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Wine Tasting Note: Rex-Goliath Pinot Grigio, 2004, California.
Wine Tasting Note: Rex-Goliath Pinot Grigio, 2004, California.£7.99 Threshers
Another in the Goliath range - again over-priced if buying a single bottle but fine if you take advantage of the buy two get a third free deal running across the Threshers estate. A cross between an Italian Pinot Grigio and an Alsace version. More weight than an Italian, nicely rounded (hint of sweetness?), good peachy, apple flavours, touches of herbs and apricots. Not outstanding but I liked it. It certainly washed down several pitta bread stuffed with grilled chicken, feta cheese, rocket and fresh herbs beautifully. Really nice in fact. Making me hungry just thinking about it. Alcohol 12.5%.
Scribblings Rating - 90/100
Dom Perignon Vintage 1998: The Collection.
Luxury Champagne house Dom Perignon has released a cookbook entitled 1998:The Collection. Thirty-five chefs have contributed recipes, Yukata Yahamoto has supplied the minimalist photographs and Stephane Hamain the woodcut-style illustrations of the chefs. With 290 pages the Collection is available in two editions - for the hoi-poli £40 and at £1000 an edition bound in dark sea-green Galuchat leather and signed prints inside.DP98thecollection.co.uk
"It is a unique collection of memories, stories, and recipes,delving into our greatest pastimes - eating, drinking, and entertaining. At a time when the UK is the world's gourmet capital, it seems only appropriate that such a unique book is launched here in this country, at this time.
We have interviewed thirty-five chefs, in charge of some of the most prestigious and well-appointed kitchens in the United Kingdom, to reveal secrets of their art. Tom Aikens, Angela Hartnett, Michel Roux Jr, Michael Caines, Jean-Christophe Novelli, and Marco Pierre White, to name but a few."
New Wave Spanish Wine Awards 2005.
Trade weekly OLN has published the results of its New Wave Spanish Wine Awards 2005. A 12 strong tasting panel took two days examining 700 wines from across Spain. I won't list all the Top 106 (they found it impossible to couldn't knock out a final six to make a round 100) but the Trophy Winners are easier to compile. Sadly no specific retailers were listed but the recommended retail price is included.
- Best Red Over £10 and Best Wine of Show
Bodegas Riojanas Gran Albina 2001, Rioja. £19.50. - Best Red Under £10
Casa Castillo Vendimia 2004, Jumilla. £7.50. - Best Value Red
Bodega San Gregorio Espirial Old Vine Garnacha 2004, Clatayud. �4.49 - Best White Over £10
Bodegas Valdamor Albarinio 2004, Rias Baixas. £10.25 - Best White Under £10
Enate Gewurztraminer 2004, Somontano. £9.99 - Best Value White
Gonzalez Byass Altozano Verdejo 2004, Castilla y Leon. £4.49 - Best Cava
Codorniu Clasico Brut NV. £5.59 - Best Value Cava
Cristalino Brut NV Cava. (Morrisons) £3.99 - Best Rosado
Bodegas Piqueras Castillo de Almansa Rosado 2004, Almansa. £5.45 - Best Sherry
Domecq Amontillado 51-1a VORS 20 years NV. £29.95 - Best Unfortified Sweet Wine
Bodegas Julian Chivite Coleccion 125 Vendimia Tardia Moscatel 2002, Navarra. £16 - Best Value Sweet Wine
Cherubino Valsangiacomo Moscatel Vittore 2004, Valencia. �4 - Best Fortified Sweet Wine
Perez Barquero Gran Barquero Pedro Ximenez NV Montilla-Moriles. £6.49
Wine Tasting Note: Rex-Goliath Chardonnay, 2005, Central Coast, California.
Wine Tasting Note: HRM Rex-Goliath "Giant 47 Pound Rooster" Chardonnay, 2003, Central Coast, California.Threshers £7.99.
They sell this for £7.99 - pricey for a single bottle but as part of the buy 3 deal it works out fine. Its a toasty wine - very toasty on the finish from the oak aging. The palate is full of tropical fruit flavours underpinning that oak - papaya and pear. Touches of creamy pineapple too and a hint of aniseed on the finish. Quite rich and full.
Scribblings Rating - 88/100
Rex-Goliath website doesn't give much in the way of specifics but they recommend this with Fettuccine Alfredo or Saffron Risotto.
Coincidentally WineCast has just blogged about a Rex-Goliath wine the non-vintage Merlot.
90% In New Zealand Under Screw.
Although the focus of this article is on New Zealands only screwcap manufacturing plant is has some interesting details on the background to the (Screwcap) Wine Seal Initiative. By next year it is expected that 90% of all New Zealand still wine will be sealed with a screwcap.
National Business Review
"The introduction of screwcap closures started slowly in 2001 on the back of concerns about bad cork. Until then, no New Zealand wine used screwcap closures, but Australian and New Zealand bottlers had been looking at possibilities for at least three years."
National Business Review
"The introduction of screwcap closures started slowly in 2001 on the back of concerns about bad cork. Until then, no New Zealand wine used screwcap closures, but Australian and New Zealand bottlers had been looking at possibilities for at least three years."
Tutankhamen Drank Red Wine.
An archaeologist has created a tool to discover the colour of ancient wine. Maria Rosa Guasch-Jane has also found that an ancient Egyptian drink, shedeh, was made from red grapes. What I didn't realise was that wine bottles from the time of Tutankhamun were labeled with the name of the product, the year of harvest and the vine grower. Scientists believe the first wine discovered in Egypt, buried in King Scorpion's tomb in about 3125 B.C., was produced in Jordan and transported 500 miles by donkey and boat to Egypt.
ABC News
"Several clues had led scientists to believe that the wine may have been red: drawings from the time of grapes being pressed into wine were red and purple, for example. But the color of King Tut's wine was impossible to verify until Guasch-Jane invented a process to detect a color compound not found in white wine called syringic acid."
ABC News
"Several clues had led scientists to believe that the wine may have been red: drawings from the time of grapes being pressed into wine were red and purple, for example. But the color of King Tut's wine was impossible to verify until Guasch-Jane invented a process to detect a color compound not found in white wine called syringic acid."
