Jade Vineyard Virtual Tasting with Oz Clarke

China's Jade Vineyard with Oz Clarke of Three Wine Men

If Chinese wines are not yet on your radar, they need to be.

According to Wikipedia, wine has an ancient history in China. These days, long overshadowed by huangjiu ("yellow wine") and the much stronger distilled spirit baijiu, wine consumption has grown dramatically since the economic reforms of the 1980s. Ties with French producers are especially strong and Ningxia wines have received international recognition.

Ningxia's Jade Vineyard is located amongst the eastern foothills of Helan Mountain beside Yinchuan city. At an altitude of 1,180 meters established on a wide spread of virgin land, 15 hectares from an initial 22 hectares were selected to be cultivated as premium vineyards.

These promising fields are vital to the winery's vision of producing top quality wines. Using international standards and the highest environmental requirements, Jade Vineyards' dream is to express the vibrant characteristics of the Chinese countryside, crafting premium Jade Vineyard Chinese wines with international flair.

As one of the rising fine wine regions in China, Ningxia is attracting ever more domestic and international investors and winemakers.

Jade Vineyard, which recently completed its brand-new chateau, is one of the bold new challengers.  The estate produces 70,000 to 80,000 bottles of wine each year which have been enthusiastically received by international critics.

The IWSC gave the 2017 Hyacinth Cabernet Sauvignon 95 points and praised its harmony and “excellent winemaking”; at the IWSC 2020

Jade was awarded the “Wine Discovery 2019” Trophy. 

Jade Vineyard’s owner is Emma Ding and her winemaker is Shuzhen Zhou. 

The wines for this tasting were all international varieties in an international style; like a classic rock tribute act, these wines all clearly showed their influences.

Anyone expecting some "Chinese character" (whatever that may be) in the wines would be been disappointed, but only momentarily as all the wines were well-made from good fruit and technically impressive.

Consistency was high and if there was a family resemblance, it was all about the elegance and harmoniousness. For me the stand-out wines were the first (and only) white, an excellent Burgundy lookalike and the final red, a complex and intense oaked Merlot in the style of a top Right Bank Bordeaux.

Aria White 2019 

Classy Burgundian Chardonnay

100% Chardonnay, 13.9%, 8 months in French barrels

white flowers, honeysuckle, vanilla and sweet spices, custard and pastries, citrus; orchard fruits, melon and tropical citrus, creamy oatmeal, delicately toasted oak, brazil nut, spiciness and saline minerality; harmonious, complex, elegant and long.

Still very youthful.

Very Good.

Hyacinth 2017

Baked, aged Bordeaux blend

70% CS, 30% M, 14.6%; 10 months in SS with oak treatment

bramble fruits, coffee grounds, tomato leaf, old leather and earthiness, aged savoury complexity and oaky spice; harmonious, supple and and savoury with baked plums, soy, cocoa, coffee grounds, oaky spices and minerality; very fine and well-integrated tannins.

In good form, if showing its age.

Good.

Marselan 2020

Fresh, Loire-esque red

14.2%, 10 months in SS with oak treatment

fresh black cherries and blackberries, raspberry leaf, minty sage and spices; fresh, ripe dark berry fruits, toasty-oaky spices and very fine, well-integrated tannins with saline minerality; supple and inky very good underpinnings.

Still fresh and youthful.

Very Good.

Messenger 2017

Mature and Bordeaux-esque

100% CS, 14.2%, 15 months in French oak barrels

baked bramble fruits, cocoa and coffee grounds, oaky spice and earthy mushrooms; sweet, ripe baked bramble fruits, minty eucalyptus, fresh with very fine, harmonious and rounded tannins; savoury with good underpinnings and saline minerality.

At a peak.

Very Good.

Aria Reserve 2015

Medoc-alike

100% CS, 14.2%, 80% aged in new French barrels for 14 months

primary blackcurrants, black cherries and black olives with grilled notes, toasty spices and dried green herbs; fresh bramble fruits, savoury-leesy earthy mushrooms and old leather; inky, custardy texture, adept and harmonious with fine, rounded tannins and good underpinnings.

Ready for drinking but not yet at a peak.

Very Good.

Jiangshan Single Merlot 2019

Right-bank lookalike

100% Merlot, 18 months aging in French barrels

complex and savoury with oaky spice, raspberries, blackberries and black cherries, woodsy undergrowth and sous bois; plush, inky, dense, concentrated and fresh with dark cherry fruit, cool mint and a custardy texture; very fine, harmonious tannins.

