2005 Point West Touriga Nacional
A warm, earthy, medium-full Portuguese red with slightly dusty vanilla-oak, sun-baked berry fruit and a touch of liquorice. It goes well with pork (roast with fennel and paprika or with mustard and honey-coated chops, for example), but it’s generally meat-friendly and, as it’s neither tannic nor acidic, you could also drink it on its own. A bit of background: it comes from Portugal’s western Estremadura region (hence Point West) and from one of the world’s great red grapes, touriga nacional. You don’t hear much about touriga nacional because its main claim to fame is as a component of port, but there’s a lot of interest suddenly from growers thinking about global warming around the world, because it’s well-adapted to high temperatures. One to watch out for. 13%.
£6.99, Oddbins; Morrisons
2007 Vesevo Greco di Tufo
Fresh and sappy with pears, herbs, cress and white pepper – and that’s only the nose. The palate is brimful of apple, pepper, candied citrus peel, apricot and a freshening twist of currant-leaf. But there’s nothing OTT about this dry Italian white: it’s medium-full, dry, zesty and perfectly balanced. I can’t stress too much how underrated Italian white grape varieties are – dreary pinot grigio excepted. This greco (of Greek origin, but it’s been in southern Italy for the last 2500 years) comes from Avellino in Campania’s Irpinian hills, so it’s from a long way south and yet it’s one of the last regions in Italy to harvest, thanks to the cooling breezes from the Bay of Naples and the altitude (over 450m). Tufo refers to the volcanic ash soil and Vesevo is the old name for Vesuvio. 13%.
£10.99, Majestic; Liberty Wines, www.libertywines.co.uk
2007 Carrasviñas Verdejo
Appetisingly leafy and fresh, opening out into peach and pineapple fruit flavours, a crisp, yet rounded, medium-weight palate and a soft, breezy, lemony finish. Spain doesn’t have the same wealth of white grapes as Italy, but it, too, is discovering that white wines can be more than mere warm-ups act for the serious business of reds. If you want a reference point, think of the verdejo grape, grown in Rueda, as Spain’s answer to sauvignon blanc. 13%.
£7.50, Great Western Wine, www.greatwesternwine.co.uk
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
WINES OF THE WEEK, 27 MARCH 2009
2005 Château Carignan, Premières Côtes de Bordeaux
This is a wine that will keep four or five years, if well-stored, so even if you think the last thing you need at the moment is a £14.50 red Bordeaux, you could always save it for a rainy or less economically-challenged day. You’ve got the best of the old and the new Bordeaux traditions here: a cedar-sweet nose, velvety black-fruit flavours, supple tannins, freshness and balance. What you haven’t got is old fashioned dryness or modern over-extraction. If you haven’t come across Cambridgeshire-based Private Cellar before, it was founded by ex-Corney & Barrow people in 2005 and they’ve put together a good list. 13%
£14.50, Private Cellar (www.privatecellar.co.uk)
2007 Asda Extra Special Chenin Blanc
You don’t get a lot for a fiver these days, but you get more flavour and personality from this Chenin from Paarl in South Africa than you do from most Pinot Grigio. The nose is fresh and lemony with a touch of tropical fruit and the palate is crisp, citrusy and soft-textured with some apricot sweetness on the finish. It's made from the fruit of old bush vines (age is important for quality) at the Douglas Green winery, which is part of the large DGB group. A good aperitif. 13%.
£4.98, Asda
2005 Bourgogne Blanc, Buisson-Battault
Basic Bourgogne can be, er, pretty basic, but this one, from a grower based in Meursault, is well above the average. It has rich, nutty, sweet-earth aromas together with a touch of fennel/celery and a full, nutty, flinty palate. A good bottle to take to a supper or dinner party, but, then again, perhaps not if you think your host won’t open it when you’re there. 12%.
