Barrels & Bottles Wine Blog
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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.
We have just had a discussion in the office about products which are such good quality but just do not sell that well. We all decided that Franken Wines seem to be at the top of the list.
The quality is beyond reproach, they go perfectly with food and do not suffer the typical German affliction of containing too much sugar. They are dry, balanced and impeccably well behaved. So why don't they fly off the shelves like iPods at Christmas?
We can only put it down to the bottle shape. The traditional flagon was copied by Mateus Rose and suffers with the association. The bottle shape will also not sit in a standard wine rack or gift bag. That's it. That is all we could think of... the bottle shape.
Look beyond the bottle and try the wines from Franconia. They are guaranteed to add a new string to your range.
The quality is beyond reproach, they go perfectly with food and do not suffer the typical German affliction of containing too much sugar. They are dry, balanced and impeccably well behaved. So why don't they fly off the shelves like iPods at Christmas?
We can only put it down to the bottle shape. The traditional flagon was copied by Mateus Rose and suffers with the association. The bottle shape will also not sit in a standard wine rack or gift bag. That's it. That is all we could think of... the bottle shape.
Look beyond the bottle and try the wines from Franconia. They are guaranteed to add a new string to your range.
Another surprise drop in visit on Saturday by my cousins resulted in yet another test for the authors wine cellar and culinary skills... which went as far as dialing for a Chinese meal from the local take-away. I have to admit to feeling hungrier than usual (yes it is possible) so there was a mass of assorted stir-fry food in the middle of the dining table for people to get stuck into.
My usual Sauvignons were rested for a more simpler food so it was left to either a bottle of Domaine Camplazens Viognier from the Languedoc or the Koberner Weisenberg Riesling Kabinett from the Mosel region of Germany.
I was favouring the Riesling I have to admit. I have a secret love for German wines stemming back to when I first joined the company and looking to expand my wine knowledge. Alas my sales pitch failed and the Viognier was opened. I was glad I was swayed.
The wine really stood up very well against the rich, spicy Chinese food. Viognier tends to create strongly textured white wines and the use of the French oak really lifted the wine into the heavy-weight category. Even the crispy beef in Cantonese sauce was duly tamed and excited by the offering.
With no ice to hand the bottle did start to warm over the course of the dinner to a noticeable detriment. This was quickly resolved by a quick blast in the freezer to drop it back to optimum drinking temperature again. I have a bad habit of doing this and typing this has decided for me it is time to find a new ice bucket to chill my wines during meals.
My usual Sauvignons were rested for a more simpler food so it was left to either a bottle of Domaine Camplazens Viognier from the Languedoc or the Koberner Weisenberg Riesling Kabinett from the Mosel region of Germany.
I was favouring the Riesling I have to admit. I have a secret love for German wines stemming back to when I first joined the company and looking to expand my wine knowledge. Alas my sales pitch failed and the Viognier was opened. I was glad I was swayed.
The wine really stood up very well against the rich, spicy Chinese food. Viognier tends to create strongly textured white wines and the use of the French oak really lifted the wine into the heavy-weight category. Even the crispy beef in Cantonese sauce was duly tamed and excited by the offering.
With no ice to hand the bottle did start to warm over the course of the dinner to a noticeable detriment. This was quickly resolved by a quick blast in the freezer to drop it back to optimum drinking temperature again. I have a bad habit of doing this and typing this has decided for me it is time to find a new ice bucket to chill my wines during meals.
Labels: camplazens, viognier, wine
Last night saw a fantastic dinner based around the wines of Schlumberger of Alsace, France. Hosted by the enigmatic Severine Schlumberger herself the dinner featured the entire range of wines as produced by her Uncle.
Alsace wines have always paired well with food and Schlumberger proved this beyond doubt. Delicate, fresh, impeccably clean and amazingly well balanced the wines partnered each course with perfection... each bringing the best flavours and textures from each other.
Sarting with Confit of Salmon on a corriander infused salad, matched with a pair of Rieslings , moving through fillet of Pork wrapped in Morrel mousse with babay vegetables, which went stunningly with the 2005 Princes des Abbes Pinot Gris. A lively balance of ripe grapefruit and deep fruit aromas worked exceptionally well with the slightly fatty texture of the Pork with a very light Jus Lie.
The winning combination was undoubtedly the Pink Peppercorn Cheescake with a Black pepper Tuille and a Strawberry mint and Blasamic salsa, served with a pair of excellent gewurztraminers.
An excellent night with great food and Severine gave a super account of the philosophy behind Schlumberger estate.
Alsace wines have always paired well with food and Schlumberger proved this beyond doubt. Delicate, fresh, impeccably clean and amazingly well balanced the wines partnered each course with perfection... each bringing the best flavours and textures from each other.
Sarting with Confit of Salmon on a corriander infused salad, matched with a pair of Rieslings , moving through fillet of Pork wrapped in Morrel mousse with babay vegetables, which went stunningly with the 2005 Princes des Abbes Pinot Gris. A lively balance of ripe grapefruit and deep fruit aromas worked exceptionally well with the slightly fatty texture of the Pork with a very light Jus Lie.
The winning combination was undoubtedly the Pink Peppercorn Cheescake with a Black pepper Tuille and a Strawberry mint and Blasamic salsa, served with a pair of excellent gewurztraminers.
An excellent night with great food and Severine gave a super account of the philosophy behind Schlumberger estate.
It really is a tough life being a wine merchant. Today the office is filled with various Christmas cakes, biscuits and chocolates which all need testing to see which will make it into our Christmas wine and food hampers.
This sounds like a dream task and everyone in the office was too excited about the prospect of eating Christmas cake on a Thursday in September. The amateurs soon fell by the wayside leaving only the dedicated gluttons and the buyers left in the running. Dominic Field was the surprise combatant managing to try every cake on display. A stunning performance.
Everyone can rest assured we have selected some fabulously tasty cakes and chocolates for this years wine hampers.
This sounds like a dream task and everyone in the office was too excited about the prospect of eating Christmas cake on a Thursday in September. The amateurs soon fell by the wayside leaving only the dedicated gluttons and the buyers left in the running. Dominic Field was the surprise combatant managing to try every cake on display. A stunning performance.
Everyone can rest assured we have selected some fabulously tasty cakes and chocolates for this years wine hampers.
Forget polystyrene and plain brown card when sending wines through the post... you can now send 6 bottles of wine through the post complete with a wine rack!
Costing the same as standard transit boxes but with the added benefit of an instant wine rack already assembled. Simply lift out of the outer box and you have an instant wine rack complete with any 6 bottles of wine or Champagne.
Made from recycled card, the RackPac is stackable and can be replenished many times over. We have undertaken test deliveries with delivery couriers with 100% success. The wines and RackPac arriving undamaged.
Bespoke printing and colours are available on short-run quantities making the RackPac also suitable for corporate branding, counter top displays in off licenses and for the gift market for winery promotions.
Full details due very soon.
Costing the same as standard transit boxes but with the added benefit of an instant wine rack already assembled. Simply lift out of the outer box and you have an instant wine rack complete with any 6 bottles of wine or Champagne.
Made from recycled card, the RackPac is stackable and can be replenished many times over. We have undertaken test deliveries with delivery couriers with 100% success. The wines and RackPac arriving undamaged.
Bespoke printing and colours are available on short-run quantities making the RackPac also suitable for corporate branding, counter top displays in off licenses and for the gift market for winery promotions.
Full details due very soon.
I am as guilty (probably like everyone else) of treating Rose wines similar to an embarrassing cousin. Not really a full-bodied red but neither an exciting and vigorous white wine... but occupying some middle no-mans ground that is very easy to shrug past.
Thankfully I was forced to try a bottle of Bellagio Pinot Grigio Rose from Italy last night. A surprise visit by my Aunt and Uncle demanded a bottle of wine but the only thing to hand (that was not sparkling) was the Bellagio Rose. Fearing the worst I flash chilled it for 30 mins, made my apologies before hand and duly served it.
I was expecting insipid strawberry juice but instead we got strong raspberry tones, depth in the middle of the palate and enough alcohol to keep the driver from having a large glass. Everyone enjoyed the wine and I was shocked at the concept of liking it. But I did. This will certainly be on our future list for the cellar.
This got me thinking about wine drinking in general. Most of us tend to stick with the same wine or at least the same grape variety or countries. This is understandable with the sheer range of wines on offer and the cost of buying something that may not be to our liking. This is usually bolstered with the expression "I know what I like"... this should really be "I like what I know". Preconceptions and limitations (knowledge and financial) keep us within a comfort zone. I am a guilty as the next person for misplaced preconceptions... last nights Bellagio Rose brought this home.
For the rest of the year I am ditching my default wine list and setting out on an unchartered voyage to try wines that I have not previously tried. I am no doubt I will discover some howlers along the way but hopefully (and this is the expectation) I will find something truly superb which I can add to my personal drinking list and heartedly recommend to others.
Thankfully I was forced to try a bottle of Bellagio Pinot Grigio Rose from Italy last night. A surprise visit by my Aunt and Uncle demanded a bottle of wine but the only thing to hand (that was not sparkling) was the Bellagio Rose. Fearing the worst I flash chilled it for 30 mins, made my apologies before hand and duly served it.
I was expecting insipid strawberry juice but instead we got strong raspberry tones, depth in the middle of the palate and enough alcohol to keep the driver from having a large glass. Everyone enjoyed the wine and I was shocked at the concept of liking it. But I did. This will certainly be on our future list for the cellar.
This got me thinking about wine drinking in general. Most of us tend to stick with the same wine or at least the same grape variety or countries. This is understandable with the sheer range of wines on offer and the cost of buying something that may not be to our liking. This is usually bolstered with the expression "I know what I like"... this should really be "I like what I know". Preconceptions and limitations (knowledge and financial) keep us within a comfort zone. I am a guilty as the next person for misplaced preconceptions... last nights Bellagio Rose brought this home.
For the rest of the year I am ditching my default wine list and setting out on an unchartered voyage to try wines that I have not previously tried. I am no doubt I will discover some howlers along the way but hopefully (and this is the expectation) I will find something truly superb which I can add to my personal drinking list and heartedly recommend to others.
Forget the cheesey football, sausages on sticks, perms and big lapels... home-based wine events are definitely on the increase. Gone are the days of 1970's parties with fondue and Blue Nunn. Todays events are low-key, fun and run with almost military precision.
