When the pioneer and explorer John Horrocks and his party, having suffered illness, injury and bad weather, ran short of provisions while looking for land suitable for settlement in the early 1840s, things were looking grim. However, they managed to survive by making a “skillogalee” or “skilly”, a sort of thin porridge or gruel (in this case probably made from grass seeds and water). The word itself Celtic in origin, the dish was commonly fed to prisoners in Ireland around this time.

Not the most appetising thing to name a vineyard after, perhaps? Worry not, though, for the vineyard actually takes its name from the creek which runs through the eastern, lower end of Australia’s Clare Valley where the winery is located; when Horrocks finally made it back to his home settlement of Penwortham (named after his home town in England), he gave the nearby creek the name Skillogalee in memory of his party’s struggle.

Much unlike the vineyard’s namesake, Skillogalee’s Riesling 2009 – which they have been making since 1987 – is delicious, intensely aromatic and lightly floral but with a rapier-sharp citrus punch. Ideal with shellfish (especially crab), it will mellow gracefully over several years if left to do so, bringing to the fore the hints of honey and toast so typical of aged Riesling. The grapes are hand picked from steep vineyards around 500 metres above sea level before being carefully blended into the finished product.

Skillogalee’s Riesling is “pound for pound” the best we’ve ever tried from Australia, and well worth the five stars awarded to it by the experts at Decanter magazine.

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Best Riesling in Australia

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As the vineyard’s website itself says (with the overtones of a classical creation myth):

In the highest spot
Where clouds rock our vines
Colomé is born

Owned by the Hess family estates, the rather unique Colomé winery, located in the picturesque Calchaqui valley, boasts some of the highest vineyards in the world at up to 10,000 feet above sea level. Founded in 1831, it includes vines that are some 160 years old. Bodgea Colomé focuses on Argentina’s two traditional grape varieties Malbec and Torrontes, and it is the former from which our Colomé Amalaya 2008 is made. Argentina itself has been making wine since the 1500s, its heritage stretching back to Spain, France and even Italy. While Argentina has kept much of its wine consumption at home, we are now seeing many more Argentine wines north of the border, Malbec leading the movement.

All of the grapes at Colomé are farmed bio-organically using techniques developed by the local Indians and Incas more than 2000 years ago; even the electricity for the winery is generated by turbines driven by the melt water from the Andes. Perhaps, then, the mythical flavour established by its website’s intro is not so far from the truth after all.

The Colomé Amalaya Malbec Blend 2008 itself is a deep red with purple tinges, offering ripe red fruit aromas of cherries and raspberries. The Amalaya’s Malbec base is complimented by smaller amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Bonarda and Tannat. With partial fermentation and ageing taking place in French oak, it produces a silky little number with perfume and spice not to be missed.

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Sky High Wine – Colome Amalaya

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Ridgeview Winery is a family run estate located in the South of England and by the owner’s own admission “bears an uncanny smilairity to the Champagne region” of France. Founded by Christine and Michael Roberts in 1994, the pair had previously run a highly successful computer hardware and software business. After selling the latter to a US computer manufacturer, they gave up the cutthroat world of IT in exchange for the equally competitive business of making fine wine (however “The people are much nicer”, notes Mike).

While legally champagne can only be known as such if it is produced in the Champagne region of France, Sussex’s South Downs (where the Ridgeview Winery is located) are only a little further North themselves. Indeed, as with all their sparkling wines, Ridgeview’s Grosvenor is fermented with yeast specially prepared by the Institute Œnologique de Champagne.

Its characteristic breadiness, hinted at when the bottle is first opened and becoming more noticeable with ageing, accompanied by its distinctive fruit flavours and citrus characters make Ridgview’s Grosvenor a scintillating tipple, these qualities only emphasised by its lovely fine mousse and gold colour. But don’t just take our – and Decanter magazine’s expert judges’ – word for it!

Classic Wine Direct stock all the full range of Ridgeview Sparkling wines.

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Ridgeview Winery Win Best Sparkling Wine In The World

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The Alsace region located in the north-east of the country on the German boarder is not often the first variety that comes to mind when we think of French wine, but take a deeper look and you can find exciting, unique bottles to really set off your Summer barbeque or dinner party. Trimbach is a well-established producer of Alsace wines with vineyards situated around the Ribeauville area, a fertile breeding ground for fine grapes served by its own microclimate and protected from precipitation by the Vosges Mountains. This unique environment allows Trimbach to make fruity, balanced, dry wines combining French sophistication with German zing and freshness.

Trimbach’s history dates back to 1626. Even back then, Jean Trimbach, the founder of the brand, well known for his wine-growing abilities. Over the last five-hundred years the name as expanded and developed, the flavour of its white wines go as deep as the brands history and there are some fantastic examples currently on the market. The Trimbach Gewurztraminer is a balanced aromatic 2007 vintage; its crisp tones go excellently with Asian food, cutting through the sweet, spicy flavours. It sets off strong cheeses such as Stilton and Roquefort equally well.

The 2004 Gewürztraminer Reserve is a slightly more refined example proving a complex combination of lychee, beeswax and chamomile scent with a refreshing tropical flavour. Again this would compliment heavily seasoned or spiced food or mature cheese. If Riesling is more your bag, why not sample Trimbach’s take on this dry variety. Described as a ‘food friendly’ combination of grapefruit, peach and lemon, this goes particularly well with rice and fish dishes. If you fancy some French class in your glass with a zesty German twist, serve Trimbach when you next entertain.

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A French Dynasty

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Why the Germanic name you may ask. The Henschke family who founded the brand do indeed hail from northern Germany but migrated to Australia in 1841, fleeing religious persecution. Johann Christian Henschke purchased land in Keyneton in 1861, producing his first commercial vintage seven years later. The Henschke brand grew over the generations and now holds vineyards in both the Eden Valley and Adelaide Hills regions, producing a wide range of reds and whites, both sparkling and still.

Australia is of course famous for its Shiraz variety, made from dark-skinned grapes which are used primarily to make full-bodied red, varieties. Henschke is no exception to the rule and produces some stunning Shiraz varieties, one notable example is the Mount Edelstone Shiraz, this is a bold, sophisticated vintage presented in a sleek black bottle with silver print, guaranteed to wow your dinner guests. This would compliment a hearty red meat dish perfectly with its undertones of plum and blueberry, complemented by a subtle oak finish. Winter is on its way to, so now would be the perfect time to stock up on some gutsy reds such as the Mount Edelstone Shriraz to see you through those cosy evenings by the fireplace.

