The Grape Escape

Happy Malbec World Day: Cahors, Clos La Coutale, 2010

2013-04-16T07:31:00.000+01:00

Clos La Coutale is a 60 hectare estate alongside the river Lot. A south west facing vineyard it is sheltered from the cold winds from the Causse region, creating a micro climate which allows the vines to ripen early.

As with all "Cahors" this wine is predominately produced from Côt (Malbec), which forms 70% of this wine, which is joined in this case by 15% each of Merlot and Tannat.

Typical of the region the wine has an inky black colour with a nose full of black fruits. On the palate the fruit comes through with a fresh vanilla finish and nicely rounded tannins.

This is a wine that will comfortably age for another 5-7 years, but which is equally drinkable now.

Stocked by The Wine Society, Berry Bros & Rudd and several other suppliers from around £7.50 per bottle.

Something Special: Clos de Ste Anne The Crucible Syrah 2009 Milton Vineyard, Gisborne, New Zealand

2013-02-27T10:00:00.000Z

On the east coast of New Zealand's North Island sits The Milton Vineyard. Established in 1984 by Annie and James Milton following a return to their homeland after gaining experience in Champagne and Bordeaux.

Clos de Ste Anne is home to their "grand cru" wines named in honour of Annie. The Syrah vines are planted high in an area protected from cool sea breezes creating a hot "Cruicible" in the summer months, from which this wine gets its name.

Being named Syrah rather than Shiraz gives a clue that this wine is produced in an old world style and this is immediately apparent on the nose with herbs, black pepper, cherry and some floral hints coming from the small amounts of Viogner that is added to the Syrah. On the palate the fruit comes through in a beautifully luxurious rounded wine, which gives a gentle warmth balanced with the sweetness of the dark fruit.

The only bad thing about this wine is that you will find it difficult to track down. I discovered this wine at Planet of the Grapes wine bar in Leadenhall Market, London, hopefully they have a few in stock, as I cant wait to go back and have some more.

Keep and eye out for this, it is something special, and its price reflects that, at around £28 per bottle. But it is well worth every penny.

#WineWednesday Wine Buying Tip #8

2012-12-05T18:00:00.000Z

Wine of the Week: Champagne Paul Déthune Brut Grand Cru N.V

2012-12-04T17:30:00.001Z

With Christmas fast approaching its time to think about Champagne.

This weeks wine recommendation is a Grand Cru Champagne produced by Paul Déthune in the village of Ambonnay on the Montagne de Reims.

We visited the estate in June 2012 and had a great tasting session with Sophie Déthune who with husband Paul runs the wine production part of the estate which dates back to the 1800's.

Land prices in the Grand Cru villages such as Ambonnay have soared in recent years and with French inheritance laws fragmenting estates among descendants the fear is that in time the smaller Grand Cru producers such as Déthune will be swallowed up by the mass producer market.

In the instance of Déthune it is Paul and his wife Sophie who run the wine production portion of the business with other descendants owning the vineyards. The issue Paul and Sophie face is that when vineyards become old and require replanting the vineyard owners face a few years of no income hence there is a reluctance to replant and selling to a big champagne house becomes an attractive proposition. Hopefully in the case of Déthune they will continue the tradition for generations to come.

As a result there is no better excuse to try this fantastic champagne which is 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay with 50% of the final blend coming from reserve wines. This is a medium bodied champagne, with a fruity exotic nose which passes effortlessly onto the palate with a long clean finish.

Available in the UK from Headley Wright, Uncorked, Fortnum and Mason and Palmers Wine Store from £28.99

Alternatively I can highly recommend a long weekend in Champagne and a visit to the Paul Déthune cellars in Ambonnay where you can pick this wine up direct from the owners for around €20

#WineWednesday Wine Buying Tip #7

2012-11-28T18:00:00.000Z

#WineWednesday Wine Buying Tip #6

2012-11-21T18:00:00.000Z

Weekend Tipple: Château Musar Jeune Red 2010, Lebanon.

2012-11-17T10:00:00.000Z

Château Musar is a Lebanese winery in Ghazir, Lebanon, 15 miles north of the capital Beirut. Established by Gaston Hochar in 1930 the wines are sometimes compared to those from Bordeaux, Burgunday and the Rhône however Musar is a unique wine as the current proprietor Serge Hochar follows a philosophy that leads to an inconsistent vintage.