Why the increase? The economic climate has seen people staying in and cutting down on visits to restaurants. A handful of bottles can be bought for less than £10.00. Considering the diversity of choice now available it is almost impossible to resort to having to taste the same wine twice.
Recent years have seen a steady increase in the UK population drinking and starting to understand wine. We have traditionally been a society of beer drinkers but wine is now readily drunk when dining out and eating at home. It is a natural progression to want to learn more and discover new wines. Inviting friends to share your enthusiasm has seen a resurgence in local wine groups around the country.
How do we know? The humble ISO Wine Tasting Glass is being sold in ever increasing quantities. Sales to residential addresses has doubled in the past 18 months! The ISO glass in its 21.5cl capacity is perfect for home wine tasting events as it can be used for every style of wine and more importantly is affordable (inevitable breakages after a busy night on the Clarets are not as heart breaking than if using a Riedel).
Wine tasting groups are now using the internet to make the events easier to organise and log their tastings. Buying wines online has never been easier, Google Calendar informs people of events and social networking groups are the perfect place for groups to share information, post tasting notes and let members know what is happening.
Ditch the Cortina and flares and grab a laptop and glass - tasting wine has never been so easy and fun.
Why the increase? The economic climate has seen people staying in and cutting down on visits to restaurants. A handful of bottles can be bought for less than £10.00. Considering the diversity of choice now available it is almost impossible to resort to having to taste the same wine twice.
Recent years have seen a steady increase in the UK population drinking and starting to understand wine. We have traditionally been a society of beer drinkers but wine is now readily drunk when dining out and eating at home. It is a natural progression to want to learn more and discover new wines. Inviting friends to share your enthusiasm has seen a resurgence in local wine groups around the country.
How do we know? The humble ISO Wine Tasting Glass is being sold in ever increasing quantities. Sales to residential addresses has doubled in the past 18 months! The ISO glass in its 21.5cl capacity is perfect for home wine tasting events as it can be used for every style of wine and more importantly is affordable (inevitable breakages after a busy night on the Clarets are not as heart breaking than if using a Riedel).
Wine tasting groups are now using the internet to make the events easier to organise and log their tastings. Buying wines online has never been easier, Google Calendar informs people of events and social networking groups are the perfect place for groups to share information, post tasting notes and let members know what is happening.
Ditch the Cortina and flares and grab a laptop and glass - tasting wine has never been so easy and fun.
Do you know your Merlot from your Shiraz? Can you spot a Chardonnay at 20 paces? The fantastic new i-wine brings a whole new dimension to blind wine tasting games.
Use the 2 "scratch and sniff" panels on the front label to release aromas typical of the grape variety in the bottle. Use the tasting notes on the back label to help figure out the grape variety.
A fun mini-quiz tests your wine knowledge before you peel back the label to reveal all the answers to the quiz and the grape variety.
i-wine challenges your senses, increases your wine knowledge and you still have a bottle of wine to enjoy!
Use the 2 "scratch and sniff" panels on the front label to release aromas typical of the grape variety in the bottle. Use the tasting notes on the back label to help figure out the grape variety.
A fun mini-quiz tests your wine knowledge before you peel back the label to reveal all the answers to the quiz and the grape variety.
i-wine challenges your senses, increases your wine knowledge and you still have a bottle of wine to enjoy!
An Article by Andrew Coghlan:
As the summer tails away and we start to think about the Autumn, our tastes vary and change.
The desire for light and fruity roses, dry and crisp Sauvignon Blancs and light summertime reds such as Fleurie or Regnie from Beaujolais, pales to richer darker flavours that suit the cooler nights.
The desire for richer flavours takes us to darker red grape varieties, such as Syrah or Shiraz. Typically peppery with big red and black fruits, a hint of spice and a hint of tannin, that natural chemical which gives the texture to good red wines.
My favourites lie in the Rhone valley of France and my first port of call is the ultra spicy yet smooth Crozes Hermitage. The red fruits on the front of the palate give way to black fruits at the back, a spicy hint on the tongue lifted by ripe mature tannins on the back of the teeth and the roof of the mouth. This is a wine for drinking as the autumn nights come in, the chilly late evenings that invite you to sip rich red wine with a nibble of mature cheese or some crusty bread and pate.
This example from the grower Ferraton is grown bio-dynamically as well as organically. It is clean and ripe and at under £10 a bottle is not too much to pay for a really good glass of wine.
something lighter with a blend of 80% syrah and 20% Grenache Noir is the cotes du Rhone from the single site of Samorens. The tannins are not so prominent, the taste altogether lighter yet with plenty of flavour. Here the vines have not had the organic treatment which at the lower level often means that the grapes have a little help to get really ripe. This is not a bad thing as it offers a chance for the wine to open out in flavour and reach its full potential. Under £7 a bottle and you really cant complain with a great glass of wine.
Finally as we head towards October and the Autumn is upon us, reach for the really class act. A `glass of Chateauneuf du Pape, made from up to 13 grape varieties, based around Syrah, will give you power depth yet softness. a great wine to accompany spiced food, rich roasted meats and casseroles. Expect to pay around £15 for a good example. Domaine st Benoit Cuvee Elise is wonderful and aromatic, spiced with vanilla and cardamom and rounded and long on the finish.
The ultimate is a single site Ermitage such as the site of les Dionnieres. The 1999 vintage is just coming into its own and is power in a glass. Massive weight and distinctive aromas arise from very selective yields from the vineyard site. Only around 12 hectare-litres per hectare are produced so very little juice from the grapes and only the best will do. Ok it is going to cost you over £20 per bottle, but its worth every penny. Decant the wine about 2 hours before drinking to get the best from it. This will soften the tannin and open the fruit aroma channel.
Whatever you choose, keep enjoying a glass!
As the summer tails away and we start to think about the Autumn, our tastes vary and change.
The desire for light and fruity roses, dry and crisp Sauvignon Blancs and light summertime reds such as Fleurie or Regnie from Beaujolais, pales to richer darker flavours that suit the cooler nights.
The desire for richer flavours takes us to darker red grape varieties, such as Syrah or Shiraz. Typically peppery with big red and black fruits, a hint of spice and a hint of tannin, that natural chemical which gives the texture to good red wines.
My favourites lie in the Rhone valley of France and my first port of call is the ultra spicy yet smooth Crozes Hermitage. The red fruits on the front of the palate give way to black fruits at the back, a spicy hint on the tongue lifted by ripe mature tannins on the back of the teeth and the roof of the mouth. This is a wine for drinking as the autumn nights come in, the chilly late evenings that invite you to sip rich red wine with a nibble of mature cheese or some crusty bread and pate.
This example from the grower Ferraton is grown bio-dynamically as well as organically. It is clean and ripe and at under £10 a bottle is not too much to pay for a really good glass of wine.
something lighter with a blend of 80% syrah and 20% Grenache Noir is the cotes du Rhone from the single site of Samorens. The tannins are not so prominent, the taste altogether lighter yet with plenty of flavour. Here the vines have not had the organic treatment which at the lower level often means that the grapes have a little help to get really ripe. This is not a bad thing as it offers a chance for the wine to open out in flavour and reach its full potential. Under £7 a bottle and you really cant complain with a great glass of wine.
Finally as we head towards October and the Autumn is upon us, reach for the really class act. A `glass of Chateauneuf du Pape, made from up to 13 grape varieties, based around Syrah, will give you power depth yet softness. a great wine to accompany spiced food, rich roasted meats and casseroles. Expect to pay around £15 for a good example. Domaine st Benoit Cuvee Elise is wonderful and aromatic, spiced with vanilla and cardamom and rounded and long on the finish.
The ultimate is a single site Ermitage such as the site of les Dionnieres. The 1999 vintage is just coming into its own and is power in a glass. Massive weight and distinctive aromas arise from very selective yields from the vineyard site. Only around 12 hectare-litres per hectare are produced so very little juice from the grapes and only the best will do. Ok it is going to cost you over £20 per bottle, but its worth every penny. Decant the wine about 2 hours before drinking to get the best from it. This will soften the tannin and open the fruit aroma channel.
Whatever you choose, keep enjoying a glass!
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.
A fruity red Shiraz Cabernet and great Semillon Chardonnay make for leisurely Summer drinking for only £5.63 per bottle. Enjoy with a smile.
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
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
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
Last week and I selected a bottle of Hollick Pinot Noir from Coonawarra, Australia to buy and try from our range.
Stunning. Absolutely stunning. The wine had been opened some 5 hours previous with half the contents poured - leaving a lot of the wine in contact with the air (this was sealed - a great benefit of screw cap bottles). This allowed the wine to breath undoubtedly helped the wine open up its velvety cherry-like flavours.
There was a real tang of rich, ripe, red fruits on the front of the palate followed by a velvety finish. I enjoyed the first glass so much I poured myself 2 more!
The strong alcohol added to the overall experience and did not overpower the abundance of fruit in the way some Australian wines can. It was the end of a long day but the Hollick more than made up for it.
Stunning. Absolutely stunning. The wine had been opened some 5 hours previous with half the contents poured - leaving a lot of the wine in contact with the air (this was sealed - a great benefit of screw cap bottles). This allowed the wine to breath undoubtedly helped the wine open up its velvety cherry-like flavours.
There was a real tang of rich, ripe, red fruits on the front of the palate followed by a velvety finish. I enjoyed the first glass so much I poured myself 2 more!
The strong alcohol added to the overall experience and did not overpower the abundance of fruit in the way some Australian wines can. It was the end of a long day but the Hollick more than made up for it.
Labels: australia, pinot noir, wine
The latest copy of Wine Spectator showed some good results for the wines from Wg von Schleinitz of Mosel in Germany :
2006 Kabinett Koberner Weisenberg : 90 points
2006 Spätlese Koberner Weisenberg : 90 points
2006 Spätlese Dry (halbtrocken) Koberner Weisenberg : 90 points
... fantastic recognition for these wines by wine maker Konrad Hahn which we have been extolling for many years now.
2006 Kabinett Koberner Weisenberg : 90 points
2006 Spätlese Koberner Weisenberg : 90 points
2006 Spätlese Dry (halbtrocken) Koberner Weisenberg : 90 points
... fantastic recognition for these wines by wine maker Konrad Hahn which we have been extolling for many years now.
