English & Welsh wines Archives - Page 4 of 5

A fine Bacchus from the East of England

Winbirri Vineyard Bacchus 2020

Having very much enjoyed the Winbirri Signature 2017 red wine last year, I was keen to try their Bacchus wine. As Oz Clarke notes in his book ‘English Wine’, Winbirri’s 2015 Bacchus won a stunning ‘Best Value White Single Varietal’ award against rest of the world in the Decanter World Wine Awards in 2017. Very impressive, especially considering they only started planting in 2007. So I had great expectations … and I wasn’t disappointed!

With aromas of apple and pear and undertones of elderflower and rose petals on the nose, and apricot, pineapple and passion-fruit flavours on the palate, this is a very appealing aromatic and fruity wine. Expressive and well-balanced, it has a lively acidity and a lengthy finish and can be drunk by itself or paired with white meat or seafood. It’s an outstanding example of an English Bacchus.

Available from Grape Britannia (£17.49)

Three recent discoveries to tempt your palate as we start the new year …

Wishing you all a Happy, Healthy and Peaceful New Year and looking forward to sharing new discoveries with you in 2022!

Why not kick the year off with something a little different? Here are three interesting wines to tempt your palate …

Eight Thousand Lakes 2019 Riesling (USA)

Although we might automatically think of Germany when we think of Riesling, the grape is very adaptable and is grown in many different parts of the world. The common denominator is its preference for cooler, more temperate environments, where the longer growing times enable the grapes to retain their characteristic acidity as they ripen. The Ancient Lakes region of Columbia Valley in Washington State is one such environment.

Here, the higher elevation, relatively low rainfall, cooler climate and wider diurnal temperatures help preserve acidity in the grapes, and this high acidity is a signature characteristic of wines from this region.

The Eight Thousand Lakes 2019 Riesling is a very good example of a fresh, vibrant, aromatic Riesling. It’s an off-dry wine with refreshing acidity and has aromas of apple, pear and honey on the nose, and lemon and peach flavours with a touch of minerality on the palate. A smooth wine with a long finish, it can be drunk by itself or paired with seafood or a slightly spicy Asian dish. We had it with salmon with a Japanese twist and it went down a treat.

Majestic (£12.99, Mix Six £9.99)

Somborne Estate Reserve Red 2014 (England)

One of the things I enjoy most about exploring English and Welsh wines is the opportunity to try unusual grape varieties. And if you’re looking for a little treat to help you get into gear as we start 2022, this delightful Rondo wine from Somborne Valley Vineyard in Hampshire, ticks all the boxes.

Rondo is a hybrid grape variety, created in 1964 when Zarya Severa, a grape variety of Russian origin, was crossed with St Laurent from Austria. Given its hardiness and high resistance to winter frost, it generally fares well in Northern Europe and is widely cultivated in the UK. It typically produces rich, deeply-coloured wines with good fruit flavours. This one is no exception.

Deep ruby in colour, this is a rich, smooth, medium-bodied wine. It has blackberry, plum and black cherry aromas, with notes of cinnamon and vanilla, on the nose, and rich black fruit flavours with savoury notes on the palate. It is a wine with depth and complexity, and very well-balanced.

This is a wine to sit and relax with, or to enjoy with lamb chops, beef casserole or your favourite cheese.

Available from Grape Britannia (£15.99)

Domaine la Hitaire ‘Les Tours’ 2019 (France)

Quite apart from the obvious choices, France is a wine region that never fails to surprise and delight. And Gascony in southwest France is a quiet corner of the country that punches above its size. Here you can find a real abundance of interesting and unusual grape varieties, and this blend of Ugni Blanc, Colombard and Gros Manseng is a little gem.

The three grape varieties complement each other very well. Ugni Blanc is a relatively bland grape variety on its own but in a blend, can contribute its natural acidity and floral notes. Colombard brings with it flavours of peach and nectarine and Gros Manseng is an aromatic grape variety bringing crisp, faintly spicy flavours to a blend.

This is a dry wine with relatively low alcohol and a crisp, refreshing acidity. It has aromas of lemon, grapefruit and apple, with floral and herbaceous notes on the nose, and flavours of peach, nectarine and lychee, with a hint of spice on the palate. Well-balanced with a long finish, this is a perfect apéritif wine, and will go well with goat’s cheese, seafood, or a slightly spicy dish.

Available from Majestic (£8.99, Mix Six £6.99)

Twelve wines for Christmas!

This past year I have particularly enjoyed exploring English and Welsh wines and it has been a delightful voyage of discovery. And so I have also included some choice wines from our fair isle in this list of Christmas wines for you to enjoy either with food, or simply when you are chilling out with your favourite film over the festive period. Merry Christmas!

