September 2011 Late Summer Case 101 £114.50
3 bottles white
False Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2010 Western Cape, South Africa
A lively Sauvignon with fresh, crisp aromatic aromas of lifted green fruit, ripe apple and floral notes. Flavours of greengages balanced by citrus acidity and a fine, mineral finish.
A wine to enjoy with chicken dishes, especially herby casseroles, and soft cheeses such as camembert and goats’ cheese.
2 bottles white
Montevista Reserva Viognier 2010 Central Valley, Chile
Bright, vibrant and expressive with a touch of fresh pear fruit. Wonderfully pure, lifted and aromatic with a long, textural finish. No oak, just lovely peachy fruit.
Its bright fruit invites you to drink this new world Viognier on its own, but it’ll be even better with dishes cooked in a creamy sauce.
2 bottles rosé
Domaine Roman Grenache Gris Rosé 2010 Languedoc, France
This dry rosé shows red fruit characters and impressive texture, despite the lightness of colour and delicate nose. It is refreshing, with intense peppery notes. Good acidity leads to a long, spicy and dry finish. Sourced from Philippe Roman’s vineyard near Minervois in the south of France, this luscious, summer fruit scented wine captures everything that a rosé should be!
This pink wine has enough weight to go well with charcuterie and barbecued fish.
2 bottles red
Domaine de la Porte du Paradis, Le Cru des Amoureux, St Amour 2010
Beaujolais, France
Heavenly scents of peonies and irises on the nose, followed by a palate of red cherries and cranberries with a smidgen of white pepper. It has a ripe texture with hidden depths of character, smooth rich and satisfying.
Pork dishes are delicious with this fruity Gamay – try it with a lightly spiced Thai curry.
3 bottles red
Novas Carmenère Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Colchagua Valley, Chile
Ruby-red in colour this classic blend of Carmenère and Cabernet has rich aromas of cherries, coffee, spices and vanilla. Complex, elegant; medium-bodied with silky tannins completed by a long finish.
The richness and weight of this tasty red will be a fine accompaniment to robust meat and vegetarian dishes.
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My notes for this case:
Late Summer Case 101
September started so well with a couple of lovely, sunny and warm days –just right for a barbecue to compensate for the miserable month of August. Just right for some ‘last of the summer wines’ to be enjoyed outside with friends as you tuck into delicious food cooked in the open air.
And then the weather breaks, taking away the promise of an Indian summer, requiring wines with some weight to cheer us up as we watch the drizzle fall from the leaden skies.
But you never know, the good days may return again…
There is southern sunshine in the wines in this case – from South Africa, Chile and southern France.
When we were in South Africa earlier this year we found good, keen winemaking in this beautiful part of the world. The False Bay Sauvignon is made by the Waterkloof winery with grapes grown by the coast, south of Cape Town, where cooling breezes off the ocean temper the hot climate.
There are two wines from Chile. A fresh peachy Viognier from Montevista in the Central Valley, which has had no oak ageing to dampen its exuberant fruit, and from Colchagua Valley, a classy Chilean blend of Carmenère and Cabernet Sauvignon, which has bags of flavour too.
A sunny rosé from the Languedoc from vineyards near the Minervois is light in colour but robust in flavour.
The other red is actually a Beaujolais (which is nearly in the south of France), romantically named Le Cru des Amoureuses (the lovers’ wine) and comes from Saint Amour, one of the ten designated village appellations which offer a better quality. I am impressed with how Beaujolais producers are getting their act together and taking a lot more care with their wines than a few years ago. Fruity, ripe, joyful!
Let’s hope that later this month the weather will be kinder. The wines in this case will cheer you up anyway!
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July 2011 Summer Organic Centenary Case 100 £128.75
2 bottles white
La Raia DOCG Gavi 2009 Piemonte, Italy
Mid yellow with a fairly intense nose of honeysuckle with a hint of sage. Dry, with crisp lemon and mineral notes, mouth filling with a touch of bitter almonds on the finish.
