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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

If you like a Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc, why not try a Menetou-Salon wine?

Domaine Olivier Foucher Menetou-Salon 2019/20, Loire

Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc has been a firm favourite of mine since I first tried it sur place as a student many years ago. The refreshing acidity, the aromas of gooseberry, citrus and grass, and the flavours of apple and citrus fruits, with a hint of minerality, tick all the boxes for me.

Just a short distance away to the south-west of Sancerre is the small appellation of Menetou-Salon. Though not as well-known as its neighbour, Menetou-Salon is rapidly establishing a reputation for crisp, refreshing Sauvignon Blanc wines that offer very good value for money.

This wine from Domaine Olivier Foucher, a small 12-hectare estate in Morogues, is a very good example of a quality Menetou-Salon wine. Light in colour, the wine has aromas of blossom with apple and lime on the nose, and flavours of peach and pear on the palate. The grapes are harvested at night to retain freshness, resulting in a lively acidity. This is a well-balanced, multi-layered wine with a lingering, flinty finish.

A perfect wine for a seafood dish – we had it with pan-fried salmon. Or try it with goat’s cheese.

Available from Majestic £16.99 (Mix Six £12.99)

A mountain wine from Savoie

North, south, east or west, wherever you are in France, you are never too far from a wine-producing area. Even in the Alpine region of Savoie (Savoy), where the fresh, light, aromatic white wines made from the Jacquère grape are well-worth seeking out.

Vineyards in the region are often planted on mountain slopes between 250m and 550m, where they benefit from a warm microclimate and the moderating effects of nearby rivers and lakes. Although the Savoie region produces a mere 0.5% of French wines, it certainly punches above its size.

The Domaine Jean Perrier and Fils ‘Altus’ 2020, Savoie has aromas of blossom, apple and pear on the nose, and flavours of pear, apricot and honey on the palate. This is a crisp, refreshing wine with high acidity and a hint of minerality in the finish, and you can feel the freshness of the mountain air as you taste the wine.

A perfect match for fondue, goat’s cheese or a seafood dish.

Available from Majestic £13.99 (Mix Six £10.99)

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)

An elegant, slightly quirky wine from Portugal

Adega de Pegões Colheita Seleccionada 2020 (Portugal)

Portugal has many indigenous grape varieties which distinguish its wine from other Mediterranean wine-producing countries and make it an interesting area to explore. There are five main Protected Designations of Origin (Denominações de Origem Controladas /DOCs), as well as a number of regional wine designations (Vinho Regional). One of these is the Peninsula de Setúbal, directly to the south of Lisbon.

Best known for its sweet, fortified wines made from Moscatel grapes, Moscatel de Setúbal, the area also produces a range of regional wines, both red and white. And for a wine to be classified as a Vinho Regional Peninsula de Setúbal, it must be produced with particular grape varieties.

For white wine the blend must contain at least 50% of Arinto, Chardonnay, Fernão Pires, Malvasia Fina, Muscat of Alexandria and Roupeiro. The other 50% can be made up with Antão Vaz, Esgana Cão, Sauvignon Blanc, Rabo de Ovelha, Trincadeira das Pratas, Verdejo or Ugni Blanc.

This Adega de Pegões Colheita Seleccionada 2020 is a selected harvest wine. An elegant wine, a little quirky, yet full of character and very good value. A blend of Arinto, Chardonnay, Verdejo and Fernão Pires, it has pronounced aromas of peach and lime, with a touch of oak-derived vanilla, and refreshing flavours of citrus and stone fruits. There is also a noticeable burst of Chardonnay shining through with buttery notes. This is a smooth, deliciously crisp, original white wine which is a perfect match for a seafood dish.

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

Another excellent white wine from Norfolk

Winbirri Vineyard, Solaris 2019

Winbirri Vineyard in Norfolk is well-known for its award-winning wines and I have written previously about its excellent Bacchus and Signature wines. In recent years, Winbirri has also had huge success with its Solaris varietal wines, winning awards in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Created in Germany in 1975, Solaris is an early ripening variety with good resistance against fungal diseases and frost, and it produces mellow, aromatic, intensely flavoured still wines. And given Solaris’ naturally high sugar levels, it is also well-suited to the production of dessert wines.

Solaris grows well in cool climates with low levels of sunshine and is found mainly in Germany. It is also grown in Scandinavia, Switzerland and Poland, and is at home here in England (and Wales), where it is grown in a number of locations.

This Winbirri Solaris is a smooth, slightly off-dry wine with medium acidity and a lengthy finish. With blossom, apple and peach on the nose, and honey and stone fruit 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, why not try this?

Available from Grape Britannia (£14.99)

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)

A perfect match for garlic prawns …

The Pebble Sauvignon Blanc, Loire Valley (2020)

The Loire Valley has an abundance of wines to offer, with vineyards growing all along the Loire from Sancerre in the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west. The four sub-regions traversed by the Loire are subject to different climactic conditions, each suited to specific grape varieties – Sauvignon Blanc in the Central Vineyards and Touraine; Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc in Touraine and Anjou-Saumur; and Melon Blanc in Nantais, for example.

You will find plenty to savour amongst the wines of this region but for me, when I think of the Loire Valley, I think of Sauvignon Blanc and am immediately transported to Sancerre where I spent some time as a student, and Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc wines have been a firm favourite ever since.

Produced from grapes grown in soils rich in chalk, gravel, limestone and flint of the Sancerre region, The Pebble Sauvignon Blanc is a smooth, dry wine with a refreshing minerality. With aromas of jasmine, apple and peach on the nose, and flavours of apple, lime and passionfruit on the palate, this is a well-balanced wine with a medium finish.

Try it by itself or with a seafood dish. We enjoyed it with garlic prawns – perfect!

Available from Tesco (£9)