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Henschke – The Connoisseurs Choice

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While these mass-produced budget wines, chastised by critics are often the first that come to mind when we think about Californian wine, it would be a mistake to write off the area as there are some fantastic varieties currently being made in the sunshine state. J.Lohr are an up and coming producer with over nine-hundred acres of vineyards in Monterey and Paso Robles churning out some stunning grapes including Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet and Merlot. Jerry Lohr, founder of J.Lohr Wines really put the Californian central coast on the wine producing map, planting 280 acres of grapes in 1972 in this region with one of the longest growing seasons in all of California.

J.Lohr has gone from strength to strength as a specialist boutique winery offering some unique flavours; one such example is the award winning Merlot Los Osos from 2007. This hails from the warm Paso Roubles region which offers wonderfully ripe varieties, this particular red spends eleven months in primarily American oak giving a ‘turbo-charged’ experience of cherry and blackberry with undertones of earthy oak. A medium to full-bodied wine, this would perfectly compliment a roast pork dish or duck with Plum sauce. Ignore the stigma associated with Californian vino and give J.Lohr a whirl, you might be pleasantly surprised!

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California Dreamin’

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A hark back to that fateful day in 1966 is always on the cards when a boost in optimism is required. In reality the dizzy heights that England reached forty years ago looks unlikely to be repeated in this generation of pampered players and managerial musical chairs. England simply lacks the discipline, commitment and work ethic of their continental and South-American Counterparts.

One aspect of English culture which seems to be following a polarized trajectory to the national football team is the wine industry. The buzz around the UK’s wine producing abilities have been growing steadily over the past ten years. It has fought off criticism about the English soil being too acidic due to the climate.

Although we can’t deny that our weather system is temperamental to say the least, the vineyards of Kent often yield conditions similar to those in southern France and Germany (peppered with the occasional shower of course) throughout the summer months.

This means England can throw up exciting, unique flavours quite distinct from those of the traditional wine producing countries. Grape varieties such as Bacchus, Seyval Blanc, Huxelrebe and Phoenix offer compelling alternatives to the run of the mill Chardonnays and Riojas.

Why not serve up an English wine at your next dinner party to inject some variety? One thing we can say of the English wine industry which we can’t about our football team is: ‘If the Germans can do it then why can’t we!?”.

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The Pride of England

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Fortunately then, Chancellor Osborne and his cohorts managed to see sense and exclude wine from any duty increases at this year’s emergency budget – and rightly so. Long suffering wine enthusiasts have already had to contend with a one-percent increase in duty earlier in the year under Labor rule and the VAT increase due to come into effect next January will hit our pockets harder still. The Con-Lib coalition it seems has decided to grant us some respite with a freeze on alcohol duty.

Perhaps this represents a shift in attitudes towards responsible drinking under Cameron?  Labor were somewhat inconsistent with their polices, attempting to impose a ‘European’ style café culture with the twenty-four hour licensing laws – an initiative intended to curb the “binge drinking epidemic”  in the UK.

For the moment it seems the Con-Libs are adopting a mature approach regarding policy in this area, and long may this continue. The previous administration’s erratic approach left a sour taste in the mouth, perhaps comparable to a ghastly, saccharine sweet alco-pop. The coalition on the other hand, so far seems to resemble a fine, vintage cabernet-sauvignon.  Let’s hope they too get better with age!

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Wine on a Budget

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A book was recently released on pairing wine with food effectively, using simple language and avoiding the aloof tone associated with most wine literature. Although not a wine-enthusiastic myself, I do entertain a lot and I have been using this book to learn about wine through pairing different varieties with certain foods, Australian shiraz with sea bass for example. I can’t be doing too badly as I’ve received no complaints from my guests as yet! I hope that one day my palette will be well developed enough to pair effectively without external aids, but for now here is my idiot’s guide to wine and food matching:

Light Whites (Reisling, Sauvignon Blanc)

Very Crisp and clean in taste, go well with mild cheeses, shellfish such as shrimp, crab and lobster.

Heavy White (Chardonnay)

A deeper, richer flavour while still remaining light and delicate in taste, compliments poultry dishes as well as light pasta sauces

Light Red (Beaujolais, Brunello)

Reds as rule go with darker, more substantial foods. These varieties work well with cream-based pasta sauces, as well as beef, pork and heavily spiced poultry dishes

Heavy Red (Merlot, Port)

At the top end of the scale, you would be best of pairing these hefty wines with strong flavours such as mature cheeses, red meat and rich chocolate-based desserts.

This is by no means set in stone and it is best to use your own taste-buds as a guide to what food and wine pairings go hand-in-hand. The possible combinations are endless but a good rule of thumb is to pair soft textures and light flavours with white wines, and bold, meatier food with reds. Play it by ear, learn as you go and you will be hard push to go wrong, just be sure not to give wine-virgins a stonking great port to go with their salad-starter!

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Come Wine with Me

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But before you consider breaking these publicity seekers on wine racks it’s best to realise that some seem to be doing it for the right reason: they are interested in making good wines.  French actor Gerard Depardieu co-produces both a Condrieu (the excellent Lys de Volan Condrieu 2003) and a Saint Joseph with the acclaimed Northern Rhone winemaker Alain Paret.

However, the dean of serious celebrity winemakers has to be Francis Ford Coppola.

A wine buff from his childhood days on Long Island, Coppola got into the wine business in 1975, using the earnings from the first Godfather movie to purchase most of Napa Valley’s Inglenook estate.  He has been one of the seminal figures in the valley’s rise to international acclaim and Niebaum-Coppola wines still command a dedicated following and make excellent wine gifts.

Some bottles of Coppola wine

Other equally serious and perhaps unexpected wine making celebs include golfing greats Ernie Els and Greg Norman who own vineyards in South Africa and Australia, respectively.  The Greg Norman Limestone Coast Shiraz 2002 is nicely restrained on the palate (particularly welcome in an Australian syrah).   At the other end of the spectrum must be Australian cricketer Shane Warne.  More used to a bottle opener than a corkscrew from his hard partying days, Warne’s foray into more genteel booze was greeted with a certain scepticism that he did nothing to dampen.   He confessed it took him a while to understand what chardonnay was, what red wine is and what made a red and a white wine different!

Classic Wine Direct sell a huge selected of wines from all over the world which have won numerous international awards.

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Serious Celebrity Winemakers

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Disney characters are by no means the only well loved cartoon-based creations that would appreciate the contents of a wooden wine cabinet.  Brian Griffin’s drug of choice is clearly booze!  If you have any doubt, run a Google Images search where you will find that 9 out of 10 pictures of Brian show him with a cocktail glass in hand!

