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.
Showing posts with label rose. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rose. Show all posts
Monday, 10 September 2012
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.
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
This Won an Award?
We tried the last of the bottles that I bought from Ocado - a rose cava from Marques de Monistrol. I was surprised to see that this wine had won a silver in the 2011 International Wine & Spirit competition, as I didn't think it was even worth the £10 I paid for it. It had the slightest fragrance of strawberry, but no flavour whatsoever and almost no bubbles, just a tiny bit of fizz. Perhaps for the very fainthearted, this is an award-winning wine - but I just don't get it.
Thursday, 9 February 2012
No Real Bargains
Ocado was running a special on wine - 25% off if you bought 6 bottles. I find their selection of bubbles a bit difficult. It tends to be either big names at top prices or unknown makers for less than £10. I didn't feel like buying £100's of wine, so I bought 6 bottles of bubbles for less than £60. I'm always hoping something will surprise me.
The first bottle did, but for how much I disliked it - La Gioiosa prosecco, which was billed as 'extra dry'. The first thing I noticed about this wine was how much it smelled like lemon-scented floor cleaner, but this was mostly due to the fact that the bottle exploded in my hands on opening, leaving me to wipe up about a third of the wine from my kitchen floor. While demonstrating excellent fizz, it was not a good start. The next thing that struck me was how sweet this wine was, surprising because it still somehow managed to retain an almost-minty dryness. My husband thought this was a 'sipper for a hot day'. I think it was a 'leave on the shelf for someone else'.
The next bottle was better - a Cremant de Bourgogne, Blason de Bourgogne Brut Rose, a pinot noir/gamay blend. It smelled of strawberries with a hint of vanilla. It tasted like red berries, with a touch of tart cranberry. The downside was that it was a little bitter at the end, and had no finish. The bitterness disappeared with food, though, so I would recommend this with some nibbles. The bubbles were great, once again disproving my preconceived notion that cremants tend to be too flat. While this still isn't the best rose I've ever drunk, it's not bad for the price point.
The first bottle did, but for how much I disliked it - La Gioiosa prosecco, which was billed as 'extra dry'. The first thing I noticed about this wine was how much it smelled like lemon-scented floor cleaner, but this was mostly due to the fact that the bottle exploded in my hands on opening, leaving me to wipe up about a third of the wine from my kitchen floor. While demonstrating excellent fizz, it was not a good start. The next thing that struck me was how sweet this wine was, surprising because it still somehow managed to retain an almost-minty dryness. My husband thought this was a 'sipper for a hot day'. I think it was a 'leave on the shelf for someone else'.
The next bottle was better - a Cremant de Bourgogne, Blason de Bourgogne Brut Rose, a pinot noir/gamay blend. It smelled of strawberries with a hint of vanilla. It tasted like red berries, with a touch of tart cranberry. The downside was that it was a little bitter at the end, and had no finish. The bitterness disappeared with food, though, so I would recommend this with some nibbles. The bubbles were great, once again disproving my preconceived notion that cremants tend to be too flat. While this still isn't the best rose I've ever drunk, it's not bad for the price point.
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.
Saturday, 8 October 2011
The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
This is so not like me, but another catch-up post. It's been a busy month since I last blogged, and while bubbles were imbibed, they were not written-up. I can't stand looking at the bottles anymore, but know I'll forget what I drank if I just put them in my blue bin. So a quick summary below:
The good:
Boisson Rouge from Earl d'Oc et d'Oil, a jammy, lush, sparkling red. This had lots of bubbles and wonderful fruity flavour, a complete surprise and definitely a 'buy again'.
Luis Pato Maria Gomes bruto vinho espumante. This Portugeses wine is made by the father of Filipa Pato who makes another unusual sparkler. I think the father's was better, lots of dry yeasty flavour, good bubbles, and a very more-ish finish.
The bad:
Breaky Bottom Cuvee John Inglis Hall. This didn't have enough bubbles for me, and a slightly sweet taste to it. My husband liked it more than I did, he finished my glass as I just wasn't interested.