Wine Tasting Note: Saints Sauvignon Blanc, 2004, Marlborough, New Zealand.
Wine Tasting Note: Saints Vineyard Selection Sauvignon Blanc, 2004, Marlborough, New Zealand.Threshers £7.99.
A punchy little number. Very crisp and crunchy with rampant grassy flavours tilting with passion fruit, apple and grapefruit. Length is fine. Medium bodied. Alcohol 12.5%. Umm, unexcited by it I guess, as I cant really think of anything else to say.
Scribblings Rating - 84/100
It's not that it's a bad wine; just lacking a touch in complexity and a little overly acidic for the weight. Any-road-up, I was in need of a Sauvignon to accompany the liver I plan to have in a few moments. Liver? With a Sauvignon? It just happens to be one of my favourite food/wine matches. I'll add the recipe after I have eaten... brb...
Venetian Style Liver - the picture doesn't do it justice - is delicious. Well, if you like liver, anyway. The flavours in the dish need something punchy like a decent Sauvignon to accompany. It is simplicity itself to make and quick too.
Fry a thinly sliced onion and a chopped garlic clove in a little olive oil. (I only had some spring onions to hand so had to make do with those). Add a big pinch of grated nutmeg. When softened, but not brown, remove form the pan. Add a little more oil if necessary, turn up the heat, and quickly fry the chopped liver, until done to your liking. It should retain a little redness in the middle. Remove from the pan.
De-glaze the pan with white wine vinegar - 2 or 3 tablespoons add a large slice of butter. When combined and all the bits have been scrapped from the pan bottom pour over the liver.
Serve with boiled rice and peas. Although I was out of the latter this time. I know, I know how can anyone run out of frozen peas...
2 for 1 Entry To Vinopolis.
The London Evening Standard is offering a 2 for 1 entry to Vinopolis during October. New for October is the Still Room and the Whisky Exchange where whisky lovers can sample malts and blends. A new micro-brewery and restaurant, Brew Warf, open shortly too.
More Details.
More Details.
Wine Tasting Note: Mosaique Chardonnay, 2004, Vin de Pays d'Oc, France.
I was in need of a white to go in tonight's dinner - a take on Chicken Cacciatora (Hunters Chicken) from The Wine Lovers Cookbook by Brian St.Pierre. As most would end up in the dish I didn't want to spend too much but at the same time would want a glass or two while chopping carrots and tossing mushrooms about with careless abandon.This wine, lurking at the bottom of an Oddbins shelf, looked OK. At £4.49 cheap enough and a funky label too; can't be bad.
Wine Tasting Note: Mosaique Chardonnay, 2004, Vin de Pays d'Oc, France.£4.49 from Oddbins.
This is part of an own label range that offers a full gamut of varietals from the South of France - Sauvignon, Syrah, Viognier, Syrah Rosé and the like all in the £3.99/£4.99 range. This 100% Chardonnay is fine. Crisp acidity, plentiful quince and apple flavours, clean, fresh, a touch of oak. Drinkable if not terribly exciting. Good for a glug though.
Scribblings Rating - 86/100
Italy is facing a quality revolution.
Italy faces the major problem of dropping export sales in the face of energetic New World competition. Ten years ago, the Euro Old World controlled 90pc of the value of the international wine trade; today the figure is a startling 64pc. Yet Italy remains the world's largest volume wine producer.
SundayLife.co.uk
"In the UK and Ireland, sad memories of cheap two-litre bottles of dilute Bardolino, Soave and the like leave a sour mouth-taste. Big pub wines, but very forgettable, apart from the possible hangover.The truth is that, for a time, many Italian winemakers simply went for big profits by mass-producing mediocre wines and undermining well-known regional names at the same time.
Thankfully, not all grabbed the easy money. And they're the producers likely to survive the current downturn. Basically, a quality revolution is underway, largely exploiting the unique properties of local grapes."
SundayLife.co.uk
"In the UK and Ireland, sad memories of cheap two-litre bottles of dilute Bardolino, Soave and the like leave a sour mouth-taste. Big pub wines, but very forgettable, apart from the possible hangover.The truth is that, for a time, many Italian winemakers simply went for big profits by mass-producing mediocre wines and undermining well-known regional names at the same time.
Thankfully, not all grabbed the easy money. And they're the producers likely to survive the current downturn. Basically, a quality revolution is underway, largely exploiting the unique properties of local grapes."
Upcoming Tastings.
A selection of tastings and dinners I have been invited to/informed of - they are open to all. Spain features heavily!
26th October Wine Appreciation Course £25 Bury St Edmunds GrapeSense
2nd November Spain (Wine and Tapas) £5 Oakham Bat and Bottle
5th November Food Lovers Fair Free Covent Garden, London
10th November Spain (Beyond Rioja and Cava) £35 London Ultimate Wines
12th November Spain (Beyond Rioja and Cava) £25 Marlow Ultimate Wines
12th November Spanish Wine and Food Bloggersmeet East London
12th November Cooking & Quaffing One Day Course Spanish Tapas £140 Cookery School London
14th November 1998 Bordeaux Right Bank £45 London CecWine
17th November Tuscany £10 Oakham Bat and Bottle
26th November Autumn Festival Wine Dinner £75 Crowne Plaza, Marlow Tickets 0870-444-8940
30th November Winter Tasting London Free Bat and Bottle
2nd December Christmas Party £35 London Ultimate Wines
3rd December Christmas Party £25 Marlow Ultimate Wines
8th December Port Tasting £10 Oakham Bat and Bottle
9th December Winter Tasting £5 Oakham Bat and Bottle
Raccoons Ate My Grapes...
Herman Goering... raccoons... German wine harvets... Is this true? You can never tell on the internet sometimes...
NationalPost
"Germany is stepping up its battle against "Nazi" raccoons after they ruined much of this year's wine harvest, the Web site Ananova reported yesterday. The animals were released into the countryside in 1934 under the orders of Hermann Goering. They have since become a health hazard, rummaging through garbage cans and invading attics and basements.
