Cambridge-born Olivia, like the Bee Gees before her, went off to Australia then made it big in the US in the late '70s.
I'd like to think she would have approved of this fizzical line-up.
Nozeco (£3.25 - £4.00, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrison and Co-op)
An alcohol-free Prosecco lookalike, it is made from flavoured de-alcoholised wine from Spain; it is vegan and has fewer calories than regular wine. It costs less, too.
It sits somewhere between a sophisticated elderflower lemonade and a decent entry-level Prosecco, albeit without the alcohol, and has an IWSC Silver medal.
foams enthusiastically; elderflower, orange blossom and citrussy bergamot; crisp and refreshing with lemon-lime, sherbet and florality
Well-balanced and thoroughly pleasant.
Tesco Finest Prosecco DOC (£8.50, Tesco)
Made by Cantine Maschio using selected yeasts and aged for around one month at a controlled temperature of 12-15°C to preserves the fruit aromas.
Frothy, floral and citrussy; orchard and white stone fruits, sherbet, refreshing citrus and salinity. Crisp, clean and elegant
Well-made and thoroughly enjoyable.
Serve as an easy-drinking, crowd pleasing aperitif or with the lightest of canapés.
Founded in 1864, Gratien & Meyer are one of the leading producers of Cremant (traditional method sparkling wines) in the Loire. These are produced in the same way as Champagne, but sell for much less, making them a great value alternative for celebrations and special occasions.
A blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Chenin, Cabernet Franc.
yeasty, biscuity brioche, creamy oatmeal and white pepper with citrus, florality and red berry fruits. Adept, with complex, savoury underpinnings.
Good.
Serve as an aperitif or match with shellfish, lighter curries and picnic foods such as hams, quiches and chicken drumsticks.
If you know Calvet's wines, it is probably for their range of easy-drinking and inexpensive Bordeaux. And if you don't, you probably should, as they are the largest French wine brand in the UK and the UK is Calvet's largest market.
But Calvet turns out to be a lot more than just Bordeaux; established over 200 years ago, the company makes wine in almost all of France's major regions.
Calvet Kitchen is a food-and-wine matching initiative to pair regional French dishes with Calvet wines; which is, after all, when French wine is all about.
With 64 winemakers in 7 regions, Calvet is a diverse business and yet all the wines here had a family resemblance that reflects Calvet's aims - an elegance and easy-drinking freshness with plenty of food-friendly mid-palate.
These wines all drink well on first pouring, but also open with aeration and have the body and complexity to stand up to food.
Loire-based winemaker Pierre-Jean Sauvion explained his approach:
- quality of fruit
- balance of fruit and freshness
- food-friendly salinity
The wines were all of broadly similar quality and, the Chablis aside, price, so preferences come down largely to personal taste.
Of the whites, I enjoyed the Chablis most, but given the price difference, the Muscadet makes a good value alternative.
Of the other colours, the CdRV was the most substantial and interesting.
Grown on warmer sandy soils, resulting in more ripeness in the wine.
minty and floral with tropical fruit; fresh, rounded and saline with pear and white stone fruits
Thoroughly enjoyable.
Match with seafood and freshwater fish.
Calvet Haut Poitou 2021, abv 11.5%, (£10.99 Waitrose)
A new appellation to the south of the Loire around an hour from Saumur, it was created in 2011 but has a long history dating back to the 14th century. The soils are part of the same chalk limestone that runs under Champagne and moderates the water table which is key to the condition of the grapes.
Loire Sauvignon with a new world nose, but old world palate.
expressive and exuberant; gooseberries, exotic fruits and mintiness; juicy citrus, ripe green fruits and herbaceous, minty, zippy lime,
Thoroughly enjoyable.
Matches well with fresh tomato-based dishes.
Calvet Chablis 2021, abv 12%, (£20 Ocado)
Grown on chalk soils with 80% fermented in stainless steel for freshness and 20% in barrel for complexity.
stone fruits, peaches an dapricot; green apple and grapefruit, with lemon zest, fresh coriander and salinity.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
A versatile food wine, serve as an aperitif or match with starters and lighter mains.
Calvet Murmure de Rose Côtes de Provence 2021, abv 12.5% (new)
Newly-launched in the UK; night-picked for freshness with a short maceration; fermented in stainless steel for freshness.
red fruits, mint and spice; fresh, fruited and textured with red berries and salinity.
There's an old saw in the wine trade about punters who declaim: I never drink Chardonnay but I love Chablis.
I've heard this story many times from retailers and educators but I have never actually heard the statement uttered by anyone.
And while it may be fun to laugh at the nonsense that people say, or are reported to have said, there is actually some truth in the idea.
Chablis is, of course, made from the Chardonnay grape, so at face value the statement is nonsense.
However, "Chardonnay" was for a long time the varietal labelling of many an overripe, over-oaked New World wine, so there can indeed be a valid distinction between a cool-climate, steely wine with "Chablis" on the bottle versus plonk from some antipodean Creek or Gully labelled as "Chardonnay".
Today's equivalent to this may well be: I never drink Sauvignon but I love Loire whites.
New Zealand Sauvignon took the aromatic potential of the great Loire grape and turning it up to 11 discovered the 21st Century's first proper darling - for a while, at least. The combination of cool maritime climates, extended skin contact and temperature-controlled stainless steel fermentation resulted in a pungent expressive white with as much subtlety as Robin Williams after too many glasses of orange squash.
