Barrels & Bottles Wine Blog
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Trentham Estate is ecstatic to announce that its 2005 Heathcote Shiraz has triumphed again - receiving the top award for a Shiraz/Syrah at the 2008 International Wine & Spirit Competition in London.
The Trophy for Shiraz/Syrah is one of 38 trophies awarded to various styles and varietals of wine, fortified wine and spirits, and is selected from specific classes from a staggering 200 separate Shiraz tasting categories. Trentham’s 2005 Heathcote Shiraz received Gold/Best of Class in its particular category.
This is Trentham’s first ever entry into the IWSC – ‘the premier competition of its kind in the world’. All products are divided by category, country, region and vintage and are judged on a special points system. Technical analysis is carried out on all medal winners to ensure they are technically sound and of consistent high quality.
The Heathcote Shiraz received its first Gold medal at the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards not long after its release in June and has had success at New Zealand’s top two wine shows since. Owner of Trentham Anthony Murphy and his winemaking team are blown away by the IWSC result and are honoured to be named together with top wine and spirit producers from around the world. Trentham Estate is one of just three Australian wineries to have received a trophy at this year’s competition.
The IWSC judges gave the 2005 Heathcote Shiraz an outstanding verdict: ‘Glorious, exemplary Shiraz which is the epitome of a fantastic vintage. Whilst a long way from its peak it has the hallmark of perfection: the nose has finely oaked cigar-box character with pronounced evolved tertiary aromas. The palate is classy, racy and polished, velvety with warm spicy nuances, harmonious and deep. Impeccable.’
“This trophy is a wonderful surprise for us and great ongoing success for our Heathcote Shiraz”, said Anthony Murphy, who will travel to London in November to receive the prestigious trophy.
“The wine has received four Gold medals to date internationally, and now this trophy which is just magnificent”, Anthony said.
The Trophy for Shiraz/Syrah is one of 38 trophies awarded to various styles and varietals of wine, fortified wine and spirits, and is selected from specific classes from a staggering 200 separate Shiraz tasting categories. Trentham’s 2005 Heathcote Shiraz received Gold/Best of Class in its particular category.
This is Trentham’s first ever entry into the IWSC – ‘the premier competition of its kind in the world’. All products are divided by category, country, region and vintage and are judged on a special points system. Technical analysis is carried out on all medal winners to ensure they are technically sound and of consistent high quality.
The Heathcote Shiraz received its first Gold medal at the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards not long after its release in June and has had success at New Zealand’s top two wine shows since. Owner of Trentham Anthony Murphy and his winemaking team are blown away by the IWSC result and are honoured to be named together with top wine and spirit producers from around the world. Trentham Estate is one of just three Australian wineries to have received a trophy at this year’s competition.
The IWSC judges gave the 2005 Heathcote Shiraz an outstanding verdict: ‘Glorious, exemplary Shiraz which is the epitome of a fantastic vintage. Whilst a long way from its peak it has the hallmark of perfection: the nose has finely oaked cigar-box character with pronounced evolved tertiary aromas. The palate is classy, racy and polished, velvety with warm spicy nuances, harmonious and deep. Impeccable.’
“This trophy is a wonderful surprise for us and great ongoing success for our Heathcote Shiraz”, said Anthony Murphy, who will travel to London in November to receive the prestigious trophy.
“The wine has received four Gold medals to date internationally, and now this trophy which is just magnificent”, Anthony said.
Labels: australia, trentham wines, wine
We have just acquired a small parcel of wine from Ferngrove, Western Australia. What a superb find this has been,
The Ferngrove Symbols Sauvignon Semillon is everything a white from Australia should be. Opening the screwcap (we are seeing more and more of them these days and I have to say it makes trying new wines a breeze - no hunting for corkscrews, no stubborn corks and not floating fragments) the wine was a little too cold from being sat in the warehouse so it was left to warm.
Moving onto the Fergrove Symbol Cabernet Merlot was a delight. The wine started off with very focused fruit aromas when cool in the class. After a quick warm in the hand the wine really opened into a rambling overture of flavours and aromas. Never losing its focus but once allowed to work at optimum temperature it really stepped up a gear and showed its worth. At 13.5% it has enough alcohol to balance the fruit without venturing into the head banging realms of the bigger 14's that are coming out of Australia at the moment.