£9.99, Majestic
This is a wine that will keep four or five years, if well-stored, so even if you think the last thing you need at the moment is a £14.50 red Bordeaux, you could always save it for a rainy or less economically-challenged day. You’ve got the best of the old and the new Bordeaux traditions here: a cedar-sweet nose, velvety black-fruit flavours, supple tannins, freshness and balance. What you haven’t got is old fashioned dryness or modern over-extraction. If you haven’t come across Cambridgeshire-based Private Cellar before, it was founded by ex-Corney & Barrow people in 2005 and they’ve put together a good list. 13%
£14.50, Private Cellar (www.privatecellar.co.uk)
2007 Asda Extra Special Chenin Blanc
You don’t get a lot for a fiver these days, but you get more flavour and personality from this Chenin from Paarl in South Africa than you do from most Pinot Grigio. The nose is fresh and lemony with a touch of tropical fruit and the palate is crisp, citrusy and soft-textured with some apricot sweetness on the finish. It's made from the fruit of old bush vines (age is important for quality) at the Douglas Green winery, which is part of the large DGB group. A good aperitif. 13%.
£4.98, Asda
2005 Bourgogne Blanc, Buisson-Battault
Basic Bourgogne can be, er, pretty basic, but this one, from a grower based in Meursault, is well above the average. It has rich, nutty, sweet-earth aromas together with a touch of fennel/celery and a full, nutty, flinty palate. A good bottle to take to a supper or dinner party, but, then again, perhaps not if you think your host won’t open it when you’re there. 12%.
£9.99, Majestic
Saturday, March 21, 2009
WINES OF THE WEEK, 20 MARCH 2009
2006 Tim Adams Semillon, Clare Valley
Hats off to Tesco - and I certainly don’t always feel like saying that - for continuing to stock the wines of ace Australian producer Tim Adams. This one, made from semillon, is a dry, oak-aged white with a smoky, lemon-and-honey nose, rich, toasty lemon flavours on the palate and lovely fresh acidity. You can keep it in cellar conditions up to another five years or enjoy it now, either on its own or with things such as fish, salads, chicken, goat’s cheese and pasta, with or without garlic, herbs and light spices. All in all, it’s pretty food-friendly. 13%.
£9.22, Tesco (most stores).
2007 Côtes du Rhône, Belleruche, M Chapoutier
A credit-crunch alternative to red Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the ebullient Michel Chapoutier. It’s full, ripe, peppery and spicy with succulent sweet plum fruit and an appealing savoury finish. Try it with a roast, a meaty casserole or some roast root or Mediterranean veg. 14.5%.
£7.99; £5.99 when you buy 2 or more, Majestic
2007 La Sabrosita Old Vine Garnacha
A powerful but supple, easy-to-drink Spanish red made from 70-year-old vines. Although old vines don’t give very generous crops, they more than make up for it in the flavours they produce. This garnacha (grenache in French) is brimful of fragrant black cherry fruit, spice and a hint of cocoa. Bring on the barbecue. 14.5%.
£5.49, Marks & Spencer (not all stores); £59.29 per case, marksandspencer.com
Hats off to Tesco - and I certainly don’t always feel like saying that - for continuing to stock the wines of ace Australian producer Tim Adams. This one, made from semillon, is a dry, oak-aged white with a smoky, lemon-and-honey nose, rich, toasty lemon flavours on the palate and lovely fresh acidity. You can keep it in cellar conditions up to another five years or enjoy it now, either on its own or with things such as fish, salads, chicken, goat’s cheese and pasta, with or without garlic, herbs and light spices. All in all, it’s pretty food-friendly. 13%.
£9.22, Tesco (most stores).
2007 Côtes du Rhône, Belleruche, M Chapoutier
A credit-crunch alternative to red Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the ebullient Michel Chapoutier. It’s full, ripe, peppery and spicy with succulent sweet plum fruit and an appealing savoury finish. Try it with a roast, a meaty casserole or some roast root or Mediterranean veg. 14.5%.
£7.99; £5.99 when you buy 2 or more, Majestic
2007 La Sabrosita Old Vine Garnacha
A powerful but supple, easy-to-drink Spanish red made from 70-year-old vines. Although old vines don’t give very generous crops, they more than make up for it in the flavours they produce. This garnacha (grenache in French) is brimful of fragrant black cherry fruit, spice and a hint of cocoa. Bring on the barbecue. 14.5%.
