2 Odells Yard, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes. MK11 1AQ
Tel No: 01908 267373 e-mail: info@stonywineemporium.co.uk
Tel No: 01908 267373 e-
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By Namesco Ltd
Having lived and worked in France –in both the Loire and Rhone – my love of French wines remains strong. Simon has been trying hard to get me into Italian wines – which are nice - but New World wines from Clare Valley, Australia and Central Otago, NZ are fast becoming firm favourites.
My love of everything French wines however still shines through. We’re on to our 3rd Faugeres, now the excellent Chateau Rigaud 2007, and have an interesting Marcillac from South West France made from the unusual Mansois grape. Both wines are great with rustic stews, maybe not quite right for the summer, but I will carry on drinking them regardless. There is a however a wonderful Bourgueil Rose from Pierre Jacques Druet which is perfect for the summer and our latest red addition, Chinon, Domaine La Chapelle caps them all and is my Wine of the Month.
I first came across Chinon when I was living and working in France in 1995. The rivalry between my company based in Grenoble with it’s Rhone wines, and a competitor based in St Avertin in the northern Loire became a race to convince me who’s wines were best. Whisper it quietly, but I actually preferred the Northern Loire wines based on the Cabernet Franc variety and still do today.
I’m writing this listening to our lads (including British South Africans) thrash the Aussies in the 20/20 Cricket World Cup final. Which pleases me knowing that my favourite Aussie wines from Skillogalee, Clare valley who actually have a Brit owner!!! He is however Welsh, so may not share in my enthusiasm.
So back to Chinon. Our latest incarnation, Les Gravinieres 2008, it’s a real gem and at just over a tenner, its unbelievable value. I’ve just finished a bottle on the patio with a local rack of lamb – perfect.
Medium in body with a herby aroma, dark berries and, possibly, violets, tasting of dark berries, being both sour and tangy, it’s dark, smooth and fruity with nice tannins - great with red meat, and would be good with a BBQ or just by itself. Oh go on then, I’ll have another bottle...
Next month it’s World Cup time. So let’s show our support to the lads (even though we’ve no Newcastle players in the England squad) and support our ever increasing range of quality English wines.
Brian Welsh May 2010
I’m writing this listening to our lads (including British South Africans) thrash the Aussies in the 20/20 Cricket World Cup final. Which pleases me knowing that my favourite Aussie wines from Skillogalee, Clare valley who actually have a Brit owner!!! He is however Welsh, so may not share in my enthusiasm.
So back to Chinon. Our latest incarnation, Les Gravinieres 2008, it’s a real gem and at just over a tenner, its unbelievable value. I’ve just finished a bottle on the patio with a local rack of lamb – perfect.
Medium in body with a herby aroma, dark berries and, possibly, violets, tasting of dark berries, being both sour and tangy, it’s dark, smooth and fruity with nice tannins -
Next month it’s World Cup time. So let’s show our support to the lads (even though we’ve no Newcastle players in the England squad) and support our ever increasing range of quality English wines.
Brian Welsh May 2010
I also love seafood and our Picpoul de Pinet (Chateau de la Mirande 2009) is the perfect bottle to accompany my favourite kind, scallops. This is our 2nd Picpoul de Pinet and both the price and taste are better this time around. From the Languedoc region, it’s clean, crisp, and zesty with some peachy aromas perfect with scallops or crab. This is a bottle that we buy again and again.
Another favourite of mine is Pinot Grigio Rosato from Giovanni Puiatti called Puiattino Ramato 2009 which is beautiful in colour (golden copper) and tastes great too. It’s refreshing whilst being a robust rosé to sip alongside a nice juicy tuna steak.
Calvados is my next recommendation. This is from our ‘top shelf’ which also holds beauties such as an Armagnac Paul Loubère and Pilzer Grappa which I have yet to taste. Again, being French, my husband approves, as do I, of Comte Louis de Lauriston Calvados, which has become a firm favourite of ours. This Calvados is smooth and fine with fabulous pure apple flavours, very easy drinking, just lovely as a digestive after a big social dinner with friends.
Without realising it I have not included any red wines, which is a real surprise as it’s actually my choice drink! So for my final recommendation, from my most recent tasting I discovered Carmenere Tres Palacios 2008 family vintage from Mapio Valley, Chile. It’s a soft medium bodied wine; deep and intense in colour with aromas of cherry, a peppery smoky note that all add up to make a delicious big red.
I hope you enjoy these wines as much as I have,
Caroline Wortley September 2010
Another favourite of mine is Pinot Grigio Rosato from Giovanni Puiatti called Puiattino Ramato 2009 which is beautiful in colour (golden copper) and tastes great too. It’s refreshing whilst being a robust rosé to sip alongside a nice juicy tuna steak.
Calvados is my next recommendation. This is from our ‘top shelf’ which also holds beauties such as an Armagnac Paul Loubère and Pilzer Grappa which I have yet to taste. Again, being French, my husband approves, as do I, of Comte Louis de Lauriston Calvados, which has become a firm favourite of ours. This Calvados is smooth and fine with fabulous pure apple flavours, very easy drinking, just lovely as a digestive after a big social dinner with friends.
Without realising it I have not included any red wines, which is a real surprise as it’s actually my choice drink! So for my final recommendation, from my most recent tasting I discovered Carmenere Tres Palacios 2008 family vintage from Mapio Valley, Chile. It’s a soft medium bodied wine; deep and intense in colour with aromas of cherry, a peppery smoky note that all add up to make a delicious big red.
I hope you enjoy these wines as much as I have,
Caroline Wortley September 2010
Well, I have now worked here for almost a year and have to say I have never had a job before that has left so many of my friends filled with envy and for a Saturday job, I’m pretty happy with myself too!
My one bug bear working in a wine shop is that I have to commute to work, so I can’t actually partake as much as I might like. And then there’s my husband, who is half French, meaning I always have to do some convincing on the wines I take home that don’t come from France. So, have I managed it? Indeed I have. It’s not that I don’t love some French wines but there’s more to wine than France.
My one bug bear working in a wine shop is that I have to commute to work, so I can’t actually partake as much as I might like. And then there’s my husband, who is half French, meaning I always have to do some convincing on the wines I take home that don’t come from France. So, have I managed it? Indeed I have. It’s not that I don’t love some French wines but there’s more to wine than France.
I love Champagne, so I was more than intrigued to try English Sparkling wine in the form of Ridgeview Bloomsbury 2007. I took a bottle home one evening to celebrate the purchase of our new house; my husband’s reaction was slightly pessimistic to say the least with comments like “that’s not Champagne” and even when I poured it… “Those aren’t Champagne bubbles (!)” but, did he enjoy it? Of course he did. A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meurnier with crisp fruit and a hint of toasty brioche, it’s certainly a match and even beats some French Champagnes I’ve tried.
