We have been pretty busy so far this Spring, and will be right up to May with our WSET Accredited Wine Courses, mostly for Yacht Crew in the run up to what will no doubt be an interesting Summer season…..but that’s for another Yachtie BLOG! Meanwhile we have been asked continually for a gentler approach to Wine Appreciation, skills and knowledge that might be acquired at a more leisurely pace.
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All prices are quoted TTC per 75cl bottle, unless otherwise stated.
Payment and Delivery Terms are outlined at the end of this list.
Fabulous Fizz
Until such time as we can source a New World Fizz at the right price and which delivers a real point of difference, we are offering just one Champagne. But it’s a “Name Dropping Fizz” – we’ve dropped the idea of using big names!
So rather than go for a brand or so called Grande Marque which I believe hold falsely high retail prices almost through a monopoly pricing strategy, we’ve hunted out a small but highly regarded Champagne house to be the FWW Champagne of choice.
Vilmart & Cie from Rilly-la-Montagne have been producing their distinctive Champagnes since 1890 from their own bio-dynamically farmed Premier Cru status vineyards and use larger oak “foudres” for all their non-vintage Cuvées and smaller 225 litre “barriques” for their vintage and premium wines (sort of “mini Krug”). Top Champagne writer Tom Stevenson rates Vilmart as “the finest Grower Champagne I know” WINE magazine. Guru critic, Robert Parker rates the full range well into the 90’s (out of 100 possible points!)
See our Fine Wine List for opportunities to pre-order other Champagnes from this producers range.
Vilmart & Cie Grande Réserve Brut NV . 22.90€
Champagne, France
Can’t quite believe that this is their “entry level” champagne! 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay (actually no Pinot Meunier used in any of their cuvées), this has such finesse and delicate aromatics – fresh fern, honeysuckle and jasmine and notable white fruits (pear, nectarine and Mirabelle plum) on the palate then a delectable length with a hint of ginger nut biscuit on the finish. This is the one we’re opting for initially, although I would hope to offer perhaps one or two from the rest of the range at a later stage once word spreads.
***STOP PRESS***As of 22nd April, FWW have been appointed Agent for Vilmart in the Cote d’Azur.
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Think Pink! – Ravishing Rosés
Here we are in the land of inexhaustible rosé wine supply and yet there is so much more beyond Provence (it’s just difficult to find others here!).
Herederos Lurton Rosado . 2007/8 . 7.35€
Castilla Y Leon, Spain
The region of Castilla Y Leon encompasses both the fine wine areas of Rioja and Ribera del Duero, the grape here is known locally as Tinta de Toro but is none other than Spain’s celebrity red – Tempranillo. The vibrant deep pink colour is bottled Spanish sunshine, bursting with bright red fruits such as strawberry & raspberry, but with an added layer of mandarin and spicy pepper. This is the perfect versatile lunch wine: crisp and cold, just like a White wine, yet with bouncier fruit and structure, yet more refreshing than a Red.
Drink with: Basque Chicken with Peppers; Chorizo & Chickpeas; brilliant with Turkey; any Tapas & Mezze and a wow with Chicken Satay.
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Mas Janeil Gris . 2008 . 7.92€
VdP Cotes Catalanes, France
A more different Rosé to the Spanish one you could not imagine – and a refreshingly different sort of Pink to the typical Provence Rosé – made principally from Grenache Noir with a little elegant Grenache Gris & floral Macabeu – pale and refined with crunchy redcurrant fruit – the perfect “Picnic Pink”
Drink with: Poached Salmon with Cucumber & Dill Salsa; Caesar or Nicoise Salad; Prawn Cocktail and other cold Seafood and Fishy Nibbles.
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Crisp, delicate Whites
Sometimes you don’t need depth, or complexity, or overpoweringly intense fruity flavours – when your hand reaches to the fridge door, sometimes all one craves is crisp, clean purity and a delicate yet refreshing chilled glass of white….look no further!
Hermanos Lurton Verdejo . 2007/8 . 9.75€
DO Rueda, Spain
Looking for something Sauvignon-like with a little ‘ole’ Flamenco fruit with a taut Spanish guitar acidity? Pleasing citrusy, slightly honeyed aroma with a hint of white flowers – Jasmine? Oh yes, and cantaloupe melon!! Soft fruit with a zesty citrus minerality, passionfruit, lime and grapefruit to taste and a cute herbal finish.
Drink with: Great with fish and all things from the sea! A perfect aperitif too. Food writer and evangelist, Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall swears that Verdejo is the wine for oysters. Me – I love it with Gazpacho!
Recipe suggestion: Crab crostini with samphire and shaved fennel – keep the white meat simple, (squeeze of lemon, salt & pepper) and mix a little chopped chilli and dill into the brown meat, pile on to ciabatta crostini (don’t go too heavy on the garlic) and sit on a pile of steamed samphire with some very finely shaved fennel, drizzled with a light & fruity olive oil.
Tierra de Luna Torrontes . 2008 . 7.60€
Mendoza, Argentina
Pale lemon gold, floral almost suggestive of a delicate Gewurztraminer on the nose. Soft chalky minerality, with racy acidity, this has a lovely weight – medium bodied mouthfeel, with crisp grapefruit flavours finishing with a marzipan flourish – fabulously refreshing!
Drink with: Sweet ‘n’ Sour Chinese dishes, Asian dishes with a bit of a chilli kick – the flowery character copes well with hot food. Thai fishcakes with a Dipping Sauce would be a dream.
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Savanha Chenin Blanc . 2007 . 8.22€
Western Cape, South Africa
The great grape of the Loire, here in its other spiritual homeland: Pale in colour with an enticingly citrus nose, this is a typically zippy South African Chenin with a good concentration of sub tropical fruit, apricot and guava resonate with the exuberance of a New World white. Well balanced with fresh citrus acidity and a dry finish, this is a great party wine with impressive depth.
Drink with: This wine is perfect for drinking by the glass but also compliments light seafood dishes and salads. Super with vegetarian dishes like chargrilled Mediterranean vegetables and sensational with Roast Pork – with or without Apple Sauce!
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Aromatic, spicy Whites
Vibrant whites with more complex, herbaceous and pungent character: wines that you instinctively turn to when choosing fish & seafood and whose personality won’t be swamped and overshadowed by bigger flavours. I make no excuse for including three different Sauvignon Blancs here as it is by far the most recognisable White grape variety, and these examples show just how complex and versatile a little Diva she can be!
Los Arbolitos Sauvignon Blanc . 2008 . 7.65€
Central Valley, Chile
The Central Valley is the powerhouse of Chilean wine and in style & flavour profile this sits pretty much halfway between the grassy and herby Loire (Sancerre & Pouilly Fumé) and the piercing tropicality of New Zealand. Here citrus and tropical fruits marry harmoniously with some “three in a bed” stone fruit (peach & nectarine) to deliver a superbly approachable dry and fruity white.
Drink with: The classic partner of Sauvignon Blanc is Goat’s Cheese – where a Sancerre might be best with a young fresh crottin, try this with oven baked or grilled Goat’s Cheese Crostini with a Salad of Soft Herbs (Tarragon, Coriander and especially Dill). Works brilliantly with fish dishes where there is aniseed or fennel flavours. Marvellous too with a Globe Artichoke Risotto, Brandade de Morue and proper “British” Fish & Chips.
Recipe suggestion: Salsa Verde – sort of like a Pesto sauce but with herbs such as Dill, Parsley, Mint and Tarragon (just about any combination) rather than Basil – smash a couple of garlic cloves, add a handful of each of the chopped herbs, some chopped capers, anchovies (optional), a teaspoon or so of Dijon mustard and a few squeezes of lemon – drizzle in enough olive oil to a sloppy consistency – serve with Grilled Chicken or Fish.
Sancerre “Les Demoiselles” . 2007 . 14.30€
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Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc . 2008 . 12.35€
Marlborough, New Zealand
Exceptional aromatic ripe gooseberry and lime characters dominate this wine, with hints of green capsicum. The depth and intensity of ripe varietal flavours that this wine presents is a direct reflection of the prolonged fruit ripening policy that Villa Maria pursues in its Marlborough Vineyard. SB has been graced with the charming scent characteristics of “Cat’s Pee on a Gooseberry Bush”, but this has altogether more class! Almost tart with acidity but plenty of fruit to balance it – how very refreshing! I get a bit of asparagus but heaps of lime too, and a little bit of passion fruit coming through on the finish – this for me is what hallmarks it as a Marlborough Sauvignon
Drink with: Modern and contemporary food – try it with Sushi, Sashimi (go steady with the Wasabi) and fishy “fusion” food. A must with sweet Scallops griddled with Pancetta or Boudin Noir. It worked for me with a Grilled Brill (Barbue here) and Oyster Tempura
FWW Wine Fact: My mate Alastair Maling MW is the winemaker here – Villa Maria have also pioneered the use of stelvin (screw cap) as THE preferred closures for Marlborough Sauvignon – finally Cloudy Bay have followed and so the screw cap reigns supreme here
Full, rich & ripe Whites
Wines in this section are not necessarily huge teeth shattering blockbusters, but they exhibit riper fruit styles, richer Chardonnays, and full bodied whites with enough complexity and layers to cope with gutsier flavours.
Beringer “Stone Cellars” Chardonnay . 2005/6 . 8.20€
California, USA
Unmistakeably Californian! Cinnamon, nougat and toasted almonds on the nose and then wafts of pineapple and mango come through. On the palate the citrus flavours shine – ruby grapefruit and candied lemons. Enough crisp acidity and well integrated oak which finishes with a lush, seamlessly long, plush flavour of Crème Brulée.
Drink with: Creamy Saffron Risotto, Grilled Chicken, Corn & Crab Chowder, Sweet Onion & Pancetta Tart – seriously chill it and take it to the beach with a Club Sandwich.
Recipe suggestion: Halibut (Fletan here in France) with Butternut Squash Puree – roast a quartered & de-seeded squash drizzled with olive oil and a sprinkle of crushed coriander & cumin seeds, scoop off the skins and blitz to a purée with a spoon or two of cream & plenty of seasoning. Grill or pan-fry the fish and sit on top of the puree and finish with a drizzle of infused curry oil
“Accademia del Sole” Chardonnay / Viognier . 2006 . 8.68€
IGT Sicily, Italy
Sicily has undergone a quality revolution and there are so many flying Aussie winemakers wandering around the island it feels like the Barossa ! Calatrasi have been at the forefront of this innovation and this peachy example offers full-bodied ripe apricots & boiled sweets – bold ripe and luscious with a fresh spicy palate and a nutty finish.
Drink with: Sweeter seafood such as Lobster and Langoustine, Savoury Crepes, Chicken in a Creamy White Wine Sauce with Tarragon. Perfetto with a Fettucine Alfredo or Spaghetti Carbonara.
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Light, fruity & easy Reds
Gentle, juicy red wines too sip on their own or with food, laid back wines which don’t ask you to work too hard. Not too high in alcohol or gum drying tannins – just balanced fruit flavours and sensuous pleasure in a glass!
“Fumées Blanches” Pinot Noir . 2007 . 8.03€
VdP d’Oc, France
Silky, perfumed, strawberry scented Pinot Noir – the red grape of Burgundy, but here at an approachable price ! Will stand being slightly chilled to give more fragrant redcurrant note with feisty acidity to cut through some fattier dishes.
Drink with: Platter of Charcuterie and Salami, classic Melon & Parma Ham, Cold Roast Beef and frankly, the ONLY wine one can have with Crispy Duck Pancakes!
Recipe suggestion: Rare Roast Beef, Roquefort Cheese, Walnut & Pickled Red Onion Salad – pan-fry well-seasoned Entrecote and keep rare – allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Skin and cut a couple of red onions into quarters, keeping as much of the core as possible so they keep their shape, drop into boiling water for a couple of minutes, drain and then tip into a pan with warmed olive oil, groundnut oil and balsamic vinegar (approx 100ml of each – equal quantities), squeeze of lemon, salt & pepper – these are best made a couple of hours in advance but will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge. Pile salad leaves onto plates, slice beef, crumble cheese, sprinkle with walnut halves and place a couple of chunks of red onion – drizzle the onion dressing over the plate & serve.
Bodega Lurton Bonarda . 2007/8 . 7.70€
Mendoza, Argentina
Until recently this was the most widely planted grape in Argentina, now overtaken by Malbec, and is related to one (or more??) red varieties in Piemont, NW Italy. Black & red fruits dominate – a real picnic in the forest! Sweet cherries and plums on the palate with a murmer of sweet fig & raisin. Great acidity here, as with all native Italian varieties, and something a little savoury on the finish – a real easy drinker!
Drink with: Any tomato based pasta, grilled spicy sausage (Merguez, Toulouse etc) and a natural playmate with Pizza. Enough zip to cut through a rich Paté or Terrine too.
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Bodega Muriel Reserva Rioja . 2001 . 13.45€
Rioja, Spain
A real dilemma as to which slot to pop this beauty as it falls between this light red category and the next one…but because it is a Reserva rather than a Gran Reserva, and is certainly soft enough to quaff on its own – here it is! Raspberry, blackberry with vanilla and toasty coconut then a finale of tobacco and liquorice – but this is modern and fruit driven – the best of both worlds in Rioja.
Drink with: Sooo good with lamb it almost bleats at you! Whether slow cooked Four Hour Lamb, a Roast Gigot with Garlic, Rosemary & Anchovies or perfectly tender and sweet Herb Crusted Cutlets, this is just brilliant. Will cope too with Mushrooms and Truffles – enough earthy flavours
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Spicy, warming Reds
Bigger, bolder red wines with attitude! Ripe fruit, spice, pepper – bring on the Barbeque season. Tending toward warmer climates, these wines offer the gourmand a chance to go mad at the Boucherie and even though Food & Wine Matching is as always, subjective, I can’t honestly recommend any of the following with a Dover Sole!
Beringer “Stone Cellars” Zinfandel . 2004/ . 8.25€
California, USA
A traditional and crowd-pleasing ‘American-Zin’ style. The resulting wines showcases clove, white pepper and jammy black fruit aromas that lead into a mouth full of black berries and sweet spice. Intense and rich with liquorice notes, this is a big, rich wine with distinctive raisined fruit and leathery character.
Drink with: Not many wines come out on top with an encounter with sweet, spicy, sharp barbeque sauce but this is the wine to triumph in the face of BBQ Ribs, don’t forget the rest of the grill – this is great with Hamburgers (with all those relishes), Steaks & Hotdogs. On a more sophisticated level, try this with Thanksgiving / Christmas Turkey – all those punchy flavoured accompaniments – good old Zin shines!!
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Terlato Chapoutier Shiraz Viognier . 2007 . 12.00€
Victoria, Australia
Here we have a nose that is very expressive of grape origins – this is a spicy Shiraz at its most typical. Amongst the baked and jammy fruit, there is a touch of something floral – violet? You’ll find this lifted floral perfume comes from the small amount of Viognier – just 5% in the blend, echoing classic Rhone practices. Medium bodied, but with quite a warm alcohol of 14%! Lots of red berry fruit plus some blueberries and even Turkish Delight. The tannins are quite supple – not really mouthdrying. Really generous fruit flavours, a big bouncy wine and a very contemporary style.
Drink with: Big roasts, peppery meat dishes like Chilli Con Carne & spicy Tex Mex – if there is too much tannin in a red wine served with chilli, the tannins can make the food seem hotter!
FWW Wine Fact: This is a co-production between Rhone guru, M. Chapoutier and a Californian winemaker, Anthony Terlato – here they’ve created an international Rhone style Shiraz – but with an imaginative Aussie twist.
Graham Beck Pinotage . 2005 . 13.45€
Franshhoek, South Africa
From a 3rd generation family winery, comes this classic bruiser of a wine from this, South Africa’s very own grape. Yes, there are burnt rubber notes, and coffee and savoury meaty flavours, but this Pinotage doesn’t succumb to overtly vegetal notes and stays true to deep berry, ripe cherry, sweet and spicy plum flavours with a background of earthy mushrooms. 12 months in American & French oak and you have a vanilla tinged beauty!
Drink with: Cassoulet, Confit Duck, Wild Boar & Cep Pasta & Gorgonzola. Can any wine survive a Curry – try our Pinotage, chilled.
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Complex, elegant Reds
This section includes examples of that magical duo – Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot – the subtle and exquisite mystery of a delightful Bordeaux, and a New World example of the much echoed and imitated pairing, from New Zealand. The adage of the “sum proving greater than the parts” never holds truer than when you have a glass of Cab /Merlot (known as “Meritage” in the USA) in your hand.
“Pilheiros” . 2005/6 . 9.95€
Douro, Portugal
Miss out Portugal at your peril! Some of the most exciting wine comes from the Port region along the Douro river. The hidden jewel in Europe: perfect climate, fabulous indigenous varieties, including Touriga Nacional – one of the most highly regarded Port varieties and now, with well-travelled winemakers proving their skill, we have a wine of poise and persistence. Seductive dark fruit nose, with some earthy, herbal spice and yet such complexity, I think this is a really interesting sniff and sip!
Drink with: Roast Venison with Tapanade – black olives can make even the fiercest tannins seem velvety and tame. Slow Braises and Casseroles such as Beef in a Port Sauce or Spiced Pork with Red Wine & Orange.
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Villa Maria Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot . 2006 . 14.00€
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
A lovely rounded and fleshy wine from the award winning Villa Maria winery – it’s berries all the way ! Loganberries, blueberries, mulberries ooze, then an underpinning of mocha. On the palate you’ll discover dark cherry and cassis with cedar and biscuity oak. Full and rich with fine grain tannins. Superb!
Drink with: Lamb, Beef or Duck – Roast Beef or a rare Entrecote with Herb Butter, Veal Chop with Capers & Garlic
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L’Oratoire de Chasse Spleen . 2004 . 16.80€
Bordeaux, France
Think you’ve heard the name before? It’s a 2nd Wine of a most illustrious estate in Bordeaux (see FWW Wine Facts below) and gives us crackingly good value, backbone and breeding! Garnet red, this wine has notes of vivid blackberry, liquorice and plum on the nose with definite cassis & blackcurrant leaf flavours on the palate. Excellent depth and concentration, subtle smoky oak and unbelievable finesse. You better get some of this before I’m tempted to drink the lot myself!
Drink with: Frankly, I’d treat yourself to a Cote de Boeuf (between two), a simple Rocket Salad and a large enough glass to let this wine breath and become ethereal perfection. PS I’ve also served it with Peppered Venison, Yorkshire Pudding and Horseradish Crème Fraiche…but that’s another story!
FWW Wine Facts: Moulis wines are often more approachable when young than some of their posher neighbours with fine vintages such as 2005 begging to be left alone for decades, this will reward the impatient quaffer earlier and more cheaply! L’Oratoire de Chasse Spleen is the 2nd Wine of Château Chasse Spleen: a 2nd wine is made from the grapes which, in these competitive and rating chasing time, didn’t make it into an estates Grand Vin. Often made from the grapes from younger vines (less than 20 years old), yet they share the same expertise, terroir and history as the Grand Vin but do NOT demand the same price – often a 1/3 of the price of the main wine – worth remembering in these “credit crunch” times. The 2004 vintage is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot and will drink well for the next 6 years or so. Château Chasse Spleen itself is thought to have been named by the melancholic English poet, Lord Byron, when he stayed there on route to Spain.
Sweeties – Dessert Wine
I know, there is only one wine here at the moment, but I’ve had to curb my own infatuation with what I call Pudding Wines and will see how this, our 1st List takes off before adding to it. Meanwhile, if I find I can lay my paws on some of the world’s fantastic non-French sweeties, then more examples may creep in…watch this space! Meanwhile, wary of Sauternes prices and snobbery, may we proudly present:
Chateau Graves Ste Croix du Mont . 2005 . 9.50€
Ste Croix du Mont, Bordeaux, France
From directly across the river Garonne to Sauternes & Barsac but at a mere fraction of the price, here is a glorious and heady mixture of pineapple, apricots and honey with a hint of acacia blossom and vanilla. This is a full, generous sweet wine, almost buttery in texture with great acidity.
Drink with: Foie-gras and rich Liver Patés; Creamy & Fruit desserts such as Crème Brulée and Bread & Butter Pudding; Roquefort and other salty Blue Cheese
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Funny how life takes you in different directions – we embarked on this Magical Mystery Tour here on the Riviera called Fine Wine Works almost 5 months ago, with a clear yet broad vision of the range of directions we would be heading in. (more…)