The Hour

This coming Tuesday is Pancake Day, traditionally a day of feasting and celebrations before the fasting begins on Ash Wednesday. And what better way to wash a pancake down then with a delicious glass of wine, courtesy of Tom Cannavan?

Most people would consider pancakes to be a fairly simple dish, but as Tom explains they do in fact take many forms, from Russian blinis with caviar and sour cream to French crepes with deliciously savoury fillings, to the classic American breakfast with crisp-fried bacon and maple syrup.

This rich variety of pancakes does, of course, require a rich variety of wines.

1. Finest Denman Vineyard Semillon 2010, Australia, £8.49 from Tesco

Australian Semillon from the cool Hunter Valley, not far from Sydney, is a classic with its lemony freshness but hidden depths of honeyed smokiness. It has the tangy richness for creamy sauces, but it is one that you can also tuck away for several years and it will only improve.

Try matching this wine with crepes, filled with creamy chicken or haddock. This will go great with the lemon and honey flavour of the wine.

2. Scotto FW Zinfandel/Barbera 2007, California, £5.99 from The Great Grog Co. (Edinburgh)

This blend of Italy's Barbera grape with the all-American Zinfandel is not the most aromatic wine in the world, but it has lovely fruit and balance on the palate with a crowd-pleasing sweetness licked with vanilla, and the soft gluggability to match with hoisin sauce on the crispy duck pancakes.

The black berries and vanilla flavouring of this wine will go great with Chinese crispy duck pancakes.

3. Collalbrigo, Prosecco Brut NV, Italy, £9.95 from FromVineyardsDirect.com

This is a Prosecco with exquisite peachy richness that fills the mouth and orangey depth when compared to the usual Prosecco sherbetty fruit. Very nice palate: bone dry and lemon fresh, but a really serious, stylish fizz.

Classic pancakes with lemon, sugar and butter - and vanilla ice cream if you like – will go great with the peach and lemon flavours of this wine.

WONDERFUL WINE

• More suggestions from Tom Cannavan
• Full bodied wine
• Cheese and wine night?