Other evidence comes from his frequent pleading of “whose leg do I have to hump to get a dry martini around here?”  Wine or beer is absolutely essential to Futurama’s most reprehensible, yet lovable, creation.  Bender needs the chemical energy from alcohol to be able to function properly.  Excessive drinking is therefore mandatory or he will become sober and unable to control his body. Magnets stuck to his head make him sing like a folk singer and his favourite drink is Olde Fortran Malt liquor.

Back in the real world (or a real as Disney ever gets) Epcot kitchens turn up the heat and bring out the posh tableware/dinnerware for a global tasting experience that includes sampling Camarões com Palmito (shrimp with palms) from Brazil while sipping the trendiest wines from Argentina.  The festival spotlights tastes and wines from six continents, serving tapas-sized portions of regional specialties paired with recommended wines and beers to accompany.   Beer aficionados can raise their steins at several tasting locations, including a Biergarten that specialises in light or dark brews.   Various souvenirs are available, ranging from simple items like a bottle opener to event cookbooks but unlike the talking dog and the bending robot, the giant mouse and his retinue cannot touch a drop!

Classic Wine direct sell various selected wines from all over the world which have won numerous awards.

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Cartoon Characters Wine Tasting

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So here’s a quick guide to the perfect glass of wine:

The Glass:

You should go with a fine stemmed wineglass made of glass or crystal, rather than plastic. Stemmed wine glasses are important as they allow you to hold the glass without the palm of your hand touching the section containing the wine (which causes the wine to heat up).You should also try and match the glass to the wine you’re drinking, so here are a couple of examples:

For a sparkling wine, such as the Denbies Greenfields Cuvee 2004, you want to go for a flute-type champagne glass, as they will provide a central point from which the bubbles can rise.

For a red wine, such as the Antu Ninquen Red, Vina Montgras 2006, you should aim for a tulip shaped glass, which gives the wine plenty of room to move and allow for its full aroma to be captured.

If you’re enjoying a white wine, like the Denbies Wine Estate Surrey Gold, you should be aiming  for glasses that narrow at the rim, as this allows less cold to escape – thus preserving the wine enhancing chill for a longer period of time.

The glass should be between 8 and 10 ounces in capacity, giving you a decent amount of room to swirl the wine. You should also only ever use glasses that are clean; glasses marked with lipstick, fingerprints or dirt can detract away from the presentation and taste of the wine, particularly important if you’ve just bought an expensive bottle.

The Pour:

Most people don’t put much thought or emphasis on pouring the wine, but it can make a difference. You should allow your wine to breathe in the bottle before pouring it, or if possible, decant it to allow it to breathe. You should pour the wine directly into the centre of the glass and not the sides (as most people do), the only time you should be pouring the wine directly onto the side of the glass is with sparkling wine.
You should also aim to fill the glass two-thirds full, as this gives the wine room to breathe and allows the full aroma of the wine to be enjoyed.

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The Perfect Glass Of Wine

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Sula Vineyards Red Zinfandel 2008

Most people imagine that red wine doesn’t go with a barbeque, but that’s generally a misconception; any Zinfandel will fit perfectly with a summer bbq. The slight peppery flavour of the wine mixing beautifully with barbeque sauce without overpowering any spices in the food.
This particular Zinfandel comes for India and is an award winning fruity red wine; producing a wonderful blackberry aroma with connamon and plum flavours. Balanced, supple and spicy, the Sula Vineyards Red Zinfandel is the perfect addition to a summer barbeque.

Weingut Weegmuller Kabinett Trocken Riesling 2008

A beautiful white wine that’s an ideal addition to the barbeque menu; light and extremely easy to drink, this Riesling from the Weegmuller farm tastes fantastic chilled and provides the perfect antidote to a hot, sticky summer afternoon. Packed with fruit the Weegmuller Riesling has a real tropical flavour, with an amazing acid structure and a surprisingly dry finish – goes exceptionally well with anything carrying a spicy bbq sauce.

Mahi Pinot Noir 2008

A superb wine from New Zealand, the Mahi Pinot Noir goes perfectly with grilled steak, as well duck and lamb. This specific Pinot Noir is very Burdundian in style and drinks exceptionally well; producing an aroma of strawberries, with a cherry flavour and a velvety cream finish.
Medium to full bodied, the Mahi Pinot Noir is a smooth and silky red wine that represents a perfect addition to any summer barbeque.

Setanta Cuchulain Shiraz 2005

The first Australian wine in the list, the Sydney International Wine Awards multiple trophy winner is a full bodied, bold red wine that perfectly complements and beef. Rich and peppery with some delicious smoky oak characters, this red from Setanta Wines works wonderfully well with the barbeque.

Domaine Thomas & Fils Terres Blanches Sancerre Blac 2007

Another dry white wine, the Blanches Sancerre Blanc is a full bodied wine with green fruit overtones and a rounded soft, dry finish. The perfect accompaniment to chicken or fish, this particular wine is an excellent addition to the drink selection at any barbeque. Although better with chicken, the wine can also go well with pork or similar meats; the crisp, bright flavour cutting through the rich taste of the barbeque. Refreshing, bright and fruity, the Blances Sancerre Blanc is a great choice for the summer barbeque.

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Great Wines For The Summer Barbeque

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Given we’re heading towards the summer, here’s a selection of some of the best wines for the season, organised to correspond to the types of food being served at your event:

ROAST CHICKEN, WHITE MEAT, FISH

For an event with chicken or fish as the main dish, don’t overlook a chilled white wine; I’d recommend a chardonnay with a good mixture between tropical fruit flavours, vanilla and a gentle oak seasoning. I would highly recommend the J Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay 2008

J Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay 2008

DUCK, LAMB

If you’re main dish features duck or lamb, then a pinot noir is probably your best bet. Something smooth and full bodied with a fruity taste will compliment duck or lamb perfectly. My recommendation here would be a New Zealand Mahi Pinot Noir 2008.

Mahi Pinot Noir 2008

SUMMER BARBEQUE – BEEF, GRILLED STEAK

I’ll be doing a whole post on wines to go with a barbeque so I won’t go into too much detail here; suffice to say you’ll be looking for something that has a slightly peppery taste, which will mix well with dark meats and food with a barbeque sauce. Probably my first suggestion would be a Zinfadel.

