Pour Decisions

It’s time to talk about yard wine. You know, wine that is perfect sipped from a reclined garden chair in the sunshine with your favourite radio station drifting through the open kitchen window. We are well and truly in the age of yard wine everyone, and I’ve got three solid recommendations for you today. If you follow me on Insta, you’ll have noticed this motley crewe gracing my grid a few weeks ago, it’s time to get to know them a little better. 

These guys started life as Zoom wine tasting fodder, but as soon as I tried them, I knew I had to restock immediately. In my quest for easy to post virtual wine tasting tipples, I discovered these gems. Three completely different wines lovingly packed into a can, ready to go in a handy 250ml serving, whenever the mood takes you - what more could you ask for?

First up, we have Te Mério (aka Mermaid Wine), a fresh and fruity Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough New Zealand. I have to confess that I had tried this one before, it’s a firm summer favourite. It has the most beautiful Passionfruit aromas, and is so perfect chilled and enjoyed in the sun. This one is a great sipper, it’s very easy to drink and is a perfect summer wine. Looking for something to enjoy with your Summer BBQ’s? This is the one. 

Next up, I found this interesting Rosé, that is only available canned. It’s a blend of Grenache and Cinsault, and it delivers juicy red fruit flavours (we’re talking strawberry and raspberry here), with some lovely herbaceous undertones. Considering that this one was a total punt, I’m so happy that I decided to take a chance - it’s a beauty. 

The last one on my list is a gorgeous traditional Malbec from Argentina. It’s made from 100% Malbec grapes, and hits all the expected notes we know and love from a great Malbec, including red plum, blackberry and cocoa. all finished off with some slight vanillery smoothness and a touch of spice. Delicious. This is the yard wine that you reach for once the fire-pit has been stoked and the blankets are out as the sun is setting. 

All three of these wines are available for delivery in the UK here, and I can’t recommend them enough. They’re the perfect serving size for when you just fancy a treat without committing to the bottle, and in these times, who can blame us for indulging in a little self care? I’ve not been a huge drinker of boxed/canned wines in the past, but my brilliant experience with these three has convinced me to broaden my horizons!

Salut! 

I promised a post about Rainbows, so here it is my friends. A little later than planned perhaps, but I wanted to make sure that I did this bottle justice. 

I first sampled Rainbow Juice during a Wine crawl for my 30th birthday. Our path had led us to Bunch, an excellent wine bar in Liverpool that specialises in natural wines. If you find yourself in my neck of the woods when all of this is over, promise me that you’ll pay the guys there a visit. They have a brilliant selection of wines by the glass and the bottle - plus they do takeout! 

Let me tell you a bit about this incredible wine. Made by Gentle Folk, it comes from the Adelaide Hills, Australia and it has a pretty special make up. Rainbow Juice is a blend of every kind of grape grown by Gentle Folk, I believe in this vintage that is 22 grape varieties! Strictly speaking, we can’t describe it as red, white or rose, we have to simply accept that this is totally unique and get on board! Part of Gentle Folk’s philosophy is that they don’t interfere with the wine, preferring to let it do its’ own thing, and this really shows. It’s super easy to drink and presents loads of beautiful fruit flavours. It’s big on strawberry, peach and maraschino cherry but perfectly balanced with an acidity that makes it a great sipper. Can we talk about that amazing intense colour too, please? 

We ended up with Rainbow Juice completely by accident, the girls had pre-picked what we were going to drink all day, but their first pick for Bunch wasn’t available. We were recommended this as an alternative, and honestly, I don’t think plan A could have served us any better. This wine is an absolute delight to drink. Sampled on a hot, sunny day you can’t ask for anything more. It’s crisp, light and super refreshing, especially paired with a cheeseboard and great conversation!

I’ll be back soon with some isolation wine reccs, but for now, I hope you and yours are well. 

Good afternoon all, I hope you’re all enjoying the post v.day glow while this awful weather is working itself out. J and I opted for a night in this year with good food and a bottle of sparkling red, he loved the wine, I wasn’t convinced -but more on that later. 

Progress on my wine resolutions is moving along nicely. I’ve pencilled in the dates to do the WSET Level Two course in May which I’m very excited about, and we’re looking at dates for a birthday trip to Bordeaux. I’ve already scoped out a few Chateau tours, and a very promising Air BnB experience which promises a walking tour of the local boulangeries. Could not be more excited to stuff my face full of fresh bread and pastry. I’m also debating whether it’s worth tackling the queue for l’entrecote to sample the famous steak, what are the thoughts? 