The ugly:
Camillo Donati malvasia rosa 2009. This sparkling rose says it's frizzante, so I was very excited to see all of the bubbles whooshing up from the bottom of my glass. Had I only left it to the looking - this was bitter, nasty, undrinkable. I poured my glass down the sink, my husband tried his with food, and then I think poured the rest of the bottle down the sink. Never again.
The good:
Boisson Rouge from Earl d'Oc et d'Oil, a jammy, lush, sparkling red. This had lots of bubbles and wonderful fruity flavour, a complete surprise and definitely a 'buy again'.
Luis Pato Maria Gomes bruto vinho espumante. This Portugeses wine is made by the father of Filipa Pato who makes another unusual sparkler. I think the father's was better, lots of dry yeasty flavour, good bubbles, and a very more-ish finish.
The bad:
Breaky Bottom Cuvee John Inglis Hall. This didn't have enough bubbles for me, and a slightly sweet taste to it. My husband liked it more than I did, he finished my glass as I just wasn't interested.
The ugly:
Camillo Donati malvasia rosa 2009. This sparkling rose says it's frizzante, so I was very excited to see all of the bubbles whooshing up from the bottom of my glass. Had I only left it to the looking - this was bitter, nasty, undrinkable. I poured my glass down the sink, my husband tried his with food, and then I think poured the rest of the bottle down the sink. Never again.
Saturday, 3 September 2011
The Best of British?
I'm sticking my neck out here, but I think I recently drank what I would call the best British bubbles. My husband picked it up for me at a shop at Borough Market called The Wine Pantry, which specialises in British wines.
The wine that wow'ed me was Pebblebed Brut sparkling rose, made from seyval and rondo grapes. Now I have to be honest, I'd never heard of this maker before, not even with the amount of reading I do about sparkling wines, so I wasn't expecting much from this bottle. But it was really, really good. The bubbles were impressive, the best I've ever had from a British wine, better than many French champagnes I've drunk. The flavour was just perfect for a rose - not too sweet, not too acidic, not at all floral, and not over-powered with berries. This was a wonderful aperitif, and I'd love to try it again with shellfish, as the maker recommends oysters with it. I'll definitely be drinking it again someday.
The wine that wow'ed me was Pebblebed Brut sparkling rose, made from seyval and rondo grapes. Now I have to be honest, I'd never heard of this maker before, not even with the amount of reading I do about sparkling wines, so I wasn't expecting much from this bottle. But it was really, really good. The bubbles were impressive, the best I've ever had from a British wine, better than many French champagnes I've drunk. The flavour was just perfect for a rose - not too sweet, not too acidic, not at all floral, and not over-powered with berries. This was a wonderful aperitif, and I'd love to try it again with shellfish, as the maker recommends oysters with it. I'll definitely be drinking it again someday.
More Franciacorta
I've been a bit busy, so my husband agreed to guest blog an entry for me. I agree with his assessment, this was a yummy bottle!
At some point in the past few weeks, we opened the rose sibling of the Le Cantorie Franciacorta brut from the booming metropolis of Gussago (don't believe Diego - it is far larger than a village). Details on the rose are sadly lacking from Le Cantorie's website, but in the face of such adversity we soldiered on regardless. As with the normal brut, the bubbles were available in abundance and showed real longevity in the glass. While the wine lacked much in the way of a finish, on the palate it was a bit bolder than the brut with berry and currant notes and that characteristic Franciacorta dryness.
At some point in the past few weeks, we opened the rose sibling of the Le Cantorie Franciacorta brut from the booming metropolis of Gussago (don't believe Diego - it is far larger than a village). Details on the rose are sadly lacking from Le Cantorie's website, but in the face of such adversity we soldiered on regardless. As with the normal brut, the bubbles were available in abundance and showed real longevity in the glass. While the wine lacked much in the way of a finish, on the palate it was a bit bolder than the brut with berry and currant notes and that characteristic Franciacorta dryness.
Wednesday, 3 August 2011
A Weekend of Wonderful
We had a BBQ on Saturday and, of course, we served some bubbles. One of our guests very kindly brought two bottles (thank you!). The first was Billecart-Salmon Brut Blanc de Blancs grand cru. It's been a while since I've drunk this champagne, and I had forgotten what a perfect champagne this is - crisp, delicately yeasty, slightly nutty, and non-stop bubbles. To me it is the gold standard for what a blanc de blancs should be.