Sula Vineyards Red Zinfadel 2008

If you’re having trouble deciding on which wine will suit your event, get in touch with us and we’d be more than happy to help you out with some recommendations.

The last event we supplied the wine for was Fresh Egg; a digital marketing and search engine optimisation company based in Worthing, UK. The guys over at Fresh Egg were looking for a few cases of one white and one red, and although they were unsure which ones they wanted, we selected two based on their event and choice of food:

PEREZ CRUZ RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007

The Perez Cruz Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 is one of the most outstanding medium to full bodied cabernets on the planet; it’s ideal with beef dishes and represents phenomenal value for money at just £8.99 per bottle. This wine is simply a perfect addition to any party or corporate event.

THE FROST POCKET SAUVIGNON BLANC, MARLBOROUGH 2008

The Frost Pocket Sauvignon Blanc is easy drinking, deliciously crisp and fresh packed with fantastic citrus and tropical fruit flavours. The perfect dry white wine for any event; it’s great drinking on it’s own or with a simple chicken salad or grilled salmon. Like the previous Perez Cruz Cabernet, The Frost Pocket also represents excellent value for money at just £8.99 per bottle.

Whatever your event, you can guarantee you’ll be able to find the perfect wine on the Classic Wine Direct website; alternatively, feel free to get in touch and we’ll work with you to find the ideal wine for your event.

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Choosing The Right Wine For Your Event

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The festival of world football draws ever closer.   Here at Classic Wine Direct, we keep to our promises – so here is part two of the World Cup Spirit post suggesting vintages for the remainder of the qualifying nations that has a tradition of wine.  If you have a personal favourite then let us know…

PS.  For the record once again,  the full list of qualifiers is: South Africa,  Argentina , Algeria, Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Cameroon, Chile, Cote d’Ivoire, England, France, North Korea,  Germany, Greece, Ghana, Honduras, Italy,  Japan,  South Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, USA, Serbia and Uruguay.

New Zealand: Qualified for the World Cup only once previously in 1982 where they got bullied by Brazil 4-0, spanked by the Soviets 3-0, and beaten handily by Scotland 5-2. New Zealand has won the Oceania Football Cup four times, but this number will rise now that Australia has moved to the Asian Conference.  The Kiwis will lord it over the other Pacific Island teams all on their own, but South Africa 2010 may be a challenge too far. FIFA ranked New Zealand 83rd before the 2010 World Cup, but they played well in qualifying, demolishing their Pacific Island rivals (apart from Fiji, who stung them) and beating Bahrain to make it to the World Cup.

New Zealand Wine: The Frost Pocket Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Portugal: Portugal made its World Cup debut in 1966, achieving third place.  Since then they’ve been a bit lacklustre and this will be their 5th World Cup appearance.   Twinkle-toed Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United and Real Madrid captains the Portuguese side, but he’s got a way to go to match the legendary Luís Figo who has the most caps for Portugal with 127. Though Figo couldn’t get any silverware with the Portuguese team he did lead them to a 4th place finish at the 2006 World Cup.  Portugal did not lose any games in the qualifying rounds for the 2010 World Cup under their new coach, so we might be seeing the birth of a new “golden generation”.

Portugese Wine: Quinta de Roriz Prazo de Roriz 2007

Mexico: Won the Confederations Cup in 1999, so they’ve got the mettle to win a truly international competition. Of course, it was hosted in Mexico, and worryingly they seem to only do well in Mexico. El Tri will be making their 14th World Cup appearance. Seven members of the Mexican squad play with European clubs. FIFA ranked Mexico 15th prior to the World Cup, which is down from their high of 4th position back in 2006. But with their new coach, they seem to be making progress. These Mexicans are loco for football and their best results have been quarter finals (again in Mexico) in 1970 and 1986.

Wine: L A Cetto Petite Sirah

USA: Making their 9th appearance at the World Cup, hard on the heels of an impressive runners-up spot in the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa, narrowly losing to Brazil. The USA has won four continental tournaments lead by Carlos Bocanegra, a centre-back from Los Angeles. Top scorer Landon Donovan has booted in a national record 42 goals. FIFA ranked the United States 14th prior to the 2010 World Cup, though they were once ranked 4th in 2006. But the Americans have been doing well. They topped their World Cup qualifying group, besting Mexico by a point. The USA went to the inaugural World Cup in 1930 and got its best result yet – third place.

American Wine:  J.Lohr Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Brazil: The only team to have won a record five World Cups: 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002. Many think they can add a sixth in South Africa. Brazil has also won the South American Championships (the Copa America) eight times. People often describe Brazil’s play as “Jogo Bonito” (beautiful game) and claim that “the English invented football, but the Brazilians perfected it.”Brazil has qualified for the World Cup 19 consecutive times, which means they have qualified for every World Cup since the inaugural competition in 1930. FIFA ranked Brazil 2nd before the 2010 World Cup. Surprisingly, the Brazilians last held the top spot in 1993 in their run-up to the 1994 World Cup. We’ll see if this changes after 2010.

Wine: Miolo Quinta Do Seival Pinot Grigio 2007

Chile: La Roja (The Red One) played in the inaugural World Cup in 1930. They beat Mexico and France, but then lost to Argentina.  Chile has never won a continental cup, though they’ve been runners-up four times at the Copa America. Chile’s making its 8th appearance at the World Cup. Their best result was third place back in 1962. FIFA ranked Chile 17th before the 2010 World Cup, just behind Cote d’Ivoire. They’ve been ranked as high as 6th back in 1998, but with “Madman Bielsa” at the helm, things may be looking up.

Chilean Wine: Ignacio Recabarren Ventolera Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Argentina: Has lifted the World Cup trophy twice in 1978 and 1986. Considering that it’s been over 20 years since they’ve held the Cup, they might be due for some glory. Argentina has qualified for 14 World Cups and has won the Copa America championships 14 times. Every player in Argentina’s squad plays with European clubs and the national team is coached by the legendary Diego Maradona.  Considered one of the greatest players of all time, Maradona has had the job since 2008. FIFA ranked Argentina 8th before the 2010 World Cup. This is a major fall from the top spot they held just as late as 2008. Along with France, Argentina is also the only team to win the World Cup, Confederations Cup and Olympics.

Argentinian Wine: Andeluna Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

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World Cup Spirit! (part two)

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It would seem that one of the main issues is that people think English and do not think romance, quality and fine taste whereas if you were to say French or Chilean those words almost jump out at you. However some of these English wines are very nice indeed and can really go down well when you are looking to cook a nice dinner for your partner.

Although England no longer that many things that are actually that great, it has to be said that wine is something we still make very well.

