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My long weekend at the Rathfinny Wine Estate. 🇬🇧

Hello again

I have been looking forward to staying at the Rathfinny vineyard estate ever since I went to their launch, last April, of their Sussex Sparkling wine at the very glamorous venue of Somerset house in London. Here is my blog from last year. Rathfinny Launch

After a few emails back and forth to sort  dates (I wanted to make sure Richard James – (my buddy from twitter) was there as I wanted the guided tour of the estate) I booked to stay for a long weekend, which I did two weeks ago.

The Estate, owned by Mark and Sarah driver, is in the Cradle Valley on the South Downs in the county of Sussex near to the village of Alfriston. The estate is only 3 miles from the sea, 17 miles from Brighton and about 60 ish miles from central London.

A 200 mile drive from home and with a pitstop in Brighton for lunch, we arrive in the very picturesque village of Alfriston, just the other side of the village is the entrance for the Rathfinny Estate.

Immediately, after turning off the road, what strikes you, is the sheer attention to detail across the whole estate.

The Rathfinny Logo welcomes you as you pull into the driveway, the logo is based upon the Sussex coat of arms, however the birds have been replaced by Grapes.

Up the drive way we began, within a hundred metres the road winds up the hill and  you are surrounded by vines. Its about a mile until you reach the winery and tasting rooms but we were going to the end of the estate to stay at the Flint Barns.

On arrival you can only be impressed by these once derelict old barns that have been lovingly restored, using reclaimed and locally sourced materials.

We checked in, best check in ever… as it doubles as the bar too.

Alice and all of the Flint Barn team were brilliant and nothing was too much trouble even though It was a busy weekend for them  with lots of people staying and eating there.

We were shown to our room, everything is of the highest quality with all the fixtures and fittings to a very high standard. Wetroom bathrooms are always a winner. There are no TVs in the rooms or the lounges, which I think is fabulous. This is a getaway and you really do not need a TV! Pets and even children!(haha) are  welcomed too.

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Dropped the bags in the room and headed back to the bar…. well it was way past wine o’clock, opting for a large glass, as would be drinking wine later with dinner and  Rich was joining us after,  of the estates only still wine, which I believe is unfortunately for the estate only. The wine is called Cradle valley, vintage 2017, its a blend of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris and is really delicious indeed. With glasses in hand it was time to relax in the lounge before dinner. You can buy this wine at the estate to take home though…. as I did.

The lounge is a wonderful place to relax, loads of comfy sofas, armchairs and a log burner too. There are loads of books to read, including a great wine book shelf.

I did notice “Wine for Dummies” too…. I forgot to ask Rich if it had been planted there for me…. HAHA. Also lots of board games available too. This really is a great place to relax.

After a 30 minute rest to chill out and enjoy the wine, I decided to go and have a wander amongst the vines, as the sun was going down, before dinner.

What strikes you immediately as you step out of the flint barns and into the vines , which is literally a few steps, is that the Cradle Valley is so serene and absolutely stunning. The birdsong, which was plentiful, in the early evening was a great backing track to my walk. This estate has been thoughtfully planned, to become one with the environment.

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Just a hop skip and a jump over the bank and your overlooking the sea.

Back in for a freshen up and off to dinner in the Flint barn dining room.

We perused the menu, produce  all locally sourced Sussex where possible which is part of sustainability ethos that the estate has. The kitchen is open to the dining room, you can see the chef making your dinner.

Opting for fresh tomato and pesto soup, lamb with seasonal vegetables, and then Rhubarb  compote …. oh and the most delicious Chocolate tart with Ginger ice-cream.

Tomato and Pesto soup
Lamb & Mash Potato
Seasonal Vegetables
Chocolate Tart & Ginger Ice cream
Rhubarb Compote with Ginger Ice Cream

There is quite a good wine selection too, by the bottle and by the glass. We opted for glasses of Rioja and a Cabernet Sauvignon.

After supper Rich joined us for a great evening chatting about the estate and chewing the fat about wine….. while drinking a couple of bottles epic vino.

DAY 2 up early as I wanted to see the valley in the morning light and boy oh boy was it worth it….

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Now down to the serious business…. BREAKFAST… nothing to disappoint here for sure.

I always judge breakfast initially on COFFEE! perfect start and then cornflakes and onto a very good full English breakfast indeed.

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All cooked to perfection! Thanks Chef.

Superb breakfast time for another quick wander around the vines before Rich was to show me around the winery. I am going to write another piece about the winery because to give it justice it really needs to be a stand alone blog. Wont be too long!

So after an amazing tour from Rich I had 20 mins to kill before going to the tasting room for lunch.

I decided to check out the terroir.

What is interesting is the level of flint in the soil, which they are repurposing to build walls on the estate.

 

The top soil is approx. 10cm ONLY in depth and then it is pure chalk. This is the same chalk also found in the champagne region.

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Showing the band of chalk from Reims (Champagne Country) to the South Coast of the UK and beyond.

The following day we went down to the coast to get some images of the white cliffs which are known as the Seven Sisters, these images show the make up of the soil from sea level. The level of retained moisture in the chalk is approximately 70% water!

Now it was time for lunch!

The tasting room is attached to the winery building and is a superb piece of architecture and was nominated for awards in architecture too.

Into the dining room, with stunning décor and an even more stunning view.

The menu was fabulous, here was our lunch menu for that day. It is constantly changing depending on seasonal produce. Most produce is from sourced locally in Sussex.

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Their take on the bread basket was divine, rosemary and grape bread with radishes.

 

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For the first course we chose the Rosé Veal and Salt cod.

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Second course was the Halibut with local leeks, potted shrimp and chip shop mash..

JUST WOW…. if you have never tried chip shop mash… you haven’t lived.

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Last but by no means least came the puddings, Guanaja bitter chocolate crémeux, fig, salted caramel, crème fraiche and Yuzu tart, with black sesame

IMG_2757IMG_2758 Continue reading “My long weekend at the Rathfinny Wine Estate. 🇬🇧”

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Rathfinny at the Ritz 🇬🇧

Hi again all, 

I wrote last year about the launch of Rathfinny’s new English sparkling wines, from Sussex, England, you can check that out here. Rathfinny Blog.

After a very successful initial launch their new vintage 2015 Blanc de Noirs & 2016 Rosé are about to be launched on the 1st of May and then released in June 2019.

The launch is at the Ritz in London. The Ritz is one of the most iconic hotels in the world so this truly is a fabulous achievement for Rathfinny as the Ritz are having their new 2015 Blanc de Noirs as their wine of the month in May.

Its only the 2nd time in the 113 year history of the Ritz they have had an English Sparkling wine as their wine of the month.

Giovanni Ferlito, Head of Wine and Beverage at The Ritz:

“We’re delighted that the launch of the first release of Rathfinny’s Blanc de Noirs, the 2015 vintage, will be taking place at The Ritz London on 1st May. I have been a fan of Rathfinny since I had the privilege to visit the Estate in 2017, and believe that the quality of their wines marks them as a leading light within the industry. Rathfinny is the second ever English sparkling wine to be featured in our ‘sparkling wine of the month’ calendar, in the hotel’s 113-year history. With a premium and complex style, I firmly believe Rathfinny represents some of the finest quality in sparkling wine production today, and I look forward to sharing with our hotel guests.

The 2015 Blanc de Noirs, made from 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Pinot Meunier, has been aged for thirty-six months on the yeast lees.

Rathfinny Tasting notes: (as not yet released) 

It has an enticing blush that sets the scene for perfumed peony and wild strawberry on the nose, while on the palate, its rich mousse of raspberries and toasted almonds gives way to a caramelised red-apple finish.

English sparkling wine is booming folks!! 2018 was the best harvest to date with record yields across the English wine industry, of course record yields does not necessarily mean amazing wines but all the indicators so far are very good indeed. 

Two weeks ago I spent a long weekend on the  Rathfinny Estate as they are far more than just a very good vineyard, they have a fabulous restaurant and also great accommodation for up to 30 guests too. I cant give this justice within this blog so there will be a new Rathfinny estate blog out very soon.

 

Cheers all, and get yourself down to the Ritz to sample Rathfinny Blanc de Noirs 2015 (from the 1st May) before its even released in June.

Salute

A few links below for Rathfinny:

The Rathfinny Estate http://rathfinnyestate.com/about-us

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RathfinnyEstate

The Flint Barns (To stay) http://rathfinnyestate.com/flint-barns/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlintBarns

The Tasting Room (To eat and drink) http://rathfinnyestate.com/tasting-room

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlintBarns

The Ritz, London : https://www.theritzlondon.com/

 

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Root Cause – New book by Steven Laine

Hi folks

I’m currently reading a wine book….

Ok that’s not very unusual!!

However this is a thriller! It is an uncorrected proof sent to me so there may well be some changes (guessing only technical details) within the book but overall its a great read and a real page turner. Even if you are not a wino like me I still think that you will thoroughly enjoy this book.

I was sent this pre-published copy of “Root Cause” by Steven Laine by Turner publishing.

Root Cause Novel Cover FINAL.jpeg

Synopsis: From Turner Publishing.

Can you imagine a world without wine?

Corvina Guerra is a flying winemaker who dreams of one day settling down in her native Italy on her family’s vineyard. On a visit to a vineyard in Italy, Corvina makes a startling discovery: Phylloxera, a menacing plant louse that devastated vineyards in Europe more than a hundred years ago, has infested the vines.

After reporting her findings to her company, Universal Wines, Corvina is charged with
investigating the spread of the bug. Nicknamed Philomena by the media, the aphid is soon discovered in vineyards around the world. To aid in her investigation, Corvina recruits a wine expert in London, Bryan Lawless. In pursuit of its origins, Corvina and Bryan embark on a thrilling globetrot on which they uncover that Philomena is being intentionally spread.
The deeper Corvina and Bryan search, the more they become convinced that Universal Wines holds the answer to everything, and the harder they pursue their investigation the more surprises pile up. In spite of devastating consequences, Corvina and Bryan vow to continue their investigation and do what they can to contain the spread of the infestation – but time is running short and they always seem to be a step behind. Unless they can find a way to stop the Philomena – vineyards around the world will be ruined for decades; potentially causing the collapse of the wine industry. Can Corvina and Bryan get to the root cause and save the international wine industry from ruin?

About the Author:

Steven Laine

Steven Laine was raised in Ontario, Canada and has dual Canadian and British citizenship.

He has travelled the world working in luxury hotels for international brands including The Ritz, Hilton, Starwood, Marriott, and Jumeirah.

When he was Beverage Manager of a five star hotel in London, he learned all about wine and has since visited over one hundred vineyards and wineries in Napa, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, Lebanon, and South Africa.

As the only North American ever invited to be a Member of the Champagne Academy, he had the privilege to tour the major Champagne Houses in France. His circle of friends is made up of winemakers, Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, restaurant managers, and wine distributors from all over the globe.

Steven’s debut novel, Root Cause will be released on February 19, 2019, published by Turner Publishing.

Steven currently lives in Singapore and is now working on his next novel.

To learn more, go to

www.StevenLaine.com

@StevenLaine on Twitter

www.turnerpublishing.com

@TurnerPub on Twitter

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Not just labels, Incredible Artworks!

Hello again 

First blog for 2019.

Labels…. I see and hear about people buying wines all of the time because of the labels. Its obviously a great marketing tool at a certain price point to distinguish one wine from another on extremely crowded and competitive supermarket shelves to make them stand out.

Of course some of them are good, no, some of them are even great wines however more often than not at a certain low price point the label is truly the best thing about the wine!

HOWEVER…….

This is not always the case, but you do need to research your wines a little before you are just buying “that shiraz” or “that Chardonnay” because of the cool label.

Which brings me on to, in my opinion the masters of the modern art wine labelling, but I hasten to add also fabulous wine makers.

