Each Friday, InterWined.com pairs one great wine with one great meal and publishes the results along with the recipe in a little feature it likes to call ‘Blow the Bank’.

This week, it’s InterWined’s Own Roast Chicken Givry.

Among some wine drinkers, it would appear that the red wines of Givry have the rather dubious reputation of being once-great, also-rans in a crowded field that includes such famous names as Beaujolais, Côte de Beaune, Côte de Nuits, Mercurey, and Montagny. Sure, as a quick survey of the Web will knowingly confirm that Givry was the favourite tipple of the late King of England and France and Lord of Ireland Henry IV — but that was nearly 600 years ago.

Doesn’t anyone have something good to say about Givry now?

It would seem not. In fact, for the Bourgogne aficionado, the reputation of the reds of Givry was permanently damaged by phylloxera in the 1860s and ‘70s and the ravages of two world wars. Which, one suspects, might explain the difficultly in locating these medium-bodied Pinot Noirs outside of France.

Thankfully, InterWined managed it with a wine that the local Oddbins on Clapham High Street was only too happy to note is personal favourite of South London acting great, Mike Leigh favourite, and voice of Barry Mickelthwaite in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories Timothy Spall. He’s an OBE, don’t you know. That’s Order of the British Empire to you and me. So, you know it’s good… It’s not CBE, KBE, GBE good. But, it’s still good — just like the always engaging and entertaining Mr. Spall and the red Givry. It might not be Hollywood A-list or Mercurey, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth your attention and respect.

Such is certainly the case with the InterWined-tested, Spall-approved 2004 Givry Domaine Tatraux. £10.99 from Oddbins, the Givry Domaine Tatraux gives a subtle, really breathe it in, hint of berry on the nose (raspberry, forest fruits, you know the rest) that proves indicative of its light finish and medium-body. No score; if it’s good enough for Spall, it’s good enough for you. Just, go buy a Givry and drink it (especially if you live in the United States, where the Domaine Tatraux is unfortunately, unavailable at present). In the mind of Blow the Bank scribe Sean, it was entirely reminiscent of many lighter New World Pinot Noirs and the perfect accompaniment to white meat, like InterWined’s Own Roast Chicken Givry.

See; the clue is in the name: Roast Chicken Givry.

InterWined’s Own Recipe In Full

Roast Chicken Givry

Click on the post to view and download the recipe

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