Showing posts with label chardonnay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chardonnay. Show all posts
Sunday, 13 October 2013
Lovely Cava
My cousin very kindly treated me to take-out sushi for dinner, so I pulled a bottle of cava from the fridge to drink with it. This was Naveran Dama Vintage 2009, a pricey bottle for a cava, at $25, but totally worth it. Surprisingly for a cava, this is predominantly chardonnay mixed with a little bit of parellada grapes. You can taste this in the flavor - this wine reminded me much more of a champagne than any other cava I've ever had. It was crisp and apple-y, with tiny bubbles and a very clean but fruity finish. It had great balance, very little sweetness, and no sour or tart notes. The bubbles of this wine weren't bad, either, a steady stream that was just starting to disappear at the end of my glass. This was very good with our sushi, and would be equally good on its own as an aperitif. I liked this a lot, it is my new favourite cava.
Wednesday, 3 April 2013
March round-up
We tried a few new things in March:
Two of them were British sparklers, both from The Wine Pantry. One wasn't so much totally new; rather, a new variety of something we like - the 2003 Blanc de Blancs from Nyetimber. This was very good, not surprising as we like this maker. It smelled very yeasty, with my husband saying it smelled heavily of the must of the grapes. It was very clean and fresh, though, with a lingering, lemony finish and lots of bubbles. As always with Nyetimber, it was a bit pricey for what it was (mid £30s), but worth drinking.
On the other end of the British taste spectrum, we also had the Herbert Hall 2010 Brut, predominantly chardonnay mixed with pinot noir and pinot meunier. I was not a fan, despite the plentiful bubbles, as this wine was very unpolished and very raw tasting, much like a light cider. It gets good reviews against other English wines, but don't let this fool you. It doesn't compare to a French champagne the way Nyetimber does.
The third wine was a bit of a surprise - wait for it - a 2008 vintage brut German sparkling red pinot noir from Vaux, which my husband picked up at The Winery. What was he thinking, this had the potential for absolute disaster!? German red wine? And German brut, which is never really brut? And German bubbles? Well, don't tell him I wrote this, but my husband is a genius, this wine was a lovely surprise. It was bruter than brut, not a speck of sugary-ness to it despite its strawberry start and ripe apple finish. The bubbles were fine, lasting through both the glass and the bottle. As for the redness...this wine held up to food, but was equally good being sipped on its own. At just shy of £30 a bottle, this is definitely one to try if you can find it.
Two of them were British sparklers, both from The Wine Pantry. One wasn't so much totally new; rather, a new variety of something we like - the 2003 Blanc de Blancs from Nyetimber. This was very good, not surprising as we like this maker. It smelled very yeasty, with my husband saying it smelled heavily of the must of the grapes. It was very clean and fresh, though, with a lingering, lemony finish and lots of bubbles. As always with Nyetimber, it was a bit pricey for what it was (mid £30s), but worth drinking.
On the other end of the British taste spectrum, we also had the Herbert Hall 2010 Brut, predominantly chardonnay mixed with pinot noir and pinot meunier. I was not a fan, despite the plentiful bubbles, as this wine was very unpolished and very raw tasting, much like a light cider. It gets good reviews against other English wines, but don't let this fool you. It doesn't compare to a French champagne the way Nyetimber does.
The third wine was a bit of a surprise - wait for it - a 2008 vintage brut German sparkling red pinot noir from Vaux, which my husband picked up at The Winery. What was he thinking, this had the potential for absolute disaster!? German red wine? And German brut, which is never really brut? And German bubbles? Well, don't tell him I wrote this, but my husband is a genius, this wine was a lovely surprise. It was bruter than brut, not a speck of sugary-ness to it despite its strawberry start and ripe apple finish. The bubbles were fine, lasting through both the glass and the bottle. As for the redness...this wine held up to food, but was equally good being sipped on its own. At just shy of £30 a bottle, this is definitely one to try if you can find it.
Tuesday, 4 December 2012
A Varied November
We drank a few new things in November.
For date night, I splurged and bought a bottle of Taittinger Brut Reserve that was on special offer at my new local wine shop. I have a soft spot for Taittinger, as it was the first champagne house I ever visited, well worth the tour! This champagne is a 40/60 blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, extremely well balanced and flavorful. It had loads of apple and vanilla and just a touch of honey, but no sweetness. The bubbles were very good and lasted. This was a nice champagne, and to get it around the £20 price point was well worth it.
Next up, a bottle of champagne that I bought on special offer from Waitrose, Bertrand de Bessac Cuvée du Marquis Brut. It won a silver award from Decanter in 2012, and I can see why. Again a Chardonnay/Pinot Noir blend, this was less well balanced than the Taittinger, but had rich apple flavor with a touch of citrus zest. The bubbles were OK, not great, but good enough for a wine I bought from the supermarket.
To shake things up a bit, I moved down market with an under £10 bottle of Codorniu cava. This maker is really good value, I think they make a pretty good cava. This one was the three traditional cava varieties, macabeo, xarel-lo, and parellada grapes. It had a very grape-y flavor, just a touch of sour at the finish, and decent bubbles. Not the best wine ever, but very drinkable and nothing to complain about.
