Wine of the week #21 – Pino Grigio (White/Italy)

Hi all,

March is already here (still on the detox regime?) and we're a few days shy of a beautiful Spring. To pre-celebrate the early arrival of Spring this year, I've gone on a quest for some tipples full of spring!

This week, I tested three Pinot Grigio to come up with this week's wine. A real Pinot Grigio with lovely Spring flavours for £9.99 and worth it!

Special thanks to Liz&John, Jehan, Mathieu and Clare for their precious help!

What it is:

A dry white wine made from Pinot Grigio grapes in Fruili in the North-East of Italy.

What to expect:

Appearance: bright lemon-green.

Nose: elegant & subtle nose of flowers (elderflower) and citrus (grapefruit).

Palate: the wine is fresh and youthful with a crisp acidity, medium body and strong flavours of citrus fruits (mainly grapefruit) with a longer and pleasant light tangy finish. The alcohol is well-integrated and the balance between acidity and fruit is great. 

Contrary to most supermarket Pinot Grigio, it is 1. Delicate & elegant 2. High in acidity and no sugar-coating, syrupy mouthfeel.

AN FRESH, ELEGANT, TANGY PINOT GRIGIO OF MUCH BETTER QUALITY VS. SOME SUPERMARKET PINOT GRIGIO.

Score: 7/10 (wine shown)

You’ll like it if you like: grapefruit (but not necessarily), dry Italian wines e.g.  Soave, Pinot Blanc.

Have it with:

• A Salmon tartare or just a mild smoked salmon, parsley and lemon.
• A grilled white fish (e.g. hake) with mediterranean vegetables
• Some chicken & grapefruit salad or a grapefruit glazed chicken breast. 

Where to find it:

1. Talking Wines (Cirencester or online) - £9.95. Worth investing the few more quids. 7/10
2. Waitrose - £5.99 (reduced from £8.49) - LaVis Storie di Vite Pinot Grigio. Light-bodied, off-dry wine with generic white peach & melon flavours. Very chilled on a warm Spring day. 5/10.
3. Tesco - £4.99 (Half price) - Dino Pinot Grigio. Light bodied wine with generic syrupy white peach flavours. Definitely not worth £9.99; more £3.99. 4/10.

Did you know?

> Pinot Grigio is the Italian name for the French grape Pinot Gris, also found in Alsace, New-Zealand, Germany ('Grauburgunder'), Oregon, Romania and Hungary (Szurkebarat).

> In Italy, most of the Pinot Grigio is produced in three different regions of the North-east of Italy: Veneto, Alto Adige and Friuli. The Veneto is where the bulk of it comes from, Alto Adige produces more aromatic Pinot Grigio while Friuli Grave produces the best and richest. 

> The plantings of Pinot Grigio have more than doubled since 1990 to face the ever-increasing demand.

> The Pinot Gris grape can take greyish blue to brownish colour when it ripens. The grape is susceptible to drying on the vine and noble rot.

> The dilute, neutral & nearly colourless mass-produced Italian Pinot Grigio have done a lot of damage to a variety that can produce some superb quality and complex wines like in Alsace or Germany.

Enjoy your wine this weekend!

:@lex!

Wine of the week – Pinot Noir (France/Pays d'Oc)

Hi all,

After a crisp & lively Sauvignon Blanc last week, another classic with a twist.
An excellent Pinot Noir @£8.40 from....Languedoc!

What it is

A dry red wine made from Pinot Noir in Béziers in the Pays d'Oc (South of France).

What to expect

Appearance: pale ruby.

Nose: Violets & red cherries.

Palate: clean, fresh, fruity with this violet & red cherries.

With relatively low acidity and delicate fruit & floral flavours, this wine does not have the usual 'earthiness' that some Pinot Noirs can have. It is also lighter in alcohol and body vs. New World Pinot Noirs.

A FRESH PINOT NOIR WITH DELICATE FLORAL AND FRUITY FLAVOURS.

Score: 13/20 (wine shown)

You’ll like it if you like: red cherries, lighter reds, violets, lighter Pinot Noir, Gamay, Beaujolais (cru).

Have it with
 Cumberland sausages & sweet potato mash

Where to find it
1) Majestic - Nicolas Potel Vieilles Vignes - £9.99 – Price has gone up but still great value. This is how a Burgundy Pinot Noir should taste like: red berries, little bit of earthy aromas, soft, refreshing and supple tannins. Lovely.

2) Laithwaites – Champ des étoiles - £8.99. One of Laithwaites' best-selling Pinot Noir. Worth a try.

3) Waitrose – £10.99 - Louis Latour Burgundy4) Three Choirs - At the cellar door Pinot Noir - £16 - A very nice English Pinot Noir but it comes in low volumes and relatively high prices vs. others.

