(by susie)

I have a confession.

In my youth, I used to rock out to Bon Jovi while driving at high speed around the byways of North Yorkshire in my parents’ red Escort.

I was reminded of these heady days when we visited a (very soggy) Isle of Wight to film for Saturday Kitchen this week. Part of our reason for being there was that the fabulous Isle of Wight festival is currently on – last day today – and it features the likes of The Killers, Stone Roses – and Bon Jovi.

Anyhow, onto wine – here are my choices from today’s delicious Saturday Kitchen. Enjoy!

Wine for Michel Roux’s Dover sole and langoustine tail with asparagus tips and samphire in a white wine sauce

• Taste the Difference Petit Chablis 2011 (£8.99, Sainsbury’s)

Susie’s comments: classic dish – classic wine. The asparagus and samphire might lead you towards a Sauvignon Blanc – and a good Sancerre works OK. But when we tried a range of wines with this recipe we fund a creamier Chardonnay works better to tie in with that buttery sauce. This is a great value wine to boot. Chablis is so versatile.

Wine for Nathan Outlaw’s scallop tartare with pickled beetroot, bacon and apple

• Finest Tingleup Riesling 2011 (£9.99, Tesco)

Susie’s comments: road testing this dish was a joy, as well as a challenge. The scallops are easy but the fruitiness of the beetroot and apple, contrasting with the salty bacon, supplemented by the rich mayo, is not straightforward. Semillon worked fine but dry Riesling was by far and away the best pairing. Tough to find one that’s super cheap, but in value terms this is still a great buy.

Recipes, links and details

The studio guest this week was actress Anna Chancellor. My wines for her dishes, cooked masterfully as ever by James Martin, are as follows:

• For lamb chops with pine nuts and pomegranate tabbouleh (food heaven): Toscano Rosso 2011 (£5.99, M&S)
• For cinnamon sweet bread (food hell): Moscatel de Valencia 2012 (£6.79, M&S)

You can find all the recipes on the BBC Food site. You can also watch the full show for the next week (ie until 22.6.13) via iplayer if you’re UK based.

Thank you to everyone who so kindly helped us during the shoot on the island, and also to the brilliant team at Cactus. Thanks also to James, Michel and Nathan – a tasty line-up if ever there was one. Clips are as below. Thanks for watching – and reading!

(by peter & susie)

We’ve been lucky enough to taste some great fizz of late.

Some of this has been home-grown. A recent Nyetimber tasting stands out in particular – and we’ll be reporting on that in more detail shortly.

For good or bad, however, champagne remains the benchmark by which ambitious sparkling wine is measured.

As with any wine region, there are producers in Champagne who do a poor job (making overpriced, bland fizz) and there are those doing a good job, crafting wines of engaging character and satisfying bang for the buck.

Grower champagnes are increasingly offering a great point of difference in terms of characterful fizz – but some of the big names are also doing a commendable job.

Louis Roederer is a case in point. [Disclaimer: I judged the Louis Roederer International Wine Writer Awards in 2012.] While we’ve tasted some of the grander wines from this estate lately (Cristal 2002 particularly sticks in the mind, as does the 2008 Brut Rosé), a good champagne house should be measured by its humblest wine – the non-vintage.

And that’s where we’ve been impressed. In our view the Louis Roederer Brut Premier NV (12%) is tasting on top form right now: focused yet stylishly decadent, with refreshing but luxuriant flavours of brioche and roasted apple. Precise. Classy. Satisfying. (7/10)

It’s also just won a gold medal and trophy at the Decanter World Wine Awards. So if you’re after a fizz to toast father’s day, or to pop at the Isle of Wight festival, or to quaff on the beach with fish and chips, or to give Peter as a present at the BBC Good Food Show this weekend…this would do a very fine job.

It’s priced at £30-40, but if you take advantage of Waitrose’s 25% discount (when you buy 6 or more bottles in store or 12 online, until 18.6.13) then you can pick it up for a smidgin over £29. Majestic (minimum purchase 6 bottles) also has it for £30 at the moment.

And the other bottles will mature very nicely while you keep them for other occasions…

(by peter)

Vines at dusk, Alto Cachapoal

I recently returned from a fascinating week in Chile. Here are a few pics to paint the picture.

I was there for several reasons. Decanter magazine is putting out a special South American edition in October – a first for the magazine, so a significant sign of interest – which I’m helping co-ordinate and write. I was also doing field research for my upcoming Chile Wine Brief, the first in an annual series of publications we’ll be putting out.

Even biblical downpours couldn’t put me off my mission. The country desperately needs rain, actually, after several years of shortfall. The situation is especially critical in the arid north, where fine wine is just starting to take off. Let’s hope Mother Nature can work hand-in-hand with state investment to prevent that particularly promising niche being nipped in the bud.

I even felt a certain pride that, being a proper Englishman and clearly having taken our appalling spring weather with me, I had helped this process along in some small way.

My sincere thanks to Wines of Chile and ProChile, as well as all the wineries and kind people who looked after me and plied me with wine and words.

To those whom I sadly couldn’t find time to see – hasta la proxima!

Estrella de Oro Cabernet Sauvignon 1967 (credit: Alvaro Arriagada)

Santiago from the air

Art, Tarapaca

Pouring (credit: Alvaro Arriagada)

Line up

Bodegas RE

Disgorgement, Concha y Toro

Wine thief

Francois Massoc, Peter, Paco Leyton, Pedro Parra, Hector Riquelme

(by peter)

Here are my wines from today’s edition of Saturday Kitchen.

They include two rosés! Must be the sun…or the effect of altitude after we got to have lots of fun in Leicester at the space centre (see photos).

Wine for Angela Hartnett’s vegetable mezze

• Monferrato Chiaretto 2012 (£6.49, M&S)

Peter’s comments: I know rosé isn’t for everyone but Angela’s vegetable mezze is so summery and Mediterranean that I couldn’t resist. Plus, the flavours here are so varied – from rich aubergine and feta to zingy mint, tomato, beans and sumac – that you need a versatile wine to match.

Wine for Nigel Haworth’s guinea fowl

• Nicolas Potel Bourgogne Blanc 2011 (from £8.99, Majestic)

Peter’s comments: Difficult to choose between a light red (eg an elegant Pinot) or a full white for this. When we sat down to try this original but classic dish on a warm evening last week, it became clear that a white was best, both for the weather and the flavours. You could go for a posh, oaked Sauvignon (eg a white Bordeaux or Kiwi version) but, at this price level, a great value white Burgundy is the best pairing. This is a brilliant value wine, worth stocking up on.

Recipes, links and details

You can find all the recipes via the BBC Food site. These also include James Martin’s recipes for studio guest Ann Widdecombe, for which the wine matches are:

• For strawberry pavlova (food ‘heaven’): Taste the Difference Brachetto d’Aqui 2012 (from £6.29, Sainsbury’s)
• For seafood paella (food ‘hell’): Palacio de Bornos Verdejo Rueda 2011 (£8.49, Waitrose)

Wine clips are below. The whole show is on iplayer until 15.6.13. Thanks as ever to all at Cactus, plus James, Angela and Nigel. Special thanks to Susie for being my very own Michelin-starred chef and personal wine advisor.

CLIPS

(by peter & susie)

If you like your wine, and fancy winning a ten-day luxury wine holiday for two to Australia and New Zealand, then read on.

We’re delighted to announce that we’ll be heading up The Palate 2013, a competition run by Oddbins to find the best amateur wine palate in the UK.

You don’t have to have any special wine knowledge to enter. Just a good palate, a willingness to learn, and a healthy thirst. Last year’s winner, Fran Evans, was testament to that. She never thought she’d win but in the end was a brilliant winner. It could be you this time!

By way of background, here’s the short video we made of last year’s competition (which nearly 5,000 people entered – but we want more this year!)

You can also read this piece we wrote after last year’s competition.

To enter, you’ll need to be of legal drinking age and get to an Oddbins store THIS WEEKEND (ie 8/9 June) to do a brief taste test. You can find out more information, including the location of stores, on the Oddbins page (they have 18 in London, 9 in Scotland, then Oxford, Bristol, Tunbridge Wells, Poole, Twickenham, Manchester and Liverpool). The competition is not open to members of the wine trade.

So get your skates on and your taste buds in gear, because this is lots of fun and the prize is fab. The winner will also get the chance select a wine for Oddbins’ shelves – in addition to the massive kudos of being crowned ‘The Palate 2013′.

Good luck! And we’ll look forward to seeing you on finals day for the ultimate judgement.

(by susie)

Our supermarkets are teeming with local asparagus. We’ve just experienced the coldest March since 1962. Finally, and most importantly, it’s English Wine Week and the weekend is set fair.

We hardly need more excuse to crack open a bottle or two… But what to go for?

It has to be English of course, and I’ve been saving up my notes and recommendations from the English Wine Producer’s (EWP) tasting at the beginning of May specifically for this significant week in the English wine calendar.

I’ve already written several recent pieces on the UK wine scene, including one on a very large blind tasting of English fizz and a night with the Duchess of Cornwall, so, without further ado, let’s get down to my top tips from the tasting.

I’ve included individual website details for each estate so that retail sales enquiries can be made. The wines are listed in the order of tasting and all wines that scored 7 or above are included.

SPARKLING WHITE

Camel Valley Annie’s 2010, £24.95 (100% Seyval Blanc) www.camelvalley.com – Deeply coloured with mineral and creamy, bread-like aromas.  This highly engaging fizz is intensely flavoured with vibrant lemon rind and green apple fruit.  It is rounded and mouth-filling with a vibrant, tangy finish.  7/10

Ridgeview Grosvenor Blanc de Blancs 2010 PDO, £29.95 (100% Chardonnay) www.ridgeview.co.uk – Lifted aromas of white flowers and fresh bread are met by bolder, orchard fruit flavours in the mouth.  A lovely balance of rounded and fresh with a bright, lemon-flecked finish. 7.5-8/10

Bluebell Hindleap Blanc de Blancs 2009 PDO, £23.99 (100% Chardonnay) www.bluebellvineyard.co.uk – Toasty and mineral with a distinctly Champagne-like feel.  Nicely developed, this savoury, yeasty fizz is a little short but otherwise very elegant and refined. 7/10

Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs 2008 PDO, £28.99 (100% Chardonnay) www.gusbourne.com – Fabulously characterful stuff as ever from Gusbourne.  Rustic – in a good way – and packed with bruised red apple fruit, it also has an intriguing herbal note.  I went back to this wine several times during the tasting and it kept improving. 7.5/10

Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs 2007, £39.00 (100% Chardonnay) www.nyetimber.com – One of the star wines of the day, this is a highly accomplished and beautifully developed blanc de blancs.  Creamy, brioche and red apple aromas lead into a multi-layered palate that perfectly balances acidity with weight of lemon flavour and a streak of steely minerality.  Long and impressive. 8/10

Nyetimber Classic Cuvée 2008, £29.99 (79% Chardonnay, 13% Pinot Noir, 8% Pinot Meunier) – More bready and broad than the blanc de blancs, this slightly less refined but still fresh and appealing  fizz has a rich, truffley flavour.  7/10

Gusbourne Brut Reserve 2008 PDO, £24.99 (36% Chardonnay, 37% Pinot Noir, 27% Pinot Meunier) – Broad, honeyed and yeasty – Gusbourne’s Brut Reserve is showing particularly well at the moment.  7.25/10

Henners Vintage 2009, £27.00 (33% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir, 33% Pinot Meunier) www.hennersvineyard.co.uk – The first wine to be launched by this East Sussex producer (last November), it is minerally and bready with a fine, rounded character.  Although I slightly preferred it to the more expensive vintage reserve and rosé also on show, they are all well made wines that bode well for the ‘multi-vintage’ blend that we’re promised for 2016. 7/10

Ridgeview Knightsbridge Blanc de Noirs 2010 PDO, £32.95 (50% Pinot Noir, 50% Pinot Meunier) – This full-flavoured fizz has all the breadth and character you’d expect from a really well-made blanc de noirs.  Packed with honeyed, baked apple fruit, it’s a delicious mouthful of English loveliness. 7.5/10

SPARKLING ROSÉ

Ridgeview Fitzrovia 2010 PDO, £27.95 (64% Chardonnay, 32% Pinot Noir, 4% Pinot Meunier) – Salmon pink and scented with a gently oxidative, bruised red apple aroma.  Sappy redcurrant fruit and yeasty overtones lead the way in this mouth-filling and very satisfying rosé fizz. 7/10

Nyetimber Rosé 2008, £45.00 (58% Chardonnay, 42% Pinot Noir) – The most expensive wine I tasted but, yet again, one of the stars of the day from Nyetimber.  It’s more deeply coloured than the Fitzrovia and offers wonderful complexity of flavour.  Rich and plummy it has lovely, vibrant acidity along with savoury hints of toasted bread and nuts.  Very impressive.  8/10

Bolney Wine Estate Cuvée Rosé Brut 2011, £26.95 (100% Pinot Noir) www.bolneywineestate.co.uk – Fragrant and very Pinot Noir-like, this works well in a savoury, bready way. 7/10

Bluebell Hindleap Rosé 2010, £24.99 (61% Pinot Noir, 39% Pinot Meunier) – I’ve tasted this wine on several occasions and it never ceases to impress me, particularly when you consider the value for money it offers.  It has an attractive onion skin colour and is rounded, fresh, bready and tangy with ripe, strawberry fruit flavours. 7.5/10

OAK-AGED DRY WHITE

Gusbourne Guinevere 2011 PDO, £19.50 (100% Chardonnay) – This is the first time I’ve tasted a still wine from the Gusbourne estate – and it’s a great start.  A lightly oaked chardonnay that is well-made and stylish with fresh, lemony acidity.  7/10

Chapel Down Kit’s Coty Estate Chardonnay 2011 PDO, £14.99 (100% Chardonnay) www.chapeldown.com – This wine was so impressive that I immediately made it our ‘Wine of the Week’ and bought a case for the cellar.  To read my thoughts click on this link. 8/10

RED

Litmus Red Pinot 2011 (Denbies Wine Estate), £25.00 (100% Pinot Noir) www.denbies.co.uk – Rather like drinking a summer berry frangipane tart with clotted cream, this is a rich and succulent pinot with an attractive leafy note on the finish. 7/10

Biddenden Gamay 2011 QW, £10.00 www.biddendenvineyards.com – Bright, leafy and black-cherried, just as gamay should be.  The perfect English red to lightly chill and serve at alfresco summer parties – if the weather ever picks up. 7/10

POSTSCRIPT: Although Jenkyn Place, Hush Heath and Hambledon didn’t make it into this list, they are all producing very noteworthy wines and are estates to watch both now and in the future.

(by susie)

We all know how far (and fast) English fizz has come on in the last few years.

But some brilliant work has been going on with the still wines, too. We’ve been very excited by what we’ve been tasting lately, not least at the English Wine Producer’s show earlier this month.

At that tasting, I was quite simply blown away by the Chapel Down Kit’s Coty Estate Chardonnay 2011, 13% (£15, Majestic, www.chapeldown.com, going into stores now).

And then, when Peter and I tried it again last night (a sample sent from the winery), my impression was confirmed that this is exceptional stuff – world class Chardonnay that is both elegant and intense, really moreish and the perfect answer for anyone who still has doubts about the potential for top quality English white wine.

It’s a single vineyard Chardonnay from Kent with elegant, nutty aromas that lead into a beautifully balanced and refreshing palate with all the vibrancy and steely structure of fine white Burgundy. Think top class Chablis with nutty overtones and a bracing English breeze running through it…

It’s made in a restrained style but with just enough creamy texture and toastiness to thrill the taste buds and leave you reaching for more.  As for seasonal food, think rich but summery, something along the lines of cheddar and asparagus soufflé.

(by peter)

‘A mind, once expanded by an original idea, never returns to its original dimensions.’

It’s always good to challenge the status quo.

Whether this results in any significant change in the greater world order or not (as per the philosophical dialectic of thesis + antithesis = synthesis) is another matter. Beyond anything else, however, it’s just good mental discipline.

The past few days have been stimulating and intriguing ones at the London Wine Fair.

On the one hand, there was the Fino sherry-flavoured ‘toothpaste’ (actually a very clever piece of gastronomic levity created by the fine people at the Larderhouse in Dorset). And then there was the cardboard wine ‘bottle’, which combined the very best of food-grade polyethylene and kraft liner shavings (that’s mushed up cardboard to you and me – at least I think so – for more details see GreenBottle).

Such an arena of mental defibrillation was ideal for my little talk on Chile’s ‘new wave’ wines.

I saw people’s faces veer between shock, exhilaration, consternation, confusion and joy while tasting the Bodegas RE Velado Pinot Noir 2009 (a white Pinot Noir from Casablanca made by Chilean wine titan Pablo Morandé and aged under flor, and which tastes like a superlative and unashamedly flamboyant cross between Chilean Pinot, sherry, vin jaune and very old champagne…)

The orange-hued, tinaja-fermented, biscuit-scented grapey delight that was the De Martino Viejas Tinajas Moscatel 2012 (a very recent bottling, and first production) was adored by some and decried by others.

Wild Carignan vines growing up trees, pruned by nibbling horses and made under the watchful gaze of a sculptor wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, though the Villalobos Carignan 2012 did delight some with its rustic yet refreshing and gastronomic stylings.

Ending with a succulent and exotically scented sweet wine was always going to win some hearts and lose some minds – and so it was with the Erasmo Late Harvest Torontel 2008, made by an Italian count in the wilds of Maule from grapes dried by hanging under the house’s rafters.

In the midst of all of this, I made some noise, waved my arms about a bit, and generally revelled in the mixed reactions.

Because this was the whole point.

For too long, Chilean wines have trodden the road well travelled, eliciting a polite and pedestrian narrative by way of soporific soundtrack.

They have been good or bad – but rarely revolting. Or great.

These, by contrast, were wines that provoked a reaction. They generated emotion. Both negative and positive, it’s true – but a visceral, gut reaction nonetheless. And often subsequently an intellectual response too, one which took some working through (as many tasters mentioned to me afterwards).

My thanks are due to Wines of Chile and the wineries themselves for supporting this brief surf along the new wave, and also to everyone who came along and opened their mind to this avant-garde experience.

Afterwards, I reflected on the experience in the decidedly classical surroundings of Vintners’ Hall.

This august institution was celebrating the 650^th anniversary of its royal charter. In very refined and prominent company, we toasted the Queen, ate salmon, beef and Eton mess, and drank Champagne, Puligny-Montrachet, a brace of 1996 2^nd growth clarets (Cos and Pichon-Baron, if you must know), Sauternes, 1970 vintage port and 1973 cognac.

And I was reminded of that old truism: tradition is innovation that works.

Broadening the mind can be a troubling experience. But it can also be hugely beneficial.

Here’s to another fine 650 years in the world of wine – from Chile to China and Chingford.

Cheers!

(by peter)

What a party.

Recognising some of the brightest talent in food and drink was always going to mean lots of delicious fun, and so it proved at the inaugural Fortnum & Mason Food & Drink Awards.

I was privileged to be a judge, along with Angela Hartnett, Fiona Beckett, Tom Parker-Bowles, Xanthe Clay and Hamish Anderson. (Fortnum’s CEO Ewan Venters chaired proceedings.) Although we certainly had some tough decisions to make, and plenty of material to consider, it couldn’t really be called a hardship. A wealth of food & drink talent was at our fingertips to adjudicate. It almost called for a stiff drink…

On the night, the great and the good of the gastronomic world were out in force to celebrate a mixture of established names and exciting newcomers.

The latter aspect was particularly important for me. I was standing next to a magazine editor when the magnum opus that is Wine Grapes was announced as winner in the book category. ‘It’s a great book,’ he murmured, ‘but really – which average punter is going to read it?!’

At which point I told him to hold his horses, because the next award was for a newcomer in the same category, which went to the exciting talent that is Matt Walls for his engaging introductory volume, Drink Me!

Much the same point could be said about the Judges’ Award, which went to Jack Munroe, a young single mum from Southend who feeds herself and her young son on a shoestring and publishes her delicious recipes on a very popular blog.

She also gave the best acceptance speech, saying: ‘I thought I was invited because you felt sorry for me and wanted to feed me up on free blinis!’ (You can read her blog about the evening here.)

Many congratulations again to all the winners AND the short-listers. There was often very little separating the two so everyone nominated deserves great credit. Thanks also to Fortnum & Mason for making this whole thing happen and helping promote the cause of food & drink communication.

You can find a full list of all of winners & shortlists, as well as a natty little video of the evening, on the Fortnum & Mason page here. Special congratulations also to the drinks winners Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding & Jose Vouillamoz, Helen McGinn, Victoria Moore and Matt Walls.

Here’s to another vintage crop next year!

(by peter & susie)

Wine-chester.

Has a certain ring, doesn’t it?

Our home town certainly had more than its fair share of elite wine experts (and enticing grape scents) this past weekend as 25 Master of Wine students attended our wine tasting bootcamp in preparation for their challenging exams next month.

Our course featured 36 separate wines, over a hundred bottles opened, 33 questions to answer and then dissect, and a total of 900 marks up for grabs. In the end, what had been six months in the planning (tasting wines, devising questions, analysing past exams etc) lasted three days. Full ones, mind: packed with tasting, analysis, feedback, one-on-one clinics, exam strategy discussion sessions – and the odd laugh, which is always important.

Susie and I always love hosting this weekend. This was our fourth (you can find a report on last year’s here). It was particularly fun, as well as hugely impressive. The overall standard we witnessed was the highest it’s ever been – which surely bodes for a vintage crop of new MWs in the pipeline.

We’d like to personally thank all the students who came on the bootcamp (from Singapore to Spain) for their hard work, commitment and good humour. Huge thanks also to all those who helped us set it up, from wonderful suppliers like MMD, Pernod Ricard, Liberty Wines, Mentzendorff, Waitrose to the Winchester Guildhall and the Institute of Masters of Wine.

Some of those on the bootcamp have already been kind enough to write and thank us, whilst others have tweeted about the course. Here is a sample of what’s been said:

• ‘Inspiring & brilliantly organised weekend of MW student tasting. Thank you Susie & Peter!’
• ‘Extremely constructive – I found the whole process very useful. I enjoyed seeing you both again and spending time in lovely Winchester. Thank you very much for your help, advice and reassurance.’
• ‘Inspiring stuff…taste buds whipped into shape!’
• ‘V well chosen wines, some even enjoyable too. #unexpectedpleasure’
• ‘It was a great weekend and thank you to you both for all the preparation and thought that went into this. The wines were very well selected and in most cases ‘classics’ which was really helpful.’
• ‘Great day with Peter & Susie @wineschools in Winchester. Better call it #winechester’

Wine highlights included an indulgently buttery 2008 Meursault Blagny 1er Cru from Joseph Faiveley, sensational Murrieta Rioja Reserva 2007, beautifully decadent Taylor’s 20-year-old tawny, smashing Sauvignon Blanc in the form of the Brancott Chosen Rows 2010, scented Chambolle-Musigny 2008 from Domaine Hudelot-Noellat and stunning Quinta de Vargellas 2001 vintage port.

For reference, here are the full question papers and list of wines we featured over the three days:

• PAPER 1 Question sheet 2013
  
• Susie & Peter’s MW bootcamp 2013, Crib PAPER 1
• PAPER 2 Question sheet 2013
• Susie & Peter’s MW bootcamp 2013, Crib PAPER 2
• PAPER 3 Question sheet 2013
• Susie & Peter’s MW bootcamp 2013, Crib PAPER 3 2013

We’re planning to do two such bootcamps next year and will be posting dates for these very shortly, for those who want to book in as early birds.

Anyone interested in becoming a Master of Wine, or signing up to the programme, should visit the IMW website or go along to the open day on 20^th May 2013 (click here for more details).

As for Wine-chester – we have a few more plans up our sleeve in this respect, too… We’ll keep you posted!

(by susie)

Wine match for Aggi Sverrisson’s Japanese-style crab with wild garlic and hazelnuts

• Viña Mayu PX 2011 (from £4.98, Asda)

Susie’s comments: a good, tangy New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc works well with this dish but I also loved the more subtle stylings of this fantastic value, and brilliantly original Chilean white – made from a grape you’d more usually find in sweet sherry or the local South American pisco brandy… Elegant, restrained, refreshing stuff, ideal with this inventive, heart-warming dish.

Wine match for Alexis Gauthier’s parmesan and wild mushroom custard with asparagus, peas and pancetta

• D’Arenberg The Hermit Crab Viognier/Marsanne (from £8.99, Sainsbury’s, Ocado)

Susie’s comments: It’s not cheap but it’s sooooo good. When we cooked the dish, initially we thought a good creamy Chardonnay would work best – and it’s definitely a decent option – but actually the lovely rounded texture and refreshing, scented style of this Aussie stunner makes a sensational match.

Recipes, links and details

You can find all the recipes via the BBC Food site. These include James Martin’s spatchcock jerk chicken with rice and pea cakes and slaw, panko-coated squid with palm sugar and coriander pesto, swiss roll with fresh blackberries and vanilla cream.

Wine clips are as below.

Susie’s comments

To tie in with the FA Cup Final, this week we filmed on location in and around Wembley Stadium.

Special thanks to Andy and Alan for their valiant help testing wines alongside Alexis’ dish, also to the Japanese Centre in Piccadilly for helping source some of the more esoteric ingredients in Aggi’s recipe.

Thanks as ever to James Martin, also to Alexis and Aggi and the brilliant Cactus team.

(by peter)

So come on, what’s your favourite place to buy wine?

Susie and I are lucky enough to experience a whole range of wine retailing. Whether it’s filming Saturday Kitchen, sourcing wines for our school or events, attending tastings, doing online research, popping into a local wine bar or independent, or just picking up wines for everyday drinking or putting away, we see a fair bit of the UK wine scene.

And a fascinating place it is, too. It’s a difficult choice to pick a favourite (and of course you can’t get everywhere) but there are definitely stand-out names.

I ask the question not just out of personal interest. This year I’m privileged to be chairing the Decanter retailer of the year awards – and it would be great to hear a broad range of perspectives on your favourite UK wine sellers.

I suppose, when you hear the question, it raises another one: what is the most important thing when it comes to the wine buying experience?

I’d suggest that keen pricing (including attractive discounts) is right up there for most people, with perhaps efficiency a secondary but important factor. This might give the bigger scale supermarkets and merchants the edge.

But buying wine isn’t like other purchases.

It can, if we let it, have an element of luxury and indulgence to it. I think most wine lovers, if they can find the time, like to feel a bit pampered when they’re buying wine – be it an informed chat with staff or surveying delightful bottles (many of which are probably out of our pricing comfort zone). A good range is also a fabulous thing to behold – and makes choosing a delight, albeit often an impossible and costly task.

When I asked this question via twitter recently, responses varied from Asda (‘3 for £10, mainly’) to the Wine Society, Majestic (‘helpful & knowledgeable staff’), Berry Brothers & Rudd to specialists like VineTrail and a host of local independents like Bottle Apostle, Cambridge Wine Merchants, Caviste and T Wright of Norwich (‘been around since 1896 and boy do they know their stuff’).

Is this a sign of a healthy, diverse wine retailing scene in the UK?

On one level, yes. It seems there are most things for most people. Supermarkets remain strong but specialists, independents and online operations can all carve out a sustainable niche, as long as they do a good job and foster loyalty.

But there are worrying signs too.

An ever-increasing tax burden is sending prices up, depressing an already relatively flat wine market and, according to many retailers, sending value-conscious shoppers towards more lightly taxed ciders, beers and alcopops. Such is the ruthless focus on the bottom line by UK importers and retailers, the result of driving prices down to fuel our bargain-conscious market, that many wine suppliers are starting to look elsewhere to sell their wine more profitably.

The result could be that the UK starts to lose its status as one of the pre-eminent wine (and fine wine) markets of the world, and starts to resemble a sad and tawdry bargain bin in a lonely service station forecourt.

There is a solution, though, and it’s in our hands.

We need to be proactive to keep the ‘great’ in Britain’s wine market. Most importantly, that means supporting the people who do a good job by shopping there. But if also helps if we champion our favourite wine retailers once in a while, and help them give suppliers a fair deal as well as deliver decent wine to us at a fair price.

Otherwise we risk the loneliness of the forecourt bargain bin.

(Do let me know your thoughts – you can either leave a comment below or contact me via email, twitter or facebook. Thanks!)

(by peter)

After tasting my way through over 400 Chilean and Brazilian wines last week (as regional chairman for the Decanter World Wine Awards) and before I head out to Chile in a few weeks, it seems an appropriate time to make an announcement of sorts.

Recently, the number of people asking me when I was going to update my Wines of Chile book has been growing.

A fair few of my recent interrogators on this theme have noted the relative dearth of serious, sustained international coverage of Chilean wine, and I suppose they have a point.

When you think about it, there is little in the way of insightful, analytical and opinionated writing based on extensive research and personal experience written by those outside the country. (I exclude from this sweeping generalization home-grown talents like Patricio Tapia, Eduardo Moraga and Marcelo Soto; the former’s Descorchados guide is essential reading for those who speak Spanish, and it may soon be available in English too.)

This situation is particularly notable at a time when Chilean wine is evolving at breakneck speed. Since I first arrived to live and work in the country as a rookie journalist in the late 1990s, Chile’s wine scene has changed beyond all recognition. And, after many regular return visits, I can honestly say I don’t think I’ve seen it in such dynamic and intriguing form as it is at the moment.

There is no lack of stories, personalities, rivalries, politics, triumphs, disasters, diversity, controversy, legacy, iconoclasm, innovation or, most important of all, a seemingly constant stream of new wines to stimulate mind and soul as well as body.

So I’ve decided to publish an annual Chile Wine Brief.

The brief will carry listings of my top producers, favourite wines (including top value tips) and names to watch as well as an overview editorial, regional profiles, assessment of the recent vintage and plenty of the latest data for those in need of a reference guide.

I won’t be pulling any punches and neither will I be slow to get excited, where appropriate.

To be clear: this is not an attempt to pronounce the ultimate truth about Chilean wine. Nothing in wine, or wine commentary, should ever be considered definitive. That’s the beauty of wine.

What I want to do is to start a debate. To foster discussion, awareness – and controversy, if necessary. To support those doing good work and give constructive criticism to those who aren’t. To provide an up-to-date reference work for those in need of hard data and insight. And, most importantly, to help steer quality-conscious wine drinkers towards the best Chilean wines, be they surprisingly pricey or cheap as chips.

In short, I hope this endeavour will provide a useful, topical and timely service to the wine community at large. In this regard, if you’d like to pre-register or have any questions, comments or suggestions for coverage, please shout – either post a reply below or email me directly.

The brief will be available this summer for a small fee; more details will follow soon.

(by peter)

Wine match for Antonio Carluccio’s open mushroom raviolo with artichoke salad:

• Piccini Chianti 2011 (from £5.32, Sainsbury’s)

Peter’s comments: artichoke is often seen as a wine-killer but these young, tender slices are softened by the tangy tomato and meaty mushrooms and a juicy young Chianti works well. If you want to play it safe, go for a nice Verdicchio (eg Taste the Difference Verdicchio, £7.49, Sainsbury’s).

Studio commentary: ‘great value, great match’ (James Martin), ‘perfect: needs light, young wine’ (Antonio Carluccio)

Wine match for Paul Foster’s Goosnargh duck breast, puffed rice and pumpkin seeds, rhubarb, yoghurt and watercress

• Errázuriz Pinot Noir (from £7.99, Majestic)

Peter’s comments: You could go white but really that gorgeous duck cries out for red, and Pinot in particular – it has the tangy acidity to match that zesty rhubarb, plus the gamey succulence to complement the meat.

Studio commentary: ‘perfect – great acidity balance with the dish’ (Paul Foster); ‘another winner’ (James Martin)

Snap up the wines quickly – they tend to sell out pretty fast (and both these prices are limited-time offers).

Recipes, links and details

You can find all the recipes on the BBC Food site. These include James Martin’s fresh pasta with griddled asparagus and a lemon and breadcrumb topping; gnocchi in a creamy spinach sauce with deep fried broccoli florets; and genoise sponge with blueberry compote and vanilla cream. Yum.

My wine clips are below.

Peter’s comments

The show was filmed on location in Southampton. By way of full disclosure, we definitely patronised a Mr Whippy Van at one point. My gratitude to the nice people at Majestic and Sainsbury’s.

Thanks to my chef de cuisine Susie for expertly prepping these dishes, as ever, for taste testing alongside the wines at home. In the best Italian tradition, Antonio’s dish was wholesome and simple (though getting hold of young artichokes isn’t easy). Paul’s duck was a bit trickier to assemble but very rewarding.

Thanks very much to our intrepid Saturday Kitchen wine VT team, including Mike, Claire and TV’s Andy Clarke. Loved the hip-tweaking sound-track this week, Andy!

Thanks as ever to James Martin, also to Paul and Antonio, for their lovely dishes and positive feedback about the wines. Lisa Riley was a fab studio guest and kudos as ever to the brilliant Cactus team.

(by susie)

Misty Marlborough was the location for my latest Saturday Kitchen wine shoot – and a delightful venue it was too.

Everyone was very nice. So nice that they even ran a few news stories on my visit – one from the Gazette & Herald, (whose fine picture we reproduce here on the right) another by marlboroughnewsonline. Thanks guys!

We’d also been hard at work in the kitchen prior to the shoot, cooking up some fabulous recipes by Clare Smyth and Paul Ainsworth and road-testing them against many wines.

Although we’ve had some fabulous Saturday Kitchen dishes to test over the years, Paul’s smoked haddock scotch egg with black pudding, pickled onion salad and curried mayonnaise was one of the very best.

It took a bit of matching, mind – good fizz certainly being up there – but what triumphed in the end was the delightful Laurent Miquel Vendanges Nocturnes Viognier 2012 (£8.49, Waitrose).

It went down very well in studio. ‘Absolutely right,’ commented Paul. ‘I love Viognier, this is a perfect match – it suits the black pudding and curry, lovely wine.’

Clare also liked it, terming it, ‘great, perfect,’ while studio guest Nico Mirallegro described it as, ‘lovely.’

And, as the ultimate compliment, Paul’s restaurant No 6 in Padstow subsequently put Viognier on the menu to match with this same dish.

Clare was cooking a beautiful piece of monkfish with iberico ham, peas, broad beans, morels and English asparagus.

This called for Sauvignon Blanc. Had I had an unlimited budget I would have gone for a mineral, punchy Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé – but my ultimate choice, and fantastic value option, was the Ara Pathway Sauvignon Blanc 2012 (£6.49, Tesco).

‘Beautiful, really citrusy,’ commented Clare, noting how it had ‘loads of flavour and depth,’ despite a very pale colour.

Paul added how it had, ‘a nice lemon note to it,’ and was, ‘really lovely with the iberico ham: beautiful.’ He also later tweeted, very kindly, ‘those wines were incredible and price point was brilliant!’

You can catch the show on iplayer until 20.4.13 – my wine clips are also below this piece. The recipes can be found on the BBC Food site and also feature James Martin’s deep-fried soft shell crab with aioli and watercress salad, griddled sirloin steak with salsa verde and butterfly buns with lemon, raspberry and passion fruit icing.

My thanks to James Martin and all the crew at Cactus for another fabulous show. Kudos to Paul and Clare for their delicious dishes. And thanks to my mum for helping out with the kids while I was out filming!

(by peter)

Some Bordeaux vintages are euphemistically termed a ‘winemaker’s year’.

Having just returned from Bordeaux, tasting the 2012 samples, I’d define this a wine-grower’s year. (‘Une année de vigneron’ in the laconic words of Luc Thienpont of Clos des Quatre Vents.) The best terroirs, and those with the skill to express them harmoniously despite the vagaries of the weather, have made some sensational wines. Elsewhere, quality and style is very variable.

Initial chat had this as a vintage in which Merlot and dry whites were going to be the stars. A wet spring, hot dry summer and rainy autumn worked well for the earlier ripening styles but proved disastrous for Sauternes (wrong kind of rot – many top estates simply aren’t making a grand vin this year) and some Cabernet, which didn’t get ripe before the rains, and rot set in.

However, it swiftly became apparent that sweeping generalisations simply aren’t possible or plausible in 2012.

There is undoubtedly some good Merlot, and the Pomerol plateau is possibly more homogenous in quality than other areas. But the hot, dry summer – while it may have given ripe, healthy Merlot grapes – has also given some relatively high alcohol levels and slightly forced, fiery palate structures.

It’s one thing having healthy Merlot; another making decent wine from it, especially if you’re prone to over-ambition. Will these over-cooked wines over-settle down? I doubt it in the more exaggerated examples.

In the meantime, I found the best wines were those which focused on purity and harmony, the watchwords for the best wines of this vintage. The better ones are classical in style, supple, juicy, precise, occasionally dense and compelling – retaining a sense of identity and integrity. Not the most profound vintage but some sound results in a tricky year. There was some very fine Cabernet Sauvignon. But blending unripe Cabernet with over-ripe Merlot was not a recipe for success.

As Paul Pontallier of Château Margaux said, in studiously polysemous fashion: ‘This year it’s not about Merlot or Cabernet, or commune – it’s about the terroir: 2012 expresses Bordeaux in all its diversity of style and quality.’

There are also some very good dry whites but also some which clearly suffered from the summer heat, and are flabby and oily.

One very valid question concerns whether this a vintage to buy en primeur.

It all depends on the price. This will no doubt be a swift campaign. Unless insanity prevails (always an option for some estates) there will be reductions in price on 2011s, which didn’t sell well and which don’t generally reach the heights of 2012. This means that some star wines will sell through well, and could offer decent value for the quality.

Beyond this, I’d advise potential purchasers to be cautious. This is not a great vintage by any means and should not be considered of prime investment potential. There are some very good wines that will give much satisfaction, both at the grand and more modest ends of the spectrum, if the pricing is sensible. Caveat emptor.

I’ve produced a summary of my thoughts at this early stage, as below. My sincere thanks to Justerini & Brooks, who allowed me to tag along with their experienced, insightful team. I look forward to reporting back in due course with more insights into the 2012s as they come along, both in barrel and bottle.

By way of preface to the brief below, I score wines out of 10. All scores at this stage are initial estimates, hence in brackets, given that the wines tasted en primeur are nascent styles and not finalised wines in bottle, thus can change. They are also, of course, subject to human error – I make no claims to be perfect, nor the most experienced in this field, but they are the result of much hard work, with the benefit of tasting many Bordeaux vintages over the last few decades, and I hope they are useful in this context.

2012 BORDEAUX: THE BRIEF

• Wet spring, hot dry summer, rainy autumn
• Naturally low yields from poor flowering/fruit set
• Keys to success were good terroir and skilful management.
• The best wines have purity, precision and harmony. They are supple, juicy, classical styles with svelte tannin, the ambitious wines are dense and compelling, the depressing ones are hot, green and hollow.
• Not the most profound vintage but some exceptional wines can be had. ‘A happy ending’, as one proprietor had it.

2012: key varieties and communes

• Merlot fared well, achieving good ripeness and often high alcohols.
• Cabernet Sauvignon (and Franc) gave more mixed results. There are some fabulous Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines from the best terroirs, which ripened and were picked before the rains properly set in. Others are green and hard.
• Cabernet Franc gave good lift and bite to some of the better Pomerols and St Emilions, the worst were dilute and green.
• Pomerol and Pauillac were perhaps the pick of the communes, Margaux had some thundering lows (but also the odd majestic high).

Peter’s top 10 wines of the vintage (at April 2013)

• Margaux (9-9.5/10)
• Lafite (9-9.5/10)
• Latour (9/10)
• Tertre Rôteboeuf (8.5-9/10)
• Ausone (8.5-9/10)
• Pontet-Canet (8-8.5/10)
• Clos des Quatre Vents (8-8.5/10)
• Pichon Baron (8/10)
• VCC (8/10)
• Pétrus (8/10)

Margaux was the wine that set my pulse racing more than any other this vintage – dynamic, intense, silky – it just sings. Lafite was cerebral but complete, silken and profound, and will evolve beautifully. Latour had tremendous energy and precision. Tertre Rôteboeuf was the complete opposite – captivating, perfumed, almost baroque in its decadence, yet wonderfully civilised and balanced. Ausone was stunning and layered; Pontet-Canet not as compelling as other recent vintages but still beguiling; Pichon Baron concentrated and ambitious; VCC self-contained yet forceful; Petrus cogent and very classy.