Now, they are threatening farmers. "Raccoons wiped out almost the entire harvest in a matter of days," said Werner Kothe, who has a vineyard in Brandenburg. Local officials have hired bounty hunters to cull raccoons, with 3,471 being killed last year."
NationalPost
"Germany is stepping up its battle against "Nazi" raccoons after they ruined much of this year's wine harvest, the Web site Ananova reported yesterday. The animals were released into the countryside in 1934 under the orders of Hermann Goering. They have since become a health hazard, rummaging through garbage cans and invading attics and basements.
Now, they are threatening farmers. "Raccoons wiped out almost the entire harvest in a matter of days," said Werner Kothe, who has a vineyard in Brandenburg. Local officials have hired bounty hunters to cull raccoons, with 3,471 being killed last year."
November Blogmeet.
The next bloggers meet-up has been set for the 5th November in central London. Sam from Becks and Posh is in town for the weekend and has arrange for us all to meet up at Gordons Wine Bar at Charing Cross Station for lunch (midday to 12:20ish). All are welcome. Gordon's is the oldest wine bar in London, established in 1890.
Jenni also notes that there is a Food Fair in Covent Garden that weekend so I shall be having a nose around there too, after the lunch. Then I am off to find Handford Wine for some choice bottles of Spanish vino for the Spanish Wine and Food tasting at the Cooksisters abode the following weekend. A busy time coming up.
Jenni also notes that there is a Food Fair in Covent Garden that weekend so I shall be having a nose around there too, after the lunch. Then I am off to find Handford Wine for some choice bottles of Spanish vino for the Spanish Wine and Food tasting at the Cooksisters abode the following weekend. A busy time coming up.
Wine Tasting Note: Bertie Syrah, 2002, Minervois, France.
Wine Tasting Note: Bertie Syrah, 2002, Minervois, France.Available from Oddbins for £6.99.
This delicious red hails from one of three Southern French properties owned by Englishman Robert 'Bertie' Eden; his most famous label being Comte Cathare (see the Orangutan wine). Bertie and his team employ biodynamic practices at their three properties.
This medium to full-bodied wine has a marvellous texture and gravelly tannins. Plenty of peppery black fruit flavours and a good lasting length. I am going to have to buy another bottle if only to try it with 'bruschetta topped with diced black pudding and apple sauce' as recommended on the Oddbins website.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100
A brush with crush.
A staff writer from the San Francisco Chronicle blags a day at the Seghesio vineyards and experiences the workings from grape picking to the cellar.
SFGate.com
"Russell kept coming over while I was washing buckets or mucking out tanks or wielding a heavy, wine-belching hose, to confide, "They say they're going to work you until you drop." Not gonna happen, I would say through gritted teeth, though not loud enough for my supervisor, head cellarmaster Elivorio Nava, to hear. Why take chances when there are still tanks to clean?"
SFGate.com
"Russell kept coming over while I was washing buckets or mucking out tanks or wielding a heavy, wine-belching hose, to confide, "They say they're going to work you until you drop." Not gonna happen, I would say through gritted teeth, though not loud enough for my supervisor, head cellarmaster Elivorio Nava, to hear. Why take chances when there are still tanks to clean?"
Wine With Smoked Haddock Chowder.
Rob rustled up an excellent chowder last night. Little more than par-boiled, diced potatoes, gently fried onion, a tin of sweetcorn simmered for a while in fish stock, then full-fat milk and slithers of haddock added. Plus a generous amount of pepper. Delicious.What was a surprise though, was the wine. I suggested a Sauvignon Blanc but it was a Viognier that proved the better match. An excellent accompaniment in fact. I am often 'troubled' by what to serve with Viognier; but this was near perfect. The Sauvignon Blanc (Boekenhoutskloof Porcupine Ridge Sauvignon Blanc, 2004, Western Cape, South Africa. £4.55 Waitrose) not a great bottle by any stretch, was trampled by the soup. The Viognier wasn't hugely expensive either (Trivento Viognier, 2004, Mendoza, Argentina. Waitrose £4.99) but good for a midweek meal.
My dessert (another try at finding the perfect flapjack) was vastly improved the next morning, having been given a chance to soften from a close approximation of Runway 1, Heathrow. Ho Hum.
South Africa Mega Tasting - Wine Recommendations.
The biggest South African tasting in the UK ever I believe. A mass of producers from every region offering wine in all the permutations you can think of. Confronted by the huge number of producers and wines I stuck to the generic tasting tables - those covering the Platters Guide Top Ten, Chenin Blanc and stickies."The cap's wine-growing regions are influenced by the Atlantic and Indian oceans. The beneficial maritime conditions this creates, like regular coastal fog and cooling sea breezes, combine with a mild Mediterranean climate, distinctive and varied topography, diverse soils and adequate sunshine. These influences are also the story of wine. Each resulting mesoclimate produces a wine that is different from any other wine. And every quality winemaker is looking to make wine which reflects a unique sense of place."
Wine Tasting Note: The Sadie Family Palladius, 2004, Malmesbury, South Africa.Available from Independents for around £29.
What a way to open a tasting! A blend of Viognier, Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc and Chardonnay with a not insubstantial 14.5% alcohol. Wild yeasts, lees maturing - it all results in an excellent and unusual wine. Apricots dominate (from the Viognier) but the intensity, mineral edge and excellent structure do reveal the complex grape make-up. Excellent if expensive.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100
Rijk's Cabernet Sauvigon
Wine Tasting Note: Rijk's Private Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon, 2002, Talbagh, South Africa.Night-harvested and hand-picked this 15% wine (heady!) has received 18 months in French oak. It boast a superbly textured palate, rich, red berries spiked with spice.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100
Wine Tasting Note: Jean Daneel Signature Chenin Blanc, 2004, Stellenbosch, South Africa.Swig £17.50.
Full-bodied. Superb complexity with oaky nuances enlivening the cress and pear flavours. Slight touch of sweetness. Rich and toasty. Lovely texture. 9,000 bottle production. 13% Alcohol..