Logo-Completo-Sicily.jpg
The image of the woman’s face with the wind swept hair for their company logo is that of Gabriella Rallo the “Donna-Fugata” (woman in flight)

 

There have been many blogs, published articles about Donnafugata, but I thought I would take a slightly different slant and concentrate on the superb labels and artwork. These are not just well labelled bottles to sell the wine, its about the story, the passione! and of course great winemaking. I have included all of the tech info, tasting notes and  pairing ideas for each wine from Donnafugata too.

The name Donnafugata refers to the novel by Tomasi di Lampedusa entitled Il Gattopardo (The Leopard). A name that means “donna in fuga” (woman in flight) and refers to the story of a queen who found refuge in the part of Sicily where the company’s vineyards are located today. An adventure that inspired the corporate logo: the image of a woman’s head with windblown hair that dominates every bottle. Donnafugata labels are also works of art created or inspired by Gabriella Rallo, as are the names of the wines, and homage to art and literature.

 

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Donnafugata are from Sicily & the Island of Pantelleria, which is about half way between Sicily & the north African coast of Tunisia.

 

Giacomo and Gabriella Rallo created Donnafugata in 1983, and were then joined in the business in 1990 by their children José and Antonio. They are one of (if not) the most successful wineries, internationally, from Sicily.

 

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Giacomo (who very sadly passed away in 2016), Jose, Gabriella & Antonio Rallo

Before you start to explore the wines and the serious ART (wine bottle labels) here are a few images from my visit to Donnafugata. If you are visiting Sicily make sure you contact them for a tour and a tasting…. you will not be disappointed. I had emailed them and arranged for exactly this. Laura was an absolute delight and extremely knowledgeable and passionate about all aspects of the winery. 

 

Winery in Marsala, Western Sicily.

The Ranges of wines in Catagories

The Barrel room cellar is a literally a Cathedral of Wine, wines calmly resting, waiting patiently to one day provide lots of wine joy to all of us!

You need to visit to experience the true expression of Art and wine.

So on to the wines and the labels.

There are 21 wines currently in the range, all of them below. They also have grappa and olive oil too.

Yes 21 wines below… IT IS WORTH THE READ! I promise! These are fabulous wines and labels. 

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Stephano Vitale

“Donnafugata are a homage to art and literature. Unique and inimitable, they represent a way of being, a style. Inspired by Gabriella Rallo they are designed by Stefano Vitale, an exceptional artist with a unique stroke, capable of making the personality of each wine shine”

White Wines.

Prio

An autochthonous single variety with marked scents of citrus

Prio 2017 has a brilliant straw yellow color. The nose offers a fragrant bouquet with marked citrus scents of grapefruit and citron combined with notes of Mediterranean scrub. The palate is fresh and perfectly reflects the nose.

Food & wine

Perfect when paired with raw fish, mixed fried fish, stir fry veggies.

Excellent at 9 – 11°C/48 – 52°F°

Denomination

Sicilia DOC Catarratto

Grapes

Production zone

Contessa Entellina Estate and Nearby Areas

prio

Label & Original artwork. 

Joy, happiness, this is the meaning of prio in Sicilian dialect. It is the unexpected and authentic joy of a woman, sitting on a beach at sunset on a day in early summer, sweetly kissed by a butterfly that lands on her face. A lively and sensual label like the Catarratto signed Donnafugata

Stefano Vitale, the author

 

Anthìlia

The most enjoyed Donnafugata wine in the world

Anthilia 2018 has a straw yellow color. The nose presents a fresh and fruity bouquet with notes of white-fleshed fruits (apple) combined with scents of wildflowers. On the palate we find the evident fruity note again, refreshed by agreeable sapidity. It finishes with good persistence.

Food & wine

Perfect when paired with tomato and basil bruschetta, seafood pasta, blue fish. Try also with cesar salad.

Excellent at 9 – 11 °C/48 – 51°F°

Denomination

Sicilia DOC White

Grapes

  • Catarratto
  • the predominant variety; the blend is complemented by other autochthonous and international varieties

Production zone

Contessa Entellina Estate and Nearby Areas

anthilia_con_etichetta
Label & Original artwork.

The label depicts the face of a woman, mysterious and fleeting like the Elymian civilization. Anthilìa is the name given to the city of Entella on the top of the Rocca in Roman times. Today, Anthìlia is the name of a win that is identified with the ancient territory where it has its roots. It is the first wine to have been conceived at Donnafugata and still remains to this day in the hearts of many admirers.

Stefano Vitale, the author  

Lighea

An aromatic Mediterranean white

Lighea 2017 has a brilliant straw yellow color with greenish reflections. The nose offers a rich and fragrant bouquet with classic notes of orange blossom combined with citrusy scents (citron, bergamot) and nuances of Mediterranean scrub. The nose is perfectly reflected on the palate, enlivened by a fresh mineral vein.

Food & wine

Recommended with all types of oily fish, baked pasta in white sauce, fried fish.

Excellent at 9 – 11°C/48 – 52°F°

Denomination

Zibibbo Sicilia DOC

Grapes

Production zone

Island of Pantelleria (South-Western Sicily)

Lighea.png
Label & Original artwork. 

“From the disheveled tresses the color of the sun, seawater flowed over the green, wide-open eyes.” Thus Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa describes Lighea, the bewitching siren and principal figure in his novel. She has inspired the creation of a complex and innovative wine and an equally original label. “It was not easy to print this label”, Gabriella (founder of Donnafugata, with her husband Giacomo) recalled, “and preserve the thousand shadings of colors of Pantelleria Island, painted in the original drawing.”

Stefano Vitale, the author

Sul Vulcano Etna Bianco

A small production, with great mineral elegance.

Elegant notes of aromatic herbs, citrus fruits and flint. Fresh and savory, Sul Vulcano 2016 presents fine notes of aromatic herbs, citrus fruit and flint. In the mouth it is embracing, fresh and savoury, characterized by distinctive minerality and remarkable persistence. A wine of great elegance and complexity.

Food & wine

Perfect with crustaceans, vegetarian first courses and porcini mushrooms.

Excellent at 10-12°

Denomination

Etna Bianco DOC

Grapes

Production zone

Eastern Sicily, north side of Etna

sulvulcano
Label & Original artwork. 

A goddess-volcano stands out on the Etna Bianco label by Donnafugata “Sul Vulcano”. Its intense colors, red, yellow, iridescent blacks, are those of the highest active volcano in Europe. An ancient, powerful and feminine deity: “the Mountain” as Etna is called by the locals. “Sul Vulcano” is a declaration of love: a pure wine with a marked minerality that makes you breathe the energy of this unique place located in the center of the Mediterranean.

Stefano Vitale, the author

La Fuga

The Chardonnay from the night harvest

Brilliant straw yellow, La Fuga 2017 offers a fragrant bouquet with notes of tropical fruit (pineapple) and white peach, combined with floral scents. In the mouth it amazes with its intense sapidity combined with a pleasant vein of acidity.

Food & wine

It matches well with Risottos, herbed chicken, savoury pies and fish second course.

Excellent at 10 – 12°C/50 – 54°F°

Denomination

Contessa Entellina Doc Chardonnay Sicilia

Grapes

  • Chardonnay

Production zone

Contessa Entellina Estate and Nearby Areas

fuga
Label & Original artwork. 

Gabriella Anca Rallo (founder of Donnafugata, with her husband Giacomo) thought of “fleeing” and beginning a new life, passing from the arts to the land. Gabriella is a woman with the wind in her hair who is never at rest. Gabriella invented La Fuga, a label that not only suggests movement but also sunshine and the land.

Stefano Vitale, the author

Vigna di Gabri

The cru wanted by Gabriella Rallo

Vigna di Gabri 2017 has a brilliant straw yellow color with light green reflections. The bouquet is intense and goes from floral scents (elder and acacia) to notes of white fleshed fruits (peach) combined with hints of Mediterranean maquis. The palate is enlivened by a fresh savory streak. A fine and elegant white, with an intriguing personality and surprising longevity.

Food & wine

Perfect when paired with seafood pasta, flans, baked fish.

Excellent at 10 – 12°C/50 – 54°F°

Denomination

Sicilia DOC

Grapes

  • Ansonica
  • blended with
  • Chardonnay
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Viognier

Production zone

Contessa Entellina Estate and Nearby Areas

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Label & Original artwork.

“Vigna di Gabri” is not a fantasy name, because the wine bears the name of Gabriella (founder of Donnafugata, with her husband Giacomo), who originally wanted to create it and strongly believed in the full flavored fragrance of Ansonica. The graphics, already renewed on the occasion of the wine’s 25th Anniversary, with the 2017 vintage, pick up and emphasize some elements present in the original illustration by Stefano Vitale: a master-label that tells the link between Gabri and her Cru. The introduction of the Burgundy bottle also wants to enhance the preciousness and elegance of this wine which is one of Donnafugata’s most beloved wines.

Stefano Vitale, the author

 

Chiarandà

A Chardonnay with a Mediterranean soul, elegant and long-lived

Chiarandà 2016 has a straw yellow color. The nose offers a complex bouquet with scents of fresh tropical fruit, aromatic herbs, and toasted hazelnuts. The palate is ample and well-structured, with pleasant savoury notes and a long mineral finish. An important white with a long and satisfying persistence and great aging potential.

Food & wine

Perfect with lobster, cream of vegetable soup and smoked fish, we suggest it also with roast quail.

Excellent at 11 – 13°C/52 – 55°F)°

Denomination

Contessa Entellina DOC Chardonnay

Grapes

  • Chardonnay

Production zone

Contessa Entellina Estate and Nearby Areas

chiaranda-3.jpg
Label & Original artwork.

The wine made its debut in 1992 as Chiarandà del Merlo from the names of the two vineyards where the Ansonica and Chardonnay grapes were grown. Ten years later the name has been simplified to Chiarandà and the label has been enriched with a female figure that suggests complexity and refinement.

Stefano Vitale, the author

Sparkling Wines.

Donnafugata Brut 2013

A metodo classico with surprising elegance

Marked by a mild winter, with good rainfall (767 mm of rainfall, a slightly higher figure compared to seasonal averages), which was followed by a cool, ventilated spring.

Food & wine

Pleasant for an aperitivo, excellent paired with finger food, seared scallops, sole meunière.

Excellent at 6 – 8°C/42 – 46°F°

Denomination

Vino Spumate Sicilia DOC

Grapes

  • Chardonnay
  • Pinot Noir

Production zone

Contessa Entellina Estate and Nearby Areas

brutmillesimato.jpg

Donnafugata Brut Rosè

Vintage rosè with a pleasant delicacy and structure

Marked by a mild winter, with good rainfall (767 mm of rainfall, a slightly higher figure compared to seasonal averages), which was followed by a cool, ventilated spring.

Food & wine

A rosé table wine, excellent with raw or cooked crustaceans and fish tartare. We recommend it with thinly sliced prosciutto crudo San Daniele.

Excellent at 6 – 8°C/42 – 46°F°

Denomination

Vino Spumate Sicilia DOC

Grapes

  • Pinot Noir

Production zone

Contessa Entellina Estate and Nearby Areas

brutrosecorretta
Label & Original artwork.

An elegant woman, her face lit with a slight smile… how can we not help thinking of Mona Lisa or Lady with an Ermine by Leonardo da Vinci and the many Italian portraits of women in the 1500s. A perfect balance of the elements, including, art, culture, nature. Compared with the very elegant original sketch, made on a wooden board, we just added a few touches of gold foil into the perlage, as beams of light that let us predict all the fine liveliness of its content.

Stefano Vitale, the author

Rosé Wines.