And just as Chablis remains the OG for Chardonnay, Loire whites have a timeless, classic complexity and sophistication this is neither as as in-yer-face and thrillingly modern as Marlborough c. 2004 nor as dated now either.
These six wines from Centre Loire - the middle section of one of France's great rivers - show what this region can do in terms of colour and price.
Of the whites, right now, the entry-level wine from Coteaux du Giennois (no, me neither) is drinking best, but given a couple of years the more ambitious Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre will round out and become more harmonious. If you must drink them young, match with some food and give them plenty of time in the decanter.
The Quincy has a warmth and heft that demands weighty foods.
The rosé is an elegant and complex Pinot Gris while the red from Menetou Salon red is an atypical Pinot; darker, leafier and less farmyardy than Burgundy. Tasted blind, I would have guessed Cab Franc.
Coteaux du Giennois, Taste the Difference 2020/2021 £11.00 (Sainsbury’s)
100% Sauvignon Blance with some aging on fine lees.
lifted aromatics, lemongrass, mint and fresh green herbs; citrus, melon and orchard fruits with flinty, slatey minerality, leesiness and good underpinnings.
100% Sauvignon Blanc from vines aged 30 - 45 years; aged on fine lees.
flinty herbaceous nose with grapefruit pith; saline mineral with citrus, melon, ripe white stone fruits and green apple; zippy lime marmalade ; elegant, concentrated and very adept.
Improves with aeration and will repay some cellaring.
Very Good.
Match with white fish, seafood or pork terrine.
Sancerre, Château de Crézancy 2020/2021 £19.99 or £17.99 mix six (Majestic Wine)
100% Sauvignon Blanc aged on fine lees until April of the following year
flinty with stone fruits and honeysuckle florality; white peach, citrus, grass, pear, and yellow bell pepper with wet stone minerality, lemongrass, grapefruit and lime; complex with leesy, brazil nut savouriness and good underpinnings.
Improves with aeration and will repay some cellaring.
Very Good.
Match with goat's cheese or mackerel paté salad.
Quincy Vieilles Vignes Domaine du Tremblay 2020 £14.50 (The Wine Society)
100% Sauvignon Blanc with some aging on fine lees.
baked spiced apple and lemon meringue pie; warming, weighty and viscous with dried orchard fruits and yellow stone fruit, sweet spices, creamy brazil nut, persistent savoury leesiness and saline minerality.
Drinks nicely on first opening, but improves with aeration and will repay some cellaring.
Match with weightier dishes such as roast pork or pasta with a creamy mushroom sauce.
Reuilly Rosé Les Chatillons, Denis Jamain 2020 £15.95 (BBR)
100% Pinot Gris with three hours of skin contact and five months of fine lees aging.
delicate red berry fruits, florality and savoury leesiness; fresh, citrussy, saline and supple with ripe white stone fruits, orchard fruits, melon and a touch of warming sweet spices.
Improves with aeration.
Very Good
A versatile food rosé; match with weightier picnic foods such as cold cuts, quiche
Menetou Salon red, Domaine Chavet La Cote 2020 £16.99 (Virgin Wines)
100% Pinot Noir grown on Kimmeridgian soil of fossilised oysters; aged in vats and large oak foudres.
dark translucent purple; red and black berry fruits, raspberry leaf, and spicy-savoury miso; fresh and minty-herbaceous with juicy red and black cherry fruit, soft berries and spice; concentrated and supple with very fine tannins. Very deft and accomplished.
- Empire State of Mind: Jay-Z ft Alicia Keys (2009)
Part two of a series of tastings, pitting varietal wines from New York State against classics from the rest of the world.
The first NY State tasting of Rieslings from the Finger Lakes was enough to put New York wines properly on my radar.
The three Rieslings from New York State more than held their own against examples from Western Australia, Alsace and Rheinhessen.
Think of US wines and mostly what we see in this country is warm-climate, fruit-forward Cali-juice. But with pretty much all US states making wine, the potential for variety and nuance is much greater.
The wines here were from two sub-regions within the state:
Finger Lakes: on the same latitude as Spain, but without the moderating effects of the Gulf Stream, it has a cold winter and short, hot summer. Large diurnal temperature variation preserves acidity and vintage variation is significant.
Long Island: a wine region for just 40 years, it has a maritime climate with a much longer growing season and is home to mostly Bordeaux grapes.
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is something of an ancient grape with a new look; its origins are uncertain, but the general consensus is Atlantic France, where it is still grown in the Loire, Bordeaux and further south.
It is a parent of both Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, but sits somewhere between the two in flavour profile. It does well in cooler climates, but also preserves freshness and varietal character in the heat.
Dark and juicy, you might say that it has the freshness of a white wine yet with the colour and fruit flavours of a red.
Deeper dive: Finger Lakes
144 Wineries
90-120 Day Growing Season
Located in the heart of New York’s scenic Finger Lakes region, the Finger Lakes wine country is centred around four main lakes with Native American names:
- Canandaigua (“The Chosen Spot” or “The Chosen Place”)
- Keuka (“Canoe Landing” or “Crooked Lake”)
- Seneca (“Place of the Stone”)
- Cayuga (“Boat Landing”)
Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake are also recognized as separate AVA’s within the Finger Lakes AVA due to their unique grape-growing conditions.
Some of the newest growth in this region is coming around the “Little Lakes”:
– Conesus (“Always Beautiful”)
- Hemlock (the only lake named for European settlers) found in the west.
