NYE Fizz from Martini

Two bottles of Italian fizz from Martini for New Year's Eve - available at Ocado

A very Merry Xmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one.
Without any fear.

- "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" John & Yoko / Plastic Ono Band, 1971

New Year's Eve requires fizz, generally not the best stuff - which you will have already consumed over Christmas.

These two bottles of fizz from Italy's Martini are enjoyable and inexpensive easy-drinking.

Martini Rosé (£6.99, Ocado) ripe, soft red-berry fruits with zippy freshness; juicy and uncomplicated.

Martini Asti DOCG (£6.99, Ocado) aromatic, floral, sherbetty and sweet - light in alcohol and fresh, it is like fizzy elderflower lemonade.

Christmas Wines from Your Sommelier

Three Christmas Wines from Your Sommelier

I've been very impressed with Your Sommelier's wines before - and equally underwhelmed by their somewhat Gallic approach to marketing; awkward name, clumsy website, clunky offers.

The A5 hand-outs and folder that came with these wines bespoke enthusiasm, but were reminiscent of a '90s Laithwaites offer, but there is no doubting the quality of the wines.

Crémant d'Alsace Blanc de Blancs Brut N.V. - Domaine Vincent Stoeffler (£13.90) fresh, fruited and floral with citrus, creaminess and white stone fruits; fine mousse and mineral backbone. Poised, well-defined and elegant.

Good.

Drink as a aperitif or match with oysters, shellfish or pork rilletes.

Château Moulin de l'Espérance "Cuvée Ulysse" 2014 - Bordeaux Supérieur (£12.00) Merlot-dominated Bordeaux blend; juicy red-berry fruit with coffee grounds, pencil shavings, sous-bois and leather. Spicy and peppery with fine tannins and a supple texture; fresh and long. Needs extensive aeration - or several years' cellaring.

Good.

Match with roasted red meat.

Gros Manseng Moelleux 2016 Côtes de Gascogne - Vignoble des Aubas (£10.90) more off-dry than a dessert wine; aromatic, slightly pungent with tropical pineapple, guava and passionfruit, beeswax and honey. Sweet-but-fresh and mineral.

Good.

Dry and fresh enough for an aperitif, match with soused salmon or fresh fruit flan.

Virgin Wines for Christmas - Rioja

A Rioja from Virgin Wines

With sweet, ripe fruit, Sapin's warm-climate Rioja is a great winter wine that matches well with roasts  - perfect for Christmas, then.

Finca Los Principes La Canada Rioja 2016 (£10.99) ripe, juicy red and black berry fruit with sweet vanilla, roast peppery spice and liquorice; fresh, juicy and supple with a firm, mineral core. Will improve with aeration or bottle aging. Very enjoyable.

Match with roast red meat, especially lamb with garlic and rosemary - or a Christmas roast with all the trimmings.

English Fizz - Two Wines from Denbies

A brace of vintage, single-grape English fizzes from Denbies

Now I believe in miracles
And a miracle has happened tonight
But, if you're thinkin' about my baby
It don't matter if you're black or white

- Michael Jackson, Black or White (1991)

These two English fizzes are both, technically, white wines - however, one is made exclusively from black grapes, the other from exclusively white.

Made from the finest hand-selected grapes from Denbies’ single estate vineyard, and bottle-aged for 27 months, these premium English sparklers are now available to buy online at www.denbies.co.uk.

Denbies Cubitt Reserve Blanc de Blancs 2013 (£42) zero-dosage sparkling Chardonnay; pale straw colour with green apple, citrus, orchard fruits and yeasty brioche; fresh, mineral, leesy, long and substantial. Will repay extended cellaring.

Good now to Very Good in 5 years.

Drink with roast white meats such as chicken or monkfish in a beurre noisette sauce.

Denbies Cubitt Reserve Blanc de Noirs 2013 (£34) made from hand-picked Pinot Noir from Denbies’ vineyard; pale gold, delicate red fruits and farmyardy nose with yeasty brioche; creamy and full with baked pear fruit and hints of strawberry; fine mousse, freshness and a mineral backbone.

Will improve with age.

Good.

Drink with pate or game.

Special Christmas Drinks From The Co-op

Two special Christmassy drinks from The Co-op

Christmas is a time for special drinks - not just superior versions of what we might normally drink, but drinks that are inherently associated with Christmas; Champagne's fizz suits the celebratory mood perfectly, whilst a sip of mellow aged spirit allows us time to relax.

The fizz follows a tradition of great, and great value, Champagnes from the Co-op; it recently won a Gold Medal at the Champagne and Sparkling Wine Championships. The whisky has a silver from the IWSC and is also great value for a whisky of this age.