Top tips for value (subject to final pricing)

• Fonbel
• Villa des Quatre Soeurs
• Malartic-Lagravière
• La Chenade
• Sociando-Mallet
• ‘Z’ de Luc Thienpoint
• Chasse-Spleen
• La Petite Eglise
• Cantemerle

Also liked

• Grand-Puy-Lacoste
• Mouton Rothschild
• Le Dôme
• Montrose
• Léoville Poyferré
• Lafleur
• Palmer
• Cheval Blanc
• Petit-Village
• Lagrange

Some top-notch second wines to watch

• Chapelle d’Ausone
• Forts de Latour
• Petit Mouton
• Pensées de Lafleur
• Carruades de Lafite
• Chapelle de Potensac
• Dame de Montrose
• Pagodes de Cos
• Fiefs de Lagrange
• Echo de Lynch Bages

Some very good second wines were made this vintage. And some very bad ones too. Quantities were generally down and in some cases it was clear that the second wines were merely dumping grounds for the grand vin rejects – in which case they were underwhelming. But the wines listed above all delivered fantastic quality, some better than many grand vins out there. That said, many of those listed above come with a hefty price tag. If the bordelais use some nous, they will offer significant reductions on these to help the vintage gain momentum, and give wine drinkers some genuine value as well as drinking pleasure.

Peter’s top 5 whites

• Doisy-Daëne Sec
• Pavillon Blanc
• Blanc de Lynch-Bages (7.5/10)
• Malartic-Lagravière (7/10)
• Olivier blanc (7/10)

Electric citric focus from the Doisy-Daëne – Dubourdieu on form as ever – while Pavillon Blanc sat very nicely in its new, lower alcohol format (13.4% this year) but losing nothing in its toasty blossom complexity. The Lynch Bages white was a pleasant surprise too. I didn’t get to try too many whites but these stood out among those I did.

(by peter)

The Saturday Kitchen wine team were on the decks of HMS Belfast then speeding at 30 knots on a RIB into a bitter east wind on the River Thames last week.

No wonder I subsequently had a slight mishap when trying to juggle those wine bottles on camera…

But I had some fabulous, heart-warming dishes to look forward to, with top talent Jason Atherton and Daniel Clifford in the studio.

Jason was cooking turbot with cauliflower cheese purée and a seaweed twist – beautiful, classic stuff, which I matched with the great value Montagny Vieilles Vignes 2009 (from £7.99, Majestic).

‘It’s great,’ commented Jason, who takes a commendable interest in his wine. ‘It’s really citrusy and works really well with the cauliflower cheese, because it takes a lot to stand up that.’

Daniel termed it, ‘beautiful’, while James quite rightly pointed out that, ‘normally with white Burgundy you’d have to pay a lot more for something as good as this.’ Spot on – this is a great value drop. And, as studio guest Julian Clary pointed out, it’s ‘very complementary’.

Daniel was making an intricate quail salad with celery, grapes and shallot purée. This was a stunning medley of flavours, which I paired with the fabulous value, very grown up Palataia Pinot Noir 2011 (£8.99, M&S). Great to get a German Pinot on the programme, which is such an exciting style.

Daniel certainly enjoyed it, saying how he was, ‘really starting to get into Pinot Noir at the moment, and this goes beautifully.’

Jason added that the lightness of style paired perfectly with the dish, which James seconded.

All in all another delicious show. Click on the following link to find the show recipes. You can view the clips below. Thanks to James, Daniel, Jason and Julian – and also to all the Cactus team…producer Andy Clarke, cameraman Mike Maddams and runner Hannah Wilson deserve particular credit this time round for clinging onto the RIB for dear life and still managing to put together yet another fine VT. Cheers!

(by susie)

I’ve come to the conclusion that I like fizz with a bit of character.

For too long, the big champagne makers have been telling us that we should prize ‘elegance’ or ‘subtlety’ or ‘classic restraint’ in their bubbly.

This is often just an excuse for producing oceans of bland wine from over-cropped vines, made with a marketeer’s design, not a wine lover’s satisfaction, in mind.

Life is too short. We demand soul in our sparkling wine. We want it to talk to us, to cajole and seduce us, and not just with a snazzy image but with excitement in the glass: wines with personality and charm and wit.

It was in this spirit that I attended the recent festival of fizz that is the annual CIVC champagne tasting at Banqueting House in Whitehall, tasting through both non-vintage (NV) and vintage wines, the latter principally from 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008, though other years were present (back to 1996, in fact).

The past few years haven’t been the easiest for the champagne makers.

Through hard economic times, demand for their gloriously glamorous product has, understandably, ebbed and flowed – with 2012 a particularly low point. Some 14 million fewer bottles of champagne were sold in 2012 than in 2011. In fact, since 2005 the only year to have seen lower global sales figures was 2009, when the economic crisis was at its worst.

Added to this, growing conditions in the vineyards were extremely challenging and the 2012 harvest was one of the smallest of the past twenty years.

The upside for producers and houses is that average bottle prices are up, so sales in terms of value are pretty stable.  Perhaps a smaller, quality harvest is therefore no bad thing if the trend is for people buying less but buying more expensive.

Recent reports also suggest that UK wine drinkers (Champagne’s largest market outside France) will be knocking back 10% more sparkling wine by 2016, taking total annual consumption to around 126 million bottles.

It’s true that in the UK we’re currently rather fond of prosecco, cava and our own, home-grown sparklers. But even though our voracious appetite for champagne has cooled slightly, one can’t help thinking the champenois are bound to benefit from this increase along with everyone else.

So, if our love of champagne is here to stay and we’re looking to spend our money wisely on fizz that is worth drinking, what should we be buying?

SUSIE’S TOP VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE RECOMMENDATIONS

• Rankings below are listed in descending order of personal preference.
• Only wines which scored 8/10 or above are included.

Henriot, Millésimé 2003 – One of only three 2003s in the vintage section, this was a stand-out wine.  Inviting, toasty aromas lead to layers of honey, mealy minerality and truffles in the mouth.  Deliciously dry, long and complex.  9/10

Louis Roederer, Brut Rosé 2008 – The only rosé in the vintage section and a terrific one at that.  Although still young, this pale salmon-coloured rosé is fragrant with brioche and soft red fruit aromas.  It is beautifully balanced – rarely the case with rosé fizz – and its tangy acidity is matched by a rounded, savoury minerality. 8.75/10

Alfred Gratien, Millésimé 2000 – Immediate impression is rounded and peachy with biscuit notes.  There is a honeyed minerality here along with hints of roasted nuts and citric acidity.  Rustic too, with a gently oxidative bruised apple character on the finish.  8.5/10

Bollinger, La Grande Année, 2004 – The 2002 from Bollinger is a hard act to follow (as we discovered just the other weekend while toasting a certain birthday…) but the 2004 has a character all its own. Classic Bolly scents of spice-baked apple give way to a palate that is both unusual and compelling, with an elusive taste that made me think of whisky barrels.  It’s full-flavoured and perhaps not Bollinger’s most elegant Grande Année, but still a delicious glass of Champagne.   8.5/10

J. Dumangin Fils, Vinotèque Premier Cru Brut 1996 – Golden colour.  Savoury, yeasty and bready as well as rounded and rich.  In the mouth it is crisp and racy, spine-tingling and citric, dry and long.  Lovely developed wine. 8.5/10

Charles Heidsieck, Brut Millésimé 2000 – Deep lemon.  Very developed with forest floor and mushroom aromas that carry through to a dry and intense palate.  Good tangy acidity.  A developed wine that is currently drinking well in a full-flavoured way.  8.25/10

Janisson et Fils, Grand Cru 2006 – Loads of bready flavour and character in the glass with this one.  It’s edgy; mineral and savoury but also herbal and yeasty – not refined or elegant but full of exciting flavours.  8.25/10

Ayala, Blanc de Blancs Brut 2005 – Very elegant and refreshing with a backbone of steely minerality, along with autolytic flavours and a gentle note of spice.  8/10

Delamotte Blanc de Blancs, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger 2002 – Savoury, elegant and mineral with gentle bready notes.  Lovely harmony and balance.  Smooth, graceful and seamless.  8/10

Lanson, Gold Label 2002 – Very developed, really honeyed and truffley on the nose.  It’s packed full of flavour: almost too much but it just stays the right side of characterful and mature.  8/10

Pol Roger Brut Vintage 2002 – Attractive golden colour gives way to a nutty, bready, praline-coated wine.  Elegant and harmonious, very complete.  8/10

Philipponnat, Cuvée 1522, 2003 – Golden in colour yet surprisingly restrained on the nose.  This gradually opens up in the glass to give gently oxidative, red apple flavours with a lovely streak of minerality throughout. 8/10

Pierre Gimonnet & Fils, Fleuron 2006 – Flavours of dried apricots, cream and spice.  There are bready notes too and lovely harmony to this wine.  8/10

Pommery, Grand Cru 2002 – Forward, bready aromas and savoury in style.  It’s a little loose on the palate and fully developed but its mushroomy, bruised red apple character makes for interesting drinking. 8/10

SUSIE’S TOP NV CHAMPAGNE RECOMMENDATIONS

Note: I didn’t taste the non-vintage wines from Charles Heidsieck, Louis Roederer, Moët & Chandon, Philipponnat, Pol Roger, Pommery, Tattinger, Thiénot, Tsarine and Veuve-Clicquot

• Rankings below are listed in descending order of personal preference.
• Only wines which scored 7/10 or above are included.

André Jacquart Le Mesnil, Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru NV – Gently creamy with mealy minerality and bold, apple and honey flavours – stylish and characterful.  8.25/10

Bollinger Special Cuvée – Full of the spiced, bruised apple flavours and mouth-filling satisfaction so typical of Special Cuvée. 8/10

Alfred Gratien, Brut NV – A deep lemon hue leads to a rich, broad feel on the palate which is perfectly balanced by the wine’s refreshing acidity.  7.5/10

Besserat de Bellefon, Cuvée des Moines Blanc de Blancs – Intensely yeasty and savoury.  Lots of juicy, citric flavour and structure. 7.5/10

Drappier, Quatttuor – Broad and rounded with flavours and spiced baked apple, underpinned by bready minerality.  A broader style that is highly appealing.  7.5/10

Henriot Brut Souverain – A very stylish NV with intensely bready, savoury flavours and a dry, yeasty finish.  7.5/10

Delamotte Brut, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger NV – Dry and bready, this is stylish stuff with fresh acidity and subtle minerality.  7/10

De Saint Gall, Blanc de Blancs – Clean, brisk, fresh and lemony with some yeasty notes.  7/10

Gratiot-Pillière, Brut Tradition NV – Nutty, savoury aromas.  Pleasing in a bready, rounded way.  7/10

Jacquart, NV Brut Mosaïque – Good autolytic development in this NV fizz which is drinking very well at the moment.  7/10

Janisson et Fils, Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs – Rich and toasty, this pinot-based wine is broad, satisfying and a good example of its type. 7/10

Lanson, Black Label – Rounded but fresh, Lanson Black Label is currently on form and ideal if you’re after a glass of classic NV champagne. 7/10

My final highlight

Jacquesson, Cuvée 736 Extra Brut – Based on the 2008 vintage, this is a blend of 55% Chardonnay with 19% Pinot Noir and 18% Pinot Meunier, and a dosage of 1.5g/l – though this is the first time it has been labelled ‘Extra Brut’.  The nose is incredibly inviting in its tantalising, cinnamon toast way.  Multi-layered and packed with delicious flavours of orchard fruits, this gloriously long and flavoursome champagne was my joint top wine of the day. It’s on my shopping list.  9/10

(by peter)

It’s great to see Latin America – Chile included – getting some attention these days.

Brazil is the economic powerhouse of the South American continent and will gain increasing prominence on the world stage in coming years, not least as a result of hosting the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. Let’s just hope that, among other urgently needed infrastructure improvements, they get that stadium roof fixed before then.

These are times of change not only in countries like Venezuela and Cuba in the post-Chavez and Fidel Castro eras but also in the Catholic church, which now has an Argentine pope.

Moving from economics, politics and religion to wine (as you do), South America is gaining increasing prominence in the global wine landscape. Be it in Asia, Canada, Europe, the USA or elsewhere, these are countries stridently asserting their credentials not just in the value wine category but also at more premium, aspirational levels too.

Put simply, there seems to be a significant and increasing focus on this colourful, contradictory continent – and it’s great to see.

I’ve just written a cover story on Chile’s ten most exciting wine producers for Decanter – a magazine that, with the greatest of respect and affection, has tended over the years to focus more on Old World classics than New World innovation, especially where top billing is concerned.

(You can read a pdf version of my cover story by clicking on the following link. For reference, my ten chosen producers were: Aristos, Bravado, Casa Marin, Clos des Fous, De Martino, Falernia, Laberinto, Louis-Antoine Luyt, Montsecano and Vina Leyda. Peter’s cover story in Decanter March 2013)

No more, it would seem. Decanter is going through an exciting evolution, pushing into Asia with its new Chinese-language website and Asia wine awards, as well as consolidating its mammoth Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA), at which I’ll be chairing in a few weeks. Not to mention targeting a new readership with its increasingly successful ipad edition.

What’s more, Decanter is also planning to undertake a significant departure from the norm come this autumn. Normally, its October edition is a bumper one, carrying all the DWWA global results. But this time round, for the first time, they’ll be publishing two concurrent editions – one of which will focus on the DWWA, the other of which will be exclusively dedicated to South American wine.

It’s an exciting, and telling prospect, one in which I’m delighted to be involved. More anon on this – as well as a new annual Chile listing I’m working on, for release soon. All reflective of a dynamic winemaking culture which deserves celebration and recognition.

(by peter, tasting with susie)

I’m out to Bordeaux for the en primeur tastings of the still embryonic 2012 vintage soon. (I’m thinking of releasing a report called ‘non-primeurs’ afterwards, but let’s not stir the pot too much just yet.)

By way of send-off, the nice people at Bordeaux Index were running their annual 10-year-on claret line-up – and this year it was the turn of 2003 – funnily enough, the first en primeur tastings I attended in Bordeaux.

Rather than go on at length about the vintage and tasting, I thought it might be easier to distil the key points into bite-size chunks.

So here goes. Both Susie and I tasted the wines, which included all the big names, and the results below reflect both our marks. Wines are listed in descending order of preference (or ranking).

Prices given are approximate, for cases, in bond. Contact Bordeaux Index if you’re interested in buying.

2003: a snapshot of the vintage

• The ‘deckchair’ vintage: very hot, dry year gave variable results
• Generally the style is one of firm chewy tannin, slightly baked aromas, lowish acidity and some heat on the finish
• The best wines are those that have managed to retain some harmony and grace (eg Lafite) to soften that sinewy style

2003: the verdict

• This is not a top quality vintage. The wines tend to be hard-going and lack the scent and grace of great claret. It’s not just a case of low-acid, ripe-fruit wines; these are often very chewy and ‘thick’.
• As a result, the pricier wines look over-valued. Better to steer clear and instead look to the beautifully drinking (and under-rated) 2004, while 2000 and 2005 are more complete.
• Even the cheaper wines (the cheapest we feature is still north of £30 per bottle) don’t look great value.
• That said, there are some good 2003s, which will yet benefit from further age in bottle (or, even better, in magnums).
• At the time of the primeurs back in 2004, St Estephe was rated highly, particularly Montrose. I didn’t think it had fared that well since.
• In short, if you really do want to buy into 2003, choose carefully. Put more stock by producer than commune in this heterogeneous vintage.

Top 5 wines

• Lafite Rothschild 2003, 12.5% (£8,300) – where others are burly, this just sings in a gentle, insistent way. Unfurls in silky, scented waves. The wine of the tasting.
• Latour 2003, 13% (£7,850) – surly initially but opens up in muscular yet silken fashion.
• Margaux 2003, 13% (£4,975) – classic perfume, lovely layers and savoury finesse; it’s a tiny bit loose on the finish but still beautiful stuff.
• Mouton-Rothschild 2003, 13% (£3,575) – deftly made, generous and aromatically engaging; while slightly hot on the finish, has good density and grip, lots here to be getting on with.
• Les Forts de Latour 2003, 13% (£1,750) – a slight surprise but Latour’s second wine put in a remarkable performance. Toasty, dense, lots of substance, fabulous stuff.

Top 5 wines outside the first growths

• Smith Haut Lafitte 2003, 13% (£500) – we both loved the rustic, meaty style of this juicy, edgy, compelling little number. Not for everyone though.
• Lascombes 2003, 12.5% (£650) – smoky, elegant and fine, beautiful focus.
• Clinet 2003, 13.5% (£575) – fine, firm, classy stuff. Savoury, gamey, drinking well now.
• Talbot 2003, 13% (£440) – dense, substantial, spicy, muscular, fine textured.
• Langoa-Barton 2003, 13% (£340) – lovely scent, drinking beautifully. Needs a nice piece of lamb, though.

Other good value wines

• Gazin 2003, 13% en magnum (£435) – lively leafy, grassy style, serious albeit in a lighter, fresher style.
• Du Tertre 2003, 13% (£320) – developed, succulent, lots of bang for your buck, albeit in a slightly angular, spicy style.
• Belair 2003, 12.5% (£365) – bold, scented, juicy, fine – a little lacking in body and somewhat gritty, but lots to like here too.
• Domaine de Chevalier 2003, 13% (£390) – decent, toasty, direct style.

Most conspicuous duds

• Palmer (£1,100)
• Pavie (£2,275)
• Léoville-Las-Cases (£1350)

(by peter)

Here’s a shameless plug for an interview I recently gave to Marcelo Soto of the Chilean business magazine Capital.

Several warnings apply. It’s in Spanish. It’s quite long. And it has a very large and smiley picture of me at the beginning.

Marcelo is very kind in the piece, calling me not a ‘distinguished’ wine critic and praising my Wines of Chile book as, ‘probably the best book in English on Chilean wine and, if truth be told, it has few competitors in Spanish’.

He even calls me, ‘delgado’ (slim). Bless you, sir.

You can find the piece via this link.

(by peter)

It happens to every man at some stage in their life.

Being upstaged by our womenfolk is something every man needs to get used to – no, scratch that: celebrate.

I just never thought it would be my mum besting me on the wine front on BBC1 in front of millions of viewers…

This week’s Saturday Kitchen coincided with Mother’s Day in the UK so my mum very graciously agreed to join us on our wine shoot in Winchester to help me select the wines. (She has a fantastic palate.)

It was great fun to be able to do something a bit different on the show. First up was the majestic Theo Randall knocking up yet another Italian delight: griddled lamb chops with inzimino.

To partner this I chose I delicious (and fantastic value) I Tre Vescovi Barbera d’Asti Superiore 2010 (£8.99, Waitrose). The first taste test the wine had to pass was of course mum – who said ‘it’s beautiful, I love it!’

So job done on that front – but what about the guys in the studio?

‘Delicious: goes really nicely, I like the dryness of Barbera,’ commented Theo, which is praise indeed from someone who knows his Italian wines very well.

Show host James Martin emphasised what good value the wine was, while chef David Everitt-Mathias (of Le Champignon Sauvage) said it was, ‘really meaty, holds its own against the chilli.’

Which was all well and good. But then we came onto David’s dish – and we decided to do something a bit different, by sending not the usual one but two wines into studio, by way of a little treat…and to have an excuse to toast mother’s day.

David’s dish was the highly original (and challenging wine-wise…) Witchill potatoes, caramelised onion purée, buffalo milk and turkey prosciutto.

Given the delicate flavours, blending Italian and tangy northern European ingredients and methods (elderberries and leek ash also featured), I chose two complimentary options. My first choice was the classic option: the Finest Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie 2011 (£6.99, Tesco) – subtle yet tangy and gently creamy, like the dish – while my second was the Finest Bisol Prosecco (£9.99, Tesco).

Mum’s preference was for the Prosecco, mine for the Muscadet – but of course, back in studio, they stitched me up by all voting for the Prosecco.

‘Mum knows best!’ was a delighted James’ quip.

And fair enough – it’s delicious fizz, great value and well worth a try. I’m not bitter, honest…

You can see the show for the next week via iplayer (wine bits at 15:48 and 56:30). Wine clips follow this piece. The eagle-eyed will also spot a Hitchcock-esque background appearance by my dad. Kudos for anyone who can spot him…

The show’s recipes are on the BBC Food site and they include James Martin’s beef wellington with purple broccoli and jus (Petit Plaisir 2010, £7.99, M&S), salmon pad thai (Casillero del Diablo Viognier 2011, £7.99 Sainsbury’s) and waffles with hot chocolate sauce, fried bananas and ice cream. Archive material from the show features Rick Stein, Celebrity Masterchef and Raymond Blanc.

Thanks to all the guys at Cactus TV for another brilliant show – and don’t forget to take a peek at their new cookery school Cactus Kitchens for amazing opportunities to get up close and personal with the brilliant chefs, recipes and wines from the show.

Finally, huge thanks to mum (and dad) not only for being a great sport on this occasion but also her unwavering support & affection over the years. I am very happy to be upstaged by someone so glorious. Cheers to that!

(by susie)

It’s been a funny old year for English sparkling wine.

On the one hand, 2012 was a bit of a nightmare vintage. Drought was followed by deluge and some producers didn’t even bother making wine. (This after 2011, which wasn’t exactly the harvest of the century.) At the very least, volumes took a significant downturn – hitting producers where it hurts most, in their stock levels and cash flow.

But this past year has had some real highs too. The royal wedding, Jubilee and Olympics put the spotlight on the UK and English sparkling wine has been ideally placed to capitalise on the celebratory mood and nationalistic fervour.

There is real momentum in the category.

On one level, it’s simply far easier to get hold of good English fizz now than it ever has been. There are more high-quality vineyards and producers around now and as a result shops and restaurants across the UK are keen to sell what was before more a tourist curio than a source of national pride.

More importantly, quality is better than it ever has been.

Last week I had the privilege of blind tasting 79 English sparkling wines. I’m not sure that anyone would have described this activity as a privilege twenty or even ten years ago. It would have been a chore – a necessary but not particularly pleasant part of the job.

How things have changed.

What I realised during this tasting was that I expected all of these wines to be drinkable at the very least, in the same way I would if I were tasting a range of champagnes.  With one notable exception (sorry, Carr Taylor), they didn’t disappoint.

The Tasting

‘The Judgement of Parsons Green’ was initiated in 2011 by leading UK viticultural consultant Stephen Skelton MW.  Stephen deserves enormous credit for having had the foresight to set up this West London tasting which is now a firm and important fixture in the UK wine tasting calendar.  I’ve attended all three and 2013 was every bit as interesting and surprising as the past two.

Slightly fewer wines were entered this year than last, 79 versus 90, but significantly more than the 52 entered in 2011.  Stephen says the decrease in numbers this year is due, in part, to low stock levels and producers wanting to sell what stock they have rather than enter it into tastings.  The lack of stock, he says, is the result of strong sales following the royal wedding, the jubilee and the Olympics, in combination with a short harvest in 2012.

Stephen also states, ‘A few vineyards, sadly some of the better known ones, decided they didn’t want to be judged against their peers and refused to play ball. Perhaps they were frightened of the competition?’ I noted on the day that Nyetimber, one of the country’s leading sparkling wine producers, hadn’t entered.

The tasting consisted of 23 rosé wines, 22 blanc de blancs, 2 blanc de noirs wines, and 32 ‘blends’.  They were all English, no Welsh wines were entered.  In addition, Stephen threw in four non-UK sparkling wines, three from Champagne and one from California (Roederer’s Quartet).  There was a morning and an afternoon tasting session with a mix of styles shown in each.  Prices ranged from £12.20 to £55.00, though the majority of wines shown were between £20 and £30.

As regards vintages, 52 of the 79 wines were from the 2009 and 2010 harvests.  Added to this, the 12 non-vintage wines entered were also, according to Stephen, largely based on these two high-quality years.

Laithwaite’s leads the way

When everyone’s scores were averaged, the name linking the two top wines of the tasting was ‘Laithwaite’. (Tony Laithwaite is one of wine’s most successful entrepreneurs, with his highly successful eponymous mail order company and now a raft of subsidiary businesses.) The top-rated wine was grown by Tony’s wife (and Laithwaite’s Wine co-founder) Barbara, while the second most popular bottle was the company’s Theale Blanc de Blancs:

Wyfold 2009 £24.99 (67% Chardonnay, 21% Pinot Noir, 13% Pinot Meunier) - Wyfold is part owned by Barbara Laithwaite

Theale Blanc de Blancs 2007 £24.95 (100% Chardonnay) - Theale is a tiny vineyard just outside the Direct Wines / Laithwaite’s head office.

Both were made by the Roberts family, owners of Ridgeview, one of the UK’s leading producers.  Ridgeview also performed very well in the tasting and had another two wines in the overall top six.

On a related note, the performance of Laithwaite’s bodes well for the vineyard which they have helped plant and develop in the Queen’s back garden in Windsor Great Park. When I met the Duchess of Cornwall alongside Tony and Barbara at a recent UK wine bash (Camilla being the UK Vineyard Association president) she professed to being a red wine lover…perhaps the quality of the local Laithwaite’s fizz will convert her eventually.

Varietal mix

It’s worth noting is that only one wine in the top 30 overall wines was made from a non-champagne variety. (Although one wine didn’t specify the grapes.)

The future is rosé…?

The biggest surprise for me was the quality of the rosé wines, made in every style and hue imaginable.  This style gained my highest average score of the tasting.  In Stephen’s summary of the tasting he states, ‘I still think that the rosés are an undervalued class and when producers really get the hang of them, they will prove to be a UK speciality.’  I heartily agree.

The wines

We were asked to score using a scale of 20 and what follows are my top UK sparkling wines from the tasting, those which scored 17 and over, in descending order of personal preference. I have also added a summary of the 20 overall top-scoring wines when the scores of all the tasters were collated.

SUSIE’S TASTING

Bolney Blanc de Blancs 2008, £25.99 (100% Chardonnay,12.3% ABV) - reticent but rich and toasty on the nose.  Palate is oaky(!) and spicy – is this really English fizz?  It does taste it from the racy acidity but it’s a bit like drinking a mix of UK fizz and white Burgundy.  It’s very unusual, but I like it and it’s hard to deny it’s a very impressive glass of fizz. 18.5/20

Kilcott Valley Monarch’s Way 2010, £n/a (100% Seyval Blanc, 11% ABV) – deep colour. Lots of character immediately on the nose.  Really bready and savoury – thankfully the palate is the same and it works really well.  It’s full of complexity and flavour albeit not hugely refined. A bready, developed and enveloping wine – lovely. 18.5/20

Bluebell Estates Hindleap Rosé 2010, £25.00 (61% Pinot Noir, 39% Pinot Meunier, 12% ABV) – pale onion skin hue. Creamy plum fruit.  Nice crisp acidity, lovely balanced flavour, brisk but well balanced and really stylish –the best rosé in terms of balance and elegance.  The fruit is definitely plummy and there’s good length.  18.5/20

Wiston Blanc de Noirs 2009, £tbc (100% Pinot Noir, 12% ABV) – a creamy, smooth, nutty style.  Palate is similar, very white Burgundy-esque and very engaging.  It’s really full-on and rich but balanced.  Why not?  18.5/20

Wiston South Downs Cellars Bin 3 2009, £23.95 (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier – no stated quantities, 12% ABV) – savoury, bready, mineral aromas.  Palate is stylish – it’s bready, zesty and a little creamy.  Elegant but with full flavours and real character.  Would be good with rich creamy food / fish pie.  18/20

Bolney Cuvée Rosé 2009, £24.99 (100% Pinot Noir, 12.9% ABV) – stylish bready aromas – palate is similar, works really well.  I like the elegance and summer fruit stylishness of this one.  Long, refined and very appealing. 18/20

Southcott Rosé 2010, £23.99 (50% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, 10% other, 12.5% ABV) – very pale with extremely lively mousse.  Floral, pear and apple aromas with a little hint of sulphur.  The palate is better than the nose; crisp, citric and mineral.  Possibly a little dry to be totally harmonious but a fresh and lifted, elegant wine.  Finishes a little thin.  17.5/20

Hush Heath Balfour Brut Rosé 2009, £35.99 (52% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay, 11% Pinot Meunier, 12.5% ABV) – mid-salmon hue. Restrained, bready, plummy aromas.  A fuller style with good crisp acidity, ripe orchard fruits and good length.  A very satisfying glass of rosé.  17.5/20

Theale Blanc de Blancs 2007, £24.95 (100% Chardonnay, 12% ABV) – freshly baked bread and lemon zest on the nose.  Palate is creamy and high in juicy, citric acidity.  This is really characterful stuff and why not.  Loads of zesty lemony acidity matched with a youthful but yeasty profile.  Quite full-on but good. 17.5/20

High Clandon Queen’s Jubilee Cuvée 2008, £30.00 (58% Chardonnay, 24% Pinot Noir, 18% Pinot Meunier, 12.5% ABV) – fresh yeasty aromas.  Palate is good, really lemony and zesty and with good length. A vibrant, youthful but impressive wine.  17.5/20

Camel Valley Cuvée R 2011, £24.95 (varieties not stated, 12.5% ABV) – baby pink colour.  Plum and summer fruit aromas.  The palate is dry and savoury and really bready – this is good.  For once the palate is better than the nose and very impressive.  Shame it doesn’t have a more serious-looking colour but it’s a lovely example.  17.5/20

Breaky Bottom Cuvée Princess Colonna 2008, £24.50 (85% Chardonnay, 7% Pinot Noir, 8% Pinot Meunier, 10.8% ABV) – restrained, bready, yeasty style.  Lots of citric lemon fruit.  Works pretty well in a tangy, creamy, lemony, full-on way. 17.5/20

Wyfold 2009, £24.99 (67% Chardonnay, 21% Pinot Noir, 13% Pinot Meunier, 12.5% ABV) – very bready aromas.  A really rich, developed feel to this one.  It must have some age and the dosage is a little high to be balanced but it’s an impressive, champagne-like style. 17.5/20

Yearlstone Vintage Brut 2009, £16.95 (60% Seyval Blanc, 40% Pinot Blanc, 11% ABV) – light, floral aromas.  Palate shows florality and spice.  Plenty of red apple / orchard fruit here.  A good UK example of a youthful blanc de blancs. 17.25/20

Hoffmann & Rathbone Rosé Réserve 2010, £42.00 (95% Pinot Noir, 5% Chardonnay, 12% ABV) – mid-pink hue. Nose of red cherries and apples.  Palate shows some oxidative, bruised apple notes and crisp zesty acidity.  Well balanced and characterful – rustic rosé that works well. 17/20

Marden Organic Brut Rosé 2010, £25.00 (40% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Meunier, 12.5% ABV) – pale salmon pink. Restrained nose that is floral and blossomy with light peach notes.  Palate is rounded and fruity, not complex but very drinkable.  Fresh zesty acidity and good fruit balance. 17/20

Breaky Bottom Cuvée Alexandre Schwatchko 2008, £22.00 (95% Seyval Blanc 5% Chardonnay, 11.9% ABV) – nice bready, champagne-like aromas.  Palate is bready and savoury but it’s a little cloying, palate not quite as good as the nose promises but still some good minerality and bready layers.  17/20

Sharpham Sparkling NV, £29.95 (55% Pinot Noir, 20% Pinot Meunier, 15% Pinot Gris, 10% Chardonnay, 12% ABV) – mineral and lemon aromas.  Palate quite waxy and with a touch of spice.  Interesting dry, tangy herbal style.  17/20

Bluebell Estates Blanc de Blancs 2009, £25.00 (100% Chardonnay, 12% ABV) – lifted fresh yeasty aromas.  Palate is dry, lean, steely and lemony.  Very high acidity.  Quite challenging to drink but pure, elegant and spine-tingling.  17/20

Jenkyn Place Rosé 2009, £27.00 (79% Pinot Noir, 21% Chardonnay, 12.5% ABV) – rich,  ripe, plummy aromas. Palate is similar with a real Pinot Noir character. Quite like a fizzy red Burgundy in a lightish style.  It’s full and fruity but all in balance. 17/20

Chapel Down Rosé Brut NV, £24.99 (97% Pinot Noir, 3% Pinot Meunier, 12% ABV) – salmon pink colour. A mix of bready, spicy and floral notes.  Palate is similar, nice soft red fruit character.  A little bit simple and high in dosage but very drinkable.  17/20

Ridgeview Fitzrovia Rosé 2010, £26.95 (64% Chardonnay, 32% Pinot Noir, 4% Pinot Meunier, 12% ABV) – very spicy / bruised apple aromas, quite oxidative.  This carries through to the palate but it does work on a certain level.  A rustic and full-on style. 17/20

Meonhill Réserve NV, £21.95 (50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir, 12% ABV) – closed, reticent nose.  A little yeasty.  Palate is very tangy and citric / juicy lemony, very young.  Not bad at all, very invigorating.  17/20

Henners Reserve 2009, £29.00 (70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, 12% ABV) – mute aromatically.  Yeasty.  Palate is dry and serious.  Tangy and yeasty.  Lots of racy acidity.   It’s an elegant and racy UK fizz, lacks complexity but it’s balanced and good. 17/20

Langham Wine Estate Blanc de Noirs 2010, £24.00 (85% Pinot Noir, 15% Pinot Meunier, 12% ABV) – pink hue. Oxidative aromas.  Interesting – would be good with a chunk of terrine or paté and toasted country bread – a really rustic style.  Not complex but rounded and very drinkable.  Good stuff.  17/20

Upperton Nebula 2010, £25.50 (37% Chardonnay, 37% Pinot Noir, 26% Pinot Meunier, 13% ABV) – restrained bready aromas.  A rich but savoury style.  It falls away a bit on the back palate but it is a very engaging wine.  Champagne-like and yeasty.  17/20

OVERALL TOP 20 RANKINGS

NB: While the two Laithwaite’s wines were clear winners, the scores for the next 20 were within half a point of each other

1. Wyfold 2009
2. Theale Blanc de Blancs 2007
3. Breaky Bottom Cuvée Princess Colonna 2008
4. Ridgeview Cavendish 2010
5. Wiston South Down Cellars Bin 3 2009
6. Ridgeview Grosvener Blanc de Blancs 2010
7. Roederer Estate Quartet Brut NV (California)
8. Bluebell Estates Hindleap Rosé 2010
9. Camel Valley Pinot Noir Rosé Brut 2009
10. Waitrose Blanc de Blancs Champagne NV
11. Henners Vintage Reserve 2009
12. Henners Vintage 2009
13. Plumpton The Dean Blush Brut NV
14. Champagne Taittinger Brut NV
15. Chapel Down English Rose NV
16. Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs 2008
17. Jenkyn Place Rosé 2009
18. Meopham Sparkling Brut 2008
19. Chapel Down Rosé Brut NV
20. Ridgeview M&S Marksman 2009

(by peter)

For those who missed it, here’s a pdf of my recommendations piece in Decanter magazine on Chilean reds under £15:

Peter Richards MW recommends Chilean reds under £15 in Decanter

This was part of a cover story entitled ’58 New World reds under £15′, from the February issue.

Various countries were represented, and those choosing included Marina Gayan MW on Argentina, Anthony Rose on Australia, Peter McCombie MW on New Zealand, Fiona McDonald on South Africa and Stephen Brook on California.

Snap them up, because they won’t be around (or this cheap) for ever…

(Thanks to Decanter/IPC Media.)

(by peter)

It happens every year.

Just before the Chancellor’s annual spring budget, the sabres are rattled. The same old ones, beating out a familiar rusty rhythm, skewing what could and should be a responsible debate about a very important issue in society.

That issue is alcohol consumption and its effect on human health. (I wrote about this last year and also following a Royal College of Physicians conference when alcohol was termed ‘a corporate-borne disease’.)

The news, in short, is that a coalition of medical organisations, including the aggressive Alcohol Health Alliance lobby group, has released a report urging the government to fast-track minimum pricing (of 50p rather than the nominal 45p per unit) and to take other measures to reduce problem drinking, including:

• Mandating hard-hitting warnings about the danger of excess consumption which should take up a minimum of a third of the label on cans and bottles
• Banning all alcohol advertising and sponsorship
• Drink sales in shops to be restricted to certain times and certain designated areas, to reduce ‘pre-loading’
• Raising the price of high-strength alcohol products, including certain wines, to discourage consumption

I’m not a scientist, or a GP, and clearly I’m not disinterested because booze is my day job. But I can see both sides of this debate.

Alcohol abuse is a terrible thing. It destroys lives. It can be a terrible burden to society.

And yet we need to see things in context, and have a responsible debate rather than slinging mud.

So let’s start with the facts. Alcohol is estimated to cost the NHS anywhere between £2.5bn and £4bn per year. That’s a big figure, and a concerning one. (But it hasn’t gone unchallenged – for example the Wilson Drinks Report recently called into question how A&E units were accounting for ‘alcohol-related intake’, positing that these figures may well be over-estimated.)

Let’s also put things into some context. Obesity is estimated to cost the NHS around £5bn per year, with a wider cost to the economy of £16bn.

Stress is thought to cost the UK economy some £26bn per year.

And, while the health lobby is active trying to reduce obesity, their campaigns don’t seem to be as virulent as against alcohol. Nor are they particularly targeted at the budget. We don’t see them campaigning against pies every March. Nor are they up in arms about excessive working hours, or other pressures on people who suffer from stress in the UK.

In fact, you could argue that alcohol helps relieve stress, and thus helps mitigate that problem.

Beer alone is calculated to contribute £5.5bn ever year to the chancellor’s coffers, with spending on alcohol bringing in £14.6bn to UK tax revenues.

Although these figures are instructive, however, it’s not just about the economics.

It’s simple, really. Drinking too much alcohol is a bad thing. Drinking moderately, by contrast, has been shown to have health benefits. Instead of lurching into a nanny state, let’s allow people to make their own, informed decisions through education and responsible regulation.

Because let’s make no mistake: alcohol is a drug, and a potent one. It needs control: minimum age limits, strict anti-drink-driving legislation and enforcement etc.

But let’s take a look at those measures being proposed again.

-         Huge health warnings on alcohol labels? It’s ludicrously over-the-top and would have a very negative impact on alcohol sales, damaging the economy here and globally, and putting off people who would normally enjoy alcohol responsibly. Let’s educate people – in schools, in communities, in families – about the dangers of alcohol so they know this before they get anywhere near the booze aisles.

-         Minimum pricing? There is something in the argument that banning dirt cheap booze is a good thing – no one likes to see super-strength cider at rock bottom prices on the shelves. But it may well be illegal under EU anti-competition laws. More importantly, it may well be largely ineffective. Finally, it will be almost impossible to police, and very costly to enforce.

-         Banning alcohol advertising and sponsorship? I’m not hugely against this. It’s not great that young people are familiar with alcohol brands as a result of watching sport. But it does risk having unintended consequences and pushing alcohol companies into a marginalised position, which might risk adding to the glamour of alcohol abuse.

-         Forcing shops to sell alcohol only at certain times and in certain areas? Totally counter-productive. It won’t stop alcohol abuse. If people want to buy it and abuse it, they’ll get round this. I also think that taking more enlightened approaches to selling may actually encourage more responsible drinking: eg selling wine near appropriate foods, to promote it as a drink to have in moderation with food.

-         Hiking the price of high-alcohol wines? The port, sherry and madeira industries are fighting for survival at the moment in the UK market; this would be the nail in their coffin. These are historic wines with strong links to the UK and constitute some very fine wines indeed.

The UK is already one of the most heavily regulated and highly taxed alcohol markets in the world. Tax on a bottle of still wine has risen nearly 50% since 2008 (compared to 15% rise in the 8 years prior to this) and now accounts for £2.28 before any liquid is taken into account.

This means that on a sub-£5, pretty much half of the value of the bottle goes straight to the chancellor, before any other costs and margins are taken into account. As a result, the amount spent on the actual wine is very little (about 50p, probably).

