A friend came to visit for a weekend on the South Coast, and after a couple of hours of marveling at the majesty of Seven Sisters, we went to the beautiful quaint little village of Alfriston for lunch.
We had a delicious lunch at Wingrove House (the 4th time I have been to this great hotel restaurant) and then took a wander through the town to try and aid digestion.
I had read up about Rathfinny, and knew that they didn't have any sparkling wine, and wouldn't for a few years (2018 will be their first batch). However I thought it would be worth popping in and seeing the shop and trying their still wine.
The shop is lovely with lots of things you didn't know you needed like chutneys and candles made from old wine bottles. However it was the wine that was the best surprise. I have found the high acidity of English wines (that's perfect for sparkling) can sometimes be a bit austere for a still wine, but not this!
Cradle Valley is a blend of Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc, and was rather lovely. Crisp, with citrus and apple flavours, it was probably the best English still wine I have tried. With only 3000 bottles made in 2015, it was pretty reasonable at £14.95.
Needless to say I grabbed a drop, and I am really excited to try their sparkling wine in a couple of year's time...
You can find out more about Rathfinny here: Rathfinny Estate
Sunday, 25 September 2016
Sunday, 18 September 2016
Davy's Wine Tasting at Bunghole Cellars
A friend and I spent a couple of hours swirling and slurping at a wine tasting evening at a Davy's bar in Holborn last week.
Taking place in one of their private rooms in the basement, it was a great place to spend a couple of hours with some expert tuition.
We were greeted with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux as we waited for the tasting to start. I had tasted the Sauvignon before (Davy's own) and it's a very quoffable reasonable drop at £9.50
Over two hours, the team of two guys took us through 7 wines from around the globe:
The lead guy (whose name I didn't get - apologies) was particularly good and went into a fair amount of detail about each of the wines, and I learnt a couple of things that we hadn't covered in WSET level 3. Both members of staff knew their stuff and delivered it in an interesting way, blending between fun learning and facts. The only slight issue was the noise from the bar outside making it slightly hard to hear the quieter of the two presenters.
They also gave us a flavour wheel with aromas and flavours grouped together by colour and similarity -a useful reference point for the future.
In terms of the wines, the best of the evening (in my opinion) were the German Riesling and the Australian Chardonnay - both delivering what you would expect from these regions at these price points.
However with a full wine rack at home, I decided not to purchase any on this occasion, but have made a note to get some with my next delivery...
I spoke to a couple of the guys on the table next to me, and they also said how impressed they were with the tasting and that it was better than others they had been to in London, particularly in terms of the price (£30 per ticket and 25% off food if you wanted to eat in the restaurant afterwards). They had also been to a Davy's Tasting at Vintners' Hall back in March, and recognised me from that (you may remember I went with my dad and of course blogged about it...Another Wine Tasting at Vintner's Hall)
I would recommend a night wine tasting with Davy's as an enjoyable, interesting, educational night of trying out wines you may not normally think of...
Taking place in one of their private rooms in the basement, it was a great place to spend a couple of hours with some expert tuition.
We were greeted with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux as we waited for the tasting to start. I had tasted the Sauvignon before (Davy's own) and it's a very quoffable reasonable drop at £9.50
Over two hours, the team of two guys took us through 7 wines from around the globe:
- Solitar Riesling Trocken, Prum, Mosel Germany 2015
- Vierkoppen Sauvignon Blanc, Robertston, S. Africa 2015
- Sidewood Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, Australia 2013
- Saint Sidoine Rose, Cotes de Provence, France 2015
- Mount Brown Pinot Noir, Waipara, New Zealand 2013
- Chateau du Moulin Rouge, Haut Medoc, Bordeaux, France 2012
- Valserrano Reserva DOC, Rioja, Spain 2010
The lead guy (whose name I didn't get - apologies) was particularly good and went into a fair amount of detail about each of the wines, and I learnt a couple of things that we hadn't covered in WSET level 3. Both members of staff knew their stuff and delivered it in an interesting way, blending between fun learning and facts. The only slight issue was the noise from the bar outside making it slightly hard to hear the quieter of the two presenters.
They also gave us a flavour wheel with aromas and flavours grouped together by colour and similarity -a useful reference point for the future.
In terms of the wines, the best of the evening (in my opinion) were the German Riesling and the Australian Chardonnay - both delivering what you would expect from these regions at these price points.
However with a full wine rack at home, I decided not to purchase any on this occasion, but have made a note to get some with my next delivery...
