The CWB Fizz-Off

Three non-Champagne fizzes

Let's get fizzical, fizzical*

- Physical, Olivia Newton-John (1981)

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.

Gratien & Meyer Crémant De Loire Rosé NV (£12 , Tesco)

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.

*lyrics may not be 100% correct.

***

Other reviews:

The Complete Nozeco Review. Nozeco vs Prosecco - Opening The Bottle

Nozeco - The Light Drinker

Two Rosés from Tesco

Two Provence rosés from Tesco

Provence is to rosé as Champagne is to fizz; the standard against which all other wines are judged - for better or worse.

As a result, Provence rosés can command a significant price premium, especially if they are celebrity endorsed; however, the good news is that these two are keenly priced, albeit you do pay a little extra for the Studio's star credentials vs the Tesco own-label.

And a note on the power of branding for those who think it is all about the liquid inside the bottle; I offered these around the table in the garden on a sultry summer's eve. "Anyone want want some Brangelina wine?" I asked.

"Ooh, Brangelina wine, yes please, I'll have some of that!" said Mrs CWB, grabbing the bottled and enthusiastically filling up glasses for herself, her sister and the other ladies around the table.

In that context, a tasting note is somewhat redundant here - this is an enjoyable pink from a sun-kissed part of France made by a glamorous Hollywood power ex-couple and that's all you really need to know.

Tesco Finest Provence Rosé (£9)

This elegant and refreshing Provence Rosé is carefully sourced from picturesque vineyards that spend the year basking in the Mediterranean sun. Delicious stone fruit flavours are balanced with notes of fresh strawberries and redcurrants to create this crisp, delicate and dry wine with its signature pale pink colour. Pairs perfectly with seafood and antipasti.

red berry fruits, delicate mint and watermelon; white stone fruits, conference pears and red berries with white pepper, sweet spices and a leesy richness; broad and harmonious with good underpinnings

Drinks nicely on first opening.

A summer sipper, it will match well with picnic foods or cold cuts

Studio by Miraval (£12)

Blend of equal parts Cinsault, Grenache, Tibouren and Rolle (aka Vermentino); all the varieties are vinified by direct pressing.

The Cinsault and Tibouren in Stainless steel vats. The Grenache & Rolle are partially vinified in tulip-shaped concrete vats with a rounded bottom. This ovoid shape gives rise to a natural convection movement that suspends the lees creating the same effect as a batonnage and gives the wine a lot of structure.

very pale, slightly toasty; soft red-berry fruits, citrus and white fruits, white pepper and leesiness with saline minerality; elegant and pure.

Well-made and thoroughly pleasant.

A pleasant sipper, match with picnic food.

Two Provence Rosés

Two rosés from Provence

Sun is in the forecast and what better way to take your summer days to the next level than with a glass of inimitable Vins de Provence rosé?

Whether you’re enjoying an al-fresco lunch in the garden with friends, hosting a sophisticated dinner party, or celebrating a special occasion with loved ones, a bottle of refreshing Vins de Provence rosé is sure to make summer moments even more perfect.

Crisp and elegant, and always presented in a chic bottle, these premium rosés are the epitome of class and the true taste of style. Delicious as an apéritif or alongside a variety of cuisines, ranging from fragrant Asian curries to simple grilled seafood, a sip of Vins de Provence rosé will bring that little bit of Provençal warmth and sea breeze to wherever you are. 

Try a wine from each of the three beautiful appellations – Côtes de Provence, Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence and Coteaux Varois en Provence – to experience all the variety and sophistication that Vins de Provence has to offer.

Château Saint Maur Cru Classé, Saint M, Côtes de Provence, 2021 (£14.48, Vinatis)

Saint M from Château Saint Maur is elegant and refined, with peach, raspberry and gooseberry aromas. A well-balanced rosé, from vines that have been grown in clay limestone soil.

red fruits, florality and white pepper; saline and broad with red fruits, melon, orchard fruits, some zippy lime and brazil nut creaminess; complex and savoury.

Good.

Match with salmon tartare or fresh Greek salad

Domaine de Valdition, Vallon des Anges, Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence, 2021 (£12.93, Vinatis)

Located in the Alpilles area, this winery covers 240 hectares of breath-taking countryside. From these organic vines comes a stunning pale rosé, which is highly complex and has plenty of minerality. 

delicate red fruits, grapefruit and hints of fennel; saline with white stone fruits, melon and lime; broad and textured.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Serve as an apéritif, or match with sushi, marinated fish or prawn skewers.

Six Centre Loire Wines

Six Centre Loire wines

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.

Drinks nicely on first pouring.

Good.

Match with goat's cheese or seafood starters.

Pouilly-Fumé, Domaine Chatelain 2020/2021 £16.99 (Waitrose)

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.

Very Good.

***

Joanna Simon's review of the Coteaux du Giennois: WINE OF THE WEEK: Taste the Difference Coteaux du Giennois Sauvignon Blanc 2020, France (joannasimon.com)

Chris Kissak's review of Quincy Vieilles Vignes Domaine du Tremblay: Domaine du Tremblay Quincy Cuvée Vieilles Vignes 2020 • Winedoctor (thewinedoctor.com)

Four French Rosés For Summer

Four rosés for summer

Some people make the mistake of having rosé in the summer.

Others know better and drink it all year round.

Either way, summer is rosé season and International Rosé Day is on 11 June.

Here are four well-made and inexpensive rosés from France - look away now, label snobs; there is nothing from Provence here, but that just makes these wines better value.

La Belle Angèle rosé 2021 (£8.99 / £6.99 mix six, Majestic)

A Vin de France made with a blend of grapes including Grenache and Cinsault from both the Languedoc and the Gers in the South of France. Aged for just a few months in vats means this wine is fresh and full of strawberry bon bon flavours and floral aromas, as well as being a pretty, delicate pink colour.