"With constant pressure on the off-trade to sell responsibly, retailers are racking their brains about how to do more to match food and wine within the limits of a shop - a Chesterfield's Barrels & Bottles has found a truly innovative way of doing that.
The wine merchant has incorporated a School of Food, Wine and Dining into its premises. Coghlans Cookery School runs course taught by a qualified Master Chef, which educate pupils about which wines to match their food with, as well as encouraging them to use better wines in the cooking itself.
Thanks to the in-house kitchen, Barrels & Bottles has been able to hold more wine events, with representatives from Louis Roederer, Gosset, New Zealand's Highfield and Germany's Wg von Schleinitz hosting dinners, and vertical tastings of Chateau de Pez and Haut-Beausejour, among others.
The kitchens are also used to produce hand-made chocolates for Barrels & Bottles Champagne and truffles gift boxes.
The retailer hosts tailored private wine tastings for 16-40 people, which can now be accompanied by anything from nibbles to lobster and salmon platters.
Barrels & Bottles also use the kitchen as a demonstration theatre, where up to 35 guests can watch a meal being coked, usually followed by a supper in the store's tasting room, with recipes and hints to take away.
Judges were impressed by a concept that seemed really unique"
Drinks Retailer Awards 2008
The wine merchant has incorporated a School of Food, Wine and Dining into its premises. Coghlans Cookery School runs course taught by a qualified Master Chef, which educate pupils about which wines to match their food with, as well as encouraging them to use better wines in the cooking itself.
Thanks to the in-house kitchen, Barrels & Bottles has been able to hold more wine events, with representatives from Louis Roederer, Gosset, New Zealand's Highfield and Germany's Wg von Schleinitz hosting dinners, and vertical tastings of Chateau de Pez and Haut-Beausejour, among others.
The kitchens are also used to produce hand-made chocolates for Barrels & Bottles Champagne and truffles gift boxes.
The retailer hosts tailored private wine tastings for 16-40 people, which can now be accompanied by anything from nibbles to lobster and salmon platters.
Barrels & Bottles also use the kitchen as a demonstration theatre, where up to 35 guests can watch a meal being coked, usually followed by a supper in the store's tasting room, with recipes and hints to take away.
Judges were impressed by a concept that seemed really unique"
Drinks Retailer Awards 2008
Late last night we received a very excited phone call from Mark Price to let us know we won the Off License News Innovation Award. The 2008 Drinks Retailing Awards took place at London's Dorchester Hotel last night with Mark Price and Matt Thompson representing Barrels & Bottles.
Also nominated were Threshers and Adnams in the Innovation category.
Mark and Matt are on their way back to Chesterfield so details are a little scant at the moment (Mark has a mile wide smile) ... full details of the event will follow.
A party is in order ......
Also nominated were Threshers and Adnams in the Innovation category.
Mark and Matt are on their way back to Chesterfield so details are a little scant at the moment (Mark has a mile wide smile) ... full details of the event will follow.
A party is in order ......
As we finally get 2008 on the move after the sluggish January that always seems to follow Christmas, there appears to be a squeeze on the horizon for wine prices from our beloved leader "Mr G Broon".
My forecast from 2006 was that when the government have finished penalizing the smokers, they would start on the drinkers. I have often wondered over the past couple of years whether there is an ulterior motive in the supermarkets attitude to pricing of alcohol. My theory is that as they get people out of the habit of drinking out in pubs and restaurants, by offering ludicrously cheap cases of beer and wine, mostly below the cost at which they are buying them, they lull them into a false sense of security and then wham, the prices go right back up after the habits have been formed of drinking at home.
Some may say this is an admirable attempt by the big 4 to reduce drinking and driving. No-body would argue with that benefit and any initiative to reduce deaths on our road by drinking and driving should be applauded, but I am suspicious of this being the real reason behind the campaign. The government have also tried to support the drinks industry via their claims that Malt Whisky duty should not be increased and in fairness the duty has not been increased dramatically over the last few years. Wine duty currently sits at £1.36 per bottle of still wine plus vat.
What will happen in 2008 is as follows:
* The government will increase duty on still wine by 25 to 30p per bottle making the duty costs around £2.00 per bottle including vat.
* The government will increase duty on Malt Whisky and other spirits by maybe 3%
* They will probably increase the duty on beer by around 5p per pint.
* There will be some hot air about how this will stop binge drinking and under age drinking.
* The Euro will continue to strengthen against the pound making European wines relatively more expensive, by as much as 10%
If we are to target binge drinking we need to tackle the Alco pops industry, a product that we have refused in 30 years to stock despite it being a massive sector of the market. We also need to target high strength large format ciders and cheap vodka. By holding the price of spirit duty we have actually encouraged the proliferation of cheap vodkas and other spirits.
The reality is that the majority of malt whisky sales are actually for export and therefore are not valid for duty payments, so we can in no way say that this policy has worked. We still allow supermarkets to sell promotionally with alcohol, eg 3 cases of beer for £20, when the real cost should be almost double that and we still allow off licenses to sell 2 liters of cider in plastic bottles (pet) directly targeting the youth and alcohol abusers market.
By increasing the duty on wine we are targeting centrally the middle market, the casual wine drinker, the side of the market where people have been proven to be the most informed about the choices they are making on their alcohol consumption.
Is this the nanny state in overdrive or are we simply a sitting duck target for the coffers of the treasury. None of us will know the answer for sure. It could be that by increasing the price of duty, the UK will have many less alcohol related diseases. It could also be that the informed drinkers who make their choices are just being targeted as a money bank.
If we could target the needy areas such as underage drinking, leading to lack of teenage control and violence, I would be 100% for it. Unfortunately I cannot believe that the policy of driving wine duty prices upwards, the strength of the Euro against the pound and the determination of central government to keep the tills ringing with tax, will improve the UK's health in the slightest. We will see price rises of 15 to 18% on most European wines and around 9 to 12% on non European wines this year.
Perhaps this is the year for stocking you wine cellar properly, but do it early, preferably before the end of March because the Chancellor is going to hit you this year and he is going to hit you hard, right where it hurts!
Andrew Coghlan
My forecast from 2006 was that when the government have finished penalizing the smokers, they would start on the drinkers. I have often wondered over the past couple of years whether there is an ulterior motive in the supermarkets attitude to pricing of alcohol. My theory is that as they get people out of the habit of drinking out in pubs and restaurants, by offering ludicrously cheap cases of beer and wine, mostly below the cost at which they are buying them, they lull them into a false sense of security and then wham, the prices go right back up after the habits have been formed of drinking at home.
Some may say this is an admirable attempt by the big 4 to reduce drinking and driving. No-body would argue with that benefit and any initiative to reduce deaths on our road by drinking and driving should be applauded, but I am suspicious of this being the real reason behind the campaign. The government have also tried to support the drinks industry via their claims that Malt Whisky duty should not be increased and in fairness the duty has not been increased dramatically over the last few years. Wine duty currently sits at £1.36 per bottle of still wine plus vat.
What will happen in 2008 is as follows:
* The government will increase duty on still wine by 25 to 30p per bottle making the duty costs around £2.00 per bottle including vat.
* The government will increase duty on Malt Whisky and other spirits by maybe 3%
* They will probably increase the duty on beer by around 5p per pint.
* There will be some hot air about how this will stop binge drinking and under age drinking.
* The Euro will continue to strengthen against the pound making European wines relatively more expensive, by as much as 10%
If we are to target binge drinking we need to tackle the Alco pops industry, a product that we have refused in 30 years to stock despite it being a massive sector of the market. We also need to target high strength large format ciders and cheap vodka. By holding the price of spirit duty we have actually encouraged the proliferation of cheap vodkas and other spirits.
The reality is that the majority of malt whisky sales are actually for export and therefore are not valid for duty payments, so we can in no way say that this policy has worked. We still allow supermarkets to sell promotionally with alcohol, eg 3 cases of beer for £20, when the real cost should be almost double that and we still allow off licenses to sell 2 liters of cider in plastic bottles (pet) directly targeting the youth and alcohol abusers market.
By increasing the duty on wine we are targeting centrally the middle market, the casual wine drinker, the side of the market where people have been proven to be the most informed about the choices they are making on their alcohol consumption.
Is this the nanny state in overdrive or are we simply a sitting duck target for the coffers of the treasury. None of us will know the answer for sure. It could be that by increasing the price of duty, the UK will have many less alcohol related diseases. It could also be that the informed drinkers who make their choices are just being targeted as a money bank.
If we could target the needy areas such as underage drinking, leading to lack of teenage control and violence, I would be 100% for it. Unfortunately I cannot believe that the policy of driving wine duty prices upwards, the strength of the Euro against the pound and the determination of central government to keep the tills ringing with tax, will improve the UK's health in the slightest. We will see price rises of 15 to 18% on most European wines and around 9 to 12% on non European wines this year.
Perhaps this is the year for stocking you wine cellar properly, but do it early, preferably before the end of March because the Chancellor is going to hit you this year and he is going to hit you hard, right where it hurts!
Andrew Coghlan
A small harvest of exceptional quality
The harvest of 2007 was of exceptional quality and was characterized by its lower than normal yields, down 30% - 35% when compared to 2006. This meant that the Syrah yields were as low as 25hl/ha, the Marselan 30hl/ha, the Grenache at around 35hl/ha and the Carignan at 45hl/ha.
These lower yields combined with good weather and a long ripening period meant that the grapes had greater concentration of fruit and minerality and will produce some stunning wines. 2007 is Camplazens Best Harvest in Ten Years!!
Why were the yields low?
The reasons for the lower than normal yields for the 2007 harvest started as early as the summer of 2006. The number of flowering sites at the base of the buds which determines the number of flowers and hence the future number of bunches of grapes is largely set in the summer of the preceding year. The cool weather and lack of rainfall from April – September of 2006 was particularly unfavourable for floral initiation and had a significant influence on the flowing initiation for 2007. The further rain and high winds at the time of the flowering in April 2007 again reduced the buds that formed producing even lower overall yields.
