We all need a little lift in the often gloomy UK January, so I suggest taking time to reminisce the joy of the holidays just gone. Kick back by the fire, craft yourself a little stilton cheese board and enjoy with a glass of this classy sweet wine, with just enough punch to cope with the strong flavours …
The Albert Beerens Brut Reserve NV displays a vibrant straw-gold colour with a lively yet subtle mousse. The aromas are complex yet fine and the palate is balanced and round with delicate apple, citrus and peach fruit. The blend is made up of 57% Pinot Meunier, 25% Chardonnay, 18% Pinot Noir, and you will be hard pressed to find another Champagne for …
Introducing the ultimate party pleaser, d’Arenberg The Cadenzia 2009. Aussies may be celebrating the holidays grilling burgers on the beach, but at least Australian producer d’Arenberg has parcelled up a Chateauneuf-du-Pape style red, packed with cranberries and spice to keep us smiling this chilly winter.
With four weeks left until the big day, our four remaining wine of the week slots will be fully devoted to Christmas, with a selection of awesome wines perfect for the big bird and all the trimmings, endless desserts and all those general festive celebrations. First up, we kick it all off with a classy white …
Turkey is not only a Christmas dinner staple, but also the jewel of the US thanksgiving meal. Tomorrow US expats across the country will need an appropriate wine to pair with the famous roasted bird; therefore it seems only appropriate that this week’s wine is an offering that celebratory diners can’t refuse.
Last year I was lucky enough to attend a Chateau de Beaucastel dinner presented by Marc Perrin. We tasted verticals of both Chateau de Beaucastel and Coudoulet de Beaucastel, needless to say I was completely won over.
My top Rhone from the other neck of the woods is Clos des Papes from Chateauneuf-du-Pape – the wine is truly fab if a bit over-eulogised by the great Robert Parker. At a recent BYO dinner, with stellar bottles (Petrus and more), the wine was right up there with the best of them.
Charming Gruner Veltliner 2009, is one of the family’s top wines, with the grapes for this excellent wine grown in Austria’s Kamptal region. They ripen on granite, gneiss, mica-slate and loess soils, and cold air from the north lowers night temperatures to slow up the ripening process. This is all crucial to producing the concentrated style of Gruner …
Number one pick on a day like today has got to be the awesome Bisol Jeio Prosecco, a favourite from the Wondering Wine Company list and one of their top selling wines from this summer’s run of events. Its affordable, elegant bubbles proving a real winner this summer.
On Tuesday, I was speed tasting some of the reds at our W1 tasting to check for TCA or other problems before we opened the doors. I wasn’t taking my time to think about balance, fruit or quality. I wasn’t writing notes and mentally composing potential food matches. It was open, pour, sniff, slurp, spit and …