Did you know?

> Pinot Noir is one of the oldest cultivated vines in existence. Pinot Noir was already cultivated in Burgundy in the 4th century AD.

> Pinot Noir shares the same DNA with the other Pinots i.e. Gris, Blanc/Bianco and is proven to be the ancestor to Chardonnay, Gamay Noir, Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne).

> Burgundy is the homeland of Pinot Noir but every wine-growing country cultivates it. Look out on the label on these more famous Pinot Noir regions: Martinborough and Central Otago (NZ), Yarra Valley (AUS), Oregon and Santa Barbara (US) Casablanca, Alsace (FR), Spatburgunder Baden (GER).

> If you're looking for a wine under £10,000, invest in the prestigious Romanée-Conti. A bottle of the 1995 vintage (good but not exceptional vintage) will cost you just that!! I dare you to click here to order!

> Pinot Noir is a key grape in sparkling wines like along Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay in Champagne.


Enjoy your wine this weekend!
:@lex!

Wine of the week – Sauvignon Blanc (White/Loire)

Hi all,

Hope you had lots of love on Valentine’s day.

This week, a classic wine but an unconventional Sauvignon Blanc from France @ £5.99!

What it is

A dry white wine made from Sauvignon Blanc in the Loire Valley, between Paris and the West coast of France.

What to expect

Appearance: pale lemon.

Nose: fresh green leaves, nettles & fresh gooseberries. Spot the key words: Fresh.

Palate: the wine is fresh and very well-balanced with a crisp acidity but a lot of fresh herbaceous flavours (nettles) and soft gooseberry fruit flavours to compensate. The finish has a nice but restrained lemon zing and most enjoyed chilled.

A VERY WELL-BALANCED SAUVIGNON BLANC: FRESH, CRISP & FRUITY. JUST LIKE A NEW WORLD SAUVIGNON BLANC.

Score: 7-8/10 (wine shown)

You’ll like it if you like: gooseberries, dry & fruity wines e.g. Gruner Veltliner, Soave, Pinot Blanc, Vinho Verde, Muscadet.

Have it with

• Goat cheese on its own, a Feta & rocket salad. I would even swap the rocket for some lamb’s lettuce and/or watercress.
• Seafood e.g. king prawns with watercress and Garlic dip
• Fish e.g. anchovies & capers or a creamy cod poached in white wine

Where to find it
1) Majestic - £5.99 – La Grille. Only when you buy 2. Otherwise £6.99.

2) Laithwaites – £6.99 - Abbesse de Loire. Also from Loire. One of Laithwaites' most popular and award winner.

3) Talking wines (Cirencester) – £8.99 - Makutu - Another personal favourite. More tropical  fruit. Check review as part of 2011 best of selection.

Did you know?

> Sauvignon Blanc is not from NZ but originates from France. Bordeaux to be more precise.

> Sauvignon Blanc has been established –via DNA profiling- to be a parent of Cabernet Sauvignon along with Cabernet Franc.

> The grape buds late and ripens early. The picking time is key to hit the right balance between acidity and sugar ripeness and eventually the right intensity of flavours. If picked early, the wine will tend to have more ‘green’, herbaceous flavours (nettles). If picked later, the wine will develop more fruity characters. Often, winemakers will use a blend of Sauvignon Blanc picked early and late to get to the right balance.

> Sauvignon Blanc is the main grape in some of the greatest white wines e.g. Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé (not Pouilly-Fuissé which is made of Chardonnay) in Loire, Pessac-Léognan (white), Graves in Bordeaux, Fumé Blanc in California and Marlborough in New Zealand.

> Loire valley Sauvignon blanc usually tend to be very delicate on the nose (i.e. less pronounced aromas) and often oaky rather than fruity flavours vs. New World Sauvignon Blanc like those from New Zealand. Why? 1. The fermentation tends to be done at higher temperature in France. This reduces the fruits aromas 2. More of the wines like Sancerre are fermented and/or aged in oak.

> Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most popular in the UK and has superseding Chardonnay as a white wine.

Enjoy your wine this weekend!

:@lex!

Wine of the week – Rioja Reserva (Red/Northern Spain)

Hi all,

February’s the time to fall in love and share some sparkling, tender, sweet and passionate  moments. With the cheese or not!

Week 2: La pasión roja suave with a surprisingly soft, medium and very approachable red Rioja @£5.99 (on offer). Heart-warming wine for the cold weather!

What is it?

A Spanish red wine made from Tempranillo (80%), Garnacha (20%) in the region of Rioja about 200miles North east from Madrid and 80miles south west from the Pyrenees.

What to expect

Appearance: medium ruby

Nose: soft & subtle savoury, leathery notes with hints of vanilla.