What’s more, alcohol consumption is actually in long-term decline in the UK market. At the same time, wine ranges are slowly being eroded as producers look to other markets as being less heavily regulated and more open-minded. The end result could involve tumble-weed and an identikit range of rubbish but pricey booze.

I do believe that scientists and the healthy lobby believe they are acting in the best interests of British society. But I also believe that they are misguided in their aims and overly aggressive in their methods. Let’s have proper debate (year-round and not just pre-budget). Let’s do more research if it’s needed. Let’s work together to sort this out: the alcohol industry, the science lobby, the government and the public.

And above all, let’s not forget the joy that alcohol, when enjoyed in civilised moderation, can bring to people. Not to mention the health benefits. It’s impossible to put a value on the former, which means its importance is often downplayed in public debate. But neither should be forgotten.

Of course the ultimate result of all of this won’t be concrete action with a long-term vision to helping people enjoy alcohol responsibly. It will be yet another hike on booze duty, which keeps the anti-alcohol lobby subdued (at least until the next budget), the alcohol industry powerless to respond and, most sadly of all, penalises people who just want to enjoy a nice relaxing drink of decent booze at the end of a hard day’s work (for which they’re also being taxed).

It all leaves a rather bitter taste in the mouth.

(by peter)

It was fun chatting with Simon Mayo last night on his BBC2 drivetime radio show.

Apparently, Simon had been contacted by a listener on Friday saying she was stuck in traffic and she had asked her friends to, ‘let the wine breathe’ while waiting for her to arrive.

Simon had flippantly dismissed the notion of letting wines breathe, saying most people can’t taste the difference anyway – so they got me on to discuss why this practice exists and whether it’s necessary or beneficial to do. (It feels more of a Friday rather than a Monday afternoon topic, but there you go…)

We had a very nice chat, which you can listen to via the Radio 2 website (our chat runs from 18:52 until 23:45, at which point the peerless Stevie Wonder kicks in).

Letting wines breathe isn’t really necessary these days. The vast majority of wines are ready to drink the moment you pull the cork, or unscrew the cap, and they don’t benefit from significant aeration. (This might have been more necessary in the old days when winemaking wasn’t so precisely managed and market-focused.)

The purpose of oxygenating or aerating a wine is to cause a chemical reaction between the oxygen in air with the many and varied components in wine. It’s most of use for young wines that need to ‘open up’ but have not yet had a chance to do so in bottle.

Wines that benefit from such aeration tend to be expensive and full-bodied, the kind of wines that are built to mature over long periods of time – eg good claret, Burgundy, Rhône, Barolo, or vintage port. It can help the texture soften and the aromas open up.

Funnily enough, some other wines that benefit from aeration are those sealed under screwcap. Sometimes the use of screwcaps, because they provide a more impermeable seal than corks, can lead to wines that need to breathe a little before serving. This can be the case, for example, with top New World Syrahs.

But the best thing to do, if you’re thinking of letting a wine breathe, is to test it first. Open it in advance – if you feel it needs to open up (ie it’s a bit flat or mute aromatically, or a bit too astringent or drying in flavour) then either pour it into a decanter or into a jug then back into the bottle. Anything from one to 24 hours can work (when we served a bottle of Penfolds Grange 1995 last year at one of our events we decanted it half a day in advance, and it was greatly the better for it).

On this latter practice, which is known as double decanting, it’s worth clearing up one common myth. Many people think that simply by taking the cork out or screwcap off a wine and then leaving it, that the wine will breathe. It won’t. There isn’t enough surface area of wine in contact with air for the aeration to have a significant effect. You need to actively mix the wine with air – hence pouring into a jug or decanter.

You can also aerate whites, for which the same rule applies as for reds – ie it’s most useful for full-bodied, ageworthy styles like good white Burgundy, white Bordeaux or German/Austria/Alsace Riesling.

One thing to be very wary of is aerating or decanting old wines. Sometimes they actually get worse from being aerated, because their fragile aromas and delicate structure can quickly oxidise and fall apart. Instead, with these, stand them upright for at least a few hours before serving, so that any sediment can settle, then pour them gently straight from the bottle.

One renowned experiment vindicated the procedure of not decanting older reds. Several famous wine producers from around the world were served a series of glasses of the same wine – which was their own top cuvée – which ranged from some that had been decanted (and thus aerated) a long time before serving up to a sample that had been uncorked and poured immediately before serving.

The result? Almost total preference for the wine that had been opened most recently. (You could replicate this experiment yourself at home for a bit of fun – it’s all in the interests of scientific research!)

Personally, I’m with Simon. I’m not sure our household has the self-restraint or patience to let good wines breathe for too long. Decanting is fun, especially on social occasions, but aerating is often best done in the glass.

And as for the practice of so-called ‘hyperdecanting’ (ie sticking the wine in a blender) – which you can see via this link – I’m lost for words…

(by susie)

This week’s Saturday Kitchen was probably my most enjoyable day of filming for the show that I can remember.

Not only was I given access to Twickenham stadium, I even got a taste of the action as I was lifted skyward in a line-out with some seriously hunky young rugby players.  Work surely doesn’t get much better than that… and it’s certainly the closest I’ll ever get to being allowed on a professional rugby pitch.  Huge thanks to SK’s Andy Clarke and Claire Paine for arranging it all – and making my day.

The show was terrific too, of course, with some wonderful food from Stephen Terry, Simon Hulstone and James Martin – who out-did himself with the most indulgent sticky toffee pudding I’ve ever seen.

Simon kicked off with a beautiful and delicate plate of poached Megrim sole with seaweed butter sauce and a warm quinoa & sea herb salad.  A healthy yet hedonistic combination and a white wine dish if ever there was one.

The tricky part was finding a wine that could cope with the incredible richness of the butter sauce, while at the same time being delicate enough for the sole and the quinoa salad.  After trying several, fish-friendly wines it was Finest Albariño 2011 (£7.99, Tesco) that came out on top, a delightfully zesty white whose succulent florality was in perfect harmony with the salty sea flavours in the dish.

James thought so too, saying, ‘it’s a great combination, there’s a lot of flavours going on there but it works really well’.  Luckily Simon agreed and Stephen apparently loves Albariño, so a good reaction all round.

Stephen Terry was next up and I can honestly say it had been a total pleasure on Friday night to cook up and match a wine to his potato gnocchi, grilled radicchio and sausage sauce, in preparation for the show.  When a successful chef with a string of Michelin-starred restaurants on his CV chooses to come on Saturday Kitchen and cook a simple dish that anyone can have a go at, it lifts my heart.  It was totally delicious to boot!

To be honest, I could have gone for a red or a white, but the overall taste of the dish with its capers, parsley, lemon and cream pushed me towards a white: Extra Special Fiano 2011 (£5.00, Asda).  Stephen declared himself a ‘big fan of Fiano’ while James thought the dish was, ‘particularly good with the wine’ and said in relation to the price: ‘I think this is spectacular, a great buy that one’.

Wine clips from the show, which featured special guest Ruthie Henshall, are below and you can find recipes on the BBC Food site. My thanks to James, Simon, Stephen, the lovely St Mary’s rugby boys and all the crew at Cactus and the BBC. And of course thanks as always for watching!

(by peter)

In January I co-chaired the annual South American workshop run by Santa Rita Estates (SRE).

It’s a great initiative, pulling together a range of excellent wines (the majority not actually made by SRE, to their credit) and some top notch speakers (this year featured Brian Croser, Patricio Tapia, Andrés Ilabaca and Edgardo del Pópolo).

The idea is to explore, taste and discuss the very latest in Chilean and Argentinean wine. This year the focus was on coastal climate wines and innovation in Chile and then a detailed look at the terroir of the Gualtallary area in the Uco Valley of Mendoza.

In my preface to the Chilean session, I made the point that coastal climate is a relatively new concept in Chilean wine – as recently as 30 years ago proper coastal climate viticulture just didn’t exist, at least in a modern commercial sense. There was no Casablanca, no San Antonio or coastal Limarí. That’s quite some thought, given how fast the evolution has been since then, and the standard of the wines now. It is also a sign, to my mind, that Chile still has much more to give.

I also mentioned that innovation is inherent to Chilean wine. While the (generally cautious and conservative) national character may tend more to evolution than revolution, Chile is one of the fastest developing wine nations in the world right now.

One major wine publication recently issued a report criticising Chile for being beholden to its large producers and stuck in the mud as a result. While this view still has some truth to it, it’s also an increasingly outdated picture. There has never been a more exciting time to drink Chilean wine.

How so? In a word, diversity. It’s there in the emergence of new wine styles (like natural wines, fizz, sweet and fortified) as well as a refining of the traditional ones. It’s in the revival of ancient vines in the south and ancient traditions (the sweet pajarete and Atacaman viticulture) in the north. Think high altitude viticulture in the Cachapoal, Elqui and Maule. The emergence of Syrah, Pinot, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling as key varieties. The ongoing discovery of uncharted regions with great potential for fine wine. The abandoning of standardising forces such as new barrels, commercial yeasts and late harvests – as led by Marcelo Retamal at De Martino. Vines trained up trees. Small-scale family winemaking in front gardens…the list goes on.

It’s all happening in Chile and it’s great to see. Long may the experimentation and consolidation continue.

Over the Andes in Argentina, the country has never been short of free spirits. Argentina doesn’t have the natural climatic or topographical diversity that Chile does, though, so its focus is on the fine tuning, the minutiae of site and soil in the breathless uplands of its pre-Andean territories, in order to imbue its wines with character, soul and song.

Both countries have much to offer today’s wine drinker, and will have even more to offer the wine lovers of tomorrow. They will reward the curious, the loyal, the seekers of thrills and spills. Incidentally, they also have entirely complimentary wine offerings and should work together more often to promote their wares. Credit to SRE for taking the initiative in this sense.

Below are some personal highlights of wines that I tasted during the event.

TASTING

Santa Rita Medalla Real Sauvignon Blanc 2012, Leyda, 13.5% – zingy, classic aromas of capsicum, green pepper and lemon. Lovely density and spice, impeccable length and presence. Classic Leyda style but very accessible. Anis and fennel too. Lovely stuff. 7-7.5/10

Koyle Costa Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Paredones, 12.5% – wow, very distinctive. Flinty, mineral. Engaging and grown-up, very good indeed. Spicy, focused, invigorating and very young. This is very exciting indeed. Dusty roasted pepper. Savoury. Reminiscent of the new mineral styles of Marlborough Savvy. Beautiful stuff. Very herbal. 7.5/10

Maycas Quebrada Seca Chardonnay 2011, Limarí, 14.1% – lovely nutty nose, gently reductive and with notes of green/red apple. Very attractive. gently spicy. It’s big but holds itself very well. Lovely salty acidity and finish. Beautiful 7.5-8/10

Ventisquero Tara White Wine 1, Chardonnay, 2011, Huasco, 13% – ok, so it’s cloudy and funky – but it’s delicious too! Slightly fermentive aromas with notes of mashed pear and apricot. A ‘natural’ style. Loads of tangy malic acidity. Could do with being tamed a little more but its dark side is appealing and invigorating.  Softens in the glass (and after decanting). Great potential here and good to see a big winery like Ventisquero pushing the boundaries. The wine includes a dash of Viognier, was trodden by foot, fermented in stainless steel barrels and bottled by hand. Only 409 bottles were made from this brand new tiny vineyard in uncharted territory for Chilean wine. 6.5-7/10

Catena Zapata White Stones Chardonnay 2009, Uco, 14% – quite deep yellow hue, very bright though. Not so much reductive as glazed preserved lemon, with honeyed melon tones. It has a richness and sweet melon character; toasty oak in the background. It’s still pretty buttery, with spicy full alcohol, but works OK. Definitely a New World style but lovely and very well crafted. World class. Lovely seamless integration of acidity, oak and fruit. Stony. Very impressive. 8/10

De Martino Viejas Tinajas Muscat 2012, Itata, 13% – Wow! Immediately engaging aromas of fresh baked ginger biscuits and plump grapes. But what really makes it is the chewy body and slightly oxidative hint that makes it savoury, complex and compelling. Another triumph! Biscuity and exotic. Delightful. De Martino and Marcelo Retamal on top form, as ever. Yes, it’s a bit edgy and funky but it represents a new and exciting paradigm for Chile. Caution, though: this sample is not the bottled version, it was taken from the large clay amphorae in which it was made. (7-7.5/10)

Pinot Noir 2012, Mar del Plata – a totally new, as yet unlabelled wine from virgin vineyard territory in coastal Argentina not far from Buenos Aires and made by Daniel Pi of Trapiche. Very creditable! Yes, it’s a bit rustic and edgy but it has good earthy leafy Pinot character, crunchy acid, slightly raw tannin, not huge depth but nice vital freshness and rustic charm. Can be done! (Much better than the slightly bland Sauvignon Blanc…) Thanks to Patricio Tapia for brining this over. 6/10

Santa Rita Medalla Real Syrah 2010, Limarí, 14% – creamy charry black/blue fruit. Plump Limarí style. But good acidity and a nice savoury lick on the finish to complement the glossy dark fruit. Plush but with savoury elements. Impressive, actually. 7/10

Doña Paula Series Cabernet Franc 2011, Gualtallary, 14% – slightly raisiny red and black fruit, also some nice graphite hints. Palate is better than the nose, actually. Love the gravelly structure here, savoury, nicely constructed, not overblown, quite savoury. Could tone down oak a bit but it works. Yes some spice on finish but very impressive. Winemaker Edgardo del Pópolo says Cabernet Franc is one of the best suited varieties to the Gualtallary soil and climate; it’s certainly a grape with a bright future in upland Argentina. 7-7.5/10

Zorzal Terroir Unico Malbec 2011, 13.8% , Gualtallary – floral, vibrant aromas. Very silky, then spicy, then bittersweet. Nicely made, well intentioned. Foodie, makes you think of food. This is unoaked. Wild yeast, fermented in concrete. Very nice crunchy style. I like the cut of this wine’s jib. It’s a basic style made by the Michelini brothers from a limestone-sand-gravel vineyard.  Honest, upbeat and refreshing. 7/10

Doña Paula Alluvia Parcel Malbec 2010, Gualtallary, 14.5% – the first vintage of this wine, produced from bush vines grown in rocky soils. Slightly dusty, floral aromas. Stewed damsons. Quite dense tannin, sinewy almost. But it has the same sort of savoury gravelly palate structure as the Cab Franc. Again, palate is better than the nose. Lovely lift and freshness. Very good indeed. Lovely combo. 7-7.5/10

(by susie)

For those who may have missed it, here’s a pdf of my piece on Champagne house Laurent-Perrier from the November issue of Decanter magazine:

Susie Barrie MW on Laurent-Perrier in Decanter, November 2012

I visited in early summer 2012, just as the house was making the preparations for its bicentenary celebrations.

Laurent-Perrier is an intriguing producer, with some great stories behind it. Of course, many people know it primarily from its iconic rosé bottle – but few also realise that it’s one of the largest champagne houses, with subsidiaries including Salon, Delamotte and De Castellane, and a pioneer of the prestige cuvée. It’s still family owned and with some fascinating human stories in its history to boot, including a novel remedy for pleurisy (Lanson and horseradish) and a recent annus horibilis.

My article also includes a few recommendations, including the brand new ‘Les Réserves Grand Siècle and a very fine 2002 vintage.

(My thanks to Decanter/IPC Media for the reproduction here.)

(by peter)

We was robbed.

This was the 60^th anniversary of the Varsity Blind Wine Tasting, sponsored by Pol Roger. In a notable departure from the norm of the Oxford vs Cambridge annual tasting contest, and to celebrate the occasion, this year there was a show-down between specially selected teams to represent the ‘trade’ and ‘press’.

The most important headline was that Oxford won the headline event – many congratulations to them. It was, nonetheless, only by a slim margin (12 points between the two teams – out of a theoretical team total of 1,440).

The eventual difference between the trade and press teams was even tighter – just six points – but the trade prevailed. This despite the best overall tasting performance result going to the press team’s Anthony Rose, himself a veteran of the varsity wine match.

The press – inevitably – called for both a re-count and a rematch. Either way, this was a hugely enjoyable occasion, one which I, for one, was very happy to support – it’s great to see people getting passionate about wine, having a bit of fun, and celebrating what this great drink is all about.

For the record, the press team comprised me, Michael Schuster, Matthew Jukes, Oz Clarke, Will Lyons, Anthony Rose and Joe Wadsack. The trade team was made up of Jasper Morris MW, Gearoid Devaney MS, Christophe Delalonde MS, Arabella Morris MW, Jon Pedley MW and Cat Felstead MW (replaced by an Oxford coach, in the event, as she was unable to make it).

The wines (see below) were testing – some notably more than others – but fair, and frequently a treat. The Vega Sicilia 1953 was perhaps the biggest (yet delightful) curve ball, with other highlights being the Haut-Brion 1995, the Egon Müller 1987 Scharzhofberg and the Le Montrachet 2008. I’m afraid I was less keen (and complimentary in my blind tasting) towards some of the others…

My thanks to Pol Roger for not only organising a splendid day but also for their ongoing support for an excellent initiative that gets young people excited (and serious) about wine. Apparently they are also now running Edinburgh vs St Andrews and Bristol vs Bath university tastings. I suggested a ‘six nations’ of wine matches, with winning university teams from England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Italy and France – maybe even a world cup in due course…

For now, Pol Roger are planning to launch a book to commemorate the 60^th anniversary of the Varsity Wine Tasting, which is due out in May, entitled Reds, Whites & Varsity Blues. They are also launching a one-off 1953 cask bottling of Glenfarclas whisky and Hine Cognac, the latter of which we tried at the end of a superb lunch in the Napoleon Cellar at Berry Bros & Rudd, and which was nectar. A suitable compliment to the excellent (and still young) 2002 Pol Roger served in magnum to kick off proceedings.

TASTING

• The following wines were tasted blind under timed conditions, six whites followed by six reds.
• Marks were awarded for: grape variety, country, region and sub-region of origin, vintage and reasoning.

Vouvray Sec 2011, Clos de Bourg, Gaston Huët – a tricky wine to start with, fairly neutral but with crisp acidity and gently off-dry. I put it as good New Zealand (Awatere) Pinot Gris because it didn’t have that hallmark woolly note and bruised apple of classic Loire Chenin. That’ll teach me…

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 2011, Roussanne Vieilles Vignes, Beaucastel – I was way off the mark here, mistaking the subtle reticence and breadth of Roussanne for something altogether simpler and cheaper. I’m afraid I’ve never been a massive fan of this style of wine (see my remarks on the 2009 here) but there you go.

Le Montrachet 2008, Marquis de Laguiche, Joseph Drouhin – something I recognised immediately as top quality Grand Cru white Burgundy. I went Corton-Charlemagne in the end. I guessed 2009 because it was quite rich on the finish and not as taut as I’d expect 2008 or 2009 to be. But either way, this was a glorious, resonant wine, a real treat. (I’d also liked when I tasted it at the Primum Familiae Vini event.)

Scharzhofberger Auslese 1987, Egon Müller – wow. This was a show-stopper of a wine, one you looked at, smelled, then thought ‘this can’t be…’ then tasted, then realised it was, then simply smiled… Sensational aged Riesling, utter grace and poise, haunting and captivating. Deep golden hue, baked apple and honeyed richness on the nose, epic acidity, gorgeous balancing sugar, and a balletic finish. Apparently it was harvested at Eiswein potential. No wonder. This is a blockbuster wine – in a beautifully understated way. I said it was from the 1974 vintage. But what do I know…

Condrieu 2010, Coteau du Vernon, Domaine Georges Vernay – OK, hands up, I put this as a particularly rich and exotic Albariño. It had higher acidity and less apricot/white pepper scent than I’d expect of a classic Condrieu, but you can’t win them all. Very creditable stuff, mind.

Barsac 2004, Château Climens – another suspiciously golden-hued number in the line-up, I left this one until last to taste, and rightly so. Rich, unctuous and heady, but pretty well grounded, this was classic young Sauternes, one I put as Barsac (albeit from the superior 2001 vintage).

Saumur-Champigny 2006, Clos Rougeard, Les Poyeaux – a bit funky and edgy, this wine generated lots of discussion afterwards. Could have been any number of things, with a florality suggestive of Syrah/Malbec/Touriga, but not the depth of colour or palate weight. Many people (as did I) went for right bank Bordeaux. A tricky one.

Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru, Aux Malconsorts 2006, Dujac – oh dear. I struggled with the idea of this being Burgundy but it just seemed too fluid, too fruity and too simple in youth to be good Burgundian Pinot Noir. Many people afterwards questioned the ripeness (06 was a year that gave quite generous styles of white and red, but not a particularly high quality vintage) Oh dear…I went Martinborough Pinot. But I’d have expected more of this producer and site.

Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2006, Biondi-Santi – a notably reticent, closed wine, just with enough tell-tale cherry hints, brisk acidity and grippy tannin to lead to Tuscany. I thought the colour and body suggested the inclusion of some ‘foreign’ varieties (eg Cabernet/Merlot), hence Chianti seemed more consistent. (Brunello is only officially allowed to be 100% Sangiovese. Officially, that is…) May be emerging from its shell but it’s a slow burner if so.

Château Haut-Brion 1995, Pessac-Léognan – a glorious wine, one of those you stopped to savour in the midst of the blind tasting frenzy. There was a definite warm earth and ferny aroma which led me initially to Pessac, but then the firm, almost burly tannic profile and quite spicy finish took me away to St-Estephe in the end. No matter – either way this was truly supreme quality claret, elegant and age and with the richness of a warm, excellent vintage. (I went for the 1990, incidentally.)

Vega Sicilia Unico 1953 – anyone who got anywhere near this deserved a medal. A total curve-ball, I had this as a top quality 1994 Gran Reserva Rioja. It had a tell-tale coconut, tea-leaf and red fruit character, but also all the trappings of magnificent maturity – yet, tellingly – also lots more left to give. What a wine, a real treat, resonating with class and nobility. (You can read my previous, more formal tasting note on this wine here.)

Kongsgaard Syrah 2009, Hudson Vineyard – the inky, opaque hue of this and beautiful peppery, black olive aroma marked it out immediately as top quality New World Syrah. Just where to put it… I went Chile in the end but it could have been South African too (New Zealand would have been lighter, Australia bigger…) I’ve been meaning to taste Kongsgaard for some time so it was nice to recognise the quality in a blind tasting. It was still a bit full-on to be easy-drinking (quite hard acidity and high alcohol) but great savoury intensity.

(by susie)

‘A real patriot,’ quipped the commentator Bill Vaughan, ‘is the fellow who gets a parking ticket and rejoices that the system works.’

I wouldn’t put myself in quite the same league but it’s hard not to feel a certain patriotism at the moment, not only in the afterglow of the Olympics and Diamond Jubilee, but also as our home-grown wine comes of age. A celebration of the UK wine industry earlier this week provided ample proof not only of the status it now commands but also the quality of its produce.

Vintners’ Hall was the setting for what can only be described as a glittering English sparkling wine reception attended by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, the current president of the United Kingdom Vineyards Association (UKVA).

I was lucky enough to be chosen as one of a number of guests to officially meet the Duchess and, in the interest of making our brief conversation as relevant to the occasion as possible, I couldn’t resist commenting on the fact that she was clutching a large glass of red wine while the rest of us were sipping away at the various sparkling wines dotted around the room.

Her answer was that she loves red wine, something that I admit I’d ordinarily consider unfortunate given her position as president of the UKVA. However, it seems that last night she was a step ahead of us all.

Leaving aside the fact that the bitter weather was more suited to a warming glass of red than chilled sparkling wine, the biggest surprise of the evening was the quality of the red wines poured with dinner.

While we have come to expect our sparkling wines to be world class, and certainly those I tasted last night didn’t disappoint, our reds are historically more mixed and unreliable: perhaps not surprisingly given our climate. Hence my surprise and delight to find that  Biddenden Gamay 2011 (served at a perfect ‘cool’ temperature) was full of bright, refreshing and exuberant black cherry fruit, while Three Choirs Cellar Door Pinot Noir 2010 provided a seductive contrast with its fragrant and warming summer berry compote flavours. Both made a delightful match for a comforting plate of Roast Breast of Gressingham Duck with pureed potato, glazed carrots, curly kale & juniper and port jus.

Other vinous highlights of the evening included the Denbies Noble Harvest 2011, a gorgeous glass of golden liquid reminiscent of good Sauternes but with a little more zest to its honey-scented sweetness, and Furleigh Classic Cuvée 2009, the ‘loyal toast’ wine which I just managed to take a sip of before I had to slip away to catch my train.

It was a terrific evening and particular mention must go to the Worshipful Company of Vintners and Master Vintner Michael Cox for hosting a fabulous event. Credit also to Paul Langham, Chairman of the UKVA and Julia Trustham Eve of English Wine Producers. Kudos, moreover, to all the brilliant, committed producers without whom the industry could never have achieved so much in such a short space of time.

We should all be very proud indeed.

(by susie)

As controversy flares around the issue of adulterated meat in British retailers, it raises issues of authenticity and trust in today’s society – and the question of price versus value.

This meat scandal isn’t, primarily, a health issue. It’s one of trust – how can we trust a supermarket, or brand, which clearly says something is ‘beef’ when in fact in some cases it was entirely horse meat?

It’s also to do with simple economic realities. While consumers certainly have the right to feel defrauded, and one hopes that criminal charges will eventually be successfully prosecuted in this case, there is a certain amount of self-delusion going on.

Do we shoppers really think that, in the seemingly endless drive by retailers for the lowest price to tout for our business, some corners won’t be cut?

Wine isn’t exempt from historical or current examples of fraud. Where there’s profit to be made by bending, or breaking the rules, then logic dictates they will be. Whether it’s cheap dross dressed up as fine wine or adulterating Sauvignon Blanc to make it smell more attractive, it’s all part of the same murky business.

So what price authenticity? Can we put a value on trust, on the genuine article (whatever it might be, from a local butcher’s produce to fine wine), on generations of experience, work and fine tuning to deliver absolute quality?

These thoughts sprang to mind after a recent tasting of the 2010 vintage of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC). Wine lovers will need no reminding that this estate produces some of the rarest, most sought-after, highly acclaimed (and dizzyingly pricey) wines in the world.

With DRC, it’s difficult to separate the myth from the liquid in the glass. The name, and wines are so highly coveted by wine lovers that, tasting them in hushed and reverent stillness in the offices of its UK agent, Corney & Barrow, it’s almost impossible to remain objective and dispassionate.

But then that’s partly the point.

Sometimes in wine, you can’t help but feel the hype is more than the liquid can bear (many top champagnes and an increasing number of clarets suffer from this condition).

But here, with these haunting yet intense wines, the chattering hype is forgotten as the serenity of great wine takes over.

These are wines that make you passionate. You can’t help it. And that’s exactly as it should be.

Because, for once, it’s greatly satisfying to be able to experience the genuine article, wines which speak of authenticity, unique identity and massive legacy. True, they have a significant price tag attached – but it’s not just about price, these are wines that have great value too.

It’s just a pity that most of us can’t afford to crack them open with our mid-week (horse-free) lasagne.

2010 vintage report (abridged from the notes supplied by Adam Brett-Smith of Corney & Barrow)

Brett-Smith terms this a, ‘great vintage, with intricately ripe fruit, subtle concentration, intensity and above all purity and transparent fidelity to the individual terroirs. These are fine, fine wines.’

The price to pay for such finery was, ‘in the yield’, with poor flowering giving low fruit levels. However, during an occasionally humid and stormy summer, having a small potential crop proved an advantage, as otherwise rot and other diseases may have set in.

A certain amount of brinkmanship was necessary to delay the harvest, as was strict selection of the grapes on the sorting table to weed out any rotten berries.

Perhaps this is partly what proprietor Aubert de Villaine meant when he described 2010 as, ‘an Homeric epic’: great travail, but with great rewards.

‘Better than 2009?’ asks Brett-Smith. ‘Honestly I do not know. It is completely different [...] the answer will come with time.’

TASTING NOTES

• All wines were tasted by Susie on 31^st Jan 2013
• The following wines are all finished samples from the 2010 vintage, listed in tasting order
• I include scores and drinking dates provided by Corney & Barrow as additional information.

Corton 2010, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 13% (£462.50 per case of 3 bottles, in bond UK) – exotic, dusty pot pourri notes along with heady red and black fruit. Pretty, inviting, seductive. Very succulent palate, lifted delicate (soft) texture. Just a hint of earthiness. Drinking well now but will age gracefully. 8/10 (Corney & Barrow score 17++, drinking from 2018-2025)

Échézeaux 2010, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 13% (£647.50 per case of 3 bottles, in bond UK) – Immediately different from the Corton. Darker, more bold, spicy, oaky and with a certain ferruginous edge. Ah, this is very good. A rich feel. Really ripe dark fruit, juicy acidity and seductive silky texture. Nip of fine tannin. 9/10 (Corney & Barrow score 17-18, drinking from 2019-2025+)

Grands Échézeaux 2010, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 13% (£925 per case of 3 bottles, in bond UK) – Darker again, more nutty and oaky. On the palate the fruit is redder and the oak is quite firm and evident. It is muscular and structured. Needs time but whiffs of dried herbs and nutty oak promise good things. Fine tannin. 8-8.5/10 (Corney & Barrow score 18+, drinking from 2021-2030+)

Richebourg 2010, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 13% (£1,475 per case of 3 bottles, in bond UK) – Different again. More forest-floor and gamey, with mixed berry fruit character. It has that exotic note and fine chewy tannin with herbal overtones.  It will age well – a nice earthy ethereal quality. 8.5/10 (Corney & Barrow score 18++, drinking from 2023-2030+)

Romanée-St-Vivant 2010, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 13% (£1,550 per case of 3 bottles, in bond UK) – Closed and reductive, more reticent than the preceding wines. Irony, mineral, with dark blackberry fruit smouldering in the background. This is much tighter and needs more time but it has wonderful potential, such fragrance as it opens in the glass. 8.5-9/10 (Corney & Barrow score 18-19, drinking from 2022-2029+)

La Tâche 2010, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 13% (£1,750 per case of 3 bottles, in bond UK) – Closed again and with subtle exotic pot pourri notes. Gentle and leafy, red fruit, more febrile and delicate in tenor. Doesn’t have the same power or immediate appeal as the previous wines. Still within itself, though very composed and complete – needs time. (9)/10 (Corney & Barrow score 19, drinking from 2025-2035)

Romanée-Conti 2010, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 13% (£5,475 per case of 3 bottles, in bond UK) – very restrained but oaky and powerful, with background leaf and graphite notes. Wow, this is good. Mix of power, leafy, earthy, fragrant, spicy, fine tannin. Will age well. Dark fruit but succulent and beautifully moreish, utterly compelling. (10)/10 (Corney & Barrow score 19-20, drinking from 2026-2035+)

(by peter & susie)

We’re lucky enough to be tasting quite a bit of English fizz at the moment.

Some of the wines getting us most excited are those that are new to the market – pre-releases if you like. It seems that there is a critical mass being reached in the UK wine industry, with many new and high quality vineyards coming on-stream and existing players upping their game, engendering a healthy competition and focus on quality.

Two English sparkling wines we have tasted recently have stood out in this context.

The first is the Jenkyn Place Brut 2009, a blend of mainly Chardonnay with 25% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Meunier, grown not from us, in Bentley, Hampshire.

What impressed us most about this is the effortless harmony on display. Many English fizzes walk a tightrope of almost brutal acidity held in check by mollifying dosage (ie sugar) and/or rich nutty flavours of maturity.

Although this wine was definitely English in its brisk, orchard-fruit style, it managed a real vinosity and integration that was very refined. Put simply, this is easy-drinking but also classy English fizz.

I’m reliably informed that some 22 branches of Waitrose have the 2008 vintage but they currently moving onto the 2009. It costs £21.99. You can also find it in independents including Caviste, Bacchanalia, Christopher Piper, Auriol, Bentley, Berry Bros & Rudd, Stone Vine & Sun, Rollings Wine, Handford, Pimlico Cellars, Wine Pantry, Vinoteca, Wimbledon Wine Cellar, Imbibros and others.

The other wine, which we tasted a while back, is the Mayfield Expression Brut rosé 2009. (Disclosure: we are friends with Gerard and Jonica, who make this wine, the latter of whom also wrote a regular blog for us detailing the life and travails in their vineyard over the course of a year.)

It’s a lovely brisk style, well judged with plenty of juicy charm but also a characteristically English reserve about it. The only thing that jars is the colour, which is very deep for what is, relatively speaking, a fairly light and lifted style of fizz.

But no matter, this is a very impressive debut effort, another English wine to celebrate the swelling ranks of notable home-grown fizz. (Susie will also be reporting back soon from the annual ‘Judgement of Parson’s Green’ grand blind tasting of English fizz, which is always a fascinating insight into the progress of English sparkling wine.)

(by susie)

Haggis and moss are ingredients that seldom venture into our wine matching radar, which is why this week’s Saturday Kitchen proved a particularly challenging and exciting task.

I was in snow-covered Horsham, following some extremely wintery weather – and I don’t think I’ve ever felt so in need of a glass of wine to warm my heart and my numbed extremities!

First up this week was one of Scotland’s best-loved chefs, the delightful Nick Nairn.  Given it was Burns Night on Friday, Nick created a sumptuous dish of ‘Crispy Haggis & Potato Pancake with Fried Egg, Spinach Salad and Warm Whisky & Bacon Dressing’.

Peter and I tried it out at home and it was absolutely delicious, a Scottish take on brunch that we both loved.  We found that full reds with not too much sweetness and a hint of savoury pepper character worked best.

The best match came in the form of the dark and peppery Finest Crozes Hermitage 2009 (£7.99 down from £9.99 until 19th February, Tesco).  Nick knows his wines and he clearly appreciated the way the dish and the wine worked together, saying, ‘I think it’s fantastic: I love the savouriness in it, and the spicy notes pick up the spicy notes in the haggis’.

He admitted, however, he’d also be happy with a drop of his local Glengorm whisky as an alternative. You can take the man out of Scotland…

It was a Saturday Kitchen first for this week’s second chef, Magnus Nilsson.  The whole team was very excited that the man behind one of the most talked-about (not to mention remote) restaurants in the world was heading into studio.  Fäviken is situated more than 600 km north of Stockholm, on a remote hunting estate in Jämtland, and it has just 12 covers.

Magnus relies entirely on local ingredients and even brought his own butter and moss with him for his dish: ‘porridge’ with chive oil, dried chives, pickled turnip, beef broth (poured through the aforementioned moss) and puffed grains.  I did actually (James Martin please take note!) attempt to cook an approximation of this dish and it was rather good – though I’m not sure it tasted exactly the same as Magnus’s…

Magnus is a former sommelier so the pressure was on to get this wine choice right. My first thought was that a hoppy Pilsner or IPA might be the answer here, but after trying several beers, lagers and white wines, and working within our usual budget and range restraints, I finally opted for a refreshing Italian white, the Librandi Asylia Melissa Greco Bianco from Calabria (Waitrose £8.99).

Although there’s a lot going on in Magnus’s dish, the flavours are actually very gentle and easily overwhelmed, which is why this subtle, minerally white worked so well.  Although restrained, it has a lovely, ripe peachy feel that offset the salty butter and the savoury broth perfectly.  Magnus agreed: ‘It has a little hint of sweetness behind the fruit so it works really well with the salty dairy-ness of the porridge.’

As I sat back and watched the show this week I couldn’t help but think it really is testament to the incredible team at Cactus & Saturday Kitchen and all their hard work that they have built such a popular show – one that can attract long-established chefs such as Nick Nairn along with the newest generation of cutting-edge guys like Magnus.

Wine clips from the show are featured below this piece (thanks BBC1/Cactus TV). The original show also featured archive footage from Rick Stein, Celebrity Masterchef and Raymond Blanc, and studio guest Diversity’s Ashley Banjo.

You can find all the recipes from the show here on the BBC Food website.  These also include James Martin’s roasted shoulder of pork with apple sauce, cabbage and mash; mussels marinère; and roasted spatchcock chicken with a burrata and slow-roasted tomato salad.

(by peter)

Grape varieties are the sign-posts of the wine world – they help you set a context and expectations for whichever wine you’re about to drink.

Cabernet Sauvignon is familiar to most wine drinkers, both in terms of its name and its firm, food-friendly style.

Wine experts occasionally give Cabernet a kicking for being boring or predictable – jibes, one suspects, often motivated by disenchantment with Bordeaux, where Cabernet is a regular feature, than anything else.

But I have no shame in admitting that I love Cabernet’s forthright charms. Yes, it often has a distinctive character, but it can be pretty versatile too – and when it sings, in a mid-weight, savoury, insistent style, then it can be sublime. (The problems come, in my mind, when it’s made badly – the worst examples being overblown, over-sweet, alcoholic, mind-numbing monsters…or the mean and green styles when it’s unripe.)

I’ve been lucky enough to do a few pretty grand Cabernet tastings recently – see my blogs on the Seña, Wines of Chile in Brazil and Wolf Blass events – but the one recently put on by Santa Rita Estates (SRE) was fascinating.

It was billed as, ‘A global exploration of one of the world’s greatest grape varieties’ and some of the UK’s finest palates were assembled, as well as the eminent presence of Australian Brian Croser, who consults for SRE.

There were many lessons from the tasting. Perhaps the most salient was the distinctiveness of Chilean Cabernet in a global premium context. Some present thought this was a negative – especially those who found fault with the Chilean styles – but many other tasters present, Croser included, found it a positive, stressing the importance of having a recognisably distinctive style in the vast ocean of top Cabernet around the world.

Personally, as you can see from my notes below, I still think Chile has a way to go with Cabernet (a point graciously conceded by Cecilia Torres, winemaker for Santa Rita’s top Cab, Casa Real).

Too often, top Chilean Cabernet is monolithic and overdone. Instead of grace and savoury charm we have overly sweet fruit, prickly alcohol and a head-pounding charge of cassis juice, with little in the way of light relief or complex nuance.

It’s by far and away Chile’s most widely planted variety but I think that in itself has engendered a vague apathy. What Chile needs with its Cabernet is for growers to have the will to experiment, take risks and push boundaries – ie by developing new and exciting terroirs for Cabernet away from the warm viticultural heartlands.

But it seems there is more appetite to do this with sexier varieties like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Syrah and Pinot Noir.

Chile is making progress with its Cabs but there is much yet to be done. In my view, as contentious as it may sound, Chile’s truly great Cabernet terroirs are yet to be found.

TASTING

• All wines were served blind, tasted in two flights, with a discussion after each flight
• Wines below are ordered in terms of my preference (in descending order)
• Abbreviations: CS = Cabernet Sauvignon, Me = Merlot, CFr = Cabernet Franc, PV = Petit Verdot, Mal = Malbec

Ridge Monte Bello 2009, 13.1% (79 CS, 10 Me, 9 PV, 2 CFr) - beautiful velvety perfume. Toasty, creamy oak and candle wax. Lovely stuff. Fine dense tannic texture. Lovely savoury finish. Classic in style and ambition. It’s just sensational. Probably just nips ahead of the Pontet-Canet – but only just. It’s the complete article… Touch of evolution too. All elements are here: brisk acid, fine dense tannin, long finish. Just so self-assured and compelling. Pure Cabernet expression in a lovely form. 8.5-9/10

Château Pontet-Canet 2008, 13% (65 CS, 30 Me, 4 CFr, 1 PV) – earthy gravelly nose. A bit stewed. Interesting… Nice lovely savoury tannic filigree texture. This one is all about the palate feel! So savoury, not at all sweet. A little bit of warmth on the back palate. But real intensity allied to savoury pleasure to youth (but balance!) Undoubtedly one of the wines of the tasting. 8.5/10

Cullen Diana Madeline 2009 (88 CS, 6 CFr, 4 Me, 2 Mal) – leafy green been and red fruit – but not as overtly green as the Jordan. This one it’s more of a perfume. Seems to have the imprint of Margaret River. It’s compact and vital but also rounded and very persistent. Resonant. Lovely stuff – direct, pure, Perfectly formed. Alcohol in perfect balance with body. One of the stars of the tasting. 8/10 (It was interesting to note how well this showed compared with the 2008 vintage which I tasted in the Wolf Blass event. Though I note that Vanya Cullen rates the 2009 vintage very highly, so perhaps that’s it.)