The Weather
A mild early spring gave every indication of an early harvest, possibly one week early but as the ripening season progressed it was clear that the harvest would be actually be prolonged. Regular rainfall throughout the spring was welcome but exposed the vines to a high risk of disease, particularly mildew, however due to the good health of the vines and selective treatment all problems were averted. As usual, the summer was dry right up to the harvest with climatic conditions favourable for slow and consistent ripening. The grapes were able to reach full maturity both from the perspective of sugar and acidity and also phenolic ripeness with almost full and complete ripening of the pips. The result was a harvest that exhibited complex and intense aromas, excellent skin colour, and ripe harmonized tannins.
The Harvest
The favourable weather conditions and the absence of disease or rot enabled us to harvest at the moment of optimum ripeness.
The Viognier was the first to be picked. This took place on September 6th at 4:00 a.m. so the grapes could be pressed when they were still cold in order to preserve the aromas. The must was then immediately transferred to the fermentation tank, thereby limiting exposure to oxygen and maintaining the quality of the fruit.
The first red to be harvested was a parcel of young Syrah on September 13th. The Syrah was also harvested early in the morning so that the grapes could be cold macerated in the temperature-controlled vats prior to the start of the alcoholic fermentation.
The older Syrah was harvested 15 to 17 days later.
The Grenache was harvested during the final days of September and the first week of October and at the same time the Old Carignan was hand picked for fermentation by Carbonic Maceration.
Finally, the Marselan, which is normally the last to mature, was brought in to the winery on October 10th.
With the exception of the Old Carignan, all the red grapes were harvested by machine. Machine harvesting of mature grapes means that essentially all of the stems remain on the vines while the machine shakes off the berries. This is a most efficient separation of the grapes from their stems and when followed by mechanical de-stemming (which can now be performed on the harvesting machine itself) means that essentially “clean” grapes are delivered to the winery. Nonetheless, at reception the grapes are de-stemmed a second time to ensure the almost complete removal of any residual green vegetable matter before being transferred to the fermentation vats.
In 2007 we harvested 19 parcels of vines in order of their maturity. The must was then divided up in to separate vats with the objective of achieving a gradation of quality of each grape type. This year the harvest comprised:
20 ha Syrah from 8 parcels fermented in 6 vats
8 ha Grenache from 5 parcels fermented in 3 vats
5 ha Marselan from one parcel “La Defriche” fermented in 3 vats
1.2 ha of Old Carignan from 3 parcels, in 1 vat.
1.2 ha of Viognier from 2 parcels, in 1 vat.
The Wine Making
The extended harvesting period allowed more attention to be given to the wine making process. In 2002 we had modernized and extended the cave and installed 10 pairs of vertically separated duel fermentation tanks. The tanks enable us to perform controlled fermentation and precision management of the maceration of the grape skins, which rise to the top of the mixture in the vats. For each vat this involves a combination of the sustained regular mechanical turning over of the cap (piegage) and pumping the juice from the lower tank over the cap in the upper tank to obtain optimum extraction of the soft tannins from the skins. In this way we avoid any risk of over-extraction of the harsh tannins that can be present if some of the pips have not fully ripened.
This year we were also able to successfully conclude the Carbonic Maceration of our Old Carignan.
The harvest of 2007 was of exceptional quality and was characterized by its lower than normal yields, down 30% - 35% when compared to 2006. This meant that the Syrah yields were as low as 25hl/ha, the Marselan 30hl/ha, the Grenache at around 35hl/ha and the Carignan at 45hl/ha.
These lower yields combined with good weather and a long ripening period meant that the grapes had greater concentration of fruit and minerality and will produce some stunning wines. 2007 is Camplazens Best Harvest in Ten Years!!
Why were the yields low?
The reasons for the lower than normal yields for the 2007 harvest started as early as the summer of 2006. The number of flowering sites at the base of the buds which determines the number of flowers and hence the future number of bunches of grapes is largely set in the summer of the preceding year. The cool weather and lack of rainfall from April – September of 2006 was particularly unfavourable for floral initiation and had a significant influence on the flowing initiation for 2007. The further rain and high winds at the time of the flowering in April 2007 again reduced the buds that formed producing even lower overall yields.
The Weather
A mild early spring gave every indication of an early harvest, possibly one week early but as the ripening season progressed it was clear that the harvest would be actually be prolonged. Regular rainfall throughout the spring was welcome but exposed the vines to a high risk of disease, particularly mildew, however due to the good health of the vines and selective treatment all problems were averted. As usual, the summer was dry right up to the harvest with climatic conditions favourable for slow and consistent ripening. The grapes were able to reach full maturity both from the perspective of sugar and acidity and also phenolic ripeness with almost full and complete ripening of the pips. The result was a harvest that exhibited complex and intense aromas, excellent skin colour, and ripe harmonized tannins.
The Harvest
The favourable weather conditions and the absence of disease or rot enabled us to harvest at the moment of optimum ripeness.
The Viognier was the first to be picked. This took place on September 6th at 4:00 a.m. so the grapes could be pressed when they were still cold in order to preserve the aromas. The must was then immediately transferred to the fermentation tank, thereby limiting exposure to oxygen and maintaining the quality of the fruit.
The first red to be harvested was a parcel of young Syrah on September 13th. The Syrah was also harvested early in the morning so that the grapes could be cold macerated in the temperature-controlled vats prior to the start of the alcoholic fermentation.
The older Syrah was harvested 15 to 17 days later.
The Grenache was harvested during the final days of September and the first week of October and at the same time the Old Carignan was hand picked for fermentation by Carbonic Maceration.
Finally, the Marselan, which is normally the last to mature, was brought in to the winery on October 10th.
With the exception of the Old Carignan, all the red grapes were harvested by machine. Machine harvesting of mature grapes means that essentially all of the stems remain on the vines while the machine shakes off the berries. This is a most efficient separation of the grapes from their stems and when followed by mechanical de-stemming (which can now be performed on the harvesting machine itself) means that essentially “clean” grapes are delivered to the winery. Nonetheless, at reception the grapes are de-stemmed a second time to ensure the almost complete removal of any residual green vegetable matter before being transferred to the fermentation vats.
In 2007 we harvested 19 parcels of vines in order of their maturity. The must was then divided up in to separate vats with the objective of achieving a gradation of quality of each grape type. This year the harvest comprised:
20 ha Syrah from 8 parcels fermented in 6 vats
8 ha Grenache from 5 parcels fermented in 3 vats
5 ha Marselan from one parcel “La Defriche” fermented in 3 vats
1.2 ha of Old Carignan from 3 parcels, in 1 vat.
1.2 ha of Viognier from 2 parcels, in 1 vat.
The Wine Making
The extended harvesting period allowed more attention to be given to the wine making process. In 2002 we had modernized and extended the cave and installed 10 pairs of vertically separated duel fermentation tanks. The tanks enable us to perform controlled fermentation and precision management of the maceration of the grape skins, which rise to the top of the mixture in the vats. For each vat this involves a combination of the sustained regular mechanical turning over of the cap (piegage) and pumping the juice from the lower tank over the cap in the upper tank to obtain optimum extraction of the soft tannins from the skins. In this way we avoid any risk of over-extraction of the harsh tannins that can be present if some of the pips have not fully ripened.
This year we were also able to successfully conclude the Carbonic Maceration of our Old Carignan.
Labels: camplazens, france, wine
As wine suppliers to The Red Lion at Stone Edge, Chesterfield we were pleased to attend the Derbyshire Life luncheon hosted there in December 2007. Food and Wine editor Amber Locke wrote:
"Sustainable-farmed baked Welsh Turbot was served as the main course, topped with Menai Strait Oysters and served a foamy sabayon. The fish was cooked to perfection; juicy and meaty and with a refined flavour and the delicate, slightly salty oysters and elegant sabayon adding an even more luxurious touch to this stunning dish"
"To accompany this a tropical fruit-flavoured and minerally New Zealand Highfield Sauvignon Blanc was served. As this is one of my favourite wines this course was an all-round winner for me and one of the most enjoyable dishes and successful food and wine pairings I have experienced all year"
"Dessert was served as a trio of puddings: a coffee creme brulee, a cube of sticky toffee pudding and a slim wedge of lemon tart. All provided different degrees of sweetness and a contrast of smoothness and texture. The final Gartelmann wine of the day was a Late Harvest Ambrosia. Its sumptuous nutty and apricot flavours made it rich and luscious and at the same time fresh and clean tasting, providing a happy and complementary pairing of the puddings"
"The quality of food, cooking and the excellent standard of service at The Red Lion is certainly something to be admired and with a 25 bedroom luxury boutique hotel being built by the owner in the field next door... this is certainly a venue to watch!"
Derbyshire Life and Countryside
The Red Lion, Darley Road, Stone Edge, Chesterfield 01246 566142
"Sustainable-farmed baked Welsh Turbot was served as the main course, topped with Menai Strait Oysters and served a foamy sabayon. The fish was cooked to perfection; juicy and meaty and with a refined flavour and the delicate, slightly salty oysters and elegant sabayon adding an even more luxurious touch to this stunning dish"
"To accompany this a tropical fruit-flavoured and minerally New Zealand Highfield Sauvignon Blanc was served. As this is one of my favourite wines this course was an all-round winner for me and one of the most enjoyable dishes and successful food and wine pairings I have experienced all year"
"Dessert was served as a trio of puddings: a coffee creme brulee, a cube of sticky toffee pudding and a slim wedge of lemon tart. All provided different degrees of sweetness and a contrast of smoothness and texture. The final Gartelmann wine of the day was a Late Harvest Ambrosia. Its sumptuous nutty and apricot flavours made it rich and luscious and at the same time fresh and clean tasting, providing a happy and complementary pairing of the puddings"
"The quality of food, cooking and the excellent standard of service at The Red Lion is certainly something to be admired and with a 25 bedroom luxury boutique hotel being built by the owner in the field next door... this is certainly a venue to watch!"
Derbyshire Life and Countryside
The Red Lion, Darley Road, Stone Edge, Chesterfield 01246 566142
I enjoyed a fine Magnum of Tour de By Medoc cru Bourgeois 1997 with the Christmas festivities. The interesting thing was that we expected the wine to be quite forward but when first open the wine was quite closed and youthful.
As each glass went from the Magnum, the wine became softer and rounding off the bottle on Boxing day it was absolutely as smooth as silk. It made me think about the other magnums of Tour de By that I have in the cellar, especially the 2005 that I had been thinking would drink well by the 10 year mark. I have scheduled this back to 2020 now, as the wine is so big, it would be a shame to spoil it by drinking it too young.