Despite being produced since 1930 Musar was not discovered internationally until 1979, when their 1967 Chateau Musar vintage was declared "discovery of the fair" and the Bristol Wine Fair.

Producing red, white and rose wines, there are three levels of red wine produced by the Hochar family, "Chateau Musar" being the premium (aged 7 years before release", "Hochar" a middle range wine released slightly earlier and this wine, "Musar Jeune" a young unoaked wine produced for early drinking and a great introduction to the range.

A deep ruby red colour on the nose there are abundant notes of red and black berries, which carry onto the palate, with a gentle spice and very soft tannins. This is something different, and its price tag of £10 for what is a base model from the winery makes it not your everyday wine, however this is something to try and will match well with a Sunday roast.

Available from Highbury Vintners, Corks Out and Slurp.

#WineWednesday : Wine Buying Tip #5

2012-11-14T12:00:00.000Z

Wine of the Week: Pascal Frères Vacqueyras: Cuvée Spéciale 2003

2012-11-12T09:00:00.000Z

Vacqueyras is an "Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée" in France's southern Rhône and since being granted this status in 1990 has slowly started to shrug off its reputation as a little brother of its neighbours Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas.

The appellation rules dictate a minimum of 50% Grenache, 20% Syrah and Mourvèdre and a maximum of 10% from other varieties. The use of more Syrah in Vacqueyras gives it a cooler finish than you find in a Gigondas.

As with most wines of any quality Vacqueyras is best enjoyed after at least a few years ageing, and in this case the wine is aged by its producer Yves Chéron prior to release, so with all the hard work already done the wine is ready to drink.

This is a classic example of a southern Rhône wine, with a nose full of dark berries which burst onto the palate with peppery tones and well integrated tannins. Best decanted for half an hour to an hour before serving this wine is a great match for a Sunday roast.

For its age and quality this wine is a bargain at £13.25 from Yapp Brothers.

#WineWednesday : Wine Buying Tip #4

2012-11-07T12:00:00.000Z

#WineWednesday : Wine Buying Tip #3

2012-10-31T12:00:00.000Z

Wine of the Week: Vega del Castillo Garnacha, Navarra, 2010

2012-10-29T12:00:00.000Z

This weeks wine of the week highlights two things, firstly the great value available in some Spanish wines at the moment.

The second is the general quality of wines produced from old vines. Whilst older vines do not produce the quantity of grapes on younger vines, the quality and intensity of the wines produced by them is generally considered superior.

This wine, produced from vines which are over 60 years old, has a deep cherry red colour and a very ripe dark fruit nose. The fruit carries through to the palate where there is a reasonably long balanced finish.

This wine was tasted blind against 10 other reds and came out in my top four all of which were either double or three times the price.

Available from The Wine Society or Davys from £5.50

Wine Buying Tip #2

2012-10-22T18:00:00.000+01:00

#WeekendTipple : Percheron Shiraz-Mourvèdre, Western Cape, 2011 (Boutinot)

2012-10-19T08:05:00.005+01:00

Percheron Shiraz Mourvedre is produced by Marinda Kruger van Eck who sources the grapes for this wine from different areas of the Cape resulting in a flavour filled blend.

The name Percheron comes from a breed of French working horse from pre industrialised times that thanks to its lack of thirst for diesel has recently seen a return to favour in several Cape vineyards.

Wines from South Africa's Western Cape are known for having deep complexity and expressive fruit and this wine is no exception. With a rich dark colour, reflecting the heat the grapes received while on the vine. The wine has a rich dark fruit nose with hints of chocolate. On the palate these rich dark fruits come through with the addition of some savoury hints and for its price a reasonably rounded finish.

Avaialble from The Wine Society and various other retailers.

Wine Buying Tip #1

2012-10-15T18:00:00.000+01:00

Crasto, Douro, 2010 (Quinta do Crasto)

2012-10-12T16:00:00.000+01:00

Douro is a Portuguese wine region located upstream from Porto on the Douro River in the north east of Portugal.

The regoin is primarily associated with the production of Port, however the Douro produces just as much table wine as it does fortified wine, and these are referred to as "Douro wines".

This wine is a blend of Tempranillo, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional.

