It was during the now historic lockdown when many of our now enthusiastic customers discovered good wine for the first time.

Unable to dine out, they were prepared to spend £20 to £30 on a bottle of wine from Caviste that would have bought them a bottle of Chateau Plonk in a restaurant or pub.

The taste experience was a revelation and it has become difficult for them to revert to £7 bottle of wine when dining at home (and also a challenge when eating out!).

Drink less and drink better is what we tell our customers all the time – and dine like a duke and duchess ‘eating in’ at home.

Everybody in the Caviste team adores their food, so we have invited our youngest member, Charles, to match some of his favourite Caviste wines with a few cherished dishes. (And of course you are allowed to be flexible on your choice of dish…)

Here’s our suggested pairings. Three courses for one night, or spread across a week. There’s two wines per dish.

Smoked Salmon with Cream Cheese Blinis (a touch of Lumpfish caviar)

2022 Domaine Bott-Geyl 'Les Elements' Riesling
Alsace, France | £23.00 per bottle

A refreshing classic with smoked salmon, this stunning Alsace Riesling has all the trademarks to elevate this dish with its zippy acidity and light crisp finish. Notes of peach and lime peel on the nose with minerality on the palate and a fine crystalline finish, clearing the palate for the next bite or the next sip. 

NV Quinta de Sant'Ana Espumante
Mafra, Portugal | £26.00 per bottle

Champagne and smoked salmon is a classic pairing, this Portuguese sparkling is a delightful little twist, a rose hiding in an amber golden hue, adding layers to the wine. Bright acidity shines throughout, with fine delicate bubbles providing notes of brambles with meringues, and finally a long dry morish finish, with complex notes of dried roses and hay.

- Ragù alla Veneta with Linguine -

2022 Agricola Cerbaia Rosso di Montalcino
Toscana, Italy | £30.00 per bottle

A meaty Italian classic a way to describe both the dish, a classic Ragu, and the wine, a Toscana with a rich history and a deep body. Structured and an intense ruby red, this young Sangiovese with notes of violets and red fruits, will partner perfectly due to its fruity fresh finish, as well as all by itself after the meal is ended.

2020 Musella Valpolicella Ripasso
Verona, Italy | £28.00 per bottle

A northern Italian Ragu naturally partners eloquently with a rich, northern Italian wine that the locals would drink at home with the family. Balanced with notes of red fruits, cherries, and plums with an earthy woodiness it has supple tannins that support the Ragu, which also helps this rich wine become approachable.

- Sticky Toffee Pudding -

NV Diatomist Medium Sherry
Jerez, Spain | £21.00 per bottle

Sherry with sticky toffee pudding, a great way to introduce this into your lives and be changed forever. Most people may think of your parent’s or grandparent’s creamed sherry or dry cooking sherry but this medium-sweet sherry will enchant you as a blend of Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez, a velvety tapestry of marmalade, apricots, walnuts and sultanas that will complement sticky toffee pudding perfectly.

2019 Chateau Rieussec 'Carmes de Rieussec' Sauternes
Bordeaux, France | £25.00 per bottle

Sauternes, arguable one of the original dessert wines, and with Rieussec you have undoubtedly one of the great dessert wines in the world. This second wine from Rieussec is delicate and rich with notes on the nose of dried apricots and figs with mint. On the palate there is a gentle acidity perfectly balancing the wine before it finishes with a long smooth oaky finish. Perfect with sticky toffee pudding and a multitude of other desserts, or all by itself.