So where does the best English wine come from?

Devon seems to be a key area for the vineyards and most wines that are made in England come from here simply because it is one of the warmest areas in the entire country. On top of this this is one of the areas of the country which is still very quiet with hardly any fumes coming from cities reaching the area. Perfect for growing the grapes needed to make wine.

If you are really into your wines then the best thing I can suggest you do is to actually take a trip to Devon and explore some of the vineyards such as Old Walls and Yearlstone. Many of the vineyards if not all of them offer tours and wine tasting events and many of the wines they have on offer have one various awards.

It is hard to believe that there are over 250 vineyards here in the UK and it is more than possible that with the way things are going for us at the moment we could, in the very near future, catch up with France on things like quality of Champagne.

So if you are interested in your wine and haven’t really had the chance to taste what England has to offer I strongly suggest you take a trip and try some!

Here are just some places you could stay at when on the wine tasting trip:

TLH- self catering torquay

Devon-Online self catering torquay

Torquay self catering torquay

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English Wine- A Lost Cause?

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2. Have Yourself a Merry English Christmas!

PS.  For the record the full list of qualifiers is:  South Africa,  Argentina , Algeria, Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Cameroon, Chile, Cote d’Ivoire, England, France, North Korea,  Germany, Greece, Ghana, Honduras, Italy,  Japan,  South Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, USA, Serbia and Uruguay.

South Africa: Automatically qualified as the host country, Bafana Bafana (very roughly “the Boys”) plans to make a name for themselves as the hosts of the first World Cup on the African continent.  South Africa went to its first World Cup in 1998 where they played out draws against Denmark and Saudi Arabia, but got mauled by France. They’ve never advanced beyond the first round in their two previous tournament appearances but did win the African Cup of Nations in 1996. Benni McCarthy (Blackburn Rovers, Ajax, Porto and Celta Vigo) is South Africa’s top scorer with 31 goals. World Cup winning coach Carlos Alberto Parreira of Brazil returned to coach South Africa for a second time and is the latest of 10 coaches that South Africa hired since 2000!

Wine:  Millberg Cellars Sauvignon Blanc

Australia: the land of the Outback, Ayers Rock, the Great Barrier Reef, Walking Holidays, Bondi Beach, Sydney Harbour and the amazing Opera House produces some good footballers (the Socceroos) and some great wines.  Australia made its first World Cup appearance in 1974 and their first and so far only win came in 2006 against Japan. They’ve won the Oceania Nations Cup four times, pummelling the smaller Pacific Island teams into submission (they beat American Samoa 31-0, a record for goal difference in international football matches) but New Zealand remains a tough rival.

Wine:  Larry Cherubino The Yard Shiraz 2006

England: The Three Lions are expected to achieve much under the steely steering of Fabio Capello.  England went to their first World Cup in 1950 where they beat Chile, but lost to Spain and the United States.  England has never won the European Championships but we all know that they beat Germany in 1966 to win the World Cup on home soil: one of only seven teams to ever win the World Cup. Maybe it should really be regarded as the British national team as England’s coaching staff is comprised of five Italians, 13 English and One Scot headed up by now an Italian, formerly a Swede, and previously an Englishman.

Wine:  Denbies Wine Estate Surrey Gold

Spain: Think of Spain, think of flamenco, paella, tapas, olive oil, siesta, and great wines.  But also think football.  La Liga is one of the most competitive cauldrons of soccer in the world. One of the major contenders for the World Cup in 2010, many think Spain’s time has come.    Spain has won the European Championships twice and at Euro 2008 in Austria & Switzerland, they showed exceptional form and marched through the tournament undefeated, Iker Casillas, Spanish goalkeeper, holds the record for international clean sheets with 56 in just 98 games. So they are exciting up front and hard to break down at the back.  FIFA ranked Spain No.1 before the 2010 World Cup – the only team ever to reach top spot that has not yet won the tournament.  That may well change.

Wine:  Finca OS Cobatos Godello Blanco 2007

Germany: What can you say about the arch nemesis?  Germany has won the World Cup three times with a disciplined, grinding approach that has only recently been leavened by a bit of flair.   Germany has been runners-up four times at the World Cup and they’ve made a record 11 semi-final appearances.  Perhaps the most consistent performers at the World Cup, they often finish at or near the top.  Germany is  also the only nation to have won both the men’s and women’s World Cups with the frauleins winning  the last two tournaments and never being ranked less than 3rd in the world.

Wine:  Weegmuller Kabinett Trocken Riesling

Italy: Arguably one of the greatest footballing nations in the world, which is probably why the country is boot-shaped.   The Azzurri won the European Championships in 1968 and Italy has won the World Cup four times, second only to Brazil.  They’re the current defending champions, having beaten France in a penalty shoot-out in a game that was enlivened  when French superstar Zinedine Zidane head-butted Italian centre back Marco Materazzi, sending him sprawling. Zidane was red-carded, the French lost, and Italy nabbed another trophy.    FIFA ranked Italy 4th before the 2010 World Cup, though they’ve enjoyed top spot a couple of times before. Frankly, the Italians probably don’t care about the rankings. All they want is to defend their title.

Wine:  Fontella Chianti DOC 2007

France: Les Bleus played in the inaugural World Cup in 1930 and have made 12 World Cup appearances (although on six of those times they didn’t make it past the first round).  In 1998 France won the World Cup on home soil, beating Brazil 3-0 with two headers from Zinedine Zidane and a late goal in stoppage time from Emmanuel Petit.  France qualified for the 2010 World Cup just barely. After a poor start, they ended up edging out Ireland through a Thierry Henry handball, which everyone except the ref. saw.   Despite Irish appeals, the French are in South Africa. FIFA rank France 7th, but rankings mean nothing to the French. Just before they won the World Cup in 1998, they were ranked 25th!

Wine:  Les Dames De Ricardelle Viognier Vin De Pays D’oc 2007

Greece: unbelievably to many, Greece beat the Portuguese (twice!) in Portugal to become European Champions in 2004. A good showing at the World Cup would do a lot to shore up their credentials and prove that wasn’t a fluke.  Greece has made only one previous trip to the World Cup in 1994 when they crashed out in the first round under humiliating circumstances: 4-0 defeats at the hands of the USA and Bulgaria and a 2-0 spanking by Nigeria.  FIFA ranked Greece 12th before the 2010 World Cup, which is a slight drop from their highest number 8 ranking in 2008. Eight members of the Greek squad play for the Greek club Panathinaikos, an Athens-based team. Their symbol is a shamrock, so maybe they’ll be lucky this time round.