La Belle Angèle was a famous muse for many of the French Impressionist painters in the Belle Epoque renowned for her beauty and joie de vivre. 

raspberry and redcurrant fruit, white pepper, saline minerality and good underpinnings. Rounded and elegant.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Match with barbecues, salads or just sip outside in the garden.

Abbotts & Delaunay, Fleurs Sauvages, Pays d’Oc, Grenache rosé 2021 (£9.99 / £8.99 mix six, Majestic)

A new wine from the Abbotts & Delaunay Collection. Thanks to the work in the vineyards that respect the soils and the vines, healthy, concentrated grapes can be harvested whilst respecting the wild flowers (fleurs sauvages) and other wild life that surrounds them.

Made from 100% grenache grapes coming from the Hérault plain and the Aude to create a wine which is fresh, pale Provence pink and bursting with strawberry and raspberry aromas with a touch of minerality.

delicate red berries and florality; crisp, fresh and saline-mineral with soft red fruits; elegant, harmonious and refreshing.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Serve as an aperitif on a sunny day in the garden or match with sushi or a warm chicken salad.

Calvet rosé d’Anjou 2021 (£8, Ocado)

Lower in alcohol at 11% making it good for summer drinking, this rich salmon coloured rosé comes from the Anjou region of the Loire Valley and is made from a blend of Cabernet Franc, Grolleau and Gamay grapes grown on clay/schist and clay/limestone soils.

expressive strawberry, raspberry and redcurrant flavours with watermelon, green apples, white peach and fresh citrus; hints of hazelnut and mint.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Refreshing and light enough for an aperitif, a great barbeque wine, match with seafood or quiche.

Fleurs de Prairies, AOP Luberon, 2021, £8, Morrisons - or £2.25 for a 1/4 bottle)

Made from a blend of 45% Syrah, 46% Grenache, 5% Vermentino, 4% Ugni Blanc grown in clay and limestone soils on the slopes of the Luberon in the southern Rhône Valley which is becoming increasingly popular for its rosés.

This pale pink wine comes in a pretty bottle decorated with the fleurs de prairies or the wild flowers; lavender, poppies and sunflowers which carpet the Luberon in the South of France.

sweet strawberries, rose petals, citrus and tropical fruits with white pepper and mint; saline and mineral.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Ideal as an aperitif accompanied by a platter of Proscuitto and Mozzarella.

The CWB Languedoc Rosé-Off

Three rosés from reliable and innovative Languedoc producer Foncalieu

Languedoc's Foncalieu is a southern French co-operative making characterful wines in handsome bottles.

I have been a fan of their wines for a long time; they are always well-made and expressive but sophisticated.

With southern warmth, nuance and attention to detail, these are crowd-pleasing wines in the best sense; you can serve them to a wide range of people and be confident that everyone will enjoy them.

These three rosés are better value than anything you will get from next-door Provence and while they are all good on their own merits, the niche Piquepoul Noir gets a special mention for being an extremely rare grape variety that will give you extra bragging rights at the dinner table.

Le Versant Grenache Rosé, 2021 (£12, independents)

soft red fruits, delicate florality and orange blossom; red fruits, citrus, zippy lime pith and saline minerality with good underpinnings; dense, linear, concentrated and precise.

Good.

A versatile food wine, match with picnics, mezze or tapas.

Piquepoul Noir Rosé, 2021 (£11 - £15, Fine Wine Direct)

delicate red fruits; dense and concentrated with good, savoury underpinnings; citrus, lime pith, red fruits and creamy-leesy-oatmealy almond and brazil nut.

Good.

Demands food; match with seafood, quiche, tapas, antipasti or mezze.

Domaine Haut Gléon, Vallée Du Paradis, 2021 (£16.95)

lime, honeysuckle, mint and rubbed sage with citrussy, grapefruit freshness; taut, linear acidity with redcurrant fruit and saline minerality; very focused, textured and precise. 

Good.

Match with Mediterranean starters: bread with olive oil. anchovies and tapenade.

Two Tesco Wines for Valentine's Day

Two Tesco wines for Valentine's Day - pink fizz and Spanish red

Pink fizz is perhaps the most traditional wine for Valentine's Day and spending a few extra pounds on a good Champagne shows you really mean it.

Of course, the reality is that Valentine's falls in the middle of winter when the weather is hardly suited to sitting in the garden and you are more likely to want a steak than a salad for your evening meal

So, here are two wines from Tesco that cover both bases - a good, well-made rosé Champagne to serve as an aperitif or with starters.

Then, a very sophisticated and food-friendly Spanish red to match with a wide range of wintry comfort foods.

Both wines drink nicely on first pouring, but open up with a bit of air, so don't be afraid to open them ahead of time.

The Established Classic - Champagne

If you are buying fizz, whilst there are plenty of good ones around from all over the world, you do need a reason for it not to be Champagne.

And if you are making a gesture, very few people will object to it being that famous northern French fizz.

The Modern Classic - Ribera Del Duero

Ribera Del Duero could be the best Spanish region you've never heard of; whilst Rioja is perhaps the country's most famous red-wine area, Ribera Del Duero is higher and cooler with a harsher, more intense continental climate that results in a structured, concentrated freshness.

The grape is the same as Rioja's - Tempranillo - and geologically the region follows the Duero river that becomes Portugal's Douro, the home of port.

Tesco Finest Premier Cru Brut Champagne Rosé (£23)

a blend of Chardonnay for fruit and elegance with Pinot Noir for colour and weightiness.

red fruits, florality and toasty, yeasty brioche; fresh, ripe, soft red berry fruits, savoury brazil nut and almond and fresh, citrussy sherbet with a fine mousse.

Good.