Apéritifs

If sherry is your favourite pre-prandial tipple, the Don Gaspar Dry Amontillado Lustau has a pleasant nutty and dried fruit flavour, together with a hint of tanginess. It is perfect with cured meats, manchego and olives. Waitrose (£11.99)

If you’re looking for a refreshing sparkling wine to get your Christmas lunch off to a fine start, this Nyetimber Classic Cuvée MV is a treat. With flavours of honey, almond and brioche on the palate, this is a very fine and elegant sparkling wine. It is no wonder it is consistently judged top of its game. Grape Britannia (£32.99, also available as a half bottle).

Or why not try a fresh and light Greek white wine? The Moschofilero-Roditis 2020 from Marks & Spencer’s Found range brings together the floral attributes and zippy citrus flavours of the two grape varieties. The result is a dry white wine with Muscaty, honeyed tones and a minerally, lemon tang to create a well-balanced wine with a lengthy finish. Marks & Spencer (£8.50)

White wines

This Paco & Lola Albariño 2019, described by Decanter as ‘everything you want on the palate, and more’ is a fresh, lively wine with flavours of lime, lemon, peach and a touch of salinity. It is a very well-balanced wine that is a perfect match for white meat and fish dishes. Tesco, Sainsbury’s (£12- £14)

The Camel Valley Atlantic Dry 2020 is a delightful blend of Pinot Blanc and Bacchus grapes. It is a dry, medium-bodied wine with refreshing acidity and flavours of apple and peach. This is an ideal wine for a fish or seafood dish – you can almost feel the sea air and hear the waves of the Cornish coast as you drink it. Grape Britannia (£14.99)

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Jurançon Sec is a dry wine made from a blend of Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng grapes from southwest France. With flavours of apple, pear and grapefruit, it has medium acidity and a medium finish. This is a wine that will handle the myriad flavours of a festive Christmas lunch very well if you prefer white wine with your main dish. Sainsbury’s (£9)

Red wines

The complex interplay of flavours associated with a traditional Christmas turkey lunch means that a wine with lower tannins will cope better. The Winbirri Signature 2017, made from Norfolk-grown Dornfelder grapes, has blackberry and cherry flavours, together with a hint of toastiness and spice. This is a well-structured wine with medium tannins and a long, smooth finish. It will be an excellent match for your turkey and trimmings. Grape Britannia (£14.99)

A Malbec from Cahors will go well with duck or pork and Le Grand Retour 2018 is a dry wine with medium acidity and medium tannins. It has flavours of blackberry and jamminess, with a hint of chocolate and liquorice, and is a well-balanced, medium-bodied wine. Majestic (£11.99, Mix Six £9.99)

For something bolder, this 1000 Stories Zinfandel 2018 from California is a very good full-bodied wine. It has intense black fruit flavours together with vanilla and caramel on the palate. It is a well-balanced wine with a lingering finish, and will cope well with roast beef or similar strong flavours. Tesco, Sainsbury’s (£15).

Dessert wines

Christmas is a time for indulgence. And what nicer indulgence than a glass of port? Taylor’s 10-year old Tawny Port has a fruity, nutty flavour to enjoy with cheese or dessert, or post-lunch while watching the Queen’s speech. Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Waitrose (£16-£22)

The Australian Campbell’s Rutherglen Muscat is another treat. This is a lusciously sweet wine made from a blend of vintages of Muscat à petit grains rouges (Rutherglen Brown Muscat). With flavours of fruitcake, dates and nuts, this is a smooth, wonderfully balanced wine. It is a perfect match for cheese or dessert. Majestic (£14.99, Mix Six £12.49)

Why not try a Welsh fortified wine? The White Castle Vineyard 1581 is a cracking way to finish your lunch. Or perhaps try it with a mince pie later in the day. Well, anytime really – it’s a delight. A soft, smooth wine with a long finish, it has rich blackberry and plum flavours on the palate. In a word, heavenly. Grape Britannia (£27.49).

Merry Christmas!

Look out for more wine suggestions from around the world in 2022.

Cheers!

Trick or treat? This is definitely a treat …

If you’re looking for a little treat to help you while away this Halloween weekend, then this Somborne Estate Reserve Red 2014, a delightful Rondo wine from Somborne Valley Vineyard in Hampshire, ticks all the boxes.

A wine to sit and relax with, or to enjoy with lamb chops, beef casserole or your favourite cheese.

Available from Grape Britannia (£15.99)

Chardonnay, a ubiquitous grape variety that can also be gloriously, differently English …

When Hugh Johnson (Pocket Wine Book 2021) described Chardonnay as ‘the white grape of Burgundy and Champagne, now ubiquitous worldwide, partly because it is one of the easiest to grow and vinify’, I wonder whether he was also thinking of Chardonnay grown in England?

In the early 1950s there were a few short-lived attempts to grow Chardonnay in Hampshire and Surrey but the climate didn’t help much. Since the 80s and 90s more and more growers have given Chardonnay a go and have been very successful. But these for the most part were grapes used to produce sparkling wines, often very good ones too. Indeed, many of these sparkling wines have gone on to win all kinds of awards and beaten some very good Champagnes to boot!