Finally, I found myself in Prague at the end of the month and was tempted by their Bohemia Sekt Brut. I bought a half bottle at the airport to drink with my husband, who found it far too acidic for his liking. I didn't half mind its very dry and fruity flavor combined with surprisingly good bubbles. But I couldn't drink a lot of it. Honestly, it was far better by the glass at the restaurant in Prague where I first encountered it, served alongside the hefty, saucy, meaty food.
For date night, I splurged and bought a bottle of Taittinger Brut Reserve that was on special offer at my new local wine shop. I have a soft spot for Taittinger, as it was the first champagne house I ever visited, well worth the tour! This champagne is a 40/60 blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, extremely well balanced and flavorful. It had loads of apple and vanilla and just a touch of honey, but no sweetness. The bubbles were very good and lasted. This was a nice champagne, and to get it around the £20 price point was well worth it.
Next up, a bottle of champagne that I bought on special offer from Waitrose, Bertrand de Bessac Cuvée du Marquis Brut. It won a silver award from Decanter in 2012, and I can see why. Again a Chardonnay/Pinot Noir blend, this was less well balanced than the Taittinger, but had rich apple flavor with a touch of citrus zest. The bubbles were OK, not great, but good enough for a wine I bought from the supermarket.
To shake things up a bit, I moved down market with an under £10 bottle of Codorniu cava. This maker is really good value, I think they make a pretty good cava. This one was the three traditional cava varieties, macabeo, xarel-lo, and parellada grapes. It had a very grape-y flavor, just a touch of sour at the finish, and decent bubbles. Not the best wine ever, but very drinkable and nothing to complain about.
Finally, I found myself in Prague at the end of the month and was tempted by their Bohemia Sekt Brut. I bought a half bottle at the airport to drink with my husband, who found it far too acidic for his liking. I didn't half mind its very dry and fruity flavor combined with surprisingly good bubbles. But I couldn't drink a lot of it. Honestly, it was far better by the glass at the restaurant in Prague where I first encountered it, served alongside the hefty, saucy, meaty food.
Saturday, 6 October 2012
September report
We drank from all over the map in September...
First up was an English sparkler, Coates & Seely blanc de blancs. I had high hopes for this wine, as I really like the rose from this maker. The blanc de blancs has a nice flavour, with orchard fruits and a touch of yeast, and very good balance, but not enough bubbles. I prefer the rose.
From there, we went to Australia, with Grant Burge pinot noir chardonnay that we bought from our new local wine shop. I was very excited that this shop has loads of things that you don't see every day! This wine tasted of very ripe pears, with just a hint of sweetness at the mid-palate, but a very clean finish. The disappointing thing was that even though you could see loads of bubbles in your glass, they didn't have any structure in your mouth, so the wine itself was more effervescent than bubbly. But it was a good deal at £12.
Next up, France, with Charles de Fere Jean-Louis Brut, again from our local wine shop. This is technically a sparkling wine rather than a champagne, and again, lacked the sort of bubbles that I really like. But the flavour was excellent, loads of apple and a touch of buttered toast at the finish. And again, another real bargain at £9 for the bottle. This sort of wine really makes you wonder what the English sparkling makers are thinking when they price their wines at £20+, as in a blind tasting, the Charles de Fere would trounce most of them at less than half the price!
Back to England, with Henners 2009, a traditional chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend. This wasn't a very memorable wine, perfectly drinkable, but nothing stand-out-ish about it. And again, not enough bubbles.
We concluded the month, though, with a wine with plenty of fizz, enough to keep me happy! This was Alamos extra brut, a chadonnay/pinot noir blend from Argentina, again purchased at my new local. We really like the new local : ) My husband found this wine a little acidic, with tart apple flavours. While it wasn't as well-balanced as the other wines we had drunk in September, for me, the bubbles made up for it. And again, around a £10 price point, you can't go wrong.
It's so nice to get these empty bottles off of my kitchen counter...I really must find the time to blog more often.
First up was an English sparkler, Coates & Seely blanc de blancs. I had high hopes for this wine, as I really like the rose from this maker. The blanc de blancs has a nice flavour, with orchard fruits and a touch of yeast, and very good balance, but not enough bubbles. I prefer the rose.
From there, we went to Australia, with Grant Burge pinot noir chardonnay that we bought from our new local wine shop. I was very excited that this shop has loads of things that you don't see every day! This wine tasted of very ripe pears, with just a hint of sweetness at the mid-palate, but a very clean finish. The disappointing thing was that even though you could see loads of bubbles in your glass, they didn't have any structure in your mouth, so the wine itself was more effervescent than bubbly. But it was a good deal at £12.
Next up, France, with Charles de Fere Jean-Louis Brut, again from our local wine shop. This is technically a sparkling wine rather than a champagne, and again, lacked the sort of bubbles that I really like. But the flavour was excellent, loads of apple and a touch of buttered toast at the finish. And again, another real bargain at £9 for the bottle. This sort of wine really makes you wonder what the English sparkling makers are thinking when they price their wines at £20+, as in a blind tasting, the Charles de Fere would trounce most of them at less than half the price!
Back to England, with Henners 2009, a traditional chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend. This wasn't a very memorable wine, perfectly drinkable, but nothing stand-out-ish about it. And again, not enough bubbles.