It got me thinking about how people decide to drink their wines at the optimum time. The vast majority drink wines too young, but many wait until it is too late. My advice is to check the core to rim comparison and make sure there is some colour differentiation between the two aspects. Also check the nose. If it is still closed, give the wine another couple of years at least before rechecking.
If it is too young, leave it to stand for 48 hours open. This will lead it to come forward by about 2 years, making it much softer to the palate.
Andrew Coghlan
As each glass went from the Magnum, the wine became softer and rounding off the bottle on Boxing day it was absolutely as smooth as silk. It made me think about the other magnums of Tour de By that I have in the cellar, especially the 2005 that I had been thinking would drink well by the 10 year mark. I have scheduled this back to 2020 now, as the wine is so big, it would be a shame to spoil it by drinking it too young.
It got me thinking about how people decide to drink their wines at the optimum time. The vast majority drink wines too young, but many wait until it is too late. My advice is to check the core to rim comparison and make sure there is some colour differentiation between the two aspects. Also check the nose. If it is still closed, give the wine another couple of years at least before rechecking.
If it is too young, leave it to stand for 48 hours open. This will lead it to come forward by about 2 years, making it much softer to the palate.
Andrew Coghlan
By Mike Edmonds:
A brewery executive was on the verge of tears when he had to smash two bottles of Australia's best known wine, worth $3000, at the airport. Neil Grant, the southern region general manager with Fosters Australia, ran foul of the tough security rules at Melbourne's Tullmarine airport as he was about to board an Emirates flight to the UK.
"I was going to conferences in Scotland and Ireland, and grabbed a 1980 and an '82 Grange from my personal cellar," Mr Grant said. He estimated the two bottles were probably worth about $3000.
But he'd forgotten about the 100ml liquid rule applying to carry-on luggage, and although the precious Grange slipped through Customs he came unstuck at the final security check.
"I had the lady from hell, who said 'No sir, this is going to be bloody destroyed' even though the Emirates people were happy to find my baggage and pack it for me," he said.
"I said 'this is like a work of art, it's irreplaceable, do you know what you're doing here'.
"She had them in her office and I said I wanted to put them in the wheelie bin myself.
"I was worried that they'd just go downstairs and someone would open the bin and there's two bottles of Grange, so I smashed them.
"I thought if I'm not going to be able to drink them, nobody is.
"I'm still in mourning over it."
Mr Grant said he wanted to take the Grange overseas to share with others at the conferences and show off some of Australia's best produce.
"They were just totally inflexible about anything we suggested to get it fixed," he said.
"I offered to open it there and then and let everyone have some, but they said 'No sir, you can't do that here'."
Story from news.com.au 31st December 2007
A brewery executive was on the verge of tears when he had to smash two bottles of Australia's best known wine, worth $3000, at the airport. Neil Grant, the southern region general manager with Fosters Australia, ran foul of the tough security rules at Melbourne's Tullmarine airport as he was about to board an Emirates flight to the UK.
"I was going to conferences in Scotland and Ireland, and grabbed a 1980 and an '82 Grange from my personal cellar," Mr Grant said. He estimated the two bottles were probably worth about $3000.
But he'd forgotten about the 100ml liquid rule applying to carry-on luggage, and although the precious Grange slipped through Customs he came unstuck at the final security check.
"I had the lady from hell, who said 'No sir, this is going to be bloody destroyed' even though the Emirates people were happy to find my baggage and pack it for me," he said.
"I said 'this is like a work of art, it's irreplaceable, do you know what you're doing here'.
"She had them in her office and I said I wanted to put them in the wheelie bin myself.
"I was worried that they'd just go downstairs and someone would open the bin and there's two bottles of Grange, so I smashed them.
"I thought if I'm not going to be able to drink them, nobody is.
"I'm still in mourning over it."
Mr Grant said he wanted to take the Grange overseas to share with others at the conferences and show off some of Australia's best produce.
"They were just totally inflexible about anything we suggested to get it fixed," he said.
"I offered to open it there and then and let everyone have some, but they said 'No sir, you can't do that here'."
Story from news.com.au 31st December 2007
Having had a couple of your standard pints in my old local with my father, we returned to my parents house and had a nice crisp dry bottle of Konig Pils, to settle our way onto the Christmas wines, we drank a steely Chardonnay from the Highfield Estate, followed by the lighter body of a Fleurie La Chapelle des Bois.
After a rest from food and drink we finished the meal with the Gartelmann Ambrosia from the Hunter Valley, for me this stood up beautifully to the pudding, toasts of marmalade and apricots made it a sumptuous drink for me, but a bit too much for the rest of the family!
Mark Price is National Accounts Manager for Barrels & Bottles
After a rest from food and drink we finished the meal with the Gartelmann Ambrosia from the Hunter Valley, for me this stood up beautifully to the pudding, toasts of marmalade and apricots made it a sumptuous drink for me, but a bit too much for the rest of the family!
Mark Price is National Accounts Manager for Barrels & Bottles
Labels: beaujolais, christmas, highfield, wine
We have just listed the range of wines from Lupe Cholet in Burgundy, France. Lupe Cholet will compliment our existing Burgundy range by Bersan et Fils and Cave de Vire.
The wines range from classic Vin de Table red, white and rose perfect for everyday drinking... right through to benchmark Puligny Montrachet and Nuits St Georges.
Arrival is imminent and will be appearing on the website shortly... watch this space for further news
The wines range from classic Vin de Table red, white and rose perfect for everyday drinking... right through to benchmark Puligny Montrachet and Nuits St Georges.
Arrival is imminent and will be appearing on the website shortly... watch this space for further news
We have announced 4 new wine tasting events at Barrels & Bottles, Chesterfield :
Roederer Family Wines (26th September) :
A tasting of Roederer Family wines with Guy Cliffe. Starting with Champagne Brut Premier and working through the family vineyards owned by Roederer. We will taste wines from Marques de Murietta in Spain, Pio Cesari in Italy, Domaines Ott in Provence, Ramos Pinto in the Douro valley and the new vintages of Casa Lapostolle in Chile. Pates and cheeses with bread served.
Corbieres, Rousillon & Minervois (7th November) :
A fine tasting of some great wines from the Southern Gems of France, hosted by Michel Marechal, a leading expert in the region. 8 super quality wines with some rich southern french terrines and pates, french bread and a rich onion marmalade.
Christmas Dinner & Tasting (28th November) :
Our traditional end to the tasting Calendar takes a new twist this year. Sumptuous 3 course Christmas themed dinner with 5 different wines in a superb tasting of all the best wines for the Christmas period. Champagne reception, Fine claret and Burgundies, New World wines and Ports will all be served to show you the best of our range.
7.00pm Reception
7.30pm dinner
10.00pm carriages
Limited places.
Gartelmann Wines of Australia (23rd January 2008) :
A fabulous chance to try this new range of exclusive wines from the Hunter Valley. Compare wines with Stelvin Closure and Cork from the same vintage, compare light Shiraz to a more full bodied style, Semillon, Chardonnay and Barrel fermented Chardonnay and finish the tasting on late harvetsed Ambrosia with 105 degrees of sugar. Jorg Gartelman will be on hand to answer your questions.
The minibus service will be available from Sheffield for a small charge of £2.00 per person - available on a first come - first served basis.
Book our wine tasting events online or via the phone 01246 453399
Roederer Family Wines (26th September) :
A tasting of Roederer Family wines with Guy Cliffe. Starting with Champagne Brut Premier and working through the family vineyards owned by Roederer. We will taste wines from Marques de Murietta in Spain, Pio Cesari in Italy, Domaines Ott in Provence, Ramos Pinto in the Douro valley and the new vintages of Casa Lapostolle in Chile. Pates and cheeses with bread served.
Corbieres, Rousillon & Minervois (7th November) :
A fine tasting of some great wines from the Southern Gems of France, hosted by Michel Marechal, a leading expert in the region. 8 super quality wines with some rich southern french terrines and pates, french bread and a rich onion marmalade.
Christmas Dinner & Tasting (28th November) :
Our traditional end to the tasting Calendar takes a new twist this year. Sumptuous 3 course Christmas themed dinner with 5 different wines in a superb tasting of all the best wines for the Christmas period. Champagne reception, Fine claret and Burgundies, New World wines and Ports will all be served to show you the best of our range.
7.00pm Reception
7.30pm dinner
10.00pm carriages
Limited places.
Gartelmann Wines of Australia (23rd January 2008) :
A fabulous chance to try this new range of exclusive wines from the Hunter Valley. Compare wines with Stelvin Closure and Cork from the same vintage, compare light Shiraz to a more full bodied style, Semillon, Chardonnay and Barrel fermented Chardonnay and finish the tasting on late harvetsed Ambrosia with 105 degrees of sugar. Jorg Gartelman will be on hand to answer your questions.
The minibus service will be available from Sheffield for a small charge of £2.00 per person - available on a first come - first served basis.
Book our wine tasting events online or via the phone 01246 453399
The official opening date for the Beaujolais harvest has been set for August 25th - 11 days earlier than last year, owing to the early blooming. Around 47,000 harvesters of 117 nationalities are expected to descend on the 3,000 estates of the region, where manual harvesting is still compulsory.
Fully story by Herve Lalau here...
Fully story by Herve Lalau here...
Labels: beaujolais, wine
Garech Byrne is like no other in the wine industry. In a good way. No bow tie (not even a tie), no PowerPoint presentations and no statistics to prove the average wine drinker in the UK will consume 3000 bottles of his wines per week.
Even their website is unconventional www.stormhoek.com. A wine blog set up to create a wine influenced by consumers. No statistics on harvest percentages, acidity values. Just the simple approach of fans writing about their experiences of Stormhoek.
Amazingly, this is not all style and no substance. The Stormhoek Siren wines (featuring a Sauvignon Blanc and Pinotage) are stunning examples of their type. Their quality comes in part from the influences of Alain Mouiex (joint owner of the fabulously expensive Petrus) and flying winemaker Florent Dumeau using their own grapes.
Single varietals bottled in tall, chic clear bottles with simple, elegant labels all help towards the Stormhoek Siren philosophy "wine as an object of beauty". A raft of industry awards (IWSC Pinotage Trophy, Decanter Silver Medal amongst others) proves this unconventional approach to wine is working.