The smaller lakes in the east – Owasco (“Floating Bridge” or “Crossing Place”), Cazenovia (“Lake of the yellow perch “), and Skaneateles (“Long Lake”) are also seeing wineries open in their vicinity. This region specializes in Sparkling Wines, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Ice Wine, and is also known for its Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc, as well as several French-American and Native American varietals.
Deeper dive: Long Island
82 Wineries
215-233 Day Growing Season
New York’s maritime influenced region, dating back about 40 years, Long Island, with its sandy soil and moderate climate, is best known for its superb reds – classic Bordeaux blends (called “Meritage” wines in the U.S.), Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
At the city of Riverhead, Long Island splits into two forks, separated by Great Peconic Bay. These two regions have their own AVA recognition as North Fork, Long Island, where most of the region’s wineries are located, and The Hamptons, Long Island, (or the south fork) where a few more wineries in the overall AVA reside.
Moderating influences include: Long Island Sound, Peconic Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean.
The wines
Lamoreaux Landing – T23 Cabernet Franc 2020, FINGER LAKES (£19.99, Daniel Lambert Wines)
Fruited and elegant
juicy and berry-fruited with herbal notes, savouriness and come coffee grounds; fresh, elegant and harmonious; concentrated and long.
Very Good.
Couly Dutheil, Clos de L’Echo 2018, CHINON, LOIRE, FRANCE (not currently available in the UK)
15.5% monster from the Loire
baked, jammy fruit aromas with pine leaves, dried herbs and raspberry leaves; inky, viscous and concentrated with stewed, jammy berry fruits pepper and roasted spices; just about retains freshness. More solidly impressive than juicily enjoyable.
Good.
Element Winery, Cabernet Franc 2014, FINGER LAKES (not currently available in the UK)
Mature, savoury and slightly dried-out
complex and evolved with dried red berries, mushrooms, old leather and earthy sous bois; fresh and supple with sweet, ripe rosehip, licorice and bruised apple fruit
Good.
Zuccardi, Apelación Cabernet Franc 2018, UCO VALLEY, ARGENTINA (£17.75, The Oxford Wine Company, The Vineking, Wimbledon Wine Cellars, The Wine Reserve)
Spiced blueberry pie
aromatic berries and raspberry leaf with nutmeg and cinnamon; plush yet fresh with gentle tannins; supple and long.
Good.
Journey’s End, V5 Cabernet Franc 2019, STELLENBOSCH, SOUTH AFRICA (£15.50, Tanners)
Savoury and scrubby
savoury, scrubby fynbos nose with roasted spices; fresh and juicy with berry fruits, spices, coffee grounds and fine tannins.
Very Good.
RG|NY, RG|NY Cabernet Franc 2019, NORTH FORK, LONG ISLAND (not currently available in the UK)
spiced cherries and cream
herbal raspberry leaf, fresh red berries - juicy raspberries, strawberries and cranberries - with sweet spices; creamy, fresh and concentrated; elegant savoury and long with fine tannins and a dense, muscular core.
I'll be honest, a Muscadet, white Bordeaux and Beaujolais have me thinking more of the '70s than of a new and innovative winemaker or region.
But as MW Mark Pygott explains, form is temporary, class is permanent.
He goes on: the problem is that fame encourages the less scrupulous to cut corners that can damage the reputation (form) of the region. These wines highlight what made these AOPs famous in the first place - Quality, Distinctiveness & Drinkability.
The wines are part of the Vineyard Productions portfolio which I reviewed previously, here, and here and found to be very well made and sophisticated - as you would expect from a company founded and run by two Masters of Wine.
The intention for Département Wines is to show the best of what each region can do, not so much to be a benchmark but more of a benchmark-plus.
Département Wines follows the process established by Vineyard Productions in working with existing winemakers to make enhanced versions of existing wines in small-ish quantities initially, increasing volume over the years.
This allows Liam Steevenson to make wine across the globe without needing the capital to buy a winery; the winery gains an additional customer and access to an MW's technical input in a risk-free experiment.
Mark picks up the story on each wine.
No. 44 – Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur lie, 2019
For many years, much of what was produced in this cool coastal region of Northern France was viewed as a poor person’s Chablis, but thankfully times have changed.
What was once cheap and occasionally cheerful has become a consistently reliable source of inexpensive refreshment, and one that deserves to accompany the briny oysters that are the signature entrée to any meal served at the Atlantic end of the Loire valley.
‘Reliable’ is fine for the majority, but we prefer to deal in the realm of ‘excellence’ and so have worked with a wine grower and winemaker who try very hard to push the level achievable with Muscadet to the limit.
Here we have texture, a result of the seven months our wine sat undisturbed above the lees. There is concentration, a reflection of these organically farmed old vines’ (planted in 1950 and 1987) habit of producing less quantity but increased quality.
And we also have a little bottle age, only a couple of years perhaps, but this has allowed the wine to grow into itself and become a benchmark for this Département.
white flowers, white stone fruits and vanilla; fresh and citrussy with orchard fruits, stone fruits, honeysuckle, herby fennel-and-dill and some sweet spices; savoury breadth and good underpinnings with mid-palate texture from lees aging.
Very Good.
Drinking nicely now; will age for another year or so.
Match with seafood, creamy white cheese or light starters.
No. 33 – Bordeaux Blanc, 2020
Brilliant and affordable red wines from Bordeaux…that was always going to be a challenge, but an outstanding white Bordeaux that doesn’t break the bank?