But what about still wines? While we haven’t yet seen quite the same volumes as with sparkling wines, there are some very good Chardonnay still wines available nowadays. As Oz Clarke rightly notes in his excellent book ‘English Wine’, the best Chardonnays in England don’t taste like Chablis or Meursault, they taste ‘gloriously, differently English.’

And here is a very good example: Jack O’ The Green Chardonnay 2018

Produced from grapes grown in East Sussex, this is a refreshing wine with aromas of lime and apple on the nose, leading to apple, gooseberry, peach and vanilla on the palate. A smooth wine with medium acidity and a lengthy finish, it has real character, just like its name. This is a very appealing wine that’s a perfect match for seafood or grilled vegetables.

Available from Grape Britannia

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet …

White Castle Vineyard 1581 Fortified Wine 2016

What’s in a name? If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s possible to produce a fortified wine (i.e. Port) in the UK, then here you have it! Although White Castle Vineyard’s 1581 cannot strictly speaking be called Port because it’s not from the Douro region in Portugal, it has been made using the same techniques as a Late Bottled Vintage Port, and it goes down a treat!

Named after the Grade II* listed Tudor barn at the foot of the vineyard, the wine is made from Regent grapes, hand harvested in 2016 and then fermented in stainless steel vats before four years’ ageing in oak barrels.

The result is a unique fortified Welsh wine that has blackberry and bramble aromas on the nose, and rich blackberry and plum flavours on the palate. Deep ruby in colour, this is a soft, smooth wine with a long finish. In a word, heavenly.

Enjoy it with desert or cheese, or indeed by itself as a digestif. And with fewer than 100 days now to Christmas, consider this a great accompaniment to your mince pies!

Available from Grape Britannia

Can England produce a cracking Pinot Noir? You bet!

Gutter & Stars, Hope is a Good Swimmer, Pinot Noir 2020

Chris Wilson, who established Gutter & Stars, the UK’s newest urban winery in Cambridge in 2020, produced the winery’s first Bacchus wine earlier this year and it was a great success. Since then, I have been looking forward to the release of their first Pinot Noir and now that I’ve been able to try it, I can definitely say that it was well worth the wait. It’s brilliant!

Made from grapes grown in Crouch Valley, Essex, this is a smooth, refreshing wine with prominent cherry and raspberry aromas on the nose, and fresh red fruit flavours, and a hint of peppery spice, on the palate. Light in colour, with medium acidity and medium tannins, this is a very attractive, well-balanced wine that just shows that we can produce a cracking Pinot Noir right here in Blighty!

This is a great debut for Gutter & Stars’ Pinot Noir … and I can’t wait for the Chardonnay due out in the autumn!

With so much to discover right on our doorstep, have you tried an English wine lately?

One of the things I like most about drinking English and Welsh wines is the opportunity to try new grape varieties and enjoy wines with new, interesting profiles. Here are two very appealing wines from Three Choirs Vineyards in Gloucestershire, one of England’s oldest vineyards, established in 1973, which are well worth trying.

Three Choirs May Hill 2017

This is a light-coloured, medium-sweet wine, made from a blend of Reichensteiner, Müller-Thurgau, Solaris and Orion grape varieties. Older readers may remember Müller-Thurgau from the days, not so long ago, when Liebfraumlich and Piesporter German wines were the done thing. But fear not, this is a world apart from those days.

With pronounced aromas of grapefruit and blossom on the nose, and peach, nectarine, and ripe citrus flavours, with honey overtones, on the palate, this is a full-bodied wine with medium acidity and a lengthy finish. It’s a refreshing appealing wine, and if you are partial to a Riesling, you will probably enjoy this.

Three Choirs Ravens Hill 2018

Deep ruby in colour, this is a blend of Regent, Rondo and Triomphe grapes. It is a delightful wine, with pronounced aromas of blackberry, cherry and plum on the nose, and cherry, damson, vanilla and toast on the palate. It’s a wine with medium acidity and medium tannin; a smooth, medium-bodied wine that’s a perfect match for Sunday lunch!

Both wines are available from Grape Britannia.

STOP PRESS: Cambridge-based Gutter & Stars releases first Pinot Noir

Cambridge is known for many things but who would have thought it was also the home of an urban winery! Journalist and winemaker Chris Wilson established Gutter & Stars in 2020, and I was fortunate enough to try his debut vintage, a very appealing, well-balanced Bacchus, earlier this year. This has now sold out but Gutter & Stars has just released their first Pinot Noir.

Chris has produced a fruit-forward and textured wine, with red cherry and raspberry characters coming together with cola and black pepper to create a juicy, fresh and well-rounded summer wine.

Availability is limited – 400 bottles have been produced, each one individually numbered.

For further details, and to order, please see here.