Three interesting wines from the Balkans to get the New Year off to a cracking start!

Although wines from the Balkans are not so well-known internationally, given the diversity of terroir across the region, and with very good wines being produced from familiar international as well as less familiar indigenous grape varieties, now is a very good time to explore the region’s wines and try something new.

PinotPinot Pinot noir 2021 (North Macedonia)

Behind the gimmicky name is a smooth, very pleasant Pinot Noir. The wine has raspberry, plum and cherry aromas on the nose, and flavours of red fruits, blackcurrant and a hint of vanilla and spice on the palate.

An easy-drinking, reasonable wine offering very good value for money, it will go well with a Sunday roast, roasted vegetables or a mushroom dish, and can also be enjoyed by itself.

Available from Sainsbury’s (£7.50)

Totem Viorica Château Vartely 2022 (Moldova)

This delightfully aromatic dry white wine from Moldova is a little gem! Produced from the indigenous grape variety Viorica, it is a crisp, refreshing wine with a long finish.

With orange blossom and honey on the nose, and citrus and peach flavours on the palate, this is well-balanced wine that has lots of character.

Perfect as an aperitif or with a seafood dish.

Available from The Wine Society (£7.25)

Marks & Spencer Expressions Fetească Regală 2022 (Romania)

This fresh aromatic white wine from the new M&S Expressions range is a very good example of one of Romania’s most popular white grape varieties, Fetească Regală (Royal Maiden).

With aromas of jasmine, peach and green apple and flavours of peach, pear and melon, this is a well-balanced wine with a long finish and a slight fizz on the palate.

This can be enjoyed by itself or with grilled fish. It’s also a good match for a slightly spicy Asian dish.

Available from Marks & Spencer (£8)

A smooth, enticing blend from the Kent Downs

Meopham Valley Vineyard Union Red 2022 (Kent)

This smooth red wine from Meopham Valley Vineyard in the North Kent Downs is a blend of Pinot Noir, Regent, Triomphe and Léon Millot grape varieties.

Aromas of bramble, cherry and blackberry on the nose lead to flavours of black fruits, chocolate and coffee on the palate, and the nine months’ oak barrel ageing gives a hint of spice and smokiness.

A well-balanced wine with medium acidity and medium tannins, this is a very appealing wine that can be enjoyed by itself or with a warming autumn casserole.

Available from Grape Britannia (£15.99)

Crossword clue …

Wine in inn Poirot ordered (5,4).

Answer: Pinot Noir

Zana Pinot Noir 2021 (Romania)

This refreshing and easy-drinking Romanian Pinot Noir, which won Gold in the 2022 Gilbert & Gaillard International Challenge Awards, is very good value for money. Produced by Cramele Recas, Romania’s largest wine exporter, the wine has cherry, strawberry and plum notes on the nose which lead through to the palate, with a touch of spiciness on the finish.

A smooth wine with medium tannin and medium acidity, it is an ideal match for cold meats or duck, and can also be enjoyed by itself.

Available from Sainsbury’s (£8.25)

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 smooth, silky red wine from Herefordshire …

Radlow Hundred English Red

This smooth, silky red wine from Radlow Hundred Vineyard in Herefordshire is a blend of Pinot Noir, Regent and Rondo grape varieties. With aromas of raspberry, cherry and plum on the nose, and plenty of red fruit flavours, notably cherry, on the palate, this is a balanced wine with medium tannins and a hint of pepper on the finish.

A very pleasant English red wine that can be enjoyed by itself or with a red meat or roasted vegetable dish.

Available from Grape Britannia (£16.99)

If you’re partial to beer and wine, try this!

Renegade Urban Winery Bethnal Bubbles 3.1 Dry Hopped Sparkling Wine 2021 (Herefordshire/London)

Now this is an interesting wine! Produced by Renegade Urban Winery, an innovative winery in central London that loves to experiment, it’s a dry-hopped English sparkling wine, made from Pinot Noir grapes grown in Herefordshire. After the first fermentation, the base wine is dry hopped with Sabro, Citra and Mosaic hop flowers. Umm.

The result is a cloudy, hoppy wine that smells like beer with a hint of citrussy cider about it, but the refreshing bubbles give the game away! While the wine may not be to everyone’s taste, it is certainly an interesting drink and if you like to try something different, give it a go. You’ll probably be surprised at first but it does grow on you!

With unique hoppy aromas together with apple and lychee on the nose, leading to apple and citrus flavours on the palate, this unusual mix of grapes and hops is a great experiment, and works really well.

Available from Grape Britannia (£27.99)

A rosé from the Surrey Downs to brighten your day!

Denbies Rose Hill NV (Surrey)

Denbies Wine Estate on the North Downs in Surrey planted their first vines in 1986. After a bumpy few years when the wines were a far cry from what they are now, the vineyard has grown to become the largest wine producer in the UK, producing a million bottles a year.

A blend of Pinot Noir and Rondo grapes, the Rose Hill is a very flavourful off-dry rosé with raspberry and candy floss on the nose, and a palate bursting with flavours of rhubarb, strawberries and cream, and a touch of toffee apple and caramel.

A refreshing, well-balanced wine which is perfect for this summer weather. Enjoy it by itself or with a salad, light chicken or fish/seafood dish.

Available from Grape Britannia (£9.99)

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 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