The back labels on the bottles feature a "Freshness Indicator". A fantastically simple idea that work. A simple time line showing when the wine will start to drink and when it will start to become tired. Taking the guesswork out of when to drink your wines.
Even their website is unconventional www.stormhoek.com. A wine blog set up to create a wine influenced by consumers. No statistics on harvest percentages, acidity values. Just the simple approach of fans writing about their experiences of Stormhoek.
Amazingly, this is not all style and no substance. The Stormhoek Siren wines (featuring a Sauvignon Blanc and Pinotage) are stunning examples of their type. Their quality comes in part from the influences of Alain Mouiex (joint owner of the fabulously expensive Petrus) and flying winemaker Florent Dumeau using their own grapes.
Single varietals bottled in tall, chic clear bottles with simple, elegant labels all help towards the Stormhoek Siren philosophy "wine as an object of beauty". A raft of industry awards (IWSC Pinotage Trophy, Decanter Silver Medal amongst others) proves this unconventional approach to wine is working.
The back labels on the bottles feature a "Freshness Indicator". A fantastically simple idea that work. A simple time line showing when the wine will start to drink and when it will start to become tired. Taking the guesswork out of when to drink your wines.
Labels: pinotage, sauvignon, south africa, wine
Figures to mid-June 2007 just released by A C Nielsen show that retail sales of Chilean wine in the United Kingdom have overtaken those of Spanish wine, moving Chile up into 6th place.
Michael Cox, Wines of Chile's UK Director, commented: 'Chile is now making steady and sustained progress across the board in both volume and value. This is testimony to the hard work being done by the wineries, and the growing awareness of Chile's naturally diverse styles of quality wines.'
Current positions are:
1st : Australia
2nd : France
3rd : USA
4th : Italy
5th : South Africa
Chile now has 6.9% of UK off-trade sales, and is moving up to challenge South Africa for 5th place.
Article by Charles Metcalfe. Full details
Michael Cox, Wines of Chile's UK Director, commented: 'Chile is now making steady and sustained progress across the board in both volume and value. This is testimony to the hard work being done by the wineries, and the growing awareness of Chile's naturally diverse styles of quality wines.'
Current positions are:
1st : Australia
2nd : France
3rd : USA
4th : Italy
5th : South Africa
Chile now has 6.9% of UK off-trade sales, and is moving up to challenge South Africa for 5th place.
Article by Charles Metcalfe. Full details
Corr blimey what a fantastic set of red wines we have just introduced. Five red wines from the Kay Brothers Amery Vineyards located in the McLaren Vale, Australia.
There is a Merlot and a Cabernet Sauvignon to ease you into the three stunning Shiraz wines on offer. The Block 6 Shiraz is a veritable feast of tangy, fruit driven flavours and was awarded 95 "Parker Points" by the Wine Advocate. The big, punchy flavours bowled us all over at the initial sampling stage... a genuine benchmark Shiraz.
The range includes:
Kay Brothers Merlot
Kay Brothers Cabernet Sauvignon
Kay Brothers Amery Shiraz
Kay Brothers Hillside Shiraz
Kay Brothers Block 6 Shiraz
These are all big, rich, powerful wines with some weighing in at 15.5%alc. A massive wine by any standards.
Stock availability is limited but they do come heartedly recommended by all the team at Barrels & Bottles
There is a Merlot and a Cabernet Sauvignon to ease you into the three stunning Shiraz wines on offer. The Block 6 Shiraz is a veritable feast of tangy, fruit driven flavours and was awarded 95 "Parker Points" by the Wine Advocate. The big, punchy flavours bowled us all over at the initial sampling stage... a genuine benchmark Shiraz.
The range includes:
These are all big, rich, powerful wines with some weighing in at 15.5%alc. A massive wine by any standards.
Stock availability is limited but they do come heartedly recommended by all the team at Barrels & Bottles
We have certainly bolstered our range of Italian wineries this week with no fewer than 4 new estates joining our portfolio.
Masseria Altemura are first up with their Negroamaro and Rosato wines from Salento. The Rosato is a fabulous rose wine with real depth of character. The wines of Masseria Altemura reflect the family’s dedication to expressing the utmost respect for the traditions of a given territory as well as the family’s deep-rooted production philosophy, which has always been geared towards promoting and giving new life to indigenous grape varieties. Consequently in the Salento area, an extraordinary zone which yields wines of both great flavor and charm
The dessert wine Recioto di Gambellara by Podere il Giangio features a bright golden colour with huge flavours of rich, ripe, zesty lemons. Lip-smackingly tasty.
Three wines from Torre Solaria include Insolia, Nero d'Avola and stunning Primitivo. At a little of £7.00 each these are superb wines to be enjoyed this summer.
From Sicily we can heartedly recommend the Feudo Principi di Butera Syrah with its big appealing notes of cherries, red fruit and sweet spices. Located in the heart of Sicily (The California of Italy), and is the most ambitious investment ever undertaken by the Zonin family: 320 hectares of splendidly exposed land, of which 180 hectares are planted with vines, situated entirely in the Riesi DOC production zone. The Zonin family has owned the estate since 1997.
A whole range of styles and tastes to keep the Italian flair flying high.
Masseria Altemura are first up with their Negroamaro and Rosato wines from Salento. The Rosato is a fabulous rose wine with real depth of character. The wines of Masseria Altemura reflect the family’s dedication to expressing the utmost respect for the traditions of a given territory as well as the family’s deep-rooted production philosophy, which has always been geared towards promoting and giving new life to indigenous grape varieties. Consequently in the Salento area, an extraordinary zone which yields wines of both great flavor and charm
The dessert wine Recioto di Gambellara by Podere il Giangio features a bright golden colour with huge flavours of rich, ripe, zesty lemons. Lip-smackingly tasty.
Three wines from Torre Solaria include Insolia, Nero d'Avola and stunning Primitivo. At a little of £7.00 each these are superb wines to be enjoyed this summer.
From Sicily we can heartedly recommend the Feudo Principi di Butera Syrah with its big appealing notes of cherries, red fruit and sweet spices. Located in the heart of Sicily (The California of Italy), and is the most ambitious investment ever undertaken by the Zonin family: 320 hectares of splendidly exposed land, of which 180 hectares are planted with vines, situated entirely in the Riesi DOC production zone. The Zonin family has owned the estate since 1997.
A whole range of styles and tastes to keep the Italian flair flying high.
An Article by Andrew Coghlan
One of my passions in the wine trade is matching different styles of food with different wines. As we have a leg in both camps of both the wine industry and the food industry, combining our cookery school at Sheepbridge with our wine wholesaling arm, we are in a unique position to make informed comment on both aspects. I have outlined some general principles of styles of wine to match with styles of foods. This is the basis of our new wine and cookery book due to hit the shops in July, so here a quick taster of what is to come later this summer.
The main principle in matching wine is not to match but to contrast. The wine should be used as an ingredient in the dish as a contrasting element, so if a recipe has a high acidity, choose a wine with high fruit content to match to it. Classical faux pas include choosing Chardonnay based wines with Fish such as smoked salmon, or selecting a heavy spiced Shiraz to match with white meats which drowns the flavours.
I am also of the belief that you should drink what you like drinking with what you like eating, its not for me to tell customers what they should drink because its a very personal thing. All I can do is advise which styles go best together and then leave it to personal selection.
Lets take some examples from a typical dinner party menu.
If you have a Smoked and fresh Salmon Terrine served with a balsamic dressing, you have the smokiness of the fish, the sweetness of the fresh salmon and that tart acidity of the Balsamic Vinegar. My selection to balance would be a sauvignon blanc grape variety, probably from the Loire Valley such as Sancerre or perhaps better a Pouilly Fume. The fume has an elegant citric fruit and a hint of vanilla whereas the Sancerre has more of a ripe gooseberry aroma and flavour. Both have high acidity which balances the sweetness of the fish,yet sufficient body or weight to hold against the Balsamic Vinegar.
Other wines which might match would include Australian Semillon, perhaps Cape Jaffa Semillon from the Limestone Coast region which has a deep ripe fruit aroma and a hint of lemon on the finish.
Looking at something for the main course now with a Fillet of Derbyshire beef wrapped in Horseradish mousse with a red wine jus lie. This has very strong meat flavours, the slightly oily texture of the reduced red wine and beef bones stock sauce, the horseradish giving a hint of spice, so overall lots of richness in the dish.
My choice would be from Bordeaux in France, from the Haut Medoc. This side of Bordeaux relies on the heavy Cabernet Sauvignon grape variety, tempered with a touch of the softer Merlot. Chateau de Pez 1999 would be great with its rich texture, a hint of cigar box on the nose and a rich black fruit flavour on the top of the palate. However at £30 per bottle it might make the evening an expensive one so I,m also recommending a Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile. Casa Lapostolle Alvara Cabernet Sauvignon is full of ripe berries and good tannic structure which balances the oily texture of the sauce. This sells at about £6 so you can always stretch to a couple of bottles.
For dessert I have selected an Apple Tart Tatin with Clotted Cream Ice Cream. This dish relies on the tangy fruit against the creamy ice cream with a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon to give interest on the palate. This matches really well with late harvested Chenin Blanc, particularly from around the town of Anjou. Chateau Des Fesles Coteau du Layon is a delicious dessert wine, rich and fruity with great length and enough umph to stand up to the apple and the buttery ice cream.
Round off the meal with a nice piece of ripe local Stilton. Salty and savoury but just needs a wine with great fruit to balance it. If choosing a port, select a good ruby like Adriano Ramos Pinto Collector Reserva at around £15 which shows deep black fruit on the attack and a hint of spirit on the finish or be alternative and serve a glass of good quality Syrah or Shiraz. Ross Hill Shiraz from New South Wales has good depth at £12 but for real class go the Rhone and enjoy a glass of Hermitage from the finest hillside producing Syrah in France. Although you will pay around £16, the wine will last for some days so could be enjoyed over the week as the stilton becomes riper.
Don't write to me if you need to visit your Doctor for Gout, so everything in moderation is always a good motto!