So, back to last night’s wine drama. I picked up a bottle of sparkling shiraz last year as an impulse buy, and I’ve been saving it for a special occasion. Seeing as our Valentines’ food featured a beautiful steak in butter sauce, and a pretty special chocolate hazelnut cheesecake, I figured that this would be the perfect opportunity to crack it open. 

I’d been wondering whether to serve it chilled or room temperature, the general consensus online seemed to be to serve it very slightly chilled so as not to hide the flavours. I have to say, when we first popped the cork, I thought the aromas were beautiful, everything I love about a Shiraz. I could smell red fruits, there was some vanilla in there, overall I was excited to try it. 

This was quickly overshadowed by the bubbles however. As soon as I took a sip, all I could taste was the gas. I lost the flavours, and I found after one glass, that I couldn’t finish a second. I was so disappointed but I guess you can’t win them all. J wasn’t convinced at all when I bought it, but he enjoyed it so much last night that he happily finished the bottle while I sourced an alternative for myself. 

I was expecting to enjoy this bottle, especially because I have a huge soft spot for bubbles and Shiraz, so on paper this was my perfect bottle. A friend of mine also told me that this particular bottle was one of her favourite wines. I’ve finally come across a combo that isn’t for me, it was bound to happen once, right?!

Now my thoughts are turning to spring, and what the new season has to offer. I’m excited to reintroduce whites and rosés into circulation. As much as I love hibernating, I’m ready for warmer evenings and bright floral wines. I’m particularly excited to finally get to Bordeaux in early June. 

Salut

Welcome to the roaring 20’s! Is it too late to say Happy New  Year? I hope you all had a fabulous time celebrating the new decade. We rang in 2020 with gin infused smoked salmon blinis, bubbles, and the mother of cheeseboards. I hope that your celebrations were as rock and roll as that!

I’m dropping in today to tell you about my New Years Wine Resolutions, I’m not normally one for resolutions, but I think I can make an exception for wine related ones. 

#1 Enjoy more Vermouth

I had so much fun sampling beautiful vermouth at the Independent Wine Festival last year, that it’s inspired me to expand my horizons and find some more delicious varieties to try. 

#2 Start my WSET Level Two

I’d really like to continue my wine journey and get my Level Two qualification underway this year. This time it’s a six week course - exciting!

#3 (Hopefully) Visit Bordeaux

After visiting the Bordeaux Wine Festival last year, I was inspired to explore Bordeaux and to get up close and personal with the beautiful wines coming from the region. An unexpected favourite from the festival was the glorious award winning Sauternes I was lucky enough to try.

What are your resolutions? Do you have any wine goals that you’d like to tick of your list this year?

Salut!

Wondering which festive tipple to serve with your Christmas Dinner? Fear not! I’m here to guide you through my top picks of high-street wines for the big day, broken down for you by main course choice.

There’s something for every taste, so sit back and enjoy ...

Perfect with Turkey, Chicken or Vegetarian…

Whether you’re sticking to traditional Turkey or opting for a Vegetarian/Vegan option for the main event, this little sparkler will be the perfect match.

This bottle from Aldi is an Organic Sparkling Rosé, which means it’s cool for Vegans, and doesn’t contain any chemical additives. It offers a refreshing alternative to traditional method Prosecco and should lift the buttery poultry or roasted vegetables with its floral fruity notes.

Organic Sparkling Rosé, Aldi £7.99

Perfect with Duck or Goose

If you’re mixing it up with Duck or Goose, then you need something that can cut through the richness of the darker, fatty meat without overwhelming the flavours.

This Beaujolais Villages is ideal. It’s light bodied and is un-oaked (so, low tannins), with lots of ripe, fruity flavours. It will pair so well with the bird and also work great with stuffing and veggie sides.

Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages, Tesco £11

Perfect with Beef

Going for the Beef Roast? Then you’re after a full-bodied red that can cope with the earthy flavours of the meat.

This Californian Red is a blend of Petite Syrah and Petit Verdot grapes, which gives it dark fruit and smokey notes. It complements the beef without getting lost, and the soft tannins work really well to round off the deep flavours of the red meat. It’s well worth anyone’s tenner and it has a great label, too.

OddLot Syrah Blend, Aldi £9.99

…And for Dessert?

Introducing Sauternes, a fruity, sticky wine from the Bordeaux region of France. This little beaut comes in half bottle size and should be served slightly chilled. It’s pretty sweet, which luckily for us, means that it goes with most desserts. Chocolate? Check. Fruit tart? Check. Cheese plate? BIG check.