Serve as an aperitif or match with seafood starters, lighter prawn curries or salmon dishes.

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. Well-made, sophisticated and enjoyable.

Very Good.

Match with char-grilled red meats, roast lamb or grilled portobello mushrooms

***** 

 Further reviews: Joanna Simon on the Ribera del Duero: www.joannasimon.com

Top 5 Bordeaux Wines for National Curry Week

Five Bordeaux Wines for National Curry Week

Another week, another curry-and-wine matching exercise.

This time it was Bordeaux wines.

I had something of an advantage this time round, having carried out an extensive curry and wine matching recently.

Plus there were suggested food matches from Bordeaux Wines UK.

Fresh, full-bodied whites are perhaps the easiest match to curry; any traditional-method fizz will also have the neutral acidity and mid-palate weight not to be overwhelmed by curry.

Pink wines and seafood is a natural match, just add a moderate amount of spice here.

Reds are perhaps the trickiest match with curry, but red-meat-based stews with not too much heat work best.

Finally, a new idea to me; dessert wines with a paneer-based dish.

Bordeaux wines has this to say about matching wine to curry:

With National Curry Week kicking off October, it is the perfect time to cook up some hearty, warming dishes as the weather gets cooler. With bold flavours, spice and chilli heat notoriously difficult to pair, curry lovers can find it hard to match with wine.

However, the right bottle of wine can really upgrade your curry night. From dry fruit-forward rosés ideal for traditional Thai curries, to characterful Crémants perfectly placed to lift Keralan fish dishes, Bordeaux wines have the diversity, affordability and quality to get the most out of your favourite curry dishes, whatever the style.

Here are five Bordeaux wine and curry matches for autumn.

Calvet, Crémant de Bordeaux Brut Rosé with Keralan Monkfish and Prawn Curry (£12.99, Ocado)

Kerala Prawn Curry Recipe - Great British Chefs

Rich seafood in a creamy, coconuty sauce, this South-Indian style curry is ideally matched with a fresh, zippy Crémant de Bordeaux rosé

Calvet Crémant de Bordeaux Rosé has a bright and racy palate presenting notes of raspberry, cherry blossom and toasted baking spices that harmonise well with the fragrance of the dish.

With a creamy mousse, and attractive palate, this traditional method sparkling rosé can happily be served before, during and after the meal.

fresh, elegant redcurrant fruits, a leesy-creamy texture, fresh red summer berries, florality and some pastry notes. The bubbles are fine and the finish is long and complex.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Fresh enough for an aperitif, when not matching with curry, it also has the savoury versatility to work with a range of lighter foods, such as chicken or ham salads and mixed antipasti.

Château de Rochemorin 2017, Pessac-Leognan With Butter Chicken (£27, Waitrose)

Butter chicken recipe - BBC Food

A favourite for those who like a rich Indian dish without a significant kick of heat, butter chicken is nutty, aromatic and creamy which is a wonderful match for a Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux with plenty of structure.

Château de Rochermorin is complex and textured with notes of grapefruit, lime and a toasty savoury undertone, which cuts through the richness of this hearty meal.

aromatic and herbaceous with lime and grapefruit; fresh, precise and mineral with white stone fruit, honeysuckle, gooseberry and nettles; savoury, concentrated and sappy with good underpinnings.

Good.

Alternatives to curry include roast white meat, lighter game and white cheeses.

Clarendelle Bordeaux Rosé 2020 With Prawn Red Thai Curry (£15.20 from Hedonism)

Thai Red Prawn Curry | BBC Good Food

Clarendelle Bordeaux Rosé is biodynamically produced with elegant notes of crunchy cranberry, pink grapefruit and cherry blossom.

There’s nothing better on a cold evening than a delicious, and nourishing Thai red curry, and Bordeaux rosé makes for a wonderful match.

Far from being just for summer, Bordeaux Rosés have the acidity and lively fruit flavours to cut through the richness of the coconut milk in this dish, yet are not tannic, making them the classic choice to stand up to spice.

ripe, red berries, stone fruit and leesy mineral; long, substantial and clean. A very classy and adept wine.

Good.

An alternative match for the Clarendelle is cold cuts.

Esprit de Puisseguin 2019, Puisseguin Saint-Émilion With Laal Maans - Rajasthani lamb curry (£13.49 from Waitrose)

Rajasthani Lamb Curry Recipe - olivemagazine

Red wine is usually overlooked as a curry pairing as high tannins can clash with chilli heat. However, with many modern, fruit forward reds ready to drink young emerging from Bordeaux, there’s a great breadth of reds that harmonize well with richer, meatier curries.

Esprit de Puisseguin is a smooth, rounded Merlot blend which has wonderful fruit definition showing flavours of red plum, cherry and cinnamon that has the strength and complexity to stand up to this flavourful lamb curry. 

cherry and red plum fruit with spice and some coffee grounds; fresh and juicy with bramble fruit and herbaceous raspberry leaf; savoury, with fine-grained, slightly drying tannins.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Match with any red meats, curried or otherwise.

Château Gravas 2016, Sauternes with Shahi Paneer (£12.99 from Virgin Wines)

Shahi Paneer Recipe | Allrecipes

Sweet Bordeaux wines are far from only being suited to serve with desserts, in fact the sweetness and succulent fruit flavours make for an ideal match for spicy, creamy curries.

Château Gravas has a beautiful palate of sweet apricot, honey, cinnamon and hints of ginger, which harmonises well with the spices of this dish while the racy acidity perfectly cuts through the creaminess of the paneer.

floral with candied fruit and sweet spices; fresh, sweet and viscous with overripe yellow stone fruits, pineapple, sweet vanilla and butterscotch and a whiff of beeswax.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Other than curries, match with blue cheese.

The CWB Tesco Pink-Off

A Tesco Pink-Off between England and France

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.