Wine:  Biblia Chora Sauvignon Blanc 2007

This is a post from: Classic Wine Direct

World Cup Spirit! (Part One)

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Forget Cupid this Valentine's Day and Give Bacchus a Chance!

Romance is not high on the agenda in the Williams household at the moment. My wife is due to give birth in three weeks time and we seem to be existing in a a state of temporary suspension, or, in my wife’s case, suspended animation. It’s the calm before the storm.

So when my wife mentioned whether or not we should give each other a present this Valentines Day  I resisted the temptation to say, while pointing at her ever expanding bump,  “I’ve already given you your present darling”.

Instead I suggested a romantic meal at home. To accompany the meal my wife has offered to buy me a special bottle of wine, one to simply savour. At this late stage in the pregnancy I’m permanently on driving alert so a glass or two will be all I’m allowed. The wine will need to be a good one.

Our conversation made me realise that fine wine really does make an excellent Velentine’s gift. Wine, and the art of wine-making is inherently romantic. It’s about the relationship between man, soil and the elements; the creative passion of the vintner; the changing nature of the wine from vintage to vintage; the maturing of the wine in bottle from the often sharp upfront youth to a state of perfectly balanced calmness as age matures.

So, ladies of the world, I make a case for wine to be your chosen gift of romance this Valentine’s day. My advice is be clever with your choice and match your selection with the personality of your man. You can have some fun with this, so here are some ideas:

If your loved one is elegant, intense and full of finesse then try the Chateau Portal Haut Medoc 2003 at £14.45 a bottle

Alternatively if the object of your desire is dry, steely with a musky scent then opt for the Edmond Rentz Muscat 2006 at £9.99 a bottle

Or, finally if the face of the one you love is powerful, spicy and as dark as chocolate then it the Setanta Black Sanglain Cabernet Sauvignon for you at £16.35

But if it’s all about the volume then go for the Perez Cruz case deal. Our favourite everyday drinking wine with 12 special bottles!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

This is a post from: Classic Wine Direct

Ladies, Give the Gift of Wine This Valentine’s Day

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People seem to be shopping more online for their wine for a number of reasons.  The extremely cold weather and the treacherous conditions underfoot over Christmas may have persuaded many that staying at home and ordering via a mouse was a far safer option!  Another factor may well be the fact that we all seem to be getting far more knowledgeable about wine and know what we want so perhaps there’s less need to actually go into a high street off licence or wine store and seek advice from the sales staff. Majestic Wine PLC appears to have been one of the few high street retailers that prospered, with sales up 11.7% for the nine weeks of Christmas trading November 2009 to January 2010.

What probably gave the online sector in general, and Classic Wine Direct in particular, a boost was the sudden disappearance of some well known names from the high street when First Quench, the owner of Threshers, The Local, Wine Rack, and Haddows, went into administration.  Although the administrators, KPMG, are still trying to sell the various businesses as a going concern, these shop fronts remain firmly closed on the high street.

Of course, we think the main reason Classic Wine Direct experienced Majestic-like levels of sales performance is the range, variety, quality and sheer value from money of our wines.   Best seller over the festive period was definitely the Perez Cruz Cabernet Sauvignon and at £8.99 a bottle you can see why.  It is a multi-award winning wine loved by everyone and we are proud to say that out of the top five internet-based wine retailers selling this favourite tipple, Classic Wine Direct is the cheapest!   Maybe that’s another reason for our excellent sales performance over Christmas and the New Year!

Whatever the reasons, we would like to say a big thank you to all our customers for all their support and look forward to a prosperous 2010!

This is a post from: Classic Wine Direct

Classic Wine Direct Sales Bubble At Christmas!!

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This Christmas, the team at Classic Wine Direct have sourced their wines close to home, in fact just up the road from us!

We’ve long admired the wines of  the award winning Ridgeview in East Sussex. Situated just 1 and half miles from the highest point in the Sussex Downs the combination of chalk and clay in this unique setting give the land an uncanny similarity to the terroir found in Champagne.

The  father and son team that run the estate grow the same grape varieties that you’ll find in Champagne and produce the wines to the same exacting standard as you’d find in the best French Chateaux.

On a personal front, I love to see the surprise on the faces of dinner guests once you reveal that the bubbles that intoxicate them are from dear old Blighty! I guarantee that not even the most eager connoisseur of Champagne will be able to tell the difference. Real quality.

In our English Award Winning Fizz Case you’ll find a full range of Ridgeview’s best wines. We’re offering 10% off the RRP as an early Christmas incentive!

• 1x RidgeView Merret Bloomsbury 2006
  RidgeView’s signature wine
• 2x RidgeView Merret Cavendish 2006
  The traditional blend
• 1x RidgeView Merret Grosvenor 2006
  RidgeView’s Blanc de Blanc
• 1x RidgeView Merret Knightsbridge 2006
  RidgeView’s Blanc de Noir
• 1x RidgeView Merret Fitzrovia Rose 2006
  The ever popular rose

This is a post from: Classic Wine Direct

Have Yourself a Merry English Christmas!

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I hope that case from Classic Wine Direct was for me!

Choosing the right wines for Christmas should be pretty straightforward right? Well it would be if it wasn’t for that Big Bird in the middle of the table.

For me, Turkey is as problematic as curry when it comes to pairing food with wine. Too often the bird is dry and bland  delivering little to the taste buds until it’s covered  in gravy or cranberry sauce.

We should also remember that Turkey is only one part of the Christmas meal. By the time you’ve stacked your plate with crispy roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in bacon, various sauces, stuffing, edible vegetables (peas and carrots) and inedible vegetables (Brussels sprouts) then Turkey only retains a minority interest for your palette. So, you’re actually choosing a wine to accompany the collective taste assault that this unique festive fusion delivers.

On the dessert side of Christmas Day, I’m sure I’m not alone in declaring that I’ve not tasted a spoonful of Christmas Pudding since I was forced to as a child and will never willingly suffer the experience again until I’m interred in a home. Give me a chocolate Yuletide log anytime.

And finally, let’s not forget taste. All the guidance in the world won’t make a jot of difference if you don’t like the wines that the experts recommend. This is Christmas day  for God’s sake (no pun intended), you must drink whatever makes you merry!

So, with all these things considered, our wine buyer Colin has come up with a selection of choices for the festivities each reflecting a different approach for your taste buds.