Scribblings Rating - 92/100
Wine Tasting Note: Overhex Private Cellars Red Muscadel, 2004, Western Cape, South Africa.A stickie with good acidity to balance the sweetness. A wonderful orange hue to the delicate rose colour. The aroma - wild strawberries and raisins - explodes from the glass leading into a mouth-filling, warming, deliciousness. Alcohol 18.5%.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100
Wine Tasting Note: Ken Forrester Vineyards Chenin Blanc, 2005, Stellenbosch, South Africa.Adding to the complexity here is a small edge of botrytis, a layer of French oak and plenty of lees aging. There is a smoky edge to the aroma while the palate is smooth, touch of sweetness and a spritz on the finish. Flavours of apricots and honey drenched pineapple.
Scribblings Rating - 90/100
Wine Tasting Note: Stella Organics Heaven on Earth Vin de Paille, 2003, Olifants River, South Africa.This is most interesting. The Grapes are dried on a bed of straw and Rooibos tea! Not sure I actually detected tea in the wine but it is unctuous, creamy, sweet and stickie with low acidity. Long, long length. The estate is Fairtrade certified as well as organic.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100
New Portuguese brand stresses region not country.
As Decanter details Portugal's largest producer, Sogrape, is launching a new brand of wines stressing the region and not the country.
Decanter.com
"The new brand consists of two wines, one produced in the Douro, the other further south in Alentejo. Both have Tinta Roriz in common, plus two other varieties unique to their region. (Tinta Roriz is the Portuguese name for Tempranillo. In Alentejo it is known as Aragones). The wine's labels are colour coded, predominantly blue for the Douro wine, and orange-brown for the Alentejo. In a new move, Sogrape have decided the stress should be on region not country. To this end, the words 'Wines of Portugal' are given far less prominence on the label than 'Douro' or 'Alentejo'."
Decanter.com
"The new brand consists of two wines, one produced in the Douro, the other further south in Alentejo. Both have Tinta Roriz in common, plus two other varieties unique to their region. (Tinta Roriz is the Portuguese name for Tempranillo. In Alentejo it is known as Aragones). The wine's labels are colour coded, predominantly blue for the Douro wine, and orange-brown for the Alentejo. In a new move, Sogrape have decided the stress should be on region not country. To this end, the words 'Wines of Portugal' are given far less prominence on the label than 'Douro' or 'Alentejo'."
Wine Tasting Note: Heartland Viognier/Pinot Gris, 2005, Langhorne Creek, South Australia.
Wine Tasting Note: Heartland Viognier/Pinot Gris, 2005, Langhorne Creek, South Australia.From Oddbins for £8.99.
Now this looks interesting thinks I - a Viognier/Pinot Gris blend from Oz. Minimalist label... ummm.. Ben Glaetzer wine maker... gotta be good. A blend of 75% Viognier and 25% Pinot Gris. 13.5% alcohol. The aroma is yeasty with just a hint of the floral touches expected from Viognier. The palate is weighty and quite crisp and lively. Not what I was expecting at all. Dry too, no hint of sweetness. Peach stones and citrus to the fore. Crisp limey finish. It grew on me actually - the palate becoming quite layered and interesting with every passing sip. I probably over-chilled it as I am prone to do.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100
Chateau Margaux.
Interesting article on Chateau Margaux and the women who have rescued the world-famous estate - the history and financial troubles.
International Herald Tribune
"Over the years, she had been forced to sell off parts of her stake in the chateau to raise cash. Perhaps her shrewdest move came in 2003, after the Agnelli family of Italy, which had acquired a controlling stake in Margaux in 1991, decided to sell. At a time when Bill Gates and the Duke of Westminster were scouting for choice Bordeaux properties, Mentzelopoulos leaped into action, acquiring the Agnellis' 75 percent share for $440 million, giving her complete ownership."
International Herald Tribune
"Over the years, she had been forced to sell off parts of her stake in the chateau to raise cash. Perhaps her shrewdest move came in 2003, after the Agnelli family of Italy, which had acquired a controlling stake in Margaux in 1991, decided to sell. At a time when Bill Gates and the Duke of Westminster were scouting for choice Bordeaux properties, Mentzelopoulos leaped into action, acquiring the Agnellis' 75 percent share for $440 million, giving her complete ownership."
Wine Tasting Note: Clos Montels Rouge, 2004, Vin de Table, France.
>Wine Tasting Note: Clos Montels Rouge, 2004, Vin de Table, France.Not too sure where you can buy this from, the price and, as it is a Vin de Table, there is no indication of where it is from exactly. But even though it has a lowly designation it is actually a jolly decent drop. Very plummy colour, nose offers a little inky, peppery fruit while the palate is full-bodied with a nice layer of tannin. Deep, squishy blackfruits mingle with spice and ink flavours while the finish is juicy and ripe. All in all rather good for a basic table wine! Alcohol 13.5%. A blend of 46% Syrah and 54% Carignan.
Scribblings Rating - 90/100
Cape Woman Awarded South Africa's First MW.
Cathy van Zyl passed all three parts of the Institute of Masters of Wine exam, and is now South Africa's first Master of Wine and only the third new MW for 2005.
IOL.co.za
"Van Zyl, who has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of the Witwatersrand, entered the wine trade as a deal with her husband, Philip, editor of the John Platter Wine Guide: she would take a wine course if he would ride the Cape Argus Cycle Tour with her."
IOL.co.za
"Van Zyl, who has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of the Witwatersrand, entered the wine trade as a deal with her husband, Philip, editor of the John Platter Wine Guide: she would take a wine course if he would ride the Cape Argus Cycle Tour with her."
Warehouse Fire Destroys Wine Collection.
Tens of millions of dollars worth of vintage wine were believed to have been destroyed by a relentless fire Wednesday at a warehouse considered one of the most secure places for wineries and individuals to store prized collections.
SFGate.com
"The three-alarm fire at Wines Central sent plumes of smoke more than 700 feet high that could be seen for miles. The blaze could not be controlled by firefighters because the Mare Island building -- a 1942 structure that once housed Navy torpedoes -- had steel doors and 3-foot-thick concrete walls and a concrete roof that could not be penetrated."
SFGate.com
"The three-alarm fire at Wines Central sent plumes of smoke more than 700 feet high that could be seen for miles. The blaze could not be controlled by firefighters because the Mare Island building -- a 1942 structure that once housed Navy torpedoes -- had steel doors and 3-foot-thick concrete walls and a concrete roof that could not be penetrated."
