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An older English vintage which still has lots to offer

Hazel End Vineyard Bacchus Dry 2014 (Hertfordshire)

It’s unusual to find an English white wine that has aged a few years but this 2014 Bacchus Dry from Hazel End Vineyard in Hertfordshire is a real delight. 2014 was generally a good year for English wine. Eleven out of twelve months were warmer than average and there was also a reasonable amount of rain. The result was a bumper 2014 harvest with plenty of healthy, high-quality grapes. And several years on, this wine still has lots to offer.

With aromas of grapefruit, elderflower, lime and a touch of petrol on the nose, leading to a burst of lime and peach on the palate, this older Bacchus has a hint of Riesling about it. It is a smooth, refined wine with good acidity and a long finish, which can be enjoyed by itself, or with a seafood or chicken dish. Great value for a 2014 wine!

Available from Grape Britannia (£14.99)

Wine of the Month – a top-quality Sauvignon Blanc 2021 from New Zealand offering excellent value for money

Grove Mill, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2021

This elegant, aromatic Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand is a real treat. Grove Mills produce their wines from grapes grown in the vineyards surrounding their winery in the Wairau Valley with a keen awareness of environmental considerations, and this is a refined wine, with lots of depth and personality.

Pronounced aromas of elderflower, peach, lychee and guava on the nose herald flavours of lime, nectarine and passion fruit on the palate. The layers of fruit are well supported by the bright acidity and lasting finish, and a hint of minerality adds a further level.

A delightful wine offering great value for money. Perfect by itself or with a seafood or chicken dish.

Available from Co-op (£9.50)

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)

Wine of the Month – a new discovery from an urban winery in the Cotswolds

Freedom of the Press Bacchus 2021 (Oxfordshire)

This excellent wine from Freedom of the Press winery, an urban winery located in the Cotswolds, 15 miles outside Oxford, is a new discovery for me. And it certainly ticks all the boxes.

Set up by Gavin Carver in 2020, Freedom of the Press aims to ‘make small batches of beautiful still wines from exquisite English grapes, selecting techniques and vessels best suited to crafting each wine’s distinctive style’. And they have certainly achieved that with this outstanding Bacchus.

With aromas of apple, pear, peach and blossom on the nose, and lemon, apple, pineapple and grapefruit on the palate, this is a splendid first Bacchus vintage for the winery and augurs really well for the future.

Produced from grapes grown in Essex, principally the Crouch Valley, it is a well-balanced wine, with lively acidity and a smooth, lengthy finish.

Enjoy by itself, with seafood, or with sheep and goat cheese. It will also pair well with spicy Asian dishes.

Available from Grape Britannia (£15.49)

A deliciously fresh organic Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand

Villa Maria EarthGarden Sauvignon Blanc 2020 (Marlborough)

Founded in 1962, Villa Maria is now New Zealand’s most-awarded winery. It has always been at the forefront of innovation and has been a pioneer of organic vineyard management for over 20 years. The EarthGarden range is Villa Maria’s first range of wines that are 100% organically grown and this Sauvignon Blanc from the winery’s Marlborough vineyards is deliciously fresh.

Full of life, with aromas of apple, lime and pear, and flavours of lemon, peach and passionfruit, this is a well-balanced wine with refreshing acidity and a lengthy finish.

Perfect by itself on a warm summer’s day, this will also pair very well with seafood, chicken or plant-based dishes, and is a wine that offers very good value for money.

Available from Tesco (£10.50)

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

A Portuguese Regional Wine with plenty of personality

Porta 6 Branco 2020 (Portugal)

Portugal has an abundance of local grape varieties which bring a note of difference to its wines. This Vinho Regional (Regional Wine) from the Lisbon area is a case in point. It is a blend of the indigenous Arinto and Viosinho grapes, together with the more international varieties, Chardonnay and Viognier.

Produced from grapes grown in vineyards close to the Atlantic Ocean, this is a fresh, fruity wine with plenty of personality. Aromas of blossom, lemon, apple and pear on the nose lead to more stone fruit flavours of peach and apricot on the palate.

Medium-bodied with lively acidity and a hint of minerality, this is fine by itself or with a seafood or pasta dish. This is a good quality wine at this price.

Available from Tesco and Sainsbury’s (£7-£7.50)

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 18^th 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 celebration of English and Welsh wines

As we celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee this month, there are two more great reasons to crack open a bottle or two in June – Welsh Wine Week (4-12 June) and English Wine Week (18-26 June). Here are a few suggestions to tempt your palate. Iechyd da! Cheers!

Winbirri Solaris 2020 (Norfolk)

Winbirri Vineyard near Norwich is well-known for its award-winning wines and produces a range of still and sparkling wines.

The Solaris 2020 is a smooth, refreshing, slightly off-dry wine with medium acidity and a lengthy finish. With elderflower, apple and peach on the nose, and honey and nectarine on the palate, the wine also has its own character which distinguishes it from a Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay or Bacchus.

If you are looking for an appealing wine with a difference to go with your seafood or chicken dish, this is certainly one to try.

Ancre Hill Estates Rosé 2018 (Monmouthshire)

Although we might automatically think of France when we think of rosé, there are plenty of other wine regions around the world producing some fine examples, including this Ancre Hill Estates Rosé 2018 from Wales.

This is a well-balanced wine with lots of flavour and a lively acidity. Pale pink with a tinge of yellow in colour, it has aromas of strawberry, bramble, apple and grapefruit on the nose, and flavours of strawberry, rhubarb, cream soda and grapefruit on the palate.

A crisp, fresh wine with low alcohol which is perfect by itself and also goes well with canapés or fish, particularly oily fish.

Halfpenny Green Penny Red NV (Staffordshire)

This recent discovery is a fine example of a wine produced in the heart of the Black Country in the West Midlands. One of the largest vineyards in the country with almost 30 acres, Halfpenny Green benefits from well-sheltered south-facing slopes and light, sandy free-draining soil to grow a wide variety of grapes.

The off-dry Penny Red is a blend of Pinot Noir, Regent and Rondo grapes. A smooth, velvety, well-balanced wine with soft tannins and a long finish, it has aromas of bramble, cherry and blackcurrant, and flavours of blackberry, damson and plum. A wine to enjoy by itself or with lamb or cheese.

White Castle Vineyard Pinot Noir Précoce 2019 (Monmouthshire)

This is a very impressive wine from White Castle Vineyard, located near Abergavenny in Wales.

A combination of the Black Mountains, the three local rivers, the relatively low levels of rainfall, the clay and loamy soil, and the gently sloping, south-facing aspect of the vineyard all converge to create a unique micro-climate.

Made from Pinot Noir Précoce grapes, this is a light, well-balanced wine. With aromas of red berries and vanilla, and a hint of oak and smokiness on the nose, and ripe red fruit flavours of raspberry and strawberry on the palate, it’s the perfect match for Welsh lamb, duck or a cheese platter.

All the above wines are available from Grape Britannia