I spoke to a couple of the guys on the table next to me, and they also said how impressed they were with the tasting and that it was better than others they had been to in London, particularly in terms of the price (£30 per ticket and 25% off food if you wanted to eat in the restaurant afterwards). They had also been to a Davy's Tasting at Vintners' Hall back in March, and recognised me from that (you may remember I went with my dad and of course blogged about it...Another Wine Tasting at Vintner's Hall)
I would recommend a night wine tasting with Davy's as an enjoyable, interesting, educational night of trying out wines you may not normally think of...
Friday, 16 September 2016
New wine tasting - Columbia Winery Cabernet Sauvignon
Our heatwave in London seemed to come to an abrupt end last night with momentous thunder storms at 4am...
So with the temperature dropping around 13 degrees overnight and autumn finally arriving, what better way to enjoy the passing of the summer than with a Cab Sav?
For a Friday night in I opened up a Cab Sav (2013) from Columbia Valley in Washington State. It's the first time I have had a red from this part of the world, and it didn't disappoint.
Full bodied with plenty of blackberry and blackcurrant smells and flavours, this 81% Cab Sav blend is the perfect drink for autumnal nights. I enjoyed it by itself, but the oak and chocolate flavours mixed with the ripe black fruit would be the perfect accompaniment to roast beef, or a stew, I am sure. Probably could do with a couple more years cellaring and the finish wasn't as long as I would have liked.
But at around £10 per bottle in the UK, it was very drinkable and a great introduction for me to this part of the USA...
See more about the Cab Sav from this winery: Columbia Winery
See more about the Cab Sav from this winery: Columbia Winery
Saturday, 13 August 2016
A visit to Ridgeview Wine Estate
I'm lucky enough to have access to a lovely family owned static caravan on the South Coast, which gives me access to the plethora of wineries across Sussex. However I haven't been to any of them yet, so I thought I better start!
After a lovely day with friends at Brighton Pride, I thought a great way to spend the Sunday would be at Ridgeview Wine Estate, just on the edge of Ditchling village. The sea mist that was hanging round the coast stayed on top of the South Downs, as I drove inland to pick up a friend at Burgess Hill station.
The car park gives no indication of the lovely view that will be yours when you go round to the entrance...(see above).
Our guide took us through the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay fields that were on site, but of course they have vines all over the county (and also in West Sussex). He explained a lot about the vines and what happens in the growing cycle. Having done my sparkling wine lesson only around 6 weeks ago, it was all still fresh in my mind, so nothing new for me, but it was still well explained and interesting.
We then went inside the building to see how the wine is made, and he explained the 2nd fermentation well. It actually seemed pretty small in there compared to some of the wineries I have been to. But they have plans to be producing half a million bottles per annum, over the next 5 years.
They are already doing bubbles for M and S and The Wine Society but under slightly different names, so read the label, and you may be buying Ridgeview.
Then onto the best bit - the tasting...
The tasting room itself is lovely - with stunning views over the vines and the South Downs. You would never tire of looking out the window if you worked there!
After a lovely day with friends at Brighton Pride, I thought a great way to spend the Sunday would be at Ridgeview Wine Estate, just on the edge of Ditchling village. The sea mist that was hanging round the coast stayed on top of the South Downs, as I drove inland to pick up a friend at Burgess Hill station.
The car park gives no indication of the lovely view that will be yours when you go round to the entrance...(see above).
Our guide took us through the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay fields that were on site, but of course they have vines all over the county (and also in West Sussex). He explained a lot about the vines and what happens in the growing cycle. Having done my sparkling wine lesson only around 6 weeks ago, it was all still fresh in my mind, so nothing new for me, but it was still well explained and interesting.
We then went inside the building to see how the wine is made, and he explained the 2nd fermentation well. It actually seemed pretty small in there compared to some of the wineries I have been to. But they have plans to be producing half a million bottles per annum, over the next 5 years.
They are already doing bubbles for M and S and The Wine Society but under slightly different names, so read the label, and you may be buying Ridgeview.
Then onto the best bit - the tasting...
The tasting room itself is lovely - with stunning views over the vines and the South Downs. You would never tire of looking out the window if you worked there!
The wines were enjoyable. I haven't tasted Ridgeview before, but the blends were silky smooth with that lovely blend of fruit and bready flavours that comes with autolysis. Gordon Ramsay stocks their bubbles in his restaurants and they recently supplied wine for a couple of banquets for the Queen!
I was less keen on their Blanc de Blanc, and their other Chardonnay dominant wine. But the Pinot Noir really excelled. We tried a 2010 Rose de Noir which was lovely. Really lovely. So lovely I managed to snag the last one they had in the shop. The difference between that and the 2013 was marked, and if I could keep it well for another couple of years, I think it would get even better. At £40 not cheap, but well worth it.