An unoaked red, it has a mature style and a wonderful aroma of blackberries and raspberries on the nose, which follow through to the palate, where they are joined by well balanced tannin and spice.

This wine is excellent value being available for around £8.50 at The Wine Society and Majestic.

Malvasia Bianca, Birichino. Monterey, California

2012-07-22T19:05:00.000+01:00

Birichino winery was founded in Santa Cruz in 2008 by Alex Krause and John Locke, who between them have a combined 35 years making and selling wine in California, France, and Italy.

The name Birichino means mischievous and impish and this white wine from the Malvasia grape certainly lives up to that.

On the nose its pure tropical fruit, with strong hints of lychee and mango which when on the palate move to flavours of ripe fruit, jasmine and elderflower, with a refreshing lime finish.

If you are looking for something different to enjoy on a warm sunny day this is certainly well worth a try,

Available from Slurp at £14.75 per bottle.

d'Arenberg 100 for 4 Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvedre

2012-05-27T11:01:00.003+01:00

2012 is the 100th birthday of the award winning Australian wine producer d'Arenberg. Their You Tube video further down in this post explains their history and approach to wine making.

The 100 for 4 Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre celebrates their 100 years and 4 generations of wine makers.

The wine itself is a deep red heading towards purple and on the nose there is a pleasant mix of red and black berries.

On the palate a soft start moves onto the berries that carry through from the nose and develop into a pepper finish. I get a feeling this may soften nicely with a little bit of age, but for now, its a one off wine, available in the UK only at The Wine Society at £7.50 per bottle.

I'd recommend getting a few bottles, one for now and some for the next couple of years to see how it softens.

Tourmanet, Malbec-Syrah, Pays d'Oc, 2010

2012-05-27T10:35:00.004+01:00

This is another wine from the Languedoc, a region of France which never fails to surprise me with excellent wines at very competitive prices.

This red produced with Malbec and Syrah varieties is deep purple in appearance which promises fruit, however the nose is very subtle indeed, which was a bit of a worry, however once on the palate it explodes with a pleasant hit of dark berry fruit and acidity which fades to a soft tannin finish giving a very well balanced wine for its price.

And that price is? Well only £5.75 a bottle from The Wine Society and at that price, who needs to shop in a supermarket for wine?

Lascar Carmenère 2010

2012-04-21T11:15:00.004+01:00

In my tasting notes for Vina Edmara Carmenère I explained the background of the Carmenère grape variety. Since then there have been reports that this forgotten Bordeaux variety is making a comeback in its French homeland due to global warming.

Appearance: as is typical of Carmenère this wine is a deep red, with only a slight hint of the colour softening as you tilt the glass and look through the meniscus.

Nose: Very pleasant, aromas of plum dominate, with added subtle hints of tobacco and leather.

Palate: The plum fruit hits you straight away, this is followed by spice which gently fades away.

Buy from: The 2010 is now sold out, however the 2011 is available from The Wine Society at £4.95 per bottle. Reports are the 2011 is not quite up to the 2010, however this may purely be down to the maturity of the wine.

Domaine Clavel, Coteaux du Languedoc, Les Garrigues, 2008

2012-03-09T16:31:00.001Z

Garrigue is a type of low, soft leaf scrubland ecoregion and plant community in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub found on limestone soils around the Mediterranean Basin

The dominance of soil by the Garrigue is such that it is said to impart wines with an earthy or lavender tone.

For over 20 years the acclaimed Pierre Clavel has been making deliciously fruity wines in all three colours from his vineyard in Méjanelle, one of the five communes surrounding Montpellier.

This one being a red blend of 52% Syrah, 26% Mourvèdre and 22% Grenache is typical of wines from the Languedoc.

Appearance: a typical deep glossy red that you would associate with a red wine from the hot climate of the Languedoc.

Nose: A subtle nose, balanced between red fruits and the earthy resonance of the Garrigue.

Palate: You will find a full flavoured wine, which fills your mouth with a herbs followed by mature fruits and spices. Its a little punchy at first but this soon fades and the tannins balance reasonably well with the wine.

Stocked: by The Wine Society at £8.95 per bottle.

Ranquet Lafleur Carignan, Vieilles Vignes, Vin de Pays de l'Hérault, 2010

2012-02-25T08:19:00.003Z

Until the late 20th century Carignan was the most common grape variety grown in France, yet it would be unlikely to be one of the first varieties to trip off your tongue if you were asked to name a few.

