We had guests and served Smoky Aubergine and Lamb Stew from the Slow Cook Book.
This recipe uses neck of lamb that is slow cooked in a Middle Eastern-style stock flavoured with smoked paprika, chorizo, garlic, cumin, thyme, parsley, aubergines and chickpeas.
A richly-flavoured meal that we thought would do well with robust reds. Our friends had brought with them a bottle of Yellow Tail Shiraz 2011. This full-bodied Australian red had berry fruits with some spiciness and it was alright with the stew, but nothing special.
We thought a bottle of Marqués de Caranó Reserva 2007, a Spanish Red from Tesco might fare better and it was an improvement. This full bodied Tempranillo had pleasant black fruits with slightly perfumed and spicy notes from the vanilla oak. A better match, but nothing really special.