Domaine De Chevalier 2009, 13.5% (66 CS, 28 Me, 6 PV) - deepish hue. Toasty nose. Attractive. Toasty, cedar and gravel. Dry attack. Very very fine tannin. Does get a bit hot and toasty on the finish but it’s impressive Cab. Just a tiny bit alcoholic. But has beautiful acid and tannic texture. Young. Filigree. Very classy; I’d just prefer a tiny bit less exuberance. 7.5/10 (This proved to be one of the favourite wines of the tasting by general consensus – the plush charms of the 2009 vintage working their magic, perhaps.)

Sassicaia 2009, 14% (85 CS, 15 CFr) - understated earthy nose, hints of creamy oak and plum. Engaging. Not as shouty somehow as many other wines here. Spicy but resonant, some warming alcohol but hangs together nicely. Maybe tiny touch of bretty character creeping in there. Nice savoury tannic texture, not too aggressive. Nicely integrated acid. Just starting to drink well. Very good. 7/10

Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Stellenbosch, 14% (100 CS) – vivid green bean. And charry. Slightly over-ripe fruit too. Pure grass, herbs, leaf etc. Spicy palate, juicy brisk acidity, slightly prickly finish. It’s a very definite style, very herbaceous and lively. Maybe leave it a decade before going anywhere near it? Tannin isn’t screaming, especially considering the very high acidity. It’s raw and pretty polarising in style but I might just give it the benefit of the doubt. Old school… 6.5/10

Petaluma Coonawarra 2008 (60 CS, 31 Merlot, 9 Shiraz) – immediately unique scent. Green bean, roasted pepper. cucumber juice. Has some pretty good density. Young, but fine texture. Some spice. Seems impressive. But young. Fresh acidity. Roasted pepper and grass.  Coffee: charry hint? All a bit confected, all told. And alcoholic. 6.5/10 (Croser diplomatically hinted he would have made this wine, his former property – now owned by Lion Nathan – differently, with more ‘Cabernet’ character and no Shiraz.)

Santa Rita Casa Real Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Maipo, 14.4% – grassy minty cassis juice. Earthy dusty hints. Very hot and prickly. I think this is Chilean, with some decent distinctiveness in the context, and elegance, but it’s just trying too hard. You can taste the alcohol as soon as it goes in your mouth. Shame. 6.5/10 (I rated this lower than many tasters, including Brian Croser, for whom it was his equal favourite of the flight, pointing out its classically Chilean, ‘exotic’ character.)

Seña 2008, Aconcagua,14.5% (57 CS, 20 Carm, 10 Me, 8 PV, 5 CFr) – dusty, resinous, minty and blackcurrant jam. Seems Chilean! Thick and rich, pretty alcoholic. Texture is impressively fine but it just lacks drinkability. Too alcoholic. Needs to rein back. But good elements here. 6.5/10

Carmen Gold Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Maipo, 14.4% (100 CS) – dusty stewed bean aromas. Seems to have a reductive edge, doesn’t seem entirely clean. Just pretty earthy and dusty. Quite aggressive in its tannin, acidity and alcohol. Certain sour edge to it: certain early harvest element to it?! Not bad but not good either. Trying a bit too hard. 6-5.5 (See notes above for Croser’s take on this ‘reductive’ quality in Chilean Cab.)

Santa Rita Casa Real Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Maipo, 14.4% – grassy plum fruit, not the most distinguished or inviting. Prickly, hot and forced on the palate. Young, yes, but also a bit sour and aggressive. Not readily drinkable. Fine, but not exciting. Just young? 6/10

Te Mata Coleraine 2009, 14% (52 CS, 43 Me, 5 CFr) – mid deep, quite youthful. Gravelly stony nose, not super expressive. Leafy; some nice green herbal tones. Dusty. Quite aggressive on the palate, seems hard-edged and awkward. Angular and drying. Too green and hot; aggressive and sour. Not a great example of global Cabernet. 4/10

(by peter)

What is it about me and boats on Saturday Kitchen lately?

I seem to be a sucker for jumping into speedboats on my quest for great Saturday Kitchen wines – although this time, in Lymington, the dry suit & helmet was a novel touch…

It’s all in a good cause, anyway – and thanks to the fine volunteers at the RNLI at the same time.

This week culinary maestro Adam Byatt was serving up a beautiful coq au vin with parsley mash, which I paired with the delightfully toothsome and rustic Gaillac Galien 2009, Domaine de la Chanade (£7.49 down from £9.99 on offer, Marks & Spencer).

Adam liked its muscular charms, terming it, ‘really great, full bodied’ while studio guest Michael Vaughan agreed with James Martin: ‘a bargain’, he said.

Peter Lloyd, of the Spice Market restaurant in London’s W Hotel, rustled up a flavour blockbuster in the form of prawns and pineapple in a peppery, soy sauce.

This was a challenging one – green tea, kumquat mojito (which is served in Peter’s restaurant) and pale ale all sprang to mind – but in the end I plumped for the reliably great value Cono Sur Viognier (£7.99, Waitrose).

Peter confessed to liking a Vouvray with this dish but was full of praise for this supple number, describing it as, ‘perfect’.

Adam chimed in, saying he, ‘loved it: full of fruit, great with the prawns’ while Michael simply said, ‘cheers!’

Summing up at the end, James kindly described my wine choices as ‘brilliant’.

It was another delicious show – which, incidentally, had great viewing figures, attracting more than one quarter of the entire British viewing public. The fabulous team at Cactus TV deserve great credit for their fantastic work on the show – and not just this one, but week-in week-out their work is tip top.

The show is available to watch for the next week (ie until 19.1.13) via iplayer. The show also features archive material from Rick Stein, Celebrity Masterchef and Raymond Blanc.

You can also find all the recipes from this show on the BBC Food site. These include James Martin’s lamb tagine – a fabulous dish, one we cooked up at home, and paired with the ‘cracking’ (James’ word) Yalumba Bush Vines Grenache (from £9.99, Majestic, Tesco and independents) – plus orange panna cotta with mint roasted rhubarb and beef and ale pie with mushy peas.

(by peter)

It’s great news that historic Piccadilly retailer Fortnum & Mason is launching a brand new awards to celebrate the best in British food and drink communication.

Recognising and celebrating talent when it comes to spreading the love about food and drink is important.

Yes we’re all essentially in the business of fun but the reality is that people work very hard to be good at what they do in these fields, which are not the most lucrative, and these labours of love are well worth championing.

After the Glenfiddich and Lanson awards disappeared a while ago, there hasn’t been much out there (with the notable exception in the wine field of the Roederer awards, which I have also judged) so it’s great that F&M have taken up the baton. Kudos to them and their dynamic new chief exec (and keen foodie) Ewan Venters, together with Lindsay Stewart who is running the competition.

I’m delighted to be part of the inaugural panel alongside drinks experts Fiona Beckett and Hamish Anderson and food whizzes Angela Hartnett, Tom Parker Bowles and Zanthe Clay.

There are ten main categories: food book, drink book, food writer, cookery writer, online food writer, TV programme, radio programme, visual, drink writer and online drink writer.

There is also a TV personality award, which will be voted for directly by the public (you can vote on the website here).

So get submitting – or get voting! The submission deadline is the end of January. Good luck to everyone – and we look forward to celebrating the very best in food and drink communication in 2013.

(by susie)

We got all festive (and frozen, it must be said) in Kingston-upon-Thames last week filming the wine bits for Saturday Kitchen.

I huddled by the roasting chestnut braziers in the Christmas market for warmth – that and enjoying the heart-warming delights of some fabulous wines to match with dishes by the lovely Gennaro Contaldo and Rick Stein.

Gennaro was first up, cooking spare ribs with cannellini beans and bruschetta. I paired this with the elegant Valpolicella Ripasso 2010 (M&S, £8.99).

Gennaro’s response was typically exuberant: ‘Bless Susie!’ he exclaimed. ‘I love it!’

James was keen, as was Rick – so a good result all round.

After his recent Spanish ventures, Rick was rustling up Serrano ham and chicken croquettes with classic Spanish mixed salad.

I put this with the great value Marqués de Riscal Rueda Blanco 2011 (from £6.49, Majestic).

Rick agreed with James’ comment that this was ‘another great, inspired choice’. Being a connoisseur, Rick very astutely mentioned that a Fino sherry would also have worked well because of the salty ham (this after Susie also talked about Cava in her VT) – but he agreed that the Rueda was ‘lovely – really fresh’.

Gennaro just looked very contented.

My thanks to the brilliant team at Cactus TV who put the show together. Also to our VT director Andy Clarke, who managed to get his favourite local wine shop into the cut… Also to James, Rick and Gennaro for all their positive comments.

You can see the show on iplayer until 22.12.12 via this link (wine bits at 15.12 and 55.20). The recipes for the show can be found on this page – these also include James’ homemade brandy snaps, pea and ham soup, and strawberry Christmas cake. Archive material features Rick Stein, Lorraine Pascale and Raymond Blanc.

Happy Christmas everyone! And here’s to a delicious 2013…

(by peter & susie)

We recently hosted the trophy ceremony for our What Food What Wine 2012 awards in the delightfully festive (and tasteful) Mossiman’s private dining club in London.

A brief recap on the results can be found in the table below.

It was another great year, full of surprises as well as classic matches.

One of the headlines was the success of the Gallo Moscatos, which walked away with trophies for best matches with apple crumble and custard and strawberries and cream. To our minds, this was a great vindication of the blind judging policy – these are great value wines that make excellent matches for puddings, and they should be re-assessed as such.

It was great to see a nutty white (Viña Mar Chardonnay Reserva 2010, £8.95) triumph alongside a red (Hunter’s Pinot Noir 2010, £16.99) with the Christmas turkey – proof that those of us who enjoy a glass of rich white with the bird aren’t on the wrong track.

Good also to see a repeat of last year’s result with a white triumphing with mature cheddar – this time the Durbanville Hills Chardonnay 2010 (£8.12).

The fish and chips category was the most hotly contested, as per previous years, so it was great to see not two but four overall winners, including two Kiwi Sauvignons, a dry Manzanilla sherry and a fizz.

The Grant Burge 10-year-old tawny was perhaps the match of the competition with stilton – sensational stuff.

There were also some delightful pairings in the Indian section, with the Bott Geyl Pinot, Artisan Pinot Gris, Villa Maria Gewurz and Vidal Riesling all putting in fantastic performances.

It’s also appropriate to mention the magnificent all-round performance by the Spice Trail Rosé 2011, which came so close to a trophy in all four curry categories that it was given an honorary trophy of its own.

Kudos also to Hatch Mansfield, the importer of producers such as Villa Maria and Taittinger, which scooped a mammoth ten trophies.

You can also listen to a podcast on the awards ceremony and What Food What Wine generally (featuring an interview with Peter), on the Huw Pryce Talks website.

Don’t forget that you can try all these delicious dishes, together with their perfect wine pairings, on Saturday 16^th March when What Food What Wine Live launches with a bang at Lord’s cricket ground in London.

You are warmly invited to come along, sample the food and wine, attend masterclasses on all kinds of delicious matters. It’s surely the most delicious day out in London this year – and it’s a complete bargain at £30. We’d love to say hi so please do come along and join the fun.

Susie and I would like to say a personal thank you again to our superb team of judges, who make the competition such fun, as well as a brilliantly educational experience.

We’d also like to thank all the merchants, wineries, importers and others who have supported these awards since their inception last year. This is a ground-breaking initiative for a UK wine competition, putting wine on the dinner table where it belongs, and judging with no preconceptions other than a rough price guide of (RRP) over or under £10.

Finally, thanks also to the team at the IWSC for making it all happen. Roll on 2013!

What Food What Wine Trophies 2012

(by susie)

By popular request (partly from family, it has to be said…) here is the link to my recent appearance on the festive Celebrity Eggheads episode broadcast on 12th December.

In my previous piece, which I wrote just after we’d filmed the show up in Glasgow, I couldn’t give too much away.

I think it’s fair to say that our team of gastronomic enthusiasts hardly covered ourselves in glory – but neither did we bomb. It was a fun show and I was pretty proud of my performance on the subject of music.

(Annoyingly, I could have answered all of Judith’s questions – but Benjamin Britten caught me out, despite the fact I’d studied him at school. Mind you, it was gratifying to get an answer on Dubstep right, despite the fact I haven’t the foggiest what it is…)

My thanks to Dermot, Sue, Robert, Aldo, Kevin, Silvena and Valentina – plus all the eggheads – for a great day out.

(by peter & susie)

Anyone thirsty?

We’ve put together our top tips for Christmas drinking – all 60 glorious tips are listed below.

These are tough times for everyone, with purse strings tighter than ever, so every penny counts. All of the wines listed below represent great value for money. Some are on special offer, some aren’t – but all are delightful, rewarding and well worth your time and taste buds.

A healthy portion of these are from the big retailers because quite simply that’s where most people shop, and this list is about providing easy-to-use recommendations for you. Some are from smaller merchants and independents – we’d urge you, if you can, to support these local suppliers as they often have fantastic small production wines that you can’t find in the big retailers.

These suggestions cover wines for both Christmas and New Year’s Eve – so we’ve gone heavy on the fizz plus party whites and reds, not forgetting some fab wines to go with festive food and luscious sweet wines to cap it all off.

Featured below are half-price Champagnes, fizz from £6.65, a Lebanese red and Chignin white, sweets from £3.99, English sparkling wine, winners from our What Food What Wine Christmas matching awards, reds and whites from £5.99, and wines that we’ve used recently at the BBC Good Food Shows and our Wine School events.

It all adds up to some beautiful festive drinking.

On which note, Susie and I would like to wish you a very happy and delicious Christmas and 2013.

Cheers!

FIZZ

Jacob’s Creek Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir, Australia – £6.65 until 24.12.12 (down from £9.99), Sainsbury’s

Taste the Difference Prosecco Conegliano, Italy – bottle £7.32 until 1.1.13 (down from £10.99), Sainsbury’s

Finest Vintage Cava 2010, Spain – £7.49 until 1.1.13 (down from 8.99) Tesco – easy-going red apple and herbal flavours.

Sainsbury’s Blanc de Blancs Champagne NV – £14.98 until 1.1.13 (down from £22.49)

Cloudy Bay Pelorus NV – £14.99 until 4.2.13 (down from £19.99) Majestic

Chapagne Louis Chaurey NV – £15 until 1.1.13 (down from £30) Marks & Spencer – tangy, cogent, classic – great value.

Finest Rosé Champagne NV – £18.99 until 1.1.13 (down from £21.99) Tesco – we matched this lovely pink fizz with James Martin’s chilli tofu at the BBC Good Food Show.

Nyetimber Classic Cuvée 2008 West Sussex, UK – £23.99 until 2.1.13 (down from £29.99), Waitrose

Oudinot Vintage 2005 Champagne – £24 until 1.1.13 (down from £29) Marks & Spencer – lovely concentration and richness.

Gusbourne Estate Blanc de Blancs 2007, Appledore, Kent – £29.99, Armit Wines – one of the up-and-coming stars on the UK fizzy wine scene. Delightful.

Sainsbury’s Blanc de Noirs Champagne NV – magnum £29.99 until 1.1.13 (down from £39.99)

Egly-Ouriet Rosé Grand Cru Brut – £42, Roberson Wine

WHITE

Mâcon-Villages 2011 – £5.99 until 1.1.13 (down from £8.99), Marks & Spencer – creamy apple, classic.

Ragged Point Sauvignon Blanc 2012, Malborough, New Zealand – £5.99 until 4.2.13 (down from £7.99) Majestic – tangy, tomato leaf, zippy style, great value and ideal with smoked salmon.

Marlborough Sun Sauvignon Blanc 2012 – £6.48 until 3.1.13 (down from £7.98) Asda

Secano Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Chile – £6.99 until 1.1.13 (down from £8.99) Marks & Spencer

Pietrariccia Fiano 2011, Surani, Italy – £6.99 when you buy 2 until 4.2.12 (down from £8.99) Majestic

Viña Mar Chardonnay Reserva 2010 – £8.95, Corney & Barrow – this nutty white came away with a trophy at our What Food What Wine Awards for pairing beautifully with roast turkey served with sage and onion stuffing.

Petit Chablis 2011, UVC, France – £8.99 when you buy 2 until 4.2.13 (down from £9.99) Majestic

Chignin 2010, Gilles Berlioz, Savoie – from £10.95, The Wine Society, Vine Trail – earthy glazed, floral and mineral. Lovely and different.

Anjou Chenin Blanc 2011, Chateau de la Roulerie – £9.75, The Wine Treasury

Finest Pouilly-Fumé 2010 – £11 until 1.1.13 (down from £12.99) Tesco – at the BBC Good Food Show we paired this with Pierre Koffmann’s cuttlefish Bolognese. As you do.

Mâcon-Cruzille Les Genevrieres 2010, Domaine Guillot-Broux – £14.82, Aubert & Mascoli

Pouilly-Fuissé 2011, Domaine Cordier – £15.99 when you buy 2 until 4.2.13 (down from £16.99) Majestic – deep richy nutty and rounded, heart-warming

Jurançon La Virada 2010, Jean-Marc Grussaute – £17.25, H2Vin – life-affirming stuff.

Pernand-Vergelesses Blanc 2010, Louis Jadot, France – £17.99 when you buy 2 until 4.2.13 (down from £19.99) Majestc – mineral, nutty, steely

St Aubin 1er Cru Les Champlots 2008, Caroline Morey – £19.75, Vine Trail – nutty, mineral, delicious

Meursault Le Limozin, Vincent Girardin, France – £23.99 until 2.1.13 (down from £29.99), Waitrose

Schäfter-Frölich Felsenberg Riesling Grand Cru Nahe 2011 – £28.85, The WineBarn – yes it’s impossible to say, and it’s expensive, but it’s beautiful dry tangy mineral haunting Riesling.

RED

Torre del Falco Nero di Troia, Italy – £5.99 until 2.1.13 (down from £7.99), Waitrose – we matched this to Atul Kochhar’s spicy, meaty Bunny Chow at the BBC Good Food Show. Delightful!

Finest Swartland Malbec 2012 – £6 until 1.1.13 (down from £7.99) Tesco

Finest Chianti Riserva 2009, Italy – £6 until 1.1.13 (down from £7.99) Tesco

Secano Estate Pinot Noir 2011, Chile – £6.99 until 1.1.13 (down from £8.99) Marks & Spencer

Ravenswood Vintner’s Blend Zinfandel, USA, £7.49 until 2.1.13 (down from £9.99), Waitrose

Bourgogne Pinot Noir Vieilles Vignes 2010, Nicolas Potel, France – £7.99 when you buy 2 bottles until 4.2.13 (down from £11.99) Majestic – one of the best value red Burgundies around, great with turkey

Leyda Reserva Syrah 2010, Chile – £7.99 until 4.2.13 (down from £9.99) Majestic – also available from The Wine Society at £6.50 (membership is a good Christmas present suggestion), this is one of the best value reds in the UK right now, a lovely peppery warming succulent drop that’s a staple in our household.

Cadet de Ka 2008, Lebanon – £8.49, Marks & Spencer  - a fine match for Lawrence Keogh’s shoulder of lamb stuffed with pistachios, apricots and served with fresh mint sauce at the BBC Good Food Show.

La Clape Coteux du Languedoc 2010, Château l’Hospitalet, La Réserve – £9.59 until 2.1.13 (down from £11.99) Waitrose

Mayu Syrah Reserva 2009, Chile, £9.99, Sainsburys

Carmagnole Prestige Caramany 2011, £9.99, Marks & Spencer – a wine we put with Glynn Purnell’s elbow of lamb with red lentil stew at the BBC Good Food Show. Yum.

Finest Viña Mara Rioja Gran REserva 2004, Spain – £10 until 1.1.13 (down from £13.99) Tesco

Crozes-Hermitage L’Etincelle 2010, Domaine Basset £10.95, Flint Wines

Morgon Vieilles Vignes 2009, Daniel Bouland – £11.35, Vine Trail – lovely cogent scented stuff.

Tim Adams Clare Valley Shiraz 2009 – £12.49, Tesco – inky, minty, succulent, balanced, rich and utterly rewarding.

Martinborough Vineyard ‘Te Tera’ Piont Noir 2011, New Zealand – £13.99 until 4.2.13 (down from £17.49) Majestic or £13.50 at The Wine Society – utterly gorgeous complex, drinkable and savoury. Perfect all-rounder with the bird. Buy buy buy!

Craggy Range Te Kahu 2010, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand – £14.39 until 4.2.13 (down from £17.99) Majestic – a richer version of classic claret, very versatile, especially if you’re having beef or red meat.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Clos l’Oratoire des Papes 2010, France, £16.99, Sainsbury’s (down from £18.99)

Wedgetail Estate Single Vineyard Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley – £18, H2Vin

Bergström Cumberland Reserve Pinot Noir, Oregon, 2010 – £22, Roberson Wine

Chambolle Musigny 2008, Domaine Hudelot-Noellat – £22.95, Flint Wines

Surveyor Thomson Pinot Noir 2009 – £27.60, Hallowed Ground

SWEET

House Dessert Wine NV, Germany, £3.99 for 37.5cl, Sainsbury’s

Torres Floralis Moscatel de Oro NV, Spain – £7.19 until 2.1.13 (down from £8.99) Waitrose – a raisiny, great value sticky that won a trophy at our What Food What Wine awards 2012 for pairing beautifully with Christmas pudding and rum sauce. Perfect!

Taste the Difference 12-year-old Sweet Pedro Ximenez, Spain – £7.99, Sainsburys (enjoy poured over vanilla ice cream)

Rustenberg Straw Wine 2010, South Africa – £9.99 for a half bottle when you buy 2 until 4.2.13 (down from £12.49) Majestic

Graham’s LBV 2007 – from £13.32, Waitrose, Sainsburys, Co-op, Morrisons, Asda, Tesco, Booth’s

Quinta do Noval 10-year-old tawny port – £15.19 until 2.1.13 (down from £18.99) Waitrose

Vin Santo del Chianti Rufina 2003, Italy – £15.99 – sumptuous.

Henriques & Henriques 10-year-old Malmsey Madeira – £16.99 for 50cl, Majestic or £17, The Wine Society

Grant Burge 10-year-old tawny – £23.95, Harrod’s – won a trophy at What Food What Wine Awards for a sumptuous pairing with stilton.

(by peter)

Brighton was suitably bracing for our Saturday Kitchen wine shoot – but also beautiful on a starkly sunlit winter’s day, from the beach to the pier and the ice rink in the ornate surroundings of the Pavilion.

We were entertained by a succession of lively characters, from the taxi driver (‘straight as an arrow, mate’) to the notably cogent booze-hounds (‘You’re that wine expert, aren’t you? Well we’re vodka experts…’)

The circus atmosphere didn’t subside on camera, either, as I described Silvena Rowe’s Ottoman lamb dish as, ‘the gastronomic equivalent of having a massage in a Turkish bath from a large man – with very soft hands.’

If you try it, you’ll understand… It was a tough dish to match, with its dried fruit, rose water, saffron and pomegranate molasses offsetting the tender lamb. I eschewed the safe Ozzie Shiraz choice and went brave with the ‘naughty but nice’ Taste the Difference Alsace Gewürztraminer 2011 (£7.99, Sainsbury’s).

And the risk paid off. Silvena loved it: ‘It’s amazing: this is a complex dish, with all those flavours it’s a nightmare for a wine expert so Peter’s done amazingly well, superb!’

The wonderful Vivek Singh went further, saying it was an, ‘inspired choice’ and that it worked ‘really well.’

James Martin was won over. Although he pointed out that you ‘either love or hate’ Gewurztraminer, he said he loved it with food and that it was ‘fantastic’ with the dish.

Vivek was cooking his stunning dish from the BBC Good Food Show: roast venison loin with root vegetables and pickling sauce, (golden) vension meatballs. I went for a Primitivo then and saw no reason to change – my choice was the Extra Special Primitivo 2010 (down from £6.98 to £5, Asda).

‘An absolute bargain,’ commented Vivek. ‘You’ve spent all your money on the venison, so you’ve got a great deal on the wine!’

The other commentary was similarly positive, which was great.

You can find the recipes for the show on this BBC Food page. In addition to Silvena and Vivek’s dishes, they include James Martin’s madeleines with raspberry compote, roast chicken with game chips, bread sauce and bacon-wrapped chipolatas, and trout with scallop mousseline, beurre noisette and almonds.

Thanks to James, Silvena, Vivek, Brendan and everyone at Cactus for another magnificent show (which you can catch on iplayer until 15.12.12 ). Wine bits are at 14:45 and 54:52 and also featured are Rick Stein and the Great British Menu.

(by peter)

There’s a fashion at the moment – I suppose kick-started by the famous Judgement of Paris in 1976 – for blind wine tastings that pit any given producer or region’s wines against the established (and usually far more expensive) classics in a bid to out-do them and thus dine out on the results in the aftermath.

I’m no stranger to these, having not only participated in such events before but also co-hosted a few on behalf of Chilean producer Errázuriz.

Opinion is divided on the merit and reliability of such tastings as credible judgements on absolute quality and value. I think that’s fair – it’s always healthy to retain a certain scepticism about these exercises. There are many ways they can be subtly manipulated to favour a desired outcome and some are simply PR stunts aimed at getting attendance and coverage by lining up some stellar wines.

However, I firmly believe they do have a value. First up, they are often very worthwhile tastings to participate in, partly because they force you to re-assess and adapt your preconceptions as a taster and critic. That’s healthy.

Furthermore, it’s supremely difficult to challenge the established hierarchy in the wine world (and in the minds of the wine trade and wine lovers). So for new producers striving for excellence, making superlative yet under-rated wine, this is a valid way to make your mark – or, at the very least, get people thinking.

The tasting in question this time was set up by Wolf Blass, the Australian producer owned by the multi-national Treasury Wine Estates (owners of brands including Rosemount, Lindemans, Penfolds, Beringer and Matua Valley).

The idea was to taste a host of fine Cabernet-based blends from the 2008 vintage, including all five First Growths and other celebrated wines, to mark the release of the Wolf Blass Black Label, a much lauded Cabernet/Shiraz blend (with a bit of Malbec in 2008) first made in 1973.

The same tasting – albeit with slightly different wines – had already taken place in Melbourne and Toronto, featuring tasters such as Poh Tiong Ching, Jeannie Cho Lee MW, James Halliday and Jeremy Oliver. Ours in London featured some nine tasters from the UK and Europe, including Steven Spurrier, Peter Moser, Caro Maurer MW and Stephen Brook. You can read a release from Wolf Blass about the tasting criteria, tasters and overall scores here: MBC Media Toolkit

I reproduce my tasting notes below.

Clearly, I favoured the 2008 clarets – even though this had been a mixed vintage without the resonance or power of 2009 or 2010. Lynch-Bages and Calon-Segur were particularly impressive, especially in value terms, while the Italians, Chileans – and the Wolf Blass Black Label – didn’t fare so well in my book.

It’s interesting to compare my results with those of the wider groups, though. So I’ve included both my rank and those of the overall tasters (ie in Melbourne, Toronto and UK in the case of those wines tasted on all three occasions) or London tasters (for those wines just tasted in London). For example, I ranked the Wolf Blass Black Label 24^th – but in the overall results it came 2^nd equal.

That said, it’s tempting to read too much into some of these average scores. As our hosts made clear, there wasn’t a huge range of scores once the averages had been made. Seventeen of the 18 wines tasted globally were marked between 88 and 92 points – that’s a small spread relatively speaking.

To my  mind, great Cabernet is all about a combination of power and elegance – and often, deft blending. It can brow-beat you if overdone, or strip the palate if under-cooked. It’s a fine line.

My thanks to Wolf Blass for putting the tasting on, and to my fellow tasters for the lively and stimulating discussion that followed. The plan is for this to be an annual event and it will be interesting to see how the richer and hotly touted European 2009 vintage shapes up against the New World.

[By way of postscript, I tasted nearly 100 clarets from the 2008 vintage the very next day at the IMW annual Bordeaux tasting. Notes to follow – but Lynch-Bages and Calon-Segur showed well again, along with Palmer, Lafite, Margaux, Gruaud-Larose, Yquem, Pichon Baron, RIeussec, Clinet and Figeac. Duds to my mind included Pavie and Cos d’Estournel.]

TASTING NOTES

• The following tasting notes are listed in order of (my) preference from the tasting. I also include details on where they came after all marks from the Melbourne, Toronto and UK tastings were compiled and averaged.
• Prices quoted are those supplied by Wolf Blass, converted directly from Australian dollars.
• We were asked to score out of 100. As I normally score out of 10, I did this in the first instance, then converted these marks to 100.

Château Lynch-Bages 2008 (£93) – MY RANK = 1^st; OVERALL RANK = 1^ST (92): Deep. Restrained. Earthy gravel, grilled green pepper emerges. Enticing, if a bit weedy. Immediately no sweetness at all, gravel layers, very fine tannin, brisk acidity. Tannin is ubiquitous and compelling – mouth-coating, so fine, so layered, a real powerhouse of a Bordeaux style, without being in any way sickly or trying too hard. Wow. Block-buster Bordeaux, some will find it too tannic, but I think this will evolve beautifully, with more aromas and softer tannin. 9 (-9.5) = 97

Château Margaux 2008 (£780) – MY RANK = 2^ND; OVERALL RANK = 8^th equal (90): Ah, yes. Toasty cedary elegance. Warm earth. Red fruit. Sappy. Almost Burgundian in its scent and grace. Margaux? Very savoury, very fine, quite taut. But also complex and refined. This is very good CS, in its grace and directness. It’s not the complete article – product of a lesser vintage – but it’s very good. Very drinkable and refreshing, also pretty complex. 8.5 = 95

Château Latour 2008 (£845) – MY RANK = 3^RD equal; OVERALL RANK = 8^th equal (90): Nice toasty roasted nose. Quite deep in hue. Roasted/grilled pepper and earthy scent, attractive. Floral emerges in glass. Lovely  grippy fine tannic texture, long, pretty layered. Not quite top drawer but not far off. Long, elegant, resonant. Refreshing. Young. Product of a fresh vintage style – acidity intrudes a bit on back palate, as does heat a bit – but very accomplished. 8-8.5 = 94

Château Calon-Ségur 2008 – MY RANK = 3^RD equal; LONDON RANK = 3^RD equal (92): Attractive toasty nose. Tobacco and cedar emerge. Fluid, juicy. Grippy but fine. Layered, very impressive. Maybe just a touch hot and watery on the finish. Beyond this it’s very fine. Yes, just that heat on the finish prevents it being top drawer. 8–8.5 = 94

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 2008 (£155) – MY RANK = 5^th equal; OVERALL RANK = 2^ND equal (91): Engaging floral herbal juicy fruit. Dark toasty wood smoke hints. Seems poised, not giving away much, but intriguing. Structured, dense, savoury, cogent. Almost exponential in power – but also harmonious and elegant. It’s maybe trying a bit hard, in its raw power and almost heat on the finish. But the savoury style and very fine tannin saves it. Like a very good modern Bordeaux style, perhaps super 2^nd. Just could be more drinkable and refreshing. I think this is too alcoholic ultimately. 8-7.5 = 93

Château Lafite Rothschild 2008 (£975) – MY RANK = 5^th equal; OVERALL RANK = 2^ND equal (91): Medium deep. Very toasty nose, not sweet. Definitely old world in style, refined. Watery attack. Promises lots upfront on the palate but doesn’t really deliver in the end. Elegant, lots to it, refined and savoury, and while it suggests grandeur, it’s not quite the finished article. (Subsequently, other tasters criticise it variously for being too oaky or too ‘simple’.) 8-7.5 = 93

Château Giscours 2008 (£56) – MY RANK = 7^th; OVERALL RANK = 15^th equal (89): Deepish, signs of evolution. Floral. Talc. Fresh green pepper. Earthy. Tangy and quite fresh, with decent mouth-coating fine tannin. Elegant, savoury, decent Bordeaux style. Ultimately, though, not the most persuasive. A bit watery and ethereal. A tiny bit too tannic for the body. Decent, not amazing. Coming back to it improves the overall impression, though. 7.5-8 = 93

Château Haut-Brion 2008 (£579) – MY RANK = 8^th; OVERALL RANK = 8^th equal (90): medium deep ruby; muted youthful nose, some graphite and red/black fruit. Fine firm tannin, juicy acidity, mid-weight. A tiny bit prickly/sour, but it’s a minor quibble. Really it seems like a very elegant, refined wine but one from a lesser vintage of Bordeaux. Nice but leanish in style. Pretty seamless though. 7.5 = 93

Vérité La Joie (Kendall Jackson) 2008, Sonoma – MY RANK = 9^th; LONDON RANK = 1^st: Interesting. Quite scented, toasty, Seems savoury. Bacon fat. Toasty. Could this be South Africa? Very fine grained tannin and lots of it. Fruit is quite ripe in style. Notable alcohol on the finish, but not crazy – sits better here than a lot of other New World styles on this tasting. Probably because it has a very savoury quality to the flavours and very fine savoury tannin too. Very accomplished NW/OW fusion style. Would like more refreshment value, less alcohol. But still very good. 7.5 (-7) = 92

Château Palmer 2008 – MY RANK = 10^th; LONDON RANK = 14^th equal (90): Elegant mid-deep ruby hue; youthful graphite and dark fruit aromas; fine grainy tannin, elegant stuff, juicy fresh acidity. Seems left bank Bordeaux and good quality at that: youthful but not exceptional. Persistent but not hugely layered on the finish. 7.5-7 = 92

Opus One 2008 (£124) – MY RANK = 11^th; OVERALL RANK = 8^th equal (90):Earthy mineral stoney. A bit weedy/leafy together with baked fruit. NW with OW pretensions? Decent grainy tannin – firm but fine, makes for a slightly chewy style overall. Fruit is a bit sweet and slightly jammy in character. It’s a nice try, pretty impressive NW style, but needs more savoury character, slightly less tannin, and less alcohol. Decent effort, though. (7.5)-7 = 91

Joseph Phelps Insignia 2008 (£130) – MY RANK = 12^th equal; OVERALL RANK = 8^th equal (90): Deep, inky hue. Complex, attractive nose of pencil shavings, mint, dark chocolate, rich cassis. Broad, rich, grippy. Very impressive. NW but with an OW tannic elegance – I’d say it’s grown up Australian CS blend style. Or California come to that. Cogent but lacking a little bit of harmony and grace. (Apparently this wine didn’t fare well at the other tastings but Chris Hatcher thought it was showing better here.) 7 = 91

Château Montrose 2008 (£124) – MY RANK = 12^th equal; OVERALL RANK = 2^nd equal (91): Quite deep. Initially, mute and a bit soupy. Stays that way. Palate is grippy, very fine, pretty compelling. Odd combo! Doesn’t quite hang together. Comes across a bit earthy, mute – but then zooms into this leafy, grippy, savoury palate style. Graves? But ultimately lacks the palate stuffing to work. Decent, not amazing Tuscan or Bordeaux. (This was the top wine in the Melbourne tasting, and performed decently elsewhere too. Many apparently mistook it for a New World style.) 7 = 91

Château Mouton Rothschild 2008 (£975) – MY RANK = 12^th equal; OVERALL RANK = 8^th equal (90): Classic toasty herby cedar graphite tobacco nose. Warm earth. Good, grippy, savoury. Lacks X-factor though. It’s a bit showy and lacking in gravitas and layers. Love the cedary refreshment value but needs more grace and power. Decent, not amazing. But it could be a finer wine that’s struggled in this vintage. Has something about it… 7 = 91

Château Léoville-Las-Cases 2008 (£77?) – MY RANK = 15^th; OVERALL RANK = 2^nd equal (91); Leafy red pepper with balsa and earthy notes. Seems weedy. Slightly medicinal palate. Seems Bordeaux, not particularly persuasive one either. Decent grainy weight but lacks beauty and soft curves. Touch of heat too. (Apparently not showing as well as it had done in the other tastings, according to Chris.) 7-6.5 = 90

Vilafonté Series C 2008 – MY RANK = 16^th; LONDON RANK = 19^th equal (89): Deepish. Resinous. Coffee. A bit simple, could be Chilean. Creamy, plump attack; earthy. Dense, chewy on the finish. Ambitious in style but lacks grace and harmony. Acidified and chunky, too hot on the finish. Trying hard, but fails. There is something attractive about its juicy earthy fruit. But it’s too hot. (7)-6.5 = 90

Cullen Diana Madeline 2008 – MY RANK = 17^th equal; LONDON RANK = 14^th equal (90): Not very deep and showing some signs of evolution. Very expressive green nose – leafy, green bean, almost Carmenère-esque. Soft, rich, fluid. Juicy acidity. Lacks real core and nobility. Bags of personality but lacks beauty and cogency. (Apparently they didn’t show this in Oz because they couldn’t source it there!) 6.5 = 89

Sassicaia 2008 (£146) – MY RANK = 17^th equal; OVERALL RANK = 15^th equal: Not very deeply coloured. A bit soupy. Leathery, VA. A bit flabby and grainy. Decent tannin, some nice savoury leathery presence. But lacks real drive and dynamism, real breeding. I like the texture; the rest is not great. 6.5 = 89

Vasse Felix Heytesbury 2008 (£59) – MY RANK = 17^th equal; OVERALL RANK = 2^nd equal (91): Very green nose. Earthy. Minty. Bit medicinal. Gravel. Good juicy red fruit tang. Pretty vibrant on the palate. But a bit green and minty. Might this go with age? Maybe. But even then it’s a bit monolithic and slightly mean. Decent, some will like it, but it needs toning down. Maybe a grown-up Oz style? If so it’s impressive. But still needs more work. 6.5 = 89

Antinori Solaia 2008 – MY RANK = 20^th; LONDON RANK = 8^th equal (91): Deep hue, inky roasted fruit tones. Seems a little contrived. Decent, some nice savoury tannin and juicy tangy fruit, but lacks real depth and refinement and purpose. I’d say lesser Bordeaux – 5^th growth or so. But then, coming back to it, it has improved, showing a bit more purpose, harmony and cogency to the palate. 6.5-6 = 89

Seña 2008 – MY RANK = 21^st equal; LONDON RANK = 8^th equal (91): Deep. Vivid. Expressive rubbery, rich dark cassis, some resin. Seems warm clime Chile – Aconcagua? Rich resinous palate, juicy and thick texture. Acidified. Decent but not amazing. Hard to drink. Lacks the grace and savoury tannic texture of many others present. Trying just a bit too hard. 6 = 88

Viña Almaviva 2008 – MY RANK = 21^st equal; LONDON RANK = 19^th equal (89): Resinous leafy soupy cassis – Chile? Rich, resinous profile. Firm tannins – nicely fine grained but still quite chewy. Minty, spirity. A bit chewy and thick, hard to drink. 6 = 88

Château Beychevelle 2008 (£65) – MY RANK = 21^st equal; OVERALL RANK = 8^th equal (90):Fairly pale in context. Toasty earthy leafy notes emerge. Some balsa wood notes; not the most inviting. Juicy, tangy style but pretty lightweight in the context. Nice, dances across tongue with toasty cedary tangy fruit profile, but it’s quite light. Speaks of rain and cloud and soggy harvesters. A bit short, ultimately. 5^th growth level. But not bad. 6 = 87

Wolf Blass Black Label 2008 (£72) – MY RANK = 24^th; OVERALL RANK = 2^nd equal (91):Very deep hue. Dark, dense, inky, creamy. Roasted coffee, almost porty high tones. Seems pretty familiar in style – is this Oz? Big, grippy, but hollow on finish and hot. Prickly. Lots going on here, pretty thrilling, but very hard to drink. Chewy. Could be California but Oz fits better. Elegant dense tannin, nice juicy fruit, just a bit too hot. (Others clearly liked it in London – where it finished 8^th equal with 91 points – and Melbourne and Toronto.) 5.5 = 86

Dominus Estate 2008 – MY RANK = 25^th; LONDON RANK = 19^th equal (89): Very deep inky hue. Soupy vegetal baked plum cassis leaf. Balsa wood too. Almost Spanish in style. Grainy, some nice tannin work but not very convincing. Bit hollow and hot. Earthy. California? 5 = 85

Ornellaia Bolgheri 2008 – MY RANK = 26^th; LONDON RANK = 19^th equal (89): Very deep inky glossy hue. Seems a bit soupy, earthy and dense. Flattened, somehow. Big hefty thick and sturdy. Very alcoholic. Seems Californian..? Flavour-wise, its redeeming points are an earthy quality to the dark layered fruit and some baked herbs. Tannins also quite decent. But the alcohol kick is absurd – can still feel it writing now – and renders it undrinkable. No! 5 = 85

Faulty wines

-         Rust En Vrede Estate 2008 (corked)

-         Mount Mary Quintet 2008 (very odd) OVERALL RANK = 18^th (84)

-         Château Cos d’Estournel 2008 (corked) OVERALL RANK = 17^th (88)

(by peter & susie)

Huge thanks to everyone who came along last night to our Christmas special Back to Basics wine event at the Hotel du Vin Winchester.

