A Quintessential Quartet for, erm........Quistmas

Greetings, salutations, felicitations and warmest wishes for the festive season!  As the big day steadily marches forward, the time for preparations is starting to wane.  I hope by now, you have the present buying under control and the house suitably decorated?  Good.  Let's turn our attention to the next important job.

This week's review is a little different.  I have been busy sampling tasty tipples in the search of great recommendations in the hope you may be tempted to put one or two down on your Christmas shopping list.  I have taken a pragmatic approach and decided to select wines from the same place so that sourcing these wines doesn't become a chore either.  If you like the sound of them, I could also have the Christmas booze covered from every angle.  So, without further ado, I bring you my very own special Christmas review of four Sainsbury's wines.......

Name:        Sainsbury's Blanc de Noirs 

                   Champage

Grape:       Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier

Price:         c. £21

Country:    France

Region:     Champagne

ABV:          12% 

Whether it is to be opened on Christmas morning or just to be had in the house for whenever the feeling arises, bubbles are an essential festive ingredient.  Finding the right fizz is important as a costly bottle with nothing to offer could make the magic morning a bit flat, whereas a good drink will make the day sparkle.  Have I overdone the bubble based metaphors yet?

 

Made from the two black grapes that make up Champagne, this Blanc de Noirs (meaning White of Blacks) from Sainsbury's is really quite special.  On the nose are distinctive buttery notes, accompanied by fresh dough or hot toast.  Working in parallel is crisp and fresh green apples along with sweet hints of red fruit and strawberry.  A very pleasing combination.  To taste, it is beautifully dry, crisp and refreshing.  The 'Brut' badge earns it's keep but the hint of red fruit sweetens the peripheries of the palate, ensuring the dryness isn't remorseless.  The background contains hints of the buttery/doughy texture and the aftertaste holds well without decaying or turning sour.  For the price, this is reliable, interesting and tasty.  It will please Champagne lovers but may also turn the heads of loved ones who think all sparkling wine is expensive, dry nothingness.

Name:        Ascheri Gavi di Gavi 2011

Grape:       Cortese

Price:         c. £14

Country:    Italy

Region:      Piedmont

ABV:          13%

Christmas is a good excuse to maybe push the boat out a little further than normal and there may be a time when you want to open something a little bit special.  The white I have chosen is just under £14 at full price but this is for a good reason.  It is quite simply delicious.  Refined and well structured, this Ascheri Gavi di Gavi 2011 is perfectly priced to be an affordable Christmas treat and sophisticated enough to take up valuable table space next to the turkey.  A classy bottle for a classy bird.

This bottle is marked with the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) which is the Italian appellation model that signifies a high quality of produce from a specified region, using defined methods and that it satisfies a defined quality standard.  If that isn't enough, Italian officials also taste and verify the quality before sealing the top with a bonded sticker, ensuring nobody tampers with it.  Gavi is indigenous to Piedmont, being made throughout the entire region with a wide ranging spectrum of quality and drinkability.  Gavi made from within the commune of Gavi has long since been considered one of the best, if not the best place to find the finest examples.  All of a sudden, the £14 price tag seems more reasonable, doesn't it.

On the nose is delicate lemon and grapefruit, accompanied with hints of melon.  Also detectable is almond or walnut notes.  Overall, the smell is refined but quite mild.  To taste, the first hit comes from lemon zest, fresh apple and grapefruit.  As with the nose, a mild nutty texture works alongside the fruit, adding support and structure to this light-bodied, crisp, dry white.  Acidity is noticeably high but well balanced.  It is possible to imagine that other Gavi di Gavi's with a few more years under their cork would produce some outstanding and complex flavours but this 2011 really has a wonderful presence about it and an incredibly enjoyable mouth feel.

Name:          Chateau La Tulip De La 

                      Garde '09

Grape:          Merlot, Cabernet Franc, 

                      Cabernet Sauvignon 

Price:             c. £10

Country:        France

Region:         Bordeaux

ABV:               14% 

My choice for the red wine lovers is a cracking value Bordeaux called Chateau La Tulipe De La Garde.  Heed my warning though, this wine must be decanted and allowed to come up to room temperature.  If this wine isn't given time to breathe, it will not perform and you will feel like you have eaten a pencil sharpener and wasted a tenner.  Pulling the cork out and leaving the open bottle for half an hour won't cut it either.  This bad boy needs at least half a day to stretch it's legs and limber up.  My advice would be to decant in the morning, just after opening presents but before the arguments start.  This wine will be ready for mealtime, three or four hours later but will be at it's best for the start of Doctor Who.