Lumera

An unconventional rosè, the fruit of a targeted selection of red grapes

Brilliant pink, Lumera 2017 offers an ample and fragrant bouquet with fruity notes of wild strawberries and pomegranate combined with delicate flowery scents of violets. The palate is fresh and savory with good structure and pleasant persistence of fruity notes.

Food & wine

Match with hot and cold seafood antipasti, raw seafood (especially crustaceans) and first courses based on vegetables. We also recommend it with fried fish, fresh cheeses and second courses of roasted fish.

Excellent at 10 – 12°C/50 – 53°F°

Denomination

Sicilia DOC

Grapes

Production zone

Contessa Entellina Estate and Nearby Areas

lumera.jpg
Label & Original artwork.

Lumera is an evocative name, in full Donnafugata style. It’s the beloved woman, the sublime being who inspires joy and fullness of life. It’s the woman portrayed on the label, it’s the wine that bears her name. Lumera is the protagonist of a Sicilian poem that celebrates courtly love and experiments a form, the Dolce Stil Novo, which decidedly anticipates the Italian language. “Or come pote sì grande donna intrare / Per gli occhi mei, che sì piccioli son? / e nel mio core come pote stare […], ma voglio a lei Lumera asomigliare […]

Stefano Vitale, the author

Red Wines.

Sul Vulcano Etna Rosso

A surprising volcanic red

Light ruby red, Sul Vulcano Etna Rosso DOC offers an elegant bouquet with notes of wild berries (strawberry and red currant) and flowery scents, along with delicate spicy nuances of cinnamon and nutmeg. Perfect harmony between aroma and taste, with good freshness and harmonious tannins. A long, balanced finish.

Food & wine

Perfect with mediterranean antipasti and first courses based on eggplant or mushrooms, meat and roast stew. Pairing options are numerous: from North-American cuisine (chicken wings, hamburgers) to moderate spicy Asian dishes (beef stir-fried, dumplings) to fusion cuisine like Tex-Mex based on meat and beans.

Excellent at 18°

Denomination

Etna Rosso DOC

Grapes

Production zone

Eastern Sicily, north side of Etna

SulVulcano-EtnaRosso-1.png
Label & Original artwork.

A goddess-volcano stands out on the label. Its intense colors, red, yellows, iridescent blacks, are those of the highest active volcano in Europe. An ancient, powerful and feminine deity: “the Mountain” as Etna is called by the locals. “Sul Vulcano” is a declaration of love: a pure wine, fragrant and elegant, that lets you breathe the energy of this unique place located in the center of the Mediterranean.

Stefano Vitale, the author

Fragore

The Etna cru, volcanic elegance

Pale ruby red coloured, Fragore presents an ample and profound bouquet featuring spices (sweet tobacco and nutmeg), floral notes (violet) and wild berries merging with mineral (flint stone) and balsamic notes.  On the palate it reveals extraordinary complexity and elegance characterized by outstanding minerality and important tannins. Remarkable long finish.

Food & wine

Legumes, mushrooms and tasty meats. Fragore perfectly matches turkey and barbecue ribs. Try it also with Asian food as Peking duck, beef and pork hot pots.

Excellent at 18 °C°

Denomination

Etna Rosso DOC – Contrada Montelaguardia

Grapes

Production zone

Eastern Sicily, north side of Etna

fragore-con-etichetta
Label & Original artwork.

Donnafugata is “projected” towards the future, like an object launched into space, attracted by invisible gravities. Illustrator Stefano Vitale captures this perpetual motion perfectly in the latest label of Fragore that represents the volcano’s roar. Donnafugata continues its journey towards the most remote corners of Sicily: east to Vittoria and then up to the highest point on the island, on the Etna volcano.

Stefano Vitale, the author

Bell’Assai

A fragrant red that amazes with its immediate pleasantness.

Brilliant ruby red with violet reflections, Bell’Assai offers a fragrant bouquet with intense flowery notes of violets and roses combined with scents of fresh red fruit (strawberries and raspberries). In the mouth it surprises with its great freshness, a perfect harmony between aroma and taste, supported by soft tannins. A fragrant red that amazes with its immediate pleasantness.

Food & wine

We suggest it with salumi, tasty fish dishes such as soups or guazzetti, try with tuna sushi.

Excellent at 16°C (60°F)°

Denomination

Vittoria DOC Frappato Sicilia

Grapes

Production zone

South-Western Sicily-Vittoria

bellassai
Label & Original artwork.

Bell’Assai is a girl with personality who offers to the sweet Sicilian breeze the fruits of the vineyards and the scents of the countryside. She represents the spirit of those enterprising families with the love for beauty which have always been animating the territory of Vittoria. An artistic label with which Donnafugata wants to celebrate the love for the beautiful.

Stefano Vitale, the author

Floramundi

A refined Cerasuolo di Vittoria with a flowery soul

Intense ruby red with brilliant purple reflections; it offers intense fruity aromas, black cherry and plum notes stand out; the bouquet opens with delicate flowery nuances and characteristic spicy notes of black pepper. The palate is supported by freshness and softness that make it juicy and a real pleasure to drink. Fine and well integrated tannins. Floramundi 2017 expresses the harmonious balance Cerasuolo di Vittoria can achieve.

Food & wine

Tasty first courses, grilled meat, important fish baked in the oven. Try with pulled pork and meat dumplings.

Excellent at 15- 16°C (59-61°F)°

Denomination

Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG

Grapes

Production zone

South-Western Sicily-Vittoria

floramundi
Label & Original artwork.

Floramundi is a fantastic figure of a woman who is giving the gift of wonderful interlacements of flowers and fruits with velvety tones. It is a dialogue between two souls, the elegant and sophisticated one of Floral Liberty, of which Vittoria is rich in testimonies, and the fascinating and suggestive one of the tradition of the Pupi Siciliani  (Sicilian Puppets). A dialogue between Nero d’Avola and Frappato to listen to with pleasure. A refined artistic label for a prestigious denomination: Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG.

Stefano Vitale, the author

Sherazade

The red you don’t expect, ideal for the aperitivo

Sherazade 2017 has a brilliant ruby red color with violet reflections. The nose offers a pleasantly fruity bouquet with fragrant notes of red plum and cherry, combined with light spicy scents. The palate is fleshy and perfectly reflects the bouquet revealing an extraordinary freshness. The well-integrated tannin, completes this fragrant and pleasant wine.

Food & wine

We suggest it with fish soup, pizza or classic tomato spaghetti.

Excellent at 15 – 16°C/59 – 61°F°

Denomination

Sicilia DOC Nero d’Avola

Grapes

Production zone

Contessa Entellina Estate and Nearby Areas

sherazade
Label & Original artwork.

Sherazade, fascinating female protagonist of the Arabian Nights has a fruity flesh voice, wrapped in a spicy drape, that tells you the fairy tale of this masterpiece of Oriental literature. An intensely Mediterranean label in lush Donnafugata style that gives you an unforgettable tasting.

Stefano Vitale, the author

Sedàra

A glass of quality, perfect for everyday drinking

Ruby red, Sedàra 2016 offers a fruity bouquet with scents of blackberries and blueberries combined with a light spicy note of black pepper. The palate displays good structure with suave tannins and pleasant freshness. A soft red, versatile for food pairing, perfect for every day.

Food & wine

Serve with lasagne, chicken cacciatora, BBQ, seared tuna.

Excellent at 16 – 18°C/61 – 64°F°

Denomination

Red Sicilia Doc

Grapes

Production zone

Contessa Entellina Estate and Nearby Areas

sedara-con-etichetta.png
Label & Original artwork.

Dedicated to the irresistible and ambitious Angelica Sedàra with green eyes, the fashinatig Claudia Cardinale, protagonist of the film “Il Gattopardo” (The Leopard) directed by Luchino Visconti. The label, also in the new version, refers to the Contessa Entellina winer

Stefano Vitale, the author

Angheli

A soft red with an international taste

Ruby red, Angheli 2015 is characterized by an enchanting bouquet with notes of red fruits, blackberries and plums, combined with intense balsamic and spicy scents of chocolate and liquorice. Fragrant on the palate with soft tannins. It finishes with good persistence. A red with an international taste with great balance between structure and pleasantness.

Food & wine

Perfect when paired with charcuterie board, meatball in tomato sauce grilled meat and chops.

Excellent at 16 – 18°C/ 60 – 64°F°

Denomination

Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon Sicilia Doc

Grapes

  • Merlot
  • Cabernet Sauvignon

Production zone

Contessa Entellina Estate and Nearby Areas

angheli
Label & Original artwork.

“… of loves and ladies, knights and arms…”. Would that be Angelica of Orlando Furioso fleeing on the horse portrayed on the label? Donnafugata has many “women in flight;” each of these has a past of history and tradition but, for sure, a future of softness and seduction.

Stefano Vitale, the author

Tancredi

An elegant red. An affordable luxury

Deep ruby red, Tancredi 2015 is characterized by a fragrant bouquet with notes of red fruit (cherry and plum) combined with delicate tertiary scents of sweet tobacco, chocolate and spices (black pepper). In the mouth it offers a structure with important and well-integrated tannins. An enveloping and persistent finish.

Food & wine

It will find its best pairing T-bone steak, gourmet burgers and game. Delicious also with beef Stroganoff
with mushrooms.

Excellent at 18°C/64°F°

Denomination

Terre Siciliane IGT

Grapes

Production zone

Contessa Entellina Estate and Nearby Areas

tancredi-con-etichetta
Label & Original artwork.

If you remember Alain Delon in the famous movie that Luchino Visconti made from Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s The Leopard, you will see that this wine reflects the elegance and ambition of that “revolutionary” man. With the vintage 2015, the labels offers a new illustration by artist Stefano Vitale who has dedicated this artwork to Giacomo Rallo, visionary captain of Donnafugata. The winery of Contessa Entellina is always there, in the clouds, almost like a mirage. In the upper right, the beloved village of Sambuca di Sicilia where some of the vineyards contribute to the blend of Tancredi. All the places where the memory of this man remains indelible and where his dreams have become reality.

Stefano Vitale, the author

 

Mille e Una Notte

An icon of Italian excellence

Intense ruby red colored, Mille e una Notte 2015 is characterized by an ample bouquet, with fruity notes (blackberry and black mulberry) and balsamic (liquorice) and spicy scents followed by hints of cacao. The palate is soft and embracing, surprising with an extraordinary silky tannin. A remarkable long persistence on the finish.

Food & wine

We suggest it with Slow-cooked rack of lamb, pappardelle with pork ragout, roasts, tournedos Rossini.

Excellent at 18°C/64°F°

Denomination

Red Sicilia Doc

Grapes

Production zone

Contessa Entellina Estate and Nearby Areas

milleeunanotte.jpg
Label & Original artwork.

The palace illustrated on the label is Palazzo Filangeri di Cutò where Queen Maria Carolina took refuge fleeing from Naples, the house lovedby the writer Tomasi di Lampedusa.

Gabriella captures the image and embeds it into a “Mille e una Notte” sky. A tribute to the masterpiece of oriental literature capable of recounting a thousand and one tales.

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Sweet Wines.

Kabir

A very pleasant naturally sweet wine

Bight straw yellow with golden reflections, Kabir 2017 is characterized by a rich and fragrant bouquet with scents of ripe fruit (nectarines) combined with flowery notes of orange blossom and delicate savoury nuances. The nose is perfectly reflected on the palate, combined with a fresh mineral vein that balances the pleasant sweetness well. A good persistence on the finish revealing hints of pink pepper and nutmeg.

Food & wine

Perfect with anchovies, goat’s cheese, ice cream and fruit-based desserts.

Excellent at 12°C/54°F°

Denomination

Moscato di Pantelleria DOC

Grapes

Production zone

Island of Pantelleria (South-Western Sicily)

kabir.jpg
Label & Original artwork.

