Wine of the Month – an outstanding oaked Solaris from Burn Valley Vineyard on the Norfolk Coast

Burn Valley Vineyard Solaris 2021

Created in 1975 at the Freiburg Wine Institute in Germany, Solaris is an early ripening, frost-resistant grape variety that is particularly suited to cool, damp climates and is very much at home in the UK and other parts of Northern Europe.

This Solaris from Burn Valley Vineyard in North Norfolk is outstanding. It is an aromatic wine with pronounced notes of vanilla on the nose, leading to peach, nectarine and honey on the palate, and has a rich, buttery mouthfeel. 

Refreshing and well-balanced, this is a delightful wine which can be enjoyed as an aperitif, or with seafood or white meat. We had it with grilled salmon and it was a perfect match.  

Available from Grape Britannia (£24.99)




A smooth, silky red wine from Herefordshire …

Radlow Hundred English Red

This smooth, silky red wine from Radlow Hundred Vineyard in Herefordshire is a blend of Pinot Noir, Regent and Rondo grape varieties. With aromas of raspberry, cherry and plum on the nose, and plenty of red fruit flavours, notably cherry, on the palate, this is a balanced wine with medium tannins and a hint of pepper on the finish.

A very pleasant English red wine that can be enjoyed by itself or with a red meat or roasted vegetable dish. 

Available from Grape Britannia  (£16.99)

A very appealing wine from Southern France

Terres Falmet Carignan 2020 (Southern France)

Produced from Carignan vines over 80 years old, this very appealing wine from Saint-Chinian in the Languedoc is a smooth, well-rounded wine. The vineyards benefit from the long, hot summers and mild winters of this Mediterranean region and the grapes are picked at peak ripeness to ensure an excellent balance of tannin and fruitiness. 

With plum, blackcurrant and savoury overtones on the nose, and cherry, blackberry, and peppery spice on the palate, this is a well-balanced, full-bodied wine with medium tannins and a lengthy finish. An excellent match for red meats or cheese.

Available from Cambridge Wine Merchants (£14.99)

A little gem from New Zealand 

Main Divide, Riesling 2019 (New Zealand)

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. With a preference for cooler, more temperate environments, it is quite at home in the Waipara Valley region on New Zealand’s South Island. And this Main Divide 2019 is a fine example of New Zealand Riesling. 

With floral, honey, orange peel notes on the nose and flavours of citrus fruits, nectarine and honey on the palate, this is an off-dry wine with lively acidity and an unexpected but very pleasant spritzig touch to it. A medium-bodied, well-balanced wine with a long finish, it will go well with seafood, duck or a slightly spicy Asian-inspired dish.

Available from Majestic  (£13.99, Mix Six £10.99)

Wine of the Month: Altolandon Mil Historias Bobal 2020 Manchuela (Spain)

There’s a lot more to Spanish reds than Rioja! Try this very appealing Bobal for something different.

When we think of Spanish red wine, we probably immediately think of Rioja. But there is lot more to Spanish red wine than Rioja. Bobal, for example.  

Though it may not be very well-known internationally, Bobal is Spain’s second most-planted red varietal after Tempranillo and records show it was already being cultivated in the Valencia region in the fifteenth century. 

This Bobal is produced by the Altolandon winery, located in the province of Manchuela, South East Spain, around 70km (45 miles) inland from Valencia. Here the high altitude, climate and well-drained soils create a perfect growing environment for the grapes.

This is a very appealing wine with herbaceous and black fruit aromas, and flavours of cherry, plum, blackberry, and raisins on the palate. A smooth, medium-bodied wine with medium tannins and medium acidity, this is a very good example of a less well-known grape variety.

Try it with lamb chops or a stew. It’s also a great match for cold meats and hard cheese.

Available from Cambridge Wine Merchants (£12.99)

A very appealing Rioja to brighten up your weekend

Baron de Ley Reserva 2018, Rioja (Spain)

Tempranillo is Spain’s principal black grape variety and is grown widely throughout northern and central Spain. It is particularly associated with wines from Rioja, located in the Ebro River Valley, around 60 miles south of Bilbao. 

This is a very appealing Rioja. It is a smooth well-balanced wine, with medium acidity, medium tannins and a lengthy finish.

Deep ruby in colour, it has aromas of plum, blackcurrant and cloves on the nose, and plum, cherry and chocolate on the palate. The barrel-ageing gives the wine additional characters of vanilla and oak.  

A wine which can be enjoyed by itself but which also goes well with lamb, duck or a roast vegetable dish. 

Available from Co-op (£12.75)

Wine of the Month

A perfect English wine to welcome spring

Danebury Madeleine Angevine 2021 (Hampshire)

Produced from Madeleine Angevine grapes, this elegant, floral wine from Danebury Vineyards in Hampshire heralds spring perfectly. With apple, pear and peach on the nose, and orchard fruits, lemon and a hint of honey on the palate, this is a well-balanced, crisp wine with a lengthy mineral finish. 

Here is another fine example of the excellent quality of wines now being produced on this island.  This Madeleine Angevine wine can be enjoyed by itself and also pairs very well with a seafood dish or chicken.

Available from Grape Britannia (£11.99)

A great value Haut-Médoc, perfect with a Sunday roast

Château Dasvin-Bel-Air, Haut-Médoc 2019 (Bordeaux)

This smooth, elegant wine is from the heart of the Médoc wine area, just to the north of the city of Bordeaux. A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, it has vanilla, blackcurrant and dark cherry on the nose, and blackcurrant and plum on the palate. 

A hint of smokiness reflects the oak ageing and there is a slight earthiness in the finish. This is a well-balanced, medium-bodied wine with medium tannins, offering very good value for money.

This is an excellent match for a Sunday roast and will also go well with hard cheese. 

Available from Co-op (£13.50)

A nod to Spain in this Australian wine

Yalumba Y Series Tempranillo 2019/20 (South Australia)

When we think of Tempranillo, we think of Spain, and in particular, Rioja, but this Tempranillo wine from South Australia adds a little Antipodean twist to proceedings. Produced by Yalumba winery, one of Australia’s oldest wineries, founded by Englishman Samuel Smith in 1849, this is a deliciously smooth wine which can be enjoyed by itself, and goes really well with duck or lamb.

With aromas of cranberry, cherry and bramble on the nose, and flavours of blackberry and plum, with a hint of chocolate and spice, on the palate, this is a balanced wine with a long finish which is guaranteed to brighten up your day.

Available from Majestic (£9.49, Mix Six £7.49)

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