This one is special, and you’ll look extra fancy and sophisticated when you whip this out of the fridge. If you only try one dessert wine, promise me it’s this one.

L'or du Ciron Sauternes, M&S £12 for 37.5cl

What will you be serving this Christmas? Whatever you decide, make it special!

Happy Holidays! ’Tis officially the Season so if you’re wondering what to get the Wine-Lover in your life then look no further. I’ve pulled together a list of top-notch wine related gifts. There’s something for everyone here so let’s get these gifts nailed!

1. Champagne Keeper  2. Champagne Bowl  3. Aerator & Chiller set  4. Waiters’ Friend Tool  5. Wine Note Journal  6. Wine Folly Magnum Edition  7. Red Wine Glasses  8. Decanter  9. Wine Hair Mask  10. Phone Case      

Two weeks ago some friends and I took ourselves off to the first ever Liverpool Independent Wine Festival. We’re talking vendors from across the city under one roof, showing off all their best wines mixed with delicious snacks and live Jazz - what’s not to love?

Set-up like a beer fest in the beautiful Baltic Warehouse, we were given a glass and tokens on arrival with the option to buy more if we needed to (we needed to). We were spoiled for choice with all of the best wine bars from around the city waiting for us, so we got cracking.

I made an effort to try wines that I don’t drink as often, so although I did have two glasses of a gorgeous red, I did also sample an unusual Orange wine, some very beautiful whites and one stunning Vermouth which was a first for me.

Let’s talk about this Vermouth. WOW. The one I tried was a Spanish one from Paso Primero and had distinct herbal notes. For a first dabble in Vermouth, I was very impressed and would buy it again for sure. It was slightly sweet, rich and dark and had that interesting earthy finish from the herbs. It went down a treat with the super fresh Oyster from Bitter Social too. 10/10 would Vermouth again.

Introducing SpaceCat (a.k.a. Felicette Blanc). I’d only tried the Rose of this wine before, so I was thrilled to be able to try the white. Created and named in honour of the kitties sent in to space, this wine is crisp and fruity. It’s a super easy drinker and worked a treat with the cheeseboard we were nailing at the time. This would be a great host gift, one to bare in mind if you’re heading to someone’s home for Christmas dinner this year.

Honourable mention to the Red I went back for seconds for, Mas Donis Negre. Hailing from Petit Cafe du Coin, this one is soft and fruity and very easy to drink. It’s a Grenache/Syrah blend, a lovely one to pick up to have with dinner at home for sure.

Last but not least, I couldn’t talk about this festival without mentioning the delicious snacks that were on hand, including not only a top notch cheeseboard, but also a RACLETTE! Melty, gooey, cheese-y, potato-y, pickle-y goodness from the Liverpool Cheese Company. This is before the Croquettes and Oysters from Bitter Social. It was indulgent for sure.

I hope that this festival comes back again, it was such a great day with a lovely atmosphere. If you get the chance you should make the trip, it’s another great asset to our beautiful city, and it’s great to see so many passionate people under one roof.

Spooky Halloween! I’m dropping by today to introduce you to the interesting red I had put away for Halloween this year, A little later than planned, but here we are. 

Enter Legendary Dracula, please allow me to present to you this excerpt from the back of the bottle...

“Hot, endless whispers harvested from trembling lips in the middle of the night tell the story of the cold, dark grapes blood rushing in the veins of those brave enough to indulge themselves into the powerful reign of legendary Dracula”

It’s making some pretty bold bold claims right? I treated myself to this bottle of Romanian Shiraz earlier this year during Comic-Con while I was dressed as Sabrina Spellman and caught up in the frivolity of the day. As always, I was eating - or drinking in this case - with my eyes, and the label grabbed my attention instantly. My inner emo kid came racing to the surface, and I was sold on the moody colour scheme and classical illustrations. After some spiel from the stall-holder, I was quick to take a bottle of the Shiraz off his hands. 