We knew we could do that. Bordeaux grows a lot of Sauvignon Blanc and as we have had plenty of experience with making world class Sauvignon in New Zealand, we were very keen to do the same here.
The minority partner to our Sauvignon is old vine Semillon, a variety which buffs the edges off Sauvignon’s angularity to give a wine rich in texture as well as aroma.
Our goal was to make a Bordeaux Blanc that performed like a fine wine but whose price tag was much less intimidating.
We believe we have done that; we hope you do too.
2 parts SB to 1 part Semillon from the Entre Deux Mers region; several hours' skin contact, fermented with a "Marlborough-style" yeast for lifted aromatics and aged in 100% new oak, the result is a Graves / Pessac-Leognan lookalike.
expressive and aromatic with classic lifted kiwi / grapefruity thiols; yellow stone fruits and tropical guava and pineapple; rich, broad and savoury with brazil-nut creaminess and some sweet, minty spice; good underpinnings, very long and harmonious.
Very Good.
Drinks nicely on first pouring, gains complexity with aeration; will age for several years.
Match with herby pork terrine, white fish with herbs or roast chicken.
No.69 Fleurie, Beaujolais
When people hear the word ‘Beaujolais’, the style of wine that springs to mind is generally one that is lithe and light, a quaffer or ‘vin de soif’ as the French would say.
Even when the famous villages are highlighted on the label, there remains the expectation that what you will taste might well be delicious, but it could also be rather simple. Well, we wanted something more than this.
Of course, ‘deliciousness’ was not something that we were prepared to sacrifice but we also wanted some scale and depth to our Fleurie to show the complexity possible from this famous ‘cru’.
By using fruit from the high slopes above the hamlet of Poncié, we have ensured that the fruit style is one rich in red fruit (due to perfect exposure to sunlight) but also framed by finesse (a result of the cool nights achieved at this altitude that allows the grapes to retain their perfume).
A period of ageing in some of the very best barrels and wooden vats was not done to add any obvious flavour or aroma but to add silkiness of texture.
This instantly creates the impression that you are in the presence of a Fleurie of the very finest kind, and therefore a rather regal representative of Département 69.
from a warm year giving 14% alcohol, lifted dark fruits, musky sous bois and spice; ripe, juicy dark cherries and elderberries with menthol-eucalyptus, sweet vanilla and a custardy-inky texture; vibrant, fresh and harmonious, complex and savoury with a slightly warming finish.
Very Good.
Match with roasted red meats, including venison, rosemary-and-garlic lamb or peppery roast beef.
Drinks nicely on first pouring and will age for five - 10 years.
Three "summer-holiday" wines from Tesco - classics from France, Italy and Spain
My idea of a perfect summer holiday involves getting in the car and driving to France, Italy or Spain for sunshine, outdoors living and lovely food and wine plus a bit of exploring and cultural history.
Since that was never really a serious option this year, I spent time with he family discovering new parts of our home country, even if they are more famous for their beers, rainy weather and seal rather than sun-kissed beaches, yachts and dusty lavender scents.
However, being unable to drive to sunnier climes doesn't have to mean no foreign-holiday vibes; you just need to be more imaginative about arranging it all from home. And be prepared to eat indoors.
France
The Loire is home to impressive chateaux and is an easy top-over on the way south from Calais.
Tesco Finest Pouilly Fume 2020 (£13)
temperature controlled fermentation for aromatics, followed by 6-12 month fine lees ageing for savoury complexity
aromatic and musky-pungent; fresh gooseberry, melon, white stone fruit and citrussy lime with creamy minerality; intense adept and concentrated.
Very Good.
Match with a goat's chees tart starter, herby pork terrine or white fish in a parsley broth.
Italy
Gavi is made from the Cortese grape in Italy's north west region of Piedmont, a region which includes the city of Turin and the foothills of the alps, where there are truffles and game to be found.
Think of Gavi as akin to an entry-level white Burgundy and you won't go far wrong - a versatile, and food-friendly relatively neutral wine.
Tesco Finest Gavi 2020 (£8.50)
This wine sees some old oak and has a little lees aging for complexity.
floral and citrussy; apples and pears, white stone fruits and sherbetty citrus freshness with good underpinnings and savouriness. Clean, pure and elegant.
Very Good and Good Value.
Match with a range of starters, meaty white fish such as sea bass or roast pork; also lighter game such as guinea fowl or partridge.
Spain
High-altitude oak-aged Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero. Local foods here include roast veal or lamb, roast suckling pig, morcilla (black pudding), roasted meat with wine, ox steak with garlic, chorizo omelette and rabbit.
Tesco Finest Ribera Del Duero, 2019 (£12)
darkly fruited, oaky spice, pencil shavings and florality; inky, intense and concentrated yet very fresh and structured; ripe dark berry fruits, liquorice and sweet vanilla spice; fleshy yet with a muscular core.
Very Good.
Match with char-grilled red meats, roast lamb or grilled portobello mushrooms
Think pink and chances are, neither England nor the Loire is what first springs to mind.
But, with the popularity of rosé rising, everyone is keen to get in on the act. Even northerly climates.
If you reckon England is all about traditional method fizz and Sancerre is just flinty Sauvignon, get with the program!
Both regions now do pink wines - and do them very well.
Tesco Finest English Sparkling Rose Brut (£21)
Made by award-winning Hush Heath Estate, this refreshing pink sparkling wine is produced in the traditional method, hand harvesting grapes to make a pale coral coloured wine, with wild strawberry and citrus flavours, balanced with a vibrant acidity.
