Loin de l’oeil 2021, ‘Loved and Found’

Waitrose. £8.99

If you haven’t explored their ‘Loved and Found’ range yet, head over to Waitrose, and start with this delicious, smooth white from south western France. It’s a bargain at £8.99, and a chance to discover something new. The name is the grape, a little- known one ( as the range implies), unique to Gaillac, a region just north of Toulouse, in south west France. Smooth, silky and rounded are the best words to describe it, with its delightful floral and ripe market-fresh peach scents. Sun-kissed fruit, honeysuckle, with a twist of citrussy orange peel, and a brush of southern herbs. Flavour-packed enough to cope with the richness of the local cuisine, creamy chicken, duck and soft cheeses, but also great with a bit of spice. I paired it with some sweetly spiced Persian dishes recently, so worth a go with anything middle-eastern in style.