Still primary and youthful.

Very Good.

***

Further reviews:

By Adam Lechmere for Club Oenologique: Life Lessons with Emma Ding of Jade Vineyard - Club Oenologique

Hyper Japan: Curry Workshop ​with S&B Foods and Kinu Yukawa

A lesson in Japanese curry making with S&B Foods and Kinu Yukawa at Ichiba London

Understanding Japan

It is something of an oversimplification, if not a cliché, to say that Japan spent two centuries looking inwards before venturing out to the world from the 1860s to discover and bring back the best it had to offer.

Any student of Japanese culture will explain to you that the reality is both more complex and less clear-cut than this.

It does, however, give some insight to those unfamiliar with Japan of the country's values and approach; Japan's food and drink culture is not so much a Thing as a Way of Doing. An island nation, historically an empire, Japan imports ideas from the rest of the world and applies a Japanese way of doing them, so that Craftsmanship is refined to the point of becoming almost an Art Form.

For a European, perhaps the nearest parallel as a country is Germany: innovative, artistic and Romantic with a strong sense of self-identity, a striving for excellence in everything and a love of both high art and high kitsch.

Some Food History

Japanese curry is based on British curries imported from India; the flavours and spices will be familiar to anyone who has ever been to a traditional British curry house.

S&B's curry sauces were developed for restaurants in the 1920s and 1930s, becoming popular enough in homes to sell directly to consumers from the 1950s.

This curry recipe combines influences and techniques from all over the world.

Katsu is the breaded and deep-fried element here using panko breadcrumbs, which are are a Japanese take on standard breadcrumbs; the secret is not so much in the bread used as in the grinding process which results in larger, lighter and more elegant crumbs.

The flour-egg-crumb-fry approach of katsu is straight out of central southern Europe, be it Escalope milanaise, Wiener Schnitzel or Smažený sýr.

Wasabi dressing is clearly a take on classic French vinaigrette while the addition of sliced ginger and the bento box-style presentation feel uniquely Japanese.

The Chef

Kinu Yukawa had her first taste of cooking in her hometown of Kobe Japan, where she used to help her grandmother, who also worked as a professional chef Her career led her to Kyoto where studied traditional Japanese cuisine, then Paris where she was enrolled at the Ecole Ritz Escoffier.

Now a cooking instructor, food stylist and private chef with almost a decade of experience teaching at the Japan Centre London, Chef Yukawa is more than ready to tell you everything you need to know about the perfect Japanese dishes.

Ichiba and Hyper Japan 2022

Ichiba is Europe’s largest Japanese Food Hall; located in the new extension of Westfield London in Shepherd’s Bush, near John Lewis, Japan Centre Ichiba is a 5 minute walk from Wood Lane underground station and a 10 minute walk from Shepherd’s Bush underground station.

Hyper Japan is the UK’s largest celebration of all things Japanese.

In 2002, Hyper Japan will once again take over Evolution London, bringing an iconic mix of tradition and innovation to the capital for an experience like no other. Heading into the event’s 10-year milestone, Hyper Japan will celebrate the culture, cuisine and cool of Japan with a party that delivers a true feast for the senses!

The Method

For the curry base, gently fry onions until caramelised, then add cubed root vegetables and stir to coat in the cooking oil as this will prevent them disintegrating later on.

Add plenty of water and a whole block of the S&B curry sauce; the curry is thickened using flour, so simmer for a couple of minutes after adding, then set aside for 15 minutes to thicken.

Line up three separate bowls of plain flour, beaten egg and panko breadcrumbs; coat slices of aubergine in flour, then beaten egg and finally breadcrumbs. Deep fry until golden.

Plate up with rice, curry sauce, katsu aubergines and the salad with wasabi dressing and sliced ginger.

The method here is straightforward enough for any moderately competent chef who can cook a curry; what makes this Japanese is the S&B sauce as well as the combination of katsu, curry and dressed salad.

For a more-thorough recipe with measurements, see here: Japanese Curry | Recipes | S&B Foods Global Site (sbfoods-worldwide.com)

Links: Kinu Yukawa : Sozai Cooking School – HYPER JAPAN

Japanese Wine - A Masterclass With Swirl Group

A Masterclass in Japanese wine with Sarah Abbott MW of Swirl Group

The Overview 

Produced in tiny quantities, expensive to buy and yet fascinating, Japanese wine is akin to the best of Switzerland or Burgundy.