Warm Weather Wines from Familia Torres. And Some Spanish Food

Summer wines from Spanish producer (with vineyards in Chile) Torres

Here are some wines to have on standby this summer from Familia Torres; bubbles, crisp white, aromatic white, barbecue reds, rosé and something sweet.

The  accompanying food was from Brindisa, my "winnings" from a world cup sweepstake in which I drew Euro champions Italy. It consisted of tapas foods, such as olives, almonds, chorizo, cheeses, breadsticks and jamon.

A perfect set of simple but delicious tapas-style food for matching with a range of wines.

Everything here was very enjoyable indeed and good value.

Estelado Rosé, Chile (£13.99 Thedrinkshop.com, VINVM, Vivino, Soho Wines)

Miguel Torres Estelado Rosé is one of Chile’s most innovative sparkling wines. Made entirely from Pais, Chile’s oldest grape variety. Planted by many small farmers, the variety was long forgotten, and undervalued until Torres rediscovered it for making quality wines.

Made using the traditional method with second fermentation in the bottle.

pale pink with fresh wild strawberries, redcurrants and yeasty brioche; elegant and mineral; very pure and clean.

Good.

Serve as an aperitif or match with light starters such as shellfish.

Vina Sol 2020 (£7.50 Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsburys, Morrisons, Asda and Co-op)

Made from Parellada (with a touch of Garnacha Blanca), the white grape traditionally used to make sparkling Cava wines, here it shows beautifully as a still wine.

The grapes are cool fermented in stainless steel for fresh fruitiness.

aromatic and citrussy with white pepper and lime zest; fresh and lemony with white stone fruit and a persistent minerality. Very harmonious and adept.

Good.

Light enough for a summer sipper, match with fish and chips, sushi, soft white cheeses or even spicy Thai. 

Also available in an environmentally friendly 2.25-litre bag-in-box, which will fit easily in a fridge – the perfect format for summer months.

Vina Esmeralda 2020 (£9, Tesco)

Made from a blend of Moscatel and Gewürztraminer, off-dry with expressive floral characters and tropical fruit aromas.

orchard fruits, white stone fruits, orange blossom and pear drops with tropical melon, pineapple and lychees; lime marmalade and honeysuckle; crisp, refreshing and light.

Good.

Serve well-chilled as an aperitif or with appetisers such as avocado and shellfish or melon with ham or with grilled fish.

Vina Sol Rosé 2020 (£7.99, Waitrose, Ocado)

Vina Sol Rosé 2020 is the pale raspberry pink sibling to the classic Vina Sol. Made mainly with Garnacha and Carinena, it’s fragrant and sensual, with notes of redcurrant and a lovely spicy, pink peppercorn finish.

strawberries and white pepper; delicate red berries, crunchy orchard fruits and fresh, crisp citrus; concentrated and long with good underpinnings. Fresh, delicate and balanced.

Good.

Light enough for impromptu sunny alfresco lunches; match with charcuterie and tapas, cold chicken and pasta salads.

Sangre de Toro 2019 (£7.50 Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda)

First made in 1954, this red is all about the Spanish way of life. It’s the one with a eco-friendly bull on the bottle, representing Spain’s culture. Made from native Spanish grapes, Garnacha Tinta and Carinena, selected from vineyards throughout the region, gives this red its spicy notes and delicious fruit.

black fruits, dried prunes, cherry and toasty-oaky spice with some liquorice, dried herbs and cocoa; good structure with juicy fresh acidity and very gentle tannins. Some aged complexity and savouriness. 

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Match with barbecue and picnic foods, duck liver pate or roasted red meats, smoky cheese, or any tomato-based dishes.

Floralis Moscatel Oro (£8.99 Waitrose, Ocado, Morrisons)

Floralis Moscatel Oro is one of the Mediterranean’s most characteristic dessert wines made since 1946. Luscious, clean and crisp, with lovely honeyed and acacia flavours and naturally sweet and an unmistakable floral perfume of roses, geranium, lemon and verbena.

Floral and aromatic with raisiny cooked mixed fruits, sweetness and lemony ginger beer and verbena.

Good.

Serve well-chilled and match with almond tart, or a flaky pastry Pastels de Natas with its rich custard filling served warm or anything chocolatey to finish of a perfect summer night dinner under the stars.

*****

Tom Cannavan makes the Floralis Moscatel Oro his wine of the week, here: Review of Torres Floralis Moscatel Oro wine - YouTube

Versatile, Varied and Multi-Coloured - Bordeaux

Five Bordeaux Wines

Bordeaux was pretty much the first wine area I realised I liked. I'd had wine previously, of course, but I'd never really got to know and understand a region; it was just "wine".

A long weekend break in Bruges via northern France found us stopping off on the return home to buy a bootful of wines from a local supermarket, all chosen pretty much at random.

It set a pattern that I have repeated for decades ever since: go to France and buy lots of lovely inexpensive wines based on what looks best from the local the area of wherever we happen to be.

The northern Pas-de-Calais region is not a wine-producing area, so the supermarket shelves there were mostly full of plentiful wines from the larger, better-known regions regions.

I had previously regarded Bordeaux as being all about exorbitantly-priced reds. What I found once I started opening up the various bottles we brought back was something completely different; inexpensive wines that were vibrant and fresh with plenty of stuffing. Sophisticated, yet accessible and easy to enjoy.

And Bordeaux is not just red wines, either; these days, there's rosé and fizz as well as whites, both dry and sweet. Far from monolithic, Bordeaux is pretty much all things to all occasions; there are very few situations it cannot cater for.

If the region's wines share a common trait, it is that they go well with food and have an ability to age, meaning that they often improve with a bit of air.

If you are used to ripe, fruit-forward New World wines that drink easily on first opening, you will find the fruit on  Bordeaux often emerges more noticeably after an hour or two in the decanter.