Palate: it’s very soft on the palate with very restrained and building flavours of baked generic black fruits, leathery notes and hints of vanilla. With surprisingly gentle alcohol, medium body and tannins, the wine still has a high level of acidity. The finish is relatively short but overall pleasant.

NOT THE FULL BODIED, RICH, PASIÓN ROJA I WAS EXPECTING BUT INSTEAD A VERY SOFT & APPROACHABLE RIOJA.

Score: 6/10 (wine shown)

You’ll like it if you like: concentrated black fruit aromas, soft vanilla, dusty/leathery aromas, Cabernet Sauvignon (e.g. Bordeaux); Sangiovese (Chianti).

Have it with
A roast leg of lamb; Manchego cheese; pheasant and gamebirds, Moussaka or bacon. Personally, I would go for the roasted leg of lamb.

Where to find it
1) Tesco - £5.99 – The D'avolas Etiqueta Negra. On offer at more than half price in Tesco. Not worth the full price but a good deal at £6.

2) Waitrose – £21.99. Muga Rioja Reserva. The real deal and the price to go with it!

3) Majestic – £7.49. Same brand. Slightly different wine.

4) Sainsburys - £10.49. Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva. Not tried.

Did you know?

> Rioja takes its name from the rio (‘river’ in Spanish) Oja, a tributary of the Ebro river that borders the area.

> There three sub-regions in Rioja: alta, alavesa and baja. The best wines are said to come from the the alta and alavesa limestone slopes.

> Rioja is Tempranillo’s heartland i.e. the area where the grape is the most planted in Spain. You will often see bottles that look just like a Rioja but say Tempranillo Crianza or similar. That means the wine is made from the same grape but a different region e.g. La Mancha or elsewhere.

The early ripening, thick-
skinned Tempranillo
is the key grape in the
red Rioja blend.

> Tempranillo is called by many names depending on where you are in Spain or the world: Cencibel, Tinta de Toro, Tinto de Madrid, Tinto del País, Tinto Fino, etc.

> Other grapes that can be found in a red Rioja: Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano.

> With Spanish wines, you will usually see on the label Joven (rarely), Crianza, Reserva & Gran Reserva. The terms relate to the length of time the wine has spent ageing in oak. In Rioja, the wines are required to spend a bit longer in oak to get their status. Joven wines will not spend any time in oak, Crianza wines will be aged for 2 years with minimum 1 in oak, Reserva wines age for 3 years with minimum 1 year in oak and Gran Reserva wines 5 years with minimum 2 years in oak. What difference does it make. The longer the ageing in oak barrels the softer & rounder, the more structured and the more complex aromas a wine will be.

> White Rioja is usually made of Viura, Malvasia or Garnacha blanca.

> Rosé Rioja is usually made from Garnacha Tinta.

Enjoy your wine this weekend!

:@lex!



Wine of the week – Nerello-Garganega Vino Spumante (Sparkling Rosé/Italy)

Hi all,

February’s the time to fall in love and share some sparkling, tender, sweet and passionate  moments. With the cheese or not!

Week 1: Get in the mood with dim lights, Al Green and some (rosé) sparkles...

What it is

Italian sparkling rosé wine made from Nerello Mascalese (black) and Garganega (white) grapes.

What to expect

Appearance: Medium pink. Discrete bubbles in the glass but generous foam at the rim.

Nose: Very subtle fragrance of red summer fruits and roses.

Palate: true, the bubbles are very lively and the fruit flavours a little meagre but the acidity is quite refreshing, the alcohol thin and discrete. Don’t think for a minute this is anything like Champagne but for £5.99, this is pretty good!

 

A LIGHT & LIVELY SPARKLING ROSÉ. A MUCH CHEAPER, GOOD LOOKING & DECENT-TASTING ALTERNATIVE TO CHAMPAGNE/SPARKLING.

Score: 6-7/10 (wine shown)

You’ll like it if you like: strawberries, roses, Al Green, high acidity wine, Prosecco.

Have it with
Just music: Al Green – Livin’ for you

Some creamy savoury nibbles e.g. Mozzarella bruschetta with shaved fennel and courgette or Vol-au-vent. Strawberries & chantilly!

Where to find it
1) Waitrose - £5.99. On offer. As tested & approved above.

2) Tesco - £6.49 – On offer. Less pink but lots of peach & pear fruits and sweetness.

Did you know?

> Garganega is a white grape originating from Veneto and more precisely Verona, the town of Romeo & Juliet. Pure coincidence of course!

> Garganega is the 6^th most widely planted white grape in Italy.

> Nerello Mascalese is a red wine grape that takes its name from the Mascari plain in Sicily where the grape is believed to come from. You can also find it in the Etna Rosso wine blend.

> It is very likely that both wines were first fermented separately then blended together before their 2^nd fermentation. This is one of the only allowed occasion when a Rosé can be made of a mix of white and red wine (in Europe anyway).