On the nose is bramble fruits and pencil shavings in equal, prominent measures.  In the background is a more discreet layer in the form of vanilla and perhaps also liquorice.  If decanted well, the taste is firstly dominated by warm and smooth red fruits, matching what was detected during smelling.  The grippy tannins balance the fruit well and add power to this full-bodied red but never take the limelight away from the fruit.  The aftertaste is lengthy and provides an opportunity for tertiary flavours of spices and vanilla to make an appearance, however, this is short lived and difficult to detect.  The strong alcohol content is very obvious on drinking and provides that enjoyable warming feeling that extends to your legs.  A great wine to go with food or for playing 'catch-up' once the kids are in in bed.

Name:        TtD Mulled Wine

Grape:       Tempranillo, Merlot

Price:         £6.50

ABV:           12%

My last choice is a true winter warmer.  Some die hard wino's might turn their nose up at this drink but it is slowly winning over the hearts of the masses and is increasingly becoming the drink people look forward to having during the cold autumn and winter months.  There is a clear link between mulled wine and the upsurging of 'german markets' that seem to inhabit most town centres and the best thing about my recommendation is that you can have an entire bottle of the good stuff, for the same price it would cost for a mere mug, served from a shed with faux icicles and a giant stuffed, singing moose head.

The secret of the drink would appear to be focused on the blend of spices, rather than the quality and integrity of the wine, which in this case, provides the warming, pleasant backdrop for the orange, cinnamon and cloves to shine through.  

The orange can be noted from heating the wine up, all the way through to drinking.  The cloves add a very gentle spice but the cinnamon is not detectable at all.  Despite this, it is delightful to drink and the orange makes a well matched but outstanding flavour.  There is simply no red or white wine that could compete when looking for a rich, warm, alcoholic drink to hold during any external celebrations, or for simply curling up in front of the fire as Christmas starts to lose the fight against Boxing day.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.  I look forward to our continued adventures in the new Year.          

Sainsbury's have an enormous presence in the UK.  To find your nearest store, simply walk down a road, any road, it will eventually lead to one.  Alternatively, you can find them on line by pressing this link 'here'...........ha ha, just joking, I meant 'here'........no, 'here'.....or do I mean 'here'.  Ok, I'll stop messing about.  Try clicking 'there' instead.

                     

'Shorn' Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand 2011

Grape:    Sauvignon Blanc

Price:      c £8.50

From:      Legacy Wines

Country: New Zealand

Region:   Marlborough

ABV:        13%

Ever since I have been old enough to buy presents, I have had this sinking feeling when Christmas approaches.  It isn't anything to do with the religion or the holiday itself, but rather, its a feeling of dread that comes with knowing work and effort will soon be required to find suitable presents.  I pride myself on being able to source good presents for everyone and so this adds to the pressure.  Fortunately, once all the buying is done, the feeling completely flips over and like most big kids, I can then focus on the important things, like raiding the house for known pressie hiding places.

This year, I decided it was time to embrace the century I live in and do it all on-line.  Armed with my bank card, I started e-browsing and it wasn't long before presents were bought and ticked off the list. This is great! No crowds to push past, no weather to battle and no waste of time and energy, trudging from shop to shop.  It was going so well that I decided a little libation was in order.  I chose this week's wine, anticipating it was going to be the perfect shopping companion and I was right!

 

First out of the bottle is the distinct scent of tropical and passion fruit which combines with more subtle citrus, apple aromas, and even an element of minerality.  The balance between nose and palate is wonderfully matched, with rich warm passion fruits providing the firm base upon which, lemon and grapefruit hints can be detected.  Towards the backtaste, the sweetness of the tropical fruits play down, allowing the more refreshing elements of citrus and green grasses to play through, giving this wine a drier, more refreshing finish than other NZ Sauv Blancs I have recently tasted.  Almost like the picture of the sheep on the label, the wine has two sides, one that recognises the powerful, aromatic and distinctive taste that comes from grapes ripened in warm climates and the other is a respectful nod to the drier, more grassy/minerally Sauv Blancs of the Old World.  

