Tag: aperitif

An elegant, refreshing Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc from the Awatere Valley

Vavasour Sauvignon Blanc 2021, Awatere Valley (New Zealand)

If you enjoyed the Grove Mill Sauvignon Blanc 2021 I recently reviewed, you might like to try this Vavasour Sauvignon Blanc 2021. Although part of Foley Wines, the same group as Grove Mill, the Vavasour Sauvignon Blanc comes from the Awatere Valley in Marlborough, a smaller, cooler, windier and drier valley than the region’s main winegrowing valley, Wairau Valley. 

The Sauvignon Blanc wines from the Awatere Valley tend to have higher acidity, with more herbaceous characteristics, and lack the tropical fruit flavours which are often found in wines from the Wairau Valley. 

This Vavasour Sauvignon Blanc 2021 is an elegant, refreshing wine with notes of citrus and peach on the nose leading to stone fruit flavours and a pleasant minerality on the palate. It is a wine with a lively acidity, a creamy mouthfeel and a long finish, which is perfect as an aperitif, or with a seafood or white meat dish. It also goes well with goat cheese. 

Available from Co-op (£11)

A great value Viognier from Languedoc

Abbotts & Delaunay Viognier Les Fleurs Sauvages 2020 (France)

Stretching along the Mediterranean coast from Italy to Spain, the vineyards of southern France offer a huge diversity of wine styles, both red and white. Many of the wines of the Languedoc-Roussillon area of this region of France have the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) designation Pays d’Oc, as in the case of this Viognier 2020.

Though Viognier is best-known as a grape variety in the Northern Rhône, where the Condrieu wines are the celebrated appellation, there are significant plantations in Languedoc and this 2020 vintage from Abbotts & Delaunay won Silver in the International Wine Challenge (IWC) Awards in 2022. And deservedly so.

With pronounced aromas of peach, apricot, nectarine and blossom on the nose, and ripe stone fruit flavours and a hint of honey and almond on the palate, this is a fresh, lively wine with balanced acidity. An elegant wine with a creamy mouthfeel and a lengthy finish, this is perfect as an aperitif, and will go well with fish, or a vegetable dish.

Available from Majestic (£9.99, Mix Six £7.99)

A fresh, lively Albariño from north-west Spain: perfect for summer drinking

Paco & Lola Albariño 2021 (Rías Baixas)

Although Spain is well known for its red wines, in recent years its white wines have been growing in popularity, too. And this Albariño, from the Rías Baixas region of Galicia in the north-west of the country, is definitely one to try.  As well as its Atlantic climate, moderate year-round temperatures, ocean mists and above-average rainfall, the region is also blessed with many hours of warm sunshine, enabling the Albariño grapes to ripen and produce wines that are naturally high in acidity, with floral aromas, and citrus and stone-fruit flavours.

This Paco & Lola 2021 is a fine example of a very good Albariño wine. Having enjoyed the 2019 and 2020 wines, I was very glad to see that the 2021 vintage is now available. 

This is a fresh, lively wine, high in acidity, with aromas of blossom, lemon and apple on the nose, and flavours of apple, peach and nectarine on the palate. It is a well-balanced, medium-bodied wine with an attractive creamy mouthfeel and a lengthy finish. 

Enjoy this by itself as an aperitif or as a perfect match for seafood.

Available from Sainsbury’s (currently on offer at £11)

Two cracking wines from Sussex to brighten your day!

Rathfinny Wine Estate planted their first vines in 2012 with ambitious plans to develop their 240-hectare farmland on the windy Sussex Downs, just a stone’s throw from the English Channel. Located on south-facing, free-draining chalk slopes and benefitting from a unique micro-climate, the vines enjoy ideal conditions to produce grapes of excellent quality. 

Here are a couple of their very impressive wines I tried recently. 

Rathfinny Classic Cuvée 2018 

Made according to the traditional method using a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier grapes and aged for 30 months in the bottle, this Classic Cuvée Sparkling Wine is a real Sussex sparkler. 