We had a great time featuring some delicious wines (as below), lovely food, playing the odd game,  having fun with taste experiments and generally chewing the cud about all thinks wine, Christmas – and George Clooney (as you do).

It was another sell-out event, with a fabulous atmosphere and some brilliant comments and questions from a lovely bunch. We feel very privileged to do what we do and it’s always fantastic to see how interested people are in wine and how so many people are naturally very perceptive tasters (even if they don’t always credit themselves with the ability).

Although it may be a bit premature, this is also a nice time to wish everyone a very happy festive period and new year. We’ll be putting out a newsletter with our top Christmas bargain wine choices soon, as ever, but in the meantime here are a few excellent wines to be getting on with:

• Prosecco Conegliano Superiore Brut DOCG 2011, Taste the Difference, Italy, 11% (£10.99 down to £7.36 in bottle and £19.99 down to £14.99 in magnum, Sainsbury’s, until 11^th Dec 2012)
• Ragged Point Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Marlborough, New Zealand,13% (£7.49 down to £5.99, Majestic)
• Bellingham The Bernard Series Grenache Blanc Viognier 2011, Paarl, South Africa, 14% (£10.99, Tesco)
• Viña Leyda Single Vineyard Loica Pinot Noir rosé 2010, Leyda, Chile (£9.99, Waitrose)
• Rioja Reserva 2007, Berberana, Spain, 13.5% (£10.99 down to £6.99, Majestic)
• Tim Adams Shiraz 2009, Clare Valley, Australia, 14% (£12.49, Tesco)
• Henriques & Henriques 10-year-old Madeira Malmsey, Portugal, 20% (£16.99 for 50cl, Majestic)

We’ll be changing the way we run our events from next year, with some exciting plans including launching the Winchester Wine Festival. We’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, we’ll be hosting a very special Valentine’s tasting on Thursday 14^th February 2013 at the brand new Cactus Kitchens in Clapham, where Saturday Kitchen is produced. We’ll also be welcoming everyone to What Food What Wine Live – the food-and-wine extravaganza – on Sat 16^th March at Lord’s. And finally we’ll also be at the summer BBC Good Food Show in Birmingham on Weds 12^th June.

(by peter & susie)

From gold-plated venison meatballs to marriage proposals in front of thousands, the BBC winter Good Food Show at Birmingham NEC was as buzzy, mad and delicious as ever.

We had a blast. It was a privilege (and a giggle) to be on the super theatre and Saturday Kitchen stages with the likes of Pierre Koffmann, Sarah Millican, James Martin, Vivek Singh, Lawrence Keogh, Chris Evans, Tom Kerridge, Jayne Middlemiss and Michael Caines, among others.

There was no shortage of fabulous food, from Vivek Singh’s spiced venison meatballs (served festive-style with gold leaf) to Tom Kerridge’s blow-torched mackerel and James Martin’s delectable passion fruit baked Alaska. A pre-Christmas health drive is called for…

As promised, the various wines for all our selections are as below. Usually on Saturday Kitchen we work to a budget of under £9 but, seeing as Christmas is coming up, we wanted to showcase some wines worth splashing out on to make the occasion all the more special.

Thanks to everyone who came along and made it such a wonderfully enjoyable few days. It’s great to see the enthusiasm out there for brilliant food and drink. Huge kudos also to the brilliant teams at Haymarket and Cactus for putting the shows together.

We can’t wait for the summer show! In the meantime, please check out the newly launched and very exciting Cactus Kitchens – a chance to get up close and personal with top chefs like Michel Roux Jr and James Martin in the venue where Saturday Kitchen is filmed. We’re hosting a very special Valentine’s wine tasting on Thursday 14^th Feb and we’d love to see you there.

Saturday Kitchen stage, hosted by Lawrence Keogh

• Broth of smoked haddock, leeks, pancetta and poached quail’s egg (Michael Caines) – Villiera Traditional Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2011 (£10.99, M&S)
• Deep-fried goujons of plaice with sauce remoulade (Lawrence Keogh) – Marksman Brut Blanc de Blancs 2009 (£22, M&S)
• Bunny chow (Atul Kochhar) – Torre del Falco Nero di Troia 2010 (£7.99, Waitrose)
• Sesame sponge cake with poached plum and green tea ice cream (Tom Kerridge) – Late Harvest Riesling 2011 (£14.99, M&S)
• Braised elbow of lamb with red lentil stew and parsley salad (Glynn Purnell) – Caramany Carmagnole Prestige 2011 (£9.99, M&S)
• Seared feather blade of waygu beef with shallot rings, beetroot purée, curly kale, sautéed potatos and beef jus (Galton Blackiston) – Craggy Range Te Kahu 2011 (£14.39, Majestic)
• Three-hour slow roast stuffed shoulder of lamb with pistachio, apricots and fresh mint sauce (Lawrence Keogh) – Cadet de Ka 2008 (£8.49, M&S)
• Roast pork belly with Austrian cabbage and apples (Lawrence Keogh) – Bellingham Bernard Series Chenin Blanc (£11.99, Majestic)
• Pistachio soufflé (Pierre Koffmann) – M&S medium dry Cava (£8.99, M&S)
• Roast rib of beef with watercress and horseradish (Lawrence Keogh) – Jim Barry The Cover Drive Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 (£10.99, Majestic)
• Roast venison loin with root vegetables and pickling sauce, venison meatballs (Vivek Singh) – Surani Costarossa Primitivo di Manduria 2010 (£7.99, Majestic)

Super theatre stage (sponsored by Tesco Real Food)

• Blow-torched mackerel with blini pancakes, warm pickled beetroot and chive crème fraiche (Tom Kerridge) – Finest Tingleup Riesling (£9.99, Tesco)
• Roast leg of lamb in hay with vichy carrots, roast potatoes and mint sauce (James Martin) – Finest Viña Mara Rioja Gran Reserva 2004 (£13.99, Tesco)
• Chilli fried tofu with egg fried rice (James Martin) – Finest Rosé Champagne NV (£21.99, Tesco)
• Peanut and dried mango crusted partridge with curry leaf tomato quinoa (Vivek Singh) – Finest Otago Pinot Noir  2011 (£10.99, Tesco)
• Passion fruit baked Alaska (James Martin) – Finest Dessert Semillion 2009 (£6.99, Tesco)
• Jose Pizarro’s deep-fried chicken wings al ajillo with braised peas and jamon with eggs (James Martin) – Codorniu Vintage Cava Brut 2010 (£10.49, Tesco)
• Duck à l’orange (Pierre Koffmann) – Finest Viña Mara Rioja Reserva 2007 (£9.99, Tesco)

(by peter)

This short piece is to say a very big thank you to everyone who came along to our Magic Wand wine event and helped raise over £1,500 for this excellent cause.

The sell-out tasting featured a delicious range of wines (detailed below) paired with some equally delightful morsels, from Brindisa ibérico ham to home-made parmesan biscuits and Jude’s ice cream. Some ingredients – including parmigiano-reggiano and felino salami – had been flown back from Milan expressly for this event. Now that’s dedication to the cause…

We were honoured by the support of Winchester Mayor and Mayoress, Frank and Anne Pearson, who kindly provided the historic Abbey House venue. Anne was on hand to help co-ordinate the evening in inspired style, while Frank kindly popped in to say hello before heading off to the Children in Need sing-along at INTECH.

I hosted the tasting, which featured a healthy selection of Sainsbury’s wines as their local store also supports the Magic Wand Appeal. I couldn’t help but include some great value options which I’d spotted at their recent press tasting – to give people some ideas for how not to break the bank over the festive period. We also used wines from Avery’s and local Winchester importer Twisted Vine, who specialise in boutique Californian producers.

The wines were:

• Taste the Difference Prosecco Conegliano DOCG 2011, 11%, £10.99, Sainsbury’s (also available in magnum)
• Avery’s Special Cuvée Champagne NV, 12%, £26.99 (special offer: £19.99 until 25.12), Avery’s wine merchants
• Taste the Difference Coolwater Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012, 13, £8.99, Sainsbury’s
• Rioja Reciente NV, 13%, £5.49, Sainsbury’s
• Quivira Zinfandel 2009, Dry Creek Valley, 14.8%, £28.95, Twisted Vine
• House Dessert Wine NV, Rheinhessen, 9.5% (37.5 cl), £3.99, Sainsbury’s
• Taste the Difference 12-year-old sweet Pedro Ximenez, 18% (50 cl) £7.99, Sainsbury’s (enjoyed poured over Jude’s vanilla ice cream)

The evening was supported by many local (and larger) businesses, either in the form of donating (or selling at cost) the wines and foods we enjoyed, or by generously giving prizes for the raffle and silent auction.

In addition to those mentioned above, these included Maison Blanc, Jude’s Ice Cream, Waitrose, Riedel, Holiday Inn, Hotel du Vin, Caviste, Bangkok Brasserie, The Cornish Fishmonger, No 5 Bridge Street, Vitacress, L’art du Fromage, Dinghams, Jeremy France, Brindisa, Lyburn Cheese and Loosehanger Farmhouse Cheeses.

Sincere thanks to all of them, as well as to organiser Nikki Oliver and her husband Gary, and everyone who helped on the night.

The Magic Wand Appeal is raising money to renovate the children’s ward in the Royal Hampshire County Hospital, in order to give both kids and their guardians and family a more pleasant experience at what can be a testing time in their lives. This event came in the wake of the Fulflood Great British Charity Ball in the summer, which raised over £7,500 for the Magic Wand. If you’d like to donate, you can find details on this page.

(by peter & susie)

What do you call a day when you get to chat Teroldego with Chris Evans, wear Olympic gold and silver medals, cuddle Bill Granger, host a brilliantly named Drinks Theatre, talk ‘guess the wine’ with Michel Roux Jr and generally pig out?

The BBC Good Food Show, of course.

Yet again we had a blast at this most delicious of events, this time on debut in London at Olympia.

Backstage was lots of fun, with the Supertheatre sponsor Plenty (think: kitchen roll) providing some serious entertainment in the form of its larger-than-life character Juan Sheet (geddit?)

Saturday Kitchen host James Martin was on cracking form after filming a Christmas special for petrol heads, having raced Sir Jackie Stewart’s 1970s vintage racing car round Monza.

Chris Evans was doing his bit for Movember as well as making for a hugely entertaining (and unexpectedly interactive) series of Saturday Kitchen Supertheatre shows with Susie.

We talked wine and food with Michel Roux Jr, surely the most hard-working man in gastronomy right now. It was great to hear his take on wine (‘I’m very open-minded so I don’t mind where it comes from, but it has to be good quality’). And we were personally very chuffed to hear he tunes into Saturday Kitchen and has a go at guessing our wine choices for the dishes (though it appears either we’re predictable or he’s very good – apparently he gets it right 90% of the time…)

Olympic gold- and silver-medallist Zac Purchase was delightful company – and kind enough to let Peter try on his medals. He and his lovely new wife were also surprisingly illuminating (and precise) on the subject of dunking biscuits in tea…

Culinary superstars Theo Randall, Pierre Koffmann, Bill Granger and Vivek Singh were all on fine form, cooking up some sensational dishes while entertaining the crowds. We’ve had requests to let you know which wines we paired with the various dishes – they are as below (they’re all from Tesco, sponsors of the Supertheatre):

• Theo Randall’s beef with frito misto and chilli sauce – Finest Teroldego 2010, £7.99
• James Martin’s roast leg of lamb in hay with mash and fresh mint sauce and Vichy carrots – Viña Mara Gran Reserva Rioja 2004, £13.99
• James Martin’s chilli fried tofu with egg fried rice – Finest Rosé Champagne NV, £21.99
• Pierre Koffmann’s cuttlefish Bolognese – Finest Pouilly-Fumé 2010, £12.99
• Bill Granger’s marinated steak rolls – Finest Argentina Malbec 2011, £7.99
• James Martin’s shredded confit duck and apple ball in breadcrumbs served in a cream of parsnip soup – Bellingham Grenache Viognier 2011, £10.99
• James Martin’s wild mushroom risotto with sautéed wild mushrooms – Finest Central Otago Pinot Noir 2011, £10.99
• Vivek Singh’s grouse stir fry with pumpkin pickle – Ravenswood Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel 2009, £9.99

We also hosted sessions in the Drinks Theatre at the buzzy Wine Show, which was taking place upstairs (a delightful combination). Some standouts from the wines we showed there included:

• Champagne Louis Chaurey Brut NV (£30 currently down to £15, M&S)
• Falanghina 2009, Masseria Frattasi Donna Laura (£18.99, La Mia Italia)
• Crozes-Hermitage 2010 (£11.99, M&S)
• Tokaji Edes Szamorodni Lonyai 2007 (£24.99, Tokaj merchants)

We can’t wait for the end of the month and the big one – the winter BBC Good Food Show at the NEC, Birmingham. Do come and join the fun – we’ll be on stage alongside many of the names above plus the fabulous Michael Caines, Tom Kerridge, Lawrence Keogh, Glynn Purnell, Galton Blackiston, Atul Kochhar and Sarah Millican. Click here for more details or to buy tickets.

You can have a peek at a few more photos from the event, both of and by us, on our Facebook album. Thanks to David Tickle and Jools at 255 Photography.

(by susie)

It was a Guy Fawkes theme on our wine shoot for last weekend’s Saturday Kitchen – so we stopped by the Houses of Parliament before heading onto the Tower of London, where the would-be bomber met his grisly fate all those years ago.

(I got to cuddle a Beafeater – how times change…)

Our fate was, well, a bit more tasteful – choosing some fabulous wines to go with Jason Atherton’s blow-torched mackerel and sticky ribs by Mark Hix.

Jane Seymour was this week’s appreciative guest, while we had the fine sight of James Martin tossing his sticky ribs over his shoulder while demanding some wine. I was, of course, delighted to help out.

Jason’s lime-cured mackerel with Japanese radish and green tea was pretty intricate and, after much research at home, we discovered it went best with a Riesling (although Gruner Veltliner also worked well).

My choice, the Taste the Difference Awatere Valley Riesling 2011 (£7.49, Sainsbury’s), went down very well.

‘Riesling works really well with Asian food,’ commented Jason. ‘It’s a great choice – great balance.’

James noted how inexpensive and ‘fabulous’ it was, while Mark said it, ‘cut through the oiliness of the mackerel very nicely’.

Jane, echoing many a comment we hear along these lines, said, ‘I always thought Riesling was very sweet but this is lovely, delicious’. (Many German Rieslings are sweet but Australian and New Zealand ones are often dry – and great value too.)

Mark’s dish was a total contrast – tamarind-baked back ribs with stuffed baked onions.

This was a full-on, sticky, carnal dish for which we needed a gutsy wine. The Yalumba Bush Vines Grenache 2011 (from £9.99, widely available but we filmed at Majestic) was perfect for the job.

I’m glad Mark agreed. ‘It goes really well with the ribs; a very natural almost sweet and sour flavour match,’ he commented.

‘It’s a great combination, fantastic, almost like a palate cleanser with the tamarind,’ said James.

‘Beautiful,’ was Jane’s comment, while Jason termed it, ‘great, perfect.’

Thanks to James, Mark, Jason and Jane for a great show, as well as everyone at Cactus. You can find the recipes from this episode on the BBC Food site, which also feature James’ steamed treacle sponge with custard, lobster and sea bass with carrot julienne and baked ginger parkin with perry poached pear.

You can catch the show until this Saturday via iplayer. Wine bits are at 15:23 and 53:30. Also featured is archive material from Rick Stein and the Great British Menu.

(by susie)

Foraging.

There’s just something irresistible about the word, isn’t there?

I certainly found it hard to resist when I received an invitation to forage for my lunch just down the road in the New Forest.

It’s such a trendy theme at the moment on the restaurant scene that it was too tempting not to find out a bit more about the realities of this skilful and somewhat forgotten art.

Our tutor was to be celebrity forager John Wright (of River Cottage fame) and we were also promised a fungus-fuelled cookery demonstration from Michelin-starred chef Alan Murchison followed by lunch at Gérard Basset’s Hotel TerraVina.

Out came the wellies from their summer hibernation.  In my excitement I managed to overlook the fact that I’ve never foraged in my life before and that if we were really expected to find sufficient food for lunch  (the whole idea behind the expedition)  we were likely to go hungry.

John, however, showed the confidence of a man, or rather mycologist, with 45 years experience. He set out his stall from the moment we met at Shave Wood Car Park just north of Lyndhurst, telling us he wanted to find at least 25 different species of mushroom before we headed back for lunch.  So off we all squelched in the drizzly rain, following John in his sweeping navy raincoat, floppy waterproof hat and wicker basket on each arm.

The first thing I learnt was that foraging requires practise.

One or two of our party were chefs who forage regularly and their ability to spot a new species, however tiny, was incredible.  My family nickname has always been ‘eagle eye’ because I have an annoying habit of seeing everything, but I was rubbish compared to John and the foraging chefs.

A knowledge of trees helps.  At one point John said ‘I expect to find Chanterelles here’ – it was all to do with the towering beeches that surrounded us.

The second lesson of the morning was that most of what the New Forest has to offer is inedible, either that or my party was particularly good at sniffing out poisonous mushrooms.  From what I understand, the official name for these killer fungi is ‘toadstool’ as opposed to ‘mushroom’, a term reserved for the edible species.  Either way, basket one (aka: lunch) remained virtually empty, whilst basket two filled up with alarming speed.

Luckily John didn’t insist that his ‘25 species before lunch’ were edible and we soon found ourselves back in the warmth of Hotel TerraVina, enjoying a refreshing glass of Louis Jadot Mâcon-Villages 2011 only slightly later than originally planned.  The team at Louis Jadot had come up with the idea of foraging for lunch and, as our generous hosts, they provided all of the wines for the day.

Back in the kitchen, Alan Murchison had wisely anticipated our lack of success and a wonderful array of healthy, edible mushrooms awaited our return.  He politely picked through our ‘lunch basket’ and, with a wry smile, moved swiftly on to his demonstration.

He kicked off his mushroom masterclass by explaining that mushrooms are very porous so it’s better to gently brush the dirt off rather than wash them.  He then whizzed effortlessly through a perfect mushroom soup, a ‘risotto’ made from fragola (apparently ideal for a supper party as it’s impossible to overcook) served with rare ribeye and wild mushroom fricasée,  and finally, sea bream with oriental mushroom broth.

Alan’s patter is as polished as his performance in the kitchen and he entertained us throughout with lines such as ‘serving a steak blue is old hat, it’s for people who wear beetroot coloured corduroys’, and ‘cooking is like making love, it’s all about experience and practise’.  Joking aside, he’s a very confident and engaging teacher and I felt I’d learnt loads in the space of just thirty minutes – I’ll certainly never dare shake my steak pan again.

As we sat down for lunch we passed a table laden with the fruits of our morning’s forage, which John had meticulously labelled with each of their Latin names.  Although it was an incredible display of extraordinary shapes and colours, the most exciting find of the day for John, a self-confessed nerd, was a tiny purple-hued mushroom that he didn’t recognise.  He’d covered it over with a teacup so that it didn’t dry out before he took it home to identify.  Now that’s what I call dedication.

Lunch was a feast for the eyes, the palate and the nose.  What follows are some thoughts and comments on the dishes and the wines that were matched to them.

As most of the wines are available in a variety of independent merchants I would suggest that for information on current pricing and availability you contact Hatch Mansfield, the agent for Jadot.

COURSE ONE:

Hand rolled truffle macaroni, fricassée of ceps, artichoke purée and smoked eel 

• Louis Jadot ‘Clos de Loyse’ Château des Jacques 2009
• Fleurie Château des Jacques 2011

Without doubt my favourite dish of the day.  I’m a complete truffle addict and I also love Italian food so the smokiness of the eel and the truffle pasta with the earthiness of the ceps and Jerusalem artichoke was complete heaven for me.

The Fleurie is a new wine made from two hectares purchased in 2011and it was too young and firm to drink with such a comforting, autumnal dish.  The unoaked white Clos de Loyse from Romanèche offered fresh acidity and rounded fruit flavours that balanced all the different elements in the dish, and worked especially well with the fishiness of the eel.

Fillet of stone bass, oriental broth, wild mushrooms

• Louis Jadot Marsannay Blanc 2010
• Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Cru 2008

The red Beaune was showing extremely well with classic red fruit and earthy aromas, backed up by a succulent, gamey palate.  The Marsannay was reticent on the nose but nutty, taut and focussed in the mouth with spicy white peach flavours and good length.  Both wines worked well with this dish but the red was slightly overwhelmed.  Although the dish was oriental, it was earthy rather than spicy and the lovely nutty flavour of the white was delicious with the broth and the pan-fried bass, not to mention the fried shallots that topped the dish.

Breast of guinea fowl, smoked pomme purée, wild mushroom velouté

• Louis Jadot Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru 2010
• Louis Jadot Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru 2006
• Louis Jadot Corton Pouget Grand Cru 1999

Three wines with this course and a ‘three in a row’ triumph for the day’s white wines.  The Chassagne was not only my favourite wine of the day, it was also the best match with this delicately flavoured, creamily textured dish.  It’s a wine with its own subtle creamy flavours, beautiful fresh acidity and long, nutty finish.  Incredibly fine and drinkable, and a superb match for the melt-in-the-mouth guinea fowl.  The Charmes is currently rich and dark, and opens up in the glass to give oily, masculine density with fine tannin and leathery, exotic flavours.  It’s still very muscular but has wonderful potential.  The Corton is more developed, as you would expect, with gamey flavours and  a smooth, silky texture that makes it very easy to enjoy right now but it was just a little too savoury for this particular dish.

(by peter)

Oysters were on the menu this week so the intrepid Saturday Kitchen wine team headed out to Colchester, where the annual Oyster Feast was taking place.

I got my glad rags on to look perilously over-dressed in an oyster boat as we swanned around the world-famous oyster lanes of Mersea, taking lessons on the difference between a native (smaller, flatter back) and the more prevalent rock oyster (bigger, altogether more bulbous).

See? I don’t just have eyes for wine…

Apart from having fun, we also found time to root out some wines (‘brilliant’ ones, in James Martin’s words) for the culinary maestros who are Atul Kochhar and Mark Jordan.

Mark – who heads up the kitchen at The Atlantic in Jersey – was cooking langoustines with oyster mayonnaise, wilted spinach and anchovy sand – served on a Jersey rock.

Both the original presentation and subtle flavours gave me the chance to talk about ‘minerality’ in wine – a topic that tends to confuse and polarise people in equal measure.

For me, minerality in wine is a dimension that isn’t just fruit, or flowers, or herbs – it’s an X-factor that speaks as much of the sea and the earth as it does other things – and what’s more enables wine to go brilliantly with food.

No surprises that I went for a classic wine, much celebrated for its minerality and for pairing well with seafood: Laurent Desvignes Chablis 2010 from Waitrose. This has since gone off special offer (it was £8.99 down from £13.99 until 30^th Oct) but if you’re after a similar bargain, you could now go for the Esprit de Chablis 1er Cru 2010, down from 15.99 to £11.99 from 7^th Nov until 4^th Dec.

Mark described the match as, ‘fantastic – really fresh, you can see yourself sitting down and having a glass of that,’ before adding, ‘with a few things on a rock…’

James quite rightly pointed out that, ‘at £8.99 it’s great value for Chablis’, while Atul described it as an, ‘amazing bargain’.

Studio guest Dawn French termed it, ‘lovely’.

When Atul mentioned he was cooking ‘bunny chow’, I think I got the wrong end of the stick. But this heart-warming lamb curry, served in hollowed-out bread, makes for great theatre and a lovely story.

I wanted a juicy, soft red so opted for the Negroamaro 2011 (£6.49, Marks & Spencer).

‘Great combination,’ said Atul. ‘Spot on: it’s medium bodied, fruity, which is all you want with this kind of curry – it goes really well.’

Although James said he’d normally go for a beer, he described it as a ‘great combination’, while Mark said it was, ‘perfect’.

‘Really delicious’ was Dawn’s comment.

Thanks as ever to host James Martin, the brilliant Atul and Mark, the fabulous Dawn – and to everyone at Cactus, not least to our VT director, TV’s Andy Clarke, cameraman Mike and researcher Claire Paine.

You can find the recipes from this episode on the BBC Food site, which also include James’ chargrilled squid with creamy ponzu dressing, pumpkin soup and classic pasty.

You can catch the show until this Saturday – when Susie is in London on a Guy Fawkes-themed mission – via iplayer. Wine bits are at 15:45 and 55:40. Also featured is archive material from Rick Stein and the Great British Menu.

(by peter & susie)

We had a great day out recently mentoring and judging at The Palate 2012 – a competition with more than a nod to the likes of the X-Factor/The Voice/Masterchef/Great British Bake off.

Run by wine retailer Oddbins, the aim was to find the best amateur wine tasters in the UK and from them select one overall winner, who would be crowned ‘the palate’. (This probably needs to be intoned by a gravel-voiced narrator for proper dramatic effect, but you get the idea…)

You can watch a snapshot of the day on the video below (reproduced here by kind courtesy of Oddbins, and made by the very fine people at Stepping Stone Media):

Around 5,000 punters had tried their luck in the initial stages of the competition, which involved filling in questionnaires at various branches of Oddbins round the country. A rigorous non-wine-trade policy was enforced to ensure that only amateur tasters were eligible.

From this cast of thousands, an elite group of ten were selected for the finals day, which took place on October 13^th in the impressively located (and equipped) AWC Wine Academy just off Oxford Street.

The contestants came from a variety of locations (Aberdeen, Oxford and Crouch End all figured) and indeed walks of life – from copy-writers to university lecturers and actors.

We split the group into half and led tutorial sessions featuring our usual brand of upbeat education and entertainment, using jelly beans, aroma bottles, blindfolds…and a crash course in blind wine tasting.

One of the primary aims was to give the contestants a fantastic day out, as well as something educational to take away. But of course there was another prize up for grabs – the winner was to receive an exclusive holiday for two in Tuscany courtesy of wine producer Frescobaldi, plus a magnum of Champagne and the chance to select a new wine for the Oddbins range.

Needless to say, motivation wasn’t in short supply. The contest was hard fought, and there was some great talent on display during the various challenges on the day.

What got us most excited was the way that, while some of the contestants seemed to have relatively little book knowledge of wine to start with, they picked up a huge amount from the day and applied it in the various tests we set them. The best ones also showed an impressive passion and enthusiasm for wine, which in our book is just as important as knowing the facts.

In the end, there was only going to be one winner – and that turned out to be Fran Evans, a sustainability officer at Camden Council. ‘I never win anything, I can’t believe it!’ was Fran’s emotional reaction.

Despite voicing some anti-Chardonnay feelings earlier in the day, Fran then later chose (from a blind selection – proving how valuable these exercises are) the Collovray & Terrier’s la Closerie des Lys Chardonnay (£8), which will go on sale in Oddbins from November.

In our view, any kind of competition or initiative like this is fantastic. It takes a popular format and model, and helps make wine both fun and engaging. This is exactly what comes across in the video – and was also very much the experience on the day, when everyone had a great time in a fun but competitive and educational atmosphere.

Congratulations to everyone who took part in The Palate – also to all ten brilliant finalists, and most especially to Fran Evans.

Most importantly – here’s to making wine fun.

(You can also find news pieces on The Palate 2012 on both Decanter and Harpers as well as Oddbins’ website.)

(by peter & susie)

Just like the piped music and tinselly shopping grottos, the festive price wars seem to be starting earlier than ever this year. (Mind you, we were tasting wine in Santa hats beside a Christmas tree in June for What Food What Wine, so we’re seasonally confused anyway.)

So if you’re forward-thinking enough to want to start stocking up on festive booze, or are just looking out for some great value autumn drinking, we’ve got a few tips for you.

Sainsbury’s are offering 25% off when you buy six bottles on all champagne, sparkling and fortified wine from Friday 19^th October to Sunday 28^th October (excludes Scotland). The offer applies on top of any existing discounts.

We’d recommend going for the following:

• Sainsbury’s Blanc de Blancs Brut NV, down from £22.49 to £11.25
• House Corbières NV, £3.99 down to £2.99 – surely one of the all-time high street bargains
• Mayu Syrah Reserva 2009, £9.99 down to £7.49
• House Dessert Wine NV, 37.5cl, £3.99 down to £2.99

Marks & Spencer are also gearing up for the exact same offer – 25% off when you buy six bottles or more – but theirs runs from 29^th October until 11^th November. Again, the offer applies on top of existing discounts. Try the following:

• Louis Chaurey Champagne NV, £30 down to £11.25
• Prestige Cava Brut NV, £8.99 down to £5.25
• Fiano Sannio 2011, £7.99 down to £5.99
• Honeycomb Journey’s End Chardonnay, £8.99 down to £6.74
• Montlouis sur Loire les Tuffeaux Demi Sec 2009, £18.99 down to £14.24
• Negroamaro 2011, £6.49 down to £4.87
• Cadet de Ka 2008, £8.49 down to £6.37
• Carmagnole Prestige Caramany 2011, £9.99 down to £7.49
• Santenay les Charmes 2008, £14.99 down to £11.24
• Lucero Syrah 2010, £15.99 down to £11.99
• Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos 2001, £14.99 down to £11.24

Another supermarket – one of Britain’s biggest – is following suit with the same offer in early November but has embargoed the details so it will have to wait…

In the meantime, enjoy!

(by peter)

Thanks to Wines of Chile for sending over this short video taken from my seminar at the Annual Tasting entitled ‘Exploring Chile’s Terroirs’.

Really this seminar was an excuse to feature some brilliant new-wave Chilean wines – one of which was unheard of even to most of the Chileans, made from the high Atacama plateau and with a production run of just 160 bottles – and talk a bit about why Chilean wine is at such an exciting juncture.

This is, after all, probably one of the most climatically diverse nations in the world, with a huge range of soil types and exposures (around 80% of Chile is classified as mountainous).

And at the moment we’re seeing the emergence of some brilliant, breathtaking wines that speak as much about where they’re from as the people (and grape varieties) who made them.

I devised the presentation in tandem with Dr Pedro Parra, with a tripartite structure: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and ‘other’.

I defined terroir as the story a wine has to tell – a personality, if you like – a combination of nature and nurture that gives a wine a unique character that you, the drinker, then interact with, interpret and appreciate. I also emphasised the role of man in this – some people seem to claim terroir is not a human construct, but it undoubtedly is – as i put it (probably a little too floridly), nature is the rock from which man carves a sculpture in wine.

Chile is getting there with terroir wines. Over half of the national vineyard is under 15 years old, and Chileans by nature tend to be risk averse (you need ambitious, mould-breaking, risky ventures to make great terroir wine, pushing things to the limit).

But the initial results from some of Chile’s pioneers are worth celebrating. The wines I featured in this tasting were as follows:

• Viña Ribera del Lago, Laberinto Cenizas Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Maule (tangy, dynamic and vital)
• Calyptra Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Cachapoal (beautifully glazed, layered and structured. Utter pleasure.)
• SoldeSol Pinot Noir 2010, Malleco (leafy, earthy Pinot with great drive and ageing ability)
• Montsecano Pinot Noir 2011, Casablanca (floral, earthy, wonderfully scented and elegantly textured)
• De Martino Viejas Tinajas Cinsault 2011, Itata (earthy, herby, bright and cogent)
• Ayllu 2011, Salar de Atacama (chalky tannin and delightfully different)

I could have chosen many more but these went down very well. The idea was more to challenge preconceptions about what Chile is and can be, rather than to have a line-up that pleased everyone. The reaction was fantastic – people were indeed polarised but saw the excitement and potential even if they weren’t fans of a particular one.

It all took place on a beautiful day at Lord’s, in the superb venue that is the media pod. As well as the wines, everyone enjoyed a great view…

My thanks to Wines of Chile for setting up the event and also the producers for kindly sending in the wines. Thanks also to Pedro Parra, and to Alvaro Arriagada and Rene Merino for the photos. You can also find a report on Wines of Chile’s website here.

(by susie)

So just how do you prepare for a celebrity quiz show?

I jokingly tweeted, just before setting off for sunny Glasgow (on a very damp and grey day in Hampshire) that my revision had primarily involved lots of wine.

‘Just how the eggheads revise,’ swiftly tweeted back series producer Robert Dean. This was going to be a fun day…

I’d been invited to BBC Glasgow to record a Christmas edition of  ‘Celebrity Eggheads’, the 6pm BBC2 show in which a team of challengers try to beat one of the country’s finest quiz teams at their own game.

I was part of the Food & Drink-themed celebrity team (dubbed ‘5-star Cui’z’ine) along with fellow team members Valentina Harris, Silvena Rowe, Kevin Woodford and Aldo Zilli.

We were plied with tea. The make-up ladies worked their magic. Wardrobe gave the nod to our various tops (you never see anyone’s legs in Eggheads…) Then we were briefed by the lovely Sue before being led into the studio for the trials and tribulations involved in pitting yourself against some of the most fearsome quiz minds in the country on national telly.

I can’t reveal much more without giving the game away – but let’s just say that Dermot Murgnahan was a delightful host and Silvena Rowe managed to take Eggheads as close to becoming a speed-dating show as it’ll probably ever get…

It really was so much fun and I’m now officially a firm fan of this unique show, a sort of ‘Who wants to be a millionaire’ meets ‘University Challenge’. Just without the millions. Or Paxman. Mercifully.

This new series of Celebrity Eggheads will be shown in the two week run-up to Christmas but we’ll let you know when this Food & Drink episode will be aired as soon as we know ourselves. We may also try to upload a clip here in the site.

(by susie)

It’s not every day you get to be carried by two footmen in a sedan chair en route to a Saturday Kitchen wine shoot, as we did in Luton last week. (We were having a bit of fun at the local Mossman Collection, one of the biggest carriage collections in the UK.)

But then a girl could get used to that sort of treatment…

Dreaming apart, this week in studio it was the delightful combination of Cyrus Todiwala and Annabel Langbein – both cooking some pretty tricky dishes to match wine to, it must be said. (Which of course meant we had to cook both to be absolutely sure of getting the right combination – hard life…)

Cyrus was making a combination of cod massala salad with eggs and parsee potatoes. We found that a good IPA beer worked really well – but in wine terms the best match was the succulent Elegant Frog Viognier 2011 (£8.49, Sainsbury’s).

James commented, quite rightly, how well Viognier goes with Indian food, to which Cyrus replied, ‘absolutely: it’s under-rated, especially compared to Sauvignon Blanc, but I think it’s fantastic – super.’ Apparently it’s one of his favourite grapes (and the frog is his favourite animal), so he termed the whole experience ‘special’. Annabel, meanwhile, described the match as ‘an amazing combination’.

Annabel, a presenter and chef from New Zealand, was cooking a beautiful spicy beef with harvest vegetable salad and prawn toasts. Again, not the easiest combination from a wine perspective, so I needed a brilliant all-rounder. We found that elegant Syrah worked with its peppery character, but the most seamless was Pinot, so I went for the excellent value Nelson Pinot Noir 2010 (£8.99, Marks & Spencer).

‘Love it,’ was Kiwi Pinot lover Annabel’s reaction, while James termed it, ‘delicious’.

My thanks as ever to all the very hard working people at Cactus TV who put this brilliant show together, with a specific mention to our VT director, TV’s Andy Clarke, cameraman James Cook and runner Barney Neild.

You can catch the show until Saturday via iplayer (wine bits at 15:56 and 56:27) – also featured are classic moment from Rick Stein and Great British Menu. All the recipes are on the BBC Food site. These also include James Martin’s San Marzano tomato pizza, monkfish blanquette with duchesse potatoes and pan fried halibut with truffle poached egg, hollandaise and cavolo nero.

(by peter)

First up: an admission.

I love Sauvignon Blanc.

It’s one of the wines Susie and I regularly reach for – mostly as an early-evening aperitif, to be sure, but also as a food wine. It regularly features on our Saturday Kitchen recommendations because of its versatility, especially with Asian and fusion cuisine.

I mention all of this because I was recently in Holland hosting an event for distributor and merchant Jean Arnaud. The subject was Sauvignon Blanc. And it got me thinking about people’s attitudes to Savvy.

When we serve it at our events, it tends to be a love/hate style. Some find it too characterful or too tangy. Others – they tend to be experts – disdain Sauvignon as a one-trick pony, a simplistic variety that’s all brass (aromatic power) and no brains (structure, longevity, complexity etc).

In short, Sauvignon Blanc’s demise has been long predicted. One notably eminent wine expert even sniffily predicted in 1992 that, ‘Sauvignon Blanc looks set to fall out of favour, so well is it doing in the fashion conscious corners of the globe’.

Clearly, this view was short-sighted. Sauvignon is now 10^th in the list of worldwide grape variety plantings and, in the UK, it is in pole position as one of the nation’s favourite wine styles (tied at 8% of the volume retail market with Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio, growing slower than the latter but faster than the former, according to AC Nielsen).

Yes, Sauvignon Blanc can play to the crowds with its intensely aromatic, sometimes opulent style. But equally it can make intensely savoury, complex whites when cropped low and made with great care in small batches.

For all its naturally exuberant nature, it is also inherently versatile.

It can work well with oak and in blends (especially with Semillon). It can make opulent styles (a touch of residual sugar balancing the crisp acid and facilitating a pairing with spicy Asian cuisine) or tight, lean, taut wines. It can benefit from a bit of ‘positive reduction’ – ie those gunflint, struck match, toasty aromas that often come from extended contact with lees or even being sealed in screwcap. It can make very decent sweet wines – and acceptable (if slightly confected) fizz.

I’d suggest that we’re only just starting to see the best of Savvy. A new accent on terroir in Marlborough – surely the global reference point for Sauvignon – as well as a new ambition and expertise in winemaking is seeing increasingly deft, complex and engaging Savvies emerging.

Some of our favourite producers around the world include Dog Point, Greywacke, Craggy Range, François Cotat, Didier Dagueneau, Casa Marin, Viña Leyda, Calyptra, Château Doisy-Daëne, Ataraxia, Cape Point and Hamilton Russell. Don’t tell me these producers don’t make beautiful, complex, inspirational wine from Sauvignon Blanc.

And to this list we can now add another name: Astrolabe.

We hadn’t come across this Marlborough producer before but it will firmly be on our radar now after we tasted two of their delightful, structured, terroir-driven Sauvignons (see tasting notes below – I showed both these wines at the Jean Arnaud event, who are their importers in Holland). These will double up as our Wines of the Week; their importer in the UK is Ellis of Richmond.

We look forward to many more such discoveries as we continue our delicious odyssey with this contentious grape.