To be fair, this wine does pack a punch. It’s spicy and delivers a hit of oaky tannins on the palette, we’re also given some interesting fruity undertones. I was picking up on red apples, cherries and some deeper, earthy undertones. There was a healthy dose of black pepper in there too, this one is definitely a wine to sip with food. Spoiler alert - I drank with this corn dogs (classy, I know), and it was top.notch. Something about that crunchy and slightly sweet batter against the smokey hotdog made the wine sing. I’m sure that the wine makers had more sophisticated crudités in mind, but hey-ho, it was Halloween night! The grapes are 100% Shiraz, and the wine is aged for 5 months in American Oak barrels. So although we’re looking at a uniquely styled wine, in many ways, it is a textbook Shiraz. It delivers on all of the flavours and aromas you’d expect, but for me, it slightly misses the mark in terms of complexity of flavour. It’s fairly drying on the palate and doesn’t have a massive amount of fruitiness once you’re a few glasses in. Not a bad wine by any stretch, just not the best Shiraz I’ve ever had.

A quick word about the vineyard, Legendary Dracula hails from the Dealu Mare region of Romania. There’s a fairly large variety of grapes grown in this region that produce fresh, earthy wines. It’s generally acknowledged to be one of the most important wine regions in Romania. It’s sits on the famous 45th Parallel in the Northern hemisphere, alongside other notable regions Rhône and Bordeaux in France, and Piedmont in Italy. I’ll follow up with a full post on this magical latitude, but essentially, vines that grow in these regions enjoy full advantage of consistent sunlight and temperatures which allows the grapes to reach their full flavour potential without being exposed to overly harsh conditions. 

In summary, I’d say it’s worth a throw if you come across it on your travels. If you’re after a talking piece for a Halloween party, then this is your guy. It’s very easy to sip and I’d say is a great wine to try guests on if they’re not huge red wine drinkers. It’s fairly light and doesn’t feel like a huge bold red, so pair this baby with some cheese (or corn dogs!), and you’re golden.

While we’re here learning about dessert wines, I think we should use this instalment of Wine 101 to take a closer look at our friend Botrytis, otherwise known as ‘the Noble Rot’.

Botrytis is a form of fungus, which sounds disgusting, but it actually serves a very important purpose when it comes to some varieties of sweet dessert wine.

The fungus thrives when the vines are exposed to moist conditions, the damp air causes grey mould to form on the grapes, making them look as though they have a coating of ash. On it’s own, this first form of the fungus would actually destroy the grapes, it’s the second phase which gives us the signature sweetness. If infected grapes are left on the vine and exposed to dry conditions, they become slightly shrivelled (taking on the appearance of raisins), then the noble rot can do its thing.

What is it’s thing? Glad you asked! The spores of the fungus sit on the skin of the infected grapes and cause it to perforate. The weakened skin means that the water in the grapes evaporates much quicker than usual, and the sugars and other solids become more concentrated. Wine makers looking to create sweet wines in this way often leave the grapes on the vine for longer than usual before harvesting to allow the sweetness to develop. Unlike Ice Wine however, the grapes are not allowed to freeze on the vine.

Wines typically associated with the Botrytis fungus are Tokaji from Hungary, and my personal favourite, Sauternes from France. Keep your eyes peeled on the high street, both of these wines are worth picking up if you’re looking to dip into dessert wines.

Salut!

It’s officially Autumn guys, the nights are drawing in and we’re flirting with turning the heating on. We’re craving comfort food and wooly jumpers, and we’re moving away from the white’s and rosés of the Summer. It’s time for a more indulgent tipple, and today we’re learning about one of the most luxurious wines on the market. Yes, it’s time to pop the cork on a very special bottle of Ice Wine (or Eis Wein if you want to be official about it).  

Ice Wine is a beautiful dessert wine originally hailing from Germany. However due to the consistent winter temperatures and predictable freeze over, Canada has now overtaken Germany to become the principal supplier of this variety of wine. 

This is a late harvest wine, meaning the grapes are left on the vine for an extended period of time, often deep into the winter. This allows the water in the grapes to freeze, leaving the sugars and solids to do their thing and make some sweet sweet wine. To be officially considered an Ice Wine, grapes must be frozen naturally, with no artificial enhancements. Harvest will often take place overnight and in temperatures of -7/-8C, the cellars have no heating and picking usually takes place in one hit. These guys are hardcore! 

Unlike other sweet dessert wines such as Sauternes and Tokaji, there should be no Botrytis present on the grapes. The aim is to allow the grapes to freeze before the rot has chance to develop. They need to be healthy and hardy enough to last deep into the winter and remain in tact on the vine. This also makes for a high acidity level which balances out the sweetness, and makes ice wine fresher than other dessert wines. 

(Image: Andrew MacFarlane on Flickr)

A quick note on fermentation: because of the incredibly high sugar levels, fermentation takes much longer than normal. The process for ice wine can take months rather than days or weeks and there even needs to be a special kind of yeast involved that can withstand the elongated fermentation period.