Les Pionniers, Champagne 2006 (£25.99) Golden sandy yellow, it is complex, precise and assured, with orchard fruits and hints of redcurrant, musky melonskin, yeasty-biscuitiness and a fine mousse; taut citrus acidity, some aged, nutty character and a persistent minerality.

Very Good.

Crisp enough for an aperitif, but will match well with seafood starters and roast guineafowl.

Co-op Irresistible 12 Year old Scottish Highland Whisky £23.49 (70cl) golden, mahogany toffee colour, with a complex nose of citrus, sandalwood and roasted spices; cooked mixed fruit, pastry shop, sweet vanilla and complex dark sherry flavours.

Warming, assertive and persistent.

Good value and Very Good.

Match with haggis, dark chocolate and espresso and a crackling log fire.

If you are looking for table wines to match your Christmas dinner itself, the Co-op recommends these:

Fish starter silver winner, New Zealand Irresistible Explorer’s Sauvignon Blanc (£7.49)
Festive main silver winner, Australian Henry's Drive Shiraz (£16.99)
Cheeseboard silver winner, Finca Las Moras Barrel Select Malbec (£7.99)

Win The Trip of a Lifetime to New Zealand with Villa Maria Wines

Win a holiday in New Zealand with Villa Maria

New Zealand winery Villa Maria is giving wine drinkers the chance to win the trip of a lifetime to New Zealand.

Just look out for special bottles of Villa Maria in major retailers including Sainsburys, Waitrose, Tesco, Asda, Co-op and Majestic and independent wine shops for a chance to win.

Two trips are up for grabs; each trip includes:

· Return economy flights for the winner and one guest from the UK to New Zealan
· 10 nights’ accommodation
· Self-drive car rental for 10 days
· NZ$2000 spending money

Shoppers can enter via a hidden URL and entry code found on stickers or neck collars on a range of Villa Maria Private Bin wines including Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir bottles.

The competition ends on 19th February 2018 and lucky winners will be drawn on 24th February 2018.

Villa Maria's wines are characterful, deft and well-made - so great to have around at Christmas for entertaining. If you fancy a change from the standard kiwi Sauvignon, try this Pinot Grigio.

Villa Maria Private Bin Pinot Grigio 2017 aromatic, fresh and mineral with ripe orchard fruits, sweet spice and a leesy richness. Harmonious and well-balanced, very enjoyable.

Drink as an aperitif or match with seafood or white meats.

When In Rome - Barbera

A Northern Italian Bag-in-Box wine  from When in Rome

To people of a certain generation, Bag-In-Box wine is associated with bulk generic plonk for house parties - but, like prawn cocktails, pork pies and facial hair, there's nothing so "out" that it can't be rendered hipster with some ironic functional packaging, bold typeset and upmarket distribution.

When In Rome specialises in Italian made from small independent producers; the brand launched last year and is now available at Waitrose and Harvey Nichols and independent wine merchants at £25.99 per 2.25 litre box (equivalent to three bottles that will last up to six weeks).

Barbera - DOC Piemonte raspberry and red plum fruit with sour-cherry freshness, some woodsy-earthiness, spice and fine, gentle tannins. Deft and well-made; far too good for spilling on the carpet at a suburban house-warming.

Good - and Good Value.

Match with rich dark meats, mushrooms and roast dinners.

The full When In Rome range includes:

• Nero D’Avola - IGP Terre Siciliane
• Pinot Grigio - IGT Venezia Giula
• Barbera - DOC Piemonte
• Merlot - IGT Veneto
• Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso - IGP Venezia Giula
• Rosato - IGT Venezia Giula Beneventano
• Falanghina IGT
• Sauvignon - IGT Venezia Giula
• Dolcetto - DOC Piemonte
• Marche IGP Bianco (Verdiccho)
• Marche IGP Rosso

Virgin Wines for Christmas - Brouilly

A Beaujolais Cru from Virgin Wines

At Christmas you need a range of wines for all occasions - this juicy and gluggable Brouilly (the largest Cru in Beaujolais, situated around Mont Brouilly) is perfect for lunchtimes or afternoon tea, say with cold cuts on Boxing Day.

With trademark Beaujolais freshness, drink this either as a warm-up to bigger wines with your Christmas roast or as a pick-me-up to refresh palates after a day of Christmas pudding and mince pies.

Domaine Les Roches Bleues Brouilly 2016 juicy black cherry and raspberry fruit with lifted spice and freshness. Substantial, mineral core with very fine tannins and good length. Pure and adept.

