Tag: Asian dishes

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)

An orange Grüner Veltliner – an unusual wine that’s definitely worth trying!

Winzer Krems, Orange Grüner Veltliner, Kremstal, Austria 2020

Grüner Veltliner is the most widely-planted native grape variety grown in Austria, particularly in Lower Austria (Niederösterreich) and Burgenland. It is believed to be a crossing between Traminer and St Georgen, an unidentified grape variety discovered in St Georgen in 2000.

Typically a Grüner Veltliner wine has naturally high acidity, with citrus and stone fruit flavours, and hints of white pepper and sometimes vegetal notes.

This Orange Grüner Veltliner wine is a little unusual in that it spent some time on the grape skins during the fermentation process, giving it a rich golden colour tinged with an orange hue, a creamy mouthfeel and a slightly tannic edge.

It has aromas of apple, orange peel and lemon, and flavours of honey, peach and nectarine, with a hint of spiciness. It is a fresh, lively wine with a lengthy finish.

A wine to enjoy by itself but which also pairs well with slightly spicy Asian dishes.

Available from Majestic £10.99, (Mix Six £8.99)

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