£5.49, Marks & Spencer (not all stores); £59.29 per case, marksandspencer.com
Monday, March 16, 2009
Joanna Simon in The Sunday Times, March 22, 2009: Some Tuscan favourites
I have decided to indulge myself a bit this week with some personal favourites – not finest, rarest, greatest, but wines I’ve previously passed over because they haven’t fitted the space or the subject or haven’t been available.
The spotlight falls on four Tuscans, the first three from Chianti Classico: 2005 Il Molino di Grace - fragrant, savoury, balanced (£16.50, Selfridges, 0207 318 2375; £69 per six, Goedhuis & Co, 020 7793 7900); 2006 Rubiolo, Gagliolo – perfumed and spicy (£12.95, Berry Bros & Rudd, 0870 900 4300); and 2004 Bilaccio, Il Borgheto – modern, ripe, but true (£148.41 per 12, HS Liquid Assets, 020 7371 7383). The fourth, 2006 Insoglio del Cinghiale, is from the Maremma where French grape varieties grow - in this case syrah, cabernet franc and merlot to produce a supple, richly fruity red (£15.26-£22.99, Italian Continental Stores, 01628 770110, Wimbledon Wine Cellars, 0208 540 9979, Philglas & Swiggott 020 7402 0002).
This is my last Sauce column. In future look for my wine recommendations at joannasimon.com and thewinegang.com and read my recipes in upcoming issues of Style. And just for good measure, here are three favourite Spring-like whites
2007 Godello Gaba do Xil, £8.99
Zingy peach, citrus and spice notes from northwest Spain’s white godello grape (Adnams, 01502 727222).
2007 Cheverny, Le Vieux Clos, £7.49
Crisp, herbal, smoky Loire white; better value than most Sancerre (Majestic; £6.99 if you buy two or more).
2008 Saint Mont, £6.49
Tangy dry white with pear, apricot and citrus flavours from Gascony (Marks & Spencer).
The spotlight falls on four Tuscans, the first three from Chianti Classico: 2005 Il Molino di Grace - fragrant, savoury, balanced (£16.50, Selfridges, 0207 318 2375; £69 per six, Goedhuis & Co, 020 7793 7900); 2006 Rubiolo, Gagliolo – perfumed and spicy (£12.95, Berry Bros & Rudd, 0870 900 4300); and 2004 Bilaccio, Il Borgheto – modern, ripe, but true (£148.41 per 12, HS Liquid Assets, 020 7371 7383). The fourth, 2006 Insoglio del Cinghiale, is from the Maremma where French grape varieties grow - in this case syrah, cabernet franc and merlot to produce a supple, richly fruity red (£15.26-£22.99, Italian Continental Stores, 01628 770110, Wimbledon Wine Cellars, 0208 540 9979, Philglas & Swiggott 020 7402 0002).
This is my last Sauce column. In future look for my wine recommendations at joannasimon.com and thewinegang.com and read my recipes in upcoming issues of Style. And just for good measure, here are three favourite Spring-like whites
2007 Godello Gaba do Xil, £8.99
Zingy peach, citrus and spice notes from northwest Spain’s white godello grape (Adnams, 01502 727222).
2007 Cheverny, Le Vieux Clos, £7.49
Crisp, herbal, smoky Loire white; better value than most Sancerre (Majestic; £6.99 if you buy two or more).
2008 Saint Mont, £6.49
Tangy dry white with pear, apricot and citrus flavours from Gascony (Marks & Spencer).
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Joanna Simon in The Sunday Times, March 15, 2009: Alpha male Cape reds
Women like rosé, sparkling wine and pinot grigio. Men favour big, macho reds. Right? Up to a point: the point being that men not only drink pink, fizz and pinot grigio, but recently they’ve been losing their taste for the biggest, most alcoholic reds. They still drink more red wines than women drink (and spend more), but increasingly they embrace 15 per cent abv with about as much enthusiasm as they muster for non-alcoholic beer, with the result that wine producers in areas where alcohol levels are highest (the southern hemisphere especially) need to change their practices, or go the way of the dinosaur.