From the Arabic term “The Great,” this is the name Donnafugata chose for its Moscato di Pantelleria, for its broad and noble perfumes. The label speaks the language of the island, expressing the colors, the freshness and the aromatic richness of Zibibbo. A label evoking the heroic soul of the viticulture of an island battered by wind and waves.

Stefano Vitale, the author

Ben Ryè

One of the most appreciated sweet Italian wines in the world

Ben Ryé 2016 offers an extraordinary rich bouquet with outstanding aromas obtained from the dried grapes: apricots and candied orange peel. It presents delicate hints of Mediterranean macchia. The palate is very fresh and intense, balancing perfectly the sweetness followed by a long and satisfying persistence.

Food & wine

It matches with caramelized duck, foie gras and blue cheeses. It goes well with pastries and gourmet chocolate like gianduja. Extraordinary alone, as a meditation wine.

Excellent at 14°C/57°F°

Denomination

Passito di Pantelleria DOC

Grapes

Production zone

Island of Pantelleria (South-Western Sicily)

benrye-2.jpg
Label & Original artwork.

From the Arabic term “Son of the Wind” because the wind sweeps constantly around the grape clusters on Pantelleria. And the island’s winds bring with them a profusion of fragrances so powerful that you can touch them. An author label telling the love, the care and the effort of heroic viticulture on an island unique and fascinating. A fresh and enchanting portrait that reveals its essence.

Stefano Vitale, the author

 

I know this has been quite a long piece but thought I really needed to give Donnafugata justice as ALL of their wines have amazing labels. I hope some are of you are still reading at this stage!!

I have no affiliation to the winery and I am not being paid for writing this piece.

I am good friends with Donnafugata and they always send me a great box of wine for Christmas, and the least I can do is give them a huge shout out for their stunning wines and a bit of info into the labels, the passion and the wines.

They are much more than labels, they are an expression of the wine from the family, terroir, the artist and of course the wine itself.

They are a large international brand and you should be able to buy in most markets locally. Please take the time and try some Donnafugata.

INFO:

Donnafugata : https://www.donnafugata.it/en/the-company/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DonnafugataWine

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donnafugatawine/

Credits:

All photos are my own or from the Donnafugata website or from the book “Inseguendo Donnafugata” an amazing book they also sent me at Christmas.

If you would like to visit Donnafugata please follow his link: https://visit.donnafugata.it/en-us/

 

 

Posted on

Jackson Family Wines – Part 1 Vérité

Hi all,

A few weeks ago I was extremely privileged to be invited to the prestigious Dorchester Hotel in Mayfair, London for a very special wine tasting. A tasting to celebrate the release of the 2015 Vérité wines.

VÉRITÉ & CARDINALE 

Well, this was not going to be any old wine tasting.

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Vérité Chalk Hill Vineyard

Vérité & Cardinale are epic wines with huge reputations too.

If you drink (and taste a lot more) a few bottles of wine a year like me (I KNOW!! Understatement of the year) you will surely know of the Jackson family wines in the USA, hugely famous for its Chardonnay. I knew a little bit but thought I must do a bit of research for information before I go to this great tasting.

So here is a brief of history into JFW. You can check out loads more on their website https://www.jacksonfamilywines.com/en/timeline

1974 Jess Jackson buys 80-acre pear and walnut orchard in Lake County and replants to grapes.

1983 Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay

Kendall-Jackson debuts with 1982 vintage Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay and wins first-ever Double Platinum Award in the American Wine Competition.

From 1986 to the present day they acquired many vineyards across California, Oregon, Tuscany, Bordeaux, Chile, South Africa and Australia. 

In 1991 the Jackson family purchased a stave mill in France to guarantee high-quality French oak barrels.

2003 Jess was selected by Robert Parker Jr. as wine personality of the year, and won a lifetime achievement award in 2007. 


2011_jess

Sadly on April 21st 2011 Jess passed away.

 

 

Tasting at the Dorchester Hotel.
The Tasting was compared by Patrick Schmitt MW, the wine maker behind Vérité – Pierre Seillan, The Jackson Family master Sommelier Dimitri Mesnard and Barbara Banke – founder and Chairman and her daughter Julia Jackson.
We started the afternoon with Vérité 2015.
Winemaker Pierre walked us through the vintage of 2015. What stood out immediately is that this was going to be an epic vintage. He explained that in 49 vintages making wine this was certainly one of his finest, definitely in the top 3!.
The weather meant that the grapes were ready to harvest earlier than ever before at the end of August for the first of the 50 micro crus used in the wine, ending the harvest on September 12th. Yields were modest in small clusters but had quality and good concentration making the 2015 harvest outstanding.
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He went on to explain about the micro crus further, how the different elevations, aspects and the make up of the soil on each hillside has its impact on the wines. 
So each of the micro crus are harvested by hand and fermented separately, then barreled in French oak, which have also have been toasted in different ways to suit each wine. This allows Pierre hundreds of options to make sure that the final blending of the 3 wines is perfect. 
Pierre uses the term micro-cru to define his approach, which is to find the very best of each particular plot within an already outstanding vineyard
His passion exudes when he is talking about Vérité, 21 years making this wine and why it is an incredibly special wine indeed.
Vérité (the French word for TRUTH) comes in 3 wines. La Muse, La Joie & La Désir 
These wines are a combination of old-world experience with new world fruit. The grape varieties are all tradition Bordeaux grapes. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Although Bordeaux varieties this is no copy of Bordeaux, these wines stand tall by themselves.

La Muse.

Merlot dominated like the Pomerol wines of the Right Bank style in Bordeaux.
Merlot 90%, Cabernet Franc 7% & 3% Malbec blend.
Ruby red in the glass, on the nose its like a wild meadow but a little restrained due to being a youngster. On the palate Blueberry, blackberry and crème de cassis. Has a spiciness which we are told is from the deep roots in the soil of the old vines which stress the vines to work harder and creates this spice. The finish of this wine just keeps on going and going. This wine is still in its infancy however a classic wine that will age for decades to come. Outstanding wine.
97 pts Lisa Perrotti-Brown , Robert Parker
97 pts James Suckling
95 pts Antonio Galloni. 
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La Joie. “The Joy”

Cabernet Sauvignon dominated like the wines of Pauillac –  Left Bank style in Bordeaux.
Cabernet Sauvignon 75%, Merlot 14%, Cabernet Franc 7% & 4% Petit Verdot.
This Vérité is obviously quite different to La Muse, as its CAB SAV blend shouts out blackcurrants, ripe cherry & some slightly tart damson plum in there too. Its more mineral also. This is a FINE wine also and will age stunningly over the next several decades.
99 pts Lisa Perrotti-Brown , Robert Parker
97 pts James Suckling
96 pts Antonio Galloni. 

La Desir. “The Desire”

Cabernet Franc dominated like the wines of St Emillion Bordeaux.
Cabernet Franc 64%, Merlot 27%, Cabernet Sauvignon 5% & 4% Malbec.
The first two Vérité wines were brilliant….. however…. this really turns up the volume to 11!
It is so elegant, the nose and palate has finesse, its soft yet with a core of minerality that runs all through from the nose, to palate onto the long finish. Waves of flavours abound each taste, Dark berries, liquorice, tobacco, cedar and oh so silky. This wine has robust tannins but the wine is structured so you could decant and drink today, but of course this wine will unfold to be a beauty for many decades to come.
100 pts Lisa Perrotti-Brown , Robert Parker
98 pts James Suckling
98 pts Antonio Galloni.
So are these Bordeaux copies? ABSOLUTELY NOT!.
THESE ARE SIGNATURE WINES FROM SONOMA COUNTY CALIFORNIA!
These are wines without compromise, they are NOT working to the 1855 classification rules in Bordeaux. With Pierre’s micro cru it allows him to make wines that are respectful of that particular vintage and not to a formulaic recipe. When each barrel is tasted he starts to understand his vision for the blend to make that years vintage the best it can be.
These wines are full of passion and spirit. True greats. 
Oh and by the way ….. if the French ever change the 1855 classification rules (cant see it in my lifetime) I think they may be trying some Sonoma wines for a new Vision of great  wines.

 

Well it didn’t stop there….

We are then treated to a ” La Muse” Vintage overview

I will give a quick run over these before I send you to sleep with tasting notes….

2012 Robert Parker 97pts Liquorice, tar , light oak and spice. 

2009 RP 96 pts Very Elegant & oh so long.

2007 RP 100 pts OH BOY! One of California’s greatest vintages. 

2004 RP 98 pts Cigars!

2002 RP 99pts Super fresh has years! Interesting in a decade.

All of them truly great wines.

Many thanks to Fiona at Luxx PR for the invite.

Luxxpr.co.uk

Twitter: LuxxPR

Huge thank you to Barbara, Julia, Pierre, Patrick and Dimitri for a spectacular wine experience.

veritewines.com

jacksonfamilywines.com/

Twitter: verite_wines

Twitter: Jackson Family Wines

 

PART 2 SOON….. Cardinale

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on

Not just another Wine Club…??

Hello again,

A couple of months ago I was wandering around the London wine fair, when I bumped into Rosamund Barton a director of the food and wine PR agency R&R Teamwork.

She asked had I heard of winebuyers.com, as they have just started the PR for them, and if I had a couple of minutes could she introduce me to them. I was persuaded as she said they had a sour beer made with natural English pinot noir grape skin yeast…. on their stand and I was intrigued to say the least. I’m easy to bribe!

So we arrive at their stand and I was introduced to Ciara who is head of marketing. So firstly Rosamund got me a glass of the beer. Wow its good. 

wb logo png thicker strapline

To be honest I have seen many wine clubs and to be honest I have only ever been interested in a couple and they are plenty but a bit samey!.

So why is winebuyers.com different? Well I chatted with the owner Ben for more answers.

Ben & Ciara 

Well for a start its free to join for ever single wine buying person in the world!

Not a thing to pay, not anything, nothing at all, nil, zero, nowt, zilch, sweet fanny Adams, zip, nada… Not a dicky bird! OK so now I’m intrigued, how are these guys going to make money…

Winebuyers.com are the intermediary website between either the vineyard or wine merchants. They don’t take any transaction fee, all they do is provide the platform. They make money by charging a subscription per month to the vineyard or merchants. They even provide free trials for the vendors so they can suck it and see! This is a sliding scale for the vendors depending on how many listings that they have. From £50 ($65,€56) to £450 ($585,€504) per month.

From me looking into this business and having run my own successful business for the last 25 years its blatantly obvious numbers of people are the key. Not only vendors which creates their income but also the members of the club who are doing the most important part = buying the wine.

So far they have grown organically with membership now exceeding 24,000, they also have 27,000 wines from 38 countries on the site.

27,000 is a huge amount to choose from and I hear you all saying so how is “x” vineyard going to sell his wine rather than someone else’s. Well Ben tells me that so far they have spent £350,000 building the initial platform so people can buy from all over the world because shipping and duty tariffs all have to be in their site too for everywhere!. They  have raised a further £1 million which is being spent very fast I suspect in development and another round of funding is going to happening before the end of the year. So in answer to the question they are building sophisticated software algorithm’s which will guide each buyer to their types of wines. I think time will tell to see if 27,000 listings is too much or not enough….

Their ethos is to be a one stop shop for ALL your wine needs. So if you want “x” wine then they want it listed on their site. All wine listed is in stock too as they have built systems which all vendors adhere to so stock is always live.

So I want to buy a wine from Croatia, I click on what I want and then the system places the order with the vineyard directly, thus allowing smaller vineyards to distribute where they don’t have any distribution and also sell for retail price. The system also calculates shipping and duty that is applicable wherever you live too. All vendors will be subject to a ratings system on the site too, guessing this keeps everyone on their toes.

Their plan for the next 2 years… 100k bottles listed from 2000 vendors. A big ask but really they are building numbers of both at a really fast pace now.