French Customs Accused of Stealing Wine.
French customs is being accused of helping itself to more than 200,000 bottles of wine seized during a fraud investigation.
Decanter.com
"Customs officials confiscated 'a large amount' of wine from the cellars of Bordeaux cru bourgeois Chateau Tour Seran in 1999 as part of an inquiry into fraud, mis-labelling and embezzlement. But when documents concerning the confiscated wine were presented to the local court recently, lawyers for the defendant - the chateau's previous owner - found a discrepancy. The equivalent of 215,237 bottles, worth around e800,000 (£548,417), was missing.
Decanter.com
"Customs officials confiscated 'a large amount' of wine from the cellars of Bordeaux cru bourgeois Chateau Tour Seran in 1999 as part of an inquiry into fraud, mis-labelling and embezzlement. But when documents concerning the confiscated wine were presented to the local court recently, lawyers for the defendant - the chateau's previous owner - found a discrepancy. The equivalent of 215,237 bottles, worth around e800,000 (£548,417), was missing.
Wine Tasting Note: Riolite Scaranto Rosso, 1999, Veneto, Italy.
Wine Tasting Note: Riolite Scaranto Rosso, 1999, Colli Euganei, Veneto, Italy.Available from Oddbins for £7.99. (A small parcel available off-line only).
Colli Euganei is a small region near Padua... This is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon but it is not in the Bordeaux style (as I have seen written on other websites). More fruit, more Italian style, a certain robustness. Yes, it is made with Bordeaux grapes but the style is very different. Fruit upfront, tannins and dryness in the middle (food required) then a big tannic-led finish. Succulent and flavoursome. Lovely. Alcohol 13%.
Scribblings Rating - 90/100
Wine With Partridge.
If both my new cookbook (Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diaries) and the Times 2 section from last Friday mention Partridge then I can only conclude they must be in season. I have a bit of a food-lust with game, feathered or otherwise, so I required no excuse really to indulge.I had to use Gabriel Machin now that my preferred local butcher has retired, and came away with three plump little birds having exchanged £7 to the haughty counter-hand.
Following Slater's October 15th entry I simply smeared them with butter and crushed juniper berries and popped them in the oven to roast for thirty minutes or so. Served with honey-roasted parsnips, new potatoes and a few green beans they were delicious; and all the better for getting the fingers greasy by picking at the crevasses for the hidden morsels of meat.
I selected a red Burgundy to accompany. What I actually forgot to do was record a tasting note at the time - hey, I was hungry and the food looked sooo good! Needless to say the Cave de Pommard Beaune 1er Cru 'Les Aigrots', 1998, Burgundy, France was a superb match. A lusty wine, smoothed out superbly with the food. The bottle was a gift, so I have no idea how much it cost and I can't seem to find any details of the producer or wine online to assist, sadly.
Another day, another aging contraption...
Another of these 'ages wines quickly' machines. The opening of this Times article says it all - "a zany-looking contraption, a couple of metres of latex tubing and a few hundred volts of electricity". We are talking aging wine here guys, before your imaginations wander off too far. Whatever they claim it is not going to transform a bottle of plonk into a fine old wine.
TimesOnLine.co.uk
"Squirrelled away in his chemical engineering laboratory in rural Shizuoka, Hiroshi Tanaka has spent 15 years developing an electrolysis device that simulates, he claims, the effect of ageing in wines. In 15 seconds it can transform the cheapest, youngest plonks into fine old draughts as fruit flavours are enhanced and rough edges are mellowed, he says."
TimesOnLine.co.uk
"Squirrelled away in his chemical engineering laboratory in rural Shizuoka, Hiroshi Tanaka has spent 15 years developing an electrolysis device that simulates, he claims, the effect of ageing in wines. In 15 seconds it can transform the cheapest, youngest plonks into fine old draughts as fruit flavours are enhanced and rough edges are mellowed, he says."
Wine Tasting Note: Sainsbury's SO Organic Shiraz, VdP d'Oc, France.
Now we all realise that just because it is organic it is not going to have any great impact on the taste. It is the feel-good factor that matters in selecting an organic wine - the efforts of the producer to protect the environment and maintain the areas biodiversity. Organically produced wines often command a premium so to see one at under a fiver is unusual.Wine Tasting Note: Sainsbury's SO Organic Shiraz, 2004, Vin de Pays d'Oc, France.
Sainsbury's £4.99.
This has a nice perfume aroma - a touch of violets wrapped up in the blackberry and spice notes. The palate is chunky, a full-bodied wine. A touch of sweet fruit-richness upfront with a fine layer of tannins revealing themselves on the finish. Finish is a bit abrupt but what do you expect for under a five quid? For £4.99 (I think I brought this on offer with a £1 off) it is worth the money and a fine drink to accompany something beefy. Alcohol 12.5%.
Scribblings Rating - 88/100
South Africa Mega Tasting.
Just returned from the South African Mega Tasting held at the old market at Billingsgate right in the heart of the city. Despite a totally inadequate tasting book (no space for notes from the generic stands), not being able to find the Top 10 Pinotage Table plus a raging headache that entailed leaving earlier than planned (those Chenins did me in guv') I did slurp quite a few interesting wines. Full notes to follow but two wines stood out that you should go look for immediately - The Sadie Family Palladius 2004, 2004, Malmesbury (also a Platter Guide winner) and the Jean Daneel Signature Chenin Blanc, 2004, Napier.The Palladius is a superb, if unlikely, blend of Viognier, Chenin, Grenache and Chardonnay with a heady 14.5% alcohol. The Signature is a tiny production wine (9,000 cases) from a boutique producer. It certainly stood out from a mass of otherwise unexciting Chenins. Both retail in the £10-£20 mark.
It was only when the train shuddered to a temporary halt outside Hayes and Harlington that I suddenly remembered Stormhoek! I forgot to go see them. Damn.
Wine Tasting Note: Kingfish Chardonnay, 2004, California.
Wine Tasting Note: Kingfish Chardonnay, 2004, California.Available from Oddbins for £4.99.