Of course, some producers don’t believe in dinosaurs, but most have seen the light - which brings me to South African reds, a favourite of many an alpha-male. In recent years, the Cape has produced some of the most bruisingly alcoholic and tough wines, partly, it has to be said, because of viticultural and climatic quirks (including virused vines and high temperatures). But a new generation is making changes - not a moment too soon in my view, but then I’m only a woman. Try the three below.
2004 Meerlust Red, £9.99
A Cape take on a ripe, velvety Saint-Emilion (Handford Wines, 020 7589 6113; sawinesonline.co.uk).
2007 Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards Raptor Post, £11.50-£12.99
A succulent, peppery blend of syrah and cabernet (www.capewineandfood.com; Delilah Fine Foods, 0115 948 4461).
2005 Lammershoek Roulette Rouge, £11-£11.65
Rich cherry-scented, Rhône-like blend (Bintwo, 01841 532022; Bowland Forest Vintners, 01200 448688).
Of course, some producers don’t believe in dinosaurs, but most have seen the light - which brings me to South African reds, a favourite of many an alpha-male. In recent years, the Cape has produced some of the most bruisingly alcoholic and tough wines, partly, it has to be said, because of viticultural and climatic quirks (including virused vines and high temperatures). But a new generation is making changes - not a moment too soon in my view, but then I’m only a woman. Try the three below.
2004 Meerlust Red, £9.99
A Cape take on a ripe, velvety Saint-Emilion (Handford Wines, 020 7589 6113; sawinesonline.co.uk).
2007 Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards Raptor Post, £11.50-£12.99
A succulent, peppery blend of syrah and cabernet (www.capewineandfood.com; Delilah Fine Foods, 0115 948 4461).
2005 Lammershoek Roulette Rouge, £11-£11.65
Rich cherry-scented, Rhône-like blend (Bintwo, 01841 532022; Bowland Forest Vintners, 01200 448688).
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Joanna Simon in The Sunday Times, March 8, 2009: Pinot Noir - getting better all the time
If tasting Australian chardonnays recently reminded me how good they can be, tasting pinot noirs from Australia reminded me how hit and miss they are - and how much better this fashionable, food-friendly red variety has become in some other countries. Australia’s handicap is that its traditional regions are mostly too warm to produce elegant pinot and there are only a limited number of new cooler sites at higher altitudes or closer to oceans.
New Zealand, on the other hand, has plenty of suitable areas and has developed a style, or styles, of its own, with the emphasis on purity and sweetness of fruit and seamless texture. The results are not like red burgundy (the original pinot noir wine) with its more savoury flavours, but most are not trying to be and that’s their strength. Better still, prices are stable, because so much pinot noir has been planted that more comes onstream with every harvest.
The other rising star is Chile, on a limited scale but with some notable bargains - and it’s rare for the words bargain and pinot noir to come together.
2008 Secano Estate Pinot Noir, £6.99
Fresh, supple, cherry-scented Chilean. Great value (Marks & Spencer).
2007 Tasmanian Pinot Noir, £7.99
Cool-climate Aussie with rose and raspberry fragrance (Marks & Spencer).
2007 Felton Road Pinot Noir, £26.99-£29.30
Not cheap, but stellar New Zealand pinot (Averys, 0845 8630995; Laithwaites, 0845 194 7755; Berry Bros & Rudd, 0870 900 4300).
New Zealand, on the other hand, has plenty of suitable areas and has developed a style, or styles, of its own, with the emphasis on purity and sweetness of fruit and seamless texture. The results are not like red burgundy (the original pinot noir wine) with its more savoury flavours, but most are not trying to be and that’s their strength. Better still, prices are stable, because so much pinot noir has been planted that more comes onstream with every harvest.