Finally, Let’s talk about the beautiful grapes that give us this delicious tipple. The two main varieties used for ice wine are Vidal Blanc and Riesling.

Vidal Blanc:

A winter variety, Vidal Blanc has a tough outer skin that makes it ideal to withstand the tough growing conditions. The grape produces high sugar levels with a moderate to high acidity. On the palate, we’re talking tropical fruit notes such as Grapefruit and Pineapple.

Riesling:

Originating from the Rhine region of Germany, Riesling gives us aromatic, floral notes and high acidity. The grape itself is terrior expressive, meaning that it adopts the characteristics and flavour profile of the area it’s grown in. Depending on where they’re grown, Reisling grapes can take on totally different flavours. 

Wines made from this grape have excellent ageing potential, which makes them ideal for ice wine production. The naturally high acidity compliments the sugar in the grape, preventing it from creating intensely sweet wine.

Riesling grapes give us peachy flavours complimented with apple and honey. Delicious!

Ok, so what are the key takeouts about this wine? Luckily for us, the wonderful Wine Folly have put together this very handy fact sheet!

Low Alcohol, high sweetness

Expensive

Medium bodied (thanks to the high acidity that stops it becoming syrupy)

Low Tannins (Ice Wine is rarely oaked)

Flavour Hitlist: pineapple, lemon, apricot, honey and marmalade with potential for floral notes)

Foodie friend: soft cheeses (hello Brie & Camembert!) and fruit tarts.

Ice Wine is generally difficult to pick up, especially in the U.K. and is one of the pricey-er varieties of wine because of the relatively low volume of production and the intense harvesting process. I promise that it’s worth springing for if you come across it though. The low yield of grapes means that ice wine is usually sold in in half (375 cl) bottles. I’m thinking that it would be awesome to serve at Christmas as a special treat with the family, especially alongside a delicious cheese board!

Hi there! Thanks for joining me for this mid(ish) week post-lite. 

I thought it would be fun to start building up a dictionary of common words and phrases that we’re likely to come across when we’re shopping for wine. You can find the link to the page in the nav bar - hopefully this will become a useful reference for us all. 

Tonight we’ll be learning about...Tannins!

So, what are Tannins? In short, Tannins are naturally occurring micro-nutrients (polyphenols if you want to get technical), that dictate how bitter tasting a wine will be. They’re found in tree bark, fruit skins and seeds amongst other things. The higher the Tannins, the more bitter your wine is going to taste. Wines that have been aged in oak barrels often have more Tannins present and will have that distinctive bitter/drying mouth-feel. The level of Tannin in a wine can be controlled by the winemakers through skin contact and how its aged. 

Think about that sensation you get in your mouth when you eat super dark chocolate, or maybe if you eat whole walnuts, skin and all. A bit drying and bitter on the tongue. That’s those Tannins at work. 

Are we clear? Higher Tannin, higher level of bitterness in the wine. This often contributes to how full-bodied (more on that term later), the wine is being described as also. 

Thanks for joining me to learn more about wine tonight! You’ll find the full list of words I cover in these posts here - enjoy!

Salut! 

Happy Saturday!

Today I’m sharing a bottle that I nabbed for myself a few weeks ago from Aldi (!!), and we’ll be learning about the region from which this delightful bottle joined us from. 

So, on we go. The bottle in question is one Stave and Steel Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 vintage. This is currently in stock at Aldi (if you’re in the UK), for £8.99.

Stave and Steel is particularly special because the wine has been aged in Kentucky Bourbon Barrels for at least four months. This gives the wine a complex flavour profile with a beautiful lick of Whiskey right at the end. The barrels also lend their name to the wine - fun fact! Stave is the plural of Staff which is the long piece of wood that make up the perimeter of a barrel. The wine itself is a rich, deep ruby colour. 

Let’s talk about how it is on the nose. Aside from the obvious kick of Bourbon that presents itself, we’re also treated to some Vanilla, pepper and a lovely red fruit/jammy kind of aroma. Overall very appetising. 

On the palette, Stave and Steel is fairly acidic and high in Tannins, this is a strong, full bodied Cab Sauv for sure. It’s worth noting that this wine is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes so we’re getting all of the classic flavours that we love from this grape. Ideally, you should look to decant the wine for roughly an hour before you want to drink it, to give it time to mellow out. This would be A+ with a steak, but if red meat isn’t your thing, this would be perfect with a good cheese board, particularly those hard cheeses that can stand up to flavour. 