 

The aftertaste does not degrade but does not linger either, making it a very easy wine to drink with a meal or on its own.  Perfect for sipping while scouring Amazon for the last of the Christmas presents and saluting all delivery drivers who have made our lives so much easier.  There is one obvious drawback to drinking while shopping on line though, and so to the person who ends up with the musical toilet seat; I apologise but I thought it was such a good idea at the time!

 

Legacy Wines currently sell direct to the public through numerous consumer events.  For more information go to their website.  Shorn is available to buy at Nisa stores and selected Spars in the South West.  All Legacy wines are also available to buy on line through www.wearewines.co.uk and at Cash & Carry outlets such as Parfetts & Landmark members. 

TtD McLaren Vale 2012 Old Vine Grenache

Grape:       Grenache
Price:         c. £10
From:         Sainsbury's
Country:    Australia
Region:     Mclaren vale
ABV:          14.5%

Those of you that follow my blogs will know that I have a particular penchant for a varietal wine.  A drink that has come from a single grape variety is, to me, a great way to learn what to expect from a grape and provides an excellent knowledge base upon which to compare other similar wines, be they from a different year, price bracket, producer or country.  This has really helped me to recognise what particular grape varieties I like, where I like them from and the sort of price I am happy to pay.

Learning about varietal wines also helps to identify signature smells and tastes so when you decide to purchase a blend, you can have an idea of the kind of things to expect.  A recent discovery of my own is a Shiraz/Viogner blend.  Amazing!  A tiny portion of the white grape, Viogner, is added to Shiraz, a red, and helps it to add complexity and interest to the nose and palate, rather than taking over.  The reason I mention this now is because Grenache has long since been used in blends, the most common being a Shiraz (or Syrah), Mourvedre (or Monastrell and Mataro) and Grenache (or Garnacha and Cannonau) combination, often abbreviated to GSM.  Each wine in this blend donates their best characteristics and any flaws are covered by the strengths of the other grapes.  Grenache brings soft berry flavours and warmth from the alcohol.

This weeks wine is a Taste The Difference, pure Grenache from Australia where those berry flavours are intensified by the warm climate.   The 'Old Vine' on the label also indicates the produce is from mature, developed vines which are synonymous with higher quality grapes.

On the nose is warm strawberries, raspberries, plums and a hint of Christmas Pudding floating about in the background.  As expected, there is no obvious wood note but instead, gentle spices of the black pepper and clove variety are detectable.  The nose belongs very much to the fruit bowl though.  The first taste echoes the feeling of warmth and quickly follows with smooth, bramble fruit flavours and cassis.  Gentle tannins become more pronounced at the back end of drinking.  Medium to low acidity and the lack of tannins make this a disarmingly easy wine to drink.  The strength of the alcoholic content is apparent through the entire experience and is what provides that warm feeling. 

If this grape had a CV, it would probably say, "Works well in a team but is also able to work well by itself".  A tiresome quality on a human resume but an endearing feature for a fantastic grape.

Sainsbury's have numerous stores throughout the UK and can also be found online at www.sainsburys.co.uk

 

The Big Crush Merlot 2010

Grape:     Merlot
Price:       c. £7 
From:       Legacy Wines
Country:  California
ABV:        14%

If you are a Twitter user, you may have seen the #7wordwinereview hashtag floating about.  This is an easy and accessible way for anyone to tweet about a wine they want to share.  

A few recent examples include @sterlingtalk with "Plums, leather and smoke. Drink with meat" or @1accidentalchef with "Black pepper, red berries, perfect classic syrah!" A few more humerous reviews include @104highst with "Drank it last night so it's gone" and @MajesticStrat with "Tighter than Scrooge before he woke up". 

A mixture between tasting notes and a scoring system, the #7wordwinereview is used by people in and out of the wine trade to describe a wine.  Funny, serious or just plain ridiculous, it doesn't matter, as long as it is done in 7 words.