The other rising star is Chile, on a limited scale but with some notable bargains - and it’s rare for the words bargain and pinot noir to come together.
2008 Secano Estate Pinot Noir, £6.99
Fresh, supple, cherry-scented Chilean. Great value (Marks & Spencer).
2007 Tasmanian Pinot Noir, £7.99
Cool-climate Aussie with rose and raspberry fragrance (Marks & Spencer).
2007 Felton Road Pinot Noir, £26.99-£29.30
Not cheap, but stellar New Zealand pinot (Averys, 0845 8630995; Laithwaites, 0845 194 7755; Berry Bros & Rudd, 0870 900 4300).
Joanna Simon in The Sunday Times, February 22, 2009: Loving Chardonnay
A tasting of 20 Australian chardonnays last month reminded me of two things: how much I like chardonnay and miss drinking it as often as I used to and, secondly, what good winemakers the Australians are. Come to think of it, make that a few more things, because it also demonstrated how Australia’s signature style has evolved from fat, buttery and oaky to crisp, elegant and polished and how, in a not unrelated development, alcohol levels have come down from the highs of a few years ago, mostly to a more balanced 13-13.5%.
Finally, if less positively, the tasting reminded me how expensive decent Australian chardonnay has become. The cheapest was £6.99 (McWilliams Hanwood Crisp Chardonnay, stocked by Tesco) and only one other was under a tenner (ignoring some optimistically low prices given on the day). The other 18 wines went from £11-plus to £45, with five over £20.
This wouldn’t matter for Australia if we didn’t have so many other countries’ chardonnays on offer and if so many people hadn’t fallen in love with other grape varieties. But if, like me, you’re still a chardonnay drinker, here are three to try.
2006 Shelmerdine Chardonnay, £11.49
From Australia’s Yarra Valley: toasty, concentrated and fresh (Oddbins).
2006 Coralillo Chardonnay, £9.99
From Chile’s San Antonio region: cashew nut richness and candied peel zing (Marks & Spencer).
2007 Taste the Difference Adelaide Hills Chardonnay, £7.99
Stylish, fresh, nutty and smoothly textured (Sainsbury’s).
Finally, if less positively, the tasting reminded me how expensive decent Australian chardonnay has become. The cheapest was £6.99 (McWilliams Hanwood Crisp Chardonnay, stocked by Tesco) and only one other was under a tenner (ignoring some optimistically low prices given on the day). The other 18 wines went from £11-plus to £45, with five over £20.
This wouldn’t matter for Australia if we didn’t have so many other countries’ chardonnays on offer and if so many people hadn’t fallen in love with other grape varieties. But if, like me, you’re still a chardonnay drinker, here are three to try.
2006 Shelmerdine Chardonnay, £11.49
From Australia’s Yarra Valley: toasty, concentrated and fresh (Oddbins).
2006 Coralillo Chardonnay, £9.99
From Chile’s San Antonio region: cashew nut richness and candied peel zing (Marks & Spencer).
2007 Taste the Difference Adelaide Hills Chardonnay, £7.99
Stylish, fresh, nutty and smoothly textured (Sainsbury’s).
Joanna Simon in The Sunday Times, February 15, 2009: Stock up now while you can
Towards the end of 2008 the big supermarket buyers were promising - or threatening, depending on your view - that the wines on the shelves this year would be even more dominated by new world countries, with France, Italy, Spain and the rest of Europe squeezed out to make room. The reason, of course, was (and is) the strength of the euro, making Europe’s wines 20% more expensive to Britain’s importers than they were 12 months earlier.
But that was before the dollar’s dramatic rally against sterling, a rise which not only hikes the cost of California wines but of Chilean and Argentine wines too, because most importers buy them in dollars. So that leaves Australian wines (no longer flavour of the month), South Africa (in with a strong chance this year) and New Zealand (also in with a chance, partly thanks to overproduction of its fashionable sauvignon blancs and the likelihood of price falls as a result).
For wine drinkers, the outlook is clear. Supermarkets will prune their ranges and a lot of prices will go up. Painful as it might be, now is a good time to stock up for the year.
