With numbers down to under 450 individuals the distinctive black and white Berkshire pig is facing extinction. None of these fine beasts - that produce exceptionally delicious roast pork, superb bacon, succulent pork sausages, and tasty gammon - remain in their native Thames Valley but Berkshire based Lambourn Valley Cider is rasing funds to arrest the decline.

One of the countries smallest cider producers is raising money to give to the Berkshire Pig Breeders Club. Donations are accepted but 15p is given by the company for every gallon of Lambourn Valley Cider they sell. ...

Lambourn Valley Cider
"The Japanese are great connoisseurs of Berkshire pork and bacon, and there are many more herds of Berkshires in Japan than in the UK. It would be a tragedy if this genetically diverse pig were to disappear, and all that we had left were the breeds beloved by supermarkets; lean with little natural fat and lacking in flavour."

Did you think the EU wine lake was a thing of the past? France and other EU wine producers are to be pressed to destroy vineyards and end a perennial wine glut that costs tens of millions of euros a year. Naturally, the French wine growers are going to get upset...

FT.com
"The reform will face fierce opposition from the powerful wine lobby, particularly in France. But Ms Fischer Boel said her reform would benefit many producers since it was designed to help "raise the quality of European wine"' and force producers to move away from the cheaper table wine that has suffered most from international competition."

From the New Scientist Feedback section -

"Richard Platt recently brought some Dry-Treat Marble and Porcelain Sealer to treat a granite work surface. The instructions sternly warned him not to take it internally, to use a positive-pressure ventilator if ventilation is inadequate when he is working, and to wear suitable solvant-resistant gloves, protective clothing, safety googles and an organic vapour respirator during application. A check on the product's safety data on the website confirmed the need for these measures. 'Significant ingestion' it warned, 'can result in depression of central nervous system' while if inhaled, 'vapours can affect the central nervous system and result in headaches and dizziness.'

And what is this dangerous solvent that merits such thorough precautions? None other than ethyl alcohol

The Wine Mill

The Wine Mill is the internet end of John Stephenson & Sons of Nelson, Lancashire. This independent wine merchant has been established since 1914; although the website is a little newer. The website is clean if a little unexciting, tasting notes are brief but functional, prices are keen. The range is very good. Although at the bottom end there are the likes of Blossom Hill, higher up the quality ladder are delights from vineyards as diverse as McCorkindale (New Zealand), Paul Cluver (South Africa) and Drouhin (USA). Europe too is well covered with good ranges from Spain, Italy, a smattering from Germany and all the main regions of France. Hidden in the news page are details of the 'wine-made-east' wine plan, £60-£70 a month for a mixed case of wine. Sign up for 6 months and receive a free magnum of Champagne.

Pirineos Gewürztraminer bottle

Wine Tasting Note: Pirineos Gewürztraminer, 2004, Somontano, Spain.
Available from A&A Wines for £7.75.
Not something you immediately associate is Gewürztraminer in Spain but there were two examples available for slurping at the recent 16th Annual Wines From Spain Trade Fair. This was by far the best and a damn delicious bottle at that. While the nose is gently understated with soft rose-petal aromas the palate is superb; bursting with Turkish delight (including the chocolate) roses again and a smooth spiciness. Crisp acidity complemented the richness of fruit. Sophisticated. Very Alsace in style with perhaps a hint of sweetness, certainly good weight. Alcohol 12.5%.
Scribblings Rating - 96/100

I have never really got on with Gewürztraminer and Chinese food, although some people swear by it. Thai food I find generally too spicy hot for wine. Munster cheese is the 'classic' pairing with Gewürztraminer. Anyone have some good food paring suggestions?

The final clearance at Allez Vins!

Allez Vins
"with retirement from the wine business looming we still have some great clearance offers on remaining stock - Madiran, Jurancon, Costieres de Nimes, Cour-Cheverny, Cotes du Marmandais, Malbec, Quercy - but hurry stocks are going very fast at these prices! We also have a selection of bargains from St Emilion, Spain, Chile, Argentina, USA at knock-down prices - Malbecs, Cabernet Sauvignons, Chardonnays, Syrah, Bonarda, Cava, Somontano, blends......"

The appellation system has become meaningless, a confederation of independent winemakers heard last week.

decanter.com
"'Three quarters of all wine produced in Europe now bears a specific geographic reference. The more this happens, the more devalued it becomes, and the less consumers want to pay for it,' he said."

Biodynamic viticulture is more than just a marketing tool, but more hard scientific evidence is required to prove some of its adherents’ claims. These were some of the conclusions reached by a panel of industry experts convened by the Institute of Masters of Wine for a seminar on the controversial practice in London last week.

