Regent Archives - It Must Be Wine O'clock

An appealing blend from the Black Country

Halfpenny Green Penny Red 2022 (Staffordshire)

This very appealing red wine from Halfpenny Green Wine Estate in the heart of the Black Country in the West Midlands is a fine example of a wine produced by one of the country’s largest vineyards.

Established in 1983, Halfpenny Green benefits from well-sheltered south-facing slopes and light, sandy free-draining soil to grow a wide variety of grapes.

The Penny Red is a blend of Rondo, Regent, Triomphe d’Alsace, and Divico grape varieties. A smooth, velvety, well-balanced wine with soft tannins and a long finish, it has aromas of bramble, plum and blackcurrant, and flavours of forest fruits and cherry.

A wine to enjoy by itself, with grilled meats or vegetables, or with cheese.

Available from Grape Britannia (£12.99)

Here are a few choice wines to enjoy this Christmas season!

Merry Christmas!

Delightful white wines

Lyrarakis Assyrtiko 2022 (Crete)

This Assyrtiko wine from Crete 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 dish.

Available from Majestic (£12.99, Mix Six £10.99)

Grove Mill, Wairau Valley, Marlborough 2021 (New Zealand)

This aromatic Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand is a real treat.

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.

Available from Co-op (£10.50)

Chapel Down Bacchus 2022 (Kent)

This Bacchus wine from Chapel Down vineyard in Kent, one of England’s leading wine producers, is an excellent example of what this grape variety is capable of.

An aromatic wine with notes of melon and citrus on the nose, and flavours of apple, melon and grapefruit on the palate, this is a crisp, refreshing and well-balanced wine with a long finish.

Enjoy by itself or with seafood or salad. It also pairs well with Wensleydale cheese.

Available from Grape Britannia (£16.99)

Cracking red wines

Les Hauts de Saint Martin, Saint Chinian 2021 (France)

This Saint-Chinian wine from vineyards located in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France is a smooth, rich, full-bodied wine. A blend of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre grapes, this is a dry wine with medium acidity, medium tannins and a lengthy finish.

With bramble, plum and cherry on the nose, and an array of red and black fruits, and a hint of spice on the palate, this is a very appealing wine that pairs well with a roast meat dish, or roasted vegetables.

Available from Co-op (£10)

Yalumba Y Series Tempranillo 2020/21 (South Australia)

This Tempranillo wine from South Australia adds a little Antipodean twist to this grape variety generally associated with Rioja. Produced by Yalumba winery, one of Australia’s oldest wineries, this is a deliciously smooth wine which can be enjoyed by itself, and goes really well with duck or lamb.

With aromas of cranberry, cherry and bramble on the nose, and flavours of blackberry and plum, with a hint of chocolate and spice, on the palate, this is a balanced wine with a long finish.

Available from Majestic (£10.99, Mix Six £8.49)

White Castle Regent 2021 (Wales)

This wonderfully expressive wine from White Castle Vineyard in Wales is an outstanding red wine. Made from Regent grapes, it is a well-balanced wine that’s an ideal match for the complex blend of flavours associated with a traditional Christmas lunch.

With aromas of cherry, blackberry and a touch of smokiness on the nose, and ripe fruit flavours of blackcurrant and plum on the palate, this is a wine with depth and complexity.

Available from Grape Britannia (£27.99)

Indulgent dessert wines

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Pedro Ximénez (Spain)

This Pedro Ximénez (PX) from Sainsbury’s is a full-bodied, lusciously sweet wine with a long, velvety finish. With aromas of honey, raisin and toffee, reminiscent of a mince pie, on the nose, and coffee, caramel and toffee flavours on the palate, this is a perfect match for Christmas pudding or other rich dessert, and mature cheese.