We concluded the month, though, with a wine with plenty of fizz, enough to keep me happy! This was Alamos extra brut, a chadonnay/pinot noir blend from Argentina, again purchased at my new local. We really like the new local : ) My husband found this wine a little acidic, with tart apple flavours. While it wasn't as well-balanced as the other wines we had drunk in September, for me, the bubbles made up for it. And again, around a £10 price point, you can't go wrong.
It's so nice to get these empty bottles off of my kitchen counter...I really must find the time to blog more often.
Monday, 10 September 2012
August round up - UK
I haven't had much time to blog, but don't want to forget what I drank in August. A few things that were ok but not worth repeating:
Finca Flichman Extra Brut, a rose from Argentina that I purchased in the US, an 80/20 Chardonnay/malbec blend. It didn't have enough bubbles for me, and while my husband knew that it wasn't made from traditional champagne grapes, he couldn't place the malbec. Different, but not 'wow'.
Comte de Lamotte brut, purchased at Majestic, a chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend that my husband spotted at a sub £20 price. It was again perfectly ok, but not enough bubbles.
Nicolas Feuillatte 2005, a 100% chardonnay. This had crisp citrus flavours, but almost no fizz whatsoever, very disappointing if you love bubbles the way I do.
Ruinart NV, a blend of chardonnay and pinot noir. This again had very nice flavours, with lots of toast and yeast, but I would have liked more bubbles and expect them from champagnes at this price point.
Finca Flichman Extra Brut, a rose from Argentina that I purchased in the US, an 80/20 Chardonnay/malbec blend. It didn't have enough bubbles for me, and while my husband knew that it wasn't made from traditional champagne grapes, he couldn't place the malbec. Different, but not 'wow'.
Comte de Lamotte brut, purchased at Majestic, a chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend that my husband spotted at a sub £20 price. It was again perfectly ok, but not enough bubbles.
Nicolas Feuillatte 2005, a 100% chardonnay. This had crisp citrus flavours, but almost no fizz whatsoever, very disappointing if you love bubbles the way I do.
Ruinart NV, a blend of chardonnay and pinot noir. This again had very nice flavours, with lots of toast and yeast, but I would have liked more bubbles and expect them from champagnes at this price point.
Wednesday, 1 August 2012
A New Old Favourite
I made tofu and rice for dinner the other night. I really like tofu and rice, but my poor husband...he'll eat it, but it's just not the same as meat and potatoes. He cheered immensely when I offered a glass of bubbles to go with it, especially as I had a bottle of 'the good stuff' in the fridge. We've been really impressed with Billecart-Salmon Brut Sous Bois, a blend of the traditional champagne grapes, chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier, aged in oak. The oak adds such a stunning richness to a champagne that we already love. On top of the usual clean and yeasty wine, there is a layer of dried apricot (without being sweet) and buttered, toasted nut bread. And the finish...wow...lingered forever, making us just want to drink more and more. It was such a good champagne for food, although not a great pairing with the grapefruit in the salad that I had also made, which was far too acidic for the depth of the wine. But champagne and tofu...a definite do-over. THIS champagne and tofu...made it a gourmet meal.
Wednesday, 25 July 2012
And The Winner Is...
We managed to save the best of the case from Sparkling English Wine till last...having liked the English Oak Chinkapin rose, we had set aside the Engelmann from the same producer. Smart move, as this bottle was really nice.
The wine is a traditional chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend. It smelled yeasty and champagne-like, and tasted of toast and citrus fruits, with just a touch of vanilla on the finish. It had good bubbles, too. We really enjoyed it and thought it was well worth the £25 price.
Well done English Oak, I'll be drinking more of your wines...
The wine is a traditional chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend. It smelled yeasty and champagne-like, and tasted of toast and citrus fruits, with just a touch of vanilla on the finish. It had good bubbles, too. We really enjoyed it and thought it was well worth the £25 price.
Well done English Oak, I'll be drinking more of your wines...
More Bad British
Two more from the Sparkling English Wine case that we didn't like:
The first was another 'undrinkable', Daws Hill 2008 Vintage Brut, a chadonnay, auxerrois, pinot noir, and pinot meunier blend. It surprised me how much I disliked this wine as it's been winning medals in UK sparkling wine competitions. But I guess now I know how seriously to take the awards that are being issued within the UK. This smelled of unwashed socks and stinky cheese, and had some really unripe and dirty green flavours to it that mercifully disappeared almost immediately from the tongue, leaving nothing behind. Because it's such a fleeting moment of bad and then nothing, you could use this sparkling wine for cocktails (which is what we did with part of it) - but for what this wine costs, you'd be better off buying a decent cava for a third of the price.
The second was another 'too sweet', Plumpton Estate The Dean, a pinot noir/chardonnay blend. This wine had overripe apple flavours with a bitter, burnt-nut finish, not very well balanced and too sweet for my taste. If you're still interested in trying it, you can buy it for a couple of pounds less through Waitrose Wine than I bought it for through Sparkling English Wines.
The first was another 'undrinkable', Daws Hill 2008 Vintage Brut, a chadonnay, auxerrois, pinot noir, and pinot meunier blend. It surprised me how much I disliked this wine as it's been winning medals in UK sparkling wine competitions. But I guess now I know how seriously to take the awards that are being issued within the UK. This smelled of unwashed socks and stinky cheese, and had some really unripe and dirty green flavours to it that mercifully disappeared almost immediately from the tongue, leaving nothing behind. Because it's such a fleeting moment of bad and then nothing, you could use this sparkling wine for cocktails (which is what we did with part of it) - but for what this wine costs, you'd be better off buying a decent cava for a third of the price.