Here are five mid-range Bordeaux wines that showcase the variety and versatility of the region.

Comtesse de Saint-Pey Brut NV, Crémant de Bordeaux (£14, L’ami Jac)

Bordeaux fizz has the complexity of traditional method sparklers with the ripe fruit of a warmer, more southerly region; a price tag somewhere below Champagne just makes it better value.

Sémillon / Cabernet Franc blend.

orchard fruits, fresh citrus, florality and white pepper; ripe pear, white peach and honeysuckle with some biscuity leesiness; fine mousse and a savoury persistence.

Good.

Serve as an aperitif or match with sushi, seafood or other light starters.

Château Haut Rian, 2019 Bordeaux Rosé (£13, Harvey Nichols)

Merlot / Cabernet Sauvignon blend.

red fruits, cranberry and wild strawberry with fresh mint, grapefruit zest, white pepper and minerality. Pure and adept with good savoury underpinnings.

Good.

Match with picnic foods, salmon or shellfish.

L'Emigré Blanc 2020, Graves (£14.99, Virgin Wines)

From the Graves sub-region south east of Bordeaux, named for its gravelly soils; the wine is organic and sees a little of oak.

aromatic with white pepper and tropical fruits; intensely mineral and leesy with grapefruit, elderflower, lime kaffir and racy acidity; weighty, concentrated and long.

Very Good.

Demands food; match with salmon carpaccio or baked goat's cheese tarts.

Château Monconseil-Gazin 2018, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux (£9.75, The Wine Society)

Merlot / Cabernet Sauvignon / Malbec blend from Blaye, just across the river from the Médoc.

forest fruits, plums, cherries and raspberries with sous bois earthiness and spice; fruit-forward and approachable; fresh, supple and easy-drinking with ripe, gentle-yet-firm tannins.

Good.

An easy-drinker, match with pizza, herby sausages, burgers or roast chicken.

SO Sauternes, Bastor-Lamontagne (£9.99, 37.5cl, Waitrose)

Botrytised dessert wine from Sauternes.

roasted buttery peaches with vanilla sugar, honeysuckle, beeswax and orange blossom; sweet, waxy and viscous with apricotty-peachy sweetness, sweet spices, ginger and tropical citrus freshness. Long, savoury and complex. And utterly delicious.

Very Good and Good Value.

Pour as an apéritif with tapas, or later in the meal with cheese and sweet puddings.

******

Further reviews:

Finding value-for-money in Bordeaux 2020 by Liz Gabay: Finding value-for-money in Bordeaux 2020 - Elizabeth Gabay MW

L'Emigre Blanc | Site Officiel Bordeaux.com

L'Emigre Blanc | Virgin Wines

Wednesday Wines - Episode 8 - Matthew Jukes

Three Summer Wines From Virgin Wines

Three summer wines from Virgin Wines

More than halfway through the year and summer has still not yet fully arrived in the UK.

If you dream of rocking up to a friend's for a weekend afternoon of outdoor eating-and-drinking, here are three wines to take with you.

- an Italian pink fizz with style and elegance

- a sophisticated Saffer white

- a fruit-forward, crowd-pleasing, sophisticated easy-drinking Big Red to go with burgers and relish

Solpiantez Spumante Brut Rose Millesimato 2019 (£9.99)

The son of a Tuscan winemaker, Umberto grew up with vines in the blood. His 40-year career in the wine industry has seen him making wine for some of the most famous producers in Italy, as well as specialising in, and lecturing on,

Organic methods of production and, most recently, working as an international consultant to some of the most well known producers in the Veneto, Puglia and beyond. His hallmark is precision, both in terms of varietal expression and balance as well as vineyard typicity.

A blend of Trebbiano, Garganega and Sangiovese.

Delicate red-berry fruits, watermelon, citrus freshness and sea-shell minerality; very textured and linear with a precise, muscular core. Fine mousse and no rough edges.

Good and Good Value

Serve as a crisp aperitif or match with shellfish.

Wildeberg Terroir Sauvignon Blanc 2018 (£16.99)

This wine is made from older vines that cling to Simonsberg in the tiny, mountainous ward of Banhoek within Stellenbosch. Dry grown vines grow thin and weedy on these vertiginous slopes, but produce an excellent crop of grapes. These are then hand-picked, crushed and fermented at the Wildeberg winery. Location, location, location. That is the magic. Difficult soils and a difficult site produce an interesting wine.

Tim Atkin gives this 91pts 

Hand-picked and naturally-fermented Sauvignon Blanc, with only 2926 bottles of this vintage made. A wave of rich tropical, leafy notes on the nose sway to a broad palate of tight lime-leaf, bay and silky texture with a super-bright, naturally acid finish. Delicious with brightly-flavoured seafood dishes, Thai salads, citrus dressings or indeed by the glass on its own!

Aromatic, floral and zesty-pungent with lemongrass, grapefruit, white pepper and some quinine bitterness; full and supple with melon, stone fruit and pineapple plus zippy lemon-and-lime and sweet spices; concentrated and long with very good underpinnings.

Very Good.

Black Flag Winemakers Limestone Coast Shiraz Cabernet 2018  (£12.99)

This bespoke ripper is made from premium parcels of Padthaway and Limestone Coast fruit. The oak is present but far from prominent, beautiful and finely tuned ensuring the sweet red fruits, which first poke their heads up in the aromatics, carry through to the front palate and lead seamlessly into the soft, vanilla infused mid palate.

The final element of this wine is the most intriguing: it has a really strong presence yet remains inviting and warm. There are typical varietal flavours of chocolate and malt, which counters the regional hallmarks of mint and fresh herbs, and a lovely crisp tannin profile.

