primitivo, Puglia, Italy, 2020 (£17)

This Ripasso wine from Puglia is opulent and decadent. After a first fermentation, the wine is introduced to the leftover skins and pomace of a batch of completely dried out grape bunches that will be used to make Amarone. Then fermented a second time, the ripasso style is really well structured. Full of spice, yet silky smooth and very versatile.

Thomas' Food Pairing: Radicchio Risotto


My food pairing for the Trastullo is a radicchio risotto. Fry off your onions, garlic and a bit of mushroom. Stir in your rice, fry it for a little before adding the stock, and a glug of your red wine! You thought you only added white wine in risotto? Wrong! As it reduces, add some butter and the radicchio. Top it with some Parmesan baby! It's so pretty in pink!

Bruce's Album Match: Utility (Barker, 2019)


After nearly a full year of clubs being closed, this album has taken on a whole new meaning for me. As well as spotlighting the healing potential of a little refined hedonism, Barker reminds us that the tropes of a genre needn’t always be front and centre. His deliberate imposition of limitations, such as the omission of a familiar pulsing kick drum, has resulted in a bliss-drenched exploration of dynamic anticipation, highlighting the true mechanics of techno and pushing the envelope of sound design. Once we’re allowed back in the clubs, this will all feel like a dream. And if clubbing isn’t your thing, it’s still an absolute trip on the settee!

Anthony's Film Match: The Fall (Tarsem Singh, 2006)


The wine we're matching to here is, for lack of a better way of describing it, a lot of wine. Appropriately enough, this oft-forgotten cinematic gem is a lot of film. It focuses on story-telling, make-believe, fantasy, and human frailty. A bit like the Princess Bride but (whisper it) even more charming, smart, and touching. It was criminally overlooked both critically and commercially upon its release, but has since garnered a cult following for its breathtaking visuals and heart-wrenching story.