Tasting notes

Astrolabe Voyage Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2010, 13.5% (£13.99, New Zealand House of Wine) – winemaker Simon Waghorn set up this boutique brand with a group of like-minded friends in 1996. Slightly confusingly, the winery rebranded its lines from the 2011 vintage, so this ‘Voyage’ now becomes ‘Province’. The wine is a blend of fruit from Waihopai, Wairau and Awatere – and it’s the latter style that marks it, all punchy green pepper and tomato leaf, with a juicy yet vivid flavour profile with hints of paprika and nettles. Focused, rounded, lively. Classy and delicious. 7-7.5/10

Astrolabe Discovery Kekerengu Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2010, 13% (£19.99, Majestic) – from the Kekerengu Coast, an area we’d never heard of but which lies further south from Awatere along the coast. It’s a breezy, foggy, windy area, perhaps even more extreme than parts of Awatere. The resultant style, together with a touch of deft oaking, is one of layered intensity and compelling, savoury flavour. It doesn’t so much speak of simple fruit as earth, wind, and a slightly feral edge. Kumquat and nut flavours, crisp, creamy, super long. Lovely structure, effortless class. Delightful. (Rebranded as ‘Valleys’ from 2011.)  8/10

(by peter)

To Essex, to England’s newest city Chelmsford (which acquired its city status in June 2012) we went in the search of delicious wine in the Saturday Kitchen cause.

And we weren’t disappointed. On the menu were teriyaki glazed salmon with sweet and sour peppers and wasabi hollandaise cooked by the sprightly Will Holland of La Bécasse in Ludlow as well as Gennaro Contaldo’s family meat ragù.

Will was up first, his flawless youthful complexion sporting not a trace of evidence that just days earlier he’d been in the boxing ring for charity (see Rumble in the Kitchen), winning his bout in impressive fashion against Matt Wilkin MS.

For his dish I chose the Valdesil Montenovo Godello (from £7.99, Majestic) – something a bit different but great value for money, and a proper food wine.

‘It’s brilliant,’ commented Will. ‘There’s lots going on in the dish, but that handles it really well.’

James said, ‘It tastes fantastic, really works – bargain,’ while Gennaro termed it, ‘fantastic.’

Gennaro didn’t initially twig to the fact that I’d gone for a French rather than an Italian wine – surely something akin to heresy with a family ragu – but he reacted in characteristically warm fashion to both me and the Finest Plan de Dieu Côtes du Rhône Villages 2011 (£6.99, Tesco).

‘Bless Peter!’ he exclaimed, ‘he did choose nice lovely wine, really goes with the dish.’

Will summed things up in pithy fashion by saying: ‘lovely rich dish, rich wine – perfect!’

As ever, thanks to James Martin and all at Cactus for another great show. You can catch it via iplayer for the next week (wine bits at 17:26 and 57:15), and after that I’ll try to get the wine clips up here on the site. Also featured were Rick Stein and action from the Great British Menu.

You can find all these recipes on the BBC Food site, as well as others from the show including prawn and broccoli pad thai, southern fried chicken with garlic butter, fried potatoes and bread, and meringues with strawberries and cream.

(by peter)

What do you think about wine and food matching?

Go on. What do you really think?

I’d hazard a guess that, for the vast majority of people, it’s nothing more than a pretentious fancy, an amusing tangent – a vague irritant at times when decisions are called for but nice enough when it works out.

Largely, though, it’s not much on people’s radar.

Which is why, amidst all the dry ice, Gewürztraminer and talk of molecular aromatic synergies at the 12-hour marathon that was the Wine & Culinary International Forum in Barcelona (sponsored by Spanish winery Torres), I occasionally felt we were losing our collective grip on gastro-reality.

As one panellist bravely pointed out: ‘At the end of the day, it’s just a meal.’

And yet there is much to say and learn about the fascinating and hitherto largely under-studied science of taste and flavour, and its practical application in kitchens and dining tables around the world. In short, it’s worth getting geeky if it means eating and drinking better.

Take the energetic Canadian sommelier-turned-researcher and author François Chartier, who was elucidating his intriguing theory of aromatic synergy as the means to scientifically explain classic flavour pairings and a chance to invent and explore new ones.

According to Chartier, it’s all about identifying key aromatic molecules that define certain families of ingredients (and wines) and thus help in pairing them. Examples abounded.

Take rotundone, the aromatic molecule found in peppers, some seaweeds, coffee, black olives – and the Syrah grape variety. Using this logic, Chartier devised a ‘sushi for Syrah lovers’ recipe, using Nori seaweed, wild rice soufflé, coffee, black olive purée and pepper.

Moving from theory to practice, we tried a pairing based around the pyrazine family. This aromatic grouping, Chartier explained, splits into two main groups – methoxyprazines (roughly, leafy, green pepper smells) and dimethyl pyrazines (produced by heating or toasting pyrazines).

After attempting to blow-torch a red pepper on stage for dramatic effect, Chartier served us a combination of beef tataki with a purée of charred red pepper and grilled sesame seed oil together with Torres’ Mas la Plana Cabernet Sauvignon 2003, aged in toasted oak barrels. Cabernet is a grape variety known for its naturally pyrazinic character, accentuated in this case by the toasty oak, and the flavour pairing was indeed spot on. As in the case with all the best pairings, each made the other taste better, resulting in a flavour experience that was greater than the sum of its parts.

Chartier went on to suggest other innovative pairings based on his research – chocolate with asparagus, ants with cardamom and gin, huitlacoche tacos with curry and maple syrup – while touting phrases such as ‘gout sans frontières’ and ‘a new culinary era’.

This was to lapse into overstatement. While undoubtedly useful as a means to understand flavour pairings and suggest new ones, Chartier’s theories are little more than an enlightening explanation of culinary common sense: pair like with like. They also gloss over the intricacies of what is a complex science, something which another speaker, Master Sommelier Josep Roca of the three-Michelin-star El Celler de Can Roca, expertly touched on.

‘We can’t reduce what we do to mechanics,’ he stressed. ‘It’s not always the best pairing in theory that will give the best results. It’s about understanding people, respecting their needs and expectations.’ By way of illustration, Roca mentioned serving a wine from a special year if people are celebrating, using wine ‘cocktails’, or not interrupting intense conversations during a 14-course tasting menu (‘the wine can wait’). He also talked about cultural associations, traditions, pyschological stimuli, academic issues, temperature and other complicating factors.

This, together with some impressively detailed insights into wine and food matching – for example, serving pudding wine warmer than normal if paired with ice cream, to prevent taste buds being de-sensitised, or serving a great wine well before the food comes (‘because, for a wine like that, time stops’) – made for an impressively holistic and realistic perspective. Not to mention a fine advert for his restaurant.

If, for Roca, wine and food pairing is defined by its complexity, for El Bulli sommelier Ferran Centelles and champion pastry chef Oriol Balaguer, it’s all about keeping things simple (stupid).

The pair gamely attempted to demonstrate their theory in practice. They served three pairs of morsels, each pair matched with one wine. Within each pair there was a ‘simple’ version and a ‘complex’ version – the idea being that the wine and food pairing worked much better when things were kept simple rather than over-complicated.

By and large, the theory worked. Audience members were given coloured cards with which to vote and overall the room tended to be split roughly two-thirds in favour of the simple match. For example, with Marimar Torres’ Don Miguel Chardonnay, the simple parmesan biscuit was a far more harmonious pairing than the version that added oregano and tomato paste. Similarly the chocolate with only 40% cocoa with mint and mandarin was an easier pairing than the chocolate that also had mint, chilli, and more cocoa and sugar – even if the Cordillera Brut was too dry for both. (This latter had a light-hearted aspect to it because the chocolates also contained popping candy, which was great fun with the fizz.)

It was instructive that Centelles, whose alma mater El Bulli specialises in cuisine of the most complicated kind, should be advocating simplicity in cuisine in the quest for wine and food harmony. I’d chatted to him the evening before and we’d agreed that it’s often the simplest, most un-prepossessing wine styles that work best with food. Perhaps we’ll be seeing an accent on simplicity at the new El Bulli academy.

The prosaic but important issue of price was brought up by Jancis Robinson in a round-table discussion with Victor de la Serna and her husband and food critic Nick Lander.

‘Consumers are weary of the extent to which wine is expected to bankroll restaurants,’ she stated. ‘It might work at the very top of restaurants, where budget is less of an issue. But people are counting the pennies more and more, there is less expense-accounts dining and people can easily check retail prices with smart phones.’

Robinson added that, when Lander ran L’Escargot restaurant, she would help compile the list but he would price it, something that resulted in ‘continuous arguments’. She also mentioned that their son was entering the restaurant trade and planned to launch a venture that made a virtue out of pricing wine fairly.

The question then becomes: if wine doesn’t subsidise the food and many other costs of a restaurant (wages and rent being key ones), where are the profits generated? More expensive food? Cover charges? One hopes that sheer volume of business attracted by the fair pricing policy would help. I know we’d like to support such a venture.

Many other interesting topics were raised and examined in the course of the day. For example, why don’t restaurants invest as much time and effort in pairing non-wine, even non-alcoholic drinks, with their tasting menus as they do with wine? (While the real motive may be margin-related, Will Holland at La Becasse in Ludlow swiftly tweeted that they offer ‘fruit blends’ to go with their tasting menu – kudos.) Also the brow-furrowing question of whether a ‘perfect’ wine match could ever exist (‘it does; the problem is it’s not unique,’ opined Centelles gnomically).

Beyond the gastronomic brainstorming, though, we find it helps to keep your feet on the ground.

We deal with wine and food most days. It’s our job. We try to learn as much as we can but then keep things simple and helpful rather than proscriptive or pretentious. The great thing about working together is that everything is a dialogue, as wine (and its pairing with food) should always be.

Most importantly, we try – as much as married Masters of Wine can – to treat wine like just another ingredient on the table. Albeit one that can make the difference between a pleasurable and transcendent experience.

Or, if you prefer the plain version, from a nice meal to a great one.

Wines to watch food by

Torres Waltraud Riesling 2011 – sadly unavailable in the UK, but if you get the chance to try it (eg in Spain) then do. It’s elegantly scented and crisp yet well balanced. Very moreish with its appley, creamy flavours. Apparently when Miguel A Torres married his German wife Waltraud, it was on the condition that he planted the Germanic Riesling variety in Catalonia. These are thus some of the oldest Riesling vines in the country. Enjoy it as an aperitif, perhaps even with pork scratchings. 6/10

Pol Roger Brut Vintage 2002 – a tasting of Primum Familiae Vini wines followed the seminar, from which the next three recommendations come. This beautifully stylish wine is still a baby but it has notes of coffee, wood smoke and baked apple. Very persistent and layered, but needs at least five years in the cellar yet. Long, cogent, delicious. (8/10)

Joseph Drouhin Chablis Les Clos 2008, Grand Cru – yes it’s a beefy, slightly showy style of Chablis, with its succulent creamy breadth, but it has crisp acidity, profound minerality and lots of other positive things you’d expect from top Chablis too. Very good. 7.5-8/10

Petit Mouton 2005, Ch Mouton Rothschild – the second wine of this famous Pauillac property makes for delightful drinking in this excellent vintage. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% each of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, it shows toasty, cedary and fresh blackcurrant aromas. Scented and inviting, with a savoury meaty undertone. Elegant fine tannin, good concentration and textural elegance. It’s open and engaging, more rewarding (for example) than the various Carruades de Lafite I tried recently. Very impressive. 7.5-8/10

(by susie)

The autumn tasting season is now in full swing and, as ever, there are one or two events that are a total pleasure to attend.

A recent lunch, hosted by The Sherry Institute of Spain at the Cinnamon Club, was exactly that. The idea was simple: to match a range of sherries to various Indian dishes, with two similar styles of wine offered with each of five courses.

The success of the lunch depended, more than ever on this occasion given the intense flavour of both sherry and Indian cuisine, on the quality of the wine and the dishes presented to us.  Neither disappointed and it was one of the most interesting and delicious wine and food pairing lunches I have attended.

Here’s a quick run-down of the dishes and accompanying wines, with my thoughts and conclusions:

Course One:

Norwegian king crab with tamarind and burnt chilli dressing, chilled lentil and coriander soup

Wine Matches:

Barbadillo Manzanilla Solear – RRP £5.53, Stockists: Waitrose, S.H.Jones, Bacchanalia, vintagemarque.com

Lustau Fino La Ina – RRP £14.15, Stockists: Mark 1 Wines, Justerini & Brooks, Bennett’s fine Wine, www.thedrinkshop.com

This was a plate of two halves, with the crab offering sweet & fruity, fresh fishy succulence, while the soup was all autumnal spice and aromatic warmth.

Although there was general agreement at my end of the table that the manzanilla wasn’t quite as vibrant and fresh as it might be, its light, salty tang offset the crab beautifully.  The fuller, more concentrated and structured fino (the better wine of the two) was more suited to the earthy spice of the lentil soup.

At least that’s what I thought.  Not everyone was in agreement, my neighbour at the table preferred them the other way around while our host, Beltrán Domecq considered the Fino the best match for both elements of the dish.

He went on to add that ‘fino sherries have an incredible capacity for going with vinaigrette dressings’.  It’s apparently something to do with the fact that the volatile acidity in fino sherry is extremely low.

Course Two:

Tandoori Scottish salmon with dill and mustard, green peas relish

Wine Matches:

Fernando de Castilla Antique Fino – UK RRP £18, Stockists: Handford Wines, Caviste, Hennings Wine Merchants, Great Grog

Valdespino Inocente Fino – UK RRP £14.99, importer: Liberty Wines

This was a stunning dish. The smokiness of the tandoori salmon combined perfectly with the nose-tingling green pea relish and the creamy shallot raita that also accompanied it.  The relish is made from garlic, green chilli, mustard oil and salt and, we were told by manager Hari Nagaraj as he introduced the dish, it adds a wasabi-like kick.  A drizzle of mango puree gave a final touch of fruity sweetness to the dish.

The Fino Inocente was an out-and-out winner with this one.  Lifted, fresh, smooth and almondy, it coped beautifully with every element of the dish, never overwhelming but offering the most delightful and vibrant partnership.

Course Three:

Char-grilled guinea fowl with fennel and coriander, paprika raita

Wine Matches:

Cayetano del Pino Palo Cortado Viejisimo 1/5 – UK RRP £22, Stockists: Wine Society, Capote & Toro, Cambio de Tercio, Tendido Cero

Barbadillo Principe Amontillado – UK RRP £27.39, Stockist: vintagemarque.com

The smokiness of this dish, which emanated from both the tender chunks of charred guinea fowl and the smoked paprika, was a fantastic match with this style of sherry.

What was surprising was that the better wine was not the best match.  The Palo Cortado is an amazingly intense, orange and hazelnut-infused liquid with a spicy finish and incredible length.  The Amontillado is good in a dry, nutty, tangy way, but not nearly as impressive.  When it came to putting the dish and the wine together, however, the Palo Cortado was too powerful, while the Amontillado improved with the dish, becoming more rounded and orangey.

Course four:

Clove-smoked Cumbrian wild deer with pickling sauce

Wine Matches:

Lustau Emperatriz Eugenia Oloroso Seco – UK RRP £25.20, Stockist: Green & Blue

Harvey’s Palo Cortado VORS – UK RRP £21.10, Stockist: Gordon & Macphail

There was a lot going on in this dish and it needed just the right wine to cope with all its different elements.  As well as the irony, gamey flavour of the deer, we had fennel, cumin, black onion, mustard and cardamom seeds in the pickling spice, a couple of rich and aromatic vegetable side dishes, as well as some flatbread and pilau rice.

Again the most impressive wine was not the most harmonious match.  As Beltrán Domecq rightly stated, the long-aged Palo Cortado is a vino da meditazione, which, with its incredible concentration and touch of luscious sweetness, was crying out for a plate of salty blue cheese and a roaring log fire.  The Oloroso is less complex but worked better with the food, providing just the right weight of nutty, raisined flavour without overwhelming the dish.

Course Five:

Pecan nut and ginger pudding with Pedro Ximenez parfait

Wine Matches:

Gonzalez Byass Solera 1847 Oloroso Dulce – UK RRP £12.10, Stockists: Cambridge Wines, General Wine Co., Anglia Wine Merchants, Ocado, Rolling Wines, www.thedrinkshop.com, Thomas Peatling, Villeneuve Wines

Williams and Humbert Dry Sack 15 year Old Oloroso – UK RRP £13, Stockists: Lewis & Cooper, Speciality Drinks, Bijou Bottles

Of course by this point it was pure greed to eat anything more, but anyone who can refuse a warm pecan pudding with a mound of creamy PX parfait has a great deal more willpower than me.

Both of these sweet wines worked well with the dish.  The Dry Sack was perfectly good; richly sweet with raisin and prune flavours.  The Solera 1847, however, was fabulous – full of intense hazelnut aromas and so much luscious flavour.  I simply wrote ‘wow’ as I sat back and enjoyed every last mouthful.

Three rules of thumb for sherry drinkers (from Mr. Beltrán Domecq)

1)      Drink Fino and Manzanilla as quickly as possible and only keep it in the fridge for up to one week after opening.

2)      Drink sherry from a ‘proper glass’, ie a white wine glass.

3)      If you are introducing sherry to a new drinker (he used his grandson as an example!) start them off with a medium or cream sherry

The Cinnamon Club and Cinnamon Kitchen

In early July, Peter and I spent a hugely enjoyable and fascinating day judging What Food What Wine India (a new sub-section that has been added to the competition this year) at the Cinnamon Club’s sister restaurant, Cinnamon Kitchen.

The food here is equally impressive and we urge you, the next time you are deliberating where to book a table in London, to try one of these temples to fine Indian cuisine.

(by peter)

We were both shocked to hear about the untimely death of Patrick Sandeman in a sky-diving accident.

I suppose it’s always hard to comprehend these things when you’ve seen someone so recently, and in such fine form.

Susie chatted to Patrick at the recent Bunch tasting and I enjoyed a very convivial lunch with him at The Vintners’ Company just a few days ago.

Patrick was a leading member of the wine trade – for his incisive intellect, his sharp wit, his natural authority and also his very successful and respected wine merchant business, Lea & Sandeman.

He was a much valued member of the Vintners’, occupying the role of Swan Warden (which meant, as far as I understand these things, that he was destined to take the ultimate role of Master Vintner before too long).

After lunch last week, I had tweeted a photo of Patrick (along with Major Stephen Marcham, Master Vintner Michael Cox and Tesco’s Dan Jago, see left) in the very neat and tidy cellar at Vintners’ Hall.

Quick as a flash, Patrick tweeted back: ‘Tweeting from the Vintners’ cellars? Whatever next!’

Smiling wryly, I apologised for my indiscretion and thanked him for lunch. It was the last time I conversed with him.

I had been writing a brief report on the lunch – a few words to say how well the Ducru-Beaucaillou 1996 and Meursault-Blagny 2005 1er Cru La Genelotte by Martelet de Cherisey were tasting, also a small insight into the extremely neat and well stocked cellars under Vintners’ House – but now this has become a tribute to Patrick in this very sad time.

Our thoughts and sympathies go out to his wife Katie and family, as well as his long-term business partner and friend Charles Lea.

NB: In memory of Patrick, his family have chosen the Southern Spinal Injuries Trust as the most suitable charity to channel donations. They will provide funds for spinally injured people to improve their lives generally and enable them to achieve their dreams. For donations please go to this site or you can donate by post to: Patrick Sandeman, Funding Extraordinary Journeys, c/o Southern Spinal Injuries Trust, 21 Chipper Lane, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 1BG. Cheques made payable to SSIT.

(by peter)

We’re very proud of our six years working with Cactus TV, the production company behind BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen.

The show feels like family now.

The birth of both our children was announced live on air on the show, and my dad (perhaps unsurprisingly) is one of the show’s biggest fans, devoting far too much of his hard drive space to past editions. (He’s recorded every single one of our shows, which run into three figures now.)

We love doing the show and the various associated events like the BBC Good Food Shows around the country. Working with such inspired, brilliant, fun people is always a pleasure.

So it was extra special to be able to take the whole family into the studio to see the show being recorded live on the brand new set, as well as enjoy a tour of the stunning new premises.

These are exciting times for Saturday Kitchen.

Not only has Cactus uprooted itself from Kennington to Clapham, but Saturday Kitchen has been re-commissioned by the BBC until 2016. It continues to enjoy a loyal and sizeable audience, with up to three million viewers – a massive share for the prime time Saturday morning slot.

The new studio is located in a disused church, which upstairs is currently being refurbished into what is to become a stunning cookery school (‘Cactus Kitchens’) run in association with Michel Roux Jr. We’re looking forward to hosting wine events there and generally being part of what is a very exciting, forward-thinking operation. (We’ve also just written bits for the brand new cookbook, due out next spring, so keep an eye out for that too.)

The venue will also play host to the Saturday Kitchen Experience, as part of which some lucky people will be able to watch the show live then cook with the chefs and enjoy our wine selections. There may also be bespoke Saturday Kitchen Wine Experiences in the pipeline…very exciting. We’ll keep you updated with details.

The show is now in HD so it’s even more candid than ever (better start learning how to apply that anti-shine foundation…)

As for our big family day out, we had a blast.

On set were the fabulous Ching-He Huang, fresh from her travels round China with Ken Hom, with her twice-cooked pork with pickled cucumber, and the delicious Tom Kitchin rustling up grouse. Not to mention Masterchef contender Jamie Theakston and of course the fine host of proceedings, James Martin, who was heading off to Goodwood for some classic car action. (You can watch the show on iplayer via this link.)

As for us, afterwards we nipped round the corner to Adam Byatt’s magnificent Trinity for a sumptuous family lunch before wending a slightly meandering way back to Hampshire.

I’m recommending wines next week – Susie the week after – so can’t wait to get back into the action after the summer break.

In the meantime, thanks to Amanda, Simon and all at Cactus for a wonderful day out.

And here’s to a new era at Cactus and Saturday Kitchen.

(by peter & susie)

Fresh fruit is one of life’s joys.

And the next question on any wine lover’s mind is: so what to drink with it?

As odd as it seems, pairing wine with fresh fruit isn’t easy to get right. The juicy acidity and punchy fragrance of the fruit can jar with many wines – the secret is to keep things simple and soft on the wine front.

A refreshing and gently fruity style often works best, with fizz also a good bet – the classic fresh fruit wine match is Moscato d’Asti: gently fizzy, medium sweet, fragrant and fruity. You can see how it all fits together.

Recently we tasted through a number of wines as part of our What Food What Wine competition, which aims to find the best wines to go with 16 classic British dishes – from Christmas turkey to chicken tikka massala via fish’n’chips.

One of the dishes was that quintessentially British summer dessert: strawberries and cream.

Alongside all the dishes in the competition, we – together with our experienced co-judges – tasted the wines blind, ie we knew nothing about them other than whether they sold for over or under £10 (retail). The only thing that mattered is how well each wine went with each dish. This led to some surprising results…

For example, our overall trophy for the best match with our Sweet Eve strawberries and cream went to an under £10 wine: E&J Gallo’s Barefoot Moscato NV (£4.99, widely available).

While the winning style wasn’t a surprise, the Gallo brand was – it tends to be disregarded by many wine experts for being irredeemably low-brow and mass-produced (though it must be added that respected winos like Jancis Robinson MW and the Guardian’s (and our esteemed senior judge) Fiona Beckett have recently championed the brand).

More power to wine drinkers, we say – here’s a great value wine that goes brilliantly with strawberries and cream. It’s widely available, easy to drink and low in alcohol (at around 8.5%) so you can enjoy it indulgently.

Other wines that did well included two English fizzes from the same producer. The tangy, serious Jenkyn Place Sparkling Rosé 2008 and the straight Jenkyn Place Brut 2008 (both £25, available from the winery) won four-star awards for their pairing. What’s more, both fizzes also did well in the smoked salmon category – so worth considering as versatile book-ends for a meal…

In the three-star category, winning fizzes included Cono Sur Sparkling Pinot Noir Rosé (£9.99), Aldi’s Castellore Pinot Grigio Frizzante Blush NV, Laithwaite’s Rosé NV champagne – while Morrison’s The Best Riesling Auslese 2011 was a nice point of difference, as was the Jacob’s Creek Moscato Rosé 2011.

If you fancy savouring wines like these alongside their matching dishes, join us on Saturday 24^th November at Lord’s in London for What Food What Wine Live. It’s a delicious day out for only £35 – click here for more details and to buy tickets. We’d love to see you there!

(by peter)

The New World’s ongoing quest for elegance, complexity and drinkability in its top wines – both white and red – has often led to the sea.

The briney’s cooling, moderating influence tends to give longer hang time, lower alcohol levels and altogether more rewarding wines than hot inland areas in warm countries.

True, the viticulture can be more challenging, the land costlier, the risks higher – but the finest wines have always come from marginal climates and risky, challenging endeavours.

In this context, it was fascinating recently to taste a range of wines (100, to be precise) from South Africa’s newly created Cape South Coast appellation. To clarify – these aren’t all newly created producers or wineries (many of them already have an impressive track record). It’s simply the umbrella appellation that’s new, to take in a number of smaller wine areas along the cape’s south coast (namely Cape Agulhas, Overberg, Plettenberg Bay, Swellendam and Walker Bay districts as well as the Herbertsdale and Stilbaai East wards).

Phew.

As for the wines, it was Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah that most impressed, with Pinot Noir more variable (as it tends to be, especially when some vineyards are young) but seeming to have a bright future. The names that most impressed were Paul Cluver (whites), Brunia, Ataraxia, Hamilton Russell, Beaumont, Luddite and Catherine Marshall. The overall standard was very creditable and disappointments were few, though Bouchard Finlayson deserves a reprimand for consistently bland, underwhelming wines.

Top tips are featured below.

Tasting notes (from 18^th July 2012)

Paul Cluver Riesling 2010, 11.3%, Elgin (£10.99-11.99, Halifax Wine, SA Wines Online, D Byrne, SH Jones, Oxford Wine Co) – lovely clean, crisp, succulent style – well rounded, with defined red apple flavours. Lovely stuff, delicious. (The Close Encounter Riesling, a touch pricier but also lovely, is also worth a try.) 7/10

Brunia Sauvignon Blanc 2010, 13.5%, Walker Bay (£8.95, The Wine Society) – complex, mineral, layered flavours. Understated but vibrant too. Juicy grapefruit and pear flavours, with ripe citrus acidity. Elegantly textured, very long. (The 2011 is also tasting very nicely too.) 6.5-7/10

Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc 2011, 13%, Walker Bay (£11.49, Wimbledon Wine Cellar, Waitrose) – effortlessly elegant and engaging. Rounded, mineral and with beautiful earthy citrus character. Hint of honey together with a refreshing sea-spray freshness. Puts other ‘wannabe’ wines into context. 7/10

Elgin Ridge ‘282’ Sauvignon Blanc 2011, 14%, Elgin (£12.99, Les Caves de Pyrene, Green & Blue, Bedales, Wine Direct) – succulent, mineral – layered and long. Very well judged, albeit in a ‘bigger’ style, with flavours of roasted lemon and peas. 7/10

Shannon Sanctuary Peak Sauvignon Blanc 2011, 13.5%, Elgin (£13.32, SA Wines Online) – aromas of anis, wax, herbs and lime rind. This has a touch of Semillon, which adds this complexity and pithy character. Succulent and complex, lovely stuff. 7/10

Ataraxia Sauvignon Blanc 2012, 13.5%, Western Cape (£15) – a really classy wine, with subtle but profound flavours of ripe citrus, honey, grapefruit and roasted herbs. Dense, graceful and complex. Very good. 7.5/10

Hamilton Russell Chardonnay 2011, 13%, Hemel-en-Aarde (£21.99, Quaff, Fortnum & Mason, Harrods) – benchmark stuff from this reputable producer. It’s bright and characterful, with aromas of melon and burnt cream, but also well grounded with a ripe lemony acidity and mineral notes. 7/10

Catherine Marshall Pinot Noir 2010, 14%, Elgin (£14.20-15.20, Tanners, SH Jones, VIvat Bacchus) – pale, limpid, elegant style. Earthy and cultured, with scents of wild berries and warm clay. Very nice. 6.5-7/10

Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir 2010, 14.5%, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley (£29.49, Quaff, Planet of the Grapes, Fortnum & Mason) – effortlessly elegant in the context (older vines?) with earthy, herbal, berry fruit aromas and a dense, polished, refined palate. Still a big style but lovely harmony. 7.5-8/10

Luddite Shiraz 2006, 14%, Bot River (£26.49, Les Caves de Pyrene, Green & Blue, Roberson, Bordeaux Index) – elegant peppery, spicy style with a juicy flavour profile. It’s relatively broad and spicy in style but elegant too. 6.5/10

Brunia Shiraz 2010, 13.5%, Walker Bay (£12.50) – toasted, ashen, black pepper flavours and a smooth yet spicy flavour profile. Understated, good. 6.5/10

Ataraxia Serenity 2008, 14.5%, Western Cape (£13.95, Stone Vine & Sun) – elegant, leathery style. Baked herbs; serious, grown-up style, needs food. Broad, structured, very classy. 7/10

(by peter)

I was recently in São Paolo hosting a Chilean fine wine event alongside terroir expert Dr Pedro Parra and Brazilian writer/consultant Carlos Cabral – and a fascinating few days it turned out to be.

As well as getting to taste some top Chilean wines and listen to the ever-instructive Parra, I learnt lots about Brazil, its wines and its wine market. (Not to mention my first encounter with jabuticaba – possibly one of the best named fruits on the planet…)

Chile is keen to promote its fine wine credentials in Brazil because it is a boom market, with plenty of potential and few of the cultural, religious and gastronomic obstacles associated with the likes of China and India. (Even if the Brazilian government is currently toying – absurdly – with protectionist legislation that might punitively tax, or limit the imports of wine from outside the country.)

Brazil’s middle class and purchasing power is burgeoning. With a population of nearly 200 million, it has one of the fastest growing rates of new millionaires in the world (currently over 200,000, apparently) and its middle class ranks have recently swollen to around 100 million. It recently overtook the UK to become the world’s sixth largest economy by GDP.

Currently, wine consumption stands at a pitiful two litres per capita (contrast Britain at 25 litres per capita). Historically, much of this has been low-grade wine made from non-vinifera wine grapes: around 80% of Brazilian production is still from labrusca vines. (And most of the country, especially those in warmer equatorial areas, tend to prefer a refreshing beer, local cauim hooch, or the heady cachaça cane spirit – consumption figures for the latter are reputedly a staggering 10 litres per capita…)

But Brazilians are now getting a taste for the real deal – between 2002 and 2010, the wine market grew 280% in volume and 400% in value. Within Brazil, there is a growing market for luxury, and fine wine is fast becoming a status symbol as well as something to be properly appreciated and enjoyed.

Chile is the market leader in Brazil, with Argentina also popular, and it has a reputation for quality at the top end (unlike, say, in the UK where Chile’s image has historically been forged around cheap and cheerful wines).

So it seemed appropriate in São Paolo to be savouring, and discussing some of Chile’s most lauded wine names including Casa Marin’s Cipreses, Don Melchor, Seña, Carmin de Peumo, Aristos, Clos Apalta, Montes Folly and Altaïr. Chile has only just started to actively promote its top wines under the auspices of Wines of Chile’s new Fine Wine Committee, but it’s a great concept and always good to foster awareness and generate discussion. The feedback was notably positive on this occasion, too.

My tasting note highlights from the trip are as below – necessarily brief and approximate in marks from the seminar, as it’s difficult to both host an event and concentrate on the tasting – but these also include some Brazilian wines I was lucky enough to sample while there.

As for my overall impression of Brazilian wine, I think it has bags of potential. Impressive new terroirs seem to be emerging all the time (Santa Catarina and Campanha Gaúcha being two cases in point). The natural style is crisp, refreshing and mid-weight – reds at 12.5% are not uncommon. That’s an engaging point of difference from other New World nations, where the defaults style has historically been big, thick and bruising – and it chimes with the global trend towards ‘less is more’ in wine. (Although it may be a style suited to export markets as the natural Brazilian taste is for richer red wines.)

Fizz is another forté of Brazil’s. Easy-going Charmat (tank) method fizz is decent and affordable – but I think Moscato (low alcohol, gentle fizz, succulent medium-dry style) could be a real winner here, both at home and for export.

When it comes to more ambitious fizz, I tasted some decent traditional method sparkling, but was puzzled as to the lack of structure and acidity – something that should naturally be a hallmark of Brazilian wine. Maybe I need to taste more widely but I was told that many producers shy away from the high-acid style because the Brazilian palate isn’t used to it.

But why go to the trouble of ageing a sparkling wine for two, even three years if you end up with a thoroughly middle-of-the-road wine?

Tasting highlights in Brazil (in alphabetical order)

Aristos Duque d’A 2008, 14% – I was captured on camera giving my description of this wine (you can view it here) but, to summarise, this wine is all about the texture and structure. Beautiful grainy structuring tannin, food-friendly and savoury in style, together with a juicy refreshing acidity make for a very serious, very moreish style. The aromas are minty dark berry fruit, with earthy and toasty hints. It’s maturing beautifully and is a very, very impressive new wave Chilean red. 8-8.5/10

Casa Marin Cipreses Sauvignon Blanc 2011, 13.5% – classic, beautiful, vivid flavours of pink grapefruit, nettles and fennel. Structured, intense and enlivening. Delicious. 7.5-8/10

Carmín de Peumo 2007 – I tend to prefer my Carmenere slightly crunchier and more vivid than this, but even in a generous, ripe style this is very well made. Lovely steely backbone (of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from Maipo) around which is woven tons of soft plump fruit, soy sauce and candle wax hints. 7.5-8/10

Dunamis Cabernet Franc 2011, 12%, Campanha Gaucha – very impressive for a young company with young vines: this crunchy, candid style just dances across the palate with an elegantly bittersweet finale. Almost sits in Loire/Beaujolais territory: Cab Franc seems well suited to Brazil’s short season. Refreshing, rounded, moreish, with herbal creamy hints. Food-friendly and sappy. Less is more: lovely! 6-6.5/10

Lidio Carraro Dadivas Chardonay 2011, Serra do Sudeste, 13% (UK importer is Go Brazil) – a very well made, refreshing style of unoaked Chardonnay. Lively and juicy with gentle flavours of red apple and melon. Mineral hints. Could have a bit more structure and persistence on the finish but very elegantly crafted. 5.5-6/10

Pizzato DNA99 Merlot 2005, 13.5%, Vale dos Vinhedos (UK importer Go Brazil) – the riper, fuller, modern style of Brazilian red: ambitious, oaked and vaguely pruney. But it doesn’t fall into parody: for all its polished style it retains a grounding acidity and tannin. Personally I’d prefer more freshness and cedar, and less of the oak/ripeness, but it’s a good Merlot in this context. 6.5-6/10

Quinta do Seival Castas Portuguesas 2008, 13.5%, Campanha (UK importer Bibendum) – made by Brazil’s largest wine producer, Miolo, this wine speaks eloquently of Brazil’s Portuguese heritage. It takes very much like a fine Dão – it’s made from 50% Touriga Nacional with 50% Tinta Roriz by a Portuguese winemaker, and is beautifully floral, fine-grained and elegantly bittersweet. Food-friendly and generally pretty delightful. A real find. 6.5/10

Salton Talento 2006, 13%, Campanha – a bit funky and mature, leathery in style, but elegantly medium-bodied, with good spice and grip. A gutsy blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Tannat. Dried herbs and a nice harmonious finish. Shows how well Brazilian wines can age. Also the importance of the vintage in Brazil (this 2006 showed much better than the 2007) where the short season means bad weather can have a markedly detrimental effect. 6.5/10

Santa Rita Casa Real Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, 14.5% – the only Chilean icon red made by the same winemaker (Cecilia Torres) from the same vines since 1989 – quite a track record. This is a consistently complex, elegant red which marries textural finesse with great depth of flavour and ageing potential. This 2007 is still a baby: dusty dark fruit, wild berry. Grippy palate with herbal tones; resinous edge emerges. Savoury, long, young and compact. 7.5-8/10

Seña 2007 – another impressive outing from this Aconcagua thoroughbred (see my notes back to the first vintage 1995). Very young but dense and fine textured. Resonant. Needs time but shaping up well. 7.5/10

Villa Francioni Sauvignon Blanc 2010, 13.6%, Santa Catarina – edgy style, with nutty grapefruity and citrus notes. Although it lacks a really structured, dense zing to it, it is ambitious and smartly made, very food-friendly too. Interesting! Some nice maturity going on here too. Clearly made by a thoughtful and articulate winemaker. 6-6.5/10

Postcript: Wines of Brazil later published a piece on my visit which you can read on their website via this link.

(by peter & susie)

While we don’t tend to publish publicity material on this site, we’ve just received – courtesy of the nice people at R&R Communications, who help promote Bordeaux wine in the UK – a natty little city break guide to Bordeaux that we thought might be of interest.

You can find it on the following link (in pdf format): Bordeaux as a city break (2012)

It has tips on travel, places to visit, hotels, where to eat (and of course drink), as well as a bit of background on the city itself. It’s pretty simple stuff but worth a look if you’re thinking of heading out.

What it lacks is recommendations on which producers to visit – a natural consequence of literature sponsored by a promotional body, no doubt. (Although I’m informed there will be a complementary fiche entitled ‘out and about in the regions’ coming soon.) Perhaps in the meantime this pamphlet could be supplemented by our colleague Monty Waldin’s Bordeaux: How to find great wines off the beaten track (Mitchell Beazley, 2006), though this may be a little dated now.

So where else to find other good resources on visiting Bordeaux from a wine perspective..?*

*Postcript: our colleague Wink Lorch recommended the following link to a series of guides produced a few years ago by Bordeaux expert Jane Anson, which are well worth a look (and also free): http://www.winetravelguides.com/Guides/France/Bordeaux

(by peter & susie)

The BBC Good Food Shows – of which we are proud to be a part – are running a Bursary Award Scheme to find some of the country’s best small young producers.

The prize is a chance to exhibit, free of charge, in the BBC Good Food Show closest to the producer in question in Autumn 2012.

According to projected visitor figures, this means the chance to get produce in front of anywhere between 18,000 visitors (BBC GFS Scotland), 30,000 visitors (BBC GFS London) and 80,000 visitors (BBC GFS Birmingham).

The producer in question has to be less than three years old and have a turnover under £250,000. You can find other entry criteria, as well as contact details and an application form, on the BBC Good Food Show site or in the press release below.

The great news is that this applies to both drink as well as food producers, so perhaps this could be an opportunity for some English wine to get in on the act…

Press release from BBC Good Food Shows

BBC Good Food Show organisers are once again on the search for some of the country’s best producers for their Bursary Award Scheme. The scheme aims to promote small producers and winners will be given a free of charge stand in the ‘Producers’ Village’ at the Show closest to them – Scotland, London or Birmingham – this autumn.

Laura Biggs, Managing Director, BBC Good Food Shows, said… “We are passionate about finding great producers to showcase to our audience and to giving small businesses a platform to progress. This is such a great way to discover the smaller brands and I personally cannot wait to begin the search again and see what a fantastic array of producers our country has to offer!”

Amy Cheadle, ‘The Northern Dough Co.’ says… “The BBC Good Food Show bursary is a fantastic award that we were hugely proud to win in Winter 2011. It’s a true showcase for small producers who are passionate about great British food who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to appear at such a prestigious consumer event. Winning the award has helped us grow our business in many ways, and we’ve used the accolade in many different forms, from business pitches to consumer communications – the BBC Good Food name resonates with so many different audiences and acts as a valued seal of approval. I’d encourage any small business with a great product range to enter – the show is a fantastic opportunity to get in front of your core target audience, and meeting other like-minded exhibitors gives a great network of advice and support.”

The awards are now open for application. For more details please contact katy.truss@haymarket.com or call 020 8267 8315

After all the applications have been received they will be put through a rigorous judging process with Good Food Magazine Editor, Gillian Carter, and a tasting session in the Good Food Test Kitchens. The most exceptional will then be awarded with a free opportunity to exhibit at the Show and showcase their products to tens of thousands of food enthusiasts.

Producers can find out more information on www.bbcgoodfoodshow.com/producersbursaryawards and applications close on 24th August 2012.

For more information and to book tickets please visit www.bbcgoodfoodshow.com

A £1.75 booking fee is applied to all tickets purchased in advance.  Over 65s get £2 off the adult ticket price.

• One person admitted free of charge per wheelchair user or person whose disability necessitates a carer.
• Tickets are sold subject to terms and conditions and are non-transferable and non-refundable.