> Al Green was born in 1946 and has sold more than 20 million records so far. Last UK appearance: Jonathan Ross in June 2010.

Enjoy your wine this weekend!

:@lex!

Wine of the week – Corbieres (White/South-West France)

Hi all,

Last week of January; anybody still on a Detox???
Special focus on healthier wines this month i.e. wines with slightly lower alcohol content.

Ever heard of Corbieres? Surely, a nice full-bodied red. Well, this week, we try a White Corbieres: 12% abv and £4.99! Cheaper, healthier: what else?

What it is 

Dry white wine from the South-West of France made from Macabeu and White Grenache grapes.

What to expect

Appearance: Pale Lemon-Gold

Nose: light fragrance of generic white peach and indistinct tropical fruit with a hint of flowers (iris/elderflower?).

Palate: the wine is light but not as light as expected for its alcohol content. The texture is thin but with a stronger fruit intensity on the palate than perceived on the nose. You should get the same generic white peach flavour but building up towards a denser apricoty flavours. The finish is crisp and short.

Again, a relatively simple & lean wine with little flavour complexity, a short length but with a very good balance between the fruit flavours and the crisp acidity. To drink chilled now or within next 24 months.

A LIGHT, CRISP & FRUITY FRENCH WHITE.

Score: 6-7/10 (wine shown)

You'll like it if you like: white peach, standard Trebbiano, Soave, Verdicchio or Pinot Grigio; Bordeaux Blanc.

Have it with

A grilled white fish or again a chicken salad

Where to find it
Majestic - £4.99. As tested & approved above

Did you know

> There is more than 9 chances out of 10 that the next Corbieres you come across is a red. In the Corbieres AOC, the reds indeed represent 95% of the production while the Roses represent 3% and the Whites only 2%.
 

> Grenache Blanc and Macabeu are 2 of the 10 varieties of white grapes allowed in the Corbieres area.

> Grenache blanc can be found in white wines from the Rhone usually in blend. Famous examples include the white Chateauneuf du Pape and the Cotes du Rhone Villages where it can make up to 10% of the blend or the vin doux naturel Rivesaltes AOC. It is usually low in acidity,high in alcohol and provides fruitiness and structure to the wine. Since the 80s, it has been the most widely planted grape in France. It is also present in Spain where it's called Garnacha Blanca.

> Macabeu is most often the main grape in the white Rioja or as part of the 3 grapes in Cava (with Xarel-lo & Parellada). It creates wine that are mildly acidic and ready to drink young. Macabeu is called Macabeo or Viura in Spain.

Enjoy!
:@lex

Wine of the week – January Detox?? – Falanghina (Italy/White)

Hi all,

3 weeks into January; the Detox month.
Special focus on healthier wines this month i.e. wines with slightly lower alcohol content.

Another Italian gem this week: a crisp white from Southern Italy. And with 12% abv and £5.99, it’s a healthy bargain!

What it is

Dry white wine from the South of Italy.

What to expect

Appearance: medium Lemon

Nose: delicate and simple scents of Citrus (ripe Lemon, Grapefruit), Stone fruits (white peach, apricot) with floral and mineral hints.

Palate: the attack is fresh, round and fruity with subtle flavours of white peach and apple coming through. Acidity and citrus flavours from ripe lemon to grapefruit then take it to a lovely sharp zingy finish.
Not complex but a nice balance of fairly concentrated fruit and crisp acidity. Perfect to drink now or within next 24 months.

A SIMPLE BUT ELEGANT & ZESTY ITALIAN QUAFF! LIGHT, FRUITY AND SMOOTH.

Score: 7/10 (wine shown)

You’ll like it if you like: grapefruit & citrus in general, standard Trebbiano, Soave, Verdicchio, Pinot Grigio; Alsace Pinot Blanc; dry German Riesling; Bordeaux Blanc.

Have it with
A healthy Caprese salad or a grilled chicken Caesar salad (with or without the anchovies!)  Might be a little heavy but would love to try it with a Lemon & Pea risotto.

Where to find it
1) Coop - £5.99. As tested & approved above.

2) Waitrose - £8.99. For a more tropical version: Via Collina Falanghina

3) Winetraders – £12.50. For an IWC-Awarded Falanghina by TerraDora. 

Did you know> Falanghina is believed to be a part of the one of the most famous wines the Romans used to drink a few centuries ago.

> The Falanghina grape originates from Campania but can be found in Puglia, Abruzzi & Sardania.

> The grape usually ripens late and requires to be grown on sunny hills to be at its best.

> Most of the Falanghina-based wines come as IGT wines (broadest level of origin certification) but it is also a key part of the Falerno del Massico Bianco DOC wine.

ENJOY!!

:@lex