Japanese wines, like much in Japan, are not cheap, with some justification as the climate is harsh and production is generally on a very small scale. £15+ is entry level and nothing at this tasting was under £20.

The country is small and mountainous, its population prosperous, well-educated and sophisticated yet insular; Japan somewhat resembles Austria both geographically and as a consumer, buying quality over quantity; it is the world's 6th biggest importer by value, but the 10th by volume.

The Principles

Japan loves to combine tradition and modernity; its winemaking is hugely influenced by France, especially Burgundy (think elegance and delicacy, as well as price), yet it is also a significant importer of uber-cool Georgian qvevri wines.

Japanese wines are expensive when compared to New World countries, but better value when compared to the top Burgundies that they emulate.

A key feature of Japan’s approach is an absolute dedication to craft, combining a drive for technical mastery with a love of the possibilities of fermentation in both food and drinks. This interest is not limited to wine; on opening up to the outside world, Japan also sent emissaries to Scotland to learn the process of whisky-making.

However, with Japan there is always a contradiction; the country also has a reverence for nature. Mastery, with reverence.

The History

Although Japan has a rich and ancient culture of food and drink, Japanese wine culture is a relatively new and goes back little more than a hundred years. Japanese wine culture developed in the late 1800s during the Meiji dynasty after the opening up of Japan when the country rediscovered an interest in the rest of the world and sent out emissaries to bring back examples of local cultures that could be adopted there.

It now makes wine in 36 of the country’s 47 prefectures; it has a strong affinity for French oenology, but always in a very Japanese sort of way.

The Geography

Geographically, Japan is an extended archipelago of jagged mountains, experiencing winter snow and summer typhoons, wedged between China and Russia on one side with the Pacific Ocean on the other.

Japan’s main wine area is the prefecture of Yamanashi, just over an hour from Tokyo by bullet train; it is a wet climate with lots of rain by European standards but also lots of sunshine. Home to Mount Fuji it is on the tourist trail and highly visited.

Second in importance comes the cool, dry and more-continental Nagano and lastly the northerly island Hokkaido which is influenced by cold polar air but manages to avoid typhoons.

The Approach

The indigenous Koshu grape is made mostly in a traditional, classic style, but it starting to see some experimentation. By contrast, Hokkaido in the north is the centre of innovation; it is Japan's Oregon or Mornington Peninsula, a cool-climate location that attracts poets and visionaries.

The Grapes

Koshu (indigenous) is the main white grape; Muscat Bailey A (a hybrid) the most common red grape.

Koshu has pink berries with thick skins and is 30% non-vinifera; it is believed to have entered Japan over 1,00 years ago from from the Caucasus and naturally crossed with an Asian variety from the Labrusca family. The thick skins protect the grapes during the heavy rains of ripening season. The vines are often trained high up on pergolas to improve air circulation and reduce humidity.

The distinguishing features of Koshu are fresh but rounded acidity with similar aromas to Sauvignon Blanc; it is most often made in an ultra-delicate, subtle, dry style with a sleek texture. However, a newer generation has learnt from natural wine approaches and is bringing more experimentation to the variety, such as using the skins to make orange wines.

The Tasting

The wines were all accompanied by some high-end tuna and salmon sashimi, with seaweed salad, sushi ginger, wasabi and 2yo soy sauce from Fine Foods Direct, suppliers to the Japanese embassy in London.

All the wines here were elegant, pure and nuanced with a structured core; fruit quality and technical standards were high and they all benefitted from aeration, suggesting they will repay some cellaring.

Fizz

Lumiere Sparkling Koshu 2017 (Amathus Drinks, £35)

From one of the oldest wineries in Japan, founded in 1885 and run by the 5th generation. Japan was feudal until WWII and this was a land-owning family (the cellar is a listed monument). They buy in grapes from land gifted to farmers after end of feudalism.

Natural yeasts, Traditional Method, lees-aged for over a year. IWC Silver medal and Decanter Silver medal. Orchard fruits, soft, fruity and aromatic bouquet with overtones of citrus, peach and jasmine; clean, delicate and fresh yet not austere, a good match for Japanese cuisine.

Dry Whites - Koshu

Koshu Clareza 2019 Aruga Branca (Japan Food Express, £33)

A classic Koshu style, the winery was founded in 1937 and is now run by 3rd and 4th generations; they were originally silk merchants.

Fresh, aromatic and minty with white stone fruits; crisp, delicate and steely.