Switching back to the Ferngrove Sauvignon Semillon really highlighted just how good a wine this is. Usually moving from red to white is a problem when sampling wines as the red can over power the palate and the nuances in the white can be lost. Not so with the Sauvignon Semillon. The vitality of the citrus fruits really shined through and lifted the wine in a tropical fruit extravaganza.
We were all suitably impressed by this offering from Ferngrove with positive comments from everyone.
The Ferngrove Symbols Sauvignon Semillon is everything a white from Australia should be. Opening the screwcap (we are seeing more and more of them these days and I have to say it makes trying new wines a breeze - no hunting for corkscrews, no stubborn corks and not floating fragments) the wine was a little too cold from being sat in the warehouse so it was left to warm.
Moving onto the Fergrove Symbol Cabernet Merlot was a delight. The wine started off with very focused fruit aromas when cool in the class. After a quick warm in the hand the wine really opened into a rambling overture of flavours and aromas. Never losing its focus but once allowed to work at optimum temperature it really stepped up a gear and showed its worth. At 13.5% it has enough alcohol to balance the fruit without venturing into the head banging realms of the bigger 14's that are coming out of Australia at the moment.
Switching back to the Ferngrove Sauvignon Semillon really highlighted just how good a wine this is. Usually moving from red to white is a problem when sampling wines as the red can over power the palate and the nuances in the white can be lost. Not so with the Sauvignon Semillon. The vitality of the citrus fruits really shined through and lifted the wine in a tropical fruit extravaganza.
We were all suitably impressed by this offering from Ferngrove with positive comments from everyone.
The concept isn't new and we have seen them before but the quality is certainly something to shout about on our new listing for the full bottle of wine glass. We have avoided the crude cheaper versions for some time as the quality of the glass was like drinking from a Pyrex Casserole dish. This glass has all the refinements of a "proper" wine glass ... but it just holds more. A lot more.
Trips back to the kitchen are a thing of the past with the monster glass. Standing a towering 232mm tall (thats about 9" in old money) this glass will certainly make a statement on any table.
Of course you do not have to fill the glass with a full bottle (and we certainly do not advocate drinking a full bottle in one session) but partially fill and you have yourself a decanter and wine glass rolled into one. The larger area allows red wines to open up and develop. The larger glass area allows for gentle warming of the wine in the glass. Even drinkers with the largest of noses can sniff away with room to spare!
Trips back to the kitchen are a thing of the past with the monster glass. Standing a towering 232mm tall (thats about 9" in old money) this glass will certainly make a statement on any table.
Of course you do not have to fill the glass with a full bottle (and we certainly do not advocate drinking a full bottle in one session) but partially fill and you have yourself a decanter and wine glass rolled into one. The larger area allows red wines to open up and develop. The larger glass area allows for gentle warming of the wine in the glass. Even drinkers with the largest of noses can sniff away with room to spare!
Labels: accessories, glasses, wine
At this time of year we see an increase in invites to trade tastings in readiness for the Christmas push. We are inundated with different wines, Champagnes from the 4 corners of the world. The old question of whether to spit or swallow flies out the window when trying to sample 50 wines in an afternoon - spitting is the only option.
What does amaze me is the lack of proper facilities and spittoons and wine tasting events. Some are beautifully catered for with impressive floor standing models, the only problem is these tend to get over-filled and become a real nuisance to empty.
One of my favourites is the Oeno Spittoon available in a 2 litre capacity (£135.00) and a 4 litre capacity (£144.95). The large Oeno Spittoon being ideal for trade shows, exhibitions and larger wine tasting groups.
The design of the Oeno is simplicity itself. 2 stainless steel hemispheres with a small opening between them. The large top allows for wayward spitters - often on the New World tables with the high alcohol levels numbing the lips. The narrow cinched neck ensures the wine is kept out of sight and helps to minimise unwanted smells. A simple design that just works. What more could you ask for.
The Oeno is a table top / counter top design. This mobility (compared to floor standing spittoons) allows the spittoon to be presented at a reasonable height to the taster - floor standers often require a lot of neck and back bending which can lead to "misses" from the taller tasters in the room! The Oeno can also be placed in the middle of table making it perfect for seated tasting events where the spittoon can be shared.