(by peter & susie)

We’d like to commend to you the Piggy Bank range, produced by the fine people at Guy Anderson Wines, which has just launched in Waitrose (as well as Ocado and one wine in Tesco.com in September).

It’s a great concept.

For every bottle you buy (at the eminently reasonable price of £7.99), 50p gets set aside for charity.

When the piggy bank is full (ie at £10,000), the funds get split between three charities. The fund currently stands at £4,766.*

And that’s where the fun bit comes in. You can vote for your choice of charity either on your mobile or on their Facebook page. By logging on, you can also find out more about the wines and winemakers – who include Giorgio Flessati (Chile), Norrel Robertson MW (Spain) and Theirry Boudinaud (France).

The bottles all have QR codes on them, together with minimalist design. The labels thus act more like a portal, or an invitation, than a spade full of spurious information with which wine lovers’ heads are all too often battered.

The three charieites are Back Up (helping people after spinal chord injury), JDRF (funding research to find a cure for Type 1 diabetes) and Tusk (conservation and community development in Africa).

All of this seems like a very imaginative, not to mention altruistic, way of harnessing the power of social media – which has many potential applications for wine, but which hasn’t really yet come into its own.

As for the wines, in our view the Chilean range is the most successful, together with a very gluggable (and grown up) southern French rosé. Our favourite was the following:

Piggy Bank Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Elqui, 13.5% (£7.99, Waitrose, Ocado) – punchy, tangy, invigorating style of Sauvignon. Mouth-watering flavours of ripe citrus, tinned peas and tomato leaf. Zesty, crunchy and with a touch of spice. Works well with food – it went down very well with our spicy salmon-and-pepper couscous. 6/10

*Postscript (21 Aug 12): we’ve just learnt that the first Piggy Bank has been filled, with JDRF getting £5,076, Back-up £4490 and Tusk £434. Three new charities are now up on the Facebook page. Go Piggy Bank!

(by peter & susie)

Which would be the one dish you would recommend visiting aliens, Olympians and tourists try as a quintessentially British culinary experience?

Our bet is that fish and chips would be right up there.

It’s not haute cuisine, but we Brits seem to have a soft spot for this battery, deep-fried seaside staple. And all of us have a strong opinion on what to accompany it…

But here we’re not talking about pickled eggs or mushy peas. The kind of accompaniment we’re on about is wine – although perhaps in more varied styles that you might think.

By way of background, fish and chips was one of the key dishes we recently judged in our What Food What Wine competition. Together with a panel of seasoned experts, we judged a whole load of wines as to how well they went with the dish – and we include some of the highlights below.

This particular dish was an absolute pleasure to judge, and the results showed this. We awarded no fewer than four trophies – one classic match under £10 (the Morrisons Best New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc 2011), one over £10 (Nobilo Icon Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011), one ‘fizz and chips’ (Philippe Michel Cremant du Jura 2009) and one in recognition of a very different style – dry sherry – with the Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla.

Funnily enough, with the dish itself (without the side-orders) it’s the earthiness of the potatoes that dominates flavour-wise, and the best matches not only provide a lemony refreshment but also have a creaminess and an earthy richness to them as well.

Our personal highlights, together with the top-scoring wines, are as below. You can also find a full list of results for fish and chips, together with where to buy the wines, on the What Food What Wine website. Many are available to buy in just a few clicks via WinesDirect.com.

If food and wine floats your boat, come and join us at what has to be the most delicious day out in London this year, at What Food What Wine Live on Saturday 24^th November 2012 at Lord’s cricket pavilion. It costs a bargain £35 per head and you can try winning wines alongside the fabulous dishes from the competition, including fish and chips.

To buy tickets and find out more, please follow this link to the website.

Top wines with fish and chips

Fizz

Philippe Michel Cremant du Jura 2009 (£6.99, Aldi) – Fizz & Chips Trophy, 5 stars – the gently creamy, refreshing fizz works really well with the earthy richness of the dish, which brings out the lively fruitiness of the wine. A great value match with more than a hint of indulgence. Enjoy it on a British beach as the sun goes down with the bottle well chilled and fish and chips straight from the paper.

Cono Sur Brut NV (£7.50-12, widely available inc tesco.com, yourfavouritewines.com, WinesDirect.com) – 4 stars – another very creditable fizz option, this time from Chile – fresh, herby flavours match really well with the dish. Fresh and uplifting.

Dry Sherry

La Gitana Manzanilla NV, Bodegas Hidalgo (£9.30, widely available inc Waitrose) – Outstanding Match with Fish and Chips trophy, 5 stars – OK so we wine lovers always bleat on about dry sherry being great, but here’s a fantastic way to prove the point. Go and buy a bottle of this amazing value wine, chill it thoroughly, then use it (in moderation) to wash down fish and chips. It’s a thing of beauty. A perfect, yeasty, refreshing, moreish match. Yum!

White

Morrisons Best New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc 2011 (£7.99, Morrisons) – Best with Fish and Chips under £10 trophy, 5 stars – smoky, lemony wine makes for a classic pairing. Juicy and very satisfying indeed.

Nobilo Icon Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011 (£14) – Best with Fish and Chips over £10 trophy, 5 stars – beautiful juicy acidity cuts through the fish, while the asparagus/pea shoot flavours work brilliantly too. Hint of creaminess works well too. Classy.

Barefoot Pinot Grigio NV, Gallo (£4.99, widely available inc Asda, yourfavouritewines.com, WinesDirect.com) – 5 stars – Most wine pros would rush for the spittoon at the mere sight of Californian NV Pinot Grigio, but this is a cracking value wine that really brings out the creamy texture and flavour of the batter and fish. The touch of residual richness helps too.

Klein Constantia Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2011 (£13.99, independents) – 5 stars – this wine has a touch of Semillon, which adds a limey/honeycomb/creamy element, which works brilliantly well with the fish and chips. Really exciting.

Rosé

Turkey Flat Vineyards Rosé 2012 (£11.99, Selfridges, WinesDirect.com) – 4 stars – good to see a rosé get in the action. This blend of Grenache, Shiraz, Cabernet and Dolcetto is bright, gutsy and rich, a nice counterpoint to the dish.

Red

Vistamar Sepia Reserva Pinot Noir 2010 (£7.99) – 3 stars – a decent option for red wine lovers. Has a creamy, cherried character that works well with the saltiness of the potato and batter. Chill before serving.

(by peter & susie)

Sometimes us wine pros get our knickers in a twist.

‘Big = bad’ is the default setting in a wine lover’s mind.

The big company perceived to be churning out oceans of dull, soulless, mass-produced wine is anathema to your average wine geek. By contrast, the attitude changes when it comes to your rustic type carefully manicuring his vines in a small, picturesque vineyard that just reeks of terroir.

Which is why it’s always good to challenge your preconceptions once in a while.

Today we’re announcing the results of the 2012 edition of our What Food What Wine competition, which aims to find the best wines to go with 16 classic British dishes, including Christmas favourites, beautiful curries, and staples like fish’n’chips and strawberries & cream.

A month ago we closeted ourselves away in a room with 14 other food-and-wine experts to taste through loads of wines together with the various dishes. It’s unique in this regard – almost no other competition judges wine alongside food and, while there are similar food-and-wine competitions in Sydney and Hong Kong, they deal with local dishes, as we do.

The other unique aspect of What Food What Wine is that we judge the wines completely blind. That is, we know nothing about the wines at all (they’re served in pre-poured glasses) other than whether they are over £10 retail price (ie a special occasion bottle) or under £10 retail price (ie an everyday buy). In most other competitions you know where the wine comes from, what vintage it is and which grapes it’s made from. In WFWW, we view wine as normal wine drinkers do – a nice bottle at a special or everyday price.

In What Food What Wine, there are absolutely no preconceptions. It’s a completely level playing field, and the only thing that matters is how well the wine goes with the dish.

So it’s great to have some surprises in the results (the full version of which you can find on the What Food What Wine website – as well as the option to buy).

For example, E&J Gallo, the secretive leviathan of California wine production (and a producer many wine critics love to hate for these reasons) carried off no fewer than five 5-star awards, including three trophies.

Its Barefoot Moscato – an up-and-coming wine style if ever there was one – took the top gong in both the apple crumble and strawberries and cream under £10 categories, while the Barefoot Shiraz won the trophy with lamb rogan josh under £10.

OK, so the wines are winning in the value categories, but it’s a vindication of the blind judging policy, and a refreshing result if ever there was one.

Other surprising results included an extremely versatile Hungarian rosé going by the name of Spice Trail 2011, a blend of Pinot Noir and the local Kekfrankos variety, which won the Cracking with Curry trophy for making it through to the final trophy judging with all four Indian dishes.

Fish and chips was one of the most hotly contested categories and three trophy winners emerged. Morrisons the Best New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc 2011 took one gong, while Aldi’s Philippe Michel Cremant de Jura 2009 took the ‘Fizz and Chips’ trophy and Bodegas Hidalgo took a special trophy award for its La Gitana Manzanilla, a scintillating pairing.

In other results the Nobilo Icon Marlborough Pinot Noir 2010 achieved a rare double whammy by winning trophies in the mushroom risotto over £10 and prawn curry over £10 categories. Jenkyn Place flew the English flag, awarded 5 stars for the pairing of its Brut 2008 fizz with smoked salmon. Meanwhile, the Grant Burge 10-year-old tawny proved a sensational pairing with the stilton.

It was interesting to note that New Zealand was by far the most decorated country in the top flight, with nine trophies from twelve 5-star awards. The next country in trophy terms was Spain, with four, while the 5-star awards runners up were Chile and France, with nine each.

But top award winners came from all over – from the Loire to Aconcagua, from the Portugal to Hampshire, from big and small, New World and Old, pricey and eminently affordable.

That’s the beauty of a competition like this – quite apart from coming up with some brilliant wine matches for a raft of our favourite dishes. Whether or not you agree with our results, we’d urge you to try some, and hopefully you’ll see what we’re getting excited about.

Hopefully it won’t result in any knickers getting twisted.

(As a postscript, you can come and taste many of the award-winning wines, together with the delicious dishes, at what has to be the most indulgent event in London this year – What Food What Wine Live at Lord’s cricket ground on Saturday 24^th November. Tickets are £35 and you can buy them via this link.)

(by peter)

There really was only one thing for it when we filmed the final Saturday Kitchen wine shoot of the season in Newquay, on the north Cornish coast.

And that was to pull on a wetsuit, grab a surfboard – and have a wonderful time flailing about in the good old British briney.

None of this was to distract, of course, from the very serious purpose of choosing wines to go with dishes by Ashley Palmer-Watts – Heston Blumenthal’s right hand man and executive chef at the celebrated Dinner at the Mandarin Oriental – and the magnificent Tom Kerridge (The Hand & Flowers).

I must have been concentrating because James Martin later said, at the end of the show: ‘We’ve had some great wines on the show lately – and Peter’s chosen some cracking ones today.’

Ashley was preparing an elegant dish of cured grilled mackerel with broad beans, peas, cucumber and pickled lemons. I toyed with the idea of an English white – especially after our trip to Camel Valley – before settling on the great value Taste the Difference Verdicchio 2011 (£6 on multibuy offer, Sainsbury’s).

Ashley described it as, ‘perfect, really works well’ while James flagged up its great value.

Tom’s dish was pure comfort food – salt and rosemary baked lamb shanks.

This deserved something special. Carmenere, Shiraz and Pinot Noir all featured in the final line-up but it was a delightful wine with a difference that got the final nod: the Extra Special Dão 20010 (£5 on rollback, Asda). At the reduced price, it’s a steal, so snap it up.

Tom termed it, ‘very good’, while James said it was ‘an absolute bargain – another great choice’. Ash termed it, ‘amazing value – really good, goes perfectly.’

You can watch the show until Saturday (21^st July) via iplayer – wine bits at 15:20 and 56:00. This was the final show before the summer break so it will be tasty best bits for the next six weeks. Also featured on this show were Rick Stein (appropriately), Celebrity Masterchef and Keith Floyd.

The recipes from this edition can be found via this link on the BBC site. They also include James Martin’s pan roasted duck with ginger chutney, asparagus and Tenderstem broccoli, strawberry charlotte and crispy breadcrumb squid with creamy ponzu dressing and Chinese leaf salad.

Best of luck to producers Cactus as they move offices over the summer – and we can’t wait to see the new set and revamped show in the autumn…

(by susie)

What is – or should be – the future of fine English fizz?

Should it be made in an ambitious, ageworthy champagne-esque style – or as a more fruity, accessible kind of sparkling wine?

Should prices be set high, say at an equivalent to champagne, to set a premium precedent in what is an expensive place to make wine? Or is it best to win friends by establishing a reputation for value (albeit not at the rock bottom prices of some other countries)?

Peter and I have been musing about these and other issues lately, at what is an exciting time for home-grown wine, chewing the cud with specialists, local winemakers – and, the reason for this post, on a recent visit to Camel Valley in Cornwall.

Our view is that, while there is room for all styles of English wine, the ageworthy, complex, bready styles of champagne-esque fizz is the best wine style we produce on these shores at the moment.

But, at the same time, we also feel strongly that English winemakers shouldn’t get ahead of themselves. Many producers and consultants argue that if consumers see a high quality English fizz on the shelf at a price lower than champagne, the inference will be that the former is lower quality.

We don’t buy this.

In our view, it’s far better to get into the market with keen pricing (note: not cheap) which can then set a precedent for value and win friends in the process. For example, most grande marque non-vintage champagnes sit at the £30+ mark; launching a similar quality non-vintage (or vintage) English fizz at the £25 – still by no means cheap, and with plenty of room for healthy profits – is surely the best way to win the sale and a fan for life.

This was the mindset with which we reached Camel Valley. It perhaps explains why we’d never particularly warmed to this well publicised Cornish producer’s wines. While undoubtedly fresh, honest and well balanced, the fizzes in particular tended to leave us wanting a bit more (call it complexity or ambition, as we see it).

But at Camel Valley we finally understood the bigger picture.

Here is a vibrant tourist attraction, which pulls in over 20,000 visitors annually, and 2012 is shaping up to be even busier than usual. When we arrived on a blustery July Wednesday, a 40-strong tour group of all types (from hen parties to sensible types in utility hiking shoes) was flocking after winemaker and guide Sam Lindo, asking pertinent questions before flooding into the tasting room.

‘Basically,’ muses Lindo, one of three tour guides (along with his father Bob and assistant Sarah Midgley), ‘we compete with other tourist attractions in the area. But it’s great that this region, and Cornwall in general, is getting a name for gastronomy.’

The wine styles tend to inhabit the fresh, frank and unpretentious end of the spectrum. And that, Lindo explains, is because, while the wines need to appeal to expert critics (and the winery is a serial award-winner, so clearly they do) their prime target is the thousands of visitors who taste and buy at the cellar door.

‘If we’re not making the right style, we know about it straight away,’ comments Lindo. But clearly they’re doing something right: a staggering 50% of Camel Valley’s sales are from the cellar door.

‘We’re farmers,’ explains Lindo candidly. ‘When we started we didn’t know much about wine, or do apprenticeships. But we just wanted wine that spoke of our place: fresh but balanced. Back then that style wasn’t in fashion; it is now, as people want refreshment from their wines.’

Camel Valley doggedly persists with using varieties like Bacchus, Dornfelder, Seyval Blanc and Reichtensteiner, while many other producers have ripped out the latter varieties especially and moved towards Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for fizz. Though proudly Cornish, the winery sources grapes from vineyards as far afield as Hampshire, Kent, Essex and East Anglia – all off loamy, not chalky soils, in order to promote fruitiness, according to Lindo.

The Lindos do a very good job of promoting their business and are bold in their vision. They have many awards to prove their credentials and both father and son Lindo are notably active in mainstream as well as social media. They recently featured on Caroline Quentin’s Cornwall and Raymond Blanc’s BBC Christmas Special (they even made a special ‘Cuvée Raymond’ Dornfelder fizz following his visit…)

Bob was recently in the news for staging a sit-in at Gatwick airport at what he claimed was mis-selling when he saw Champagne Lanson bottles draped in a Diamond Jubilee-themed Union Flag and marketed under a ‘Best of British’ banner. The company are also currently applying for the first non-generic wine PDO in the UK – Darnibole, a vineyard whose name appears in the farm deeds.

While some of Camel Valley’s pricing is ambitious, especially for the still wines, it’s hard to argue with the business model. And is it not doing just as much as, if not arguably more than, most of the other celebrated home-grown names for the future of quality English wine?

Wine recommendations

Camel Valley Pinot Noir Brut rosé 2010 (£24.95), 12.5% – juicy, brisk style with elegant floral and red berry notes. Moreish. 6/10

Camel Valley White Pinot Noir Brut 2010 (£29.95), 12.5% – the non-rosé version is perhaps the most ambitious fizz made here, with plenty of generous Pinot structure and red apple richness. Persistent and classy. But retains the floral frankness typical of the fizz here. 6.5/10

Camel Valley Darnibole Bacchus 2011 (£14.95), 13% – as well as the typical elderflower/gooseberry character of the Bacchus grape, this zesty white also has a notable mineral weight to it. Smoky, with an almost Riesling-edge to it. 5.5-6/10

And another recommendation:

Wyfold Vineyard Chardonnay-Pinot Noir-Pinot Meunier Brut 2009 (£22.99, Laithwaites) – an elegantly bready, refreshing style, very well judged and mouth-watering. 6/10

(by peter)

‘One of the best wine combinations we’ve had since the show started,’ was host James Martin’s reactions to one of my wine choices this week.

Needless to say, this made me very proud. Thanks, James! (Although I must admit I did have a little bit of help from Susie as ever, not least with cooking the dish to try wines alongside beforehand… So credit where it’s due!)

It was blustery and fairly drab weather the wine shoot in Worthing, but we more than made up for it – partly by running off with an oversize ice cream (see photos) but mainly with the aid of some brilliant wines to partner with delicious dishes by Aggi Sverrisson (Texture/28-50) and Henry Harris (Racine).

You could tell how much I was enjoying my work – studio guest Amanda Byram said that my reaction to the wine was like that scene from When Harry Met Sally. Enough said…

Aggi was cooking roasted scallops with wasabi sauce, fregola and sea vegetables – just the kind of clean, invigorating, original cooking that’s made him such a celebrated name on the London restaurant scene.

I matched this with the beautiful M&S PX 2010 (£6.99, Marks & Spencer) – a quite stupendous drop, a brilliantly original alternative to Pinot Grigio, and a lovely story too.

Aggi liked it, describing it as, ‘Good: nice, fresh, clean – works well with the nice fresh clean scallops.’ James said it was, ‘something different, fantastic’ while Henry, clearly an educated man on the wine front, noted how its ‘lovely yeasty aromatics balances against all those savoury elements [of the dish].’

Henry’s poulet sauté au vinaigre was a triumph. To wash this down I went for the Paul Mas Vermentino 2011 (from £6.49, Majestic), a cheeky little white that really comes into its own with herby, gutsy food like this.

‘Fantastic,’ said Henry. ‘It’s very aromatic, just balances up against things with a little acidity or lots of herbs, great with fish too.’

James, meanwhile, said, ‘I have to say that this is one of the best wines we’ve had combination-wise since the show started. Absolutely delicious and an absolute bargain. Won’t be much of that left by the end of today in the shops – delicious.’

Other recipes on the show included James’ sesame salmon with tempura salmon and yuzu mayonnaise and poached and fried pork belly with pickled cauliflower. You can find all the recipes from the show on this link.

You can see all of the wine action on the clips below.

Thanks again to James, Aggi, Henry and Amanda for a great show – and also to all the fine folk at Cactus who work so hard week-in week-out to put on such a fine production. Thanks also to Jake for the photos.

(by peter & susie)

We’re delighted to announce our new wine school dates for this coming autumn.

There’s been a slight delay on this – we’ve been moving house back into something of a building site, among other things – but we can’t wait to get cracking.

On Wednesday 17th October we’re putting on what might very well be our most delicious wine event to date – Fine Whites and Sweet Delights – a collection of beautiful white wine and sumptuous stickies, following on from the great success of our Fizz & Fine Reds event in March. The tasting runs from 7.30-9.30pm at the Winchester Hotel du Vin and costs £75 per person.

Then on Thursday 6th December it’s all about the Christmas Back to Basics – to go by previous years, this will be loads of fun in a relaxed and celebratory atmosphere, with classic wines, games, taste experiments, prizes, the odd nibble and maybe even Peter in a Santa hat… It’s a snip at the price of £40 per head, all comers are welcome – from the most novice to the most expert – and it runs from 7.30-9.15pm at the Winchester Hotel du Vin.

Click on the respective links to find out more about each event or simply email us directly. Don’t forget that if you sign up to our free Wine Club, you qualify for 10% off the headline prices (excluding vouchers). Please also check our terms & conditions.

What’s more, all our events make great gifts (plus a fine excuse for the giver to join in the fun too!) We will be delighted to send you a gift voucher if this is the case.

Finally, if you can’t make these dates, do come and see us at our other public events this autumn, including various BBC Good Food Shows and What Food What Wine Live. Click here for more details.

(by peter)

The Young Wine Writer Award 2012 has just been launched and, as a previous winner myself, I’d heartily encourage anyone under 30 who can wield a pen to enter.

The headline prizes include £1,000 plus an all-expenses-paid, two-week trip to Australia.

But the intangible benefits are just as great. I was the first winner (in 2001) and it proved to be invaluable in getting a foot in the door in the highly competitive world of wine writing.

The challenge is to write 1,500 words about any aspect of wine. It’s open to anyone under 30 who is based in the UK and has yet to have a wine book published or who is not a regular contributor to a magazine nor an established columnist.

The deadline for entries is 30th September 2012. You can find out more by emailing Charlotte Selby at Pavilion Books (cselby@anovabooks.com) or on the following pdf: Young Wine Writer Award 2012

Good luck!

(by susie)

It was English Wine Week when I filmed my most recent Saturday Kitchen, in Bracknell, so it seemed appropriate to be trudging through the vineyards of Stanlake Park in the rain, my heels sinking into the mud…

But at least we had some outstanding English wines to raise our spirits once we got back inside.

Lovely man (and brilliant chef) Lawrence Keogh was cooking poached smoked haddock Monte Carlo – for which I chose the outstanding Ridgeview Cuvée Merret Bloomsbury 2009 (£22.99, Waitrose). As I later tweeted, it’s the kind of wine that makes me proud to be British.

Lawrence liked it too, saying it, ‘goes so well with this dish.’ James Martin was enthusiastic, despite it being new to him: ‘It’s the first time I’ve tried it. Delicious. A bargain at £22.99. Goes very well.’

Angela Hartnett described it as, ‘Really lovely – very smooth with it. Delicious.’

For her part, Angela was rustling up red mullet with linguine, chilli and garlic, which sent me in the direction of the Tesco Finest English White 2010 (£8.99, Tesco).

It was a match that pleased Angela, who commented, ‘It’s great, really fresh, a lot like Italian wines – works perfectly with the pasta, you don’t want anything overpowering.’

James described it as another ‘bargain’ while Lawrence said it was, ‘Delicious: floral and refreshing, works wonderfully with the chilli.’

You can see me in action in the clips below. The full show also featured archive material from Rick Stein, Celebrity Masterchef and Keith Floyd.

You can find the show’s recipes via the BBC Food site. Also featured were James’ raspberry, basil and clotted cream summer pudding (Taste the Difference Fairtrade Moscato rosé 2011, £5.99, Sainsbury’s); razor clam, leek and brioche bake (Lamberhurst Estate Bacchus Reserve 2010, £11.99, M&S); and biscotti with limoncello.

My thanks to James, Angela and Lawrence for engaging with the wines so sensibly and positively. Also, as ever, to the excellent production team at Cactus – particularly Amanda Ross, James Winter and Andy Clarke – who work so hard week-in week-out to put this fabulous show together.

(by peter)

It seems to be something of a Chile-fest on this blog at the moment but I thought I’d share the results of a recent panel tasting I attended (and reviewed) for Decanter magazine in its June 2012 edition.

The tasting was for latest-release Sauvignon Blanc from Chile’s Casablanca, San Antonio and Aconcagua Costa appellations.

The article, with all the results, tasting notes, analysis and introduction, can be accessed via the following pdf link (for which thanks to Decanter/IPC Media): Decanter Chile Sauvignon Blanc panel tasting June 2012 edition

Particular congratulations to Casas del Bosque – and its livewire Kiwi winemaker Grant Phelps – for yet more well deserved recognition, and also to Santa Rita, who have been working hard to improve quality of late.

In these tastings, the marks are averaged before top wines are re-tasted. This means that the outcome is more of a median one than, say, at the Decanter World Wine Awards, which is a negotiated consensus (ie the marks are used to start a discussion about each wine, with the judges reaching a resolution at the end).

For example, I very much liked some wines which didn’t end up in the very top flight. For what it’s worth, my own personal selection of outstanding (ie 5-star) wines from the tasting were as follows:

• Valdivieso Single Vineyard Wild Fermented Sauvignon Blanc 2010, Leyda
• Casa Marin Cipreses Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Lo Abarca, San Antonio
• Casas del Bosque Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Casablanca
• Undurraga T.H. Lo Abarca Sauvignon Blanc 2011, San Antonio
• Vina Leyda Single Vineyard Garuma Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Leyda
• Luis Felipe Edwards Marea Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Leyda
• Cono Sur 20 Barrels Limited Edition Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Casablanca
• Santa Rita Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Casablanca
• Casas del Bosque Pequenas Producciones Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Casablanca

(by peter)

What do you get when you put six Chilean ‘icon’ wines, two Bordeaux first growths, two Super Tuscans and fifty-odd tasters in a plush hotel room in London – and ask for a judgement call?

The punch-line, while surprising, is no joking matter.

Eduardo Chadwick’s Seña wine emerged triumphant in this latest version of what has become a one-man roadshow extolling the virtues of fine Chilean reds by pitting them against some of the most celebrated and expensive names in wine in a series of blind tastings.

This latest tasting – the ‘Seña Vertical’ – took place at the Four Seasons in London on 18^th May 2012. I was invited to help chair the event alongside owner Eduardo Chadwick and Steven Spurrier, organiser of the original ‘Judgement of Paris’ tasting in 1976.

I’d also co-chaired the previous Errázuriz ‘Berlin’ tasting in London in May 2009, in which Eduardo Chadwick put the latest releases of his top wines – Seña, Viñedo Chadwick and Don Maximiano – against top wines including Opus One, Sassicaia, Solaia, Château Margaux, Château Latour and Château Lafite. On that occasion, the results went more in favour of the Old World than the New (Margaux, Lafite and Solaia emerging top).

This time, however, the idea was to look at the theme of ageability and maturity in wines going back over several years, focusing on just one Chilean wine – Seña – against other examples from Europe. There were around 50 tasters at the event, including some top UK trade members (as well as a strong Chinese contingent.)

The results speak for themselves. Below is the official overall group result, in descending order of preference:

1^st – Seña 2008

2^nd – Seña 2010

3^rd equal – Château Margaux 2001

3^rd equal – Sassicaia 2005

5^th – Seña 2001

6^th – Tignanello 2008

7^th – Seña 2005

8^th – Seña 1997

9^th – Seña 1995

10^th – Château Lafite 1995

For ease of comparison, and for what it’s worth, my personal rating was as follows (you can read my notes, as well as some general comments, in the ‘Tasting notes’ section at the end of this piece):

1^st – Seña 1997

2^nd – Tignanello 2008

3^rd – Château Margaux 2001

4^th – Seña 2005

5^th – Château Lafite 1995

6^th – Seña 2010

7^th – Seña 1995

8^th – Seña 2001

9^th – Seña 2008

10^th – Sassicaia 2005

It’s worth noting the disparities, particularly the fact that the group’s favourite, Seña 2008, was my second to last rating, and the Sassicaia 2005 – 3^rd equal in the overall group result – was my lowest result. I also rated the Seña 1997 as my top wine, whereas the group had it in 8^th position overall; similarly, I clearly ranked the Lafite 1995 higher than many others in the room.

It’s also important to point out, for fairness, that there were six Seña wines on show, versus only four from elsewhere, so this somewhat stacked the deck in Chile’s favour from the off.

Before the tasting, Eduardo Chadwick had said: ‘The reason I started running these tastings was that I suspected our top wines were being downgraded in scores simply because they were from Chile. That’s why I wanted ‘blind justice’. My aim with these tastings isn’t to prove our wines are better than others. Just to prove they’re world class.’

After it, he spoke as follows: ‘I’m delighted with the results. One of the key criticisms of Chilean wines is that they don’t age well. Today, we’re proving they can and do. The wines speak for themselves – as does the consistency of results from around the world, which show a real appreciation for Chilean wines.’

I took three key conclusions away from the event.

Firstly, that fine Chilean wine is undoubtedly world class and can challenge the best in quality terms when evaluated without prejudice.

Secondly, that Seña is an excellent wine, of great pedigree, and one with a very bright future ahead of it. The project has come a long way since it was first set up in 1996 as a trail-blazing joint venture between Californian wine pioneer Robert Mondavi and Eduardo Chadwick of Errázuriz. But even those early vintages have aged remarkably well, and the latest wines are extremely impressive.

Finally, that – as far as I am concerned – high alcohol remains perhaps the single most significant impediment in Chile’s quest for ultimate pedigree in its fine wines. I am aware this is a contentious issue, and many tasters on the day disagreed with me – I marked down Seña 2008 and 2010 for their invasive heat, but many considered them to be balanced. But I find the combination of ripe fruit, low(ish) acidity and fierce alcohol (ie 14.5% and up) very much inhibits my enjoyment of a wine, and means I can only drink limited quantities and with very specific dishes. Drinkability, versatility with food and refreshment value are much under-valued qualities in wine – but for me they are paramount, and excess alcohol almost always acts detrimentally to these attributes.

We did discuss this issue briefly at the tasting and I think it’s only fair to report what Eduardo Chadwick said. ‘For me, 13.5-14.5% is where we reach the best expressions of our wines. The key is balance, and I feel even the wines with the higher alcohols have it. In the UK there is a great sensibility to alcohol – despite the fact you drink Port and the latest vintages of Bordeaux are notably high in alcohol too! I’m not pro-alcohol – I’m pro-balance and finesse. For me, we get this balance at the higher alcohol.’

By way of background, Seña sells for around £50-75 retail. Around 80,000 bottles are made per year. Initially the wine was made from a barrel selection of old vineyards from the Errázuriz estate in the Aconcagua Valley, as well as bits from a grower in the cooler, windier mid-part of the Aconcagua Valley near Ocoa.

In 1999 a new estate near Ocoa, exclusively dedicated for Seña production, was purchased and planted. Nowadays the wine is made from typically 90% fruit from the Seña estate, but blending components from other top Errázuriz vineyards within Aconcagua are still used. The varieties planted include Cabernet Sauvignon – always the backbone of this wine – Merlot, Carmenere, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Syrah and Petit Verdot.

Following the disbanding of the joint venture in 2005, when Mondavi was taken over by Constellation, further plantings were put in and the Seña vineyard was converted to biodynamic management.

You can find the official press release from the event here: First Seña Vertical Tasting in London – May 18th

TASTING NOTES

• The below are my individual tasting notes and scores.
• I’ve included thoughts on origin for illustrative purposes, even though these were not central to my marking – I was focused on evaluating purely and simply quality in the glass, with origin a minor consideration.
• All wines were served blind in the order listed below.
• Tasters then rated their wines in order of preference from 1 to 10.
• All marks were submitted and collated before the discussion, when the merits (or otherwise) of each wine was debated before the wine was revealed.
• The marks of the chairing panel (me, Eduardo Chadwick and Steven Spurrier) were not taken into account. I had no prior information on the wines being served.
• I include some selected comments from others made during the discussion of the wines below each note.

1 – Château Lafite Rothschild 1995, Pauillac, 13%  - Mature in hue, but more youthful than the 2^nd wine: still some ruby at the core but also brackish hints at the rim. A lovely perfume: exotic aromas of dried dark fruits, tobacco and undergrowth. Lovely complexity and evolution. Bay leaf and warm earth. A grassy edge to it. On the palate, it has a sturdy attack; very fine tannin, dense and plentiful. Burly. It’s got plenty of warming spice but maybe lacking a little bit of linearity and follow-through on the finish. That said, it’s very savoury and elegantly evolved. Beautiful drinking wine. But perhaps just not first class on the finish. I’d say very fine claret from not a great vintage. 8-7.5/10

(Greg Sherwood MW commented on this wine: ‘The acidity holds it together beautifully even if it’s a bit faded; classicists will gulp this down.  Perhaps the 1995 vintage was a bit over-egged – it wasn’t that exciting.’)

2 – Seña 1995 – Evolved hue, more so than 1. On the nose, it’s a bit soupy and odd, stewed somehow. Some cedar/sous bois, but it’s all a bit muddled. [Others noted a similar characteristic.] But the palate is better: lovely depth and resonance, warm spice, bay leaf complexity. Very fine savoury palate profile: elegant tannin, juicy fruit warmth, seems New World but very hard to call with this elegant age. Fluid, generous, nicely evolved. Maybe just lacking real core linearity on the finish. Very good though. An older Seña? I’d love to score it higher as other bottles may well be in better condition [cf the one I tasted in January 2012 in Chile] but on the evidence in hand: 7.5/10

(Eduardo Chadwick commented: ‘This was the very first Seña vintage, made out of a selection of barrels – because the joint venture started officially in 1996. Blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Carmenere – one of the largest proportions of Carmenere in any Seña. This was a pretty warm vintage in Chile.’)

3 – Seña 1997 - Pretty evolved hue, still quite deep/dense but almost seems older in its garnet and lack of purple than the previous two. Lovely scented nose, elegant and refined, still more to come. Palate is so savoury, so fine, this is top class wine. Dense, refined, super savoury: so cogent, lucid and fluid, it’s a joy and a triumph. A great vintage, showing wonderful maturity. Sensational wine: perfumed, drinkable, young, lithe, interrogative. Hard to fault. Still with plenty to go. My favourite wine of the tasting. 9.5/10

(Ronan Sayburn MS commented: ‘one of my top wines, I really enjoyed it: very fine and elegant. Seems European but then the ripe cassis points to very fine cool climate New World. A connoisseur’s wine.’

Eduardo Chadwick commented: ‘the 3^rd vintage of Seña, this time the selection was made in the vineyard, working with Tim Mondavi to make a particular style, aiming for finesse and elegance. A very long season in coastal Aconcagua (this wine has around 20-30% of fruit from the Ocoa vineyard). When the MW party visited Chile in late 2011, this was the favourite from that tasting.’)

4 – Château Margaux 2001 – Notable evolution here. An entirely different register on the nose to what has gone before. It’s toasty. Perfumed. Floral. Smoky. Seems reminiscent of a Margaux style. Cool cedar notes, almost mint but not in a Chilean way. Very sleek, tangy attack, surely must be cool climate wine. Perhaps from a cooler vintage too. Fairly lean and without the stuffing to be from a top class vintage, but this is lovely elegant savoury claret. Streak of leafy pencil lead runs through it. Lovely resonance and length though. Not top drawer but very fine and very persistent. 8/10

(Steven Spurrier commented: ‘A fragrant, nicely Cabernet-dominant nose, with clarity and depth. Vigorous and firm, slightly raw. Perhaps needs time. Good luncheon wine.’ Charles Metcalfe commented: ‘My only quarrel was that the oak was a bit evident. Very precise blackcurrant fruit, good length, wine took over from the oak eventually. Needs time. Really liked it: just need to be patient!’)

5 – Seña 2001, 13.5% – Evolved hue. Quite an extrovert nose: warm earth, bay leaf and definitely some eucalypt so it seems immediately Chilean. Rich, broad, minty dark fruit, resinous character. Juicy mid-palate weight, speaks of sunny warmth – contrast with the previous wine! – also by contrast it lacks nobility. It’s a lovely evolved complex wine style, but a little bit lumpy and a bit too warming in alcohol. Nonetheless lovely savoury fine tannin, long, complex, true to type, and in the Chilean context very credible and creditable. 7.5/10

(Steven Spurrier commented: ‘Dark fruit, some Merlot sweetness, rich supple, some maturity, very nice balance, very good wine, not great.’ Patrick McGrath MW commented: ‘nice elegant fruit, one of my top wines.’

Eduardo Chadwick commented: ‘This wine came 2^nd in the original Berlin tasting [in 2004]. The minty character is typical of our wines in cooler vintages, we struggled to get full ripeness. I personally like it when the wine is not overpowered by minty-ness, when it just adds nuance. Very little Carmenere here, just 4%, because of the cool vintage.’)

6 – Sassicaia 2005 – Pretty youthful colour in the context. Very young on the nose, really not giving much away. Then some slight mustiness/dirtiness edges in, hints of VA too. Either way it really doesn’t seem in great condition. In terms of its structure – tannin, acid – it seems Old World, but it also seems a little bit fault/rustic/dubious. Lots of finesse and concentration here but just not showing well today. My least favourite wine of the tasting as a result. 6.5/10

(General comment: this wine polarised the room. Many praised its energy, elegance and concentration – one sample comment was: ‘My top wine: terrific, a bit closed at the moment but seamless, very firm tannin, complete harmony, very impressive, just needs another 10 years.’ Others, like me (though probably in the minority), thought it somewhat out of condition and dubious… This split would have had an effect on the overall scoring.)

7 – Seña 2005, 14.5% – Pretty youthful hue but not super deep. Creamy, ripe, minty aromas – speaks of sunny Chilean climes. But not too overt in this context. Nicely put together and with a whiff of freshness as well as the sunny ripeness. Bay leaf and earth. On the palate it has lovely firm savoury tannin, very fine. Minty dark fruit but with freshness underlying. LOVELY harmony here, really love this. Young New World wine, yes warm and generous on the finish, but made impeccably and with real attention to detail, working for elegance. Very young and impressive. Love the tannin. Maybe just a bit hot on the finish, though, which brings it down a notch in the marks. If they managed that aspect, this would be a sensational wine. 8-7.5/10

(Adam Lechmere commented: ‘Delicious, a really exotic flavour profile.’ Steven Spurrier commented: ‘Earthy, robust, good mid palate, tannins still there, just needs to evolve. Still young but everything in place.’)

Eduardo Chadwick commented: ‘A warm vintage in Chile. This was made from a selection of vineyards nearer the coast. For the first time we added Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. This has 57% Cabernet Sauvignon. A powerful expression of Seña. This had about 50% from the Seña estate itself, the rest from older vineyard blocks elsewhere in Aconcagua.)

8 – Tignanello 2008 – youthful, not super deep in colour. Restrained inky nose, reticent and young. Self-contained. Flows gently but firmly across the palate: very fine and savoury, sleek. Speaks of young classic Old World wine. Almost exponential tannic content, but so beautifully refined, silky, filigree. Speaks of a top quality wine in a top notch vintage which has been extracted diligently but not excessively. Either way this is a baby, and a prodigy at that. Has a bit of alcohol kick on finish but it’s well integrated. My second favourite of the tasting. 9/10

(Steven Spurrier commented: ‘I’m less enthusiastic about this wine as I have less time in front of me than Peter! Fine firm, good greenness on palate, still young, will soften, classy, have to wait.’)

9 – Seña 2008 – Very deep, very young in colour, with a very tight purple rim. Creamy, dense, inscrutable. Tons of ripe dark fruit and a touch of resin. Taste-wise, it’s a bit too hot and alcoholic, unfortunately. Lovely in almost every other respect. Maybe a bit too sweet-fruited and obvious as well. But lovely harmony of acid and plentiful fine tannin. Just needs to calm that heat a bit. Seems like a very young Seña: impressive but too hot. 7.5-7/10

[General note: when this wine was revealed, it generated a round of applause! This was the overall group favourite of the tasting, albeit my second to last. Christine Parkinson commented: ‘A top wine: lovely balance, harmony, super ripe fruit, lots of finesse, complexity and length. It held together beautifully.’ Steven Spurrier commented: ‘lots of ripenes and elegance, hard not to be seduced by this wine.’ Greg Sherwood MW commented, ‘My 2^nd wine, it takes fine Chilean wine up that extra step – a tiny bit of warmth, which goes with the territory, but wonderful minerality and oak and fruit, great balance, very impressive: very Chilean, but goes the extra yard.’