Grace Winery

A family business, run by father and daughter; sheltered west-facing site at 700m on volcanic soils of Mt Kayagatake

Grace Kayagatake Koshu 2019 (Hallgarten & Novum Wines, £22)

Classic Koshu; neutral and lemony with textural interest, some skin contact, very delicate and nuanced, very mineral and persistent.

Grace Koshu Private Reserve 2019 (Hallgarten & Novum Wines, £25)

Clay soils give more fruit, here white peach; fermented in SS for freshness and 3m on lees for savouriness, softer and plusher

Hokkaido

An island to north, it is much dryer, with no monsoon and stylistically more influenced by Germany; historically, the wines were more port-style sweetened wines. It used to be a massive market for imported grape-must fermented and bottled in Japan; the distinction between home-grown grapes and processe imported grapes was introduced only in 2004 and has since led to local wines being taken much more seriously.

Hokkaido has become much more dynamic since the 1970s; it grows not Koshu but German varieties; the weather is sub-arctic but there is a dry summer and autumn. It is a place for poets and visionaries, a centre for natural wine and Pinot Noir.

Hokkaido Wine Company

A cooperative founded in the 1970s.

Tazaki Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2018 (Hokkaido Wine Company, £24) 

SB is new to Hokkaido. Smokey-toasty, musky, delicately aromatic with exotic spice and marzipan-almond, precise yet not austere, pure, clean fruit.

Tsurunuma Gewurtztraminer 2019 (Hokkaido Wine Company, £23)

Fresh and balanced, minty-herbal and highly aromatic with honeysuckle and sweet spices from extended pre-fermentation skin contact and a complex, savoury leesiness.

Nagano

Next-door to Yamanishi, where Yamanashi is pastoral and idyllic, Nagano is epic and on a grander scale; it is one of the driest parts of Japan, ringed by high mountains. Historically, it was all about hybrids and sweetened bulk wines. 

Solaris Shinano Riesling Karakuchi 2019, Manns Wines (JFC International,  £24) 

From a major producer (it is owned by Kikkoman), the Shinano Riesling grape is a cross of Riesling and Chardonnnay; the wine is fermented and aged in SS; fresh, aromatic, leesy and rich; precise floral, almost Viognier-esque with peach-apricotty fruit.

Solaris Shinshu Chardonnay Tarujikomi 2018, Manns Wines, (JFC International £30)

Cool-year Burgundian Chardonnay, low-yield vines fermented and aged in oak; fresh, very creamy with nutty almond, white stone fruits, citrus and herbal mintiness; savoury and complex with some brioche and spice. Focused and precise yet not austere.

Chateau Mercian Hokushin Left Bank Chardonnay Rivalis 2018 (Boutinot, £35)

Warmer-Burgundian; toasty oak (1/3rd new), riper fruit, more substantial; leesy, almondy; still delicate and floral with blossom. Well-balanced acidity, sleek, understated. Muscular and powerful yet understated, spicy savouriness does not overpower the fruit.

Lumiere Prestige Orange 2019 Chateau Lumiere (Amathus, £27) 

Orange wine made from Koshu; fresh and structured, mineral and textured, bone dry, delicate and elegant, acidity without being astringent; orange peel, white tea tannins and bergamot, freshness, muscular grip, very fresh. Very food friendly.

Chateau Mercian Mariko Syrah 2017 (Boutinot, £35) peppery-minty with fragrant cherry fruit; pure aromatics with a muscular core; delicate yet complex and nuanced.

Akashi-Tai Sake

A tasting of two sakes - and some sake etiquette

I'm something of a novice to sake, but with a growing family interest in Japan generally, I decided it was time to find out what all the fuss was about.

Sake is brewed (but not like a beer), has the alcohol content of a fortified wine (but is not fortified), is gently sipped (but is not a spirit) and has delicate wine-like flavours of fruits, flowers and herbs (but is not a wine).

Sake is made from grains of rice that have been polished to remove the bran and is served often, but not always, warmed in a tokkuri then poured into a small cup called sakazuki.

Once you start to learn about Japanese heritage and culture, you very quickly find out that elegance and ceremony play a large part in the overall Japanese aesthetic.

A guide to serving sake:

If the sake is to be served warm and you do not have a tokkuri, simply place the bottle in a bowl of water from the kettle until it reaches around 40 degrees centigrade (2 - 4 minutes for a tokkuri, longer for a full bottle).

Ginjo, daiginjo, junmai, and namazake sakes should all be served cold, so these should be served straight from the fridge.