Good and Good Value.

Martini Prosecco

Prosecco from Martini - available at Ocado

It's an oversimplification - but not necesssarily and unhelpful one - to say that Prosecco is a poor man's Champagne. In the same way that a two-seater Fiat is a poor man's Ferrari.

There is enjoyment to be had, perhaps fewer tears and certainly a lower price.

This Martini Prosecco is a perfect fizz for everyday drinking over Christmas or to keep handy in case of unexpected visitors.

Martini Prosecco (£6.99, Ocado) light, very fresh and mineral-citrussy-sherbety; elegant, well-made and thoroughly enjoyable.

Good Value.

Drink as an aperitif, with light starters or cold cuts - it is fresh enough to cut through a wide range of foods.

Two Bordeaux Wines for Christmas

Two special Bordeaux wines from Dourthe for Christmas - available from The Wine Society and the Co-op

Christmas is a time to try out some better-quality wines - with good food and good company. These two Bordeaux, a mature red and a sticky, cost a little more but come with  impeccable credentials, are good value for the money and won't disappoint.


Château La Garde 2010 Pessac-Leognan (£23, The Wine Society) classic mature Bordeaux, with cassis, red plum fruit, spice and cedarwood; fresh and mineral with very fine tannins and a firm, muscular core. Drinking nicely now, will continue to improve for many years

Very Good.

Match with a Christmas roast, Boxing Day cold cuts or a beefy stew.

Château Roumieu 2014 Sauternes (£12.99, Co-op - half-bottle) apricots, honeysuckle blossom, beeswax and candied lemons; sweet tropical fruits, sherbet, acacia honey, Sicilian lemons and overripe peaches with some musky beeswax. Long, sweet-sour-savoury and complex.

Very Good.

Match with crème brûlée or lemon torte.

The Most English Fish & Chips

The most English fish & chip shop - with an English wine list

The mark of many a classic wine region is a traditional food match: Muscadet and seafood, Chianti and bistecca alla fiorentina, mature Rioja and manchego.

Add to that, English wine with fish and chips - light and crisp, English wine is a great match for our traditional dish,

Now, Olley's Fish Experience of Herne Hill, South East London has launched the most extensive English wine list of any fish and chip shop in Britain.

Rather than just fizzy pop of varying colours, you can now choose from a range of English wines with your cod or hake. And for would-be Bond villains, there's even a red wine:

· Ridgeview Fitzrovia Sparkling Rosé (Sussex)
· Chapel Down Brut N/V (Kent)
· Jenkyn Place Blanc de Noirs (Hampshire)
· Bolney Pinot Noir (Sussex)
· Lyme Bay Shoreline - Bacchus, Pinot Noir, Reichensteiner, Seyval Blanc (Dorset)
· Chapel Down Bacchus (Kent)
· Litmus Bacchus/Chardonnay (Surrey)
· Jenkyn Place Brut (Hampshire)
· Litmus White Pinot Noir (Surrey)

Worldwide Winter Reds

Two Worldwide Winter Reds - Western Australia's Robert Oatley and a Beajolais from Louis Jadot

From different corners of the world and different grapes, both these wines have a certain atypicity, a difference from the norm.

Beaujolais is best-known as a juicy glugger for early drinking - not a wine to age.

Equally, Western Australia's wines are more considered and European than standard-edition Blockbuster Aussie.

What both these wines also have in common is an elegance and food-friendliness to match with, for example, winter game.

Louis Jadot Château des Jacques Moulin à Vent 2013 (£18.00, Sainsburys and independents) red plum and cherry fruit with some spice and leather; fresh and juicy with tobacco leaf, fine tannins and minerality - drinking nicely now and will comtinue to improve for a few more years.

Good.

Match with darker game, especially duck in cherry sauce - or something mushroomy.

Robert Oatley Signature Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 (£13.75, The Co-op, Cambridge Wine Merchants, independents) juicy dark-berry fruit with blackcurrant leaf, pencil shavings and spice; fresh, pure and crystalline with a supple texture and a muscular core.

Drinking nicely now, will gain complexity with age.

Good.

Match the juiciness to a rare steak with plenty of garlic and pepper, be it beef, venison or tuna.

Three Wine Men in Cambridge

Three Wine Men event in Cambridge

The Three Wine Men are - in vintage order - Oz Clarke, Tim Atkin MW and Olly Smith. Their line-up for this event inclued a mixture of producers, retailers and local-to-Cambridge merchants.

I got around as many as I could and noted down my top wines.

Wines of California
"Big and bold" is the hallmark of California - my top wine was the Edna Valley Pinot Noir 2015 (£14.99, Majestic); well-made, typical Pinot with cherries and earthiness, relatively low alcohol (for California).