Stave and Steel is from the Paso Robles region of California, so let’s take a look at what this region is all about shall we? This region sits in the most Southern area of Northern California, and sits roughly halfway between LA and San Fransisco. Wine grapes were first introduced here in the 1700’s although commercial wine making didn’t really take off until the 1800’s, when there was an emphasis on family-owned vineyards. 

As we’re dealing with a region that is peppered with hills and valleys, this lends some interesting characteristics to the wines due to the variations in weather conditions and localised climates. Coastal air that would typically influence the grapes to produce more crisp wines, is diluted by the hills that allow the temperature to rise in the valleys. It also takes the edge of the acidity of the wine produced here.The super high daytime temperatures of this region are counter-balanced by the massive drop in temperatures overnight, allowing the grapes to cultivate sugar during the day, while maintaining their acidity and crispness due to the cool evening temps. 

While researching this region, my favourite nugget of info I came across (courtesy of this article from WineFolly), is that Paso Robles is often called ’the Wild West of California Wine’, kind of sounds a little badass, right? This region is also currently America’s faster growing region. The number of wineries has grown from 50 to 200+ in the past few years, so they must be doing something right over there! Cab Sav makes up roughly 55% of all grapes grown here so competition is hot. 

Did we all learn something today? I sure did! Thanks for sticking with me on this fact based post. I hope I’ve inspired you to go out and try some Californian Cab Sauv. 

Happy weekend all! 

Today we’re taking a look at an Australian White. Truth be told, I have no idea where I picked this up (something’s telling me that it might have been a gift?), but however it came to be on my wine rack, I’m glad it got there. 

First thing’s first - what is Chardonnay Viognier? This is describing the kind of grapes/blend. This variety is a blend of the Chardonnay and Viognier grapes, both are traditionally French grapes, but are now common in Australia, where Barramundi Wines are based. 

The Chardonnay grape, when exposed to warm climates (hello Australia!), produces tropical fruit notes such as pineapple, peaches and orange/tangerine - tangerine/citrus especially is present in this wine. 

Viognier (pronounced Vee-yoh-v’yay), is a grape with its origins in the Northern Rhone region. Its thick skin means that it has a lower acidity and needs plenty of sunshine to fully ripen and mature in flavour (can you see where we’re going with this?). 

This blend of both grapes creates a rich wine that has the crisp, refreshing characteristics that you’d expect to find in a Chardonnay, but with an interesting almost velvety mouth-feel coming from the Viognier influence. 

On the nose, its pretty fragrant. There are some distinct floral notes in there, alongside the tropical fruit. You should definitely be picking up the orange blossom/peachy vibes.

That first sip gives us some acidity which gives way to the more rounded fruity notes. I sometimes struggle with overly dry whites as I lose the actual flavours to the acidity, but the Viognier blend here I think really lifts the wine as a whole. Very drinkable on it’s own, but It would also work really well with grilled fish and chicken - I’m thinking maybe some sort of fish taco situation with a mango/lime salsa (YUM)?! 

If you come across this wine on your travels, I’d say give it a shot. It’s a great everyday wine, definitely one for long Summer evenings with friends. The weather has been so lovely here recently, so this crisp white, served chilled, was just the trick to keep us refreshed this week. 

In celebration of my 30th Birthday this past month, I was whisked away into town by two lovely ladies for a special surprise. The invite landed in my inbox a week before and I was immediately bouncing with excitement…behold!

It’s impossible to do this day justice, so I’m going to jump straight in and you’re just going to have to hold on tight and enjoy the ride, deal?

I arrived at Petit Café du Coin, to find the girls deposited away in the corner, bottle of white chilling, and the cutest arrangement of gifts and balloons on the table. What then unfolded was the timeline of the day, they told me that they’d staged a wine tour/treasure hunt around the city and attached to the gold balloon was a description of what we were drinking, and a clue to where we were going next -  so exciting! 

The first bottle was a delicious white named Spacecat, it was a beautiful warm day outside, so it fit the bill perfectly. We sipped the crisp white wine and treated ourselves to the first of two cheeseboards of the day to pair it with.  We also found time to sample the fabulous cocktails, by far the best Kir Royale I’ve had in quite some time! And those glasses please?!