Harpers_Wine.com
"biodynamic Alsace producer Olivier Humbrecht MW said that the role of biodynamic production was to ‘produce the best wine, that is faithful and true to its origins… people talk about sustainable viticulture, but I’m interested in the next 10,000 years, not just the next 10 years."

Several interesting wine related snippets discovered on BKWine, a 'Just launched' wine blog, based in Sweden and writen by Britt Karlsson. Those interesting posts? Stopping Wine Fakes with New Technology, Danish Wine Exported to France and some brief details of The Swedish monopoly fires 50 employees suspected for bribery.

Entries for the first Wine Women Awards are now being taken. If you run a wine shop or a restaurant, work as a wine waiter or own a wine bar, organize wine-tasting classes or wine events, you may participate. Only winemakers, oenologists and oenology professors cannot take part in the competition. Prizes of 19,000 euros are up for grabs.

WineWomanAwards.com
"The Wine Women Awards celebrate a new vision of wine. In a profession long dominated by men, women who select and serve wines are asserting themselves, sharing their knowledge, and proving their competence and originality. A world of pleasure and sensuality, curiosity and sharing, wine is taking pride in its feminine side. This competition seeks to reward women whose passion and professionalism might otherwise have gone without the recognition they deserve."

Australia's booming wine industry has become a victim of its own success with the proliferation of new vineyards leading to a chronic oversupply of grapes.

nzherald.co.nz
"Wine drinkers hoping that the grape glut will translate to cheaper prices on the supermarket shelves will be disappointed, however. 'Consumers are already getting Australian wine at very good value,' said Lawrie Stanford, of the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation. 'It would be hard for it to get much cheaper.'"

My recipe is somewhere within Outlook. Outlook also holds the calender reminders that organise my life. Outlook is on my new sata drive, which just happens to be connected to a motherboard that doesnt work. Nothing. No power, no flicker, nadda. What is has provided is aggrevation and annoyance a'plenty. So I didn't enter this months Sugar High Friday. Because I forgot. My life is run by a machine.

I was going to make some delicious sounding walnut bread and also a scone-type thing. The bread was to accompany some fine cheeses with a couple of wines to wash it all down and compare how well they went together. I had not even got round to buying the cheeses. Cook sister however did managed to join in the fun. As well as supplying a scone recipe (dare I mention great minds at this point?) her write-up includes a humourous story involving moles and plenty of background details on the theme and her cooking. A great post. Derrick is this months Sugar High Friday host. I feel so left out...

ISake Screen shot

Is sake to be the 'next big thing'? To be frank I know little of its production and was surprised by the range available and the prices of some of them as detailed on the Isake website.

"Founded by Kumiko Ohta, Xavier Chapelou and Jean-Louis Naveilhan isaké specialises in the importation and sale of Premium Japanese saké within Europe."

The range reaches the dizzy price heights of £350 a bottle for a superbly packaged Dome sake made from extra polished Yamadanishiki rice but there are plenty of more affordable offerings. Fascinating stuff and a good, servicable website in which to explore and buy. More specific details on UKWinesOnline.

Hans Offringa takes you on a journey: an autobiographical discovery tour through the world of Whisky and Scotland, written in the clear, open and accessible style that has been the trademark of this well-known Dutch author for many years.

The journey starts in the attic of an old stately home, back in 1974, and ends some 30 years later, in the famous Craigellachie Hotel of Speyside.

Along the way, the reader is taken on a variety of small by-roads that offer access to the fascinating world of whisky. With tongue-in-cheek humour, the author depicts in about 200 pages how he has grown, slowly but steadily, from an amateur-enthusiast into a whisky-connoisseur and professional taster.

While reading it you will learn a lot about whisky and about Scotland. According to the author it is not difficult to become a connoisseur: it can happen to you too!

UK trade paper OLN (Off-Licence News) has just published the results of the 2nd Top 100 Vins de Pays Wines tasting competition. Headed by Tim Atkin MW a small group of tasters slurped their way through 1,022 entries to arrive at the top 100.

Sadly no stockist details are supplied or retail prices but the wines will be available for tasting at the May London Wine and Spirits Fair so I will try and find more details, and sample them, then.

Over the last couple of years I have noted that I increasingly drink wines from the Languedoc-Rousillon - the main vin de pays area - finding them excellent value and eminently drinkable. But there are many VdP regions across France and not just in the south. In his write up Atkins name that Syrah, Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc most impressed. Pinot Noir was disappointing while red blends and the pinks were 'not quite as good as last year either and did not win a trophy'. Rather than list all 100 wines those detailed below are the trophy winners. Atkins points to three wines specifically - all from the Vins de Pays d'Oc. Extra notes are given against these three wines.