The second was another 'too sweet', Plumpton Estate The Dean, a pinot noir/chardonnay blend. This wine had overripe apple flavours with a bitter, burnt-nut finish, not very well balanced and too sweet for my taste. If you're still interested in trying it, you can buy it for a couple of pounds less through Waitrose Wine than I bought it for through Sparkling English Wines.
Monday, 9 July 2012
Drinkable
And now I'm happy to report on three wines from Sparkling English Wine that were entirely drinkable!! None of them have any finish, but that could almost be a plus, considering how overly sour or sweet the other bottles of wine from this case that we've tried have been.
The first was a rose - English Oak Chinkapin, a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. It tasted of tart red berries, slightly under-ripe strawberries and red currants. I'm pleased that I bought a white version from this maker, I'm saving it as the last bottle to try from the case in the hope that it also doesn't disappoint.
The next was Upperton 2009 Nebula. Undoing the trend in my last post of not really liking the chardonnay/pinot noir blends, this was a pinot noir/chardonnay blend! It smelled of grapefruit and mint, with more orchard fruit flavours. Even though I know I'm not supposed to be influenced by these things, I liked the naming and labeling of this wine.
The last was Jenkyn Place 2008 Brut, a chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend. This was the most champagne-like of the wines we've tried from this case, smelling and tasting of lemon drop candies. It had the best balance between sweet and tart, and if this had a decent finish, it would be a really good sparkling wine instead of just a drinkable one.
Notably, all of the wines had decent bubbles, always a good thing for me!
The first was a rose - English Oak Chinkapin, a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. It tasted of tart red berries, slightly under-ripe strawberries and red currants. I'm pleased that I bought a white version from this maker, I'm saving it as the last bottle to try from the case in the hope that it also doesn't disappoint.
The next was Upperton 2009 Nebula. Undoing the trend in my last post of not really liking the chardonnay/pinot noir blends, this was a pinot noir/chardonnay blend! It smelled of grapefruit and mint, with more orchard fruit flavours. Even though I know I'm not supposed to be influenced by these things, I liked the naming and labeling of this wine.
The last was Jenkyn Place 2008 Brut, a chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend. This was the most champagne-like of the wines we've tried from this case, smelling and tasting of lemon drop candies. It had the best balance between sweet and tart, and if this had a decent finish, it would be a really good sparkling wine instead of just a drinkable one.
Notably, all of the wines had decent bubbles, always a good thing for me!
Too Sweet
Anyone who reads my blog will know...I'm not a fan of sweet champagnes. For those of you who are, two of the bottles from the case I ordered from Sparkling English Wine might suit you. The first was Meonhill Reserve, the other was Gaultsbrook 2009 from Albourne Vineyard, both chardonnay/pinot noir blends. They were overwhelmingly sweet on the finish, not something I would drink again.
Someone recently asked me if I was being too hard on the English producers, so while I was at my local deli, I thought I would pick up a bottle of the prosecco they carry. It's not something that would have tempted me before, but since I had bought a case of English sparklers that I had never heard of just to try them, why shouldn't I do the same with prosecco? This one was from Zonin, equally as 'too sweet' as the English wines above, but for around half the price. So it was at least a better value of disappointment.
And to finish off my too-sweet critique, I recently tried a bottle of American sparkling wine, the XD-NV from Laetitia Vineyard, again, another chardonnay/pinot noir blend. I had purchased the bottle to try with a friend named Laetitia, and we both found it very sweet, tasting of overly-ripe apples. I had hoped it would be something we both loved, but I knew it was a long shot as many American sparklers are too sweet for my taste.
Hmmm...perhaps I should avoid the chardonnay/pinot noir blends...there seems to be a theme here??
Someone recently asked me if I was being too hard on the English producers, so while I was at my local deli, I thought I would pick up a bottle of the prosecco they carry. It's not something that would have tempted me before, but since I had bought a case of English sparklers that I had never heard of just to try them, why shouldn't I do the same with prosecco? This one was from Zonin, equally as 'too sweet' as the English wines above, but for around half the price. So it was at least a better value of disappointment.
And to finish off my too-sweet critique, I recently tried a bottle of American sparkling wine, the XD-NV from Laetitia Vineyard, again, another chardonnay/pinot noir blend. I had purchased the bottle to try with a friend named Laetitia, and we both found it very sweet, tasting of overly-ripe apples. I had hoped it would be something we both loved, but I knew it was a long shot as many American sparklers are too sweet for my taste.
Hmmm...perhaps I should avoid the chardonnay/pinot noir blends...there seems to be a theme here??
Monday, 18 June 2012
Better, But Not Great
We tried another of the wines we got from Sparkling English Wine. This was Court Garden 2009 Classic Cuvee, a traditional blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. While this was better than the last two bottles of English bubbles that we tried, it still wasn't great.
On the plus side...it had plenty of bubbles. It smelled like grape soda, which both appealed to and worried me as I like grape soda, but find it very sweet. The wine itself wasn't too sweet, though, tasting of lemons and mint, with a touch of buttered toast.