They will promoting wines of the day, week & month too. There is no charge to the vendors for this and they are chosen by the staff at Winebuyers. This will also be giving exposure to vendors wines.

Time will tell but if their 1st year is anything to go by and Ben’s successful track record with luxury businesses we all need to watch this space…………… I wish them all the best of luck.

If you watch cricket you will know that England have recently had a comprehensive 4 to 1 test match victories against India….. bear with me for a second this is not a complete digression after one too many glasses of wine! Ciara suggested sending me some samples of ENGLISH & INDIAN WINES I had yet to try. In fact this blog was supposed to during the weekend of the last test match a few weeks ago but the courier managed to lose the box! and then I was swanning around Italy as many of you know following me on twitter.

So Ciara sent me an English sauvignon blanc and an Indian Sangiovese…. yes Sangiovese. I know one is white and one is red before anyone says it was hardly a fair contest however, I drink and taste enough wines to judge them on their own merits.

 

So the English wine first….. of course!

Blackdown Ridge Estate. England

Sauvignon-Blanc-2016[1]

A Little history of the vineyard before we start from their website.

Blackdown Ridge Estate sits at 440 feet above sea level in the Sussex Weald, enjoying extraordinary views over the South Downs National Park.

Here we have planted vines to create fine English wines, taking advantage of the superb location and conditions.

The wines of Blackdown Ridge Estate are the result of the vision of owner, Professor Martin Cook, who has lived on the estate for 20 years. A passionate wine-lover, Martin was inspired to create his vineyard when an Italian family friend and winemaker, Antonio, suggested that the beautiful, serene south-facing slopes of Blackdown would be perfect for growing vines.

Antonio’s words inspired Martin to realise the potential of the estate and the first vines were planted in 2010. The soil of the Sussex Weald shares much with the terroir of the Champagne region of France, and this influenced our plantings of the classic sparkling wine varietals: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. These have been used to create our first sparkling wine, released in 2015.

The grapes planted for our range of still wines include the aromatic Bacchus for our single varietal English white wine, as well as Rondo, Triomphe d’Alsace and, more recently, Sauvignon Blanc.

We have 10.5 acres currently planted to vines which are nurtured throughout the growing year with an environmentally sensitive approach to viticulture that ensures optimum ripeness, yield and fruit quality. 

Blackdown Ridge 2016 Sauvignon Blanc

Made from 100% Estate grown Sauvignon Blanc 

On the nose its sauvignon alright but not like a huge gooseberry blast from New Zealand, this wine is certainly more like the Torraine style from the Loire in France.

On the palate its a real delight for a wine priced at this point!

Grapefruit with a tropical feel, freshly mowed lawn with a herby note too, but not flowery its dry and has a zingy citrus feel on the finish with a lingering mineral note too. This would match perfectly to creamy seafood dishes as the wines acidity would be pairing heaven. Any shellfish would be perfect too.

 

Retails on winebuyers.com for only £10 ($13,€11.20)

Fratelli Wines, India

Some history about this Indian winery from their website.

And so it began, and so it continues to be with Fratelli. In the beginning there was an idea. An idea born of a general conversation between the sons of the fathers. From the soles of a thriving shoe business to the soul of Italian winemaking with a Tuscan icon in Piero Masi, is how this story began and how it has since evolved. Take three families, three sets of brothers separated by caste, country and faith, a shared dream and vision. Complete this fellowship of the grape, with the main cog in the Fratelli machine, a Tuscan with over 50 vintages of winemaking experience etched in his very soul, and the rest as they say is history.

Well this again was unmistakeably on the nose Sangiovese……. however as many of you know Italian wines are something I spend most of my life drinking and without blowing my own trumpet I know a good Sangiovese. 

As soon as I tasted this wine it threw me a curved ball… It was just so dry and way too much tannin, by that I mean how am I going to write about this wine in a positive way. I am not a critic and my intention is never to rubbish any wines but I had the ENG Vs IND piece to write….. DONT PANIC!!!

I gave this some time which I wouldn’t normally have to do with a wine at this price point and ……..

Thank god!! It came to life after I decanted for actually only 20 to 30 minutes and was unrecognisable from when it was first opened.

On the palate this wine is medium bodied with cherry fruit at the forefront, although with a odd sweetness I’m not used to with Italian Sangiovese even though this is a very dry wine. The finish is smoky, spicey with more red fruits and dry. Would work perfectly with Pizza with a spicey topping or pasta with a rich tomato based sauce.

Retails on winebuyers.com for only £11.60 ($15,€13)

Well if you have read any of my recent blogs you would have been finding out a lot more about wines from England and the UK, however I am sure that most people out there have not tried wine from India. 

What I can say with complete confidence is that you will be hearing lots more and not just from little old me.

The UK wine industry is in boom time and the next 20 years will be so exciting, and although I don’t have any specific data for India, you can be assured with its diverse climate huge labour work force and huge land mass they will one day become one of the worlds large producers.

So………………………

 

Which wine won………

SORRY INDIA!!

BLACKDOWN RIDGE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 is the WINNER!!!

 

Contacts:

Blackdown Ridge Estate

Fratelli Wines

R & R Teamwork PR Company

Winebuyers.com

Before I go, I have not been paid or have any affiliation to any of the companies or vineyards mentioned in the above blog.

I did receive the wines as samples from winebuyers.com 

 

 

Posted on

Poulton Hill Estate – Cotwolds – Part 4 WineGB🇬🇧

Well I know you must be amazed at the fourth blog in ten days!

I had met Tiléri and Natalie from Poulton Hill Estate vineyard at a couple wine tastings in the Cotswolds and really wanted to go and check out what they are doing.

Poulton-Hill-Estate-Logo-Colour.pdf

Well my twitter buddy Swami, now lifelong food & wine friend from Iowa, told me he was coming to see me on an epic five week tour he had planned in Europe. So I started to plan a couple of days for him with me in Worcestershire. Food and wine both days was hugely important as Swami eats amazingly on his worldwide travels. With a few days before Swami’s arrival the weather forecast was superb for the upcoming days of his visit. With this in mind I thought we have to go to an ENGLISH vineyard!.

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The new tasting room at Poulton Hill Estate.

So this was the perfect opportunity to visit Poulton Hill Estate in the stunning Cotswolds as its only 45 minutes from home. With only two days notice we were made extremely welcome by Tiléri and Natalie. Many thanks.!!!!

The 7 acres of the Poulton Hill Estate vineyard were planted in 2010, set in the idyllic Cotswold countryside, close to the Roman town of Cirencester and Regency spa town of Cheltenham.

The vines planted are on south facing slopes, 8800 in total, which equates to about 20,000 bottles per year. They have three white varieties: Phoenix, Bacchus, Seyval Blanc and three red varieties: Pinot Noir, Regent and Rondo.

Other than some occasional help around the vineyard Tiléri and Natalie do everything. Obviously labour is brought in for the harvest, but when I say everything I mean EVERYTHING.

These are two petite ladies and they get stuck into every single part of what’s involved within the vineyard. Vine maintenance, pruning, wires, thinning, you name it they do it. Not only that but they are the face of Poulton at many events in the UK too. Oh and the tasting room, paperwork, telephones, orders, deliveries……. EVERYTHING! 

Tiléri was telling me that at an event when they told a consumer they were the ones that worked the estate the response was ” I’m sure you don’t – day to day” in which she responded, “feel free to come anytime and see that WE MOST DEFINITELY DO. 

They certainly are a dynamic duo and they work bloody hard too! Both Swami and I discussed this on the way home after we had finished. We were sure that its not an easy job, however extremely rewarding when all the work comes to fruition with wonderful wines. Especially when the wines are winning awards and the wine buying public are loving them too!

2013 Brut Rosé has been highly commended at The World’s Finest Glass of Bubbly Awards 2017.

2012 Brut English Sparkling Wine has won yet another medal. The wine won a silver medal at The World’s Finest Glass of Bubbly awards.

Poulton Hill Bacchus 2016 wins Drinks Product of the Year at the Cotswold Life Food and Drink Awards.

English Sparkling White 2012,  awarded a Q in the Quality Drink Awards.

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Responsibility to the  environment is an integral part of what they do. They have  Babydoll sheep that graze the orchard and wildflowers planted to help the insect population.

They have two flocks of rare-breed sheep, Jacob’s Sheep and Olde English Babydoll Southdown Sheep, two of the oldest breeds in England. The Babydoll sheep are perfect for keeping the area around the vines tidy without eating the grapes also fertilizing the soil as they go.

So Natalie held the fort and Tiléri took Swami and I to see the vines.

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The first thing that we both noticed were the stunning Roses! I have only ever seen this once before at Querciabella, in Tuscany (Querciabella is a Biodynamic Vineyard)   

It’s a very old tradition which is done as vines and roses are both susceptible to the same mildew and fungus and they acted as an early warning system on the end of the rows. Although these days at Poulton Estate it’s purely for cosmetic reasons as vine management today is very different to how it was many years ago.

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Swami, you have cut the top of my head off… Many thanks for some of these photos though.
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Tiléri gave Swami one of these beautiful roses to remember the vineyard
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A whole new section has just been planted this year with Pinot Noir, settling in nicely.

Back to the tasting room to sample the delights of Poulton Estate wines.

Currently they make six still wines, (the reserve red was just released when we visited and not in the photo), three sparkling, a Cotswold brandy and a Sloe de Vie.. don’t worry I will explain. I hadn’t heard of it either.

Throughout the tasting it was obvious to Swami and I that these ladies certainly are involved with everything aspect in the vineyard, as their knowledge and experience, to all of our questions, from terroir to bottle was very impressive. 

Full Range.

 

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Bacchus 2016

Bacchus is of German origin and named after the Roman God of wine.

Grapes: Bacchus

In the glass this is light gold with a platinum edged quality too. Elderflower and peach on the nose. On the palate its fresh grapefruit, gooseberry, ripe tropical notes too. On the finish its dry and crisp with a touch of mineral right on the end. Really good on its own or with some fresh seafood it would be a delight!

RRP: £15.99

 

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Phoenix 2015 (although now 2017 vintage)

Again the variety is of German origin.

Grapes: Phoenix

In the glass this is very light in colour indeed. The nose has fabulous elderberry and herbaceous hints reminiscent of a traditional French Sauvignon. This medium-bodied wine is packed full of flavour with notes of lychee, elderberry and gooseberry, followed by a refreshingly clean finish.

RRP: £14.99

 

 

Special Reserve 2016.

Special Reserve 2016

Phoenix is of German origin and Seyval Blanc is of French origin.

Grapes: Phoenix and Seyval Blanc

Pale straw colour in the glass with fresh aromas of elderflower and pear on the nose. The palate is bursting with juicy peach, finishing with tones of zesty lemon sherbet.

RRP: £15.99

 

 

 

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Rosé NV

Grapes: Phoenix, Seyval Blanc, Rondo and Regent

The NV Rosé is salmon pink in colour, has cherry and slight plummy tones with a long, long finish. Delicious summer sipping!

This wine is a delight drunk on a hot summer day or will pair with white fish, chicken or pork dishes.

RRP: £13.99

 

 

poulton-hill-rose-2017-1000x1000Rosé 2017

This wine was not tasted on the day and had not been released. It is available now.

It has soft, well-rounded, ripe summer fruits on the nose that lead to delicate hints of damson plum and strawberries, with a crisp, dry finish on the palate.

RRP: £14.99

 

Special Reserve Red 2016

 

Well I drank this one again last night.

Grapes:  Rondo and Regent, with only 663 bottles made of this first vintage of this wine.

