Chris Hill, who runs Latitude, one of Yorkshire’s best independent wine merchants, knows more than a thing or two about matching food and wine.
To put it to the test, he persuaded chef Richard Walton Allen, ex Harvey Nick’s in Leeds, to return to the stoves. Chris challenged Richard to create a menu round six wine choices.
Latitude Tasting Room at Duke Studios
And so, the Latitude Tasting Room was born. It popped up for the first time at Duke Studios in Leeds showing wines from New Zealand, Spain, Italy and France – with Richard on top form running the gamut of lovely Yorkshire produce. No sipping and spitting here, just great food, interesting vino and a lot of fun
Swaledale blue cheese with beetroot, fennel and truffled honey was kissed by a complex Tuscan Vermentino from Antoni Camillo. Chorizo, razor clams, bitter leaves and blood orange more than stood up to a rich new wave Rioja from Beronia, showing spice and red fruit.
Pièce de résistance was seven hour cooked beef cheek and tail with shallots and parsnip puree, so soft and unctuous you could have eaten it with a spoon, matched with a Boutinot Côtes-du-Rhone Villages from the village of Cairanne, called Le Côte Sauvage. As Chris put it, some weird alchemy occurs when this wild wine is paired with slow cooked meat. Yep, we loved it.
The next Latitude Tasting Room will be at the Leeds Indie Food Festival in May. Can’t wait.
And the wines:
