Yacht Gourmet Croatia

Your Wine Supply & Provisioning needs in Croatia solved!!!  We are delighted to announce that we will be working alongside Yacht Gourmet Croatia (www.yachtgourmetcroatia.com) this season to ensure that you get the best advice, service and, most importantly, WINE & Provisions when you leave the French Riviera and head off to the beautiful Dalmatian coast.  

As a small (but perfectly formed!) enterprise and business in an industry that demands such high levels of excellence, we here at FWW have recognised that where we can’t quite stretch geographically in terms of service, a similar sized & focussed company elsewhere in the Med could take over to meet your every need & wine requirement.

So, having known how Alessia & Marin of YGC have been building a loyal and resolute customer basis for a long time in Croatia, we recognise ourselves in them.  We can see that, like us, they are a determined young and independent business, whose staff will go so much further to meet your needs on a very personal level and who can offer a real and refreshing alternative to the other “big fish” suppliers here in the Mediterranean.

We do not take a “slice” of their business, but we share knowledge, contacts and goals. Knowing that we probably have more mutual and crossover yachting customers than even we realise, here is an opportunity to make sure that at least some of your charter destinations this Summer will be serviced and looked after smoothly and efficiently.  If you are planning to visit Croatia with owners or charterers this season, just let us know: we will then alert Alessia & Marin to your imminent arrival and together we will work really hard to make sure that you get what you want, wine-wise & provisioning and when and where you want it!

Together, the two companies will strive to give you the ultimate in service in both the Riviera and Croatia.   We are always here for you!

Over to the Rhône and the Estate we used for our Grape Escape tour, the fabulous Domaine de Mourchon for warm hearted juicy Grenache and Syrah based stunners. We’ve listed their luscious rosé “Loubie” at 7.25€ (something a bit more intense and punchy than our delicate Provence flowers), their eminently quaffable “Tradition” at 8.75€, a Côtes du Rhône – Villages – peppery, packed with berry fruit and smooth as silk, and their incredibly dense and brambly Grande Réserve at 15.00€. As a special introduction to our new list, we are offering a case of 12 of the superb 2006 Grande Réserve for the price of 11 bottles, representing a saving of 1.25€ per bottle! Amongst other projects with the McKinlay family at Domaine de Mourchon, we are working on developing a trio of wines to package specially for Nice Rugby Club for their next season – we’ll keep you posted as we progress.

Reading this, you’d think our wine list was all French – but think again! We really enjoy setting ourselves the challenge of sourcing non French wine here in France. I believe French customs officers think we are a bit bonkers when we go to them with various paperwork to import wines from other countries – “surely we ‘ave enough wine ‘ere??” But scour the globe we do, and the list now has wines from New Zealand, Chile, Germany, California, Spain and much more. We are particularly looking forward to sharing Delta Vineyards exquisite strawberry scented Pinot Noir from Marlborough (19.50€) with you and introducing you to the wonders of the grape variety Alvarinho from Vinho Verde DO in Portugal (16.00€) – the most perfect seafood wine ever. Also, banish memories of sickly Liebfraumilch which has done so much damage to Germany’s image in the wine world – we have two of Ernie Loosens wondrous Rieslings from the Mosel to tempt you – a spine-tingly yummy Kabinett from the Erdener Treppchen vineyard that is all apples and honey at (14.75€) and heavenly, spicy nectarine filled ethereally enchanting Ürziger Würzgarten Spätlese (18.75€)

On the whole, we have chosen just a couple of wines to star on our list, but we can usually get other wines from the same producers – just ask. The list itself also has Food Matching suggestions and full descriptions of what to expect from each wine. Also new for Summer 2010 is our FWW Treasure Trove – a small selection of parcels of “ready to drink” Fine Wines, mostly Bordeaux. These wines will change and come and go, so when you spot something you think is an amazing bargain from say, St Emilion, in the Trove you best snap it up as we cannot promise to find the same again. This will be appearing as a special section on the Wine List page – just as soon as our web wizard, Ben from Pure Design International can magic it up for us.

So I’ve opted to take this as my theme for our 1st dinner on the 12th March. Numbers are limited as we will be having a cosy indoor evening with a log fire blazing rather than our more extensive Summer events out on the Terrace overlooking the Med! We shall no doubt kick off with one of the many top notch sparkling wines from the region – made in the same way as Champagne (i.e. Traditional Method) a delicately creamy Saumur will be offered to whet the appetite whilst I entertain with some facts and figures about our chosen region. I’m hoping to track down some Smoked Eel for a pre-dinner nibble I
have in mind….. We shall then glide through a starter of Oysters with Spinach & Beurre Blanc alongside a perky, yeasty and intensely savoury Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur lie. You cannot think of the Loire without marvelling at the array of amazing goat’s cheeses so I shall conjure up a voluptuous Twice-baked Goat’s Cheese Soufflé with a Carrot and Sweet Vouvray wine sauce. The archetypal partner with high acid goat’s cheese is a wine similarly high in acidity (the mouth watering tingly sensation you
experience with some particularly crisp wines gives an indication that there is plenty of refreshing acidity). So we shall travel along to the far East of this great wine country and tackle a really excellent Sauvignon Blanc – a Pouilly Fumé from the producer Laporte – we tried the Les Duchesses PF on the Advanced course last week and it knocked many a pricier wine into a cocked hat, as they say!

The centre piece of the evening is probably going to be my take on Coq au Vin with a Loire twist – think tasty Guinea Fowl with a deep Red Wine Sauce – I’ll be introducing the much under valued but immensely subtle red wines of the region here: I’ve long been a fan of the silky, raspberry fruited Chinon’s and St Nicholas de Bourgeuil wines made from Cabernet Franc. But I’m still toying between that and another Fish course to illustrate how certain lightish red wines can work with fish….hmmm, Loire Perch in a Chinon Sauce, perhaps? The finale will be a delicious Pear Tarte Tatin, which if I can lay my paws on the pear species, Belles Angevines (from Anjou) will be absolutely authentic of the Loire – apparently the buttery squidgy caramelised pastry pud, the Tatin is believed to originate from the
area. Also, orchard fruits are text book collaborators in the food & wine matching world for the honeyed apple character of the great sweet wines for the Loire. Here Chenin Blanc comes into its own and I shall be unearthing either a Coteaux du Layon, a Montlouis or a Bonnezaux to meet the challenge.

And so with drooling lips I ask you to check out our Forthcoming Events page for more details and how to book for this fine Dinner experience –at 60€ per person all inclusive, this is a real must!
Look forward to seeing you in March!

Helen Brotherton
08.02.10

I know it sounds glamorous and I can’t deny it was a great pleasure BUT it still counts as work!! A trip by car to the UK to celebrate hubby Nigel’s 60th in birthday in March and the happy coincidence of needing to source a “house” champagne for our newly launched small (but perfect) Fine Wine Works “Wine List” meant that we would be driving down past Reims and Epernay on our way home to the Cote d’Azur.

Until such time as we can source a New World Fizz (or indeed an English sparkler!) at the right price and which delivers a real point of difference, we decided we needed to offer just one Champagne. But it’s a “Name Dropping Fizz” – we’ve dropped the idea of using big names! 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.

In starting to do some research into the sourcing, I soon decided that a Grower Champagne (you may see the words Récoltant- Manipulant on a bottle which shows the producer to be grower who sells to the Houses as well as making his own champagne) could be the most interesting. We were looking for a non “big brand” to use for our events and wine tastings; to use as a model example in our wine training courses and to sell to our discerning clients – all at a fair price. To unveil some of the mystery of Champagne it is worth unravelling a few key facts: There are around 260 Champagne houses (some names such as Bollinger, Moet & Chandon, Laurent Perrier are instantly recognisable) which account for nearly 90% of all Champagne exports, more outside of Europe yet they only own approximately 12% of the vineyard area within the appellation. But there are just over 40 co-operatives and in excess of 5,000 growers (out of some 19,000 grape producers in the region) selling under their own name. So how to stumble on the perfect one to meet the FWW criteria? Working backwards then, and starting with my own favourite fizzy tipple – I’ve always been a Krug girl, (so never a “cheap date”) and understanding that what makes Krug “special” and very different is the use of oak – fermented in small barriques without malolactic fermentation and with serious quantities of reserve wines from older vintages to give ultra fine bubbles, aromas of dried fruits and toasted nuts and a profoundly rich palate. Very few champagne houses follow this path, preferring the purity of stainless steel for first fermentation BUT (and here’s the exciting part), there is a small Grower Champagne which most people won’t have heard of but which commands an almost cult following from those in the know.

Vilmart & Cie from Rilly–la–Montagne have 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. Owner and winemaker, since taking over from his father in 1990, Laurent Champs kindly invited us to visit and taste the range, which we duly did last week. To say I was bowled over by the tasting is putting it mildly – a real “wow” factor made its presence felt and I felt an almost evangelical need to bring at least one of the range to a wider customer base here on the Riviera and to share this very special experience.

Grande Reserve NV: Can’t quite believe this is their “entry level” champagne! 70% Pinot Noir in the blend (actually no Pinot Meunier used in any of their Cuvées), this had 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 of the more premium wines at a later stage once word spreads. 22.90€ TTC

Grande Cellier NV: Here the blend is reversed with more briochy Chardonnay to the fore. Pale gold, with almonds and hazelnuts on the nose then a frank citrus explosion of tangerine and grapefruit and crystalised lemons. This one would improve in bottle for a few years – if you can resist its youthful charms now!

Grande Cellier d’Or 2002: Brioche and vanilla are the first notes that strike then exquisite apricot flavours. Fresh yet nutty, this delivers striking complexity and length. No wonder that top sparkling wine writer, Tom Stevenson says of Vilmart that they are “ the greatest Grower Champagne I know”.

Coeur de Cuvée 2000: The finest selection and the unsurpassed king of the Vilmart range, this is the one critics acclaim as a “mini – Krug”. Kirsch and coffee compliment the grassy vanilla scents, more tropical fruit on the palate and taut tingly acidity as the backbone. Balanced like a true diva!
Robert Parker gives it 94/100:
“This is a richly textured, intense wine loaded with ripe fruit and sweet toasted oak. Today it remains quite primary, but it will be stunner in a few years’ time, once the full range of its tertiary aromas and flavors have developed. Patience is the key. Coeur de Cuvee is 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir from 50-year old vines.”

To sum up, we are bursting with anticipation to start showcasing the Grande Reserve at our Events and Tastings and although perhaps the English translation is a little quirky, I like the quote from Laurent Champs, the winemaker at Vilmart, that it “will accompany any peculiar moment of your life” – in other words, one to drink anytime, any place, anywhere! Vive la Vilmart!!!!

Helen Brotherton

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

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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

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“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.

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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.

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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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Zingy & Fresh Wine & Food? I know, I know – post Christmas and feeling sluggish and perhaps a little sorry that the fun is all over for another year, one could hardly be expected to feel energetic and lively, harrumph!

But shops everywhere and gardens here on the Riviera are full of lemons and oranges. So after the rich fare of the Festive season, something lighter & juicier perhaps? Without getting bogged down in the chemistry, citrus fruits are full of (besides Vitamin C!) Citric Acid and acidity in wine is incredibly important to give balance and harmony. You won’t tend to see the word “acidity” on any wine list or tasting description as, quite frankly, it doesn’t sound terribly appealing, but wines are often described as “fresh”, “tangy” “citrusy” “zippy” or “crisp” – all basically describing the tingling sensation you feel down the sides of the tongue when either a foodstuff or a drink is high in acid.

If you were to picture in your mind’s eye tasting a wedge or slice of lemon, (go on, try it!!) I bet your instinctive and “Pavlovian” response is that your mouth starts watering and you sub-consciously start to salivate!

For food matching purposes, the easiest example to offer would be any dish that you would squeeze lemon over i.e. fish, seafood, salad etc. will work with a high acid wine. Think of a crisp and sea-salty Muscadet sur Lie with Oysters & Fruits du Mer; a refreshing, minerally Sauvignon Blanc (Sancerre; New Zealand) with Grilled Sole or any pan-fried White Fish – delicious!

High acid wines (white and red) can work really well with fatty and / or oily food too – tart and crisp Pinot Noir, the classic black grape of Burgundy (Bourgogne) will cut through the fat of a Magret de Canard sublimely. This is a food & wine marriage that is so perfect the Bordelaise tend to keep quiet about it – Duck in all its forms being the cuisine of the region one would think a red Bordeaux would be the classic partner. The folk from Bordeaux will happily insist that their reds go winningly with all red meat or game and then sneak off home to glug a Gevrey-Chambertin or Nuits St Georges with their Magret & Pommes Sauté – shhhh, keep it secret!

So back to the tingly and refreshing stuff….rather than an obvious Citrus recipe, the one that has sprung to mind to share with you is a dessert using delectable and certainly tropically tart Passion Fruit – a twist on a classic Crème Caramel:

Passion Fruit Caramels

Makes 6

Put 100g Caster Sugar in a heavy bottomed pan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves and starts to turn a golden brown colour (keep an eye on things here as you don’t want the Caramel to burn or go too dark) – remove from the heat and add 45 ml of water (3 tablespoons) and stir quickly so it doesn’t crystallize – tip into 6 heatproof ramekin dishes or timbales (even tea or coffee cups will do as long as they are heat proof!). Leave to set.

Scoop out 6 x ripe Passion Fruit (the crinklier the skin, the riper and juicier they are!) and push through a sieve – hard work, this bit, but worth the effort!

Mix 4 x large Eggs and 2 x Egg Yolks with 150ml Milk and 150ml Cream. Add the Passion Fruit puree and 100g Caster Sugar and whisk lightly until well mixed. Tip mixture into prepared Timbales / Ramekins and sit in a roasting tin filled halfway up with boiling water. Carefully put in the oven (Gas 3 / 150C) for 40 – 50 minutes. Bake until set, remove from oven and leave to cool in the “bain marie”. Chill until needed.

Gently turn each Caramel out onto a serving plate and drizzle with a few more Passion Fruit seeds, if desired.

Sip a really well chilled (8 – 10C) sweet wine with plenty of zingy acidity – a Sauternes or look alike will bring this pud alive in every way.

Wine recommendations: Unless you are Super-rich I’d look over the shoulder of the exquisitely rare Château d’Yquem (unless you have a bottle of 1989 stashed under your bed, in which case – “when can I come over?”) and look at other superb Sauternes (& Barsacs) such as Château Suduiraut or Climens. Better value can be had with neighbouring appellations of Cadillac & Loupiac – not quite the profundity or complexity of Sauternes but a mere teaspoon of the price! For other divine French sweeties with good acidity and layers of orange blossom and lush pineapple, are further down into the South West – look for Monbazaillac and Jurançon Moelleux.

Helen Brotherton