seafood Archives - Page 3 of 6 - It Must Be Wine O'clock

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 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

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 Britan nia (£11.99)

A little winter sunshine from Crete …

Lyrarakis Assyrtiko 2021 (Crete)

If you’re looking for a little winter sunshine to brighten up these grey January days, this Assyrtiko white wine from Crete is just the ticket.

This is a dry wine with a crisp, refreshing acidity. It has pronounced aromas of honey, together with apple and peach, on the nose, and flavours of apple, pear and peach on the palate.

It is a well-balanced, medium-bodied wine with a long finish that can be enjoyed as an apéritif, and is also an excellent match for a seafood or chicken dish.

Available from Majestic (£11.99, Mix Six £9.99)

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)

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)