The second was an interesting comparison, Pascal Doquet Premiers Crus de la Cote des Blancs. I remarked to my friend that, while I liked this champagne, it was edgier than the Billecart-Salmon. While the Billecart-Salmon was full of refined flavours, the Pascal Doquet tasted of a rounded blend of fallen apples and raw yeast. It was a wine that I enjoyed trying, but while I could drink the Billecart-Salmon every day, the Doquet had a richness that would almost overwhelm if drunk too often. My friend commented that the maker of this wine was definitely an 'edgy'-type, from a traditional wine family, but who branched out on his own to become a small producer. I liked this story, and am glad that he's making such lovely wines. He's one to watch!
We ended the meal with a sparkler that I had bought for my friend to try - Camel Valley 2008 Pinot Noir Brut. This rose had won the 2010 International Wine Challenge, and I was curious to see how a group of wine lovers would rate it. Even the very particular French contingent begrudgingly admitted it was better than they had hoped it would be, with rich berry flavours and lots of fizz. Surprisingly, it held up well against the chocolate mousse cake that I was eating. This one is expensive for a British sparkler (almost £60/bottle), but a fun thing to introduce to people who like bubbles.
On Sunday, my husband and I had the garden to ourselves, so we opened the one bottle of bubbles in the fridge that hadn't been opened the previous day - Le Cantorie Franciacorta brut that my friends had brought back to me from a trip to Italy (again, thank you!). I couldn't believe the whoosh of bubbles that exploded from the bottom of glass on pouring - it was just so awesome and unexpected. For the bubbles alone, everyone should try this wine. But the flavour was lovely too, with most of it hitting the mid-tongue in a burst of silky fruit. The wine didn't have much finish, but that just didn't bother me because of all the bubbles.
What a wonderful weekend, full of great company and great wine!!
The second was an interesting comparison, Pascal Doquet Premiers Crus de la Cote des Blancs. I remarked to my friend that, while I liked this champagne, it was edgier than the Billecart-Salmon. While the Billecart-Salmon was full of refined flavours, the Pascal Doquet tasted of a rounded blend of fallen apples and raw yeast. It was a wine that I enjoyed trying, but while I could drink the Billecart-Salmon every day, the Doquet had a richness that would almost overwhelm if drunk too often. My friend commented that the maker of this wine was definitely an 'edgy'-type, from a traditional wine family, but who branched out on his own to become a small producer. I liked this story, and am glad that he's making such lovely wines. He's one to watch!
We ended the meal with a sparkler that I had bought for my friend to try - Camel Valley 2008 Pinot Noir Brut. This rose had won the 2010 International Wine Challenge, and I was curious to see how a group of wine lovers would rate it. Even the very particular French contingent begrudgingly admitted it was better than they had hoped it would be, with rich berry flavours and lots of fizz. Surprisingly, it held up well against the chocolate mousse cake that I was eating. This one is expensive for a British sparkler (almost £60/bottle), but a fun thing to introduce to people who like bubbles.
On Sunday, my husband and I had the garden to ourselves, so we opened the one bottle of bubbles in the fridge that hadn't been opened the previous day - Le Cantorie Franciacorta brut that my friends had brought back to me from a trip to Italy (again, thank you!). I couldn't believe the whoosh of bubbles that exploded from the bottom of glass on pouring - it was just so awesome and unexpected. For the bubbles alone, everyone should try this wine. But the flavour was lovely too, with most of it hitting the mid-tongue in a burst of silky fruit. The wine didn't have much finish, but that just didn't bother me because of all the bubbles.
What a wonderful weekend, full of great company and great wine!!
Sunday, 31 July 2011
Two Very Different Pinot Noirs
We had two bottles of bubbles during the week. The first was part of my Fizz Club case from the Champagne Warehouse, the latest release of 1+1=3 brut nature pinot noir. This was a juicy, berry-flavoured cava with a gorgeous, deep pink colour. Very yummy, although the bubbles weren't quite as good as the last batch of this cava that we drank.
