Barrels & Bottles Wine Blog

With so much doom and gloom around at the moment thanks to the so called "credit crunch" (it it just me or is this phrase becoming as irritating as having no money?) we have sourced 2 great new wines from Ducks Flat winery in Australia.

A fruity red Shiraz Cabernet and great Semillon Chardonnay make for leisurely Summer drinking for only £5.63 per bottle. Enjoy with a smile.

Labels: australia, wine

Trentham Estate has had some rave reviews in Australia and New Zealand about the 2005 Heathcote Shiraz.

"The Heathcote region's fame as a source of superb Shiraz rests with wines like this. Concentrated, almost syrupy dark fruits are interwoven with earthy interest and toasty oak influence in excellent balance. A powerful red that needs time to realise its potential." Ralph Kyte-Powell. Cuisine July 2008.

"... part of our carefully selected Victorian vineyard range that aims to epitomise the best these regions have to offer" Anthony Murphy, winemaker at Trentham.

Heathcote Shiraz also won Gold Medal in the 2008 Decanter World Wine Awards

Labels: australia, news, shiraz

I am about to go on my Summer holiday on the 12th July and cannot wait, camping in Cornwall with my girlfriend Annie. One week in St Ives and one week in Tintagel, which is on the north coast not far from Boscastle, which shares a link with South Yorkshire after both had terrible floods.

This will be my first 2 week holiday ever taken while at Barrels & Bottles so will seem quite strange to be away from work for so long, but I am tempted to take a bottle of the Highfield Sauvignon Blanc 2007 with me to present at Jamie Oliver's Fifteen Restaurant at Watergate Bay, just north of Cornwall were Annie is kindly treating us to a lunch for my 30th birthday on the 18th July.

Mark Price is National Accounts Manager at Barrels & Bottles

Labels: news, staff

Matt & Mairead's stunning chocolate wedding cake. Too good to eat. Almost.

Labels: news, staff

A great find in the cellar last night in the form of a bottle of 1999 Rutherford Ranch Zinfandel. I don't recall actually buying it but it looked like it has been down there for about 4 years. The label was dirty and bruised but had thankfully been laying down.

The corked pulled fine but showed a huge amount of deposit on the cork. Holding the bottle up to the light showed a bit of sediment in the bottom but not enough to worry about decanting. The aromas straight from the bottle were stunning. Big, strong and showing lots of alcoholic presence. I am guessing at 14%alc as that part of the label had been removed. A real smell of blackcurrant and chocolate dominated the nose.

In the glass the wine was dark purple red and clinging to the glass for all it was worth. Upon warming the wine opened further and winter berries with mint started to be shown.

The palate was stunning. Velvety tannins and a rich mouthfeel indicated this was a serious wine. The taste was pure Californian Zinfandel. Strong flavours of winter fruits and caramel stayed with the senses for long after the wine left the palate. All the richer for the additional time in the bottle - 9 years transformed this already superb wine into a stunning event.

Labels: california, zinfandel

Rose wine has made a massive surge into the market place in the last couple of years and no longer can it be considered as a lightweight alternative. Rose sales globally account for over 20% of the market, a far cry from when we laughed at the odd shaped Mateus bottle back in the 1970's.

The reasons for the resurgence of Rose are twofold. First of all the wine making techniques in warm countries have improved dramatically, with temperature controlled vats for the must, keeping must temperatures down and therefore retaining the lovely aromas of fruit which disappear if the must becomes hot or boiled.

The second reason is that Rose wines are now being made in a more serious way, using grape varieties such as Mourvedre, Carignan, Grenache, Syrah and Merlot. These varieties have more weight and structure when made into traditional rose. The skins are left in contact with the juice to absorb colour and tannin, so the wine has the structure of a red wine, rather than of a lighter white style. Previously rose's were often made with white juice blended with red wine, but the pressed method gives a much more stable structure and the opportunity for the wine to develop over a couple of years.

Best examples in the market presently are Chateau Leoube, Cotes du Provence Rose. Fresh and zingy with good tannins and long finish, excellent with Seafood as well as on its own. Made from Mourvedre and Carignan grapes

For something a little fruitier Round Hill White Zinfandel from Napa Valley, California. Big and bold with bags of fruit and delicious aftertaste.

An article by Andrew Coghlan for City Business Magazine June/July 2008

Labels: california, france, rose, wine

Our Regional Sales Manager Matt Thompson successfully made it down the aisle.. in his own words:

"On 25th of June (bank holiday Sunday) I married my girl friend of 5 years. After a month of stress and anxiousness the day went without a hitch, even my speech when down well, it was fantastic to see all my work mates there cheering me on and buying me plenty of drinks. The weather could have been a little better but I guess that's when you get for getting married in Chesterfield.

Two days later I swapped the drab Chesterfield climate for a more exotic one as I whisked my wife off to the Island of Karumba in the Maldives. Situated on the equator in the heart of the Indian ocean it was about as far removed as you can get from Chesterfield. After 16 hours of travelling I was swimming with reef sharks and sting rays and lounging about on the kind of beach you normally only see in magazines.

After three weeks off work it was back down to reality with a bump as I landed in Manchester. The sky was grey and it was raining. I'm now back at work in Chesterfield as a married man (sorry Ladies). I have some great memories of both the wedding and the honeymoon as I now look forwards to seeing my work mate John Higgins get married on Saturday the 5th July. I wonder if he will be as nervous as I was?"

Labels: news, staff

After what seems like an eternity awaiting changes in the Budget, delivery costs and new winery listings Barrels & Bottles trade wine list is finally back from the printers. Existing customers will receive a copy automatically. If you have not yet received or would like to receive our trade list please contact Matt Thompson on 01246 453399

Labels: news, wine

We are proud to announce the winning medals for wines by Ackerman Remy Pannier:

International Wine & Spirit Challenge

Saumur Brut 1811 : Argent
Crémant de Loire Cuvée Privée : Bronze
Chardonnay brut Reminger : Bronze
VM Rosé Dry Reminger : Bronze
VMQ Chardonnay Tastemet : Bronze
VDP Sauvignon VDL DDV : Bronze
VDP Chenin VDL DDV : Bronze

Decanter Magazine
VDP Sauvignon VDL DDV : Bronze
VDP Chardonnay VDL DDV : Bronze
Chinon Magpie : Bronze

Labels: awards, news

News from Champagne Marguet:

"We are free from frost now since 15th May, and that's no doubt a good thing for our region. The wines have been growing fast since a month due to the alternance of rain and warm days. The pressure of mildew is therefore important for both organic or non organic growers."

"We had quite strong storms here and there, but no hale yet, fortunately. We expect to have dry conditions this week now. The blossom is just starting in the vineyards and we guess harvest will be starting towards the 10th of September."

Champagne Marguet is steadily growing. We have been selling 15% more in 2008 compare to the same period in 2007. We are going to develop and build more stocks from harvest 2008 (thanks to new grapes supply from the family), but there will be no change in our winemaking techniques, and we will always invest to keep on our style and quality. Only improvements can happen."


Benoit Marguet

Labels: champagne