A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, cool fermented and aged on the lees for over a year to give a toasty, brioche note.
white flowers and marzipan with brioche; fresh and sherbetty, citrussy with delicate redcurrants, alpine strawberries and red cherries; fine mousse and minerality; clean and harmonious with good underpinnings.
Good.
Serve as a garden-party aperitif or match with creamy cheeses, oily fish or seafood canapés.
Sancerre Rose (£12)
Made from Pinot Noir, picking is done early in the morning, when the temperature is low, to protect all the Pinot Noir aromas. The grapes are gently pressed and the juices are then fermented at low temperature to preserve all the aromas revealing the subtlety of the terroir. It is bottled in the Spring following the harvest to keep the flavours.
white pepper, red plum and cherry fruit; citrus, tropical fruits, florality and aromatic lemongrass; stone fruits and red berries with zippy gooseberry and grapefruit; good savoury concentration, underpinnings and length.
Very Good.
Match with seafood starters or picnic foods such as quiche and cold cuts.
*****
Further details:
English Fizz - History
Hush Heath Estate, situated in Kent, dates back to 1503. At the heart of the property is a Tudor manor surrounded by 162 hectares of perfectly manicured gardens, vineyards and apple orchards. Forward thinking Richard Balfour-Lynn planted first planted vineyards on the property in 2002.
Today, Hush Heath's 15 hectares of vineyards and 8 hectares of apple trees are meticulously and sustainably managed by a family of viticulturists.
Nestled among the rolling hills, within The Garden of England, the Hush Heath vineyards enjoy quiet serenity and a favourable microclimate supporting optimal ripening conditions for our prized grapes.
Our vines and wines benefit from our outstanding soil; deep Wealden clay, unique to our corner of Kent, which provides dense structure in our wines and vibrant, lively acidity.
Sancerre Pink
Nestled in the heart of the Sancerre appellation, the Domaine Fournier Père et Fils winery goes back generations of winemakers since 1926. The Finest Sancerre Rosé comes from Pinot Noir vines aged between 10 to 30 years.
Sancerre, in the Loire Valley, is incredibly well known for its Sauvignon Blanc wines, but Pinot Noir is also grown here and made into delicate rose wines like this Finest Sancerre Rose.
I've been reviewing my way through a series of Daniel Lambert wines and comparing them (very favourably) with more widely available bottles.
I left these two until last as they are a bit off-the-beaten-track, but also very food friendly and pair well together.
Unlike a standard Crisp White and Big Red pairing, such as Chablis and Rioja, the white here (a Loire from Quincy), is a little fuller and more rounded, while the red (a Viennese Zweigelt-Pinot blend) is lighter and fresher. So, they are perhaps rather more like a pair of good Burgundies - only much cheaper.
Domaine Valéry Renaudat Quincy 2019
Based in the hamlet of Reuilly, Valery Reneaudat has a clean, fruit-driven style. Quincy, in the Centre Loire, and is one of the warmest parts of the region, giving a rich fullness to the wines which are 100% Sauvignon and intended for early drinking.
floral and citrussy with zippy, tangy lime and a whiff of white pepper; ripe, slightly baked orchard and white stone fruits with fresh green herbs and some sweet spices. Rich, full and supple.
Drinks nicely on first pouring.
Good.
Match with goat's cheese, scallops or roast pork.
Weingut R&A Pfaffl Wien.2, 2019
A blend of Zweigelt and Pinot Noir from Vienna.
expressive with complex cherries, toasty-oaky spice and woodsy undergrowth; juicy dark fruits, black cherries, plums and elderberries, vanilla and toasted oaky spice with soft red fruits and tobacco leaf; full, supple and elegant with gentle, very fine and rounded tannins.
Good.
Match with darker game such a duck breast, venison steaks or wild boar sausages.
Lots of elderflower perfume and bursting with juicy citrus right across the palate and through to a firm satisfying finish. Full of the lime-green energy and vivacity of spring. Delicious Quincy. A wine that makes you want to get out into the garden and plant things.
National [insert name here] days are either vacuous PR puffery, a bit of harmless fun or a cynical marketing exercise depending on your point of view.
I tend towards the view that they are a good thing: no-one is forced to do anything they don't want, it provides an excuse to try something that is perhaps different and if brings new grapes and wines to the attention of people who might not otherwise have tried them, then so much the better.
Here are two Tesco wines for National White Wine Day.
Chenin's spiritual home is the Loire where it makes everything from crisp fizz to dessert wines and all points in between. The grape has also found a new home in South Africa; it is the most widely-planted grape there and has been cultivated since 1655.
The Loire is also Sauvignon's spiritual home and Sancerre can be seen as Atlantic France's answer to Chablis; a cool-climate white that is all about texture and and structure. Like Chablis, the wines are unique - and therefore carry something of a premium.
Bellingham The Bernard Series Chenin Blanc, 13.5% abv, £10.00
yellow stone fruits, musky melonskin, and florality; lemon-lime and orchard fruits, sweet spices, savouriness and complex white pepper spice; full, supple and mineral and savoury.
Very Good and Good Value.
A versatile food wine, match with roasted pork belly slices
Tesco Finest Sancerre, 13% abv, £14.00
elderflower, citrus and florality with tropical fruits; orchard and white stone fruits with grapefruit and zippy lime; supple and mineral.
Good.