2006 Château Le Chec, Graves Blanc, £9.75
Toasty, creamy, fresh and stylish (Adnams, 01502 727222).
2006 Olivier Fichet Terroir de Burgy, Mâcon-Villages, £8.50
Buttery, nutty, apple-scented; great value white burgundy (Stone, Vine & Sun, 01962 712351).
2006 Tinto da Anfora, £6.49
Ever reliable Portuguese red with ripe blueberry fruit and spicy oak (Sainsbury’s).
But that was before the dollar’s dramatic rally against sterling, a rise which not only hikes the cost of California wines but of Chilean and Argentine wines too, because most importers buy them in dollars. So that leaves Australian wines (no longer flavour of the month), South Africa (in with a strong chance this year) and New Zealand (also in with a chance, partly thanks to overproduction of its fashionable sauvignon blancs and the likelihood of price falls as a result).
For wine drinkers, the outlook is clear. Supermarkets will prune their ranges and a lot of prices will go up. Painful as it might be, now is a good time to stock up for the year.
2006 Château Le Chec, Graves Blanc, £9.75
Toasty, creamy, fresh and stylish (Adnams, 01502 727222).
2006 Olivier Fichet Terroir de Burgy, Mâcon-Villages, £8.50
Buttery, nutty, apple-scented; great value white burgundy (Stone, Vine & Sun, 01962 712351).
2006 Tinto da Anfora, £6.49
Ever reliable Portuguese red with ripe blueberry fruit and spicy oak (Sainsbury’s).
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Joanna Simon in The Sunday Times, February 8, 2009: Pink fizz
I could be missing something, but Lanson’s claim that its new 20cl bottle of pink champagne is “the perfect size to share” seems extraordinary. I know no one wants to be seen flaunting money at present, but I would have thought that expecting 20cl - little more than quarter of a standard bottle – to stretch to two people was grounds for ending any relationship on the spot.
Size aside, it’s not bad in a fruity, easygoing style (£9.99, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Majestic), or £25.53 for a 75cl bottle, which I hardly need point out is a better deal (Tesco, at this price until February 14). But the point of high-profile brands is not value for money so much as buying a name. Less famous labels are cheaper. Two good value ones currently are De Castelnau Rosé (£16.99 instead of £26.99 until February 15, Co-op) and Carlin Rosé (£19.99, The Real Wine Company, 01753 885619).
If you’re happy to splash the cash or plastic, the rosés of Bollinger, Krug and Perrier Jouët Belle Epoque (the latter in its timelessly chic enamelled bottle) will show that you mean business (£59-£200). Good luck to you.
Blason de Bourgogne Rosé, £9.99
Great value, strawberry-scented fizz from Burgundy (Waitrose).
Devaux Cuvée Rosée Champagne, £26.99-£30
Lively and seductuvely fruity (Frank Stainton, 01539 731886; www.martinez.co.uk; Villeneuve Wines, 01721 729922; Liberty Wines, 020 7720 5350) [can omit Liberty ]
Perrier Jouët Blason Champagne Rosé,
Stylish, sophisticated, deserves more stockists. No relation to the Bourgogne above (Majestic).
Size aside, it’s not bad in a fruity, easygoing style (£9.99, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Majestic), or £25.53 for a 75cl bottle, which I hardly need point out is a better deal (Tesco, at this price until February 14). But the point of high-profile brands is not value for money so much as buying a name. Less famous labels are cheaper. Two good value ones currently are De Castelnau Rosé (£16.99 instead of £26.99 until February 15, Co-op) and Carlin Rosé (£19.99, The Real Wine Company, 01753 885619).
If you’re happy to splash the cash or plastic, the rosés of Bollinger, Krug and Perrier Jouët Belle Epoque (the latter in its timelessly chic enamelled bottle) will show that you mean business (£59-£200). Good luck to you.
Blason de Bourgogne Rosé, £9.99
Great value, strawberry-scented fizz from Burgundy (Waitrose).