What does amaze me is the lack of proper facilities and spittoons and wine tasting events. Some are beautifully catered for with impressive floor standing models, the only problem is these tend to get over-filled and become a real nuisance to empty.
One of my favourites is the Oeno Spittoon available in a 2 litre capacity (£135.00) and a 4 litre capacity (£144.95). The large Oeno Spittoon being ideal for trade shows, exhibitions and larger wine tasting groups.
The design of the Oeno is simplicity itself. 2 stainless steel hemispheres with a small opening between them. The large top allows for wayward spitters - often on the New World tables with the high alcohol levels numbing the lips. The narrow cinched neck ensures the wine is kept out of sight and helps to minimise unwanted smells. A simple design that just works. What more could you ask for.
The Oeno is a table top / counter top design. This mobility (compared to floor standing spittoons) allows the spittoon to be presented at a reasonable height to the taster - floor standers often require a lot of neck and back bending which can lead to "misses" from the taller tasters in the room! The Oeno can also be placed in the middle of table making it perfect for seated tasting events where the spittoon can be shared.
Labels: accessories, oeno spitton, tasting
Our latest innovation to the world of wine is the RackPac - the instant wine rack complete with wine! Made from recycled card and printed with a wood grain effect this wine rack will happily sit on any counter or worktop presenting your wine for easy access.
The RackPac is ready assembled (no fiddling with folding flap A to flap B instructions) and filled with wine... simply lift from the postal box and the rack is ready to be used, bottles included.
Our extensive crash testing led to the development of some ingenious bottle protectors (supplied as standard) to ensure the safe dispatch of the bottles through the post. Our latest design has safely passed through a carriers central distribution hub to the recipient and back again. An amazing feat of engineering.
The RackPac has been designed to accommodate bottles from Mosel to Champagne and still provide security to the bottles. Re-fill the RackPac with your own choice of wines over-and-over again. Recycling has never been so much fun!
The RackPac is ready assembled (no fiddling with folding flap A to flap B instructions) and filled with wine... simply lift from the postal box and the rack is ready to be used, bottles included.
Our extensive crash testing led to the development of some ingenious bottle protectors (supplied as standard) to ensure the safe dispatch of the bottles through the post. Our latest design has safely passed through a carriers central distribution hub to the recipient and back again. An amazing feat of engineering.
The RackPac has been designed to accommodate bottles from Mosel to Champagne and still provide security to the bottles. Re-fill the RackPac with your own choice of wines over-and-over again. Recycling has never been so much fun!
"All of the wines from the 2006 vintage exhibit more weight and length without being overwhelming. Moreover, a more calculated and informed choice of oak barrel wine in the blends enables the fruit to more fully express itself, while giving a more harmonious structure and improved balance to the tannins.
A Campazens style is now developing which is rich and concentrated, with spicy minerality and earthy dark fruits full of intense aromatic flavours of the Camplazens Garrique which surrounds the vineyard."
"Château Camplazens received many high quality awards in 2008. We are very selective about the competitions we enter, preferring those which have international recognition and in which the wines are graded by a selection process which exhibits transparency, quality assurance and which are only based on blind tastings."
International Wine Challenge:
Premium 2006 : Gold
Macon Concours :
Premium 2006 : Gold
Reserve 2006 : Gold
Guide Hachette :
Reserve 2006 :
A Campazens style is now developing which is rich and concentrated, with spicy minerality and earthy dark fruits full of intense aromatic flavours of the Camplazens Garrique which surrounds the vineyard."
"Château Camplazens received many high quality awards in 2008. We are very selective about the competitions we enter, preferring those which have international recognition and in which the wines are graded by a selection process which exhibits transparency, quality assurance and which are only based on blind tastings."
International Wine Challenge:
Premium 2006 : Gold
Macon Concours :
Premium 2006 : Gold
Reserve 2006 : Gold
Guide Hachette :
Reserve 2006 :
Labels: camplazens, france, wine
I admit to being a lover of chocolate all year round (the waist line certainly more than hints at this)... but there is something a little more special about Easter chocolate and Christmas chocolate. I have no scientific proof why this is - it just does!
I am as happy as Larry with our latest offering on the chocolate front - our Chocolate filled Christmas Stocking brings together everything that you could wish for as a lover of chocolate.