Fresh enough for an aperitif; a versatile match with goat's cheese, salads or summery foods.
Summer has taken a long time arriving in the UK. But at some point, we will want to meet up again with others in the fresh air and do summery stuff.
Summer drinking is all about freshness - wines that refresh and cut through barbecue foods, such as hot dogs and burgers or quiches and chicken drumsticks. Wines that are easy to drink, that you can sip in a deck chair.
Here are three refreshing summery wines from Tesco that don't have to be consumed at a garden party - but it helps.
The Loire is a great source of inexpensive lively wines with great freshness; a pink fizz from other parts of France could cost a lot more than this.
Spanish Albariño from Rias Baixas is the next step on from kiwi Sauvignon Blanc; grown in Spain's cool, damp north west, it has all the same aromatic zingy freshness.
Beaujolais is technically part of Burgundy, but grows different grapes on different soils right in the south; juicy, easy-drinking dark-berry fruits are the hallmark of Beaujolais which makes it a great wine for food.
Gratien & Meyer Crémant De Loire Rosé NV - £12
Founded in 1864, Gratien & Meyer are one of the leading producers of Cremant (traditional method sparkling wines) in the Loire. These are produced in the same way as Champagne, but sell for much less, making them a great value alternative for celebrations and special occasions.
A blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Chenin, Cabernet Franc; yeasty, biscuity brioche, creamy oatmeal and white pepper with citrus, florality and red berry fruits. Adept, with complex, savoury underpinnings.
Good.
Serve as an aperitif or match with shellfish, lighter curries and picnic foods such as hams, quiches and chicken drumsticks.
Paco & Lola Albariño - £12
From the O Rosal Valley is in the south of Rías Baixas; the climate is mild, due to the Miño River and Atlantic ocean, with mineral-rich soils.
aromatic zesty citrus, acacia, cut grass and musky melonskin; fresh stone fruit, lychees and honeysuckle with zingy grapefruit and lime; intense, mineral and persistent.
Good; thoroughly pleasant on first pouring but improves noticeably with some aeration.
Match with strongly flavoured seafood, such as prawns and calamari with garlic, ginger and herbs, cod in a herby broth or herby-garlic cream cheese on crusty bread.
Tesco Beaujolais Rouge, 2020 - £5 (vegetarian)
floral and aromatic with dark berries and earthiness; juicy cherry, redcurrant and elderberry fruit, with spices and rubbed sage; vibrant, supple and fresh.
Thoroughly enjoyable and Good Value
Serve slightly chilled with barbecue or picnic foods, such as burgers and hot dogs.
******
Further reviews
Paco & Lola Albariño
Decanter World Wine Awards 2020 Platinum Medal - 97pts
'Scintillating. Stone-fresh, crunchy, vivid and pungent: everything you want on the palate, and more. An outstanding effort with beguiling and satisfying lime oil, pith and pounded rock to finish. Exquisite wine with a long appetising finish.'
Like science, The Virus and Marcus Rashford, Daniel Lambert can be credited with pretty much single-handedly forcing the UK government into one of its regular U-turns. In his case it involved an obscure but costly and pointless bureaucratic document called the Vi-1.
Take away the technical details and you can read this as just another example of the lie that was Brexit coming to light. Or you can see one man's struggle on behalf of an entire sector for common sense and pragmatism to prevail over simplistic, jingoistic state-sponsored gaslightling.
Opinionated and not afraid to speak truth to power, Daniel is a man after my own heart.
As I noted at the time, there was nothing I didn't like; all the wines were at least Good, and many were much better than that (David Kermode's take is here).
After a twitter exchange, Daniel sent me a selection of his wines to try. I started with a Spanish Chardonnay and an Austrian red.
Enate Chardonnay 234, Somontano, Spain
An area in the foothills of the Pyrenees, Jancis Robinson describes Somontano as "another Spanish wine region worthy of international
attention". More specifically, she characterises it as a small and growing region, potentially one of Spain's most exciting, even if much of its produce tends to be fashioned in the image of international classics. She singles out producer Enate, saying that they make some fine reds and whites from imported grape varieties.
Tasted blind, you'd be forgiven for having no idea where this wine comes from; it has a warm-climate topicality and breadth with a European complexity and elegance. It hints at the perfumed richness of Alsace with the waxiness of the Rhône.
Floral and aromatic with tropical citrus fruits and toasty leesiness; pineapple, melon and passionfruit with fennel, ginger and warming sweet spices; savoury, leesy and waxy with just enough freshness to hold everything together. Very clean, pure and long.
Good.
Match with rich, Alsace-style dishes such as pork with creamy sauce or mature hard cheeses.
Weingut Pfaffl Plum St Laurent, Lower Austria
Austrian whites were my first love, but I am a more recent convert to the country's reds. Where the whites are austere and structured, the reds are generally delicate and juicy. Think Chablis vs Beaujolais.
St Laurent is a signature Austrian red grape along with the more well-known Blaufraenkisch; while both grapes are Pinot-esque, this St Laurent is more Gamay than Burgundian.
Dark purple with cherry and custard aromas; juicy and spicy with black cherries and dark-plummy fruit, pencil shavings, inkiness and spice with some florality; juicy and fresh with a gentle firmness and good savoury underpinnings.
Good.
Fresh and versatile, an easy quaffer or picnic wine with the freshness for tuna tartare, mixed anti-pasti or roast chicken.
