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Monday, 12 May 2008

As the popularity of Pinot Grigio begins to plateau, Sauvignon Blanc continues without restraint. And it’s not just New Zealand that leads the way – I was fortunate to taste the recently introduced Grand Plessis Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux. It’s from the excellent 2007 white wine vintage and is made in a style which will appeal to those who are currently Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc fans. It certainly possesses those pungent, gooseberry aromas and the fruity palate is equally appealing, all for less than £7 a bottle. Do leave us your feedback via the link below.

Written by Dave Thornton, Product Manager

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Friday, 9 May 2008

Whenever I write or speak about wines, it’s never long before I have to qualify a statement with ‘typically’ or ‘usually’. That’s because the world of wine has exceptions to almost every rule. Red grapes make red wine; white grapes make white wine and red grapes make rosé wine, typically. Guy, from the wine department in our Lymington branch emailed me to ask how ‘white’ Pinot Grigio grapes could make our delicious Italia Pinot Grigio Rosé. The answer lies in the colour of the skins, which turn a lovely blush colour when ripe, which provides a delicate pink tinge to the finished wine, typically!

Written by Dave Thornton, Product Manager

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Thursday, 8 May 2008

Twice a year Waitrose invites leading wine journalists to a ‘secret’ London venue to taste the new wines and vintages. It was great to see the likes of Oz Clarke, Jancis Robinson, Matthew Jukes, Andrew Jefford and Malcolm Gluck yesterday, but especially to Matt Skinner who now lives back in Australia and visits the UK a few times each year. Matt looks after wine operations for Jamie Oliver’s ‘Fifteen’ restaurants worldwide and also writes for Waitrose Food Illustrated magazine. Look out for their recommendations in their respective publications over the coming months. As for directions to the venue, Matt stepped straight off the plane from Melbourne to get there no problem. As for two of my colleagues, the last 200 yards proved a little problematical. You know who you are!

Written by Dave Thornton, Product Manager

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Tuesday, 6 May 2008

For the second year running, it seems like we’ve gone from winter to summer almost overnight. Let’s hope that it continues a little longer than last year’s April heatwave! With the transitional weather in mind it’s time for me to personally recommend a couple of rosés. We’ve got 41 in our range as I type and I think I’ve been lucky enough to try nearly all of them at some point. Every year there’s two that stand out for me: Torres San Medin and Château Caraguilhes. They’re both dry, and what really stands out for me is the pure fruit flavours of the former and the sheer elegance of the latter - they'll really put you in the mood for summer.*

* Sunshine not guaranteed. Temperatures may go down as well as up.

Written by Dave Thornton, Product Manager

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Friday, 2 May 2008

It’s not just wines that get better with age (if stored correctly) - older vines can show the same tendency to improve with age. The life of a vine can easily be 50 years. The first three years are unproductive as the vine matures, then grape yields quickly maximise. However, as quantity decreases over time, quality improves as the flavours become more concentrated. Old vines are found in vineyards worldwide and are usually indicated on the label. French wines made from old vines will be labelled ‘Vieilles Vignes’. And they won’t break the bank either – my two recommendations are £4.99 and £8.99 respectively: Viña Fuerte and Château Maris .

Written by Dave Thornton, Product Manager

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