Tonight:
5°c
Charles Campion's choice this week of pheasant is a classic autumn flavour - or flavours, given the number of ways of tackling this versatile bird.
It also gives you a wide range of wine options: pheasant is rich enough to need a wine with some body to it but there are plenty of whites up to the task as well as reds.
Jordan Estate Chardonnay 2008, Stellenbosch (SA wine online, £10.99, www.sawinesonline.co.uk, mail order only. You can mix cases; delivery £6.99)
Rich, oaky and buttery, as you'd expect, this fine South African chardonnay is nevertheless well balanced, with good acidity and juicy citrus fruit. Would go well with a simply roasted pheasant.
Errazuriz Wild Ferment Pinot Noir 2008, Casablanca Valley (Majestic, £10.99, or £8.79 each when you buy any two Chilean still wines)
Burgundy is a classic accompaniment to pheasant but you'd need to spend at least double the price of this Chilean to get anything in its class from the Côte d'Or. Aromatic and elegant yet packed with sweet, spicy fruit - very good.
Chono Syrah 2006, Elqui Valley (Berry Bros, 3 St James St, SW1, or www.bbr.com, £7.55)
Masses of juicy, brambly fruit, powerful but not too much of a blockbuster, this is very attractive. Good value, too, from one of Chile's newly trendy far-northern regions.
Asda Extra Special Marques del Norte Reserva 2004, Rioja (£7.98)
It's modestly priced for a Rioja reserva but this has plenty of sweet berry fruit, underpinned with pleasant acidity and classic leathery notes.