The second bottle that we opened was the 2006 Cubitt Reserve from Denbies. This was also a pinot noir-based sparkler, but couldn't have been more different from the cava. To start, it wasn't a rose. Where the cava was full of berries, this was grape-y, like the kind of grape flavour you get in lollipops and bubble gum as a kid. The grape turns into grapefruit on the finish, with a nice acidity.
The only similarity came in the bubbles, which provided lots of fizz on opening, but didn't last through the glass. Disappointing for me, as I do love my bubbles.
The second bottle that we opened was the 2006 Cubitt Reserve from Denbies. This was also a pinot noir-based sparkler, but couldn't have been more different from the cava. To start, it wasn't a rose. Where the cava was full of berries, this was grape-y, like the kind of grape flavour you get in lollipops and bubble gum as a kid. The grape turns into grapefruit on the finish, with a nice acidity.
The only similarity came in the bubbles, which provided lots of fizz on opening, but didn't last through the glass. Disappointing for me, as I do love my bubbles.
Saturday, 23 July 2011
Two from the Fizz Club
We tried two bottles of bubbles from our Fizz Club membership with the Champagne Warehouse late this week, and they were both wonderful!! Had I ordered these wines through the regular website, I would have only ordered single bottles and then thought "I'll have to buy more of this". With the Fizz Club, I already have second bottles here, just waiting to be drunk : )
The first bottle we tried was the extra dry prosecco from Stocco. This is made from 100% prosecco grapes and couldn't be more different from the previous bottle of rose prosecco that we drank from Stocco. This one was fresh and aromatic, smelling of spearmint with a touch of candied banana. The first impression on the tongue was a flash of the mint, but followed up by lots of green apple - not like apples off of the tree, but the kind of green apple flavour you get in sour candies. It had loads of bubbles and was just so much fun to drink. I definitely preferred this to their rose.
The second bottle that we tried was the new release of Vignarosa Amorino brut rosato. It was just gorgeous!! The ruby colour never ceases to amaze me, and the rich, balsamic vinegar aroma just draws you in. Like past bottles that we've drunk, this one had deep red berry flavours that go on and on. And I knew we were in for some good bubbles when I couldn't get the cork out and had to hand the bottle over to my husband...while I don't like the delay in opening the bottle, I loved the sharp, explosive 'pop' and all of the bubbles!!
A great start from the Fizz Club, thanks Champagne Warehouse!
The first bottle we tried was the extra dry prosecco from Stocco. This is made from 100% prosecco grapes and couldn't be more different from the previous bottle of rose prosecco that we drank from Stocco. This one was fresh and aromatic, smelling of spearmint with a touch of candied banana. The first impression on the tongue was a flash of the mint, but followed up by lots of green apple - not like apples off of the tree, but the kind of green apple flavour you get in sour candies. It had loads of bubbles and was just so much fun to drink. I definitely preferred this to their rose.
The second bottle that we tried was the new release of Vignarosa Amorino brut rosato. It was just gorgeous!! The ruby colour never ceases to amaze me, and the rich, balsamic vinegar aroma just draws you in. Like past bottles that we've drunk, this one had deep red berry flavours that go on and on. And I knew we were in for some good bubbles when I couldn't get the cork out and had to hand the bottle over to my husband...while I don't like the delay in opening the bottle, I loved the sharp, explosive 'pop' and all of the bubbles!!
A great start from the Fizz Club, thanks Champagne Warehouse!
Tuesday, 19 July 2011
Not What I Was Expecting
The lovely team at the Champagne Warehouse sent me a bottle of rose prosecco to try as a 'thank you' for some feedback that I gave them about their newly-launched Fizz Club. The wine was Rosamossa Rose Extra Dry from Stocco, a 100% cabernet sauvignon sparkler. I had high hopes for this wine having loads of berry flavours from the tasting notes that were sent to me, but it didn't turn out to be anything like what I was expecting.