With aromas of apple, pear and toast on the nose leading to flavours of brioche, lemon, apricot and a hint of nuttiness on the palate, this is a crisp, dry sparkling wine with refreshing acidity and a long finish.

Available from Rathfinny Estate

Rathfinny Cradle Valley White 2018 

And Rathfinny also have a range of still wines, including this very appealing blend of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. With lemon, peach, vanilla and honey on the nose, and lemon, peach, apple and grapefruit on the palate, this is a dry, crisp wine with refreshing acidity and a hint of minerality on the finish.

A well-balanced, medium-bodied wine which is an ideal aperitif and is also a perfect match for a seafood dish. 

Available from Hedonism Wines, South Downs Cellars, Quaffology

Wine of the Month –   In anticipation of English Wine Week, an outstanding wine from Cambridge (with grapes grown in Oxfordshire)

Gutter & Stars ‘The Good Mixer’, Blonde on Blonde Blend 2021

In anticipation of the start of English Wine Week on 18th June, this very impressive wine from Gutter & Stars in Cambridge, made from grapes grown in Oxfordshire, is a perfect demonstration of just how remarkable English wine can be.

Following Gutter & Stars’ highly acclaimed first releases of their Bacchus, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines last year, I was eagerly awaiting the release of ‘The Good Mixer’, Blonde on Blonde Blend 2021, which is just out. 

And it is simply outstanding. 

Made from a blend of Ortega and Bacchus grapes grown at Yew Tree Vineyard, this is a smooth, well-balanced wine with a creamy mouthfeel, an inviting acidity and a lovely finish. Pale lemon in colour, with aromas of jasmine, apple and peach, and flavours of strawberry and cream, honey, lemon sherbet and nectarine, it is an absolute delight. Pure genius, a top-quality wine.

If you are looking for a wine to drink during English Wine Week, this has to be it!

Enjoy ‘The Good Mixer’ as an aperitif, or with a seafood or chicken dish. Cheers!

Available from Gutter & Stars (£25)

A fresh, zippy Albariño to brighten up your day!

Paco & Lola, Albariño 2020 (Spain)

Though Spain is best known for its red wines, it is quietly making a name for itself as a key white wine producer, with lots of interesting indigenous whites to discover. One of the best known is Albariño from the Rías Baixas region of Galicia in north-west Spain. Albariño is one of my favourite wines and this Paco & Lola 2020 is a fine example of what this grape variety is capable of.

With its Atlantic climate, moderate year-round temperatures, ocean mists and above-average rainfall, the Rías Baixas region is more reminiscent of Ireland than the sun-drenched beaches of holiday-destination Spain. But despite the dampness, the area is also blessed with many hours of warm sunshine, enabling the Albariño grapes to ripen and produce wines that are naturally high in acidity, with floral aromas, and citrus and stone-fruit flavours.

This wine from Paco & Lola is a fresh, lively wine, with zippy acidity and a lovely long finish. It has aromas of apricot and peach on the nose, and flavours of lime, lemon, peach and a hint of minerality on the palate. It’s a well-balanced wine which makes for an ideal aperitif but is also a perfect partner for seafood.

Available from Tesco and Sainsbury’s (£12-£14)

Banish those January blues with a touch of Sicilian sunshine …

Planeta L’Amistanza 2020

After all the buzz and busyness of the festive season, mid-January can sometimes feel a little dispiriting. This refreshing, aromatic wine from Sicily can go a long way to help lift your spirits.

The Planeta L’Amistanza 2020 is made from a blend of Fiano and Grecanico grapes. Although neither is indigenous to Sicily – Fiano comes from the Campania region and Grecanico hails from the Veneto region in north-east Italy, where it is known as Garganega – both grow happily in Sicily and complement each other very well. Fiano brings body and texture to a wine while Grecanico contributes citrus freshness and acidity. 

With aromas of honeysuckle, apple, pear and stone fruit, and flavours of peach, apple and lime, this is a well-balanced wine with medium acidity and a pleasantly long finish. 

A crisp wine which works well as an aperitif and is also a very good match for seafood, pasta or a light, creamy chicken dish. 

Available from Tesco (£10)

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)

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)

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