Eduardo Chadwick commented: ‘The current release: 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Carmenere, 10% Merlot, 5% Cab Franc, some Petit Verdot. The Seña vineyard was coming in to age, having been planted in 1999, and contributing some varieties we didn’t have in the past. This wine was sourced roughly 80% from the Seña estate, plus older vineyards from Aconcagua. A cool vintage with good acidity. In the Hong Kong Seña vertical in 2011, this was top of the tasting.’]

10 – Seña 2010 – Very deep, dark, dense hue with a tight purple rim. Super creamy aromas with a slightly reductive edge. Very, very young and lots of baby fat here; difficult to discern beyond this its origin etc. Tannin is very fine, acidity crisp; this is a fab wine wherever it came from. A conundrum really! It has the tannin and texture and acidity of the Old World but there’s a real generosity and warmth on the finish too. So either a very ripe Old World vintage or a brilliantly crafted New World red. I’m afraid the alcohol really does bring it out of the top flight for me, though. If it didn’t have that it would be sensational wine. 8-7.5/10

[General note: another wine which, when revealed, was honoured with a round of applause. Steven Spurrier commented: ‘Very young and vigorous; fine mid-palate, lots of potential, needs to gain complexity. Would have judged it higher tasting it now than half an hour ago. At the moment the sweetness dominates but it’s actually absolutely stunning.’

Eduardo Chadwick commented: ‘This is an ‘en primeur’ sample! Bottled in March, not yet released. It’s to give an idea of the wine that’s coming – it hasn’t yet integrated. A cool vintage. This will be a classic, elegant, pure style. I’m very fond of it and think it will evolve very well. Around 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Carmenere then bits of everything (but not syrah).]

(by peter)

Casa Marin is a pioneering, extreme Chilean wine producer in many regards.

It’s run by the indefatigable Mariluz Marin and specialises in intense, elegant wines from prime coastal territory – primarily  Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir but also now Syrah, Gewurztraminer, Riesling and Sauvignon Gris, among others.

I’ve long been a fan of the wines and recently wrote a profile of them in the June edition of Decanter magazine, which you can read by clicking on the following link (by kind permission of Decanter/IPC Media): Peter Richards MW Casa Marin profile in Decanter June 2012

The article comes illustrated with some excellent photographs by English-born, Chilean-based Matt Wilson (married to Lapostolle winemaker Andrea Leon).

I was chuffed to find an excuse to use a bit of Vicente Huidobro’s poetry in the article, which will work as a serviceable sign-off here:

Now and then

Ripe hours

Drop on life.

(Horas)

(by peter)

This was quite simply one of my all-time favourite wine shoots.

I’ve ridden in tanks, scored penalties at the Riverside and climbed cathedral steeples for Saturday Kitchen – but this was something else.

I got to speed about St Katherine’s Docks standing proud on the bow of a rib helmed by the lovely Cap’n Tim, pretending to be James Bond with shades and a mysterious black case… An ‘international man of wine’, as James Martin quipped on the show.

And then I got to prance around the fabulous London International Wine Fair at Excel – a place packed with 20,000 open bottles of wines and spirits plus the great and the good of the UK and international wine trade – so pretty much my ideal hunting ground.

(On which note, it was great to have cameos at the fair by the likes of David Gleave MW, Adolfo Hurtado, Javier Hidalgo, Elisa Kwon, Kate Sweet and Roberto della Pietra – plus my fellow Saturday Kitchen wine presenters Tim Atkin MW and Susy Atkins.)

And let’s not forget the fine chefs and their magical dishes…

The fabulous José Pizarro was cooking deep-fried chicken wings al ajillo with braised peas and Serrano ham with eggs, while maestro Kenny Atkinson’s recipe was soused mackerel with carrots, fennel and orange and crispy smoked eel.

We cooked both dishes before the show and, in their individual ways, each was a delight. We cracked open nearly 30 bottles of wine just to make sure we made the right choice too…

For Kenny’s mackerel I mentioned the Wild Earth Riesling 2009 before opting for the Cono Sur Reserva Viognier 2009, Colchagua (from £8.35, widely available though primarily Tesco.com and yourfavouritewine.com).

‘Absolutely fantastic match – really good choice,’ was Kenny’s comment. He later followed up on twitter by saying: ‘Stunning wine choice, well done, top notch choices, loved the cava too… ‘bob on’, as they say in Yorkshire.’

Jose described the match as, ‘Just beautiful, stunning.’

Although I know José’s a big fan of sherry (and beer on a warm day like it was for the show!), I went instead for a cheeky fizz, cava style: the amazing value Codorníu Selección Raventós Brut (from £7.49, widely available though principally Majestic, Wine Rack, Oddbins).

‘Delicious!’ enthused James, while José described it as: ‘lovely, lovely, lovely – goes so well, an amazing choice, thank you Peter!’

At which point studio guest Danny O’Dononghue (of BBC1’s The Voice) described himself as, ‘over the moon’ – always a good sign.

Danny’s food heaven was a char-grilled T-bone steak with tomato chilli chutney and grilled fig and shallot salad. For this I recommended the Ramos Reserva Alentejo 2011 (from £6.99, Majestic).

You can find all the recipes from the show, which also featured archive material from Rick Stein, Celebrity Masterchef and Keith Floyd, on the BBC Food site. You can view the wine bits from the show in the clips below, reproduced here by kind permission of BBC1/Cactus TV.

My sincere thanks to all who so generously helped us with the filming, including the fine people at Buckingham Schenk for the loan of their tall ship and tender – also to Tim and Sandra from the good ship Atlantis – plus show organisers Will and James at Brintex, Sally from Relish and Sarah & Saskia at Complete.

(by peter)

‘I don’t really know Portugal,’ my taxi driver said blithely as we sped up the M3 on my way to the airport. ‘I always feel you need to do Spain first…’

Some may take the same view when the two country’s table wines are compared. Surely the likes of Rioja, Ribera, Tempranillo and Garnacha are always going to take precedence over Douro, Dão, Touriga Nacional and Trincadeira?

Perhaps. But a series of recent tastings and visits to Portugal, as well as in-depth chats with some of the leading wine buyers and trade suppliers, have convinced me that this occidental European nation can carve out – and maintain – a successful niche in the UK market.

I don’t think it will ever be any more than a niche. With very few exceptions, Portuguese wineries simply don’t have the economies of scale, power brands (be they appellations, varieties or producers) or commercial clout to challenge the big players in the UK like Australia, California and France.

Currently, Portugal’s share of the UK retail market – dominated by supermarkets – hovers around the 1% mark by volume and value (compare Australia’s 21%, or the USA’s 15%). But these, the most commonly cited of figures, are AC Nielsen and thus only cover the major retailers, leaving a swathe of data from small independent merchants and restaurants unheeded.

By contrast, import data from HMRC show surging sales of Portuguese wines in the UK of late. Get beyond the trite headlines and talk to most sommeliers, wine merchants and their suppliers, and they will say that Portugal is a healthy category.

Yes, it’s a tough sell, but the wines often come in at the right price (value in the £7-15 range from Portugal is outstanding in my, and many others’ view) usually make natural food matches and, once tried, tend to foster loyalty among their drinkers. So while the names of the grape varieties may be unpronounceable, the appellations byzantine, and the producers a mystery, the wines deliver. For both those who sell and drink wine.

So hand-selling might be important for Portugal – but even then, it doesn’t seem as essential as some claim.

Talking to some of the major supermarkets, their version of hand sell (ie bottling under their own-label premium brands) can also lead to healthy sales. Asda’s Extra Special Dão, ‘more than washes its face,’ according to head buyer Philippa Carr MW, while Tesco’s Finest range now incorporates four Portuguese wines, including a Touriga Nacional, Douro red and Vinho Verde, which are also enjoying healthy sales, according to category manager Laura Jewell MW.

Portugal would also do well to look at what’s happened to Italy recently in this regard.

This county, with its anarchic, chaotic appellation system, profusion of native, unfamiliar grape varieties, and highly fragmented producer base (in most areas) has enjoyed surging sales in the UK of late. When you look closely at the data, this is largely driven by supermarket own-label brands and exclusive brands, many of them at the premium level, albeit leveraged by Pinot Grigio.

What this trend proves is that, with a lot of support and help from UK suppliers and retailers, even the most unfamiliar grapes, regions and producers can work in the UK. Italy looks set to overtake Australia shortly as the UK’s number one retail wine supplier, the result of meteoric growth on the back of this. While I don’t think the same will happen to Portugal, it just shows what can be done by working collaboratively and ambitiously in the UK.

Below are a few Portuguese wines I’d recommend, based on recent tastings in Portugal (mainly at the Essencia do Vinho wine fair) and London. Other related pieces I’ve written recently include Portugal’s Top 10, an interview with Dirk Niepoort, and What Food, What Portuguese Wine?

WHITES

Julia Kemper Dão Branco 2010 (c£17.99, Alliance Wine) – this former lawyer with lustrous hair and a ready smile makes some fantastic wine. I tasted this (and her Touriga Nacional) at three different occasions in swift succession and was suitably impressed every time. It’s made from Encruzado and Malvasia Fina, with a touch of Verdelho, and has a lovely nutty, edgy, compelling character. Quite full but very elegant. Both Susie and I loved it. 8/10

Primus 2009, Dão – one of many wines in this line-up from the stable of Alvaro Castro, one of Portugal’s brightest and best winemakers. This subtle wine possesses an almost exponential power that creeps up on you before unleashing wave after wave of mineral, candied pear and blanched nut flavour. It’s made from old-vine Encruzado, Terrantez and Sercial at Quinta da Pellada in Dão. Beautiful. 8/10

Filipa Pato Nossa Calcario 2010, 12% (Clark Foyster) – lovely chalky subtle creamy nose. The palate is layered, elegant and persistent. Very good. Very deft handling of the oak, with the power coming from understated minerality rather than just fruit or oak. It’s made from a rare single-vineyard Bical, 30-year-old vines, in Ois do Bairro village which Filipa took control of in 2008. She found it because it was near her parents’ house and started buying the grapes in 2003. She’s also aiming to renovate an old winery there. This 2010 is better than the 2009 vintage (called Nossa Branco) as it has more length to it. 7.5-8/10

Filipa Pato Bical + Arinto Branco 2010 (£15, Clark Foyster) – another subtle, mineral white from this very talented and imaginative winemaker. Large-format and old oak were used to imbue this wine with elegant layers and mineral depth. Beautiful stuff. 7-7.5/10

Terra d’Alter Reserva Branco 2010, Alentejo – a characterful and succulent white made from Viognier, Arinto and Verdelho by Ozzie winemaker Peter Bright. Juicy, pithy and with honeysuckle complexity. 6/10

REDS

Quinta da Pellada Carrocel Dão 2008 – along with the Pape (see below) this wine is surely one of the truly great expressions of the Touriga Nacional grape variety. Alvaro Castro is an inspired winemaker with some great vineyards – and this wine is a homage to his art. A wonderful blend of power and resonance without any hard edges. Still needs to evolve (will drink comfortably for 20 more years) but its floral, dark cherry and incense complexity is compelling. Layered, focused, fine. Joyous. 8.5/10

Pape Dão 2007 – this pure Touriga Nacional from Alvaro Castro is a joy. This is a man who prizes Touriga Nacional but also abhors overly alcoholic, overdone wines. And it shows. This beautifully gamey, earthy, aromatic red is fluid, cogent and complex, without a hint of being overworked. Great nobility here. Savoury, black pepper streak runs through it. Not the biggest but incredibly focused, linear, savoury and just delicious. 8-8.5/10

Luis Pato Quinta do Moinho 2001, Bairrada, 13% (Raymond Reynolds) – ‘Baga needs age,’ comments the wise, craggy Luis Pato. Lovely dried red fruit with herbal tones – almost a Bordeaux/Burgundy hybrid. Baccy, minty. Beautiful grippy, savoury palate, elegantly mature. Lovely stuff. 8/10

Julia Kemper Dão Touriga Nacional 2009, 13.5% (Alliance Wine) – see the note on her white, above. A beautifully scented, elegant red with piercing floral notes and lovely bittersweet dark fruit. Lifted, juicy, gently spicy. Very harmonious and come-hither. 7.5/10

Quinta das Tecedeiras Douro Reserva 2009, 14% (c£15) – a brilliant new release from Dão Sul, this blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca is sourced from a very old parcel (up to 100-year-old vines). It has a wonderful creamy, floral character with hints of warm earth and enticing raspberry. Flavour-wise it’s juicy, broad yet grounded, really seamless. Lovely stuff. 7.5-8/10

Meandro do Vale Meão 2009, Douro, 14% – a historic property very high in the Douro Valley, just 20kms from Spain, the aim here is for elegance and freshness – and it shows. This red is brilliantly harmonious, floral red with juicy fruit and tangy fresh acidity. Twinkle-toed for a big wine with plenty of yeasty, herbal complexity. Foodie, seamless. 7.5-8/10

Cabriz Touriga Nacional Dão 2008, 14% (c. £17) – lovely super floral style, with hints of incense and bitter cherry, caramel. Entrancing. Gently bittersweet flavour profile, it really signs, a lovely homage to Touriga Nacional. 7.5(-8)

Quinta de Saes Dão Reserva 2008, Estágio Prolongado, 13% – a blend of Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro, Jaen and Tinta Roriz which spent 16 months in used oak. It hasn’t lost any aromatic power for it – full of vivid floral, cherry character – but it has a wonderfully fine and elegant texture together with fresh sappy acid and a lifted finish. Almost Burgundian. Great at this level (c. €12-15). 7.5+/10

Post Scriptum 2009, Symington, Douro (Fells) – elegant malty, herbal aromas lead into a juicy, grippy flavour profile with bittersweet fruit. Elegant texture. Foodie, not OTT. Very good. 6.5-7/10

Chryseia 2009, Symington, Douro (Fells) – ripe heady character, with creamy hints. Seems young. On the palate it’s polished yet with a spicy wildness to it as well. Impressive. Quite a big style, modern in inclination, but also well grounded. Good. 7/10

Quinta de Saes Colheita 2008 Dão – a relatively simple blend of Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro, with a bit of Jaen and Tinta Roriz, this is a very successful modest wine, with lovely floral cherry character and crunchy, juicy flavours. Very well done at the price point, which is about €5-6. 6.5+/10

SWEET

Ameal S.H. 2010, 9% – the ‘S.H.’ stands for ‘Special Harvest’ – the grapes were dried before being pressed and the result is a fragrant, decadent sweet wine that is delicious. Biscuity and grapey, with honeyed complexity and a lifted finish. Made from Loureiro in the Minho region, this sticky style is something of a rarity. But a delicious one nonetheless. 7.5/10

(by susie)

This week in the Saturday Kitchen studio we had masters of their craft Nick Nairn and Richard Bertinet – not to mention actor Stephen Mangan and host James Martin – and I was dispatched to Hampton to juice the show up with some delicious wines.

First up, Nick cooked a vibrantly flavoured dish of halibut with langoustine, pickled cucumber salad, mint and yoghurt dressing – for which I chose the sprightly Taste the Difference Gruner Veltliner 2011 (£7.99, Sainsburys).

‘Inspired’ was Nick’s take on the match. ‘Absolutely delicious: really aromatic, but light enough – wouldn’t have gone to Austria as my first choice,’ he said.

James quite rightly pointed out that the Gruner worked primarily because the way the pickle and cucumber gave the dish a real zest and vegetal bite. ‘I love it,’ added Richard, saying it reminded him of a good Alsace wine (ever the proud Frenchman…)

Richard was making some delightful fruit tarts. To partner these I chose the Bonterra Muscat 2010 (£7.25, Waitrose) – an ideal accompaniment to fruit-based puds.

‘Perfect, fantastic,’ he commented, while James termed it a, ‘great combination’ and studio guest Stephen Mangan said it made him, ‘very happy.’

The show also featured archive material from Keith Floyd, Celebrity Masterchef and Rick Stein. The show also featured James’ recipes for:

• Black pudding fritters with a grilled pork chop, wilted spring greens and an apple and scrumpy sauce
• Chicken liver paté with figs, chutney and ciabatta toast
• Stuffed leg of lamb with a wild garlic and spinach butter with Jersey Royals, peas and mint sauce

You can find all the recipes for the show via the BBC Food site or this link. You can watch the wine clips from the show – by kind permission of Cactus TV/BBC1 – below.

(by peter & susie)

Susie and I will always remember the meal we had at the Fat Duck a few years ago – and not just for the sensational, inventive food.

Although we were celebrating, we were aware that the meal was already costing an arm and a leg, so didn’t want to splash out too much on the wine. But we still wanted something – both red and white – that was a bit special.

‘Ah,’ said our wise and patient sommelier. ‘I have a few things from Portugal that might interest you…’

And boy was he right. The white and red were both outstanding wines – beautifully characterful but utterly food-friendly. What’s more, they were comparative bargains on the list, most likely because they came with unfamiliar names of obscure grape varieties, unpronounceable regions and little known producers.

Since then, we’ve always thought of Portuguese wine as food wine – and this impression was more than cemented recently when we did a fun exercise with Wines of Portugal.

They sent us over 40 Portuguese wines to taste and we put them up against the 10 classic British dishes we used for the first edition of our What Food What Wine competition.

The result was a fun and often fascinating exploration of a selection of modern Portuguese wines, with some excellent food pairings at the end of it.

The results of our tasting are detailed below, listed by dish. It was interesting to note the way that modern whites from northern Portugal, including Vinho Verde, really can and do pack a punch these days, with lots of gutsy flavour which stands up to the likes of smoked salmon and mushroom risotto.

It was also great to pair some lovely modern Alentejo, Douro and Dão reds to the meatier dishes – these regions are making some fantastic food-friendly wines in a notably approachable style.

And of course from Portugal we should never forget the Ports and Madeiras – often under-rated, frequently great value for money for such venerable, intense wines – and even some characterful fizz, all of which can and do partner well with food.

We look forward to having some good Portuguese wines to try at What Food What Wine 2012, for which we’ve included more dishes (including festive ones like roast turkey and Christmas pud, plus an expanded Indian section). Click on this link for more details of this year’s bigger and better competition – the ultimate food-and-wine matching contest on these shores.

Smoked salmon

Quinta de Paços Morgado do Perdigão Alvarinho & Loureriro 2010, Vinho Regional Minho, 12.5% (£11.70, Casa Leal). A subtle, stylish wine, if a bit traditional in style. Very good weight, quite broad-shouldered, which means it more than holds its own with the oily, pungent smoked salmon. A surprise match!

Mushroom risotto

Planalto Douro Vinho Branco Seco Reserva 2010, 12.5% (from £6.99, Majestic) – nothing shouty, just very decent, very moreish white – which is why it makes a great match for the subtle umami weight of the mushroom risotto. Seamless.

Fish and chips

Morgadio da Torre Alvarinho Vinho Verde 2010, 13% (Stevens Garnier) – another white from the Sogrape stable, along with the Planalto, this is a reticent but richly textured white, really foodie and stoney, the kind of wine that does better with food than without. It’s good with smoked salmon but really comes into its own with the earthy fish and chips

Runner up: Marquês de Marialva Baga Reserva Bruto 2008, Bairrada, 12.5% (Enotria) – a rich, fruity fizz with smoky, anis hints and a yeasty froth. Just as in the first What Food What Wine, fizz more than holds its own with fish and chips, adding a lovely decadence to the experience. Hence this special recognition.

Chicken tikka massala

Quinta de Lagoalva rosé 2010, Vinho Regional Tejo, 12.5% (£9, Casa Leal) – a traditional style of rosé made from Syrah and Touriga Nacional, which would work even better if it were fresher, but still the soft red fruits work well with the tangy spiciness of the dish. Incidentally, this wine also worked well with the smoked salmon.

Lasagne

Porta da Ravessa Alentejo 2010, 13% – an unassuming everyday red, pretty rustic when drunk on its own, but works well with the lasagne, comfortably complimenting the tangy tomato, creamy textures and rich meatiness of the dish.

Roast lamb

Crasto Douro 2010 – a gluggable, cherry-scented red with just the kind of herbal, redcurrant kick you need for a lovely piece of lamb. Joyous.

Bangers and mash

São Domingo Dão 2009, 13.5% – a wine with a beautiful, floral nose and refreshing bittersweet fruit on the palate. It’s not hte most ambitious but very quaffable – and so it proves alongside the sausages, refreshing between mouthfuls and very uplifting. Delicious!

Apple crumble with custard

Bacalhoa Moscatel de Setuabl 2005 (E I Wines) – lovely sweet fruity mess. What’s not to like..?

Rich chocolate mousse

Sandeman 20-year-old tawny port, 20% – with chocolate mousse you need something a bit special. Tawny port, with its nutty, raisiny and fiery flavours, works a treat, almost acting like another ingredient in the dish, as if you’ve added tons of amazing dried fruit soaked in brandy…

Cheddar

Cottas Reserva Douro Branco 2009, 13% (Patriarche) – an extrovert white, with plenty of toasty, nutty and appley character, which is exactly why it partners well with the cheddar’s acidity and creamy flavours.

(by peter & susie)

So what did you get up to this bank holiday weekend?

You may have put your feet up in front of the FA Cup. Or dodged the showers on an optimistic outing with the family. Hopefully you weren’t caught up in any travel madness…

We, by contrast, spent all three days in a room in Winchester’s fine Guildhall, putting 30 Master of Wine students through their paces. We tested them with 36 different wines, served blind over three tasting papers, with a forensic analysis of answers after every exam.

Phew.

This was our third such event, which we now hold annually (but may do more frequently in the future – watch this space…You can also read our reports on the 2011 and 2010 events.)

The students travelled from as far afield as Vancouver, Austria, India, Jersey, Spain, Ireland, Belgium, France and New York to be there – and there was dedication, professionalism and great talent in abundant display this year.

As ever, the weekend was a compelling mix of intense work, occasional levity and the usual highs and lows that such a tough test inevitably engenders. It was great to see people enjoying a weekend away in Winchester, and overall it was a great privilege to be able to spend time with such a talented and fun bunch of wine folk.

(Which more than made up for the fact that, as a result of leading the tasting, Peter had to turn down the opportunity to film with ESPN live from Wembley…)

Particular wine highlights included a beautifully venerable Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 2001, a thrillingly intense Peller Estates Riesling Icewine 2007, a sensational (and brilliant value) Puerto Fino sherry from Lustau, gorgeous 1995 Vin Santo… All this plus some delicious claret, white Burgundy, Vouvray, Riesling, rosé, Pinot Noir, port and more.

Details on wines, as well as the kind of devilish questions we posed, can be found on the pdfs below.

Our thanks go out to all the students. We are also very grateful to all the wine suppliers who supported us not just by providing a great range of classic wines but also by helping us find answers to all manner of pedantic and intrusive questions we needed to find about the wines.

Anyone interested in taking on the MW challenge should visit the IMW website. As for us, we’re already taking bookings for this course for next year…

Wines and questions, 2012

• PAPER 1 Question sheet 2012
• Paper 1 wines – 2012
• PAPER 2 Question sheet 2012
• Paper 2 wines – 2012
• PAPER 3 Question sheet 2012
• Paper 3 wines – 2012

Feedback from our 2012 MW student tasting weekend

‘Susie & Peter’s Wine School is an absolute crucial weekend for first year MW students wishing to learn the language and structure of a great answer. For those preparing to sit the exam it offers the fine tuning and precision that is sought at this level.’ (Ray)

‘Thank you both for such a constructive tasting. It was challenging, informative, encouraging and fun (despite hard work!) and I came away motivated and with a real plan for what needs to be done over the next few weeks.’ (Siobhan)

‘Thanks for the weekend. Learnt a tremendous amount. Having attended two years running I think the course manages to cater for first years, second years and repeats, whatever stage you are at you get what you need at that point. It is as close to exam conditions as you can get, the wines this year were insightfully chosen, fantastic choice of benchmark wines. I enjoyed tasting them. The range of questions were great – very challenging’ (Barbara)

‘Many thanks to you both for the weekend and all your hard work. Great wines, great live practice and as usual great articulate feedback.’ (Barry)

‘Thanks so much for the weekend, it was great. Very helpful, meticulous research into the wines and the papers. It really made a difference’ (Vicky)

‘Thank you both for a constructive and enjoyable weekend. We understand that it is also a commitment on your part over a bank holiday weekend to help us MW students get through the exam, so a warm THANK YOU to you both. I certainly learnt where I need to fine tune my answers  and where I need to practice before going into the exam. I thought the selection of wines was well researched and challenging, the question papers even more so. It was lovely to meet you both.’ (Catherine)

‘Thank you for a fab educational weekend.’ (Julia, via twitter)

‘Seamlessly executed and as close to exam practise as is possible, which is what is required at this stage.’ (Phil)

‘I thought it was really brilliant. The wines were fab examples of type, which is really important, the questions were well constructed and diverse, to allow a number of different types to be tackled, and the feedback was very helpful.’ (Sue)

‘Definitely another productive weekend so thanks for all your efforts in making it happen. Feeling pretty positive having identified my weaknesses and a way to hopefully overcome them in the next 4 weeks…’ (Kieron)

‘Thanks for a brilliant weekend.’ (Sue)

‘Many thanks for the great weekend full of information, knowledge and support. You guys should pick the wines for the exam as well well done.’ (Kristian)

‘I very much enjoyed the MW practice weekend and it highlighted areas of weakness that I need to work on – very useful.’ (Heather)

‘Had great weekend @wineschools – learnt a plenty & know what I need to fine tune before exam. Great feedback from the other students too!’ (Catherine, via twitter)

‘Thank you for a great course – really enjoyed it.’ (Lindsay)

‘Thank you for a terrific guided workshop in white wines of all origins!’ (Katherine, via twitter)

(by peter)

Chile’s El Mercurio is the country’s leading broadsheet newspaper. This past weekend its Revista del Campo magazine featured an intriguing article exploring how and why Chile’s Cabernet Sauvignon isn’t performing as well as it should.

I find this an interesting topic so I was happy to give my views, which are featured together with a startlingly large photo. It was also fascinating to read informed opinions from the likes of Pedro Parra, Chateau Kirwan winemaker Rodrigo Laytte, sommelier Hector Riqueleme and oenologists Marcelo Papa and Marcelo Retamal.

You can view a pdf of the article, which is in Spanish, by clicking on the following link: Peter Richards MW in El Mercurio, Revista del Campo, on Chilean Cabernet

Cabernet Sauvignon is huge in Chile. It covers a third of the national vineyard, and helped cement the country’s reputation for great value, characterful red wine. However, in recent years it has underperformed, with far too many hard, hot, syrupy wines at all levels – the product of over-ambitious winemaking and inapproriate terroirs.

However, there are grounds for optimism. Some producers are focusing on drinkability, elegance and complexity without heft. These include William Fevre, Calyptra, Aristos, Altair, Concha y Toro, Erasmo, Lurton, Cono Sur, De Martino and Santa Rita.

In short, Chile needs some Cabernet fanatics – like it has Syrah, Pinot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon nuts – to take risks, explore new terroirs and make thrilling small-production wines. Only this kind of activity will save Chilean Cab from inertia and ultimately a drab future.

My thanks to Eduardo Moraga for his characteristically insightful journalism, and to El Mercurio/Revista del Campo for the reproduction of this article here.

(by peter)

It was a blustery old day by the sea in Portsmouth this week filming for Saturday Kitchen – but at least I learnt three things.

The Royal Navy salute with their palms facing their face – apparently to hide their dirty hands (according to some sailors who happily informed us of this fact while we were filming). The Army, by contrast, salute with a flat hand.

HMS Victory, Nelson’s flagship at Trafalgar, the ship on which he died, is the oldest commissioned warship in the world – still officially in service, and with a designated captain. It is now permanently docked in Portsmouth just yards from the new museum being built around the remnants of the Mary Rose, which is shortly to go on display with artefacts salvaged from the wreck, including nit combs with nits still attached… Fascinating, in a gruesome sort of way.

Finally, Bryn Williams and Shaun Rankin don’t half know how to cook.

Jersey royal Shaun was cooking sea bass poached in confit lemon butter with asparagus and oysters. This I paired (to the strains of Blue Moon…) with the zingy, thoroughly satisfying Errázuriz Estate Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Aconcagua (£7.49, widely available though we filmed in Waitrose).

‘It’s cracking,’ commented Shaun, who declared himself a Sauvignon lover. ‘It’s nice and sharp to cut through the richness.’

‘I do love this – a bit of a bargain even at £7.49,’ added James. Bryn, meanwhile, described the match as, ‘beautiful.’

For Bryn’s roast loin of lamb, peas, lettuce and bacon with wild garlic peso I chose the inky, succulent M&S Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 (£8.99, M&S).

Bryn, bless him, was fulsome in his praise. ‘He’s not wrong – it’s a beautiful wine, goes really well with the lamb: he’s picked a good one,’ he enthused.

‘A good drinking wine, not just with food,’ pointed out James, while Shaun termed it, ‘a cracking wine, tones the wild garlic down’.

William Gaminara, star of Silent Witness, got his food hell (salt and pepper breaded squid with chilli dip and coriander salad), which I put with the Finest Steillage Riesling 2010 (£6.99, Tesco).

‘Another great wine: I have to say we’ve had some great stuff on the show today,’ commented James, very kindly.

You can view my wine excerpts from the show in the videos below, reproduced by kind permission of BBC1/Cactus TV. Archive material from the original show came courtesy of Rick Stein, Celebrity MasterChef and Keith Floyd. You can find all the show’s recipes via this link, which also include lemongrass and coconut panna cotta with coconut meringue and mango plus griddled fillet steak with béarnaise sauce.

(by peter)

A group of young girls accosted me when I was just coming off stage at the BBC Good Food Show in Bluewater, to have a photo taken.

‘Have you tried the new one?’ piped up the smiley blonde ring-leader, visibly excited. ‘It’s amazing, you just can’t taste the alcohol!’

I stopped her to ask what she was talking about. ‘The new cherry Lambrini of course!’

This, along with many other moments too numerous to mention, made for a brilliant, buzzy, funny and hugely enjoyable day at the brand new Spring BBC Good Food Show, held in Bluewater in the garden of England.

I was appearing on the super-theatre as part of the Saturday Kitchen stage show, as well as hosting the Interview Stage, chatting to the likes of Gino d’Acampo, James Martin, Tom Kerridge, Lawrence Keogh and Great British Bake Off winner Jo Wheatley.

Doing the interviews was great fun. The research in itself was fascinating, but then being able to chat with a live and interactive audience to the stars of the show was brilliant. I tried to unearth at least one nugget in each slot, with the following results:

• Gino d’Acampo is a busy man. He’s launching a new pizza range in the Co-op, working on the next edition of his Italian diet book, and designing kiddie-friendly pasta dishes for schools. But, while he counts the Gino Vino wine operation as part of his burgeoning empire, he likes nothing better to relax than a pint of Guinness, a pack of cheesy Wotsits, and an episode of Only Fools & Horses. Lovely jubbly.
• Tom Kerridge, the first man to win two Michelin stars for a pub, is a former child actor and self-confessed ‘bad boy’ who relishes the fact that people (including his brother) can turn up to his stellar establishment The Hand & Flowers in flip flops to enjoy top cuisine.
• The secret to Jo Wheatley’s success on the Great British Bake Off was – while others boned up on perfect macaroon recipes before filming started – plenty of make-up and Rescue Remedy. She also practised hard at home – giving her friend gout from so much sampling, and also keeping her boys away from the tasty morsels by wetting the floor around her baking station and pretending it was bleach. Jo’s new book, A Passion for Baking, is out on May 24^th.
• If you ever meet Lawrence Keogh, and you’ve got five minutes to spare, ask him about his ‘club sandwich’ theory of life and hotels. In the meantime, you can download his brilliant free cookbook Rediscovering Food & Flavours in aid of the Kidney Care by clicking here. (Lawrence suffered from chronic kidney failure, undergoing transplant surgery aged 35, and he decided to focus on the positives of the experience by writing this cookbook. Lovely man.)
• James Martin is another busy man at the moment, hurtling up and down the M1 as he hosts Saturday Kitchen, helms his Leeds Kitchen restaurant and opens up a new operation at the Talbot Hotel in Malton, North Yorkshire. He also mentioned that he might be getting involved in a new project with Sirs Stirling Moss and Jackie Stewart on the subject of Formula One past and present – petrol heads take note. As far as titbits for wine lovers go, James likes his Montrachet and Gaja.

For the Saturday Kitchen stage we had the wonderful, musical Jimi Mistry as our guest, while Tom Kerridge was cooking blow-torched mackerel with beetroot and redcurrant and Lawrence Keogh rustled up a classic sole with potted shrimp butter.

There were some great moments when James Martin couldn’t get his pizza off the paddle, and Lawrence Keogh couldn’t skin his fish – the joys of a live show (and perhaps some stitching-up going on back-stage..?!)

A full listing of the dishes, and the wines I chose to match with them (all of which came from Waitrose), are as follows:

• Blow-torched mackerel with blini pancakes, warm pickled beetroot and chive crème fraiche (Tom Kerridge) – Jacob’s Creek Riesling 2010, £7.99
• Megrim sole with melted potted shrimp butter, sea kale and lemon flowers (Lawrence Keogh) – Petit Chablis 2010, Jean de Chaudenet, £9.99
• Satay tiger prawns with prawn pad thai (James Martin) – Cono Sur Bicycle Viognier 2010, £6 on offer until 8^th May 2012
• Vermicelli-wrapped prawns with lemon basil mayo (James Martin) – Lugana 2010, Zenato Villa Flora, £8.99
• Aubergine and three cheese pizza – Torre del Falco Nero di Troia, £5.02 on offer until 8^th May 2012

Thanks to everyone – including the Lambrini girls – who came to watch the shows and say hello. And do book into the new BBC Good Food Show London, when Susie and I will be on the Drinks Theatre and super-theatre with Saturday Kitchen all day on Saturday 10^th November. Click here for more details.

(by peter & susie)

Last night we held the latest event in our spring programme: our ever-popular Back to Basics wine tasting.

This was another sell-out and this, together with some really fun and inquisitive tasters, made for a wonderfully informal, buzzy atmosphere in the Abbeywell room at the Winchester Hotel du Vin.

We had fun with our taste experiments featuring aroma bottles and Jelly Beans – all the while sipping on some very moreish Prosecco – and then tasted through six classic wines, playing some Wine Options and Call My Wine Bluff games along the way, as well as nibbling on some suitably matched morsels.

We’d like to personally thank everyone who came along last night and made it such an enjoyable occasion (especially Alana and John, who came all the way from Oxford).

The wines featured were as below:

1. Prosecco Conegliano Superiore Brut DOCG 2010, Taste the Difference, 11% (£11.99, Sainsbury’s)
2. Southbank Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Marlborough, 13% (£8.99)
3. Finest Sonoma County Chardonnay 2009, 13.5% (£8.99, Tesco)
4. Secano Estate Pinot Noir rosé 2010, Leyda, 13.5% (£8.99, M&S)
5. Rioja Reserva 2006, Viña Eguia, 13.5% (£9.99, Majestic)
6. Peter Lehmann Barossa Shiraz 2009, Australia, 14.5% (£9.49, Waitrose)
7. Campbell’s Rutherglen Muscat NV, Victoria, 17.5% (£10.99, Waitrose)

(by susie)

I’ll be honest: I’m still glowing with pride.

I’ve always had a lot of time for Paul Rankin, an extremely articulate and thoughtful chef, not to mention wine connoisseur.

So when, on this week’s show, Paul says things like: ‘Susie always gets it right’ and ‘That’s one of the most perfect food [and wine] matches I’ve ever tasted on this show’, it means a great deal to me.

Thank you, Paul!

As for the details, Paul was cooking spiced soy roast chicken with a medley of vegetables. This aromatic, succulent take on the classic chicken roast was engagingly subtle when we road-tested it with various wines – but by far and away the best was the Cono Sur Viognier 2010 (£6.98, Waitrose).

Paul commented: ‘For me, Susie always gets it right. The wine is beautifully aromatic, with a hint of residual sugar to balance the aromatics and honey.’

James thought it was, ‘great with this dish’, while Alexis Gauthier said it was ‘perfect for breakfast’ (referring to the time the show was going out rather than a general statement, one hopes).

Alexis, meanwhile, was knocking up chicken wings with potato gnocchi, for which I recommended the Quadro Sei Gavi (£7.49, Marks & Spencer).

‘Goes very well: perfect,’ observed Alexis, while James described it as, ‘Another great choice’.

Paul’s assessment was that it was, ‘one of the most perfect food matches I’ve ever tasted on this show. It’s just zoning right in on flavours of this; I’m a huge fan of modern Italian whites.’

All in all, a great result. You can see my wine excerpts from the show, filmed in Eastbourne, on the videos below. The studio guest was Blake Harrison (Inbetweeners) and the show also featured archive material from Rick Stein, Celebrity MasterChef and Keith Floyd.

You can find all the recipes, including James Martin’s Sirloin steak with peppercorn sauce (Graham Beck Antony’s Yard 2009, £6.39, Majestic) and grilled pork chop with cauliflower cheese (DMZ Chardonnay 2011, £7.99, Majestic) on the BBC Food site here.

(by peter)

This week, more than a wine of the week, it’s a producer of the week.

Morandé is a Chilean winery headed up by charismatic industry captain Pablo Morandé. In my book it’s tended to be decent rather than exceptional. That is, until recently.

This is a winery that has been quietly innovating and now finds itself at the forefront of many exciting trends in Chilean wine.

I recently met up with new winemaker Ricardo Baettig in London. I’ve long been a fan of Ricardo’s winemaking. He’s a guy who aims for elegance and drinkability in his wines – perhaps partly the result of having lived in Italy for eight years and worked extensively as a wine consultant there.

Baettig used to make wine at Estampa in Colchagua. One of his proudest legacies there was to have brought in 14 different new grape varieties (28 clones, including Aglianico, Teroldego, Garganega, Barbera, Vermentino – and even Carmenère from the Veneto). Importing new vine material is a tremendously difficult task in Chile due to very strict quarantine laws so this is a significant achievement. Not least because, while Carmenère is a Chilean speciality, there is no pure clonal material of the plants in Chile.

At Morandé, Baettig is now looking to making elegant, subtle wines, ‘which aren’t obvious, and which might need a bit of explanation’.

The winery uses big oak fudres from Italy (some made from acacia), and works with offbeat varieties like Carignan, Sangiovese, Grenache and Gewurztraminer. Baettig is hoping to blag some cuttings off Estampa in the future, too. They will shortly also be making whites from their own estate in Paredones in coastal Colchagua, and there are more interesting regions and areas that Baettig is keen to explore.

In short, Morandé is a winery to watch. It is also starting to produce some tremendous wines. The two featured below are brilliant cases in point. We served them both to good (very discriminating) friends at dinner and they were so impressed they made us send them the stockist details so they could buy some. So don’t just take it from us!

Morandé Reserva Gewürztraminer 2010, Casablanca, 13.5% (£8.99-9.99, stockists as below*) – really well judged, elegantly handled Gewurz. Lovely perfume of candied strawberry and ginger but not overdone. It’s succulent, with a gentle spice, really moreish and engaging. Very elegant. Have it with cold gammon and piccalilli. 6.5/10

Morandé Edición Limitada Carignan 2007, Loncomilla, Maule, 14.5% (£15.99-17.99, Field & Fawcett) – creamy, voluptuous and yet grounded, this is a beautiful example of old-vine Carignan from the south of Chile. Juicy acidity underscores a bold flavour profile of dark fruit with earthy/ferruginous hints. Tannins are fine and, despite the hedonistic feel, it goes very well with food (duck and peach pappardelle, in this instance). Lovely stuff. 7.5/10

*Morandé Reserva Gewurztraminer stockists: Le Petit Canon wines, Field & Fawcett, Whitebridge Wines Ltd (Staffs), The Old Forge Wine Cellar, Amps, Verres de Vin, Arkells, Woods Wines, St Austell’s brewery.