The main reason for this is that Carignan is widely grown for its yield rather than the quality of the wine it produces. The nature of the grape produces a wine with high acidity and tannins meaning in many cases it is used alongside other varieties to produce more appealing wines.

This wine is produced from older Carignan vines, which generally produce wines with more character and less brutality. To further soften the Carignan some Grenache is also added to this wine, which gives it a light fruity lift, from the base of acidity and tannin.

Nose: On the nose the first hit you get is Strawberry and Raspberry, then on a second attempt the subtle background hints of anise and vanilla start to come through.

Palate: The red berry fruits carry through onto the palate, where you will notice the initial zing of acidity and the tannin finish so classic of Carignan. It is however, very drinkable and in no way unpleasant, the producer has done a good job of balancing the wine with some Grenache.

As a good value everyday red wine, this is one of the better options on the market, and as a result it is a wine found with ease on my everyday rack.

Sadly it is not widely available, and the 2010 has sold out at the only stockist in the UK (The Wine Society).

Why taunt you with this wine you may ask? Well prior to the 2010 I had tried the 2009, which was equally pleasant and there seems to have been a good degree of consistency between the two years. If the same holds true then it should not be too long before the 2011 becomes available, however it does appear that The Wine Society will not be stocking the 2011 vintage.

d’Arenberg The Footbolt Shiraz, 2007, McLaren Vale

2012-02-24T08:46:00.005Z

In 1912 following a successful career as a racehorse owner Joseph Osborn, a teetotaller, sold his stable of horses and bought a vineyard which became d'Arenberg.

Now in its 100th year d'Arenberg is an award winning, world renowned, family owned winery in Australia's McLaren Vale.

Footbolt, was Joseph Osborn's prize race horse and this wine is named to honour the racehorse that changed the Osborn family forever.

Originally knowns as Old Vine Shiraz, this wine was renamed The Footbolt Shiraz in 1996.

Nose: Unlike some new world Shiraz although this wine has some of the brazenness of the new world there is an old world quality to the nose of this wine, with some subtle fruit coming through but the smoky earth qualities you would expect from a French Syrah.

Palate: This restrained note continues through to the palate, with soft plum and blackcurrant flavours coming through which build to a strong peppery finish.

It is a wine to decant, as at its current age it needs a bit of oxygen to soften it a little. There is no reason this wine will not last another 5 years through to 2017, during which time it is likely to mature nicely and perhaps soften some of its its brash attitude.

This wine is widely available from supermarkets and wine specialists.

Vina Edmara Carmenere, Central Valley, Chile

2012-02-18T14:40:00.000Z

Originating from the Médoc region of Bordeaux the Carménère grape is a member of the Cabernet family of grapes and is one of the six original grapes from the region.

The success of Cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet franc, Merlot and to some degree Malbec have led to the decline in its production with current day production of Carménère being largest in Central Valley, Chile where the 8,800 hectares are planted with its vines have led to the grape becoming the nations signature variety.

This Carménère wine is dark and deep red in colour. Dark and deep red in colour this wine is aged in American and French oak for between 6 and 10 months. (80% remains in French oak for 10 months)

Nose: On the nose the are are very subtle hints of plum and tobacco

Palate: The plum and tobacco hints liven up on the palate, with the addition of raspberry and blackberry, accompanied nicely by some velvet tannins and a well rounded finish.

Available from various stockists from around £7.50

Côtes-du-Rhone, Réserve, Perrin, 2009

2012-02-11T20:36:00.000Z

Perrin is probably not a name you will be familiar with, however its likely if you have reasonable knowledge of wine that you will know of Château de Beaucastel and their phenomenally successful Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which is one of many successful wine ventures by the Perrin family.

Colour: A typical Rhone blend of Grenache Syrah Mourvedre this is lighter than you would expect from a Rhone red, having medium body, which although a deep red has an opaque quality.

Nose: On the nose you will find red berry fruit softened with hints of caramel and spices.

Palate: Once on the palate this wine shows no rough edges with cherry, liquorice and a light peppery spice note giving a gentle fruit touch. There are soft tannins and hints of oak, but overall for a Rhone red is very drinkable.

This 2009 is available from The Wine Society for £7.25 and the 2010 is available from Majestic for £9.99