Picking up the perfect bottle

A decent beer is a wonderful thing but perhaps not a serious enough libation to salute every shoot day. So which are the best wines to uncork for lunch?

- GABRIEL STONE

Spare a thought for your shoot host. The wind is gusting in an unhelpful direction for the first drive, happy hikers are merrily instagramming in the game cover and one of the guns has left his boots at home. The fine detail of lunchtime refreshment may be barely more than a scribbled footnote on the tattered to-do list. For some it matters little. After all, anything more substantial than a pork pie and beer consumed on the vehicle tailgate is surely distracting from the main focus of the day. For others, however, especially sociable types who have paid a not inconsiderable sum to be there, the hospitality element can make or break the day.

That’s certainly the view at Holland & Holland, the clientele of which, whether buying exquisite guns or honing their technique at the firm’s own shooting ground, expect to be well looked after. “Lunch is the pivotal part of the shoot day,” insists Sean Arthur, the company’s food and beverage manager. “That period to get a warm meal in before continuing helps boost morale and focus for the afternoon, and sets the tone for a successful day, especially when the weather is miserable.”

QUALITY RULES

While the sky seems to be the limit at the luxury end of the shooting spectrum, with tales of Michelin-starred spreads washed down by first-growth claret, most shooting stalwarts agree that it’s perfectly possible to look after your guests well on a rather tighter budget.