If you don't have a sakazuki, small mugs, especially espresso cups, are a close substitute.

Traditionally, the server should fill the cups of the guests and should allow their own cup to be filled by one of the guests.

It is considered rude - or at least very informal - either to fill your own cup or to hold a conversation whilst your cup is being filled. Once everyone has been served, say "kanpai" ("cheers") and it is now fine to drink your sake.

It then remains the host's responsibility to keep guests' cups filled up during the evening.

Sake is not a drink for aging; it should be kept for no more than a year and, once opened, consumed either the same day or within a few days if stored in the fridge.

Akashi-Tai is a 4th generation premium brewery in Hyogo prefecture.

Akashi Tai Honjozo (Tokubetsu) Sake - 15%, £20 - £23 for 72cl, rice milled to 60%; Master of Malt / The Whisky Exchange

A versatile sake to serve warm with grilled fish, grilled meats and seafood or mature yellow cheeses; flavours of sweet red grapes, oatmeal and sharp green apples with beeswax and sea salt.

This is a good sake for either an introduction or an everyday sipper.

Akashi Tai Junmai Daiginjo Genshu Sake - 16%, £37 - £40 for 72cl, rice milled to 38%; Master of Malt / The Whisky Exchange

The "grand cru" of the range with an extra-long brewing process to be served chilled; delicately aromatic with floral and herbaceous aromas; flavours of lemon, melon, bitter orange and sage with a full-bodied saline-minerality.

Match with tuna tartare with chilli, ginger and sesame, grilled sea bream, calamari or pork medallions.

For more details on serving sake, see this guide: How to Serve and Drink Sake (with Pictures) - wikiHow

GRAB THAI GO - Authentic Thai Noodle Kits & Sauces

Grab Thai Go is a new range of sauces and noodle meal kits made by a team in Thailand to recreate the smells and flavours of Bangkok. New to the UK market, the kits offer a fast alternative to creating genuine Thai dishes. Little preparation is required and full instructions are provided, just add your meat, seafood, fish or vegetables and within 15 minutes you have a meal.

The origins

Already an established business in Thailand, Grab Thai Go was founded by Thai Entrepreneur Preeya Choojan, who the range as a result of not being able to find any Thai meal kits and sauces in the UK with the vibrancy and taste of those she enjoys in Thailand.

Every element is Thai-made, using local, seasonal ingredients, combining salty, bitter, sweet, sour and spicy flavours, and can deliver a hot spicy punch.

The range

The range consists of 4 noodle meal kits:

- Aromatic Green Curry Noodle Kit

- Turmeric Yellow Curry Noodle Kit (Vegan)

- Sweet & Sour Tom Yum Noodle-Soup Meal Kit

- Tangy Pad Thai Meal Kit

In addition there are 4 cooking sauces:

- Cashew Nut Stir Fry (Vegan and Gluten Free)

- Turmeric Red Curry Stir Fry Sauce

- Roasted Sweet Chilli Stir Fry Sauce

- Sweet Basil Stir Fry

The Practical assessment

I tried the Tangy Pad Thai Meal Kit, the Aromatic Green Curry Noodle Kit and the Cashew Nut Stir Fry.

The quality of the ingredients is good and the flavours are well-balanced; the kits are relatively straightforward; 5 minutes to cook the noodles and a quick stir-fry of some meat then add the sauce is pretty much all there is to it.

I struggled a little with the instructions and identifying the various packets of Thai essentials, but got there in the end. There is a QR code on the inside of the packaging which, apparently, links to some cooking video tips. If I knew how to use a QR code, it might have been handy.

I most liked the Thai green curry; it is one of my favourites in any case and this one is as good a kit as I can remember having, much easier than attempting to cook from scratch yet with few of the compromises of instant sauces.

I'll be honest, when completed, mine didn't look to much like the picture on the front of the packet, but it tasted good for a quick, easy inexpensive lunch.

Overall, the product is good, it's just the packaging / presentation that could be improved:

- reduce the amount of information

- more pictures, fewer words

- make the cooking instructions really foolproof

- make it easier to know which packet is which

- put the instructions on the outside of the packet

The environment

Grab Thai Go's trays and lids are reusable, the trays are biodegradable, and all other elements can be recycled.