What I am most impressed about though is one of my discoveries - the 3 Poules Cabernet Franc won a trophy! If you were at any of the three consumer fairs late last year you would have had a chance to try this. Have a look at the 3 Poules website for details of visiting the vineyard.

• Viognier Trophy and Best White of Show
  Laurent Miquel Viognier Nord Sud, 2003, Vin de Pays d'Oc.
  "Anyone who thinks that great French Viognier can only be produced in Condrieu should buy a bottle of this remarkable wine."
• Vermentio Trophy
  Domaine des Lauriers Vermentino, 2004, Vin de Pays d'Oc.
• Sauvignon Blanc Trophy
  French Connection Sauvignon Blanc, Vignobles Du Peloux, 2004, Vin de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne.
• Chardonnay Trophy
  Domaine de Corneille, Le Cite de Foncalieu Grand Reserve, Vin de Pays d'Oc.
• Chardonnay Blend Trophy
  Domaine Caillaubert Chardonnay/Semillon, 2003, Vin de Pays des Cotres de Gascogne.
• Other White Blends Trophy
  Domaine de Pallehaut, 2004, Vin de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne.
• Syrah Trophy and Best Red of Show
  Domaine Camplazens Syrah, 2004, Vin de Pays d'Oc.
  "was the kind of wine that brings a smile to a taster's face. Or, where this particular wine was concerned, to 13 taster's faces. It could easily fight its corner against all but the very best northern Rhone wines."
• Pinot Noir Trophy
  Vignoble Guillaume Pinot Noir Vieilles Vignes, 2003, Vin de Pays de Franche Comte.
• Cabernet France trophy
  Baronnie de Bourgade Les 3 Poules Cabernet Franc, 2004, Vin de Pays des Cotes de Thongue.
• Grenache Trophy
  Maison Galhaud Grenache 2004, Vin de Pays des Cotes Catalanes.
• Merlot Trophy
  Domaine Paul Mas Le Forge Estate Merlot, 2004, Vin de Pays d'Oc.
  "This is a wine that proves Merlot from the Languedoc can deliver flavour, complexity and value for money, as well as the capacity to age."
• Cabernet Sauvigon Trophy
  Gerard Bertrand Collection Cabernet Sauvignon, 2003, Vin de Pays d'Oc.

There were several other categories but none were awarded a trophy.

The future supply of Scottish grain to the whisky industry is being threatened by the low prices paid to farmers.

Stackyard.com
"Many farmers are thinking twice about growing malting barley, a key ingredient in the production of Scotch whisky, because the price being paid to them does not cover production costs. NFUS is extremely concerned that any increase in the use of imported, non-Scottish grain in the production of Scotch whisky could undermine the integrity of the Scotch whisky brand and jeopardise future sales."

UPDATE: The motion that only home-grown barley should be used to make Scotch whisky found no support in the Scottish parliament. Holyrood’s newest MSP, Liberal Democrat Andrew Arbuckle, made the proposal the cornerstone of his first member’s motion, arguing that the move would give Scotch whisky protected geographical indicator (PGI) status. http://business.scotsman.com/agriculture.cfm?id=427032005

Austria has to be one of the most under-represented countries on the nations shelves. Oddbins lists just one. Tescos search facility found a German Riesling(!) while the Wine Cellar and Sainsbury's list none at all. Very disappointing.

The wines of Austria are of world class quality encompassing, not only the sweet wines and Rieslings most of us are aware of, but also a collection of unique varieties and individual expressions of more well known grapes. To purchase any of these however it is to the independent sector you must turn.

With timely coincidence Ultimate Wine Company announced their latest evening tasting was to be a fascinating collection of... wait for it... Austrian wines!

We began with a quaint little Rotgipfler as an aperitif. Rotgipfler is one of those local grapes - that makes nicely weighty, dry wines that remind me of a Pinot Gris somewhat with its subtle spiciness. The Biegler Rotgipfler Brindlbach 2003 was very pleasant (very enjoyable in fact) but a touch pricey at £9.99 a bottle. As before the wines below were tasted in various groups, first by themselves and then with a delicious array of cheeses, cold meats, breads and the like; the majority were Austrian specialities just to retain that authentic flavour to the whole enterprise.