The Classic Dinner Party Pack (£47.95 for a case of 6 bottles)

This is the case that I’ve set aside for Boxing Day. It’s Christmas with a difference. For the Fizz we open up wit a Cremant d’Alsace from Edmond Rentz. Too often, people substitute Champagne with Spanish Cava but I often recommend that people try Cremant d’Alsace as a more interesting alternative – it tends to show more distinct character and originality.

The choice of white and red are a sauvingon blanc and cabernet sauvignon. The former is from South Africa where we’ve been sourcing the best value wines for you this year and the latter from is Argentina which, as far we’re concerned , continues to go from strength to strength (as our recent Taste of Argentina case proved).

We’re taking a sideways slant with our choice of dessert wine too. The Chateau du Juge Cadillac is a real alternative to Sauternes and is one of Colin’s top picks. Sweet without being ‘cloying’ and with a healthy dose of alcohol.

The Christmas Premium Dinner Party Kit (£67.95 for case of 6 bottles)

We’ve chosen the region of Burgundy for our choices of red and white for the premium case offer. This is the case that I’ll be opening up for the family meal on Christmas Day (well 2 cases actually!). The Bourgogne Aligote is a great alternative to chardonnay and the Macon Aze is an interesting blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir.

For Fizz, we’re putting in a great English wine from the award winning East Sussex vineyard at Ridgeview. Made from the same grape varieties used in Champagne, I’m looking forward to surprising my guests with this one. Finally in this case we’ve produced the big after dinner hitter – a sumptuous Port. Marvellous.

If you want to explore the full range of festive wines then take a look at our top Christmas picks. All cases are delivered directly to your door and please feel free to contact me personally if you’d like some more advice or further recommendations.

This is a post from: Classic Wine Direct

Christmas Wines at Classic Wine Direct

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Discover Chilean wine with a holiday to Chile

Active holidays that give this degree of space and time were made for Chile, a country blessed with a unique geography. It’s long and thin with the high Andes to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west and a climate moderated by the cool Humbolt Current rising up from Antarctica. There’s a huge diversity in soils and climates in the relatively short distance from east to west and the character of a Chilean wine is mainly influenced by its proximity to the Andes or the Pacific rather than the terroir’s distance north or south in the country.

Chilean Wine – a very brief history

Chile was never affected by the 19th century phylloxera epidemic and offers ideal conditions for a very broad range of grape varieties including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Carmenere varietal (a rich red) is unique to Chile. It is also the ideal location for walking holidays as you only have to go a very short distance to experience dramatic changes in scenery and climate.

Chile Holidays will not only introduce you to a superb range of wine, but also give you a flavour of Chilean cuisine. Aside from a fantastic range of seafood (Chile has over 4,000km of coast), typical mainland Chilean dishes include Pastel de Choclo, a summer dish similar to shepherd’s pie made from ground corn and meat, chopped onions small pieces of chicken, olives and raisins.

Eat Chile, Drink Chile!

Curanto en Hoyo is a typical dish from the south of Chile prepared by heating fish, seafood, potatoes, meat and bread over red hot rocks then wrapping the tasty parcels in leaves and burying them in the ground so that they slowly cook over a number of hours.

This is a post from: Classic Wine Direct

Chile Wine Experience with a Chile Holiday

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Is it true you can tell the value of a wine by its label?

Put yourself in the following scenario. It’s your birthday and you’ve received 2 bottles of wine. The first bottle has been given to you by a colleague at work and is a well known brand name (retailing at £3.99). The second is from your rich Uncle who has given you a vintage Claret from his private cellar (worth about £90).

If someone were to ask you which of these two wines is the better one, nine times out of ten you’d select the expensive Claret. Correct?

Now imagine that you taste these wines blind. One of them is full of colour, tastes of intense fruit and delivers a noticeable amount of alcohol. The other is a little paler, delivers less fruit on the palette, is smooth and tastes slightly vegetal.

If someone were to ask you now which is the better wine you’d now be more inclined to choose the wine that simply tasted better to you.

Some people argue that assessing the quality of a wine is purely a matter of individual taste. The theory goes that if you like a cheap wine over an expensive wine then that wine is clearly the better wine.

And yet reduced to its logical conclusion, this argument would hold that if you prefer eating at McDonalds to eating at Claridges then McDonalds must be a better restaurant.

Personal preference only serves to show what an individual likes, so what are the other factors that determine quality?

The first question to ask is actually how much wine is the bottle? Once you’ve taken out duty, the suppliers margin, the retailers margin and the marketing costs, then there is very little left over for the wine in a £3.99 bottle. As duty is a fixed amount, you can start to calculate that for every extra £1 you spend on a bottle of wine you are getting a much bigger proportion of wine in the bottle.

The second factor to consider is how the wine is made. At lower prices, the wine will tend to be mass produced to ensure economies of scale and the winemaker may use a higher level of additives (e.g. fattening agents) to ensure that the wine has a consistent taste. The winemaker will also use cheaper materials such as wood chips rather than barrels to provide the oaky taste. At this price point the winemaker can’t take any risks.

For each extra pound you spend on a bottle of wine, you are actually paying for more time spent making the wine, better equipment, more careful harvesting (e.g. better grape selection) and better processes (e.g. more time in oak barrels).

Lastly you need to factor in the ageing process and the rules of the market. Good wines get better with age but the level of stock starts to diminish as soon as they get released into the market and the price then become hugely inflated. It is a fact that a £10,000 bottle of 1945 Mouton Rothschild is not 100 times “better” than a £10 bottle of Rioja from your local wine merchant, but it maybe a 1000 times rarer.

The happy medium sits in and around the £15-£20 level. It’s at this price point that you are going to get the best wines, while the (significantly) better wines can be found at the £7-10 mark.

This is a post from: Classic Wine Direct

Are Expensive Wines better than Cheap Wines?

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You can read more about the winemakers (the Gessler brothers) in a our recent blog post .

The CWD tasting note:

An excellent drink any time white from the Gessler brothers in Gascogny. A typical mix of grapes from the region but has a lot more weight and complexity than most. A great outdoor wine.

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Frosty Didn't Quite Understand the concept of Ice Wine.

Temperature will affect the way your taste buds react to acidity and tannins as well as serving as a means of suppressing the fruit characteristics of the wine (one of the ways to test this yourself is to take a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, refrigerate it overnight and then drink it over the course of a few hours allowing the bottle to move back up the temperature scale. Make a note of how the wine changes in taste and you’ll get the idea).