The wine itself was a salmon-pink colour, and from the start, it had an incredibly amount of tiny, fizzy bubbles. It smelled like very acidic strawberries. When my husband asked what my first impression was on first sip, though, my reaction was - tomato. Not juicy, ripe-off-the-vine tomato, but just the slight aftertaste of tomato skin. There were definitely some berry flavours in there, but this wine was so dry it had a lot of vegetable flavours, as well. As it warmed up, it had a subtle finish of vegetable stock, with a mild celery and parsley taste.
This was such a surprise, and I'd be keen to try this with food rather than sipping it on its own as we did. It's not at all like the run-of-the mill rose proseccos that are out there, this is much more unusual.
A big thank you to the Champagne Warehouse for such an interesting bottle of prosecco, and a pitch for the Fizz Club, too - each month, the Champagne Warehouse are offering 6-bottle cases with 3 kinds of grower wines (2 bottles of each wine) - with options of just champagne, just non-champagne sparklers, or a mix of champagne and non-champagne sparklers. These wines aren't on offer on their website until well after the Fizz Club members have had their chance to order and re-purchase at a discount - so some of these wines might never reach the general website. It's quite reasonably priced, and no minimum commitment, so please do get in touch with them to sign up to receive the monthly tasting notes!!
The wine itself was a salmon-pink colour, and from the start, it had an incredibly amount of tiny, fizzy bubbles. It smelled like very acidic strawberries. When my husband asked what my first impression was on first sip, though, my reaction was - tomato. Not juicy, ripe-off-the-vine tomato, but just the slight aftertaste of tomato skin. There were definitely some berry flavours in there, but this wine was so dry it had a lot of vegetable flavours, as well. As it warmed up, it had a subtle finish of vegetable stock, with a mild celery and parsley taste.
This was such a surprise, and I'd be keen to try this with food rather than sipping it on its own as we did. It's not at all like the run-of-the mill rose proseccos that are out there, this is much more unusual.
A big thank you to the Champagne Warehouse for such an interesting bottle of prosecco, and a pitch for the Fizz Club, too - each month, the Champagne Warehouse are offering 6-bottle cases with 3 kinds of grower wines (2 bottles of each wine) - with options of just champagne, just non-champagne sparklers, or a mix of champagne and non-champagne sparklers. These wines aren't on offer on their website until well after the Fizz Club members have had their chance to order and re-purchase at a discount - so some of these wines might never reach the general website. It's quite reasonably priced, and no minimum commitment, so please do get in touch with them to sign up to receive the monthly tasting notes!!
Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Perfect Rose Weather
The sun came out at the weekend and the temperature went up - the perfect weather for a bottle of rose with bubbles. We luckily had the right wine on the champagne shelf, La Farra rose brut prosecco that came from the Champagne Warehouse. We've had this wine before and liked it, the perfect mix of dry fruit flavours with lots of fizz. It was a fantastic accompaniment to the fresh Kent cherries that I had bought on Saturday. I can't believe the Champagne Warehouse are still only charging £11 for it, it's a complete steal at that price!
Monday, 20 June 2011
Pink Lenique
On Friday, we decided to try another of the bottles in our mixed case of Maison Lenique from 3-D Wines. This one was their Brut rose, a chardonnay/pinot noir blend. I was excited to try a rose from Maison Lenique, and this one didn't disappoint. Not only did it have wonderful, plentiful bubbles, but it smelled and tasted of jam on toast. I loved that for a rose wine, it wasn't all sweet fruit, but held a lot of the bread and biscuit characteristics that many white champagnes have. It was absolutely delicious, one of the best roses I've had in a while, and a good reminder of how different rose champagne can be to other rose sparkling wines.
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
Fizzy Pink
Last night, we opened a bottle of Mas de Daumas Gassac Rose Frizzant that I bought from Green & Blue. I have to be honest, I didn't have high hopes for this wine, which is a French sparkler (rather than a champagne) and we've had variable experiences with these. The fact that they called it 'frizzant' didn't bolster my confidence in its bubbles.