In the glass this wine is deep violet red in colour with a vibrant violet edge. The nose is blackberry, ripe black cherry with a touch of vanilla toastyness. The palate is an explosion of fruit! Black Cherry, quickly followed by stewed sweet plums. This wine is aged for six months in American oak so it does have a touch of vanilla although very little, and on the end it has a lovely spicey touch. Tannins are well integrated and it has a lovely soft lingering fruity finish. Really enjoyed this wine. Will also be good to see how it develops in the bottle over the next 12 months. 

RRP: £16.99

On to the sparkling wine

 

BULARI ……..

A new name for English sparkling wine? Well Poulton Estate certainly think so.

Poulton Hill Estate has a trademark registered  for ‘Bulari’ (a variation of the Latin for bubbles) as a generic term to describe English sparkling wine.

English sparkling wine producers have been searching for a catchy name to signify prestige and reflect ever-increasing quality for years now. The use of the Latin term Bulari reflects the fact that vines for wine-making were first introduced to Britain by the Romans.

As a recognition of their awards, quality and success, Poulton Hill Estate’s award-wining sparkling white and rosé wines will now be labelled Bulari. High-quality English sparkling wine producers, who meet the same strict production criteria for making English sparkling wines, will also be able to use the term under license.

Time will tell if this name catches on….. but always I hear lots banded round the industry that we don’t have a name like, Cava, Sekt, Prosecco or Champagne.

Here is a link featured on the BBC news about it. https://youtu.be/hFY10oiQWKk

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Sparkling English Rosé 

Grapes: Seyval Blanc, Phoenix, Rondo and Regent

In the glass it’s beautiful pale pink with fine perlage. On the nose it’s a summer berry heaven! A Strawberry and cream delight. This was the first glass we started with on the tasting and I think Swami was surprised at how good quality this tasting was going to be. This follows by quite a long dry finish with a touch of minerality on the end. 

This is great as an aperitif but equally a great food wine. In fact the first time my wife and I had this wine was at a lovely pub down the road from the vineyard and I had a burger for lunch. Paired a treat! RRP: £27.99 

poulton-hill-english-sparkling-brut-2012-awards-jan17English Sparkling Brut

Grapes: Seyval Blanc, Phoenix, Rondo and Regent. ( not tasted on the day)

Poulton Hill Estate English sparkling wine is a rich straw yellow colour with a slight touch of pink. The nose is a lovely blend of English summer fruits, with hints of gooseberry and grapefruit. The palate is equally reminiscent of an English summer, with notes of crisp green apple, elderflower, a touch of lime and hints of redcurrant and strawberry. RRP: £60.00

poulton-hill-bulari-sparkling-white-brut-1000x1000Bulari

Grapes: Seyval Blanc & Pinot Noir

Pale straw golden in the glass with fine perlage, the nose is green apples and pears with citrus notes of orange, lemon and limes. On the palate juicy apple bursts across your tongue followed by citrus freshness  which creates a wonderful well-rounded mouthfeel. This is very clean and fresh.

RRP: £27.99

SPIRITS:

poulton-hill-sloe-de-vie-1000x1000Sloe de Vie.

Sloe de Vie displays delicious fruit flavours of sloes hand-picked at the peak of ripeness following the harvest in 2015.

Once fermented, the sloe wine was triple distilled and then bottled.

The delicate aromas and freshness of the fruit have been preserved, resulting in a spirit of exceptional smoothness. Much like a  fine grappa. RRP £37.99

poulton-hill-cotswold-brandy-1000x1000Cotswold Brandy.

This Limited edition Cotswold Brandy has been produced exclusively from grapes harvested by hand at the Poulton Hill Estate in 2013. Following fermentation, the base wine has been triple distilled and then matured in American Oak casks.

Cotswold Brandy has a wonderful nose of deep almond and vanilla, with hints of wood and notes of spice. The palate is beautifully soft and smooth with a fruity finish.

Each bottle of this limited release has been carefully hand labelled and individually hand numbered. Unfortunately it was only a 200 bottle run and its all SOLD OUT!

 

 

Experience Poulton Hill for yourself

It really is a wonderful vineyard to visit, the Cotswold countryside is stunning and definitely worth a visit for a weekend or longer. There are plenty of places to stay from B&B’s to luxury country house hotels.

Poulton Hill Estate Vineyard feature. Pictured tiléri charles-jones. 21/07/17 Thomas Kelsey
Poulton Hill Estate Vineyard feature. Pictured tiléri charles-jones. 21/07/17 Thomas Kelsey
Poulton Hill Estate Vineyard feature. Pictured tiléri charles-jones. 21/07/17 Thomas Kelsey
Poulton Hill Estate Vineyard feature. Pictured roses. 21/07/17 Thomas Kelsey
Poulton Hill Estate Vineyard feature. Pictured tiléri charles-jones. 21/07/17 Thomas Kelsey

You can join Poulton estate for a relaxed tour around their vineyard, where they will take you through the history and the growing of grapes. From there, you can sample a selection of their wines at their Cellar Door. Tours start at 11am and last about 1 ½ hours. Tickets cost £15 per person, with a maximum of 20 tickets available for each tasting.

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Tours run Monday to Friday and one Saturday per month until Oct 2018.

For dates and to book your tour, please call Poulton Estate on: 0044 (0)1285 850257

Why not join Tiléri & Natalie for a harvest experience?
Harvest is one of the best times of year at Poulton Hill Estate. There is always a great atmosphere as you will work up and down the vines in pairs picking the fruit. If you would like to help out or learn more about what happens at harvest time in a vineyard, please contact them : info@poultonhillestate.co.uk

 

Huge Thank you to Tiléri and to Natalie who were fabulous hosts to us.  I really do take my hat off to all the hard work that you put into this vineyard. Its obvious it is so much more than a Job to you both. Salute 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷

Again I  wrote this blog because I love what they are doing at Poulton Estate and their wines.

I have not been paid to write this blog nor do I have any affiliation to Poulton Estate.

The wine drunk last night SPECIAL RESERVE RED 2016 was kindly given to me by Swami who bought it on our visit. Thanks Swami.

https://poultonhillestate.co.uk/

Twitter: @PoultonVineyard

 

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Very cool delivery van too!
Posted on

Astley Vineyard- Worcestershire- Part 3 WineGB🇬🇧

Hi again…… I know 3 blogs in a week! and there is more next week too.

Astley vineyard is actually the closest vineyard to my home in Worcestershire. (40 mins south of the UK’s 2nd city Birmingham)

When I started to taste more English still wines at trade events I really had to go and visit Astley as they are 15 minutes from my house. I spoke with them on twitter for a while and then about 7 months ago in Jan 2018 I visited for the first time. I haven’t written about them until now because there were big plans afoot at Astley which will all come clear in this blog.

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January 14th 2018, pruning in progress by Mum – BEV!

History:

Astley used to be the most northerly vineyard in the WORLD! When it was established in the Severn Valley, Worcestershire, in 1971.

The terroir for this part of Worcestershire where the vineyard is planted is Triassic Sandstone and about 200 million years old (ish) this provides excellent drainage and a naturally high acidity in the wines also.

The vineyard is on an east facing slope located by a deep valley which draws away cold air, 1/2 mile away from the river Severn which also moderates the micro climate.

Below is a geo map of the county. Sandstone was used for many of the old buildings in the county too. 

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The original founders, the Bache family, planted varieties such as Madeleine Angevine and Siegerrebe decades before its potential in England was realised. Many of these vines still stand – including their unique 46 year old Kerner – providing ASTLEY now with almost unrivalled maturity and heritage. There is also Pinot Noir, used for blending and some chardonnay……. which is used for nothing as it never ripens enough! It is being replaced in the not to distant future.

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Clearing and managing the woodland has been a big task too!

Jonty Daniels who was a bit of a legend amongst small English wine producers owned  the vineyard for over 24 years, and  retired in July 2017.

He wasn’t going to sell to just anybody, they had to have the same vision & values for the little estate that he had. So in 2017 the Haywood family bought the vineyard and moved in,  July 17′. 

There are 5 Haywood’s in the Family that are involved passionately in this new venture/adventure.

Dad & Owner:  Tim. Each time I have visited Tim is super busy getting his hands dirty and really getting stuck into every job on the estate. A far cry I’m sure from his past life as a Financial Director in the City.

Mum:  Bev. The first time I met Bev she was pruning the vines in Jan. On their website it describes Bev as the lynch pin holding it all together. Bev if you are anything like my mother & I am sure that you are. We would all be lost without our Mums.

Son:  Chris. Chris exudes passion for this project! A great guy and like the whole family 100% committed every day to anything that the vineyard requires. He spent 2 years at a luxury wine shop and is WSET Level 3 qualified, Chris is Astley’s wine man.

The Finnish Wife of Chris: Matleena, who is the business manager and accounts dept.

Daughter: Daisy. Resident Landscape Architect and artist. Daisy lends her creative eye to projects and looks after the estate woodland and gardens.

Plans.

The previous owner Jonty always had the wine made at a large commercial vineyard but the Haywood’s have other plans completely. They want control over the whole process. 

The first part of this I saw a few months ago, in early May, where the foundations for the new winery & the new tasting room & shop were getting underway.

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Under Construction winery and Tasting room April/May 2018

Everything has changed at Astley…… well except for the vines!. Their new Astley branding for the business together with their new beautiful bottle labels are a credit to them. A collaboration with the very talented team at Wearebeard, based in Worcester. In fact I must get in touch with them to get new pietrovini branding!

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Love their new LOGO with corkscrew incorporated.

New nature inspired labels incorporating the wildlife around the vineyard. Please click on any of the bottles above to get much larger image. It will open a new page.

So now in July, just a few short months after the start of new buildings, the new shop and tasting room are complete. The winery will be finished imminently. 

 

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The new mural on the wall by WEAREBEARD is awesome!

So the new tasting room has a great layout including a bar!, plenty of tables and seating and even a quite corner to relax in too.

The whole ethos of what the Haywood’s are doing at Astley is a credit to them, they understand that they are a boutique winery with only 5 acres of vines, they will never make much more than 10,000 bottles per year. So to that end they have made the whole vineyard extremely  visitor friendly, from walking through the woodland to the vineyard, or just popping in to have a glass of their wine on the new terrace. (Licence will be in place within weeks.) They will also be opening as a bar once or twice a month on a Friday or Saturday night, ticket only to enjoy their wines. Check website for updates.

Not only are they doing their own wine tasting sessions but Chris is providing monthly tastings for other wines from all over the world too. Sometimes these are just tasting nights but also they are doing gourmet food nights with wine matching each course. Which are quite the event.

Starting with a quick tour of the vines with Chris and some Q&A too.

Then a stroll up through the vines to the huge Teepee where the wines and delicious food is served.

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YUM!

These events will take place frequently, there are 3 over the next few weeks. Take a look at the website link https://www.astleyvineyard.co.uk/events if you fancy a great night in the vines. Perfect Summer BBQ wines, Natural wines & the KERNER tasting experience which is not to be missed.

Join the Haywood family for a special exploration of the Kerner grape. Focusing on wines made from Kerner, you will taste an exclusive range of wines both from their private collection, as well as from Astley Vineyard’s unreleased stocks. Unlike their other events, you will sit down with their entire family and  explore wine as a group.

 

About time I started talking about their delicious wines.

Madeleine

 

 

 

Madeleine Angevine 2016 or “MAD ANGIE” as is sometimes known in the UK.

Grapes: Madeleine Angevine

Alc: 11.5% 

Residual Sugar: 7.6 g/L

Total Acidity: 9.2 g/L

A delicate wine floral on the nose, on the palate grapefruit with a touch of peachy notes too. On the finish the there is crisp acidity with a little mineral note too. A real citrus blast of a wine. a real foodie wine. 

RRP £ 11.00 Bargain!

 

 

Severn-Vale

Severn Vale 2016 

Grapes: Bacchus, Madeleine Angevine, Kerner & tiny drop of Oaked Sauvignon Blanc too.