Ask the experts and they’ll tell you that white wine should be served at between 8ºC-10ºC and red wine between 14ºC- 18ºC. The problem with such advice is that if you don’t happen to have a thermometer in your kitchen (and I’m guessing that’s most of us?) then how do you know what temperature is what? Until we see a thermometric integration into our ever useful smart phones we’ll need to turn to the well worn rule of thumb.

A good starting point is always “serve white wine chilled and red wine at room temperature”. For a white, an hour in the fridge before opening should do the job. For a red, leave it on top of the fridge overnight or, if pressed, place the bottle in the fridge for half an hour before serving.

NEVER, be tempted to accelerate the temperature in either direction. If you put a cold bottle of red next to an intense heat source (such as a radiator or open fire) you run the risk of ending up with a bottle of stewed raspberries.

As ever, rules are meant to be broken and personal taste must always be a consideration (for example chilled Beaujolais can be the perfect summer drink). Where a wine label offers advice take it, and if in doubt obey that well worn “rule of thumb”.

Of course, with Christmas coming, all of the above is irrelevant if you are making Mulled Wine. Personally I see this is one of mankind’s aberrations so let’s not dwell on this.!

This is a post from: Classic Wine Direct

What’s the Correct Temperature to Serve Wine?

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First hand experience of La Rioja

Imagine how much more your appreciation would be enhanced if you could experience the sights, sounds and flavours of your favourite wine region first hand.  You don’t have to be a diehard wine enthusiast, just a fan!   There are dozens of wine tasting holiday packages available, ranging from the commercial tourist treks that  whisk you  through the terroir on an air-conditioned coach to the more intimate walking holidays that give you the space and time to walk through a wine region, drinking in the atmosphere and sampling the local food as well as tasting the wines.

La Rioja

We think an active holiday for wine buffs is best done at your own pace.  For a truly personal holiday, we like companies that offers tailor made packages to the smaller, beautiful and often underappreciated regions of Spain, such as La Rioja for example.   Travelling with a small group and an experienced local guide gives you the intimate insight that will improve your appreciation of the wine you drink.

Why La Rioja

The gateway to La Rioja is Bilbao, famous for Frank Gehry’s titanium-clad Guggenheim Museum and the magnificent Mirador de Tolono is less than an hour away with magnificent views across the wine growing region.  Drop down into the valley of the Rio Ebro and you’re in the heart of the wine production in La Rioja where you can combine walks through the vineyards with exploring the stunning mountains and valleys and indulging in superb Basque meals at some of the region’s finest restaurants.  Riojan cuisine is a unique combination of seafood from the northern coast, meats from the plains to the south and vegetables from the fertile valley of La Rioja itself.  Expert chefs and sommeliers serve up dinners known as a “maridage” where each course is accompanied by its own wine selected specifically to complement the flavours of the food.

Visiting traditional wineries in the region can also give you an insight into how much love, care and attention goes into putting that bottle on your table.  Muga is one the oldest established wineries in the region and it’s fascinating to see how this Bodega insists on traditional methods, using only oak for all the barrels and casks and retaining their own master coopers on-site.   La Rioja offers the perfect active holiday for wine lovers everywhere.  You can immerse yourself in the culture and history of the region and experience the lifestyle behind the wines. Packages of varying lengths can be booked, but if nine days walking in the countryside, even if it is to drink some superb wines, sound like too much effort there are shorter weekend options that take in the main attractions and deliver a more intensive, but equally rewarding, experience.

This is a post from: Classic Wine Direct

Wine Holidays to La Rioja

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At Classic Wine Direct we’re pretty upfront about what we do – we can’t compete with supermarkets on price so we offer wines from off the beaten track instead. We believe that these wines are more interesting and quite simply, tastier. However, it can be difficult for wine drinkers to understand the true value of a wine.

Back in 2006, Jean-Manuel Spriet, the then chief executive of Pernod Ricard UK, sent shockwaves through the wine trade by admitting that many of the “half price” wine deals in supermarkets were actually a rip-off.

The fact that a leading player in the wine business had admitted that consumers were being conned caused many a raised eyebrow.

In effect, Spiret was saying that many of the “half price” deals that you’ll find in your local supermarket/ discount retailer are not in fact deals at all. Put simply, a bottle reduced from £7.99 to £3.99 is often worth only £3.99 in the first place.

Retailers use a policy called “marking up, only to mark down” where they put a product on sale at a high price in a select number of regional outlets for a long enough time to ensure they can legally claim the product was being sold at that price before then offering it nationwide at a lower ” was/now” price. The customer will then beleive he is getting a quality wine for a bargain price. Confused? That’s the general idea.

The industry beleives that the “mass market” wine drinker is obsessed by the £3.99 price point and this affects the way that retailers are selling us wine and the way that some suppliers are now producing their wines.

In Spiret’s mind ’Consumers know they are getting misled … they get used to it. At the end of the day, it just leads to the impoverishment of the wine trade”.

Spiret’s insight provides us with a depressingly cynical view of the way wine is both sold by the big retailers and supplied by the big wine brands. More worryingly it gives us an insight into what the big retailers really view their customers to be, namely lazy and ignorant.

In many ways Spiret was simply highlighting the types of marketing practices that are in play in many industries and it would be unfair to single out the wine trade as unique in using such tactics.

Given that supermarkets represent two thirds of wine sales in the UK, these practices also have a direct effect on the public perception of the value of wine.

If the regular wine drinker believes that he is getting £7.99 of value from a £3.99 bottle then it follows that it will be much harder for the independent wine retailer to sell something whose real value is (and always was) £7.99.

There is, of course, no end in sight to this type of price fraud – the subjectivity of a wine’s value leaves this particular sector open to all sorts of underhand practices.

However, if the political mood continues to be against discount selling for alcohol, it will be interesting to see how the big retailers find a real price for wines they have knowingly mis-sold for the last 10 years.

This is a post from: Classic Wine Direct

When is a half price wine not a half price wine?

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Associated wines and awards include:

International Wine Challenge 2009 Commended medal (Sula Sauvignon Blanc 08)

(Sula Red Zinfandel 08), (Sula Chenin Blanc 08), (Sula Reserve Shiraz 07), (Sula Shiraz 08)

This is a post from: Classic Wine Direct

Sula Wines, Nashik, India

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Associated wines and awards include:

Decanter World Wine awards 07-Silver medal (Sauvignon Blanc 08)

Decanter World Wine awards 08-Silver medal (Xinomavro 05)

International Wine Challenge 2009- Bronze medal (Xinomavro 05)

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Ktima Alpha Estate, Amyndeo, Greece

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