Lucy is flying off to Chile tomorrow to explore it's culinary scene--from Santiago south to Patagonia and then back north to La Serena, the focus is on unique and sustainable products. She will no doubt have tales to tell from this exciting land when she returns. For our final dinner before she leaves, we decided to stick to the basics, but what great basics they were! For us, nothing beats outstanding roast chicken, green veggies, salad and more of Vicki's potatoes.

To help it along we unearthed a bottle of 2003 Beaune Bressandes from Albert Morot. These days, with so many exciting wines to discover (from the rich fruit of Central Otago pinots to the warmth and elegance of some pinots from Oregon and the Sonoma Coast) we forget that the original can be sublime. This bottle was just that. Well on its way to brilliance (we probably cut its life short before its time) here was pure pinot: spicy, smoky with generous ripe dark fruit. Perfect with the chicken and something for Lucy to compare with the Chilean wines and foods in the days to come...