It Must Be Wine O'clock

Western Australia – sun, sea and great wine …

The Margaret River region of Western Australia conjures up images of warm sunshine, stunning beaches and great surfing. And of course, a multitude of vineyards. Over 200 in fact, with plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Semillon, and Sauvignon Blanc the most common.

The two last varieties, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, are both widely planted in the region and are often blended together to create a delightful combination with the light, citrussy character of the Semillon complementing the aromatic and fruity nature of the Sauvignon Blanc. This pairing is now one of Margaret River’s signature styles of wine making.

Vasse Felix Classic Semillon Sauvignon 2020, Margaret River

This Vasse Felix blend is produced by one of Western Australia’s pioneering wineries. A dry wine with medium acidity, it has pronounced aromas of peach and nectarine on the nose, and crisp, refreshing flavours of lime, grapefruit and pineapple on the palate. A well-balanced wine with a medium finish, this pairs very well with seafood or chicken, and would also go well with a slightly spicy dish.

Available from Tesco (£12)

A taste of Crete

For a satisfying, well-balanced red wine, why not try a taste of Crete this weekend? Though perhaps not your immediate go-to choice, wine production in Crete has a long tradition going back more than two thousand years. There are plenty of interesting varieties to try, from Vidiano and Thrapsathiri white wines to the red wines made from Kotsifali, Liatiko and Mantilari grape varieties.

The Kotsifali Lyrarakis 2018 is a very good example of what wines from Crete can be like. It is made from Kotsifali, the classic Cretan black grape variety. This is a grape which typically produces wines which are lightly coloured, with relatively high alcohol, smooth tannins and soft acidity. They are often blended with Mandilaria to add tannin, deepen the colour and temper the alcohol but this wine is 100% Kotsifali.

This is a nicely balanced wine, with red cherries, blackberry and plum on the nose, and raspberry, cherry and warm, sweet spices on the palate. It is a medium bodied wine with medium tannins and medium acidity. A smooth, well-rounded wine which is fine to sit and relax with or enjoy with pasta, lamb or cheese.

Available from a number of stockists, including Cambridge Wine Merchants, Honest Grapes, Thorne Wines, The Whisky Exchange (£11.99-£12.99)

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.

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.

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)

A fresh, vibrant New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc to brighten up your day …

Mud House Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough (2020)

Given the fact that nowadays Sauvignon Blanc is New Zealand’s flagship grape variety, it is difficult to imagine that it wasn’t until the 1970s that the wine was commercially produced in the country. Now, New Zealand is synonymous with this punchy, zesty, aromatic white wine and its flavours of elderflower, gooseberry, and passionfruit.

Marlborough on New Zealand’s South Island is the country’s main centre for grape growing, with Sauvignon Blanc accounting for most of the grape planting in this region. Most of Marlborough’s vineyards are located in the Wairu and Awatere valleys.

Although the two valleys are adjacent, the climate in the Wairu Valley is known for its long sunny days, whereas Awatere Valley is drier, cooler and windier. Typically a Sauvignon Blanc from the latter has higher acidity and a more pronounced herbaceous character than a wine from Wairu. It will also generally lack the tropical fruit flavours often associated with a Sauvignon Blanc from the Wairu Valley.

The Mud House Sauvignon Blanc 2020 gives the best of both worlds: a careful blend of grapes grown in the upper Wairau Valley along with grapes from well-established growers in the Awatere Valley. The result: a dry, light-bodied wine of medium (+) acidity with aromas of apple, peach and grass on the nose, leading to melon, grapefruit and passionfruit flavours on the palate.

A great match for seafood or something slightly spicy, it can also be enjoyed by itself.

Widely available (£9/£10)

Another happy ending …

Hot on the heels of the Californian Bourbon barrel-aged Zinfandel I recently reviewed, I simply had to try the winery’s similarly aged Chardonnay.