The down side was a big one, though, as the wine was again incredibly acidic and somewhat bitter on the finish. We're just finding no balance so far in this batch of English sparkling wines, which is really discouraging as we keep hearing the PR about what great quality wines the UK-based makers are producing, but it's not consistently been our experience.
Like the others, this bottle was around the £20 mark (surprisingly, it was a couple of quid less expensive on the Sparkling English Wines website than on Court Garden's website), which I again thought was overpriced for the wine.
Three down, nine more to go...
On the plus side...it had plenty of bubbles. It smelled like grape soda, which both appealed to and worried me as I like grape soda, but find it very sweet. The wine itself wasn't too sweet, though, tasting of lemons and mint, with a touch of buttered toast.
The down side was a big one, though, as the wine was again incredibly acidic and somewhat bitter on the finish. We're just finding no balance so far in this batch of English sparkling wines, which is really discouraging as we keep hearing the PR about what great quality wines the UK-based makers are producing, but it's not consistently been our experience.
Like the others, this bottle was around the £20 mark (surprisingly, it was a couple of quid less expensive on the Sparkling English Wines website than on Court Garden's website), which I again thought was overpriced for the wine.
Three down, nine more to go...
Monday, 11 June 2012
Waiting to be Wow'ed
I've been on the hunt for some new kinds of bubbles to try, and came across the Sparkling English Wine website, which does what it says on the tin. It has a very large range of sparkling English wines on offer, with delivery free if you order 12 bottles. I ordered a mixed dozen from makers that I didn't know. This was rather brave of me, as the wine isn't cheap, with most bottles in the £20 or more price range. I still think English producers are rather cheeky in their pricing - they know that most people think that expensive = good quality. I know better, but took the risk anyway.
Two bottles in and I'm disappointed, not seeing a payoff on my risk yet. The first bottle we tried was the Danebury Cossack 2004, which is a blend of auxerrois and rulander grapes. I can only hope that the bottle I bought was off, as it was entirely undrinkable. It smelled like the damp sponge that sits next to my sink combined with overly cooked green veg, with a distinct hit of asparagus. It didn't taste much better, with an acidity that made my stomach churn. £20 poured down the sink.
The next bottle was somewhat better, although not by much. This was Terlingham Rose 2010, a classic blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier grapes. It smelled of tart red fruits, currants and cranberry, with just a touch of yeastiness. It had some of the sweetness of the red fruit on the tongue, although again this was overwhelmed by the acidity of the wine. It was drinkable, but completely overpriced at another £20 for the bottle. There are nicer sparkling wines out there at half the price.
Hopefully there's something in that case that will wow me...
Postscript...a couple of weeks later, I noticed I had a bottle of Terlingham Rose 2009 in the case. I was surprised I had ordered two different vintages from the same maker, it's not like me, but I was quite busy when I placed the order and received the case, so I didn't check either through as thoroughly as usual. The wine wasn't much different from the 2010, though, still a strong acidity, so I used most of it to make a pot of chili rather than drink it.
Two bottles in and I'm disappointed, not seeing a payoff on my risk yet. The first bottle we tried was the Danebury Cossack 2004, which is a blend of auxerrois and rulander grapes. I can only hope that the bottle I bought was off, as it was entirely undrinkable. It smelled like the damp sponge that sits next to my sink combined with overly cooked green veg, with a distinct hit of asparagus. It didn't taste much better, with an acidity that made my stomach churn. £20 poured down the sink.
The next bottle was somewhat better, although not by much. This was Terlingham Rose 2010, a classic blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier grapes. It smelled of tart red fruits, currants and cranberry, with just a touch of yeastiness. It had some of the sweetness of the red fruit on the tongue, although again this was overwhelmed by the acidity of the wine. It was drinkable, but completely overpriced at another £20 for the bottle. There are nicer sparkling wines out there at half the price.
Hopefully there's something in that case that will wow me...
Postscript...a couple of weeks later, I noticed I had a bottle of Terlingham Rose 2009 in the case. I was surprised I had ordered two different vintages from the same maker, it's not like me, but I was quite busy when I placed the order and received the case, so I didn't check either through as thoroughly as usual. The wine wasn't much different from the 2010, though, still a strong acidity, so I used most of it to make a pot of chili rather than drink it.
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Two More From Ocado
We tried two more bottles from the bargain case of six that I bought at Ocado.
The first was a bit of a surprise - Cuveee Royale cremant de limoux, a chardonnay, pinot noir, and chenin blanc blend. This had great bubbles and a big hit of ginger on the finish. I liked it a lot more than I thought I would, but the flavours were not quite what I wanted from a sparkler.
The next was Waitrose own-label brut cava, a blend of macabeo, parellada, and xarel-lo grapes. This wine was a bit of nothing, all fizzy bubbles, a bit of grape-y flavour, and very drink-able. With the discount from Ocado, I paid less than £7 for this bottle of wine, which is really a huge bargain. It's not going to 'wow' anyone who drinks it, but if you need decent bubbles on a budget, this is one to buy.
The first was a bit of a surprise - Cuveee Royale cremant de limoux, a chardonnay, pinot noir, and chenin blanc blend. This had great bubbles and a big hit of ginger on the finish. I liked it a lot more than I thought I would, but the flavours were not quite what I wanted from a sparkler.
