WineGB Awards 2020
Congratulations to our super Sussex wineries which achieved more trophy, gold and silver prizes than any other county. The full list of our winners is: Medal Producer & Wine Trophy Ashling Park Estate – Ashling Park Cuvée NV Trophy Ashling Park Estate – Ashling Park Sparking Rose NV Trophy Breaky Bottom Vineyard – Breaky Bottom…
Current Situation
With no tastings or events possible for the last few months the recent Wine of the Month recommendations have had to be taken from my own personal consumption. The restrictions enforced on us in recent months have had a terrible impact on the hospitality industry and on everybody’s health, finances and quality of life. I…
Perrin Cotes du Luberon – Wine of the Month June 2020
A straightforward wine to drink as an aperitif or to accompany a simple meal. A clear light straw-yellow colour with aromas of citrus fruit, pear, fennel and white flowers with a refreshing aftertaste. 10% of the blend goes in oak to give some flavour without overpowering the freshness. Grapes are Grenache Blanc and Bourboulenc. I…
Raza Vinho Verde – Wine of the Month May 2020
I wouldn’t have said Vinho Verde was one of my favourites but this one is a great summer wine and my partner really liked it. It’s made from 50% Arinto, 35% Azal and 15% Trajadura, so grapes with which many people will not be familiar. The grape crop is picked manually into small boxes. The…
Bordeaux 1855 Classification
As wine buffs will know, red wines of the Bordeaux left bank are classified into five levels – from first to fifth growths. The classification was introduced for the Universal Exposition in Paris and was based on the prices for which the wines were sold at that time. There was no tasting and even properties…
Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP)
Wales has joined Scotland in having a minimum unit price for alcohol of 50p per unit. Units are a simple way of expressing the quantity of pure alcohol in a drink. One unit equals 10ml or 8g of pure alcohol, which is around the amount of alcohol the average adult can process in an hour. This…
Nyetimber Rosé NV – Wine of the Month March 2020
The perfect wine for a summer wedding – it looks great and has lovely fresh strawberry and raspberry flavours without being overly acidic. It’s from the greatest wine region in the world, Sussex (yes, I am biased) and is a blend of classic grapes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and a dash of Meunier. At the time…
Pinha Ribeiro Santo 2018 – Wine of the Month February 2020
Portuguese wine often represents great value for money and this is a prime example. A lovely rich black fruit flavour, it originates from the Dao region blending typical grapes from that area – Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro and Tinta-Roriz. £10.99 from Hennings
Leftfield Rose Hawkes Bay 2019 – Wine of the Month January 2020
This was my favourite from the recent New Zealand Wine tasting in London. An interesting blend of Pinotage, Arneis and Merlot. It had ripe strawberry and redcurrant fruit, fresh but not too acidic. Drink on its own or with some salmon. This winery also showcased a very good Sauvignon Blanc from Nelson, a nice Albarino…
New Zealand in a Glass
New Zealand Wine ran an interesting tasting this month. In amongst the gallons of Sauvignon Blanc there were two really good feature tables – one for rose and one for “unexpected” grapes. For the former see my WOTM; however the latter had some great examples of Gruner Veltliner, Viognier, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. They’re worth…