Stadt Krems Gruner Veltliner bottle

Stadt Krems Gruner Veltliner, 2003, Kremstal, Austria.
Ultimate Wines £8.52.
Gruner Veltliner is the grape - and a top notch variety it is too. This was nice enough by itself - a subtle nose, lightly peppery fruit with a crisp, lemony, finish. With food however it really shone. It was described as an entry level wine - it maybe for this producer - but I was suitably impressed with how enjoyable it was with food. 11.5% Alcohol.
Scribblings Rating - 88/100

This 550 year old producer is owned, perhaps uniquely, by the city of Krems. In 1210 the Babenberger Duke Leopold VI founded a Citizen's Hospital in Krems and bequeathed it a large amount of vineyards.

Franz Hirtzberger Gruner Veltliner Smaragd Honivogal, 2003, Austria.
Ultimate Wines £29.38.
You noticed the price I take it - but blimey it is worth every penny! An intense aroma of apples lies above a crisp palate brimming with complexity - spice, pepper and, with food, a delicious smoky edge. Wonderful. Alcohol 14%.
Scribblings Rating - 90/100

`Honivogal' is Hirtzberger's most important Gruner Veltliner vineyard and is grown on at the foot of the steep sloped `Singerriedel' vineyard which grows Riesling.

Schloss Gobelsburg Riesling Gobelsburger, 2003, Austria.
Ultimate Wines £9.40.
Quite young on the nose - floral, lightly honeyed, fresh. Characterful palate, weighty, full of lime-zest, orange rind and pepper flavours. Very different from delicate German Rieslings. 12.5% Alcohol. Was superb with white stilton with apricots.
Scribblings Rating - 86/100

Franz Hietzberger Riesling Smaragd Singerriedel, 2003, Austria.
UItimate Wines £32.90.
You have to pay for the best. While this superb Riesling - full of peach, white flowers, lemon - was vibrant and full of flavour and displaying more than was required for all assembled to go 'aaaah' in an astounded type way - I thought it was a touch young. It can only get better with age. Really, buy a case and if you managed to not drink it all it will still be going strong in 10 years plus. If only I wasn't a penniless Circle of Wine Writers scribbler...
Scribblings Rating - 92/100

Polz Grauburgunder Grassmotzberg, 2003, Styria, Austria.
Ultimate Wines £13.51.
An Austrian Pinot Gris, for that is what Grau (grey) Burgunder is. This was my favourite wine of the evening, not just because I adore Pinot Gris but because it offered excellent food-friendly value. My notes read - peachy edge to the colour. Simple aroma, not terribly pronounced. Dry, lighter in weight than the colour/aroma would indicate. Spicy on the finish. A nice package of flavour. Nutty finish. Very moreish. 13.5% Alcohol.
Scribblings Rating - 94/100

Prieler Pinot Blanc, 2002, Neusiedlersee, Austria.
Ultimate Wines £10.28.
Biscuit and nuts someone bellowed behind a mouthful of cheese. Indeed. I also picked up an edge of spice (not as intense as in the Pinot Gris though) and a good weight and length. Very food friendly. Dry. 13% Alcohol.
Scribblings Rating - 90/100

Polz Sauvignon Blanc Therese, 2003, Austria.
Ultimate Wines £14.10.
One of the most distinctive and interesting Sauvignons I have sampled recently. A delicious spring greens of a wine with a depth and complexity to the nose that divided the participants. Cats Pee was noted but I failed to see past the sugar-snap pea skins and spring onion edge. A touch of fennel and a minerality added even more to the wine which propelled this to the forefront of the tasting - if the level of discussion was any indication! Distinctive and refined. Delicious with the Austrian cheeses.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100

Josef Umathum Zweigelt, 2003, Neusiedlersee, Austria.
Ultimate Wines £10.58.
The first red of the tasting. fresh, primary fruit, quite simple with high acidity. Fresh cherry fruit. Light to medium bodied. Zweigelt is the grape variety - a cross of Blaufrankish and St.Laurant.It is widely grown throughout Austria. I generally find then a little light for my personal taste and lacking in depth. If you have not sampled a Zweigelt before then this is a superb introduction from one producer who manages to extract more than a little class and character from the variety.
Scribblings Rating - 86/100

Pittnauer Blaufrankish Klassik, 2003, Burgenland, Austria.
Ultimate Wines £9.99.
This proved very popular from those assembled although I failed to see why. Yes it is a more complex wine than the previous one with a meaty edge to the flavour and an intense red-berry fruit dominated palate. But it is quite light and not really to my taste. 13.5% Alcohol. Blaufrankish is also known as Lemberger and Kekfrankos.
Scribblings Rating - 86/100