Alc: 10.5% 

Residual Sugar: 10.2 g/L

Total Acidity: 8.4 g/L

This is a fabulous light summer wine for sitting out on the patio in the sunshine. Off dry. On the nose its apples all the way! On the palate ripe fruit with a crunchy green apple freshness delighting with a light floral note,  which then leads to more rich tropical notes and citrus acidity from the MAD ANGIE and Kerner on the finish. The SB in the wine gives a little roundness on the finish, but as its only about 2% its not made it feel oaky in anyway shape or form.

RRP £ 10.00

 

 

Sabrinna

Sabrinnã 2016

Grapes: Siegerrebe & Bacchus

Alc: 11.5% 

Residual Sugar: 3.8 g/L

Total Acidity: 6.1 g/L

This is quite a big wine on the nose with a multitude of huge tropical fruit flavours filling the nose which makes you desperate to taste. Super fruity wine, yet dry. Mango, pineapple, passionfruit with the zest of limes. An absolute delight. In fact I drank one last night.

This wine is a great aperitif however it will be stunning with Asian food, spiced foods or as I had last night crab pâté on granary toast with ripe tomatoes.

RRP £ 16.00 

 

 

Bacchus

 

 

Bacchus 2016

Grapes: Bacchus

Alc: 10.5%

Residual Sugar: 9.7 g/L

Total Acidity: 8.5 g/L

For those of you who have not heard about Bacchus, well for me it’s to England what Sauvignon Blanc is to NZ.

It’s a crisp & dry wine, it’s packed with flavours of elderflower, kiwi fruit, lime, grapefruit and crisp green apples. All this fruit flavour yet dry but with a good acidity and a lingering finish too. Every time I taste this wine new flavours appear its a really delicious wine.

RRP £ 16.00

 

 

 

OVK

Old Vine Kerner 2015

Grapes: Kerner from 45 yr old vines

Alc: 11.5%

Residual Sugar: 10.3 g/L

Total Acidity: 8.8 g/L

For me without a doubt this is Astley Vineyards flagship wine. Its truly wonderful, I cant quite get my head round the fact that its from Worcestershire and 15 minutes from my house!

Slightly off dry this wine is elegant on the nose with fresh elderflower & honeysuckle. On the palate its white peaches, elderflower, a zestyness of freshness too. On the end it has a little nutty and spicey touch too.

I was and am a big fan of this wine. I bought this wine, then went back within a few days to get a case. It definitely has some aging potential too.

RRP £ 19.50

 

 

 

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Vintage Spakling Kerner 2014

Grapes: Kerner

Alc: 10.5%

Residual Sugar: 11.8 g/L

Total Acidity: 9.8 g/L

Now I’m going to review this when the next vintage comes out as its not now for sale as its all been sold.

What’s interesting it’s really a great English Sparkling wine that is not made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier.

RRP £ 28.50 SOLD OUT (SORRY)

But you can have by the glass in Central London at the Coral Rooms at the Bloomsbury hotel. 

 

 

 

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What a great sign! As you enter field of  vines

Images above were taken by me this morning 5th Aug 2018. 46 year old Kerner vines and this years crop so far.

There are great plans a foot and the grape press is being delivered tomorrow, so I will keep you informed about Astley’s new in house winery too.

 I wrote this because I love what they are doing at Astley and their wines.

I bought their wines myself and have not been paid to write this blog nor do I have any affiliation.

 

Useful Links.

Astley Vineyard – https://www.astleyvineyard.co.uk/

Twitter: @AstleyVineyard

Wine GB. https://www.winegb.co.uk/

Twitter: @Wine_GB

We Are Beard ( Label and logo designers) https://www.wearebeard.com/

Twitter: @wearebeard

 

Posted on

Welsh Wine. White Castle Vineyard- Part 2 WineGB🇬🇧

Hello again….. SO SOON haha.

Well I mentioned in my Part 1, WINE GB, piece last Sunday about Robb Merchant who is the Chairman of the Welsh Vineyards Association and also owner of White Castle Vineyard whom I had met at the Wine GB event in London.

White Castle Vineyard is owned by Robb & Nicola Merchant, situated in the beautiful rolling countryside of Monmouthshire (WALES!) in the village of Llanvetherine close to the towns of Abergavenny and Monmouth. 

Robb had worked for the Post Office in South Wales for a long time in a senior management role which was a pretty stressful life and he decided to get away from the rat race.

Robb & Nicola purchased the 12 acre small holding in 1995 which they then converted the milking parlour barn into their home. It was then 2008 before the dream of owning a vineyard became a reality, 5 acres of a gently sloping, south facing field was purchased adjacent to the property. Soil samples were tested to see if it was ok for vines and they had the thumbs up, so off they went and purchased the vines.

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In May 2009 the first 4000 vines were planted. Pinot Noir Précoce, Regent, Rondo, Seyval Blanc & Phoenix varieties so now there certainly was no going back. In May 2010 they planted another 800 vines this time the variety was Siegerrebe.

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So in early May one beautiful sunny Sunday morning I suggested to Mrs D that we should take a ride out in the car….. towards Abergavenny…. maybe call in to a vineyard… I have to say my wife is a super star and enjoys wine too….. although just about tolerates by obsession.

On to Google……. I know they are open. I intend to surprise Robb unannounced. Which I have to say he took extremely well as he was busy and had a tasting/tour an hour after we arrived. Sorry Robb. Proper Gentleman.

After a quick hello and introductions to our wives we decided to check out the 5 acre vineyard. Now I know to some people this will sound so small but the passion that Robb & Nicola put in is incredible. Their aim is to make boutique wines (and making them they definitely are) and because production is less than 10,000 bottles per year unfortunately most of their wines will go to the ever expanding top restaurants (including Michelin Star) in the area. Although there is nothing stopping you ordering the wines directly from their website. However there are plans for expansion of the vineyard…. watch this space.

So through the Grade 2 listed barn, dating back to 1581! Now been totally restored, as a tasting room, for tours, hire and events.

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Over the beautiful river bridge, wow the water is so clear! I know it looks empty but it really is not. The water of these rivers and streams in Wales is incredible.

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To the Vineyard where the vines are waking up from their winter sleep. 6th May 2018.

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So after a walk around, seeing how the different vines (grape) varieties were at different stages of growth we went back to the tasting rooms to try WELSH WINE!

Now because of their size its not practical to have their own winery, so they use Three Choirs Vineyard for their winemaking which is only 25 miles away. https://www.three-choirs-vineyards.co.uk/gloucestershire .

That said Robb & Nicola decide the whole process of how they want the wines made.

Starting off with “GWIN GWYN” 2016 which is Welsh means WHITE WINE.

Grape Varieties: 60% Phoenix % 40% Siegerebe 11% ABV RRP £15.00

On the nose its predominantly Elderflower, then on the palate its a lime, gooseberries, and super fresh. Its a dry wine with a lovely zesty finish. Also right on the end of the finish I was getting sherbet (but not in a fizzy way!)

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Next was the White Castle Brut sparkling wine:

Made from 100% Phoenix Grapes 12% ABV RRP £30.00. 1000 Btl Production

When poured this wine has super fine perlage, zesty fresh on the nose. On the palate it feels soft & delicate with elderflower & gooseberry notes classic of the Phoenix grape. 

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Next up was White Castle Regent.

100% Regent Grapes. 11.5% ABV. RRP.£18.50

This pours red with a violet edge and looks and smells super fresh. On the palate its fruit, fruit and then more fruit! Blackberry, Morello Cherry with a lovely smokiness too. Its so fresh and a would be a delight on a summers day with a BBQ or any time with a plate of charcuterie. This wine I think would also be lovely, slightly chilled down to 12-14c 

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RONDO was next. 

100% RONDO grapes, 11.5% ABV RRP £17.50.

Again this red wine is bright cherry red in the glass, fresh berries on the nose with a touch of spice too. In the mouth its black fruit all the way, medium bodied not to heavy at all but dry on the palate finishing with a lightness of oak too. Spends 4 months in OAK.

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Next to PINOT NOIR…. But not any old PN

100% Pinot Noir Précoce 2016, Known in Germany as Frühburgunder. This is a mutant of original PN which ripens earlier for cooler climate vineyards. 12% ABV RRP. £20.00

This for me really is their flagship wine. This wine spends 9 months on oak

25% No OAK, 25% New OAK, 25% + 25% in differently aged oak barrels. Then blended.

On the nose it has a much bigger and bolder feel than the Regent or Rondo. In the mouth its fresh but at the same time a great richness of cherries with blackberry touch too, vanilla, lightly spicy and subtle toasty notes too. So soft on the palate and so well balanced with tannins and acidity. (The PN Précoce is known for its lower tannin and acidity and it really shows) I liked this wine a lot. In fact Robb put me a case by please! 

I actually had this wine last night, you can check my twitter feed. I was sat in the garden when my neighbour, knowing I like the odd glass of wine (really???) asked what I was drinking, Welsh wine I replied….

She laughed, yeah yeah, no really what are you drinking I told her I was deadly serious and she should try it. She tried the wine (well her face was an absolute picture.) and then put down the glass and picked up the bottle…. I cannot believe that this wine is from Wales, it really is WELSH WINE! its delicious so smooth full of fruit and well just…. delicious!. My reply was that its only 40 minutes away near Abergavenny and you can go and visit and get your own haha. 

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Last but not least….. DESSERT WINE yes really a dessert wine made in WALES.

1581 its called, due to the date of the old Croft Barn, it is made from 100% Regent grapes. This is delicious and should be drunk with a beautiful cheese, figs and dates  platter. Only 500 Bottles made.  I will be reviewing this later after a tasting with friends. I’m going to see who guesses where its from and what its made from…… NO ONE WILL HAVE A CLUE!

So overall are these wines any good?

Well I guess the proof is in the purchases. I bought all of the wines reviewed!.

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You should go and visit! You will certainly have a very warm welcome from Robb & Nicola.

Below are some great pictures Robb has sent me from the 2016 & 2017 harvests.

If you are in area please go and visit, there are lots of top restaurants near by also.

http://www.whitecastlevineyard.com/index.html

Follow Robb and Nicola on Twitter: @Welshwines for a year of their vineyard. But more importantly try their WINE!!!!

Also check out 

http://www.winetrailwales.co.uk/

For other vineyards in Wales, although the list is increasing all the time as I see https://www.montgomeryvineyard.com/ are not on the list yet.

Also check out https://www.winegb.co.uk/ for England and Wales Vineyards.

Also another great website is https://www.winecellardoor.co.uk/

Which is a great independent resource for the consumer find out more about locations and which Vineyards that are open to the public. They have great maps online.

 

Posted on

WINE GB🇬🇧 Part 1

Hello

Great Britain is making seriously good… no seriously bloody great wines!

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Wine GB is the premier wine event for the UK wine industry held at the Royal Horticultural Society Lindley Hall in London. All of the Vineyards at the event are listed at the end of this blog with their websites and twitter handles too. Please check some of them out.

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For sure Great Britain is known for its stunning (worldwide) award winning sparkling wines, however what really was the shocker for me is how fantastic English still wines have become also!.

Just a few FACTS about GB wine industry to get you started:

(ALL FACTS FROM WINE GB WEBSITE)

Commercial Vineyards: 502

Wineries: 147

Hectares Under Vine: 2554 (6308 Acres) Hectarage planted has tripled since 2000

Vines Planted in 2017: 1 Million

Predicted Planting for 2018: 1.5 to 1.7 Million Vines

Annual Wine Production: 5.9million bottles (2017) Predicted 2040 – 40 Million

Vineyards open to the public: 150+

Bottles of wine sold in 2017: +31% from 2015

Types of wine sold: Still wine 32% (1.9m btl) Sparkling 68% 4m Bottles

Export: 27 Countries (4% of wine produced)

Top Grape Varieties: No1. Pinot Noir 31.5%, No.2 Chardonnay 30.2% No.3 Pinot Meunier 9.5%. These 3 sparkling varieties account for 71.2% of all grapes grown in GB currently.