But it surprised me. It was definitely more fizzy than bubbly, but the fizz endured - it had a nice texture throughout. The scent and flavour were unusual - very much like the juice that I get when I macerate strawberries with a little bit of balsamic vinegar. But then this wine is mostly cabernet sauvignon (a grape they use in one of my favourite proseccos) with a little bit of petit manseng, so the slightly heavier, tangier flavour made sense.
In all, it was a pleasant wine. I don't know that I would hunt it down again, but as an experiment and to broaden my horizons, I was glad to have tried it.
But it surprised me. It was definitely more fizzy than bubbly, but the fizz endured - it had a nice texture throughout. The scent and flavour were unusual - very much like the juice that I get when I macerate strawberries with a little bit of balsamic vinegar. But then this wine is mostly cabernet sauvignon (a grape they use in one of my favourite proseccos) with a little bit of petit manseng, so the slightly heavier, tangier flavour made sense.
In all, it was a pleasant wine. I don't know that I would hunt it down again, but as an experiment and to broaden my horizons, I was glad to have tried it.
Friday, 27 May 2011
Blissful Rain
I was so excited that it rained yesterday - not just because my garden so desperately needed it, but because I have had builders working on the outside of the house and even though they're incredibly considerate, it was wonderful to have the house to myself yesterday when they stopped work because of the weather. I was able to get into my kitchen and cook a proper dinner - turkey meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Yummy.
We accompanied it with one of my favourite cavas, 1+1=3 Brut Rose Seleccion from the Champagne Warehouse. The colour of this wine still amazes me, it is just so beautiful. The wine was great with the food, too, its fruity flavour but incredible dryness perfectly offsetting the creaminess of the potatoes and the herbs in the meatloaf. I need to buy more of this wine, it will be great to have on-hand all summer.
We accompanied it with one of my favourite cavas, 1+1=3 Brut Rose Seleccion from the Champagne Warehouse. The colour of this wine still amazes me, it is just so beautiful. The wine was great with the food, too, its fruity flavour but incredible dryness perfectly offsetting the creaminess of the potatoes and the herbs in the meatloaf. I need to buy more of this wine, it will be great to have on-hand all summer.
Thursday, 26 May 2011
Biddenden Tasting
I went to a winemaker dinner for Biddenden Vineyards last night at a restaurant in the Clapham/Battersea area called Artisan & Vine. While I've been to winemaker's dinners before, it was my first at this particular venue. The evening was fantastic - the food and wine matching were excellent, and the hosts - both from the restaurant and the vineyard - were both charming and informative. They're doing more events throughout the year, including some day trips out to some of the English vineyards, and I'm hoping to go to another dinner in August.
But the reason why I'm blogging is that we started the evening with a sparkling wine from Biddenden, their Quality Pink Sparkling Wine 2007. This wine is 100% gamay grapes, something a little different for a sparkler. It was good - a lovely, deep rose colour with a strong aroma of strawberries. I was worried that the wine might be too sweet for me, but the strawberry flavour was balanced with just a touch of grapefruit, making it a perfect sipper. It had enough bubbles, too, plentiful on pouring and tapering off to a steady fizz toward the end of the glass. I was pleased with this wine, but don't think it quite deserves its £20 price tag - I've had equally good cavas and proseccos in the £10-15 range, which is where I would have priced this wine.
But the reason why I'm blogging is that we started the evening with a sparkling wine from Biddenden, their Quality Pink Sparkling Wine 2007. This wine is 100% gamay grapes, something a little different for a sparkler. It was good - a lovely, deep rose colour with a strong aroma of strawberries. I was worried that the wine might be too sweet for me, but the strawberry flavour was balanced with just a touch of grapefruit, making it a perfect sipper. It had enough bubbles, too, plentiful on pouring and tapering off to a steady fizz toward the end of the glass. I was pleased with this wine, but don't think it quite deserves its £20 price tag - I've had equally good cavas and proseccos in the £10-15 range, which is where I would have priced this wine.