There were bigger, better and more complex wines on show - if high-alcohol and high prices are your thing, try Carlisle Wines Zinfandel "Papera Ranch 2013" (£39.50, Noel Young).

Bordeaux
By contrast, the Bordeaux wines showed much more Old World structure; I liked all the wines here from the complex dry white Graves (M. de Malle 2013) to the precise, mineral  rosé (M de Mangot 2016).

If you want to experience the improving effects of age on a wine for the price of a current vintage, then try the 2002 Peyrabon from Cambridge Wine Merchants.

Top wine, however, was the complex and deft Sauternes Pineau Du Rey 2012 (£11.99, Laithwaite's).

Villa Maria
New Zealand's Villa Maria have made a name as a reliable producer of well-made wines with New World fruit and kiwi freshness. In their Cellar Selection range, a varietal Sauvignon Gris 2016 (£14.05) and Clifford Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2016 (£15.55) both impressed.

But my top wine was the layered, complex, substantial and extremely sophisticated Keltern Chardonnay 2016 (£19.50).

New Zealand
Best wine here was the amazing and somewhat legendary Greywacke Pinot Noir 2014 (£32.99, The Wine Society), a lovely, elegant Burgundian Pinot with cherries and spice.

At the other end of the price scale, Peter Yealands Sauvignon Blanc 2017 (£8.99, Co-op, Sainsbury's) is a well-made kiwi SB that really overdelivers for the price.

Alpine Wines
I've long wanted to check out Alpine Wines' range; there were two stand-out wines here:

Cicero Pinot Noir Alte Reben 2012, Graubuenden, Switzerland (£26.40) pale, almost rosé-coloured; red-fruits and farmyard, delicate yet with a structured and muscular core.

Heidi Schroeck Suesse Loewen Spaetlese 2012, Burgenland, Austria (£16.80) complex roasted stone fruits, light and incredibly fresh, almost dry on the finish.

Sud de France Top 100
Languedoc is a great source of well-made characterful wines; some sub-regions, such as St Chinian, are now beginning to establish their own local identity.

Cave de Roquebrun, Le Grange des Combes 2015, AOC St Chinian (£10 - £12.49, Majestic) floral, almost like perfumed soap, with crushed red fruits and smoke. Long and supple.

Local heroes
Cambridge Wine Merchants had an excellent white-label vintage port from 1983, whilst north-of-the-river Thirsty had two deliciously zippy-citrussy Mosel Rieslings on tap, Meierer and Mikeller.

South Africa Does Europe

Two good-value South African wines that follow European archetypes; from KWV and Laborie

Champagne and port are oenological standards; great for starting and ending a meal - especially around Christmas time.

Whilst plenty of wine regions make fizz of one sort or another, port-alikes are less common.

These two wines are great value and bear more than a passing resemblance to the styles they imitate; even better, they are significantly cheaper.

Laborie Blanc de Blanc Brut MCC 2010 (£15.95, slurp, independents) delicate mousse, pure and clean with ripe orchard fruits, citrus, biscuity brioche and minerality; elegant, complex and layered. As good as many a Champagne BdB costing several times more. Drinking nicely now and will repay cellaring for several years.

Very Good Value. Good.

Drink as an aperitif or with light starters.

KWV Classic Cape Tawny (£9.00, The Wine Society) red fruits, eucalyptus, spice, toffee and marzipan, orange peel and cooked mixed fruits. Harmonious, rich and warming with an oily texture.

Drink as an after-dinner sipper, with dark chocolate and cherry torte or mince pies.

Good Value.

Yealands - Pinots, Tank Samples and Trials

Yealands tasting with Natalie Christensen, Senior Winemaker

Yealands wines tend to have a number of signature features - they are always fresh and pure, well-made and good value for money. Entry-level wines are very pleasant and they become more complex and nuanced as you move up the scale.

Billed as “The Perfection of Pinot Noir”, this tasting focused on Yealands' Pinot Noirs, including 2017 examples showing developmental work with non-irrigation and yeast trials, followed by a first view of some 2017 Sauvignon Blancs.

Natalie started with an introduction to Yealands' terroir, the Awatere Valley: cooler and drier, the vines struggle here - which is a good thing for Pinot Noir. Diurnal temperature variation (hot days, cool nights) provides herbal aromatics, a layered and brooding character plus freshness and minerality.

2017 was a difficult vintage with high winds and a cool season leading to thicker skins and small berries; the resulting wines are high in perfume and colour. 2015 was an exceptional year with everything a winemaker could ask for.