So I spent the morning tasting Sparkling wines. From table to table, one vineyard to the next the quality was outstanding. Below were my sparkling wines of the morning, however ALL the sparkling I tasted on the day were of such a high quality.

Wiston Estate: Cuvée 2009, Blanc de Blancs RRP £ 32.95 &

Wiston 2010 & Blanc de Noirs 2010 RRP £47.00

Hambledon: Vineyards: Première Cuvée NV RRP £42.50

Gusbourne: Blanc de Blancs 2013 RRP £35.00

Nyetimber: Blanc de Blancs 2010 £43.99

Cottonworth: Classic Cuvée NV RRP £28.00

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Now I have written a few pieces lately on Sparkling wines (check the archive) so I am not reviewing any of these sparkling wines today. What I have mentioned earlier are the wonderful still wines GB is now producing.

I bumped into my great wine buddy Mike again! (www.pleasebringmemywine.com @pbmmw – twitter) who told me that I needed to taste a wine. I was stood next to the Welsh Vineyards Association stand. I did not have very high hopes. How wrong was I!

OK once again I was proved to be a complete muppet! I ended up being there 20 mins and having a great and interesting  tasting!  

So I was introduced to Woody from Montgomery Vineyard who poured me a glass of white wine

It was 100% Solaris grape variety 2016.

Solaris meaning “Sun” is an early ripening variety originally from Germany and perfect for the cooler climate of Wales. Its fruity & Zesty with a fresh slightly off dry feel, then with tropical, slightly nutty finish. Great Summer sipping! Approx RRP. £20

Then came the second wine. RONDO 2016: This is a medium bodied red with a big redberry fruit burst. Rondo is again a cool climate grape variety. Approx RRP £20

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I’m looking forward to visiting soon to further follow up on these wines. (please note this vineyard is not open to the public ….. YET)

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Then I met Robb Merchant, who is currently Chairman of the Welsh Vineyard Association & also owner of White Castle Vineyards in Abergavenny. Only about 40 mins from my house actually…. but that’s another story in a couple of blogs time (next week I promise!) 5 Acres 4800 vines, truly a great story. Pinot Noir Précoce 2016 Approx RRP £20

This intrigued me to start to look for all the other still wines at the tasting. 

Denbies Wine Estate was my next stop. This estate is based in Surrey in the south East of England and the vines were planted in 1986. Denbies is currently the largest producer in the UK with circa. 500,000 bottles per year. Now they make a lot of sparkling wines but I was interested mainly in their range of still wines.

What drew me too the table was I saw in the catalogue that they had Pinot Gris & I love Pinot Gris.

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The Pinot Gris poured was very pale in colour, so a good start. On the nose there was brioche and ripe fruits. It has lots of body and has a full on mouth feel, but with zesty acidity on the finish its beautifully balanced. Approx Retail £17 Bargain!  

PINOT NOIR 2016. Well I’m quite fussy about the old PN as it goes but I was pleasantly surprised by this full on single varietal PN. Fairly light cherry red  in the glass. On the nose and the palate it was a plummy/raspberry delight. I could have easily pulled up a chair, sipped all afternoon and would have done if there was also a nice plate of charcuterie. 

Just before I left Denbies table I was asked would I like to try the dessert wines. Well to be honest that was a new one for me. I actually didn’t know GB wine industry made any. I was put right then and have been since too. I’ve always been a fan of dessert wines and have at least 20 different types at home. So of course I jumped at the chance.

Denbies produce 2 dessert wines. Noble Harvest 2016 & The Brokes Botrytis Ortega 2016

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Both Wines are made from 100% Ortega Grapes. While the Noble harvest was delicious, golden in the glass & heavenly on the palate 12%ABV (RRP £24.95 Half bottle) The Brokes Botrytis 2016 was just stunning wine and winemaking. 10%ABV deep rich golden nectar in colour, absolutely heavenly on the nose, and the palate is divine, caramelised orange, a touch of vanilla from the oak barrels and OH OH OH so rich. Yet on the finish it is not cloyingly sweet and is a pretty clean finish. Only a 500 bottle production unfortunately but if you can get it its worth the cost. RRP £60.00

Before I bore you all to death I have one more wine to share with you.

Simpsons Wine Estate “The Roman Road Chardonnay 2017”

Ashleigh from Simpsons was telling me that it wasn’t quite ready as it had only been bottled for less than 2 weeks, however they were really wanting to show the trade their new Chardonnay. This was their 2nd vintage of the wine only. On my initial tasting I was very impressed considering the length of time in the bottle and had barely had time to settle. I then tasted the wine another month later at the London Wine Fair and it was developing amazingly.

The Roman Road Chardonnay 2017 Bottle shot

This is an elegant Chardonnay, it has only spent for 3 months in French Oak.

Its fresh on the nose, with a lime zestiness and white peaches (just like the wonderful ripe white peaches I have in Italy for a true Bellini)

On the palate its mineral, citrus and super clean with the slightest touch of vanilla & spice on the finish.  This wine is very good. RRP £22.99

The Roman Road Vineyard, is situated alongside the route the Romans first marched when invading England in AD 43, bringing with them the first vines. FACT!

The reason I haven’t written about this tasting until now is very simple. I wanted to go and explore what I had locally, central UK, within an hour of my house for more still wine gems. These blogs will be ongoing over the next two weeks and are on small boutique vineyards.

White Castle Vineyard, Astley Vineyard, & Poulton Hill Vineyard.

Please see below links to all the vineyards at WINE GB and also the relevant associations of county’s too. Also a great resource is the WINEGB website. Please take the time and explore these wonderful vineyards. 

ORGANISERS

Wines of Great Britain

http://www.winegb.co.uk/visitors/ Twitter: @wine_GB

VINEYARDS EXHIBITING

A’BECKETT’S VINEYARD http://www.abecketts.co.uk   Twitter: @abecketts 

ALBOURNE ESTATE http://www.albourneestate.co.uk  Twitter: @Albourneestate 

ALDWICK COURT FARM http://www.aldwickcourtfarm.co.uk  Twitter: @aldwickcourtfrm 

AMBRIEL http://www.ambrielsparkling.com  Twitter: @Ambriel_uk 

BIDDENDEN VINEYARDS http://www.biddendenvineyards.com  Twitter: @biddendenvine 

BLACK CHALK http://www.blackchalkwine.co.uk  Twitter: @blackchalkwine 

BLUEBELL VINEYARD ESTATES http://www.bluebellvineyard.co.uk  Twitter: @BluebellWines

BOLNEY WINE ESTATE http://www.bolneywineestate.com  Twitter: @bolneyestate

BRIGHTWELL VINEYARD http://www.brightwellvineyard.co.uk

CAMEL VALLEY VINEYARD http://www.camelvalley.com  Twitter: @camelvalleybob & @camelwinemaker

CHAPEL DOWN http://www.chapeldown.com  Twitter: @ChapelDownWines

COATES & SEELY http://www.coatesandseely.com  Twitter: @coatesandseely 

COTTONWORTH WINES http://www.cottonworth.co.uk  Twitter: @cottonworthwines 

DANEBURY VINEYARD http://www.danebury.com Twitter: @daneburyfizz 

DENBIES WINE ESTATE LTD http://www.denbies.co.uk Twitter: @denbiesvineyard 

DIGBY FINE ENGLISH http://www.digby-fine-english.com  Twitter: @DigbyEnglish 

DUNLEAVY VINEYARD http://www.dunleavyvineyards.co.uk  Twitter: @DYvineyards

EXTON PARK VINEYARD http://www.extonparkvineyard.com  Twitter: @ExtonVineyard 

FURLEIGH ESTATE http://www.furleighestate.co.uk Twitter: @furleighwines 

GIFFORDS HALL VINEYARD LTD http://www.giffordshall.co.uk  Twitter: @giffordshall 

GREYFRIARS VINEYARD http://www.greyfriarsvineyard.co.uk  Twitter: @Greyfriarsvine 

GUSBOURNE ESTATE LTD http://www.gusbourne.com  Twitter: @gusbourne 

GWINLLAN CONWY VINEYARD http://www.conwyvineyard.co.uk  Twitter: @conwyvineyard 

HAMBLEDON WINERIES LIMITED http://www.hambledonvineyard.co.uk  Twitter: @Hambledonwine 

HARROW & HOPE http://www.harrowandhope.com  Twitter: @HarrowandHope 

HATTINGLEY VALLEY WINES http://www.hattingleyvalley.co.uk  Twitter: @hattingleywines 

HIDDEN SPRING VINEYARD http://www.hiddenspring.co.uk  Twitter: @hiddenspringuk 

HUSH HEATH ESTATE http://www.hushheath.com  Twitter: @HushHeath 

JENKYN PLACE VINEYARD http://www.jenkynplace.com  Twitter: @jenkynplacewine 

LANGHAM WINE ESTATE http://www.langhamwine.co.uk  Twitter: @LanghamWinery 

LLAETHLIW VINEYARD http://www.llaethliw.co.uk  Twitter: @Llaethliw 

LYME BAY WINERY http://www.lymebaywinery.co.uk Twitter: @LymeBayWineLtd 

MONTGOMERY VINEYARD http://www.montgomeryvineyard.co.uk Twitter: @montgomery_vy 

NYETIMBER http://www.nyetimber.com Twitter: @Nyetimber 

OXNEY ORGANIC ESTATE http://www.oxneyestate.com  Twitter: @oxneyestate 

RAIMES ENGLISH SPARKLING http://www.raimes.co.uk , Twitter: @RaimesSparkling 

RIDGEVIEW WINE ESTATE http://www.ridgeview.co.uk Twitter: @RidgeviewWineUK 

SIXTEEN RIDGES http://www.sixteenridges.co.uk Twitter: @16ridges 

SIMPSON WINES. https://simpsonswine.com/ Twitter: @simpsonwine

SMITH AND EVANS http://www.smithandevans.co.uk  Twitter: @smithandevans 

THREE CHOIRS VINEYARDS http://www.three-choirs-vineyards.co.uk  Twitter: @threechoirsnewent 

WESTWELL WINE ESTATES http://www.westwellwines.com  Twitter: @westwellwines

WHITE CASTLE VINEYARD http://www.whitecastlevineyard.com  Twitter: @Welshwines 

WINDSOR GREAT PARK VINEYARD http://www.windsorgreatparkvineyard.com 

WISTON ESTATE WINERY http://www.wistonestate.com  Twitter: @WistonSparkling 

WYFOLD VINEYARD http://www.wyfoldvineyard.com 

REGIONAL VINEYARD ASSOCIATIONS

SOUTH WEST VINEYARDS ASSOCIATION http://www.swva.info  Twitter: @SWVineyardsUK 

WELSH VINEYARDS ASSOCIATION http://www.winetrailwales.co.uk Twitter: @winetrailwales 

SOUTH EAST VINEYARDS ASSOCIATION http://www.seva.uk.com Twitter: @englishwinenews 

EAST ANGLIA VINEYARDS ASSOCIATION http://www.eastanglianwines.co.uk Twitter: @InfoEAVA 

THAMES & CHILTERNS VINEYARDS ASSOCIATION thameschilternsvineyards.org.uk 

MERCIAN VINEYARDS ASSOCIATION http://www.mercianvineyards.org.uk Twitter: @MercianVineyard 

WESSEX VINEYARDS ASSOCIATION http://wessex.wine 

I hope ALL of the above info is correct… If Not let me know and I will edit immediately.

 

Back in a few days……

 

Peter