But the likelihood of me keeping it longer than this summer is very slim, and I am looking to drink it when my WSET result comes in - I will either be celebrating or commiserating, but either way it seems a fitting drop to have.
If you are in the area, you can go tasting most days, but tours have to be booked in advance. The guide who took us round had recently finished a wine and business degree at Plumpton College nearby and was really knowledgeable.
A great way to spend a couple of hours, so go! You won't be disappointed: http://www.ridgeview.co.uk/
Monday, 1 August 2016
An evening wine tasting at Forest Wine
Last week I organised a lovely tasting evening for friends at local shop, Forest Wine.
I had been in touch with the owner Jana, and between us (and her staff) we came up with 3 whites and 3 reds that I thought my friends would enjoy. I also hoped it would challenge them a little in terms of what they normally drink and like (rather like I have been doing over the past year).
We arrived at 7.30pm to be greeted by a large table in the shop with a plethora of cheeses, meats, bread, grapes, olives and radishes (the least popular of the snacks!)
The wine specialises in organic and bio-dynamic wines from around the world, and we got stuck in with a Chardonnay from Fruili in Italy. Lots of stone fruit with some tropical tones and some minerality and great with mountain cheeses apparently.
We then went for a dry German Riesling from the Rheingau. A lovely drop, that some of my friends purchased because they enjoyed it so much. Again stone fruit, citrus and minerality but with a longer finish than the Chardonnay.
Then we tried a French Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley. This was my favourite of the whites and I bought a bottle. High acidity with strong citrus notes. A great drop for the summer.
For the reds, our first was from the Dao region, Dao Tinto. Smooth and juicy with ripe red and some black fruits, and with a wallop from the Touriga Nacional (one of my fave new grapes as you know). This is apparently good with smoked meats (I don't eat them).
We then tried Le Pech Abuse. The nose! My friend likened it to silage, but the taste was fab! A blend of Merlot, Cab Franc and Cab Sauv a real keeper to have with a stew when the nights draw in again. I got a bottle of this too.
The last wine of the evening was a Cotes du Rhone. Again very drinkable, mainly Grenache with some Syrah and a dark ruby colour with hints of olive on the nose and palate.
It was a lovely evening and the staff were really knowledgeable. It was great to try out some different wines in a friendly fun environment.
It was so much fun, I'm planning on organising another evening in October.
For more information on the shop (who deliver in E17) go to: https://www.forestwines.com/
I had been in touch with the owner Jana, and between us (and her staff) we came up with 3 whites and 3 reds that I thought my friends would enjoy. I also hoped it would challenge them a little in terms of what they normally drink and like (rather like I have been doing over the past year).
We arrived at 7.30pm to be greeted by a large table in the shop with a plethora of cheeses, meats, bread, grapes, olives and radishes (the least popular of the snacks!)
The wine specialises in organic and bio-dynamic wines from around the world, and we got stuck in with a Chardonnay from Fruili in Italy. Lots of stone fruit with some tropical tones and some minerality and great with mountain cheeses apparently.
We then went for a dry German Riesling from the Rheingau. A lovely drop, that some of my friends purchased because they enjoyed it so much. Again stone fruit, citrus and minerality but with a longer finish than the Chardonnay.
Then we tried a French Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley. This was my favourite of the whites and I bought a bottle. High acidity with strong citrus notes. A great drop for the summer.
For the reds, our first was from the Dao region, Dao Tinto. Smooth and juicy with ripe red and some black fruits, and with a wallop from the Touriga Nacional (one of my fave new grapes as you know). This is apparently good with smoked meats (I don't eat them).
We then tried Le Pech Abuse. The nose! My friend likened it to silage, but the taste was fab! A blend of Merlot, Cab Franc and Cab Sauv a real keeper to have with a stew when the nights draw in again. I got a bottle of this too.
The last wine of the evening was a Cotes du Rhone. Again very drinkable, mainly Grenache with some Syrah and a dark ruby colour with hints of olive on the nose and palate.
It was a lovely evening and the staff were really knowledgeable. It was great to try out some different wines in a friendly fun environment.
It was so much fun, I'm planning on organising another evening in October.
For more information on the shop (who deliver in E17) go to: https://www.forestwines.com/
Sunday, 31 July 2016
The Rhone Touch - an interactive wine exhibition by students from London College of Communication, UAL
So I read in 'Good Things' Magazine, that Rhone Wines had partnered up with students from London College of Communication to create an interactive wine exhibition at the Platform Theatre at Central Saint Martins.
I immediately thought that was something I had to visit, so I went a couple of times last week with fellow wine lovers and it was an enjoyable time, with some really interesting exhibits created by the students.