Not only are there bars of chocolate, callets and chocolate truffles but also chocolate raisins (my personal all time favourite) and a handsome dollop of fudge just to keep your taste buds in check. Adding to the fun is a make your own chocolate Santa (assuming you can wait that long before tucking in).
All this in a hand-made Christmas Stocking - who can resist?
I am as happy as Larry with our latest offering on the chocolate front - our Chocolate filled Christmas Stocking brings together everything that you could wish for as a lover of chocolate.
Not only are there bars of chocolate, callets and chocolate truffles but also chocolate raisins (my personal all time favourite) and a handsome dollop of fudge just to keep your taste buds in check. Adding to the fun is a make your own chocolate Santa (assuming you can wait that long before tucking in).
All this in a hand-made Christmas Stocking - who can resist?
We are onto the final proof reading stage of this years wine and hamper gift brochure. Photos have been taken, layout has been set... just a matter of dotting the "i"s and crossing the "t"s. We have really pushed the gift range this year with twice as many pages than before featuring everything from single bottles of wines to champagne food hampers.
Gift packaging and presentation play a huge part in the way a gift is received so we have designed several new gift boxes especially for the Christmas market. A new 2 tier box features space on the top tier for a bottle of wine or champagne and a slide out draw beneath which can be filled with either our hand-made chocolates or wine accessories (corkscrew, drip collar and drop stops).
For all the chocoholics out there watch out for our new book box designed to take 72 chocolate truffles with ribbon tie. Our chefs have also developed an iced Christmas cake using only the finest, most luxuriant ingredients (I admit to being at the front of the tasting queue for that one!).
Details of the new offers are being gathered and will be posted live onto the main website shortly.
Gift packaging and presentation play a huge part in the way a gift is received so we have designed several new gift boxes especially for the Christmas market. A new 2 tier box features space on the top tier for a bottle of wine or champagne and a slide out draw beneath which can be filled with either our hand-made chocolates or wine accessories (corkscrew, drip collar and drop stops).
For all the chocoholics out there watch out for our new book box designed to take 72 chocolate truffles with ribbon tie. Our chefs have also developed an iced Christmas cake using only the finest, most luxuriant ingredients (I admit to being at the front of the tasting queue for that one!).
Details of the new offers are being gathered and will be posted live onto the main website shortly.
Last Wednesday our celebrity Sporting Chefs cooked up some fantastic food for 60 guests at our Charity dinner on behalf of Children in Need. A spectacular performance from all 8 celebrity chefs ensured all courses were served on time and to the highest standards. If we don't see some of them competing on Celebrity Master Chef we will be amazed - they all should terrific flair and attention to detail.
The guests voted for their favourite dish of the evening which went to Brian Deane and Simon Tracey for their platter of seared fish. Brian Deane shown above receiving his prize as donated by Rangemaster.
At the end of a very eventful and lively auction hosted by John Beresford and David Hirst saw an impressive £7000 raised. Pledges are still coming in so the total should rise. Well done to everyone involved for their generosity in raising so much for this worthy charity.
[Pictured above l-r : David Hirst, Scott Sellars, Brian Deane, Jamie Baulch, John Beresford & Simon Tracey]
The guests voted for their favourite dish of the evening which went to Brian Deane and Simon Tracey for their platter of seared fish. Brian Deane shown above receiving his prize as donated by Rangemaster.
At the end of a very eventful and lively auction hosted by John Beresford and David Hirst saw an impressive £7000 raised. Pledges are still coming in so the total should rise. Well done to everyone involved for their generosity in raising so much for this worthy charity.
[Pictured above l-r : David Hirst, Scott Sellars, Brian Deane, Jamie Baulch, John Beresford & Simon Tracey]
The kitchens at our Coghlans Cookery school is a buzz of activity as the celebrity Sports personalities prepare for tonights charity dinner. Our double-decker bus has been touring Chesterfield Town centre with Pudsey Bear greeting onlookers - if you see it please give generously for Children in Need.
Labels: charity
John Higgins
Barrels and Bottles
Unit 5b Broom Business Park, Bridge Way, Sheepbridge
Chesterfield
,
Derbyshire
,
S41 9QG
England
01246 453399
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