Wine: Finca Labarca Rioja Crianza 2010 — €9.99

I find the best way to make dark January evenings pass is to eat exotic food. I spent much of 2013 working with Lina Gautam of Montys of Kathmandu on her Nepalese cookbook which is due to be launched in the next few weeks. As well as learning much about this fascinating country and its cooking traditions in 2013, I also learned how well Nepalese food goes with wine.

Often I think we underestimate how well red wine matches with spices and how the combination can add extra dimensions and layers of flavour to both food and the wine.