Clad in a funky, bright label this is a no-nonsense Chardonnay that offers full, ripe pear and melon flavours, toasted almonds too. Hints of apricots on the nose along with pineapple. Crisp apple acidity dominates the palate with a certain harshness but the wine ends with a soft, almost nutty finish. A touch of oak too. Alcohol 13.5%. This is a blend of 85% Chardonnay, 10% Chenin Blanc and 5% Colombard. It's fine, will please all at Sunday Lunch (roast chicken spiked with lemon) or over a late-night hearty fish dish supper. The Oddbins website indicates this is made by the good-folks at Delicato although the range has a dedicated website.
Scribblings Rating - 88/100
New Website Launch: Wine In Cornwall.
Wine In Cornwall Screenshot
One place I always try and get to when I stay in Cornwall is the Trengilly Wartha Inn - not just for the food but for the off-sales too. Now their fascinating range is available to all through a new website - wineincornwall.co.ukHowever much I like them though I must say the website is a bit pants. Crap actually. No online ordering for a start... you make an enquiry and they phone you. Ho hum. And no one mention the hideous lurid page background!
New Zealand Wine Tasting.
Award winning retailer New Zealand House of Wine (Specialist New Zealand Merchant of the Year, International Wine Challenge) is organising a London tasting on the 17th November. Cost is £25.
NZHouseOfWine.com
"Enjoy a fantastic selection of over 100 premium New Zealand wines including Astrolabe, Ata Rangi, Babich, Cloudy Bay, Craggy Range, Deutz, Esk Valley, Goldwater, Grove Mill, Hunter's, Kim Crawford, Lindauer, Montana, Muddy Water, Mt Difficulty, Palliser, Saint Clair, Vavasour, Vidal Estate, Villa Maria and Wither Hills with more to be confirmed!
So why not spend an evening sipping some of New Zealand's finest wines in the sumptuous surroundings of one of London's most prestigious and historic private members institutes in the heart of London. Steeped in history, this 19th century building was designed by John Nash and the first thing you will see when you pass through the magnificent pillared entrance on Pall Mall is the huge crystal chandelier, presented by King George IV to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo."
NZHouseOfWine.com
"Enjoy a fantastic selection of over 100 premium New Zealand wines including Astrolabe, Ata Rangi, Babich, Cloudy Bay, Craggy Range, Deutz, Esk Valley, Goldwater, Grove Mill, Hunter's, Kim Crawford, Lindauer, Montana, Muddy Water, Mt Difficulty, Palliser, Saint Clair, Vavasour, Vidal Estate, Villa Maria and Wither Hills with more to be confirmed!
So why not spend an evening sipping some of New Zealand's finest wines in the sumptuous surroundings of one of London's most prestigious and historic private members institutes in the heart of London. Steeped in history, this 19th century building was designed by John Nash and the first thing you will see when you pass through the magnificent pillared entrance on Pall Mall is the huge crystal chandelier, presented by King George IV to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo."
What has Happened to Oz Clarke?
Every wondered what has happened to Oz Clarke? Well, this week he has been opening a new wine shop in Pitshanger Lane, Ealing. This is part of a country wide relaunch of the Thresher owned Wine Rack brand. Eight stores are re-opening forming part of a week-long wine fair in the chain. Oz is also opening the other 8 trial stores.
The new Wine Rack will be trading at the specialist end of the market with an emphasis on premium wines; these will all be available on the company wide 3 for 2 promotion.
The new Wine Rack will be trading at the specialist end of the market with an emphasis on premium wines; these will all be available on the company wide 3 for 2 promotion.
French Wine now Fueling Cars.
France has periodically turned lowly table wines into vinegar and ethanol. But bottles of quality French wine have been piling up on supermarket shelves and in vineyard cellars across the country, to the point that some of it is now cheaper than bottled water. France recently requested from the European Union permisson to distill 150 million liters of Appellation Contrôlée wine. This will be turned into ethanol which in turn is sold to oil refineries and used as an additive that is mixed into petrol.
International Herald Tribune
"Do you want to try what will be going into your tank?" he asks ruefully, pouring a visitor a glass. "If my grandfather could taste what I'm turning into alcohol, he'd turn over in his grave."
International Herald Tribune
"Do you want to try what will be going into your tank?" he asks ruefully, pouring a visitor a glass. "If my grandfather could taste what I'm turning into alcohol, he'd turn over in his grave."
Search Tags: wine food & drink
Rioja In Retail Tasting.
I am falling behind in writing up all the tastings I have been to recently. This small tasting, dedicated to just one region and with the wines readily available on the high street was a joy. Split between two rooms one area covered the supermarkets and the larger retailers, while the other offered wines from the smaller independent. It was with this group that I spent most of my time.
I have excluded the old style leathery, dried fruit Riojas for more fruit driven wines. Six wines here with a seventh covered a while ago. The Dioniso Ruiz Ijalba, (2002, Rioja, Spain) was a joy made all the more special by being made from an extremely rare variety.
The Independent has coverage of this tasting written by Anthony Rose as does the Observer Magazine written by Tim Atkin.
Wine Tasting Note: Urbina Crianza Rioja, 2000, Rioja, Spain.Around £10 La Barbe Karin Vintners
My notes open with 'at last something interesting' after a run of drinkable if unexciting wines. Aroma is open and quite pronounced and quite savoury. The palate, smooth and mellow with black fruits and good structure with a lovely spice-led complexity. Bodega Benito Urbina is a family-owned, single estate winery with 75 hectares of vineyards. The Crianza is a blend of 95% Tempranillo and 5% Graciano and Mazuelo aged for 12 months in oak casks, and a minimum of 6 months in bottle before release.
Scribblings Rating - 94/100
Wine Tasting Note: Ostatu Reserva, 2000, Rioja, Spain.Genesis Wines £11.50
Rounded very drinkable palate with a deep, savoury richness to the fruit. A soft mid-palate then a long, mellow finish. Pepper, spice and raspberry flavours mingle with unripened plum flavours. Alcohol 13.5%. Tempranillo 90% and Graciano.