So, clue two “What comes after breakfast, but before lunch, and light on the r?” That would be Bunch Wine bar - a natural wine bar just around the corner from Petit Café. I was super excited to try this place, it’s been on my list of places to visit since it opened last year. The guys that own this place serve exclusively natural and biodynamic wines, the result is a beautifully eclectic wine list that’s changing constantly. Worth a trip if you’re in Liverpool (or even if you’re not) for sure! 

On our arrival, I discovered another gold balloon and a bottle of Rainbow Juice chilled to perfection. 

Rainbow Juice comes from Gentle Folk, Adelaide, and it’s pretty special. At the end of harvest, the guys at the vineyard blend everything together to create unique wines. The particular bottle is a blend of 23 (!!) grape varieties. The result is a gorgeous sipping rose wine that has a gorgeous almost claret colour. 10/10 would drink again.  

On to Clue three and thankfully - dinner. The riddle? “This delightful little hideout is the perfect place for an Italian fox to enjoy an Aperol Spritz fit for a Duke - Salut!”. We found ourselves at Volpi, where we did deviant from the recommendations and chose instead to go for the house blend. Red for Sasha and I, Rosé for Liz. We inhaled huge bowls of Pasta and chased it down with Orange Almond cake and coffee.

Our last stop involved me playing a game of hangman to find it. We arrived at Ropes and Twines just as the Brazilica parade danced down Bold Street, temporally abandoning our wine to dance in the street and soak up the carnival atmosphere. Back inside, we each took a glass of the recommended Red, a delicious Malbec (Hey Malbec! - Mendoza) packed full of pepper and dark fruit. All in all, a very delicious tipple. We followed it with a chilled glass of  Prima Nature Chardonnay from Gerard Bertrand for good measure. Oh, and a second cheeseboard. Just to recap, that’s two cheeseboards, a massive bowl of pasta, sides and cake. We wondered why we didn’t seem to be getting drunk? Strange…

Massive kudos to the girls for pulling off this treasure hunt of dreams, I can’t think of a better way to ring in the next decade! I’ve linked to all the wines (except the Volpi House Red) below, so please join me in raising a glass!

Salut!

1. Spacecat 2.Rainbow Juice 3. Hey Malbec! 4. Prima Nature

(extra original recommendations) 

This time last year, J and I decided to spend our anniversary touring the beautiful VilaFlor vineyards in Tenerife. I've been going to the island since I was maybe three or four, but this is one area that I've never explored. Our wedding anniversary seemed like a pretty good excuse to sip wine all day, so we booked a tour with a local company who would pick us up and give us the full guided tour of the vineyard.

The day started with an early pick-up from where we were staying in the South and a drive North to the hills. We stopped part-way to take in the gorgeous views of Tenerife and the surrounding Canary Islands from an amazing vantage point, before making our way through the hills to VilaFlor. I thought I knew Tenerife pretty well, so I was surprised when we finished the drive and emerged into a beautiful vineyard with grapes growing as far as the eye could see. I wasn’t used to seeing so much green as the climate is so dry (Tenerife is a volcanic island), so this was a real treat. The family who run the vineyard have never installed an irrigation method to the vines, they let the roots do their own thing and wind their way down to find their own water source. I have no idea how those little vines get everything they need from the volcanic ground in that heat! 

When we reached the Bodega, the sun was straight overhead and beating down on us. Our guide walked us around the vineyards, showed us the young grapes on the vines and talked us through the process of growing. He also gave us a rundown on the varieties of wines grown on site as well as the history of the Vineyard. It’s a family owned Vineyard/Bodega, the family that own and operate it currently are third generation and are close knit with the surrounding community (there are several other Vineyards in the local area). You really get a feel for how they all operate together to create great product. 

After the tour, we were shown into the Bodega for a traditional Canarian lunch paired with in-house wines (of course!). We were treated to two each of red, white and rosé, as well as a beautiful dessert wine called Nectar of the Gods (I came away with a bottle of that!). For the braver members of the group, our hostess cracked a bottle of homemade grappa, but by this point I was too busy tackling the dessert wine to truly appreciate it. 

There's something about eating home cooked food with locally made wine to just really bring out the best of both. We ate a chunky vegetable soup (it was more like a goulash), pork stew, charcuterie, local cheeses and a creamy custard dessert.

Post lunch, we made our way back down through the hills, stopping at a sister Bodega on the way. I sampled and bought a bottle of the most beautiful rosé, it smelled and tasted like a garden in Summer. Usually I struggle with rosé but it really did have the scent of delicate Summer flowers. They did this clever recycling trick with the wine bottles, where they have a stash of bottles that are sterilised and filled to order from the main stock. The bodega itself was so pretty too - covered in flowers and greenery with such a great vibe. This was an unexpected and excellent addition to the tour.