This movement has gathered momentum and now also manifests itself in the form of wine tasting meals for which I currently co-ordinate the Manchester, UK chapter.  The format is slightly different to conventional tastings as the wine is brought by each participant who then shares it with everyone else at the meal.  The beauty of this is everyone gets to try numerous wines, all of which have undergone careful consideration, and are already firm favourites with the people who brought it.  This informal and fun evening takes place at the Market Restaurant in Manchester's Northern Quarter, where the food provides a high quality backdrop to the numerous liquid stars of the show. 

I was lucky enough to encounter this week's wine at the most recent meal.  The velvety smooth texture and big fruit flavours pushed this unknown contender firmly into the limelight, where it sat out as a favourite for several diners, including myself.  The label is striking and bold in its simplicity and joins the ranks of new thinking wine producers who are aiming their produce at a different generation of drinkers: people who like to drink wine but have no interest in deciphering the confusing and often misleading terminology perhaps.

The nose picks up a light perfumed scent of toasted vanilla which envelops a robust backbone of wood, indicating a bottle with some muscle.  Giving the glass a good slosh releases big red fruits which curiously settle back beneath the wood as the liquid calms again.  On the palate is an immediate sensation of smooth and warming strength with obvious strawberries, blackberries and plums, making this distinctly drinkable.  Despite having a full bodied texture, it is able to hide a high alcoholic content but sufficiently grippy tannins provide a balancing structure which sees the wine well into the aftertaste. The emphasis and lasting impression is firmly fixed on the fun and fruity ease at which this wine can be devoured.

Whether you go for the 'new generation' look of a label or not, it doesn't really matter, as long as there is enough to convince you the content is worth the purchase.  It is like buying Harry Potter books: you know the story inside is the same but you need to chose which cover you want to be seen in public with.

Legacy wines currently sell direct to the public through numerous consumer events.  For more information go to www.legacywines.co.uk.  All wines are available to buy online through www.wearewines.co.uk and at Cash & Carry outlets such as Parfetts or Landmark. 

The #7wordwinereview concept is created by @12x75 and now sees monthly meals taking place in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Oregon and Toronto.  Other cities will follow.

Marco De Pegoes 2010

Grape:  Castelao, Alicante Bouschet, Syrah
Price:     £6 - £7.50
Store:    Majestic Wines
Country:Portugal
Region: Peninsula De Setabal
ABV:       13.5%

The shortening days, turning leaves and drop in temperature has finally taken effect and I am thinking more and more about red wines.  What is it about the change in seasons that brings this shift in desires?  There must be something in the make up of red wine that predisposes us to think how nice it would be to drink it during colder months.  Maybe it is the warming effect it can often provide, whereas crispness and acidity of white wine stirs the need to be refreshed in warm summer months.

This week's wine has quickly found it's way onto my frequent buyers list.  The price of the bottle is very reasonable and the quality of the wine inside certainly stands up to it.  Coming from Portugal, this wine is made from a blend of indigenous and international grapes, all grown in a well established co-operative community.  

 

This wine feels slightly perfumed on the nose before faint woodsmoke comes through and sits nicely alongside warm black cherries.  Very easy drinking with obvious dark stone fruit including black cherry and damsons.  The strong tannins are tempered by the fruit to give a grippy mouth feel which adds a warm, full-bodied depth.  The aftertaste is dominated by tannins which relinquish hints of spice such as cloves in the dying moments.  This is easy to drink straight out of the bottle and with a slight chill gives good fruit, however, this wine performs so much more if allowed to breathe and brought up to room temperature.  The flavours open and provides a nice intensity which makes it easy to match with food, however, the wine stays light enough to be fine without.

This wine is a great winter warmer and eases you in nicely to the approaching colder months.  

See......good things happen when we work together.

Majestic have numerous stores throughout the UK and have extended their reach into France.  

Offering a home delivery service also, Majestic can be found at www.majestic.co.uk

Wild Valley Taste The Difference Chenin Blanc 2011

Grape:       Chenin Blanc

Price:         £9 - £6

Store:         Sainsbury's

Country:    South Africa

Region:      Wellington

ABV:          13.5%

  

The time of change is upon us once again.  The temperature has taken a definite step downwards, the wind has picked up and the rain is more persistent.  The inevitable transformation of trees as they shed their summer coats coincides with my growing urge to leave crisp white wines behind and hunt out full bodied, spicy reds. 