Prices

Kits: £2.99

Sauces: £1.20

Availability

Available online at https://www.grabthaigo-easy.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/grabthaigo.world/shop/?referral_code=page_shop_card 

Charity

For every pack sold, we donate 1 Thai baht to The Education for Development Foundation. The money changes lives through education. It’s a way of spreading the happiness, you enjoy Grab Thai Go and Thai children enjoy an education that sets them for a lifetime of success. www.edfthai.org/en

Thanh Binh, Cambridge

A midweek dinner at Thanh Binh Vietnamese restaurant, Cambridge

With two bored teenagers requiring summer entertainment and foreign holidays only for those brave and agile enough to make - and re-make - plans on the hoof, we opted to create the holiday vibe at home with weekend trips and family meals out.

So, we have a dining plan of restaurants to visit in Cambridge in the remaining weeks of the summer.

This week saw us at Thanh Binh, something of a hidden gem in the Cambridge dining scene, albeit one hiding in plain sight; located on a stretch of Bridge Street between the river and the road up to the castle, it is in a part of Cambridge that I tend to travel through more than consider as a destination in its own right.

Notwithstanding my two decades in the city, Thanh Binh has somehow never quite made it onto my radar as a place to visit. I can't really explain why other than it is the sort of place one rarely, if ever, reads about or hears mentioned.

This is all my loss of course; it's a neat and charming restaurant doing that most unfashionable of things - making consistently good, well-presented, unpretentious food.

And clearly there are people in the know; on a hot Tuesday evening in August in the middle of a pandemic, the place was full (all safely socially-distanced).

It helps, of course, that with #eatouttohelpout, the altruism of stimulating the local economy is a subsidised experience, but even at full price, it is not expensive.

Thanh Binh is a traditional, authentic, family-run Vietnamese restaurant with, apparently, one of the best chefs from Vietnam. I can't vouch for the latter claim, but this is pretty much all you need to know.

With starters and mains ordered, we all tried a bit of everything and found nothing that wasn't delicious - flavours, ingredients, seasoning, cooking and presentation were all faultless.

Those acquainted with Vietnamese food will find the menu familiar; newcomers can check out the restaurant website in advance or, like me, just ask the staff for recommendations; we ended up opting for soft shell crab, spring rolls, pancakes Phở Bò (beef soup) and a spicy duck curry.

Add in attentive waiting staff, a neat, if conservative, decor and there's really nothing not to like here. And in a touristy city like Cambridge, where few establishments need to rely on repeat business, that is no mean feat.

Another plus is the corkage policy; with no alcohol license, you just bring along one or more bottles of whatever you want to drink with your meal and pay a token amount for glasses - Cambridge Wine Merchants is just across the road if you plan to buy something en route.

Pro-tip: pre-chill your whites as they do not offer an ice bucket; and don't expect the standard-issue glasses to show off every nuance of your Grand Cru wines. We opted for a bottle of very pleasant and inexpensive fizz, the traditional-method Arestel Cava Brut from Lidl; fresh, uncomplicated and citrussy, it worked perfectly as an aperitif and a foil to the strongly-flavoured food.

A two-course meal for four with corkage and non-alcoholic drinks costs around £50 after the government discount.

Chateau Musar At Virgin Wines

Lebanon's Chateau Musar at Virgin Wines' Cambridge Tasting

Lebanon's Chateau Musar is something of an iconic winery; growing Bordeaux grapes in Asia on the Eastern Mediterranean, it has seen its vineyards at times become battle lines in the country's civil war.

Lebanese wine has not really become A Thing and although there are other local wineries; Musar remains a benchmark.

Chateau Musar Jeune White 2016 (£13.99) nutty with fennel aromas, neutral and citrussy-fresh with excellent underpinnings. Good.

Chateau Musar Jeune Red 2016 (£13.99) fresh, vibrant and baked with classic Musar dried red fruits. Good.

Chateau Musar Organic 2011 (£27.99) sweet vanilla, ripe fruits and gamey leatheriness with a dense core; warming, supple and harmonious. Very Good.

Chateau Musar 2004 (£27.99) still very primary and youthful; does not show its age next to the 2011; apparently this is one of the strongest vintages, so you can buy this and allow it to lie for a long time. Very Good+.

Fairtrade Fortnight Wines From The Co-op

Two wines from the Co-op for Fairtrade Fortnight 2018

This year's Fairtrade Fortnight runs from 26 February to 11 March.

The Co-op has long understood that Fairtrade wines need to stand on their own merits - they should be first and foremost wines that people want to drink and only after that Fairtrade.

These two reds are both thoroughly enjoyable; both have a bit of age and are drinking very nicely now. The Lebanese wine is the more interesting of the two (in all senses).

