School-night wine - the best bottles for an impromptu midweek treat

Five wines that hit the spot without breaking the bank

Last week, I made The One Sauce from the new Ottolenghi book, Simple Too, and it might well be the zenith of tomato sauces. We ate this gloriously garlicky, vinegar-spiked number with pasta, and it was a revelation. After one bite, it felt rude not to have some wine with it and, before I knew it, I had a glass of red in front of me.

Today, I am championing school-night wine. Not because I want to be a bad influence, but because, in this restrained, over-scheduled, all-or-nothing age, we risk losing the impromptu pleasure of a nice drop – with food, say, or with a friend who has popped by, or just to offset the nervous strain of the children’s bedtime. Occasionally, “It’s a school night” is reason enough to do something.

Continue reading...