In summary, I came away from that day with precisely four bottles of the good stuff to take home. We enjoyed the red on our apartment balcony with dinner, but the rest made it back in the suitcase (just). I'd recommend this trip to anybody who even vaguely enjoys wine. It's a perfect way to see the beautiful Tenerife, and honestly that lunch with wine pairings was just the best. 

Promise me you'll go next time you're in town ok?

Salut!

Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending the opening day of the Bordeaux Wine Festival in my home city of Liverpool. This is the second year that the event has run as part of Liverpool’s River Festival, and it marks the start of the festivities. 

For those unfamiliar, let me give you a quick run down of the Festival. It’s brought to us by Paul Askew of the Art School (are you sensing a theme developing with this blog yet?), and is a celebration of Bordeaux’s wine regions and wine making culture. Pair that with some beautiful food and a floating french band and you have yourself a winning combo. 

The Festival operates something like your traditional beer fest, entry fee buys you a commemorative tasting glass, and a total of eight appellations. After that, you’re on your own! Across the site there were representatives from several Bordeaux vineyards that covered reds, whites, rosés and sweets. Attendees have the opportunity to taste wines and chat to the growers to their hearts content. This is one of the things I really love about this event, you can really take the chance to talk to the guys who are making the wines and actually get more of a grip on what you’re drinking in context. Each session also includes time in the Wine School pod - read, TWO additional glasses presented by the growers along with background into how to taste and how these particular wines came to be.

All of this is tied together with possibly the fanciest truck food I’ve ever had - a next level cheese on toast and an incredible confit duck leg with fennel sausages. 

Did you think I was finished? We were also treated to a cooking demo and taster from Chef Paul Askew himself. In our case, a gorgeous spicy prawn dish complimented with a glass of Bordeaux Claret. Ding. Dong. 

By far the glass of the day for me was an unexpected addition from the Sweet Bordeaux stand. I cannot tell you how beautiful it was, a gorgeous, golden glass of Sauternes that tasted of apricots and pineapples and honey. I could have happily polished off the bottle and more. When I finally track it down, this chateau will go to the top of my places to visit and I’ll be taking an empty suitcase. 

The Bordeaux Wine Festival will be running at Liverpool’s waterfront every other year, make sure you’re there in 2021. Even if you think you’re not into wine, this is the perfect opportunity to sample a wide range of style, you’ll definitely find something you’ll love.

Salut!

I have some news to tell, a few weeks ago I found out that I officially passed the WSET Level One in Wines and Spirits, I'm now the proud owner of a certificate and a shiny new pin badge to prove it.

I thought I'd give you a run down of how Level One plays out, just in case I have any readers that are thinking of giving it a go - spoiler alert: it's SO MUCH fun! I'd recommend it to anyone who's even vaguely thinking of breaking into the industry, or even those like me who are just interested in learning more about wines in general.

I did my Level One at the Art School, Liverpool, who operate this qualification as a day course. The day started with our lovely teacher handing out the official WSET workbooks and giving us an outline of the day. During the morning we would tackle the meat of the information (while we still had a clear head), followed by a break for lunch then the tastings/food pairing element would happen in the afternoon with the exam rounding off the day. 

It felt like being back at school and I have to admit that I totally got a bit of guilty pleasure from it. We worked through part one of the book, making our notes and getting to grips with what we'd be tested on that afternoon. We learned about styles of wine, production methods and about the major grape varieties. I was definitely getting serious High School Chemistry vibes! We also started to really think about aromas and how to taste wine correctly. 

Post lunch, the tastings began. We tried a variety of reds/whites and dessert wines both on their own and with a selection of snacks that covered the five primary taste receptors - sweet, sour, umami, salty and bitter. The aim was to get us thinking about how the flavours of the wines are altered by what foods they're paired with, and to start us thinking about our palettes properly. 

Then, the scary part - the exam. Full GSCE style, separated seats, no phones, regulation pencils the lot. We had 45 minutes to complete a thirty question multiple choice paper that covered what we learned that day. At the time I thought it went pretty well but I was so nervous as the time passed after the course was over. Finally, three weeks later, I found out that I'd passed with 75%. 

I really can't recommend this course enough, I'll be back for Level Two for sure, hopefully before the end of this year if I can. Completing my Level One has really inspired me to keep going with this. I hope I've helped persuade a few of you to give it a go - I promise you won't regret it.