1000 Stories Chardonnay 2019 (USA)

‘Years ago, when I was just starting out as a winemaker, it was almost unheard of to get French oak wine barrels and American oak barrels were for whisky, not wine. But we still needed barrels to age our wine, so we purchased new and used Bourbon barrels. Today American and French oak wine barrels are commonplace, so the inspiration for 1000 Stories is a nod to the way things were.’ – Winemaker Bob Blue

This is a delightful wine. Dry with medium acidity and a lingering finish, it has aromas of vanilla, peach and pear, and a pleasant smokiness on the nose, leading to flavours of baked apple, melon and caramel on the palate. It is a smooth, velvety, well-balanced wine, with a lovely creaminess to it. The wine is aged in traditional French and American oak, with part of it also aged in bourbon barrels to give it just that bit of extra character and complexity.

We had it with grilled salmon and it went down a treat.

Available from Tesco and Sainsbury’s (£15)

Autumn is clearly in the air … time for some warming red wine!

Autumn is clearly in the air: as the nights draw in and the temperature begins to drop, it won’t be long now before the leaves start turning colour and it’s time to put on a warmer coat. As we head towards Halloween and Bonfire Night, here are a couple of comforting reds to tempt your palate:

Piccini Memoro Red (Italy)

This is an interesting blend of four grape varieties – Primitivo, Montepulciano, Nero d’Avola, and Merlot from the Puglia, Abruzzo, Sicily, and Vento regions of Italy, respectively. The intention was to create a wine that brings together these distinct grape varieties to represent the country as a whole. It has worked very well; so well in fact that it was awarded a Decanter Gold Award in 2019.

The wine has medium tannin, medium acidity and a long finish. It’s a smooth, refined wine with aromas of plum, fig and blackcurrant, and intense flavours of black fruit, and a hint of coffee and spice.

A great match for an Italian meat dish or a rich pasta, and a steal at £8. Available from Tesco and Sainsbury’s.

1000 Stories Zinfandel 2018 (USA)

If you are looking for a rich, bold wine (14.5%) to accompany your steak, try this. This is a Zinfandel from California, made from grapes grown in Mendocino County, Lodi and Paso Robles vineyards. It’s a wine with a story, and I love a wine with a story …

As the winemaker, Bob Blue, himself says, “Years ago, when I was just starting out as a winemaker, it was almost unheard of to get French oak wine barrels, and American oak barrels were for whisky, not wine. But we still needed barrels to age our wine, so we purchased new and used Bourbon barrels. Today American and French oak wine barrels are commonplace, so the inspiration for 1000 Stories is a nod to the way things were.”

I was intrigued … and very impressed with this wine.

This is a well-balanced, full-bodied wine with medium tannin, medium acid and a lingering finish. It has aromas of plum, blackberry and black cherry, and a hint of smokiness on the nose, and flavours of black fruits, vanilla and caramel on the palate. A perfect match for steak.

Available from Tesco and Sainsbury’s (£15)

Though the name Smederevka may not exactly roll off the tongue, this is definitely worth a try …

Though the name Smederevka may not exactly roll off the tongue, the flavours of this North Macedonian grape variety are a real treat for the palate.

Wine production in the Tikveš region of North Macedonia has a history going back some 4,000 years and the country is known for its high-quality wines from a range of indigenous grape varieties. The two main varieties for white wines are Žilavka and Smederevka, with Vranec, Stanušina and Kratosija the best-known varieties for red wines. I reviewed a red wine from the Kratosija grape from this region earlier in the year and recently tried the Smederevka wine from the same winery, the award-winning Tikveš winery. Here are my thoughts.

Tikveš Smederevka Belo 2019

This is a crisp, floral wine with aromas of jasmine and elderflower on the nose, and flavours of apple, lemon, stone fruit and honey on the palate. Well-balanced with medium acidity and a lingering finish, it’s a smooth, refreshing wine that is a perfect match for seafood, or can be drunk by itself as an aperitif. If you are looking for something a little different, why not give this a try?

Available from Slurp (£8.95)

Merlot v Pinot Noir – online wine tasting

A date for your diary: Thursday 21st October 2021, 7pm

Hosted by Steve Hovington, Cambridge Wine Academy.

An opportunity to examine these grape varieties in detail and try to figure out why there’s so much fuss about Pinot Noir and why Merlot can stake a claim to true greatness.

A big showdown event between two heavyweight wine grapes. Four rounds, eight wines. Who’ll come out on top?

Steve is a very knowledgeable and entertaining presenter, and this promises to be another interesting and informative session. I have attended several of his virtual wine tasting sessions this year and always had a very enjoyable evening.

For more details and to book, see here

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