Just the wine for a dish of barbecue grilled summer vegetables and pasta with a cream sauce.
2 bottles white
Mont’albano Pinot Bianco/Pinot Grigio 2009 IGT Delle Venezie, Italy
Citrussy and herby with a delightful vanilla undertone; its balanced acidity and tanginess join beautifully with its harmonious body. The elegance and aroma of the Pinot Bianco combines delightfully with the weight of the Pinot Grigio to make a delicious wine, especially good with seafood and salads.
2 bottles rosé
Battle of Bosworth The War of the Rosé 2009 McLaren Vale, Australia
Purply pink. Damson and red fruits together with a hint of mint on the nose, there is a lot of red fruit flavours in this vibrant, fresh, almost red, wine! Made with Cabernet Sauvignon. The rosé for barbecued meat and, indeed, tuna.
2 bottles red
Rioja Crianza Vina Ijalba 2006 Rioja, Spain
Ruby red with a bouquet of redcurrants and toasty oak. Silky flavours of red berries and cassis with good oak tannins make this a full-bodied wine to enjoy with meaty, pasta dishes as well as chorizo. 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano combine in this Riojan masterpiece. Very versatile.
2 bottles red
Touchstone Syrah 2009 Casablanca Valley, Chile
The bouquet of red cherries and damsons continues on the palate with the addition of peppery spice and a sprinkling of cloves. Medium-bodied, this fruity red will be good with roast lamb, duck and wild mushroom dishes.
2 bottles red
Barone Pizzini Rossa dei Poderi 2009 IGT Maremma Toscana
Ruby red in colour with a nose of cherries and plums. There are more red berries on the palate with a touch of spicy oak tannins, cloves and cardamom. Medium-bodied with an attractive finish. A soft and finely textured blend of Sangiovese (90%), Alicante & Merlot (5% each). A wine to enjoy with salami, charcuterie and mature hard cheeses.
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My notes for this case:
Fifteen years ago, in February 1996, Webber’s Wine Club launched its first case of wine for its members. Can anyone remember the title of that case and its price? Or, perhaps simply guess how much it cost? It is rather similar to being reminded of how little you spent for a good night out…
Answers on a postcard, or to be more modern, in an email please.
Good wine is made in the vineyard, as you can only make good wine with good grapes. To celebrate this anniversary, I want to share with you a selection of wines made by dedicated producers in different corners of the world, all from organically grown grapes. In my view, the greater availability of wines made along organic and biodynamic lines is perhaps the biggest positive change in the wine world over these last 15 years.
The first white is from an organic and biodynamic estate, La Raia, situated in the heart of Gavi, Piemonte. The wines are made from the Cortese grape, an indigenous Italian variety with good acidity and character.
The second, also Italian, is from Mont’albano in the north-easterly district of Friuli-Grave, where Mauro Braidot is a hugely enthusiastic, passionate and talented winemaker producing aromatic, delicate wines.
As it’s summer (as if one needs an excuse) the intriguingly named rosé is made by the Bosworth family located in the premium wine region of McLaren Vale, South Australia. Their vineyards were established in the early 1970s and became organic in 1999. Their name is taken from the original Battle of Bosworth, fought on Bosworth Field, Leicestershire in 1485. The family had emigrated from this part of England over three generations ago.
The first red is from Spain. In 1964 Santiago Ijalba García left his position as general and technical manager in a historic Haro bodega to launch his own personal project, Viña Ijalba, which became the very first organically certified estate in Rioja (1994).
A Syrah from Chile is the other New World wine in the case. Made by Alvaro Espinoza, a truly dedicated and proud winemaker who has been a leader in organic, and now biodynamic, wine production in Chile.
The final red is from Maremma along the Tuscan coast, where there was a lot of investment in the 1980s and 90s. One who invested in the region was Barone Pizzini (whose Verdicchio we enjoyed in the previous organic case), here making a good Sangiovese-based red.
Click here to learn more, and how to join, the Wine Club
Do you have any questions? Easy – just contact me!