Devaux Cuvée Rosée Champagne, £26.99-£30
Lively and seductuvely fruity (Frank Stainton, 01539 731886; www.martinez.co.uk; Villeneuve Wines, 01721 729922; Liberty Wines, 020 7720 5350) [can omit Liberty ]
Perrier Jouët Blason Champagne Rosé,
Stylish, sophisticated, deserves more stockists. No relation to the Bourgogne above (Majestic).
Joanna Simon in The Sunday Times, January 25, 2009: Vodka - good news or bad?
With sales up a third in the five years to 2007, vodka has overtaken Scotch whisky as Britain’s favourite spirit. So, is that good news or bad news? It’s certainly awkward for the government - and not just because Scotch whisky is our own industry. Vodka has become the drink of the young - indeed the far too young - of binge drinking and the ladette culture (if ever there was an oxymoron it’s the coupling of those two words). In fact, it’s everything about alcohol that the government is (ineffectively) trying to deal with. Clearly it can’t look on the vodka boom with equanimity. But then again, how far can it afford not to, with duty and vat revenue from sales of 8 million cases?
It’s not even unequivocally good news for producers. Vodka’s main selling-point is that it’s a neutral alcoholic base – the very reason it suits unsophisticated palates intent on getting slaughtered. Producers who want to distance themselves usually try to add quality/value by harping on about purity and smoothness, but after that the ascent up the price ladder is largely about presentation and packaging; style more than substance.
Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka, £15.99
Polish vodka with an aromatic herbal note (Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose).
Snow Leopard Vodka, £30
Trendy Polish vodka made from spelt. Expensive, but 15% of profits go to conservation charities (Waitrose).
Wyborowa, £14.99-£15.99
Crisp with a hint of sweetness and spice. Ever reliable Polish rye vodka (Oddbins and supermarkets).
It’s not even unequivocally good news for producers. Vodka’s main selling-point is that it’s a neutral alcoholic base – the very reason it suits unsophisticated palates intent on getting slaughtered. Producers who want to distance themselves usually try to add quality/value by harping on about purity and smoothness, but after that the ascent up the price ladder is largely about presentation and packaging; style more than substance.
Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka, £15.99
Polish vodka with an aromatic herbal note (Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose).
Snow Leopard Vodka, £30
Trendy Polish vodka made from spelt. Expensive, but 15% of profits go to conservation charities (Waitrose).
Wyborowa, £14.99-£15.99
Crisp with a hint of sweetness and spice. Ever reliable Polish rye vodka (Oddbins and supermarkets).
Joanna Simon in The Sunday Times, February 1, 2009: Two money-saving ideas
As the sale season limps to a close, I have a couple of alternative money-saving ideas. Paying to go on a wine course might not sound like an economy measure, but learning how to taste and assess quality properly will save you money in the long run (even if you develop more expensive tastes). Michael Schuster runs excellent classes - beginners and fine wine - at Bordeaux Index in London and I’ve discovered you can offset the costs by signing up to wash the glasses at £10 an hour after each session (www.michaelschuster.com).
Idea number two: sign up as a ‘wine angel’ at www.nakedwines.com, a new business which founder Rowan Gormley likens to a combination of farmers’ market and Facebook. Wine angels pre-pay £5 a month towards a case of their chosen winemaker’s wines and get 33 per cent off the normal price. To kick off, they can also get six bottles of the winemaker’s wines for just £15.82 (the cost of duty and delivery). This strikes me as a bit more transparent than all the sham half-price offers that run almost continuously on big Australian and American brands.
2008 Raats Original Chenin Blanc, £5.66/£8.49
Delicious, dry, sappy South African white (www.nakedwines.com; £5.66 is the ‘wine angel’ price).
Warre’s Warrior Special Reserve Port, £8.99
Great value, richly fruity ruby which Michael Schuster shows on his beginners’ wine course (Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Booths).
2007 Domaine Haut-Lirou, Pic Saint-Loup, £6.99/£8.99
Stylish syrah-based French red with spicy, smoky, sweet fruit (Majestic; £6.99 if you buy two or more).