There's an old in-joke about people saying how they don't like Chardonnay but they love Chablis. Today's equivalent would be not liking Sauvignon Blanc, but loving Loire whites. Yes this is a zippy SB; it's also a Loire. And it's lovely: minty aromatics and grapefruit citrus zest. Flawless.
There are two white wine grapes that it's OK for wine geeks not to like; one is the highly aromatic, oily Gewürztraminer. Sauvignon blanc is fast becoming the other.
Why so? In two words: New Zealand.
That expressive, aromatic, full-on kiwi style of Sauvignon originally pioneered by Cloudy Bay and now a signature style of Marlborough has been taken all around the world and copied by seemingly everyone with a few vines and some cool-climate white-grape terroir.
Zingy Sauvignon was where the wine world went after over-oaked Chardonnay. And just as Chardonnay's problem was that it became just too popular and turned into a pale imitation of itself in order to keep up with demand, the same risks happening to mainstream Sauvignon.
But step away from the pub whites and supermarket wine aisles and there are good, interesting Sauvignons worth seeking out.
For there are, of course, Sauvignons and Sauvignons; for every bandwagon-jumping, in-yer-face kiwi-copycat, there's a more considered, nuanced and complex Loire, white Bordeaux or even New World Sauvignon being made in a modern classical style.
What to look for? A good modern, cool-climate Sauvignon will almost certainly have those signature expressive aromatics but also a textured complexity and minerality.
This Loire Touraine Sauvignon comes from one of the better-value sub-region of the Loire; where Sancerre & Pouilly-Fumé have the cachet and command a premium, Touraine can produce well-made, inexpensive wines.
Xavier Frissant Touraine 2020
Xavier Frissant operates a 27 hectare vineyard, located south of the Loire, on the best slopes of the Municipality of Mosnes, just outside the beautiful town of Amboise.
The vineyard is based in five different locations with two distinct terroirs:
- clay-siliceous soils, rich in flint; these are found on the plots of Les Frênes, Les Pierres and La Touche.
- loamy-sandy soils in Hauts-Noyers and Clos du Verger.
The wines labelled as AOC Touraine are 100% Sauvignon blanc and express the minerality of the terroir.
The plot for this wine is located on the southernmost edge of the vineyard in "les Pentes"; it is a stony cliffside with clay silica sand.
The wine is slowly vinified at low temperature which preserves to preserve aromatics; complexity comes from maturation on fine lees in stainless steel.
Xavier Frissant Touraine 2020 (£12, independents) minty, fresh and mineral with exotic fruits; zippy grapefruit and lime marmelade, green apples, stone fruit, and freshly cut grass with a leesy-creaminess and pronounced saline minerality. Adept, well-made, complex and flawless.
Good.
Fresh enough for an aperitif, match with goat's cheese or sea bass with asparagus risotto. Also, cold meats, moules marinière with cream, garlic and parsley, oysters, grilled fish.
Domaine de Saint-Just, La Coulee de Saint-Cyr Blanc, Saumur 2010
There once was a boy from Saint Just Who ate apple pie 'til he bust It wasn't the fru-it That caused him to do it What finished him off was the crust
- limerick
If you wanted to demonstrate the greatness and versatility of Chenin, this could be the wine to pour. It is rich, savoury, full and complex - and at 10 years old, it still has plenty of life ahead.
With high acidity and flavours of flowers, damp straw and honey, this aged dry Loire Chenin is not exactly an easy-drinking crowd-pleaser; but its savoury freshness is fascinating and compelling. It has the richness and botrytised flavours of a sweet wine, yet is completely dry.
Domaine de Saint-Just, La Coulee de Saint-Cyr Blanc, Saumur 2010 topaz colour with cidery, bruised apple, leesy acacia blossom and a sherry-esque tang; toasted almonds and savoury beeswax with dried apricots, sultanas and yellow apple; fresh with a sharp backbone and saline minerality; complex, supple and very elegant.
Very Good.
Match with snails, mackerel pâté or lighter game, such as guinea fowl.
This is the last of the wines we brought back from the Loire last year; I had a good feeling about it (it has a gold medal from Macon).
With high acidity low tannins and cherry flavours, it is somewhat Pinot-esque. I find rather prefer it to red Burgundy costing several times more.
The blend is undisclosed, but may include Gamay, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and others.
Domaine Roc de Chateauvieux, Touraine, 2018 (Intermarché, c. €5) red and black berry fruit, plums, sour cherries, florality, herbaceous rubbed sage, spice and savouriness; vibrant, fresh and supple with an inky texture and gentle, very fine tannins.
Good.
Match with roasted or grilled red meats, such as lamb chops.
Intermarché "Expert Club" St Nicolas de Bourgueil, 2018
The main grape in the Loire's Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil sub-region is Cabernet Franc; it finds a home in most areas of Atlantic France and this far north, tends towards freshness and leafiness.
Intermarché "Expert Club" St Nicolas de Bourgueil, 2018 (around €5) red and black fruits, earthy beetroot, herbaceous rubbed sage and pencil shavings; fresh acidity and harmonious, supple texture with fine, gentle tannins. Light, juicy and elegant.
Thoroughly pleasant.
Light enough to sip in the garden on a summer's eve, match with picnic foods, herby sausages or lamb with rosemary.
My rule of thumb on family driving holidays in France is:
- drink local
- go for medal-winners
- spend around €5 - €7 on wines to drink now / in the next 12 months
Driving through the Loire en route back from the south, we stocked up on some local wines from Intermarché; it's a great way to get a general feel for a region without the need to invest too much time or money visiting individual chateaux or producers.