The Regular Pinots
Yealands Estate Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016 (£16, Great Western Wines) aromatic with dark fruit and smokey-toastiness; concentrated, mineral and long. Fine tannins with a firm core, soft and supple. Good.

The Crossings Pinot Noir 2015 (£14.50, Fortnums and others) fresh, vibrant, mineral and long; floral and aromatic with lovely berry fruit and fine tannins. Good.

Yealands Estate Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015 (£16, Great Western Wines) soft, supple and long; harmonious with ripe berry fruit and freshness. Fine tannins. Very Good.

Yealands Estate Winemaker's Reserve Awatere Valley Pinot Noir 2015 (£20, Dulwich Vintners) fuller, more substantial and concentrated; very long, very harmonious. Very Good. 

Off-piste Pinots
Yealands Estate Pinot Noir 2016 tank sample using Concerto Yeast floral and apricotty with red-berry fruit; plush, supple texture. Fresh, elegant and long. Good.


Yealands Estate Pinot Noir 2017 barrel sample, no irrigation trial at Seaview meaty, spicy and savoury with red fruits; fresh, mineral and long with fine tannins. Deft and delicate. Very Good.

Yealands Estate Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 201 barrel sample redcurrants, lifted apricots, dried herbs and a plush texture; long, fresh, mineral, harmonious and elegant. Good.

Yealands Estate Winemaker's Reserve Awatere Valley Pinot Noir 2017 barrel sample savoury, spicy toasty with dark berry fruits, firm grippy tannins; fresh and long, but not yet harmonious. Substantial and concentrated. Very Good.

The Sauvignons
Peter Yealands Sauvignon Blanc 2017 (£8, Sainsbury's, Co-op) fresh, aromatic, pure and mineral; delicate and elegant. Good Value.

Yealands Estate Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2017 (£11.95, Great Western Wine) more substantial core, longer. Good.

Yealands Estate Single Block L5 2017 (£14.75, Great Western Wine) fresh, precise and mineral with crushed oyster shells and sea-spray; citrus, herbal lift and flinty minerality. Very Good.

The Crossings Reserve Wild Saugnon Blanc 2016 (£15, independents) textured, barrel-fermented, almost Burgundian-meets-white-Bordeaux; toasty-smoky, richer, bigger and more substantial with leesy complexity and minerality. Very Good.

Peter Yealands Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2017 (£11.95, Waitrose) unique-to-Waitrose blend with white peach flavours; aromatic, fresh and mineral with a firm core. Good.

Two Co-op Wines For Christmas

Two Co-op wines for Christmas

Christmas wines should be a step-up from everyday drinking, and versatile enough to match with Christmas foods.

Start the day with fizz, but when you sit down to eat, you'll need a good food wine plus something rich enough to match with Christmassy treats.

Take a Bordeaux from a good producer in a favourable year plus one of the world's great complex sweet-yet-fresh fortified wines and you can't go wrong.

Serve with a Christmas roast (with pig-in-blankets and sprouts with bacon and chestnuts) followed by Christmas pudding and mince pies.

Château Sénéjac Cru Bourgeois (£16.99 - reduced to £14.99 from 22/11/17 to 12/12/17) red berry and bramble fruits with herbs, spice, earthiness and juicy, fresh acidity; fine, firm tannins and good length. Drinking nicely now and will improve with either age or aeration.

Good.

Duke of Clarence Madeira (£12.99, reduced to £10.99 from 22/11/17 to 12/12/17) caramel, roasted nuts, dates and figs; rich and unctuous yet all held in check by a fresh acidity. Harmonious and mellow.

Good.

Versatile enough for an aperitif, with almost any type of rich cake or pudding or even just as an after-dinner sipper.

Californian Wines under £20

Three Californian Wines under £20

Big, bold and brash yet resolutely crowd-pleasing, California is - oenologically speaking - the flashy and attention-grabbing Hair Metal of wine.

These three Big Wines are - like poodle-haired rockers in leather, studs and make-up - big on brash statement, but also easy-to-enjoy if you like lots of everything and a bit more too, as well as technically well-made and, underneath it all, rather sophisticated.

Chateau Souverain Chardonnay 2014 (£10.99, Waitrose) sweet, ripe melon and poached pear fruit with buttery oatmeal and toasty spice; big, layered and warming yet fresh and harmonious.

Match with heavy, substantial food, such as tarte flambée or pork medallions with cream and mushrooms.

Ironstone Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel 2015 (£13.99, Laytons and independents) earthy and woodsy-truffley with dark fruit and peppery spice; sweet, ripe blackberry, red plum and raspberry fruit. Good freshness and an old-vine concentration.

