Tag: seafood

Wine of the Month – another outstanding wine from Gutter & Stars! A real treat for the palate …

Gutter & Stars ‘Fight the Power’ Ortega 2022

This is another outstanding wine from Cambridge’s urban winery, Gutter & Stars. Made from 100% Ortega grapes grown at Yew Tree Vineyard in Oxfordshire, the wine was fermented in oak barrels before further ageing on the lees.

The result is a perfectly balanced, inviting wine with a velvety mouthfeel and a lengthy finish.  It is, quite simply, a real pleasure to drink!

With honeysuckle, peach, and pear drops on the nose, and peach and citrus fruit flavours on the palate, this is a wonderful expression of the Ortega grape. Enjoy it as an apéritif, or with a seafood, chicken or vegetable dish. 

Available from Gutter & Stars and Grape Britannia (£25-£30)

A refreshing Italian white wine for a snip …

Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico 2022 (Italy)

A dry white wine with crisp acidity from the Marche region of central Italy, this Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi wine is a very good example of the fresh, zesty wines from the Verdicchio grape. 

Aromas of pear, citrus and honey on the nose lead to flavours of pear, lemon and a faint note of almond on the palate, with a long mineral finish.  This is a very good value wine which is perfect as a refreshing aperitif and also pairs well with a seafood dish. A perfect accompaniment to grilled salmon and spaghetti al limone!

Available from Co-op (£7)

Wine of the Month – A refreshing dry white blend that is perfect for these summer days …

Freedom of the Press Compendium 1 – Dry White Blend 2021

This excellent wine from Freedom of the Press winery, an urban winery located in the Cotswolds, 15 miles outside Oxford, is just the ticket for these lovely summer days.

 A blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Bacchus grapes, this is a refreshing, aromatic wine with medium acidity and a long finish. With aromas of elderflower and peach on the nose, and a compendium of flavours, including peach and raspberry, with a hint of strawberries and cream, on the palate, it is a very appealing wine. 

Enjoy by itself or with chicken, seafood or salad. It will also pair well with Asian dishes. 

Available from Grape Britannia (£13.99)

A very appealing Pouilly-Fumé to tempt your palate …

Jean Vincent Pouilly-Fumé 2021 (Loire Valley)

Produced from Sauvignon Blanc grapes grown on the flinty soil of the Central Vineyards of the Loire Valley, this is a very appealing Pouilly-Fumé. 

With aromas of honeysuckle, apple and pear on the nose, and flavours of gooseberry and citrus fruits on the palate, this is a smooth, well-balanced wine with a lengthy finish and the smoky, flinty characteristics of a Pouilly-Fumé. 

Perfect as an aperitif, this wine will also go well with seafood, a vegetable dish, or goat cheese.

Available from Majestic (£21.99, Mix Six £18.99)

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 Britannia (£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)

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