Now, I do appreciate the beauty in this season's change and why for some people, Autumn is their favourite time of year, however, I am not one of those people.  I dislike the short notice we get between light and warm evenings, to dark and wet nights;  I know which one I'd rather walk the dog in.  The problem is, I do love Winter and you can't get there without passing through the dampest, most turbulent season first.  So, my plan to fend Autumn off as long as I can is to keep drinking like it is Summer until things become twinkly and crisp.

This week's, I'm determined to not quite let go of the Summer just yet, choice is a surprisingly good Chenin Blanc from Sainsbury's Taste the Difference range which also comes with Fairtrade accreditation. The Chenin Blanc grape is grown worldwide but is most notable in France, South Africa, New Zealand and USA.  It is very versatile and will respond to different climates by presenting very different flavours (much like Reisling or Chardonnay) and can be made in styles to fit the spectrum all the way from sweet to bone-dry.  This makes confidence in buying Chenin Blanc difficult because there can be confusion with what to expect;  a problem compounded by a market laden with cheap and nasty bottles which gives Chenin Blanc a bad name.

Medium lemon in colour, this wine smells gently of pineapple and soft citrus. Other blended tropical fruits can be detected in the background and the sensation of crispness also comes across. The first attack contains the aforementioned fruit with a pleasant portion of acidity present. It feels medium or even light in body, making it very easy to drink in these, 'late summer months'.  A surprise comes at the end with a slightly oily or buttery texture which adds a touch of depth before the short but well structured aftertaste.

If you aren't quite ready to admit defeat, this wine will make it easy to block out the rain hammering on the window or the growing pile of leaves at the front door.  I am also grudgingly prepared to admit that it tastes just as well in front of a roaring fire.

Sainsbury's have numerous stores throughout the UK and can also be found on line at www.sainsburys.co.uk.

Real Compania De Vinos Verdejo 2011

Grape:        Verdejo
Price:           £4.99 - £6.50
Store:          Majestic Wines
Country:      Spain
ABV:             13%

Paying attention to the wine I drink, I have started to build up a mental map of regions and countries that churn out great tasting wine and the grape varieties they use.  A surprising discovery is the extensive range of red and white grapes native to Spain that previously, I had no idea existed.  My early ignorance saw Spain as 3 or 4 grape varieties, such as Garnacha, Tempranillo and Viura (Macabeo) and to be fair, wine from these grapes do cover a lot of shelf space in supermarkets.  After very little effort, however, I have found and tasted great varieties such as Godello, Monastrell, Mencia and Parellada all of which are easy to come by.  I know I have only scratched the surface too but before you berate me too harshly, I have a question for you.  What is Spain’s most widely planted grape?  I’ll give you a clue, it’s white. 

While you mull that over, have a look at this week's wine, which is yet another amazing Spanish varietal, Verdejo.  Verdejo is almost entirely exclusive to Spain where the Rueda region is reported to create the most notable wines.  Due to the heat of the Spanish sun, grapes separated from the vine are susceptible to oxidisation or browning, much like an apple which has been bitten into and left to one side, and so the harvesting will often take place during the night where the temperatures are lower, preserving all those lovely flavours.

On the nose is immediate fruit with likenesses of gooseberry and pear, although tropical fruits are evident.  Also detectable is a grassy, herb element which gives the smell an inviting crispness.  Upon taste, the first attack goes to fruit with mango being prevalent but a citrus presence quickly takes over and leads into the aftertaste with what the makers describe as, "...its peculiar pleasant slightly bitter finish."  I would agree wholeheartedly.  The structure feels medium bodied and dry but the balance of fruit and herbal influences delivers a soft texture which makes this an easy drink to work through without food.  The slightly bitter finish is not at all unpleasant and provides a refreshing hit.  Anyone who drinks tonic water will understand what I am trying to get at.

Spain’s most widely planted variety is called Airen however, you may find it difficult to get hold of a bottle as it is mainly used to support production of other alcoholic beverages before being one itself.  Don't worry, there are plenty more to choose from and if like me, you owe Spain an apology, you can make it up to them by trying this bottle first. 

Majestic have numerous stores throughout the UK and have extended their reach into France.  

Offering a home delivery service also, Majestic can be found at www.majestic.co.uk