May 2011 Special Southern French Case 99
2 bottles white
St Cosme Little James Basket Press Viognier/Sauvignon 2010 IGP Pays d’Oc
A fresh, aromatic white from the Languedoc, with rich flavours of lemon rind, tangerine, watermelon and peach. The Minervois mountains offer a fantastic cool microclimate, very suitable for growing Sauvignon and this variety expresses really well here. The Viognier provides another dimension, a great aromatic complexity.
Lovely with Asian food, goat’s cheese and pork dishes in creamy sauces.
2 bottles white
St Cosme Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2010 Rhône
Lots of ripe citrus and melon fruit on the nose; dry with good acidity. Tangy and crisp with good body. Fermented in small casks and aged on the lees giving this opulent wine great complexity. An exciting blend of 20% Roussanne, 25% Viognier, 40% Marsanne, 15% Picpoul de Pinet.
A fish or vegetable risotto would partner this wine deliciously.
2 bottles white
Château Saint Louis La Perdrix, Cuvée Prestige Blanc 2010 Costières de Nîmes
Ripe floral, exotic and citrus grapefruit aromas on the nose. Dry with good acidity, lively minerality with plump, ripe fruits. All these flavours are well integrated.
Enjoy with lightly spiced curries as well as prawns cooked on the barbecue.
2 bottles red
St Cosme Little James Basket Press Solera Red NV Vin de France
Mature red fruit on nose. Lovely smooth red fruits – plump, peppery, crunchy berries. This unique wine from the South of France has lovely flavours of cherry, oriental spices, lavender and strawberry.
Just the wine to go with roast beef, grilled steak and robust vegetarian dishes.
2 bottles red
Château Saint Louis La Perdrix, Cuvée Prestige Rouge 2009 Costières de Nîmes
Attractive red fruits on nose which continue on palate. Smoky notes. Supple, with hints of liquorice and smooth tannins. Nice ripe red fruit is present, with mineral and spicy notes. A powerful finish.
Mushroom, especially wild mushroom, dishes and rich meaty stews are a great match.
2 bottles red
St Cosme, Les Deux Albions, Côtes du Rhône 2010 Rhône
Rich flavours of strawberry and sweet, spicy notes, as well as earthy characteristics and robust Rhône tannins. Full bodied and complex, with a great ability to age.
Delightful with barbecued red meats.
Click here to learn more, and how to join, the Wine Club
My notes for this case:
One of the joys of going to wine tastings is to discover new wines from familiar regions and recently I found a couple of interesting wines made by Rhône valley producers: the first an adventurous winemaker based in the classic appellation of Gigondas who makes wines from all over the south of France; the second from Costières de Nîmes on the border with Languedoc.
The lovely Château de Saint Cosme in the heart of Gigondas has been associated with the Berruol family since 1490, a span of 14 generations! As well as owning 15 hectares of old vines around the estate, Louis Berruol, the young and talented winemaker since 1995, has also developed a first class negociant business sourcing grapes from other areas. This enables him to produce fascinating wines, such as his Basket Press white and red. The latter is made by the solera system (typical of Sherry but not the Rhône) where a little of each year’s new wine is added to refresh the older blend; the Little James red contains vintages from 1999 to 2010.
“At Saint Cosme” explains Louis “Little James is the wine of freedom. Our Solera is getting more and more complexity year after year. When we add the current vintage, the solera gains a new element without changing the style… This wine recalls the ancient times when the wine merchants would make wines having only one target: the pleasure. Blending several vintages is considered being a great quality tradition in Champagne. I think it works exactly the same for a great Grenache.”
On the western side of the Rhône is Costières de Nîmes, around the famous Roman city of Nîmes. It gained its AOC status 25 years ago and is an area where you can find some exciting wines. One such winery is Château Saint Louis La Perdrix making wines with a sunny disposition using classic southern French grape varieties.
I’m sure you will enjoy this case of wines from southern France.
Click here to learn more, and how to join, the Wine Club
Do you have any questions? Easy – just contact me!