PAIRING wines with pancakes is dependent on the topping or filling you go for. Here are a few wine suggestions that shouldn’t leave you in a mess even if your pancake tossing skills aren’t up to scratch…

Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico 2009 £6.49 M&S

A super and very underrated white from Central Italy which produces floral and herb nuanced wines. Full of ripe citrus fruit flavours backed up with honeysuckle hints that would be a great match for savoury pancakes with goats cheese and spinach.

Margrain ‘Home Block’ Pinot Noir 2007 £18.99 (£15.19 six-bottle case price) Oddbins

A dense and richly aromatic Pinot Noir consisting of black cherries and all things spice. A lot going on in the palate reveals juicy fruit flavours, roasted herbs and smooth, ripe tannins. Duck and Pinot Noir are a true match made in heaven, and although it is not the most traditional of pairings, this would be a dream match with duck and hoi sin pancakes.

Altano White, Douro 2009 £8.65 Berry Bros & Rudd – bbr.com

This white from the Douro Valley is wonderfully fresh with aromas of peach, pineapple and fresh apples that carry through onto the palate.

Crisp and satisfying in the mouth and its well balanced citrus acidity would make it the perfect pairing for the traditional lemon and sugar topped pancake.

Tawny Dee and Ruby Dum NV, both £13.75 Lea & Sandeman – leaandsandeman.co.uk

When you think of wines to drink with pancakes Port probably doesn’t immediately spring to mind, but Niepoort has two very special Ports that will go down a treat after a chocolate pancake.

The Niepoortland twins, Ruby Dum and Tawny Dee are a must for Shrove Tuesday dining.

Ruby Dum retains its youthful, headstrong character, it’s full of red cherries and plum flavours with great freshness from ageing in large wooden vats in cool cellars.

Tawny Dee, on the other hand, is full of wisdom and subtlety acquired from ageing in small old oak casks. Tawny Dee dances around the palate discretely showing hints of dried fruits and complexity.