That sort of deep-dive can come later. When teenage children aren't around, for example.
Expert Club Saumur, 2018, (€5, Intermarché) herbaceous raspberry leaf, green pepper, pencil shavings and spice; red and black cherry fruit and soft red berries; mineral and precise; supple, fresh, and elegant.
If Loire wines have a defining characteristic, it is freshness. Fresh and elegant, Loire reds have a vibrant juiciness that few other places quite manage.
Touraine Mesland is a sub-region of Touraine just outside Amboise. Its vineyards were planted by monks who were the first to introduce the Gamay grape to the area.
This red is a blend of all three permitted red grapes: juicy Gamay; deep Côt (aka Malbec) and herbaceous Cabernet Franc.
Domaine du Chemin de Rabelais, Touraine Mesland 2017 fresh juicy red berries and red plum fruit with raspberry leaf. Supple and elegant with good underpinnings and no rough edges. Very adept.
Drinks nicely out of the bottle and will age for another year or two; chill lightly for a summer sipper.
Good.
Match with mixed starters, salmon / tuna steaks or salami.
If Loire wines have a defining characteristic, it is a light freshness. This gives them a subtle, understated elegance but no lack of character or personality.
Vouvray is something of an old-school, geek's wine; made from Chenin and often off-dry, it lacks the on-trend aromatic zinginess of Sauvignon.
This bottle was marked down as part of a seasonal sell-off by the Co-op, so clearly the buying public have yet to get the message. Which is a pity as it is a lovely wine and good value even at full price.
Vouvray, Domaine Les Perruches 2018 (£8.50) rich and luscious yet fresh; slightly off-dry with ripe yellow stone-fruit, honeysuckle and some late-harvest character. Well-made and elegant.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
A versatile food wine, match with ham terrine, creamy cheeses or a plate of prawns.
If, like me, Adrian Mole and Richard III, you have a connection to Leicester, you can't help knowing that Daniel Lambert was once Britain's fattest man.
He claimed neither to have eaten nor drunk to excess and to have been reasonably active, but with no other medical symptoms, history's verdict is that this was probably a fib and he was just a lazy porker.
Still, he clearly enjoyed the good life and was even something of a celebrity, charging people to experience his enormous bulk "in the flesh", so to speak.
This, however, is not the Daniel Lambert you are looking for. Unrelated to my childhood local hero, award-winning Daniel Lambert Wines was established around 30 years ago just off the M4 in south Wales.
A simple test of a wine merchant is to pick a few wines at random; if they are all good, then you've probably found a reliable one.
There was nothing I didn't like at this tasting; all the wines were at least Good, many much better than that.
De Saint-Gall my new favourite Champagne house - excellent NV and an astonishing Grand Cru 2004
Montgomery well-made red and white wines from Wales
Domaine Philippe Raimbault elegant and concentrated Loires; Pouilly Fume and Sancerre
Cave OEdoria supple and elegant Beaujolais
Burgundy lots of lovely, elegant reds at varying price points from Domaine de la Galopiere, Domaine Lamy Pillot, Domaine Jean Fery, Fournier ets Fils, Domaine Marchand Grillot
Bordeaux amazing mature Pessac-Leognan from Couhins-Lurton (white, 2015) and La Louviere (red, 2010), plus a superb 2015 Sauternes from Filhot.
Calmel & Joseph the Languedoc Malbec that first turned me on to Daniel Lambert
Cotes du Rhone supple, inky, spicy Rhones from Pasquiers, Les Hauts de Mercurol and Fourmone
Rioja youthful, fresh Rioja with some age from Pascual Larrieta
Canada fresh and elegant cool-climate wines from Westcott
Dom Brial possibly the highlight of the tasting, a collection of superb Rivesaltes including a Rancio Sec 2000, sweet Ambre 2010 and a series of wines from the last century that, like Mick Jagger, just seemed to get better with age: 1999, 1979 and - my favourite - 1969.
From the ice-age to the dole-age
There is but one concern
I have just discovered:
Some girls are bigger than others
Some girls are bigger than others
Some girls' mothers are bigger than
other girls' mothers
- Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others (The Smiths, 1986)
Some rosés are bigger than others.
Until recently, I would not have expected a Sancerre to be pink - it is much more famous for its flinty-gunsmoke Sauvignon.
But, it seems, pink Sancerre is becoming A Thing; and despite its northerly provenance, this is a substantial pink, full and supple.
Rosé expert Liz Gabay MW suggests this Sancerre rosé would historically have been aged for longer before release.
It has the underpinnings and general stuffing to suggest it will keep for a couple more years but with pretty fruit and delicate florality, it does not feel like a full-on vin de garde.
In any case, it is drinking very nicely now but certainly won't harm from being cellared for a while.
If you eat and drink seasonally, this is a good, substantial, late-autumnal rosé.
However, in the days of central heating and air-freighted food supply chains, you can enjoy it with appropriate food at pretty much any time of the year - try it with smoked salmon and scrambled egg bagels on Christmas day.
Domaine Michel Girard Sancerre Rosé (£13.99, Virgin Wines) floral and musky-spicy; soft red berries and orchard fruits with warming white pepper. Harmonious, pure and precise. Textured, full and supple with freshness, saline minerality and good underpinnings. Very adept, assured and understated.
Good.
Match with fuller autumnal foods such as squash risotto or prawn coconut curry.
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