Idea number two: sign up as a ‘wine angel’ at www.nakedwines.com, a new business which founder Rowan Gormley likens to a combination of farmers’ market and Facebook. Wine angels pre-pay £5 a month towards a case of their chosen winemaker’s wines and get 33 per cent off the normal price. To kick off, they can also get six bottles of the winemaker’s wines for just £15.82 (the cost of duty and delivery). This strikes me as a bit more transparent than all the sham half-price offers that run almost continuously on big Australian and American brands.
2008 Raats Original Chenin Blanc, £5.66/£8.49
Delicious, dry, sappy South African white (www.nakedwines.com; £5.66 is the ‘wine angel’ price).
Warre’s Warrior Special Reserve Port, £8.99
Great value, richly fruity ruby which Michael Schuster shows on his beginners’ wine course (Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Booths).
2007 Domaine Haut-Lirou, Pic Saint-Loup, £6.99/£8.99
Stylish syrah-based French red with spicy, smoky, sweet fruit (Majestic; £6.99 if you buy two or more).
Joanna Simon in The Sunday Times, January 18, 2009: Tips for tackling the sales
The shelves are alive with the sound of slashing wine prices, but there’s a problem with wine sales: unlike the jeans you can try on, you rarely get to taste the wine before you shell out, unless there’s time to buy a bottle to try at home first.
Still, there are things you can watch for. Top of the list are tired wines. Rosés don’t improve with keeping and the vast majority of whites don’t either. As a rough guide, the cheaper the white wine, the less likely it is to improve – and that’s a broadly useful guide for reds, too. Prosecco and Cava should also be drunk young; if you think they’ve been hanging about, pass by.
Know your grape varieties: the unfairly stigmatised riesling ages well - both southern hemisphere and European - whereas sauvignon, pinot grigio and viognier fade quickly. Among reds, pinot noir is short-lived, especially new world pinot; cabernet sauvignon and syrah/shiraz last longer. And remember that southern hemisphere wines are about six months older than those from the same year in Europe and America. As for ‘mystery cases’, if the wines were really good, the sellers would identify them.
2008 Finest Tapiwey Sauvignon Blanc, £3.99
Great half-price offer on this zesty, gooseberry-scented Chilean sauvignon (Tesco; normally £7.99).
2007 La Sabrosita Old Vine Garnacha, £4.39
Big, spicy, juicy Spanish red. Good value even at its usual prcie of £5.99 (Marks & Spencer)
2006 Anjou Le Clos des Rouliers, Leroy, £14.82
Superb dry white Loire to drink now or lay down. Price held for this month only (Vine Trail, 0117 921 1770).
Still, there are things you can watch for. Top of the list are tired wines. Rosés don’t improve with keeping and the vast majority of whites don’t either. As a rough guide, the cheaper the white wine, the less likely it is to improve – and that’s a broadly useful guide for reds, too. Prosecco and Cava should also be drunk young; if you think they’ve been hanging about, pass by.
Know your grape varieties: the unfairly stigmatised riesling ages well - both southern hemisphere and European - whereas sauvignon, pinot grigio and viognier fade quickly. Among reds, pinot noir is short-lived, especially new world pinot; cabernet sauvignon and syrah/shiraz last longer. And remember that southern hemisphere wines are about six months older than those from the same year in Europe and America. As for ‘mystery cases’, if the wines were really good, the sellers would identify them.
2008 Finest Tapiwey Sauvignon Blanc, £3.99
Great half-price offer on this zesty, gooseberry-scented Chilean sauvignon (Tesco; normally £7.99).
2007 La Sabrosita Old Vine Garnacha, £4.39
Big, spicy, juicy Spanish red. Good value even at its usual prcie of £5.99 (Marks & Spencer)
2006 Anjou Le Clos des Rouliers, Leroy, £14.82
Superb dry white Loire to drink now or lay down. Price held for this month only (Vine Trail, 0117 921 1770).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)