Jaunegg Blauer Wildbacher, 2001, Styria, Austria.
Ultimate Wines £13.51.
For interest alone this scores highly as Wildbacher the grape is normally grown for rosé but this is full-bloodied red! Johann and Hohana Jaunegg have extracted enough colour from the skins to produce a wine with an intense aroma and flavours full of blueberries and other dark berried fruit. 13% Alcohol.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100

Pittnauer St. Laurent Alte Reben, 2003, Austria.
Ultimate Wines £20.56.
Deep coffee edged cherry aromas. Lighter on the palate than the nose would indicate but with quite intense flavours. Good fruit and depth - big and bold. 13.5% Alcohol.
Scribblings Rating - 88/100

Umathum Ried Hallebuhl, 2000, Austria.
Ultimate Wines £27.03.
Smoky edged fruit, seep and intense. Blackberry. Very refined with perfect balance between fruit and acidity. Dark and almost brooding with a sour cherry edge and a layer of woody complexity. So easy to drink. "Titillates every tastebud in your mouth and rolls away gently." Very classy and another wine that will evolve well in the cellar. 13.5% alcohol.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100

Lang Samling 88 Berrenauslese, 2002, Austria.
Ultimate Wines £10.58 half bottle.
Superb value for this dessert wine. A stickie, although the acidity halts any cloying sensation, with a hugly popular array of flavours - sherbert, limes, lemon zest, meringue. This would be superb on its own, with foie gras, chocolate cake etc. Excellent honeyed lemon finish that lasts an age.
Scribblings Rating - 94/100

English Wine Week this year is running from the 28th May through to the 6th June. A host of events - tastings, open vineyards, food matching sessions and general promotions, are taking place across the country. Full details on the website.

Magellan Wine screenshot

Based in Sheffield Magellan Wines specialises in the wines of Portugal. They currently list 23 wines and ports (the latter from Nieport) which is a little small but gives a reasonable coverage of the countries styles and regions. The website is fine - offering plenty of country background details and brief descriptions of each wine. I would have liked a little more depth to the tasting notes and perhaps some food suggestions with local recipes. As an introduction to the range various mixed cases are available if you are unsure what to buy. this is a great way not only to introduce yourself to the company and their wines but also to Portugal as a whole.

Harmonisation of EU duty rates? Assist your fellow Europeans? An attack on French culture?

TimesOnline.co.uk
"European Commission’s policymaking is virtually paralysed, so concerned is it not to upset French voters ahead of France’s referendum on the European Union constitution next month."

El Furioso Albillo Label

Wine Tasting Note: El Furioso Albillo, 2003, Castilla y Leon, Spain.
Oddbins exclusive £3.99.
Having spent the day slurping through dozens of Spanish wines at the annual trade tasting it seemed only right to continue the theme on into the evening. A cheap drop in Oddbins caught the eye; but one from a grape I haven't heard much off - Albillo. I don't actually recall seeing any such grape at the tasting so was interested in finding out more (yep, still going after a couple of pints of Brakspears at the Queens Head and a whole day tasting!).

Albillo is a work-a-day variety. Often used for table grapes it produces wines 'neutral in flavour' and can appear in the red of Ribera del Duero. Well the lowly price point was an indication that it was not going to be outstanding; but its not half bad actually. There is a high glycerol level that gives a weighty feel (and a touch of sweetness) in the mouth but the acidity keeps it clean and fresh. Apple and pear flavours with a herby twist meld into a gravely-textured fruity whole. It is not complicated but for a mid-week glugger with a bit of character and interest I think it ranks highly. 12.5% Alcohol.
Scribblings Rating - 88/100

Is Riesling really going to set the world alight? For the last few years - several years in fact - it seems that every wine commentator receives the baton to hail the return of Riesling to glorious popularity. Whether it is the lime-streaked versions from Australia or the estate wines of Germany (such as those highlighted in the Telegraph's piece Life Beyond Liebframilch) Riesling has forever been on the cusp of revival. Not that convinced myself. Never been a great fan of the grape really - although two stunning Austrian versions I sampled last Saturday (at the latest Ultimate Wine tasting) really brought home the quality that the grape can produce.

I will write up the wines from the tasting shortly (14 different Austrian wines both red and white) but the two wines that Paula, of Ultimate Wines, highlighted were incredibly food-friendly - perhaps fitting in with the food I eat better than the off-dry/medium German styles of Riesling I have sampled in the past. Versions from Australia - have been a little disappointing, simplistic, generally except perhaps the Knappstein - although this was helped again by the food served with it.

Posted April 18, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (5)