The next was Waitrose own-label brut cava, a blend of macabeo, parellada, and xarel-lo grapes. This wine was a bit of nothing, all fizzy bubbles, a bit of grape-y flavour, and very drink-able. With the discount from Ocado, I paid less than £7 for this bottle of wine, which is really a huge bargain. It's not going to 'wow' anyone who drinks it, but if you need decent bubbles on a budget, this is one to buy.
I Knew I Could Heart NY
Finally!! A sparkling wine from Chateau Frank that we liked - the 1999 Brut Prestige Cuvee, a classic champagne blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. The flavour of this wine was very nice, with rich apples, a bit of yeast, a little bit of hazelnut, and just a touch of slightly-sweet apricot. It didn't have anywhere near enough bubbles for me, but considering that I really wanted to find a like-able Chateau Frank sparkling wine, I can overlook that.
Friday, 27 January 2012
More Bubbles Please
We drank what would have been a fantastic champagne if only it had more bubbles...
Herbert Beaufort Cuvee la Favorite Brut 2002, a pinot noir/chardonnay blend from The Sampler, had the most wonderful flavour - loads of toffee apple with a rich, lingering, toasty finish. The bubbles were good on pouring, but gone after a few sips. My husband didn't mind this as he thought the taste made up for the lack of bubbles. I'm all about the bubbles, though, so this was a bit of a deal-breaker for me. While I want to rave about this champagne, I just can't.
Herbert Beaufort Cuvee la Favorite Brut 2002, a pinot noir/chardonnay blend from The Sampler, had the most wonderful flavour - loads of toffee apple with a rich, lingering, toasty finish. The bubbles were good on pouring, but gone after a few sips. My husband didn't mind this as he thought the taste made up for the lack of bubbles. I'm all about the bubbles, though, so this was a bit of a deal-breaker for me. While I want to rave about this champagne, I just can't.
Sunday, 22 January 2012
Nice, But Not Memorable
We had another of the champagnes from The Sampler the other day...this one was RH Coutier grand cru brut. This is a pinot noir/chardonnay blend, and while I remember that it was very drinkable and had perfectly fine bubbles, I don't remember much more about the champagne than that. It's a little sad, really, as we drink so many different champagnes that something so absolutely nice just fades into the background because there's nothing distinct about it. But perhaps sometimes that's what you want, something with bubbles that won't overshadow the food or the occasion. This will be one to try again, to see if it leaves more of an impression the next time.
Sunday, 8 January 2012
A Sampling from The Sampler
Just before Christmas, I ordered some champagne from The Sampler, and we've been drinking some of it in the last couple of weeks. A report on the four bottles we've tried:
We liked best Paul Dethune Grand Cru Brut, a 70/30 mix of pinot noir and chardonnay. This was everything I want in a champagne - it smelled of green apples and yeast, tasted like brioche, had a slightly tart and lingering finish, and had masses of tiny, never-ending bubbles. I bought this for around £30 for the bottle, and I think it was really good value. I would love to try other champagnes from this maker.
Next we liked RH Coutier Brut Rose. This was an incredibly dry rose for all of the lush berry scents it emitted, and we liked it for not being sweet. It had a touch of black pepper at the back of the mouth, but unfortunately no finish. While we enjoyed it, I preferred the English Pebblebed rose for having a similar balance but much better finish. Being slightly more expensive than the Paul Dethune, it didn't feel great value for money, so while we liked it, I don't think it will be a repeat purchase.
We had mixed feelings about Charlemagne Brut Nature, a non-dosage blend of 70/30 chardonnay and pinot noir - which I liked and my husband found disappointing. I liked it for being a straightforward, citrusy, bubbly aperitif, the kind of champagne you would serve in great quantities to guests on a nice day in the garden. I think my husband was expecting something more, some sort of complexity from it being a zero-dosage champagne. But I liked it for what it was, and also was impressed with the amount of bubbles it had. If you're looking for something challenging, this isn't it. If you're looking for something very drinkable, hold out your glass and say 'more please'.
Finally, the biggest surprise was the champagne we liked the least - La Parcelle blanc de noirs from Inflorescence. We couldn't believe how sweet this was, especially for a non-dosage champagne. Not to my liking at all, which surprised me considering how much I like the regular vintage version of their champagne. And at double the price of the Paul Dethune, definitely not a value-for-money drink.
We liked best Paul Dethune Grand Cru Brut, a 70/30 mix of pinot noir and chardonnay. This was everything I want in a champagne - it smelled of green apples and yeast, tasted like brioche, had a slightly tart and lingering finish, and had masses of tiny, never-ending bubbles. I bought this for around £30 for the bottle, and I think it was really good value. I would love to try other champagnes from this maker.
Next we liked RH Coutier Brut Rose. This was an incredibly dry rose for all of the lush berry scents it emitted, and we liked it for not being sweet. It had a touch of black pepper at the back of the mouth, but unfortunately no finish. While we enjoyed it, I preferred the English Pebblebed rose for having a similar balance but much better finish. Being slightly more expensive than the Paul Dethune, it didn't feel great value for money, so while we liked it, I don't think it will be a repeat purchase.