Co-op Fairtrade Argentina Malbec (£7.49) ripe, dark-berry fruit, spices and violets; plump and supple texture. Fresh and juicy (just 12.5% alcohol) with no rough edges at all.

Match with a juicy steak.

Coteaux Les Cedres Fairtrade Red, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon (£11.99) Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tempranillo and Arinarnoa blend; baked dark fruits, red cherries and plums with sweet spices. Some aged character of cigar box, woodsiness and leather. Very fine tannins and a fresh, mineral backbone.

Good.

Match with roast or barbecued red meats.

Koshu of Japan - and other varieties

A tasting of Koshu of Japan

It is rare to encounter a completely new and unknown wine country - the specific nuances of some less familiar sub-region keen to make a name for itself become the most novel experiences after a while. That and the anticipation of the new vintage from a classic region.

But tasting Koshu of Japan was suddenly like being a novice all over again - no context, no backstory, no reference point. Nothing other than one's palate as a guide - it all felt very strange and foreign.

The whites were exclusively the Koshu variety, but from a range of areas with varying treatments, soil types and elevations - it seems Japan does both technique and terroir.

In simple term Koshu is a lightish, elegant and versatile white with citrussy fruit and a slightly herby, floral character. It is pure and precise, often like a classic Loire Chenin, Chablis or a Burgundy.

Grown at altitude and / or on slatey, granite soils, it gains a Riesling-esque minerality; it responds well to oak and also produces an excellent fizz.

It is the sort of wine that makes you think of Sushi, lemongrass and Japanese noodles.

 Being both well-made and Japanese, it is not in the supermarket price bracket; mid-teens to mid-twenties is the general range for still whites.

Should you spend the equivalent of three bottles of supermarket kiwi Savignon on a Koshu?

If kiwi Sauvignon is your reference point, then probably not. If you are prepared to try it in lieu of a Grand Cru Chablis or white Burgundy, then you will find the experience rewarding and enlightening.

There were also a couple of reds made from Bordeaux blends - the standout was a 2009 Rubaiyat with supple texture and fine, harmonious tannins.

Mountain Wines From Kazakhstan - Arba

A trade tasting of Arba wines from Kazakhstan at 67 Pall Mall

Wines must rank alongside Borat as Kazakhstan's unlikeliest exports; what Islam started, the Soviet Union finished off, bit by bit.

Zeinulla Kakimzhakov set out to change all that in the early 2000s with Arba wines based in the Assa Valley at 1,000m altitude in South-Eastern Kazakhstan.

If this is effectively the foothills of the Himalayas, the nearest oenological reference point is perhaps South America - high, dry mountain valleys.

But these high-altitude vines are also cool climate and have massive temperature fluctuations to contend with. From minus 15-30 in the winter, the temperature rises to plus 35-40 in the summer, then halves at night.

With almost no quality wine industry in Kazakhstan to speak of, there is no definable "Kazakh" style to emulate.

Arba's wines must, then, be compared against world styles generally - they have two distinctly Eastern European grapes, Rkatsiteli and Saperavi, but the remainder are international varieties in an international style.

What they all have in common is an ambitious elegance, substance, freshness and a well-made quality. With good acidity and ripe, supple tannins these are classic "restaurant wines".

Ainala Arba Gewurztraminer 2013 varietally-correct sweet spice and lychees, but restrained, long, textured and dry.

Very Good.

Sary Arba Rkatsiteli 2013 more-neutral, long and supple, white stone fruit with good underpinnings. An adept and versatile food wine.

Good.

AK Arba Kazakh Riesling 2013 aromatic and Mosel-esque nose; peaches and pineapple fruit, zippy acidity, minerality and a touch of sweetness.

Good.

Pino Arba Pinot Noir 2013 dark cherries, raspberries, cool mint and spice. Soft, supple and mineral with fine, ripe tannins.

Good.

Lagyl Arba Saperavi 2013 dark fruit, spice, cool mint and a touch of earthy-sulphuriness. Fresh, full and supple - think Syrah.

Good.

Kyzyl Arba Cab Franc 2013 raspberry leaves, dark berry fruit and spice. Long and adept with supple tannins. Very Good.

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Around The World In A Day - Amathus Knightsbridge

Amathus - as I didn't know - is mostly a wholesale business, one of the UK's main importers, and specialises in spirits as much as wines.

As a sideline, they run a few retail outlets - each with a very different character. Leadenhall Market caters for city types and sells mostly Champagne and classic French reds.