Available from Sainsbury’s (£9)

Keo St John’s Commandaria (Cyprus)

This luscious Cypriot dessert wine has a history dating back to the Crusades and is an outstanding dessert wine. With aromas of dried fruit and spices, and flavours of caramel, honey and nuts, Commandaria can be enjoyed by itself, or with cheese or desserts. It is a particularly good match for a rich, creamy dessert.

Available from Aspris & Son (www.aspris.co.uk) (£11.79, 50cl.)

Merry Christmas!

Look out for more wine suggestions from around the world in 2024.

Cheers!

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)

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)

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

Wine of the Month

White Castle Vineyard Regent 2019

Originating in Germany, the Regent grape copes well with cooler climates, producing wines that are full-bodied and richly-coloured, with soft tannins and ripe red and black fruit flavours. A number of vineyards in the UK have Regent plantings, including White Castle Vineyard located near the market towns of Abergavenny and Monmouth in Wales.

This, together with the hard work and dedication of owners Robb Merchant and his wife Nicola, has enabled them to produce a range of top-quality, award-winning Welsh wines. The White Castle Regent 2019 is a little gem, a delightful wine that shows just what the Regent grape is capable of.

With aromas of cherry, blackberry and a touch of smokiness on the nose, and ripe fruit flavours of raspberry and plum on the palate, this is a well-balanced wine with medium tannins and a long finish. It’s a perfect match for Welsh lamb or other meat dish and if you are partial to a light Beaujolais, you should try this excellent Regent 2019.

Iechyd da! Cheers!

Available from Grape Britannia (£24.99)

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet …

White Castle Vineyard 1581 Fortified Wine 2016

What’s in a name? If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s possible to produce a fortified wine (i.e. Port) in the UK, then here you have it! Although White Castle Vineyard’s 1581 cannot strictly speaking be called Port because it’s not from the Douro region in Portugal, it has been made using the same techniques as a Late Bottled Vintage Port, and it goes down a treat!

Named after the Grade II* listed Tudor barn at the foot of the vineyard, the wine is made from Regent grapes, hand harvested in 2016 and then fermented in stainless steel vats before four years’ ageing in oak barrels.

The result is a unique fortified Welsh wine that has blackberry and bramble aromas on the nose, and rich blackberry and plum flavours on the palate. Deep ruby in colour, this is a soft, smooth wine with a long finish. In a word, heavenly.

Enjoy it with desert or cheese, or indeed by itself as a digestif. And with fewer than 100 days now to Christmas, consider this a great accompaniment to your mince pies!

Available from Grape Britannia

With so much to discover right on our doorstep, have you tried an English wine lately?

One of the things I like most about drinking English and Welsh wines is the opportunity to try new grape varieties and enjoy wines with new, interesting profiles. Here are two very appealing wines from Three Choirs Vineyards in Gloucestershire, one of England’s oldest vineyards, established in 1973, which are well worth trying.

Three Choirs May Hill 2017

This is a light-coloured, medium-sweet wine, made from a blend of Reichensteiner, Müller-Thurgau, Solaris and Orion grape varieties. Older readers may remember Müller-Thurgau from the days, not so long ago, when Liebfraumlich and Piesporter German wines were the done thing. But fear not, this is a world apart from those days.

With pronounced aromas of grapefruit and blossom on the nose, and peach, nectarine, and ripe citrus flavours, with honey overtones, on the palate, this is a full-bodied wine with medium acidity and a lengthy finish. It’s a refreshing appealing wine, and if you are partial to a Riesling, you will probably enjoy this.

Three Choirs Ravens Hill 2018

Deep ruby in colour, this is a blend of Regent, Rondo and Triomphe grapes. It is a delightful wine, with pronounced aromas of blackberry, cherry and plum on the nose, and cherry, damson, vanilla and toast on the palate. It’s a wine with medium acidity and medium tannin; a smooth, medium-bodied wine that’s a perfect match for Sunday lunch!

Both wines are available from Grape Britannia.

A celebration of Welsh wine.