Good.

Match the earthiness with a venison casserole.

Frei Brothers Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 (£17.99, Waitrose) Cab blend from the Alexander Valley; port-like with plums-and-cherries fruit, eucalyptus, oaky spice and fresh damp earth; ripe, juicy and slightly jammy dark berry fruits. Hefty, warming and substantial with a glycerol, almost oily texture and soft, fine-grained tannins.

Good.

A big wine that needs big food to match - smoked duck breast or hare.

Sorgin: A Gin for Wine Lovers

Sorgin: a gin from winemaker Francois Lurton made from Sauvignon Blanc

Francois Lurton is something of a winemaking legend - or at the very least, a prominent name from a legendary family.

His new gin, Sorgin, is made not from grain or potatoes but Sauvignon Blanc grapes from Gascony that might otherwise be distilled and aged into a brandy; to this is added a range of botanicals: grapefruit zest, lemon, violets, gorse, lime-zest and redcurrant buds, with juniper added as a distillate.

For the linguistically curious, Sorgin is a basque name for a witch - but not a witch wearing a basque.

Sorgin delicate and complex nose with aromatic herbs, fruitiness and sandalwood; elegant and long with an oily texture and an harmonious, persistent finish. No rough eges whatsoever.

Very Good.

Drink neat as an aperitif or, as Lurton recommends, garnish with a slice or orange or grapefruit.

Four Christmas Wines From Virgin

Four wines for Christmas from Virgin

A Special Day in the CWB household gave me an opportunity to road test some Christmas wines from Virgin.

The food was not especially Christmassy, but if you are looking to create a multi-course sense of occasion with accompanying wines, you could do worse than start with this classy line up of fullsome en rama sherry, vibrant English fizz, structured Italian red and complex Loire sticky.

With canapés; olives and roasted almonds
Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana en Rama, NV, Spain (£16.99 - details here) intense, pungent and concentrated en rama Manzanilla sherry; nutty, floral and bone dry with dried apple fruit and a citrussy finish. Long and elegant.

Good - absolutely demands tapas-style food. Drink now.

With starters; asparagus and parma ham gratin
Bolney Bubbly, NV, Sussex (£22.99 - details here) yeasty, nutty brioche and orchard fruits; well-structured and elegant with a fine mousse. Creamy, citrussy and floral.

Good - works as an aperitif, with light starters or mackerel fillets. Will further improve with age.

With main; beef cobbler
Il Cascinone Rive Barbera, 2014, Piedmonte (£15.99 - details here) black cherries, plums, spice and violets with a dusting of cocoa; very fresh and well-structured and elegant with firm, very fine tannins. Good underpinnings.

Good - needs rich, red-meat dishes.

With dessert; spiced apple and vanilla cake
Domaine Baumard Coteaux du Layon Carte d'Or, 2015, Coteaux du Layon (£11.99, 37.5cl - details here) floral and savoury complexity; rich, honeyed and waxy-oily with pineapple, overripe melon, sweet lemon and candied orange peel. Very precise, fresh and lively. Utterly delicious and could age for many years.

Very Good - match with a range of lighter desserts such as cakes, pastries and fruit tarts (but not Christmas pudding).

Ribera Del Duero - Tim Atkin's Picks

Tim Atkin's pick of the best wines from Ribera Del Duero

I had found the wines in the main Ribera Del Duero section to be always made from excellent raw materials - freshness, concentration and intensity - but sometimes lacking harmony or balance; as if a more experienced hand in the cellar might have brought about a better result.

Presented separately were 30-odd wines chosen by Master of Wine Tim Atkin.

There was certainly a higher hit rate of approving ticks in my notes here; but without time to try them all, I focused on merchants whose wines have previously impressed.

Here is what I liked best:

Bodegas Dominio de Atauta, Dominio de Atauta 2014 (Boutinot) vegetal, leather and spice with fresh red berry and plum fruit, cool mint. Harmonious, concentrated and fresh. Incredibly adept.Very Good Indeed.

Dominio Del Soto, Crianza 2011 (N/A) complex, vegetal and oaky nose; fresh red and dark berry fruits with vanilla sweetness. Dense and inky with a long, supple texture.Very Good.

Bodegas Aalto, Aalto 2014 (Justerini & Brooks) dark fruit, spice and leather; sweet ripe berries and vanilla. Concentrated, firm, long and fresh.Very Good.

Bodegas Antidoto, La Hormiga de Antidoto 2014 (H2Vin) restrained nose, harmonious and balanced with dark fruit; supple, firm texture; concentrated and long.Very Good.

