Martin, Author at It Must Be Wine O'clock

A very appealing white wine from Campania

The Society’s Falanghina 2022 (Campania)

Falanghina is an ancient white wine grape variety from Campania in southern Italy, which typically has flavours of orange peel and citrus fruits. This Falanghina from the Wine Society is a crisp, refreshing wine with an attractive tanginess and flavours of citrus and nectarine.

A dry, medium-bodied wine with a pleasantly long finish, this can be enjoyed as an apéritif or with a seafood dish, such as garlic prawns, swordfish or a seafood salad. It will also go well with a creamy pasta dish.

Available from The Wine Society (£9.25)

An appealing blend from the Black Country

Halfpenny Green Penny Red 2022 (Staffordshire)

This very appealing red wine from Halfpenny Green Wine Estate in the heart of the Black Country in the West Midlands is a fine example of a wine produced by one of the country’s largest vineyards.

Established in 1983, Halfpenny Green benefits from well-sheltered south-facing slopes and light, sandy free-draining soil to grow a wide variety of grapes.

The Penny Red is a blend of Rondo, Regent, Triomphe d’Alsace, and Divico grape varieties. A smooth, velvety, well-balanced wine with soft tannins and a long finish, it has aromas of bramble, plum and blackcurrant, and flavours of forest fruits and cherry.

A wine to enjoy by itself, with grilled meats or vegetables, or with cheese.

Available from Grape Britannia (£12.99)

A great value wine from Languedoc-Roussillon

Saint-Chinian, Domaine Raynier 2022 (Southern France)

This very pleasant Saint-Chinian wine from The Wine Society offers excellent value for money. The wine is produced from grapes grown in the vineyards of Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France, at the southern end of the Massif Central and just 20 miles from the coast. This enables the grapes to benefit from long, hot summers and mild winters, resulting in a smooth, rich, full-bodied wine.

A blend of Grenache and Syrah grapes, this is a dry wine with medium acidity and medium tannins. Herby aromas of the garrigue together with plum and blackberries on the nose lead to a palate of vibrant black fruits, with liquorice and a hint of spice, and a lingering finish.

A wine to enjoy by itself or with food. It’s a very good match for lamb, or a casserole.

Available from The Wine Society (£7.50)

Three interesting wines from the Balkans to get the New Year off to a cracking start!

Although wines from the Balkans are not so well-known internationally, given the diversity of terroir across the region, and with very good wines being produced from familiar international as well as less familiar indigenous grape varieties, now is a very good time to explore the region’s wines and try something new.

PinotPinot Pinot noir 2021 (North Macedonia)

Behind the gimmicky name is a smooth, very pleasant Pinot Noir. The wine has raspberry, plum and cherry aromas on the nose, and flavours of red fruits, blackcurrant and a hint of vanilla and spice on the palate.

An easy-drinking, reasonable wine offering very good value for money, it will go well with a Sunday roast, roasted vegetables or a mushroom dish, and can also be enjoyed by itself.

Available from Sainsbury’s (£7.50)

Totem Viorica Château Vartely 2022 (Moldova)

This delightfully aromatic dry white wine from Moldova is a little gem! Produced from the indigenous grape variety Viorica, it is a crisp, refreshing wine with a long finish.

With orange blossom and honey on the nose, and citrus and peach flavours on the palate, this is well-balanced wine that has lots of character.

Perfect as an aperitif or with a seafood dish.

Available from The Wine Society (£7.25)

Marks & Spencer Expressions Fetească Regală 2022 (Romania)

This fresh aromatic white wine from the new M&S Expressions range is a very good example of one of Romania’s most popular white grape varieties, Fetească Regală (Royal Maiden).

With aromas of jasmine, peach and green apple and flavours of peach, pear and melon, this is a well-balanced wine with a long finish and a slight fizz on the palate.

This can be enjoyed by itself or with grilled fish. It’s also a good match for a slightly spicy Asian dish.

Available from Marks & Spencer (£8)

ADOPT A VINE – A PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT

This is an ideal gift for a wine lover this Christmas – Adopt a Vine. Many UK wine growers are now offering this opportunity to own part of a vineyard for a year, and the package usually includes a vineyard tour and wine tasting, as well as a bottle of wine from your adopted vine. What’s not to like? It’s the perfect gift for a wine lover.

We have adopted a vine at White Castle Vineyard near Abergavenny these last few years and visiting the vineyard to see our adopted wine, enjoy a guided tour of the vineyard and then of course taste some excellent wines, including our adopted grape variety, is always the highlight of our trip to Wales.

We always have a great time!

For full details, see here

For other great gift ideas featuring English & Welsh wines, whether bottles, cases or wine tastings, visit Grape Britannia

The Coravin Wine System

On those (admittedly rare!) occasions when you open a bottle of wine but just want to drink a glass or two, wouldn’t it be great if you could reseal the bottle and put it away again?

Good news – the Coravin wine system does just that! It ejects wine from the bottle by pumping in argon gas so the wine doesn’t oxidise. The Coravin wine system inserts a needle into the cork (or screw cap) and as the argon enters the bottle, you can pour as much or as little of the wine as you like. Then you remove the needle and the cork or cap re-seals, protecting your wine till you want to open it again. Ingenious.

What’s more, the wine tastes just the same the next time you have a glass as it did the first time. Incredible but true.

A wine lover’s dream come true. And a perfect Christmas gift- check out the Coravin wine system here

Looking for a stocking filler for a wine lover? Try this

Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book 2024: Latest Edition

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Now in its 47^th year of publication, Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book is the world’s best-selling annual wine guide. The key reference book for any wine lover – with helpful facts and commentary on everything from grape varieties, to vintages, to wine growers and regions, as well as advice on which foods go with which wines. This is the wine book! A perfect Christmas gift.

Waterstones £14.99

For another Christmas gift idea for a wine lover, see here.

Ed Dallimore – The Vineyards of Britain

Everything you wanted to know about English and Welsh wines!

There is much to celebrate in one of the world’s most exciting wine regions – England and Wales.

This new book by wine expert and photographer Ed Dallimore is a fantastic resource for any wine lover wanting to know more about English and Welsh wine. Ed takes you on a fascinating adventure through Britain’s wineries and vineyards. You get to meet the people making top-quality wines, learn about their wines and get some great advice and recommendations from Ed.

Three key elements permeate the narrative: the right sites, the right soils and the right people, and from the south-west to the north of England, from urban wineries in London and Cambridge to vineyards in the shadow of the Black Mountains in Wales, you get to understand how these three factors combine to produce some really excellent wines, both sparkling and still.

Whether it’s White Castle Vineyard in Abergavenny, Gutter & Stars Urban Winery in a Cambridge mill, Rathfinny Wine Estate in East Sussex, or 140-odd others, this book will give you all the background you need and take you on an informative journey through the vineyards and wineries of Britain.

It’s a great read and the perfect Christmas gift for your favourite wine lover!

Available from Waterstone s (£19.99)

A Christmas gift with a difference

If you are looking for a gift with a difference for a wine lover this Christmas, why not treat them to a recognised wine course, or a wine tasting session?

Steve Hovington at Cambridge Wine Academy offers classes for WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) Levels 1-3 and also runs regular wine tastings throughout the year.

I really enjoyed the WSET Level 3 course I took with Steve in 2020 and I learned a lot from his sessions. I have since attended several of Steve’s regular wine tasting sessions and these are always fun, interesting and informative.

So, if you’re looking for that special gift this Christmas, further details can be found here

For other wine-related Christmas gift ideas, see here