Château des Campets 2003
Top food matches: Hearty stews, Barbecues, Farmhouse Cheddar, Rich casserole.
Award-winning Rhône style red from the blazing 2003 vintage - rich, flavoursome and very food-friendly.
Medal-winning Rhône-style red from the heart of the Corbières appellation. Vineyards have existed here since Roman times and benefit from the cooling influence of the Mediterranean ... very important in hot years like 2003.
The heatwave vintage gave the grapes great concentration but they were picked early in the morning ... and delivered to the winery before 9am to retain the freshness of the ripe fruit.
And the Rhône style comes from the blend: Carignan for character and a taste of terroir, Grenache for racy, sweet red fruit, Syrah for enhanced spicy notes and Mourverde adds earthy, blackcherry notes to the delicious mix.
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Grape variety:
Red blend
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Country:
France
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Style:
Rich and Flavoursome
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Appellation:
Corbières AOC
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Type:
Still Red Wine
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Alcohol:
13.0% -
Serving Temperature:
18.0
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Units:
9.75
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Drink By:
N/A
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Latest Award:
2005
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Bottle size:
75CL
Awards
Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2005 , Belgium
Casseroles and Stews recipes
Cassoulet
The preparation of this classic pork, duck and bean casserole from southwest France is spread over quite a few days, but you will be rewarded with a comfortingly hearty and warming dish.
Serves 10
Total time: 5 hours, spread over 3 days
Cooking time: 3¾ hours
Ingredients
1.75kg hand of pork, boned
1kg ham hock or pork knuckle
1kg dried haricot beans
250g unsmoked bacon, in one piece
6 duck confit drumsticks, plus 5 tbsp fat
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 small head garlic, whole and unpeeled
1 small ripe tomato, peeled
1.8 litres unsalted chicken stock
1 large bouquet garni
125g fat salt pork
oil, for greasing
4 small garlic cloves, peeled
500g garlic sausages
2 tbsp fresh white breadcumbs
- Two days in advance, season the hand of pork and ham hock or pork knuckle with salt and pepper to taste. Place in an earthenware dish, cover and refrigerate overnight. Soak the beans in cold water overnight.
- The next day, cut the hand of pork into 4cm cubes. Reserve. Add the piece of bacon to a pan of simmering water and blanch for 3 minutes. Drain and reserve.
- In a large flameproof casserole dish, heat the fat from the confit and lightly brown the cubed pork. Add the onions and carrots and fry over moderate heat, stirring, for about 8 minutes, or until the onions are soft and golden. Add the ham hock or knuckle and the blanched bacon. Increase the heat and cook until lightly browned all over. Add the head of garlic and tomato and cook, stirring, for one minute. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, add the bouquet garni, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Drain the beans and rinse under cold running water, then slowly bring to the boil in a pan of fresh water. Boil vigorously for 10 minutes, then drain and add to the casserole dish. Continue simmering for 1½ hours, then remove from the heat and leave to cool. Cover and chill overnight.
- About 4 hours before cooking, remove the bean mixture from the refrigerator. Lift off the fat that has risen to the top of the bean mixture and reserve it. Blanch the piece of salt pork in boiling water for 3 minutes. Rinse and drain well, then purée in a food processor with the peeled garlic cloves. Reheat the bean mixture, add the salt pork purée and simmer for 30 minutes. Discard the bouquet garni and head of garlic.
- Preheat the oven to 140ºC/Gas 1 and grease a large casserole dish. Remove the ham hock or pork knuckle from the bean mixture and cut the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding bones and fat. Spoon a third of the beans into the casserole dish. Arrange the ham hock or knuckle pieces and the pork cubes on top of the beans.
- Heat the confit of duck separately over low heat and remove the bones. Place the duck meat on top of the pork and sausages. Add another third of the beans. Cut the bacon into bite-sized pieces and scatter on top of the beans. Taste the cooking liquid and adjust the seasoning. Pour enough liquid over the beans to cover them.
- Brown the garlic sausages all over in a frying pan. Slice and place on top of the beans. Sprinkle the beans with the breadcrumbs and drizzle on 2 tbsp of the reserved fat. Bake for 1½ hours, or until golden brown, and serve hot.
Top tip
A hand of pork is versatile and economical pork joint. It is cut from below the pig's shoulder and runs all the way down to the knuckle.
Perfect partner
L'Esprit des Papes 2007 - This traditional French recipe deserves to be paired with a fruity French red. This rich, smooth red has aromas that evoke the beautiful countryside where it was made, so is a perfect match.
Lancashire Hotpot
Lamb's kidneys aren't always included in this traditional casserole from northern England, but they make a tasty addition.
Serves 4
Total time: 3¼ hours
Cooking time: 2¾ hours
Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1kg middle neck lamb chops, trimmed
3 lamb's kidneys, trimmed and halved
1kg potatoes, cut into 5mm slices
500g carrots, sliced
2 leeks, sliced
pinch of sugar
1 bay leaf
1 rosemary sprig
a few parsley sprigs
600–750ml lamb stock or water
- Preheat the oven to 160ºC/Gas 3. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole dish. In batches, brown the lamb chops over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add the kidneys to the dish and cook for 3–5 minutes, until browned. Remove and set aside. Add the potatoes, carrots and leeks and cook for 5 minutes, stirring. Remove from the dish.
- Make layers of lamb chops, kidneys and vegetables in the casserole dish, adding a little sugar and salt and pepper to taste between the layers, with the herbs in the middle. Top with a neat layer of potatoes. Pour in enough stock to come up to the potato layer. Cover tightly and cook in the oven for 2 hours, or until the meat and vegetables are tender.