Bodegas Pingon, Carramimbre Altamimbre 2014 (Amathus) vegetal and farmyardy, focused and fresh with dark fruits and sweet vanilla; firm, structured , fresh and concentrated. Long and supple.Very Good.

Bodegas Hermanos Perez Pascuas, Vina Pedrosa Reserva 2012 (Bancroft) toasty and farmyardy with liquorice, dark fruits, cherries and coffee grounds, sweet vanilla and spice; fresh, vibrant, dense and concentrated.Very Good.

Bodegas Trus, Trus Reserva 2012 (Georges Barbier) vegetal with fresh dark berry and plum fruit, sweet vanilla; concentrated, harmonious, supple and long with fine tannins. Still youthful.Very Good.

Bodegas Vega Sicilia, Valbuena No 5 2012 (FMV) vegetal and dark fruits; fresh, intense and vibrant with juicy berry fruit.Very Good.

La Rosa Bianca - Amaretti From Sardinia

A Sardinian take on amaretti from La Rosa Bianca

This year's annual Real Italian Food and Wine included a section of producers from Sardinia. I had earlier attended a masterclass on the wines of this Mediterranean island and was keen to try out some local foods.

As well as the salamis, cheeses and a semolina-based flatbread (rather like a Sardinian poppadom), there were amaretti from La Rosa Bianca.

Traditionally, amaretti are light Italian biscuits, crisp on the outside and slightly chewy inside, made from almonds and amaretto liqueur, as well as egg white and sugar.

La Rosa Bianca amaretti are slightly different, replacing the liqueur with apricot kernels and adding honey.

The result is softly chewy, more cake than a biscuit, and highly aromatic, with the sweet, nutty marzipan-almond flavour leading to the fresher, more savoury apricot kernel.

Not too sweet, it will match perfectly with a morning espresso or an after-dinner dessert wine, such as a sweet moscato.

Sardinia Hidden Gems Masterclass

A tasting of wines from Sardinia with Peter McCombie MW

200km off the Italian coast and previously ruled by the Spanish and the Savoyards, Sardinia is something of a hidden gem itself; it is one of those places of which the only thing I know about it is that everyone who goes says it is lovely.

I came away from this Masterclass with some appreciation of the complexity and largely non-Italian heritage of the island, but not yet a fully-formed sense of what Sardinia stands for - if anything.

That may be expecting too much - viticulture has not been as important in Sardinia as in Italy proper and the requirement of the wines has historically been no more than the ability to beef up blends from cooler climates.

If Sardinia does not yet have a strong oenological identity, it is definitely moving towards something more defined.

The grapes for many of these wines were mostly non-Italian, sometimes Spanish albeit by another name - Cannonau is Garnacha, for example - increasing the sense of unfamiliarity. A number of the wines, especially the reds, improved with extended aeration on a subsequent tasting, with the tannins softening and the aromas opening up.

The whites

Cantina di Mogoro Il Nuraghe Anastasia 2016 fragrant and floral with white pepper aromatics; good fruit and rounded with a supple texture. 

Tenute Soletta Kyanos Bianco 2015 herbaceous and lemony-herbal, with some fresh Riesling character; fresh and mineral with a honeyed, leesy richness. 

Tenute Olbios 'Lupus in Fabula' 2016 Riesling-esque with yellow stone fruit and minerality; rich-yet-dry.

Tenute Gregu Selenu 2016 expressive honeysuckle with some late-harvest character; ripe stone fruits, rich full and substantial

The reds
Carlo Pili Monica di Sardegna Ipno 2016 fresh, light, and fruity with cherries and berries

Cantina Mulleri "Cenere" 2016 bubblegum and red fruits; fresh, berryish and juicy with substantial old-vine underpinnings. A quaffer - but with class.

Cantina Nuraghe Crabioni Sussinku 2016 tar, spice, pepperiness and bramble with undergrowth; fresh, substantial and oaky with a firm texture.

Tenute L'Ariosa 'Pedrastella' 2014 floral, but still rather closed up; red fruits with sweet vanilla and freshness. Long with a good structure. Rioja-esque.

Cantina Meana Parèda 2015 smokiness, some jamminess yet fresh and firm with good backbone and structure; long and grippy.

Agricola Soi "Lun" 2014 quasi aged-character nose with sweet spice, balsamic and florality; caramelised fruits but with freshness, length and a supple texture.

Cantine di Orgosolo Neale 2015 fragrant with juicy red berry and cherry fruits, fresh and juicy, with fine tannins. Beaujolais-esque.