Scribblings Rating - 90/100
Wine Tasting Note: Fernandez de Pierola Crianza, 2001, Rioja, Spain.£12 contact Masterpiece Wines 01634 293141.
From an estate founded in 1996 this has delicious strawberry led flavours with a complex array of vanilla, coffee and spice. Plenty of tannins ensuring good structure and a long length. Alcohol seemed higher than the 13% on the label. 1005 Tempranillo.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100
Wine Tasting Note: Dinastia Vivanco Crianza, 2001, Rioja, Spain.Bibendum £8.49.
Mellow aroma spices and vanilla play with the light fruit. The palate is nicely structured with savoury tomato flavours edged with vanilla. Broad and smooth. 100% Tempranillo.
Scribblings Rating - 90/100
Wine Tasting Note: Valenciso Reserva, 2000, Rioja, Spain.
Decanter Wines £15.99.
Succulent and gorgous. Rich and smooth with flavours running from deep spice to mellow vanilla. Tannins hardly noticable they are that smooth and velvety.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100
Beer more expensive than petrol!
Between 1999 and 2004 wine sales in the UK rose by 23 per cent; the British now drink more than one billion bottles of wine a year. At the expense of beer it would seem.
Scotsman.com
"I worked out this week that at a horrendous 89.9p a litre, my unleaded petrol is costing me a wallet-shredding £4.08p a gallon. But far more terrifying is the price of beer. You may not have noticed (because sitting with your elbow on a bar is much more fun than standing in a windy forecourt), but you will, on average, have to pay around £2.30 a pint these days, which works out at an absolutely mind-stuffing £18.40 a gallon!"
Scotsman.com
"I worked out this week that at a horrendous 89.9p a litre, my unleaded petrol is costing me a wallet-shredding £4.08p a gallon. But far more terrifying is the price of beer. You may not have noticed (because sitting with your elbow on a bar is much more fun than standing in a windy forecourt), but you will, on average, have to pay around £2.30 a pint these days, which works out at an absolutely mind-stuffing £18.40 a gallon!"
Mitchelton Wines Australia.
I seem to be having a fling with the Antipodes at the moment. One minute New Zealand, next Australia. This estate was founded in 1973 and has the prominent tower making the winery one of Australia's most architecturally fascinating. The tower rises 55m above the cellar door giving an "inspiring view of the vineyards set on the meander of the pristine Goulburn River". The wines ain't bad either. All are available from Bibendum.
Wine Tasting Note: Mitchelton Viognier, 2004, Victoria, Australia.
From Bibendum £7.69+vat
Barrel fermented for texture. expressive. Apricots, limes and a sensuous musky edge. Suited to South east Asian cuisine especially macadamia nuts in a stir-fry.
Scribblings Rating - 90/100
Wine Tasting Note: Mitchelton Airstrip, 2003, Victoria, Australia.
From Bibendum £10.25+vat
This is a blend of Marsanne (40%), Roussanne (39%) and Viognier (21%) with just 1,000 cases produced. A very interesting aroma - is that liquorice? peach? flint? Palate too is just as complex with honeysuckle and mango mingling with the peach. Quite delicious.
Scribblings Rating - 94/100
Wine Tasting Note: Mitchelton Shiraz, 2003, Victoria, Australia.
From Bibendum £7.69+vat
Toby Barlow, the winemaker, said he was after depth and grip with this wine and it is his pick from the range. The plum, mulberry and cherry-led palate certainly has a delicious depth and intensity. Finishes with a chocolate and vanilla edge.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100
Wine Tasting Note: Mitchelton Crescent, 2001, Victoria, Australia.
From Bibendum £9.99+vat
This is a fine blend of Shiraz (40%), Mourvedre (30%) and Grenache (30%). It is rounded, full of flavour (plums, cherry, chocolate) and very drinkable. The Shiraz supplies the violet and black cherry flavours, the Mouvedre the chocolate and an earthy quality while the Grenache adds fragrance and fresh fruit. Alcohol 14.5%.
Scribblings Rating - 96/100
Wine Tasting Note: Mitchelton Parish Shiraz-Viognier, 2004, Victoria, Australia.
From Bibendum £10.25+vat
Replicating the Northern Rhone habit of adding a splash of Viognier to their Shiraz this beaut has a gorgeous silky smooth mouth-feel and a persistence of flavour. It is big with good tannins but has an opulence on the mid-palate that really captivates.
Scribblings Rating - 94/100
Wine Tasting Note: Mitchelton Print Shiraz, 2002, Victoria, Australia.
From Bibendum £14.50+vat
As Toby mentioned the viticulture here is all about being attentive and not intervention allowing the best grapes to fully express themselves. It is an intense wine that has not undergone racking resulting in super concentration and length. Medium to full bodied with ripe fruit and cedary oak. Hints of violets and mulberries on the nose continue onto the palate. Classified by the Australian Langtons as one of Australia's top iconic wines.
Scribblings Rating - 94/100
My Australian wine-blogging friend Cam Wheeler was also impressed by the Mitchelton range.
Wine Tasting Note: Doña Paula Los Cardos Sauvignon Blanc, 2004, Mendoza, Argentina.
Wine Tasting Note: Doña Paula Los Cardos Sauvignon Blanc, 2004, Mendoza, Argentina.Available from Oddbins for £5.99.
New to the shelves of Oddbins I believe, along with a red stablemate a Malbec. Los Cardos means 'The Thistle' a plant widespread in Mendoza and depicted on the label. It is 100% Sauvignon Blanc with a hint of green to the colour. Good aroma - a rampant (rampant, no less!) green/herb/grapefruit/lime/sherbet pungency. The palate is good, medium bodied. Crisp, squeaky clean and very lemony. Refreshing. Alcohol 12%.
Scribblings Rating - 88/100
Vina Dona Paula was founded in 1997, when the Claro Group acquired more than 760 hectares of land in the Ugarteche Area, High lands in Lujan de Cuyo and Tupungato (where the grapes for this wine come from) at the bottom of the Los Andes Mountain Range.
The breads were lovely, if a little too salty. Next time I won't add salt or would use fresh lemon juice rather than the preserved stuff in a jar. The wine was a good match if a little subdued by the vibrancy of the crushed herbs and lemon.