- Remove the casserole lid, increase the oven temperature to 220ºC/Gas 7 and cook for 20–30 minutes to brown the potatoes. Serve hot.
Variations
Instead of bay, rosemary and parsley, you can substitute 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme or ½ tbsp dried. Or try this with 250g swede instead of half the carrots.
Perfect partner
Los Curitas Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 - This Chilean wine is great value for money, but with none of the compromise – it really sets off a warming plate of Lancashire hotpot and crusty bread.
Chicken Cacciatore
A simple one-pot meal of chicken in a rich tomato and wine sauce – 'cacciatore' means 'hunter-style' in Italian.
Serves 6
Total time: 1½ hours Cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredients
60ml olive oil
6 chicken leg portions
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
125g mushrooms, sliced
100ml dry white wine
800g canned chopped tomatoes
½ tsp sugar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
150ml chicken stock
chopped parsley, to garnish
- Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned all over. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add the onion, celery and carrots to the pan and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until the onion softens. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for a further minute. Return the chicken pieces to the pan, add the wine and allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, herbs and stock.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Transfer the chicken to a platter and keep warm while you reduce the sauce over high heat for 5–6 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with the parsley.
Variations
Add a small handful of black olives to the sauce about 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time.
Perfect partner
Santa Ana Chardonnay Viognier 2008 - A glass of this is intense and fruity enough to complement the rich combination of flavours in this chicken casserole.
Braised Lamb with Lentils
Lamb neck fillet and lentils make a credit-crunch casserole that can be left to cook slowly in the oven while you get on with other things.
Total time: 3½ hours
Cooking time: 3 hours
Serves 4–6
Ingredients
2 tbsp oil
1kg lamb neck fillet, thickly sliced
2 onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp flour
600ml lamb or beef stock
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano, or 1 tsp dried
225g brown lentils
200g canned chopped tomatoes
- Preheat the oven to 170ºC/Gas 3. Heat half the oil in a flameproof casserole dish and brown the lamb over medium-high heat, in batches, until browned all over. Remove to a plate.
- Add the remaining oil to the dish and fry the onions for 8 minutes, or until browned, then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
- Add the stock, oregano, lentils and tomatoes, return the lamb to the dish and season with pepper. Bring to simmering point, cover tightly and cook in the oven for 2½ hours, or until the lamb and lentils are tender. Add salt to taste, if necessary, and serve hot.
Serving suggestion
Try this with creamy mashed potatoes or pearl barley.
Perfect partner
Domaine Moulin de Périès 2007 - Pair this with a good-value wine that is packed with flavour and a great winter warmer.
Coq au Vin
A French country classic – chicken simmered in a red wine sauce with chestnut mushrooms and smoked bacon. It's perfect for big family gatherings, particularly when it's cold outside, as it can be prepared ahead of time and is very warming – just multiply the quantities!
Serves 4
Total time: 1¾ hours
Cooking time: 1½ hours
Ingredients
750ml medium- to full-bodied French red wine
1 tbsp mild olive oil
4 chicken drumsticks and 4 thighs
200g smoked bacon lardons
12 shallots or baby onions, peeled
2 tbsp flour
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bouquet garni
300ml hot chicken stock
250g chestnut mushrooms, halved
- Pour the wine into a saucepan and boil for about 5 minutes, or until reduced by a third. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan with a lid. Add the chicken and fry for 8–10 minutes, until well browned, turning frequently (you may need to do this in batches). Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on kitchen paper and set aside.
- Add the bacon lardons and shallots or baby onions to the pan and fry for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned, then add the flour and garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute, stirring.
- Return the chicken to the pan with the bouquet garni, reduced wine and stock. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 45–60 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through – the juices should run clear when pierced with a sharp knife. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 10 minutes, then serve at once.
Serving suggestion
Serve with boiled potatoes or rice and a crisp green salad.
Perfect partner
Andrew McPherson's The Full Fifteen 2008 - This wine is great for family parties, impressive but immensely drinkable.
Burgundy Beef with Rosemary Dumplings
Fluffy herb dumplings are cooked on top of flavourful chunks of steak in this real winter warmer.
Serves 6
Total time: 2½–3 hours
Cooking time: 2–2½hours
Ingredients
500g braising steak, cubed 3 tbsp flour 1 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 1 leek, sliced 1 celery stick, sliced 250ml red Burgundy 2 tbsp tomato purée pinch of sugar 2 tsp dried rosemary 100g self-raising flour 50g grated suet
- Preheat the oven to 150ºC/Gas 2. Toss the beef cubes in the flour to coat well.
- Heat the oil in a deep flameproof casserole dish. Add the beef and brown all over for 2–3 minutes, reserving the excess flour; do this in batches, if necessary. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon.
- Add the onion, carrot, leek and celery to the pan and fry for 5 minutes. Add the remaining flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the wine, tomato purée, sugar, half the rosemary and 350ml water. Bring to the boil, then return the beef to the pan. Cover and place in the oven for 1½–2 hours, or until the beef is tender.
- While the beef is cooking, prepare the dumplings. Sift the flour into a bowl, stir in the suet, the remaining rosemary, salt and pepper to taste and 4–5 tbsp cold water. Mix together with a round-bladed knife until the dough comes together. Shape into 8 dumplings.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and add the dumplings, pushing them just under the surface of the sauce. Cook for a further 25–30 minutes, or until the beef is tender and the dumplings are cooked through.
Variation
Use beef stock instead of water to enhance the flavour.
Perfect partner
Laithwaite Syrah Oak Aged 2001 - Try this casserole with our Syrah – both the dish and the wine are seductively flavoursome.