The Soho branch, in adland, does a surprisingly brisk trade in cocktail spirits.

The latest addition is Amathus Knightsbridge which will surely give Harrod's Food Hall just up the road a run for its money.

The shop has been open for three months, but the technicalities of getting a refit sorted meant they have only just had their launch event.

They invited me along.

We started with a Prosecco - off-dry with orchard fruit it was fault-free and pleasant if a little unsophisticated. At over ten pounds, it was at the upper end of the price scale for the quality.

The format of the evening was canapes and a help-yourself to the 20-plus wines and spirits available on the two oenomatic machines.

Overall, the wines were well-made, well-chosen and interesting. Many were priced at the upper end of what I would have expected, but a memorable selection were both impressive and good value.

What I liked most about the arrangement was the option of three price points per wine on the oenomatic machine.

This means that for pocket-money prices, you can taste a small splash of wine to see if you want to take a whole bottle.

It also means that, should you fancy it, for the price of a single bottle, you can try everything on offer on the shop.

So, if you are the sort of person who would take a Vinho Verde over a kiwi Sauvignon, who feels that a £10+ wine can be good value if the quality is great, who would consider taking an oenological tour of all the continents in a single evening to be a major achievement, then the Aladdin's cave that is Amathus Knightsbridge could be just your thing.

The Whites

Koshu (Japan) my first Japanese wine; modern, expressive aromatic nose. Pure and precise. Pleasant but somewhat international in style, rather insubstantial and also expensive at £22.

Louis Sipp Riesling (Alsace) textbook Alsace Riesling, off-dry, musky melonskin, ripe stone fruit and citrus, minerality. Very elegant.

Savigny-Les-Beaune (Burgundy) floral, cidery and mineral. Seems more Jura than Burgundy.

The Reds

Taurasi (Italy) complex, nuanced and sophisticated. A class act. Very Good.

Gordon Estate Syrah (Washington, USA) northern Rhone-esque Syrah, all dark herbs and spices, dark berries, freshness and substance. A revelation. Good.

The Spirits
Ferdinand's Saar Dry Gin (Germany) crisp, refreshing and pleasantly bitter.

La Puritita Mezcal (Mexico) smokey-peaty, like an Islay whisky.

Ch De Laubade X.O. (Bas Armagnac) complex, mature and mellow with a sophisticated assertiveness. Very Good Indeed.

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Monsoon Valley Shiraz and Shiraz Rosé - Thailand

One of the key symptoms of wine geekiness is an insatiable enthusiasm for trying new things - it helps if they are good, too, of course.

These two wines from Thailand's Monsoon Valley scored on both fronts - like most people, I imagine, I associate Thailand more with green curry, dancing and Singha Beer. So it was a revelation to find that the country not only makes wine, but that it is rather good and in a classical, European style.

The PR blurb tells me: Monsoon Valley Wines are award-winning wines made from carefully selected grapes grown at Hua Hin Hills Vineyard in Thailand. The leading new latitude wine is crafted by Siam Winery winemaker

Kathrin Puff and her team, using old world values with new world enthusiasm and state of the art
winemaking equipment.

Monsoon Valley Shiraz 2010

Toasty, spicy nose with vanilla and dark berry fruit - elderberries and black cherries.

Lovely mouthfilling acidity, low in tannins.

Few clues as to its New World origins - it is reminiscent of a Languedoc Syrah.

After a day, the aromas have developed even more - dark fruit, vanilla spice are prominent with a vegetal / slightly sulphurous aroma.

On the palate, it is juicy yet persistent with good length.

It feels light, easy-drinking and elegant - with a soft, smooth texture and very gentle tannins.

What there is here feels very pleasant and technically well made with no rough edges at all. There isn't a lot of tannic structure, but it's just not that type of wine.

Match the dark fruit, juiciness and spice to a slow roast leg of lamb.

Monsoon Valley Shiraz Rosé 2011

Salmon pink in the glass, aromas of red fruits and spice on the nose.

Crisp, precise and linear on the palate with more red berry fruit, hints of spice and good minerality; good aromatics and deftness.

Long palate and persistence on the finish - this is an accomplished food rosé.

Match with European foods such as smoked salmon, summery salads and charcuterie - or maybe with a Thai red curry, too.

Both wines are good and have won awards - personally I slightly prefer the racy style of the rosé.

Both wines available from Fine Wine Sellers priced at £10.99: provided for review.

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Links
Monsoon Valley - website
Fine Wine Sellers - website