Guinness Advert - Rhythm of Life
The Guinness Rhythm of Life advert - perhaps the best drink advert of all time - although the award winning tic follows toc horses one is close.
You can download a quicktime version from framestore
You can download a quicktime version from framestore
Wine Tasting Note: Margrain Pinot Gris, 2004, Marlborough, New Zealand.
Wine Tasting Note: Margrain Pinot Gris, 2004, Marlborough, New Zealand.Available from Oddbins for £9.99.
This is just bursting with orange-tinged, peachy ripeness. The nose is quiet (as PG usually is) while the palate offers a full, orange-tinged peachy ripeness. A touch of smoke and apple peel, comes with a food-friendly texture. Full but dry. Soft and approachable. Alcohol 13.5%. This was delicious served with a chicken and vegetable risotto; a staple dish in Gladstone Terrace. I am not too sure that the rear labels recommendation that the wine is drunk 'between 2005 and 2010 and beyond' will hold up. It is very good drinking now; so why wait?
Scribblings Rating - 90/100
Would You Name Your Baby After a Whisky?
A couple from Sweden have been granted legal permission to name their baby after a brand of whisky.
deHabilland.co.uk
"The parents attempted to register the baby girl with the name Edradour after her birth, but the tax office which records births refused the name because of its connection with the Celtic tipple."
See also SlashFood.
deHabilland.co.uk
"The parents attempted to register the baby girl with the name Edradour after her birth, but the tax office which records births refused the name because of its connection with the Celtic tipple."
See also SlashFood.
Search Tags: whisky food & drink
Spy Valley Wines, New Zealand.
I ask you, just how excited am I by these wines? I have been harping on about them enough recently but was holding off posting full tasting notes due to Wine Blogging Wednesday. Why would this make a difference? I hear you mumble; 'cause the theme this month is New World Pinot Noir and there just happens to be one in the range. And its a goodie.
The Spy Valley estate did not get off to a great start. Back in 1992 Bryan Johnson (a wealthy Wellington stockbroker - aren't they all!) planted 200 acres on the edge of Marlborough, New Zealand. But was forced to replant almost immediately as phylloxera swept through the vineyard. Proving that wine-making is all about experimentation depending on local conditions - it is after-all farming and thus dependent on so many variables - the first two vintages were cropped too high. "We reduced our cropping levels in 2002, and then started to get very serious about quality in 2003."
From then the estate prospered and now covers 365 acres and has to buy in Sauvignon Blanc grapes to cope with demand. In 2004 the winery made 58,000 cases of Sauvignon Blanc and another 18,000 cases of other varietals.
In the UK the wines are available from Bibendum and several independents (a couple of which I have listed). Surprisingly for a boutique producer, they are not excessively priced.
The Spy Valley estate did not get off to a great start. Back in 1992 Bryan Johnson (a wealthy Wellington stockbroker - aren't they all!) planted 200 acres on the edge of Marlborough, New Zealand. But was forced to replant almost immediately as phylloxera swept through the vineyard. Proving that wine-making is all about experimentation depending on local conditions - it is after-all farming and thus dependent on so many variables - the first two vintages were cropped too high. "We reduced our cropping levels in 2002, and then started to get very serious about quality in 2003."
From then the estate prospered and now covers 365 acres and has to buy in Sauvignon Blanc grapes to cope with demand. In 2004 the winery made 58,000 cases of Sauvignon Blanc and another 18,000 cases of other varietals.
In the UK the wines are available from Bibendum and several independents (a couple of which I have listed). Surprisingly for a boutique producer, they are not excessively priced.
Wine Tasting Note: Spy Valley Pinot Gris, 2004, Marlborough, New Zealand.Bibendum £8.99 Wine Buy The Case £8.59.
Oh, my. I just adore this. Packed with rich peach and pear flavours, ripe, rounded, complex and a delicious lean structure. Sherbety finish. Delicious. Alcohol 13.5%.
Scribblings Rating - 96/100
Wine Tasting Note: Spy Valley Riesling, 2004, Marlborough, New Zealand.Bibendum £7.99.
Powerful nose - lively, minerally, limes. Spritzy palate with an edge of honey. Crisp finish. Nice but I am not a great fan of Riesling. Alcohol 12%.
Scribblings Rating - 90/100
Wine Tasting Note: Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc, 2004, Marlborough, New Zealand.Bibendum £8.99 Wines of the World £9.99
Sauvignon Blanc, the grape that made Marlborough's name. This is in the full-frontal style with a nose exploding with asparagus, grapefruit, canned peas. Lively and juicy palate. Herbs notes too. Alcohol 13.5%.
Scribblings Rating - 94/100
Wine Tasting Note: Spy Valley Pinot Noir, 2003, Marlborough, New Zealand.Bibendum £11.49.
Red berry fruit abound in a full style with the addition of something earthy and spicy. Superb texture/mouthfeel. Elegant. Alcohol 14%. Three separate blocks of vines were hand-picked for this 100% Pinot. They recommend 3-5 years aging.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100
This is my Pinot Noir choice for Wine Blogging Wednesday 14 hosted by Cincinnati Wine Garage. I note that my good pal Len recommended this wine back in March on his Lenndevours site
Absolutely Cracking Wines from France.
I couldn't make the tasting last Thursday, which was a shame really as the title alone 'Absolutely Cracking Wines From France' makes it stand-out from the tasting norm. As luck would have it though the Independent has a list of recommendations.
Independent.co.uk
"From the cleanest whites to the most robust reds, it's the sheer quality and diversity of French wines that amazes everyone. It means that whatever your lifestyle, and whatever you want to spend, there's a French wine that's just right for you. To help you find your perfect match, some of the UK's top wine journalists were asked to create their ultimate list of Absolutely Cracking Wines from France."
Independent.co.uk
"From the cleanest whites to the most robust reds, it's the sheer quality and diversity of French wines that amazes everyone. It means that whatever your lifestyle, and whatever you want to spend, there's a French wine that's just right for you. To help you find your perfect match, some of the UK's top wine journalists were asked to create their ultimate list of Absolutely Cracking Wines from France."