Last week was Welsh Wine Week. And what better way to celebrate it than to drink Welsh wine? Hot on the heels of the English wines I recently enjoyed, I followed it up with a Welsh wine-tasting session dedicated to the excellent wines from White Castle Vineyard, located near Abergavenny in Monmouthshire.

Organised and hosted by Matt Hodgson from Grape Britannia, it was a great session, with participants able to take part both in store and online. Not only we were lucky enough to try five wonderful wines, but the inimitable Robb Merchant, the co-owner of White Castle Vineyard, joined the event via the wonders of Zoom, to talk about his wines and his vineyard’s journey to its current position as one of Wales’ finest. Robb is a really engaging speaker and is a passionate ambassador for Welsh wine.

A combination of factors including the protection of the Black Mountains, the three local rivers (Usk, Monnow and Wye), the relatively low levels of rainfall, the sandstone rock shelf, the clay and loamy soil, and the gently sloping, south-facing aspect of the White Castle vineyard all converge to create a unique micro-climate which, together with the hard work and dedication of Robb and his wife Nicola, has enabled them to produce a range of top-quality, award-winning Welsh wines. Indeed, just recently, the vineyard’s 2018 Pinot Noir Précoce Reserve was awarded Silver in the very prestigious International Wine Challenge (IWC) Awards 2021.

Gwin Gwyn 2019

One of the pleasures of drinking Welsh (and indeed English wine) is the opportunity to try unusual grape varieties that are not typically found in wines from the other more common wine-producing countries.

This Gwin Gwyn – Welsh for white wine – is a very good example. An aromatic blend of Phoenix (60%) and Seyval Blanc (40%) grapes, it has pronounced aromas of elderflower on the nose, and flavours of pear, grapefruit and lemon on the palate. It is a dry, low alcohol wine (11%) with fresh, soft acidity and a pleasant crispiness. A perfect match for crab salad, it will also go well with a cheese platter.

Siegerrebe 2018

Siegerrebe is another unusual grape variety. It is believed to be a cross between Gewürztraminer and Madeleine Angevine, and was widely planted in Germany before falling back in recent years. The grape grows well in cooler climates and so it very much at home in the UK, and is also found in Canada.

A dry wine with medium acidity and relatively low alcohol (11.5%), this Siegerrebe 2018 has a distinct peachiness with a hint of grapefruit and Turkish delight on the nose, and peach, lemon zest and lychee on the palate. It’s a fresh, well-balanced wine with a long, slightly spicy finish – a wine to enjoy by itself or with a spicy Asian dish. Robb from White Castle also recommends it with blue cheese.

Harry’s Rondo NV

This is a blend of grapes from the Rondo 2018 and 2019 vintages and works very well. Harry’s Rondo NV is a dry, medium-bodied wine with pronounced aromas of black fruit on the nose, and blackcurrant and plum flavours, with a touch of spice and oak, on the palate. It’s a smooth, well-balanced wine with a lovely long finish. Perfect for drinking by itself, or with a meat dish.

Pinot Noir Reserve 2018

This is a very impressive wine which was recently awarded Gold in the very prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards 2021. Made from Pinot Noir Précoce grapes, it is a light, well-balanced wine. It has 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 a perfect match for Welsh lamb or a cheese platter.

Regent 2017

A popular grape variety in Germany, the Regent grape copes well with cooler climates, and this wine is a fine example of what it’s capable of. It’s a dry, well-balanced wine with medium tannins and a long finish. It has aromas of dark cherry and blackcurrant, with a touch of smokiness, on the nose, and ripe fruit flavours of raspberry and plum, with a hint of chocolate and cinnamon, on the palate. This is a perfect match for Welsh lamb. If you like Beaujolais, you should try this wine!

It’s an exciting time for Welsh wine in general right now and White Castle Vineyard is in the vanguard. Watch this space!

All the above wines are available from the White Castle vineyard, and from Grape Britannia.