Lifted super-ripe, juicy plums and dark berry fruit with oaky spice, rubbed sage, sous bois and earthy-mushroominess; juicy cassis, vanilla and morello cherries; full and supple with an inky texture, and a slap of cocoa, leather and liquorice.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Match with charred meaty or veggie delights from the barbecue. 

Three Summer Wines From Tesco

 

Three summer wines from Tesco

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.'

Three South African Sparklers

Three traditional method fizzes from South Africa

South Africa has the planet's oldest soils and its winemaking dates back to the 1600s.

As well as the usual table wines, it also makes a traditional method fizz, with in-bottle fermentation; previously known as MCC, it is now called Cap Classique.

2021 is a landmark year for South Africa’s premium sparkling wine producers as they celebrate 50 years. Bottle-fermented and produced using the Methode Champenoise, they compete in quality with the world’s top sparkling wines but don’t carry the price tag. They are hailed as ‘the world’s best value bubbles’, offering the perfect celebratory bottle for those reuniting after time spent apart.

The elegant aperitif

Laborie (KWV) Laborie Blanc de Blancs 2015 (c. £15, Majestic)

Made from just Chardonnay grapes (aka "Blanc de Blancs"), it is a warmer-climate Champagne-alike with more generous flavours; ripe orchard fruits, green apples and pears with citrus and classic biscuity-yeasty nutty brioche.

Good.

Drink as an aperitif.

The food wine

Villiera Tradition Brut NV (£16 - £18 Simply Wines Direct, Handford Wines, Broadway Wines)

Aromatic with green apple and ripe orchard fruits, citrus and toasty brioche; baked apple fruit sprinkled with sugar and sweet spices, gingerbread and creamy-nutty oatmeal. Ripe, weighty and full with some residual sugar but cut through with fresh acidity to a dry finish.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Match with seafood vol-au-vents or salmon en croute.

The pink one

Pongracz Brut Rosé NV (£15 - £18, Harvey Nichols, Master of Malt, The Champagne Company)

Chardonnay - Pinot Noir rosé blend from Stellenbosch.

Red berries, orchard fruits and citrus with yeasty brioche; full, complex and rounded; elegant, fresh and linear with  bright acidity and saline-minerality.

Good.

Match with mixed starters and buffet food.

Two Provence Rosés

Two adept and elegant rosés from Provence - available at Waitrose and Noel Young Wines

Most places in the world make rosé; but Provence is the benchmark in the same way that Champagne sets the standard for sparkling wines.

Rosé is fast catching up with Champagne as a beautifully-presented aspirational drink that commands something of a premium. Unlike Champagne, rosé does not involve an elaborate production method and is relatively quick to make, so it has been easy to increase production in line with rising demand.

Provence rosés are typically pale and elegant in what has become perhaps the most-emulated style.

Both these wines exemplify all that the UK loves about rosé from Provence in the South of France: delicious, approachable and easy to drink, but with complexity of flavour, refinement and a winemaking pedigree that comes from centuries of winemaking at the highest level.

UP | Ultimate Provence 2020 (£17.99, Waitrose, Noel Young Wines, The Wine Caverns, Kingscote Estate Vineyards retail shops in Bluewater and Lakeside)

A blend of Grenache Noir (30%) Cinsault (30%) Syrah (30%) Rolle (10%) 

Onionskin colour, grapefruit zest, pine and wild Mediterranean herbs on the nose; white stone fruit, pink grapefruit, zesty citrus, melon and ginger with white pepper spice; full, supple and long, concentrated and intense. Very textured

Very Good - 90 Points from Wine Enthusiast.

Drink as a summer sipper or match with roasted meats and classic Mediterranean flavours like Greek Souvlaki or charcuterie.

Château de Berne Or, Cotes de Provence 2020 (Waitrose, £13.49)

Grenache Noir / Cinsault / Syrah blend.

Ripe apricot and white stone fruits with citrus, redcurrants and strawberries; sage-and-rosemary herbal complexity; subtle and elegant

Very Good - 91 Points from Wine Enthusiast.

Drink as an aperitif or match with picnic foods.

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Further information on the wines

Ultimate Provence

Ultimate Provence prides itself in a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere allowing visitors to discover Provence and its wines here in a delightfully original setting.

At Ultimate Provence, the gentle pace of the seasons and vines is an ode to pleasure, fun experiences and enriching encounters. Sporting a casual decor and offering premium service, the Cellar introduces visitors to the vineyard's intensely-aromatic wines in an offbeat atmosphere. It is a temple of well-being, hedonistic pleasures, discovery and enriching encounters.

The Ultimate Provence vineyard spans 100 acres around the town of La Garde Freinet, at the northern foot of Notre Dame des Anges chapel.

Set in wild countryside and bordered by a vast evergreen oak forest, the vineyard is characterized by shallow soil, laid on a waterproof subsoil sandstone slab. This excellent terroir is nourished with a natural compost of oak leaves and vine stalks. Set in wild countryside and bordered by a vast evergreen oak forest, the Ultimate Provence vineyard is characterised by shallow soil, laid on a waterproof subsoil sandstone slab.

This excellent terroir is nourished with a natural compost of oak leaves and vine stalks. The plots are marked out with grassy areas. A perfect wine to take to a BBQ and serve with grilled chicken and vegetable skewers. The spice notes will compliment roasted meats and classic Mediterranean flavors like Greek Souvlaki or charcuterie.

UP | Ultimate Provence is a forward-thinking and progressive winery, which makes a range of accessible, flavour-forward wines that benefit from a unique terroir and prime grape-growing conditions. Immediately recognisable from its chic, art-deco bottle, UP Rosé is a blend of Syrah, Cinsault, Grenache and Rolle, with classic Provence rosé notes of red berries in addition to fresh citrus and herbaceous pine.