Tuesday, 3 May 2011
End of the Weekend
Part of me was sad to see the end of the holiday weekend, but part of me was glad it was coming to a close because my husband was away in Italy with friends for the 4 days. I was excited for him to come home and put a bottle of prosecco - Vignarosa Amorino Brut Rosato from the Champagne Warehouse - in the fridge thinking he might want something Italian and bubbly as a nightcap. We sipped glasses as he recounted the adventures from the weekend. While I was sorry to have missed the trip, it sounded like they all had a great time. And I enjoyed the bubbles with his stories, marvelling again at how this prosecco is such a great balance of berry fruits and crisp dry-ness.
I'm also very excited because my husband arrived home bearing gifts from himself and from our friends, some new proseccos to try!! So very thoughtful of them!
I'm also very excited because my husband arrived home bearing gifts from himself and from our friends, some new proseccos to try!! So very thoughtful of them!
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
Lovely Weekend
The weather couldn't have been more perfect this weekend, and to top it off, we spent much of it with friends. It was the ultimate combination of sunshine and great company!
On Sunday, we had some friends over for a lunchtime BBQ, which was very laid back and relaxed. For an aperitif, we served an English sparkling wine, Gusbourne Brut Reserve 2006, Jancis Robinson's top-rated English sparkler. This wine is a classic champagne blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. It was pleasant enough - emulating the French-style champagnes but not quite achieving the same kind of yeasty richness or balance of the best of them. That said, it had very good bubbles and made a nice aperitif. It sadly just wasn't very memorable, the kind of thing you drink and say "that was nice" but that you don't feel the need to track down or serve again.
Our friend brought an American bottle of bubbly with him, Beringer Sparkling Zinfandel Rose - which we served for dessert with our mixed berry shortcake. The wine was a great match to the dessert, with a huge, fizzy, in-your-face berry flavour. Like many American sparklers, this was sweeter than the bubbles I usually drink, so I'm not sure I would have liked it on its own. But perfectly chilled, it was a great go-with-dessert wine for the hot weather.
On Monday, we went for a pub lunch with some friends, and then took advantage of the lingering sunshine with a wander through our local park. When we got home, to toast the closing of the holiday weekend, we opened the last of the English sparkling wines we had in the house, Camel Valley Brut 2008. I've had the 2007 vintage before and really liked it, and the 2008 didn't disappoint, either. Unlike the Gusbourne we had drunk the day before, the Camel Valley was a memorable wine. It had wonderful, nectar fruit flavours of apricots, peach, and passion fruit. It also had non-stop bubbles, which lightened the rich flavours. Of the three British sparklers we drank this weekend, this was by-far my favourite. I'm heading over to the Camel Valley website so that I can buy and try some more from this vineyard.
On Sunday, we had some friends over for a lunchtime BBQ, which was very laid back and relaxed. For an aperitif, we served an English sparkling wine, Gusbourne Brut Reserve 2006, Jancis Robinson's top-rated English sparkler. This wine is a classic champagne blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. It was pleasant enough - emulating the French-style champagnes but not quite achieving the same kind of yeasty richness or balance of the best of them. That said, it had very good bubbles and made a nice aperitif. It sadly just wasn't very memorable, the kind of thing you drink and say "that was nice" but that you don't feel the need to track down or serve again.
Our friend brought an American bottle of bubbly with him, Beringer Sparkling Zinfandel Rose - which we served for dessert with our mixed berry shortcake. The wine was a great match to the dessert, with a huge, fizzy, in-your-face berry flavour. Like many American sparklers, this was sweeter than the bubbles I usually drink, so I'm not sure I would have liked it on its own. But perfectly chilled, it was a great go-with-dessert wine for the hot weather.
On Monday, we went for a pub lunch with some friends, and then took advantage of the lingering sunshine with a wander through our local park. When we got home, to toast the closing of the holiday weekend, we opened the last of the English sparkling wines we had in the house, Camel Valley Brut 2008. I've had the 2007 vintage before and really liked it, and the 2008 didn't disappoint, either. Unlike the Gusbourne we had drunk the day before, the Camel Valley was a memorable wine. It had wonderful, nectar fruit flavours of apricots, peach, and passion fruit. It also had non-stop bubbles, which lightened the rich flavours. Of the three British sparklers we drank this weekend, this was by-far my favourite. I'm heading over to the Camel Valley website so that I can buy and try some more from this vineyard.
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