My favourite was the grape stomping installation, where we got to stomp silicon grapes. The feel of them was amazing on the balls of your feet, like mini massage balls. The colour of the 'grapes' got darker as you stomped on them, then as the 'juice' was pressed, they went back to being clear:
An exhibit called 'Degorgement' was a wine bottle sound installation that played the sound of a cork opening when you covered the bottles with your hand. This wasn't working on my first visit, but I was really pleased it was working on my return. Have a look here:
There was another exhibit in the bar area called 'The Author's Friend' where you could hit a key on the keyboard of a traditional typewriter (where the letters had been replaced by symbols) and a word would appear on the screen. If you were patient you would then get a quote, lyric, or poem about that part of the wine sensation.
It was really clever, but the delay from initial word to quote meant we hit about 16 keys before we realised we were missing the quotes! Patience is needed in wine making, (and visiting an exhibition about wine it would seem...)
The pop up bar also had some lovely reds from the AC's of Cote Rotie and Crozes Hermitage. A fabulous red on the Tuesday was alas missing on the Saturday, but reaffirmed my love of the Northern Rhone.
Syrah you absolutely rock as a grape and I salute you!!!
You can read more about the exhibition here: Wined and Designed - Press Release from UAL
I immediately thought that was something I had to visit, so I went a couple of times last week with fellow wine lovers and it was an enjoyable time, with some really interesting exhibits created by the students.
My favourite was the grape stomping installation, where we got to stomp silicon grapes. The feel of them was amazing on the balls of your feet, like mini massage balls. The colour of the 'grapes' got darker as you stomped on them, then as the 'juice' was pressed, they went back to being clear:
An exhibit called 'Degorgement' was a wine bottle sound installation that played the sound of a cork opening when you covered the bottles with your hand. This wasn't working on my first visit, but I was really pleased it was working on my return. Have a look here:
There was another exhibit in the bar area called 'The Author's Friend' where you could hit a key on the keyboard of a traditional typewriter (where the letters had been replaced by symbols) and a word would appear on the screen. If you were patient you would then get a quote, lyric, or poem about that part of the wine sensation.
It was really clever, but the delay from initial word to quote meant we hit about 16 keys before we realised we were missing the quotes! Patience is needed in wine making, (and visiting an exhibition about wine it would seem...)
 |
| E-Bouquet - an electronic sommelier |
 |
| Red - an abstract decanting experience |
Syrah you absolutely rock as a grape and I salute you!!!
You can read more about the exhibition here: Wined and Designed - Press Release from UAL
New wine tastings - Caixas Albarino and Gavi
I picked up 6 new whites at Majestic last week, because let's be honest there is nothing nicer than drinking a crisp white wine in the warmth of the summer sun (and there has been at least a little over the past week!)
The Caixas Albarino (2014) from Martin Codax, Rias Baixas was a very pleasant Spanish white for a summer evening. Light and young, with refreshingly high acidity for the price of £7.99, good value.
Some of the reviews on the Majestic website have suggested it is potentially too astringent, which I personally didn't find, and thought the lemon married well with stone fruit and some pear flavours.
It would be great with fish or a chicken salad on the hot days we have been enjoying in the south over the past couple of weeks.
https://www.majestic.co.uk/Caixas-Albarino-zid14008
I actually preferred the Gavi (2014) from La Toledana. Mimicking the steely minerality of the white Burgundians of Chablis, with crisp acidity and more peach and pear aromas and tastes, than the citrus and crisp green apple of Chablis.
I have had better Gavi, but again for the price - £10.49 I found it an enjoyable wine to drink with roast chicken, new potatoes and salad.
https://www.majestic.co.uk/Gavi-zid13033
The Caixas Albarino (2014) from Martin Codax, Rias Baixas was a very pleasant Spanish white for a summer evening. Light and young, with refreshingly high acidity for the price of £7.99, good value.
Some of the reviews on the Majestic website have suggested it is potentially too astringent, which I personally didn't find, and thought the lemon married well with stone fruit and some pear flavours.
It would be great with fish or a chicken salad on the hot days we have been enjoying in the south over the past couple of weeks.
https://www.majestic.co.uk/Caixas-Albarino-zid14008
I actually preferred the Gavi (2014) from La Toledana. Mimicking the steely minerality of the white Burgundians of Chablis, with crisp acidity and more peach and pear aromas and tastes, than the citrus and crisp green apple of Chablis.
I have had better Gavi, but again for the price - £10.49 I found it an enjoyable wine to drink with roast chicken, new potatoes and salad.
https://www.majestic.co.uk/Gavi-zid13033
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)