We had mixed feelings about Charlemagne Brut Nature, a non-dosage blend of 70/30 chardonnay and pinot noir - which I liked and my husband found disappointing. I liked it for being a straightforward, citrusy, bubbly aperitif, the kind of champagne you would serve in great quantities to guests on a nice day in the garden. I think my husband was expecting something more, some sort of complexity from it being a zero-dosage champagne. But I liked it for what it was, and also was impressed with the amount of bubbles it had. If you're looking for something challenging, this isn't it. If you're looking for something very drinkable, hold out your glass and say 'more please'.
Finally, the biggest surprise was the champagne we liked the least - La Parcelle blanc de noirs from Inflorescence. We couldn't believe how sweet this was, especially for a non-dosage champagne. Not to my liking at all, which surprised me considering how much I like the regular vintage version of their champagne. And at double the price of the Paul Dethune, definitely not a value-for-money drink.
Monday, 26 December 2011
The Run-Up to Christmas
December always presents excellent opportunities for drinking bubbles. We had a number of interesting bottles to try, particularly a few that I acquired in my travels this year. I'll start with those:
From my home state of New York in the USA, I purchased a bottle of Chateau Frank 2004 Brut. To be honest, this was not my preferred purchase from this vineyard, as the blanc de noir is supposed to be the best that this maker offers. But I couldn't find this in my local shop, just the brut, which is a blend of the traditional champagne grapes of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. It was only OK, definitely not a classic champagne as it was overwhelmed with apple cider flavour and too much sweetness on the finish, very typical of an American sparkling wine. I'll keep trying this maker, though, both for the still wines they produce and for the elusive blanc de noir, which I'll have to order on-line.
Next were two from Canada - a mixed group. We really liked Gray Monk's Odyssey White Brut 2008, a riesling and chardonnay blend that had a wonderful citrus freshness to it and plenty of tiny bubbles (which was a surprise from all of the flatter Canadian sparkling wines that I'd tried in the past). It was incredibly refreshing, the sort of wine you just want to keep on drinking because it's somehow both so flavourful and so clean on your palate. Less successful was Blue Mountain Brut, a mix of pinot noir, chardonnay, and pinot gris grapes. This was just not very memorable, a bit of apple and citrus flavour with a touch of candied apple on the end, and nowhere near enough bubbles. Really not worth writing more about.
Some friends sent us a bottle of proper champagne for the holidays from Bedales - one we hadn't tried before called Jean Milan Blanc de Blancs. This family was originally a grower who first started making champagne for Krug and who now produce their own wines. This was a lovely bottle, with all of the things that make a blanc de blancs delicious - a light yeastiness on the nose, a crisp finish, loads of fruit flavours in the middle, and masses of delicate bubbles. What a fantastic gift - thank you!
I've saved my very favourite for last, though, as my husband bought me an English sparkler from The Wine Pantry. This was Coates & Seely Rose, which on the bottle says is made from pinot noir, pinot meunier, and chardonnay grapes (while their website doesn't include the chardonnay). At first, we weren't sure about this wine, as the bottle is done up in knock-off French, claiming to be from 'Britagne' and being made in 'methode britannique'. We weren't sure if they were taking the mickey or trying too hard to confuse the less au fait among us into thinking that they were actually champagne. But we forgive the exterior of the bottle for what was inside - smelling of the freshest summer berries, tasting of pink grapefruit, and leaving a lingering mouthful of tart candied peel. The bubbles matched the explosion of flavour, leaving me in no doubt that I will buy and drink this wine again!
Looking forward to trying some more in the run-up to New Year's...
From my home state of New York in the USA, I purchased a bottle of Chateau Frank 2004 Brut. To be honest, this was not my preferred purchase from this vineyard, as the blanc de noir is supposed to be the best that this maker offers. But I couldn't find this in my local shop, just the brut, which is a blend of the traditional champagne grapes of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. It was only OK, definitely not a classic champagne as it was overwhelmed with apple cider flavour and too much sweetness on the finish, very typical of an American sparkling wine. I'll keep trying this maker, though, both for the still wines they produce and for the elusive blanc de noir, which I'll have to order on-line.
Next were two from Canada - a mixed group. We really liked Gray Monk's Odyssey White Brut 2008, a riesling and chardonnay blend that had a wonderful citrus freshness to it and plenty of tiny bubbles (which was a surprise from all of the flatter Canadian sparkling wines that I'd tried in the past). It was incredibly refreshing, the sort of wine you just want to keep on drinking because it's somehow both so flavourful and so clean on your palate. Less successful was Blue Mountain Brut, a mix of pinot noir, chardonnay, and pinot gris grapes. This was just not very memorable, a bit of apple and citrus flavour with a touch of candied apple on the end, and nowhere near enough bubbles. Really not worth writing more about.
Some friends sent us a bottle of proper champagne for the holidays from Bedales - one we hadn't tried before called Jean Milan Blanc de Blancs. This family was originally a grower who first started making champagne for Krug and who now produce their own wines. This was a lovely bottle, with all of the things that make a blanc de blancs delicious - a light yeastiness on the nose, a crisp finish, loads of fruit flavours in the middle, and masses of delicate bubbles. What a fantastic gift - thank you!