One of my passions in the wine trade is matching different styles of food with different wines. As we have a leg in both camps of both the wine industry and the food industry, combining our cookery school at Sheepbridge with our wine wholesaling arm, we are in a unique position to make informed comment on both aspects. I have outlined some general principles of styles of wine to match with styles of foods. This is the basis of our new wine and cookery book due to hit the shops in July, so here a quick taster of what is to come later this summer.
The main principle in matching wine is not to match but to contrast. The wine should be used as an ingredient in the dish as a contrasting element, so if a recipe has a high acidity, choose a wine with high fruit content to match to it. Classical faux pas include choosing Chardonnay based wines with Fish such as smoked salmon, or selecting a heavy spiced Shiraz to match with white meats which drowns the flavours.
I am also of the belief that you should drink what you like drinking with what you like eating, its not for me to tell customers what they should drink because its a very personal thing. All I can do is advise which styles go best together and then leave it to personal selection.
Lets take some examples from a typical dinner party menu.
If you have a Smoked and fresh Salmon Terrine served with a balsamic dressing, you have the smokiness of the fish, the sweetness of the fresh salmon and that tart acidity of the Balsamic Vinegar. My selection to balance would be a sauvignon blanc grape variety, probably from the Loire Valley such as Sancerre or perhaps better a Pouilly Fume. The fume has an elegant citric fruit and a hint of vanilla whereas the Sancerre has more of a ripe gooseberry aroma and flavour. Both have high acidity which balances the sweetness of the fish,yet sufficient body or weight to hold against the Balsamic Vinegar.
Other wines which might match would include Australian Semillon, perhaps Cape Jaffa Semillon from the Limestone Coast region which has a deep ripe fruit aroma and a hint of lemon on the finish.
Looking at something for the main course now with a Fillet of Derbyshire beef wrapped in Horseradish mousse with a red wine jus lie. This has very strong meat flavours, the slightly oily texture of the reduced red wine and beef bones stock sauce, the horseradish giving a hint of spice, so overall lots of richness in the dish.
My choice would be from Bordeaux in France, from the Haut Medoc. This side of Bordeaux relies on the heavy Cabernet Sauvignon grape variety, tempered with a touch of the softer Merlot. Chateau de Pez 1999 would be great with its rich texture, a hint of cigar box on the nose and a rich black fruit flavour on the top of the palate. However at £30 per bottle it might make the evening an expensive one so I,m also recommending a Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile. Casa Lapostolle Alvara Cabernet Sauvignon is full of ripe berries and good tannic structure which balances the oily texture of the sauce. This sells at about £6 so you can always stretch to a couple of bottles.
For dessert I have selected an Apple Tart Tatin with Clotted Cream Ice Cream. This dish relies on the tangy fruit against the creamy ice cream with a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon to give interest on the palate. This matches really well with late harvested Chenin Blanc, particularly from around the town of Anjou. Chateau Des Fesles Coteau du Layon is a delicious dessert wine, rich and fruity with great length and enough umph to stand up to the apple and the buttery ice cream.
Round off the meal with a nice piece of ripe local Stilton. Salty and savoury but just needs a wine with great fruit to balance it. If choosing a port, select a good ruby like Adriano Ramos Pinto Collector Reserva at around £15 which shows deep black fruit on the attack and a hint of spirit on the finish or be alternative and serve a glass of good quality Syrah or Shiraz. Ross Hill Shiraz from New South Wales has good depth at £12 but for real class go the Rhone and enjoy a glass of Hermitage from the finest hillside producing Syrah in France. Although you will pay around £16, the wine will last for some days so could be enjoyed over the week as the stilton becomes riper.
Don't write to me if you need to visit your Doctor for Gout, so everything in moderation is always a good motto!
Burgundy exports up 8% in 2006 : by Hervé Lalau
Although France’s wine industry had few other reasons for overt celebration, Burgundy wine enjoyed a particularly successful year in 2006, with sales up 8.7% in volume and 8% in value, confirming the 7% progression observed in 2005. 96 million bottles were exported, 8 million more than in 2005, with a total value of €590 million, up €46 million on last year.
Beyond the global expansion, it was the individual markets that caused optimism. Of the 15 countries that account for 93% of total sales, only Germany showed a slight decline in purchase volume. The three largest markets, that together purchase over 60% of total exports, all showed growth: the United Kingdom was up by 3%, the United States by 11.5% and Japan by 6%. Canada showed the strongest growth among the major markets at +28% and is now the fifth largest export destination, overtaking Germany and the Netherlands.
Of the rest, only Belgium, which grew at +6%, is larger. Apart from Switzerland, which fell two notches in the rankings, the northern European markets of Denmark, Ireland, Sweden and Norway round at the pack. China, which doubled its uptake last year, is now among the top 30 importers.
Story from Wine Business International
Although France’s wine industry had few other reasons for overt celebration, Burgundy wine enjoyed a particularly successful year in 2006, with sales up 8.7% in volume and 8% in value, confirming the 7% progression observed in 2005. 96 million bottles were exported, 8 million more than in 2005, with a total value of €590 million, up €46 million on last year.
Beyond the global expansion, it was the individual markets that caused optimism. Of the 15 countries that account for 93% of total sales, only Germany showed a slight decline in purchase volume. The three largest markets, that together purchase over 60% of total exports, all showed growth: the United Kingdom was up by 3%, the United States by 11.5% and Japan by 6%. Canada showed the strongest growth among the major markets at +28% and is now the fifth largest export destination, overtaking Germany and the Netherlands.
Of the rest, only Belgium, which grew at +6%, is larger. Apart from Switzerland, which fell two notches in the rankings, the northern European markets of Denmark, Ireland, Sweden and Norway round at the pack. China, which doubled its uptake last year, is now among the top 30 importers.
Story from Wine Business International
Not often we post details of a wine before it arrives but the Gartelmann winery have such a wealth of information available it seems a shame to keep it all to ourselves.
In a tasting of Hunter Valley Semillon wines by Huon Hooke (issue 15 April 2007) the Gartelmann Benjamin Semillon received the following review:
"Superbly clean, refined, and delicate; a scintillating youngster with many years ahead of it. Subtle lemon/citrus aromas; delicate, low-phenolic palate, with mouth-watering acidity that is in no way aggressive. Delicious seafood wine: it cries out for oysters. 17.5 / 20"
Visit the Gartelmann Winery website for a sneak preview on what is new and on it's way to us very soon.
In a tasting of Hunter Valley Semillon wines by Huon Hooke (issue 15 April 2007) the Gartelmann Benjamin Semillon received the following review:
"Superbly clean, refined, and delicate; a scintillating youngster with many years ahead of it. Subtle lemon/citrus aromas; delicate, low-phenolic palate, with mouth-watering acidity that is in no way aggressive. Delicious seafood wine: it cries out for oysters. 17.5 / 20"
Visit the Gartelmann Winery website for a sneak preview on what is new and on it's way to us very soon.
What does the future hold??
The wine world has once again been thrown into chaos with a new ruling by the French Courts over the use of the term Grand Cru.
The case was brought by four Chateau, namely Guadet St Julien, Cadet Bon, La Tour du Pin Figeac and La Marzelle, who had recently been de-listed from the Grand Cru status which helps them command price and prestige for their wine.
In brief the French wine industry is based on history and not based on the wines being tested individually as they are in Germany.
The result is that wineries which had good aspect, soil, sun, rainfall, position which we commonly know as TERROIR, have the best reputation, as defined by the classification jury. the classifications were completed in 1954 and are reexamined every 10 years by a panel consisting of Wine makers, wine merchants brokers and wine professors. The result of last year's rethink meant that the Grand Crus were reduced from 68 to 61, a decision which the Chateau involved took exception to.
The judge ruled that partiality had been shown as the tasting panel had only visited 7 of the 95 candidate Chateau and as a result the classification changes could not apply.
Now we have a situation where by trying to define quality and give the consumers a steer on what is good poor or better than average, the system itself has folded, throwing the pricing of such wines into an uncertain period.
the nett effect of reducing status on a Chateau from Grand Cru to Appellation Controllee can be 35% of the value, a reduction which comes at a time when the Bordeaux vintners can ill afford to lose yet more ground to the now dominant New World Wineries.
We shall watch with interest as this evolves. An appeal is to be lodged an it will no doubt rumble on over the next 12 months and beyond. Investments in wine from pension funds may be affected and if the terms apply to the other side of the river known as the medoc, classified in 1856 and hardly altered since, the effect on prices could be phenomenal.
The wine world has once again been thrown into chaos with a new ruling by the French Courts over the use of the term Grand Cru.
The case was brought by four Chateau, namely Guadet St Julien, Cadet Bon, La Tour du Pin Figeac and La Marzelle, who had recently been de-listed from the Grand Cru status which helps them command price and prestige for their wine.
In brief the French wine industry is based on history and not based on the wines being tested individually as they are in Germany.
The result is that wineries which had good aspect, soil, sun, rainfall, position which we commonly know as TERROIR, have the best reputation, as defined by the classification jury. the classifications were completed in 1954 and are reexamined every 10 years by a panel consisting of Wine makers, wine merchants brokers and wine professors. The result of last year's rethink meant that the Grand Crus were reduced from 68 to 61, a decision which the Chateau involved took exception to.
The judge ruled that partiality had been shown as the tasting panel had only visited 7 of the 95 candidate Chateau and as a result the classification changes could not apply.
Now we have a situation where by trying to define quality and give the consumers a steer on what is good poor or better than average, the system itself has folded, throwing the pricing of such wines into an uncertain period.
the nett effect of reducing status on a Chateau from Grand Cru to Appellation Controllee can be 35% of the value, a reduction which comes at a time when the Bordeaux vintners can ill afford to lose yet more ground to the now dominant New World Wineries.
We shall watch with interest as this evolves. An appeal is to be lodged an it will no doubt rumble on over the next 12 months and beyond. Investments in wine from pension funds may be affected and if the terms apply to the other side of the river known as the medoc, classified in 1856 and hardly altered since, the effect on prices could be phenomenal.
Emilio Bouchon arrived from Bordeaux to Chile in 1892, a pioneer of Colchagua Valley and responsible for the planting of high quality vineyards. Some of the vines which still remain in production date back to 1912.
The building of the oldest and most traditional cellar of Colchagua Valley was underway. Grapes of excellent quality were produced for vinification in the cellar and sold on to other exporting companies. The second and third generations of the family, headed up respectively by Abel Bouchon and Jorge Silva (married to Maruja Bouchon), also left their marks.