Known for its commitment to sustainability and its gorgeous location at the edge of the Maures Nature Preserve in Provence, UP | Ultimate Provence is also home to a beautiful and contemporary boutique hotel. With 15 rooms and a full range of apartment-style accommodation, in addition to its bistronomy-style UP Restaurant, cocktail bar, retail space and more, the destination is a paradise for wine lovers looking to get up close and personal with this quintessential Provence winemaker.

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Chateau de Berne

A vineyard that can trace its roots back almost two millennia, Château de Berne has been making classic Provence rosé from its beautiful 1,700-acre grounds for generations. Its flagship wine, Berne Or, is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah, an elegant and refined wine with floral notes of freesia and stone-fruit notes, including peach and apricot, on the palate.

Château de Berne encompasses a five-star Relais & Château estate, including a hotel and spa, private villa accommodation, as well as a cocktail bar, Michelin-starred restaurant, Le Jardin de Berne, and a cookery school.

It carries a sustainable ethos in its hospitality operations as well as in its winemaking, sourcing seasonal and local ingredients in its restaurants and farming its grapes organically.

Berne Or is available exclusively from  (Currently on offer in Waitrose at £9.99) Both are sure to be a hit with British drinkers looking for high-quality and characterful wines and to further explore the world of Provence rosé, the perfect partner to sunshine, alfresco eating and good times.

Calvet Crémant de Bordeaux Rosé

A pink fizz from Bordeaux at Ocado

Bordeaux is one of the most varied and versatile wine regions in France; its wines are fresh, yet substantial enough to match with food.

Pink fizz may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you consider Bordeaux but the region can do traditional-method crémant pretty much as well as any other area in France.

At just 1% of production, Crémant makes up a small part of Bordeaux's output, but it is growing rapidly, in part due to the popularity of Prosecco. Like Prosecco, Crémant de Bordeaux is slightly riper with more fruit and less yeasty-biscuity autolytic character; it has a shorter secondary fermentation period making it inexpensive to produce and an easy-drinking fizz.

Crémant is also less expensive than Champagne and, whilst quite a different drink, can often be better value. Without aspiring to be at the level of Champagne, in terms of price or quality at the top end, a good Bordeaux fizz will beat many a similarly-priced Champagne. 

Pink fizz is less than half of Crémant of production, about 0.3% of Bordeaux's total output, but also growing rapidly. It must be made from black grapes only, often Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, unlike rosé Champagne, which is based on Pinot Noir and / or Meunier, 

In summary, then:

- the traditional production method of crémant gives the elegance of a Champagne

- the warmer climate provides a Prosecco-like fruit ripeness

- the grape varieties bring a Bordelais flavour profile

So, where to start?

Calvet is is a reliable regional producer, making good, typical and inexpensive wines; it is the best-selling French brand in the UK, so they are clearly doing something right.

Calvet Crémant de Bordeaux Brut Rosé (£12.99, Ocado)

Calvet Crémant de Bordeaux Rosé | Official website Bordeaux.com

The wine is a blend of traditional Bordeaux grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and made like Champagne using the Méthode Traditionnelle, in line with the strict Crémant production regulations in place to ensure quality remains high, the grapes are hand harvested and the wine then spends 11 months in bottle before disgorging and dosage. 

This is a 2018 Brut, so it is fully dry with a little bottle age and some complexity. The grapes undergo a short cold soak maceration to give a very pale pink colour and a cool fermentation to preserve the fruit aromas. The slightly longer aging gives more sophistication.

There are fresh, elegant redcurrant fruits, a leesy-creamy texture, fresh red summer berries, florality and some pastry notes. The bubbles are fine and the finish is long and complex.

Fresh enough for an aperitif, it also has the savoury versatility to match with a range of lighter foods, such as chicken or ham salads and mixed antipasti.

Another Side of Bordeaux - Rosé and Fizz

 A tasting of fizz, pinks and pink fizz from Bordeaux

Bordeaux is one of the largest and most varied wine regions in France; beyond the illustrious classed growths of famous chateaux, it makes pretty much every type of table wine at a range of price points.

This tasting, led by Lydia Harrison MW, demonstrated that Bordeaux can do rosé and crémant pretty much as well as any other area in France.

She summed up Bordeaux fizz as less expensive than Champagne and not yet aspiring to be at the level of Champagne in terms of price or quality at the top end. A good Bordeaux fizz, such as the ones here, will beat many a similarly-priced Champagne.

Calvet Crémant de Bordeaux, 2018 (£10)

Calvet Crémant de Bordeaux Brut | Official website Bordeaux.com

Crémant is just 1% of production in Bordeaux, but growing rapidly, in part on the back of the popularity of Prosecco. Like Prosecco, Crémant de Bordeaux is slightly riper with more fruit and less autolysis given its shorter secondary fermentation period, making it inexpensive to produce and an easy-drinking fizz.

Crémant blanc makes up just over two thirds of production in Bordeaux and it can be made from a range of grapes, including both white and black-skinned varieties.

Calvet is a large regional producer; making good, typical and inexpensive wines. This crémant is a blend of Semillon and Cab Franc.

It has musky melonskin aromas, florality, lively acidity without being austere, rounded fruit with lemon, sherbet and white peach flavours as well as secondary pastry-brioche flavours.

If you want to know what a Bordeaux crémant  should be like, this is as good a starting place as any.

Calvet Crémant de Bordeaux Rosé, 2017 (£12.99)

Calvet Crémant de Bordeaux Rosé | Official website Bordeaux.com

Cremant rosé is just under a third of production, but also growing rapidly. It must be made from black grapes only and in this case the blend is Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

This is a 2017 Brut, so fully dry and with a little more age than the crémant. It is slightly more expensive and you can feel the step-up in quality; it is a more complex and serious wine.