I've saved my very favourite for last, though, as my husband bought me an English sparkler from The Wine Pantry. This was Coates & Seely Rose, which on the bottle says is made from pinot noir, pinot meunier, and chardonnay grapes (while their website doesn't include the chardonnay). At first, we weren't sure about this wine, as the bottle is done up in knock-off French, claiming to be from 'Britagne' and being made in 'methode britannique'. We weren't sure if they were taking the mickey or trying too hard to confuse the less au fait among us into thinking that they were actually champagne. But we forgive the exterior of the bottle for what was inside - smelling of the freshest summer berries, tasting of pink grapefruit, and leaving a lingering mouthful of tart candied peel. The bubbles matched the explosion of flavour, leaving me in no doubt that I will buy and drink this wine again!
Looking forward to trying some more in the run-up to New Year's...
Saturday, 26 November 2011
November Round-up
I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but I've been so busy lately I have actually been drinking less champagne than I ordinarily would because I know I won't have time to blog about it and I hate seeing the bottles lined up on the counter waiting for their reports.
For the month of November (so far) I have three bottles to report on:
The first is a British sparkler, Avonleigh Brut. My husband brought this one home, I'm not sure what caught his eye, other than it is organic. This wine is a pinot noir and chardonnay blend, with the back of the bottle saying that it has hints of elderflower. I couldn't find them. We liked this wine, but it's nothing like the label describes, nor anything like a champagne. It has such heavy and rich apple flavours, it tastes like a sparkling cider. Even though I enjoyed it, it's not what I look for in a sparkling wine.
The second was another British wine, Denbies Sparkling Rose 2007. I had high hopes for this wine, as I really like Denbies still rose wines. This didn't live up to expectations. It was terribly bitter, and even drinking it with food couldn't mask the harsh finish.
So back to France for the last bottle...Ocado was running a special, so I bought a bottle of Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut, a blend of the three traditional champagne grapes, pinot noir, chardonnay, and pinot meunier. This was so much better than the other two bottles - plentiful bubbles, crisp, biscuity flavour. A reminder of why champagne is champagne. That said, I've had just as good champagnes for a better price than this one (usually in the high £30's, I bought it in the high £20's). So while it was a refreshing change from the British bubbles I had drunk this month, it's still not something I'd buy again.
It hasn't been all disappointing in November...we're also working our way through our latest order of Billecart-Salmon, although since I've reported on it all before, I'm not writing up the repeat bottles. There's still not much that compares to this brand though, for bubbles, flavour, and quality at price point. It's a sure-thing, always nice to have on hand when a never-before-tried bottle of something else disappoints.
For the month of November (so far) I have three bottles to report on:
The first is a British sparkler, Avonleigh Brut. My husband brought this one home, I'm not sure what caught his eye, other than it is organic. This wine is a pinot noir and chardonnay blend, with the back of the bottle saying that it has hints of elderflower. I couldn't find them. We liked this wine, but it's nothing like the label describes, nor anything like a champagne. It has such heavy and rich apple flavours, it tastes like a sparkling cider. Even though I enjoyed it, it's not what I look for in a sparkling wine.
The second was another British wine, Denbies Sparkling Rose 2007. I had high hopes for this wine, as I really like Denbies still rose wines. This didn't live up to expectations. It was terribly bitter, and even drinking it with food couldn't mask the harsh finish.
So back to France for the last bottle...Ocado was running a special, so I bought a bottle of Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut, a blend of the three traditional champagne grapes, pinot noir, chardonnay, and pinot meunier. This was so much better than the other two bottles - plentiful bubbles, crisp, biscuity flavour. A reminder of why champagne is champagne. That said, I've had just as good champagnes for a better price than this one (usually in the high £30's, I bought it in the high £20's). So while it was a refreshing change from the British bubbles I had drunk this month, it's still not something I'd buy again.
It hasn't been all disappointing in November...we're also working our way through our latest order of Billecart-Salmon, although since I've reported on it all before, I'm not writing up the repeat bottles. There's still not much that compares to this brand though, for bubbles, flavour, and quality at price point. It's a sure-thing, always nice to have on hand when a never-before-tried bottle of something else disappoints.
Sunday, 30 October 2011
Opposites
I've recently drunk two new bottles of bubbles that couldn't be more different.
The first was Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Nicolas Francois Billecart 2000, a chardonnay/pinot noir blend. It was stunning - much richer than their blanc de blancs, tasting like the toasted crust of a very eggy loaf of brioche. Fantastic bubbles, too. While I always argue that you don't need a special occasion to drink champagne, this is one that I would serve on a big day, because it is a very memorable wine.
The second was Brown Brothers Cienna Rosso, something that I picked up through Ocado because I spotted it and hadn't tried it. Cienna is the grape variety, a new hybrid grape stemming from cabernet sauvignon. It was not-obnoxiously-sweet, fizzy, and punchy - the sort of thing you would drink quickly at a summer BBQ. Different because it's a red sparkler, but not at all notable.
The first was Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Nicolas Francois Billecart 2000, a chardonnay/pinot noir blend. It was stunning - much richer than their blanc de blancs, tasting like the toasted crust of a very eggy loaf of brioche. Fantastic bubbles, too. While I always argue that you don't need a special occasion to drink champagne, this is one that I would serve on a big day, because it is a very memorable wine.
The second was Brown Brothers Cienna Rosso, something that I picked up through Ocado because I spotted it and hadn't tried it. Cienna is the grape variety, a new hybrid grape stemming from cabernet sauvignon. It was not-obnoxiously-sweet, fizzy, and punchy - the sort of thing you would drink quickly at a summer BBQ. Different because it's a red sparkler, but not at all notable.
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