As the years went by, both the vineyards and the cellar were divided between different family members some of whom sold on their shares.
In 1977, Mario Silva Cifuentes, who had married María Teresa Silva Bouchon, started working the land at Angostura and thus became the fourth generation of the family. Most of the sold off land and parts of the cellar were bought back and, with heart and soul, launched himself into his lifelong dream. New plantings were established and he himself produced wine to other exporting companies. He was widely considered innovative as well as visionary and was of course largely responsible for bringing the company back together again.
At the beginning of 1997, Mario Pablo Silva made a proposal to his father. It was that he transform his bulk business into a prestige bottling company for export, bearing the family's own brand. Mario Silva accepted his son's challenge and the transformation was underway. Casa Silva was created. Presently Mario Pablo's brothers, Francisco and Gonzalo, joined the project. The beginnings of a wonderful family team were forged. In a short space of time Viña Casa Silva has become widely recognised as one of the most significant producers of premium wine from Chile. It has won important national and international recognitions and over the last few years has been amongst the most highly awarded Chilean wineries.
The building of the oldest and most traditional cellar of Colchagua Valley was underway. Grapes of excellent quality were produced for vinification in the cellar and sold on to other exporting companies. The second and third generations of the family, headed up respectively by Abel Bouchon and Jorge Silva (married to Maruja Bouchon), also left their marks.
As the years went by, both the vineyards and the cellar were divided between different family members some of whom sold on their shares.
In 1977, Mario Silva Cifuentes, who had married María Teresa Silva Bouchon, started working the land at Angostura and thus became the fourth generation of the family. Most of the sold off land and parts of the cellar were bought back and, with heart and soul, launched himself into his lifelong dream. New plantings were established and he himself produced wine to other exporting companies. He was widely considered innovative as well as visionary and was of course largely responsible for bringing the company back together again.
At the beginning of 1997, Mario Pablo Silva made a proposal to his father. It was that he transform his bulk business into a prestige bottling company for export, bearing the family's own brand. Mario Silva accepted his son's challenge and the transformation was underway. Casa Silva was created. Presently Mario Pablo's brothers, Francisco and Gonzalo, joined the project. The beginnings of a wonderful family team were forged. In a short space of time Viña Casa Silva has become widely recognised as one of the most significant producers of premium wine from Chile. It has won important national and international recognitions and over the last few years has been amongst the most highly awarded Chilean wineries.
After finally nailing down some of the wine-makers (not literally) we are pleased to annoce the first few wine tastings for the 2007 season. As well as tastings from Spain, Rhone and Burgundy we are featuring a Madeira Dinner showcasing some traditional local cuisine with speciality wines with each course.
We have extended our WSET courses this year and feature a Level 2 and a Level 3 course. WSET Level 2 is ideal for those with some knowledge of wines looking to extend and refine their knowledge and finishes with a multiple questoin exam. WSET Level 3 takes things to the next stage and really tests your palate and knowledge culminating in a blind tasting examination. All our WSET courses feature full self-study notes and tutoring over an intensive 5 or 7 week study period.
Book mark the wine tasting page for further updates and announcements on events throughout the year. All events are at our Sheepbridge showroom (Chesterfield) unless otherwise stated.
Wine Tasting Events
We have extended our WSET courses this year and feature a Level 2 and a Level 3 course. WSET Level 2 is ideal for those with some knowledge of wines looking to extend and refine their knowledge and finishes with a multiple questoin exam. WSET Level 3 takes things to the next stage and really tests your palate and knowledge culminating in a blind tasting examination. All our WSET courses feature full self-study notes and tutoring over an intensive 5 or 7 week study period.
Book mark the wine tasting page for further updates and announcements on events throughout the year. All events are at our Sheepbridge showroom (Chesterfield) unless otherwise stated.
Wine Tasting Events
With Valentine's Day fast approaching and Easter only a month or two away, Chocolate has once again risen on the agenda for those who enjoy a post Christmas treat. Chocolate and wine however is a more unusual combination, with many wine writers and broadcasters insisting that wine and chocolate are not naturally suited partners.
I am most certainly not of this opinion, being involved in both sides of the coin with my hat on as managing director and buyer for Barrels and Bottles, along with my other hat as director of Coghlans, the cookery school with its own range of luxury hand made truffles and a fresh chocolate counter at its Sheepbridge based location.
The secret to success in matching wine and chocolate is very simple. The higher the cocoa content, the richer and darker the wine to match with it. A chocolate containing 50% cocoa works extremely well with full bodied white wines, perhaps something with a hint of spice such as gewürztraminer from the Alsace, such as Michel Fonne Gewurztraminer AC, a full on Chardonnay with a hint of Oak such as Chablis 1er Cru or even lighter red wines with a low acidity such as a soft Merlot from Chile , La Conde Merlot or a Grenache from the South of France such as Chateau Elisabeth Ac Costieres de Nimes which combines the flavours of red and black berries with a hint of spice on the finish.
A higher Cocoa content demands a different flavour match. Take a 60% cocoa content and the bitterness of the chocolate increases and the sugar content decreases. This level of wine can cope with more acidity but still not too much tannin, the natural chemical which occurs in wine. Hence grape varieties such as Pinot Noir particularly from Burgundy or New Zealand, Tempranillo from Spain, Castillo de Almansa Reserva or a rich and creamy Nebbiolo or BARBERA from Tuscany.
Moving to a higher cocoa content again the grape varieties suited change again and 75 to 80% cocoa demands a powerful rich spiced red wine such as Shiraz or Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec or Carmenere. Wines from Chile are particularly good with the bitter chocolate and my favorite example is Casa Lapostolle Santa Alvara Cabernet Sauvignon, from young vines in this private estate owned by the Grand Marnier and the Louis Roederer Champagne house, so real French aristocracy with great quality New World fruit. You could also try Murphy's Shiraz from New South Wales, made by Tony Murphy from County Cork, a family synonymous with stout rather than wine, but this shiraz is deliciously rich and velvety with a hint of red and black pepper on the finish and seems to balance the bitter sweet flavour of a really dark chocolate.
Those thinking towards Valentine gifts should look past the difficulties of matching Champagne and Chocolate in favour of enjoying the brownie points of remembering to buy their loved one a memorable gift. How about a bottle of Canard Duchene Rose, with a red fruit and white flowers aroma combined with a box of Coghlans hand made Kir Royal Truffles, perfect for that romantic evening. Wine and chocolate is a personal taste. Experiment with the combinations that work for your own palate, or even come along to a make and taste session at the cookery school and find out more about the chocolate and wine combination.
Article by Andrew Coghlan : Elite Magazine
I am most certainly not of this opinion, being involved in both sides of the coin with my hat on as managing director and buyer for Barrels and Bottles, along with my other hat as director of Coghlans, the cookery school with its own range of luxury hand made truffles and a fresh chocolate counter at its Sheepbridge based location.
The secret to success in matching wine and chocolate is very simple. The higher the cocoa content, the richer and darker the wine to match with it. A chocolate containing 50% cocoa works extremely well with full bodied white wines, perhaps something with a hint of spice such as gewürztraminer from the Alsace, such as Michel Fonne Gewurztraminer AC, a full on Chardonnay with a hint of Oak such as Chablis 1er Cru or even lighter red wines with a low acidity such as a soft Merlot from Chile , La Conde Merlot or a Grenache from the South of France such as Chateau Elisabeth Ac Costieres de Nimes which combines the flavours of red and black berries with a hint of spice on the finish.
A higher Cocoa content demands a different flavour match. Take a 60% cocoa content and the bitterness of the chocolate increases and the sugar content decreases. This level of wine can cope with more acidity but still not too much tannin, the natural chemical which occurs in wine. Hence grape varieties such as Pinot Noir particularly from Burgundy or New Zealand, Tempranillo from Spain, Castillo de Almansa Reserva or a rich and creamy Nebbiolo or BARBERA from Tuscany.
Moving to a higher cocoa content again the grape varieties suited change again and 75 to 80% cocoa demands a powerful rich spiced red wine such as Shiraz or Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec or Carmenere. Wines from Chile are particularly good with the bitter chocolate and my favorite example is Casa Lapostolle Santa Alvara Cabernet Sauvignon, from young vines in this private estate owned by the Grand Marnier and the Louis Roederer Champagne house, so real French aristocracy with great quality New World fruit. You could also try Murphy's Shiraz from New South Wales, made by Tony Murphy from County Cork, a family synonymous with stout rather than wine, but this shiraz is deliciously rich and velvety with a hint of red and black pepper on the finish and seems to balance the bitter sweet flavour of a really dark chocolate.
Those thinking towards Valentine gifts should look past the difficulties of matching Champagne and Chocolate in favour of enjoying the brownie points of remembering to buy their loved one a memorable gift. How about a bottle of Canard Duchene Rose, with a red fruit and white flowers aroma combined with a box of Coghlans hand made Kir Royal Truffles, perfect for that romantic evening. Wine and chocolate is a personal taste. Experiment with the combinations that work for your own palate, or even come along to a make and taste session at the cookery school and find out more about the chocolate and wine combination.
Article by Andrew Coghlan : Elite Magazine
Labels: chocolate, valentines, wine
Christmas Day this year was spent with a magnum of Champagne Taittinger (soft and creamy) for the preamble to dinner.
Served with the full Christmas dinner was Highfield Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand (fruity and zesty) and Ross Hill Mick's Lot Shiraz from Australia (full-bodied with tangy blackcurrant fruits)
This is about the 3rd year running where the Highfield Sauvignon has featured over the festive period. For the money and the style of wine needed to suit a range of drinkers and the type of food there is nothing which comes close.
Served with the full Christmas dinner was Highfield Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand (fruity and zesty) and Ross Hill Mick's Lot Shiraz from Australia (full-bodied with tangy blackcurrant fruits)
This is about the 3rd year running where the Highfield Sauvignon has featured over the festive period. For the money and the style of wine needed to suit a range of drinkers and the type of food there is nothing which comes close.
John Higgins
Barrels and Bottles
Unit 5b Broom Business Park, Bridge Way, Sheepbridge
Chesterfield
,
Derbyshire
,
S41 9QG
England
01246 453399