Tenute Rossini "Rosso Rossini" 2015 meaty and leathery with black fruits and fresh, slightly chunky tannins. Long and firm. Nebbiolo-esque.

Two Yealands Whites

Two single vineyard whites from New Zealand's Yealands

After making a short video on the topic of Yealands, inspired by five of their wines, Yealands sent me a few more bottles to try.

From the entry-level to the very top, all the wines are characterised by a freshness, purity and balance that makes them sophisticated and adept, yet all-too-easy to enjoy.

Yealands Estate Single Vineyard Pinot Gris 2016 aromatic and complex nose with ripe tropical fruits, sweet spices and a rich fatness. Waxy and full, yet fresh and mineral.

Good.

Match the richness with Alsatian food, such as tarte flambée or paté.

Yealands Estate Single Vineyard P.G.R 2016 a blend of Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and Riesling; dieselly nose, white stone fruits and ripe pineapple; sweet spices and limey freshness. Well made and easy-drinking.

Match the zippy freshness with soused fish or caesar salad.

Ribera Del Duero Tasting

Ribera Del Duero Trade Tasting in London

I have long known of Ribera Del Duero as a new Classic region, but have actually tasted few of the wines - nothwithstanding one very special evening with the outstanding Vega Sicilia.

The 100+ wines at this trade tasting were enough to give a sense of what Ribera Del Duero is all about and why it is held in such esteem - the raw materials here were quite amazing; freshness, intensity and concentration.

The difference between the most compelling wines and those that merely had potential was down to winemaking skill. The impression was of a prodigiously talented youth who has not quite got to grips with her natural ability; there was on occasion a rawness to the talent that needs time, experience and maturity to find its place.

Here are the wines I enjoyed best:

Bodegas Resalte de Penafiel, Resalte Crianza 2012 (£21.99 Champagne & Chateaux) spicy, meaty, vegetal with dark fruits. Concentrated with fine, firm tannins. Elegant, fresh and still young.

Very Good.

Lopez Cristobal, Reserva 2012 (Raeburn Fine Wines) dark fruits, meaty and vegetal. Long, fresh and firm with fine tannins. Well-structured and still young.

Very Good.

Aster Crianza 2013 (Armit) vegetal, fresh and juicy. Very harmonious.

Very Good.

Bodegas Cair 2011 (Alliance Wine, £44.50) fresh, berry fruited and spicy; vibrant, concentrated and harmonious. Juicy, long and supple.

Very Good.

Bodegas Fuentenarro, Reserva 2011 (£23.99, Les Caves de Pyrene) complex, farmyardy and mature with fresh berry fruit; vibrant, supple, concentrated and very harmonious.

Very Good.

Bodegas Fuentenarro, Gran Reserva 2010 (£34.50, Les Caves de Pyrene) fresh, red berry fruit and spices. Supple, harmonious and balanced with excellent old vine underpinnings.

Very Good.

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Not the main event, but there were also some interesting rosés.

Cillar de Silos, Rosado de Silos 2016 (£14.25, FMV) crisp, fresh and linear; aromatic and spicy with good old vine underpinnings.

Good.

Bodegas Arzuaga Navarro, Rosado 2016 (Loeb) supple, with delicate red fruits.

Dominio del Aguila, Picaro del Aguila Clarete 2015 (£26, Indigo Wines) more complex and rounded with old vine concentration.

Good.

Pays d'Oc Collection 2017

Three wines from the Pays d'Oc Collection 2017

I have long been a fan of the ripe-yet-serious wines of Languedoc - a broad, diverse region, it has multiple variations and nuances. But the key thing you need to know is the wines are, generally, substantial, well-crafted and complex.

Here are three lovely wines from the 2017 Collection; an alluring warm-climate Chardonnay, a substantial and convincing varietal Petit Verdot and a gently-made red blend.

Calmel & Joseph Villa Blanche Chardonnay 2016 ripe tropical fruits and toasty-oaky nose; pure, substantial and leesy with well-balanced freshness and a mineral backbone. Fault-free with no rough edges.

Good.

Match with meaty fish and roast white meat.

Domaine De Valensac "Entre Nous selon Valensac" 2015 liquorice and dark berries with spice and mocha. Substantial, supple with juicy fruits, freshness and very fine tannins. Very long and mineral.

Needs aeration and will improve with age.

Very Good.

Match with darker game, such as venison or duck.

Domaine du Grand Chemin "Clos Rogé" 2014 S/CS/PV blend; dark berries and bramble fruits with spice, cocoa and a leathery gaminess; light-ish, juicy and supple with fine tannins.

Good.

Match with lighter game, such as guinea fowl or tuna.