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Bisol Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Crede, 2005, Veneto


Spumante Brut (Bibendum £9.27)

85% Prosecco, 5% Verdiso and 10% Pinot Bianc. Crede refers to the marine clay soils. The Verdiso adds acidity to the blend while body and weight comes from the Pinot Blanc addition. Plenty of light apple and pear flavours. Alcohol 11.5% a great, versitile, bottle. Lovely.

Scribblings Rating - 92/100 18 Hour Slow Roast Lamb Serving suggestion: Cockburn's Late Bottled Vintage


Ingredients - serves 6









•2kg Lamb shoulder, skin scored (1 x whole or 2 x 1kg halves will serve 4)





•2 Onions, sliced in half, or 4 shallots





•1 bulb Garlic, cut in half





•8 pinches Malden sea salt





•4 pinches Freshly-ground black pepper





•2 sprigs Rosemary, finely chopped





•3 leaves Sage, finely chopped





•2 Garlic cloves , chopped





•100ml Olive oil





•30g Butter, unsalted, softened





•500ml Water





•Rosemary, freshly choppedMethod:


Pre-heat the oven to 85ºC (or use the simmering oven on an Aga)



In a large, heavy-duty roasting pan, on a medium heat, colour the lamb in the oil for 10 minutes. Then place the shoulder of lamb on top of the onions and garlic. Brush liberally with the softened butter, add the chopped garlic and herbs, then add 500ml of water to the pan and loosely cover with tin foil.



Place in the pre-heated oven at 85ºC and cook for 18 hours, until tender.



Once cooked, remove the meat to rest. To make gravy, remove some fat from the juices in the pan. Bring it to the boil, pass through a sieve, thicken with arrowroot if required and season. Add some freshly, chopped rosemary for flavour.



Chef's Note:

Ensure that the shoulder is out of the fridge for 1 hour to allow the meat to reach room temperature before cooking.



Adding water will prevent the lamb from burning during cooking, keep it moist and makes a gravy base at the same time.

Previous Post: On Sauvingon Blanc and Villa Maria's Cellar Selection Sauvignon Next Post: The Public House, Islington Exclusively available at Waitrose this Easter, Cathedral City Vintage 60 has been carefully matured to perfection for five years, or 60 months, placing it amongst the oldest Cheddars produced in the UK.




Mark Pitts-Tucker, the Cathedral City cheese specialist is behind this first-of-its-kind Cheddar worked to achieve an irresistible, full bodied, rich and luxurious, creamy taste which is sure to appeal to Britain’s cheese lovers looking for a new and exciting taste experience. Mark carefully crafted this Cheddar step by step to take it to its perfect result.



Mark Pitts-Tucker comments, “This cheese has been slowly maturing for five years to the point of unique excellence. The texture is very firm, almost crumbly and crunchy. The flavour is very intense with an almost ‘dark chocolate’ element which gradually surrenders to the creaminess of the Cheddar’.



The high quality craftsmanship that has gone into the making of this Cheddar has been recognised by Waitrose and will join the other high quality cheeses that feature in its deli counters. The introduction of Vintage 60 will also launch Waitrose’s new ‘Guest Cheese’ promotion where a speciality cheese is introduced to its counters for a limited time.



Just in time for Easter the launch of this rare Cheddar makes an ideal alternative for those seeking a gourmet treat to satisfy their savoury taste buds. The rich flavours of Vintage 60 make it a ‘must have’ on any cheese connoisseur’s cheeseboard. Mark recommends pairing it with Baron de Ley, Club Privado 2006 Rioja, ‘the creaminess of the Cheddar truly brings to life the very juicy style of the wine, working to create a truly delicious and rare taste experience.’



Vintage 60 was produced by the award winning Davidstow Creamery in Cornwall and was debuted last summer at the International Cheese Awards where food experts praised its fine flavour and strong quality. To be one of the lucky few to experience this one-of-a-kind taste sensation, visit the deli counter at Waitrose stores around the country from March 30th. With only limited availability this really is a very unique cheese, so once it’s gone, it’s gone.



If Cathedral City Vintage 60 tickled your taste buds, then Cathedral City Vintage 20, a mature Cheddar that has been matured for 20 months using exactly the same recipe as Vintage 60, will also be a perfect addition to grace your cheeseboard and add an extra bit of luxury to your plate.



Mark Pitts-Tucker accompaniments recommendations:

‘I see the cheese being served on a Cornish slate cheeseboard liberally accompanied by Delicias Dona Natalia Pure Quince (£2.29 from Waitrose), simple dry biscuits, such as Waitrose’s Biscuits for Cheese (£1.38) and an over-filled glass of red Rioja that has been partly spilt in the hurry to reach for the cheese! I recommend Waitrose’s Baron de Ley, Club Privado 2006 Rioja (£7.99)’.