The grapes undergo a short cold soak maceration to give a very pale pink colour and a cool fermentation to preserve the fruit aromas. It gets slightly longer aging to give it more sophistication.

There are fresh, elegant redcurrant fruits, a leesy-creamy texture, fresh red summer berries, florality and some pastry notes.

Château de Bonhoste Rosé NV, Crémant de Bordeaux (£15.85) 

Château de Bonhoste Rosé | Official website Bordeaux.com

The final pink fizz was a further step-up in terms of quality; the property is run by a 5th-generation brother-and-sister team who, as well as winemaking, also offer accommodation (in giant wine barrels), run escape-room games in their cellar and have an HVE sustainability certification.

It is a right-bank blend of 70% Cabernet Franc and 30% Merlot; it is darker, more weighty and complex with red fruits, redcurrant, cranberry and red plum aromas, florality and summer-berry compote and a toasty creaminess.

The higher quality here comes from lower yields and more rigorous selection of premium grapes

It is fresh enough for an aperitif, but weighty enough to stand up to party food and canapés.

Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Rosé (£8)

Taste the Difference Bordeaux Rosé | Official website Bordeaux.com

Rosé is 4% of production in Bordeaux.

This wine is 100% Merlot, with a cool fermentation to retain the fruit and a small amount of residual sugar for easy-drinking. It has a screwcap to preserve freshness and to make it easy to use as a picnic wine.

It is very pale with strawberry-raspberry summer fruits and some green herbs.

It can match with lighter foods such as sushi or grilled chilled and the residual sugar means it will work well with spicy foods.

Château Tour De Mirambeau, Reserve Rosé 2019 (£12.40)

Château Tour De Mirambeau | Official website Bordeaux.com

Based just the other side of the river from St Emilion in the Entre Deux Mers region, this is a family-run firm with five chateaux; high-density planting on good soils leads to lower yields and greater concentration.

The winemaking approach is sustainable, with trees and hedges planted as well as maintaining beehives to enhance the local ecosystem and giving healthier vines.

The property also practices biodynamics, said to result in a lower pH and therefore higher acidity.

This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon; it is textured, creamy and mineral with delicate yet vibrant red fruits and white pepper. The red-plum fruit is fresh with good structure and intensity; the Cabernet gives aromas of capsicum and tomato leaf.

This is a good cooler-weather rosé that can handle food, such as soft cheese, quiche or cold cuts.

Pretty In Pink - Two Provence Rosés

Two classy rosés from Provence

Rosé has been increasing in popularity for a long time now and it's not difficult to see why; it combines the freshness of a white with a bit of red-wine texture, giving it the flexibility to be an aperitif or versatile food wine.

In stylistic terms, rosé can be seen as kiwi Sauvignon's more-attractive sibling; prettier in pink, it often has Sauvignon's aromatic zip with a bit of skin-contact tannic buzz.

A good rosé will combine substance and style, being both instagrammable and enjoyable to consume. These two meet the brief perfectly and will work well with a range of autumnal and even wintry foods - think prawn risotto, smoked salmon with scrambled eggs for Christmas breakfast, or Boxing Day cold cuts.

Both these wines are old friends: I first tried the Sanglière around a decade ago; I have tasted Le Grand Cros' wines a few times, notably at this Chinese food and rosé event.

La Sanglière, Cuvée Speciale, Côtes de Provence, 2019, (£22.95, South Down Cellars) floral, spicy and slightly toasty with ripe, fresh yellow stone fruits, spices and pink grapefruit. Savoury and concentrated, supple, well structured and long.

Good.

Drink as an aperitif or match with posh picnic foods, cold cuts or shellfish.

Le Grand Cros, L’Esprit de Provence, Côtes de Provence, 2019 (£17.95, BBR) bright and crisp with wild strawberries, pink grapefruit, redcurrant and verbena; floral with white pepper and minerality; focused and precise.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Drink as an aperitif, or match with any of the following:

- salads

- seafood pasta 

- pea, courgette and artichoke risotto.

- fragrant Thai curry 

- Provençal herb and lemon roasted chicken.

La Belle Angèle - Majestic

Two fruit forward wines with a distinctive label; made by Badet Clément and available at Majestic

La Belle Angèle Pinot Noir 2019
La Belle Angèle Rosé 2019

Inspired by the Belle Epoque era, La Belle Angèle is a range of easy-drinking wines, perfect for gardens and summer picnics.

These are well-made and enjoyable with no rough edges - the rosé is a Provence-style sipper, the Pinot, new this year, is dark, juicy and approachable.

La Belle Angèle Rosé 2019, (£8.99, £7.49/mix six, Majestic) ripe soft red-berry fruits, verbena, elderflower and minerality; a well-made easy-drinker

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Sip in the garden or take on a picnic.

La Belle Angèle Pinot Noir 2019 (£10.99, £8.99/mix six, Majestic) black cherry fruit, spice and some grip; fresh, juicy and well-made.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Drink lightly chilled on its own or match with salamis, pates or herby pork rillettes.

Domaine Haut Gléon, Vallée Du Paradis

A taut, linear, structured Languedoc rosé from Fonacalieu

I asked #1 child for her opinion of the bottle: she liked its non-conformist "stocky, masculine profile" but disdained the "overly feminine frosting", which she associated with stilletoes and garish insta-face make-up.

Applying myself to the contents, I found I appreciated the focused, linear acidity and the texture. This is a structured rosé for those who like sherry, Gruener and Assyrtiko.

Domaine Haut Gléon, Vallée Du Paradis, 2019 aromas of lime, honeysuckle, mint and rubbed sage with citrussy, grapefruit freshness; taut, linear acidity with redcurrant fruit and saline minerality; very focused, textured and precise.

Good.

Match with Mediterranean starters: bread with olive oil. anchovies and tapenade.