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Boosting our wine expertise |
Friday, 29 February 2008
He’s young and really smart our new wine buyer – in fact he is the youngest current MW (Master of Wine). Ken Mackay, our latest addition to an already MW packed, super experienced wine buying team, got his MW in 2006 when he was only 28. He joins Waitrose in mid-March and will be responsible for sourcing us a delicious range of English, German, Eastern European and American (USA) wines. And as if that wasn’t enough, he’s charged to take on our range of Kiwi wines this summer. Glad to have Ken onboard, we can of course hardly wait for his first entry on this fantastic site…
Written by Linda Bexell
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Making Mum’s day special |
Wednesday, 27 February 2008
As my mum is far away in a foreign country (the joys of being retired now has her stationed in a warm country during cold winter months), we celebrate Mother’s day whenever we meet really. When such meeting takes place wine is an important part as she, like most mums I imagine, knows what she likes. And like most women, her taste is not of a cheap kind.
So what do I serve her? Well, I start of with bubbly, it would be rude not to as champagne is her favourite drink. Best value at the moment? Waitrose own label vintage champagne – it’s stunning and it won’t completely break the bank. Next up? Well, if we are having anything ‘seafoody’ we have to go down the Chablis road; I like our Petit Chablis – zesty and steely. As for reds there is nothing like a good Italian and she loves Amarone wines – this is where I score some serious ‘best daughter’ points. Anyhow, not sure if it will work on your mummies but sure keeps me in the good books for the rest of year - enjoy Sunday!
Written by Linda Bexell
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Dead Arm |
Monday, 25 February 2008
Not to be confused with a dead leg, Dead Arm is a cult wine from Australia from the d'Arenberg winery. But unlike the many Australian wines with a quirky name, Dead Arm refers to the dead arm vine disease, where one arm of the vine dies, concentrating the flavours on the other. The end result is a stunning Shiraz from McLaren Vale. We've got 21 standard bottles as I write, but 18 magnums are being packed up into gift boxes in the warehouse. There really are just 18 and I know Andrew in the office is after one, but it's first come, first served!
Written by Dave Thornton
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Scottish adventures |
Thursday, 21 February 2008
Admittedly, this buying whisky business is a bit harder than it sounds, not that it looks like that on this picture… However, in order to get one good picture I and our central buyer for spirits, Giles, had to work through a bit of a snow blizzard (see below).
The trip to Scotland was great and we’ve sourced some excellent new whiskies that will start to appear in our assortment in the next few months so look out for these. However, until the new ones come in I really must recommend the The Glenlivet 18-Year-Old – it’s a great all round drink with a honey and toffee sweetness that really works with the maturity of an 18-year-old whisky. Add a little bit of water and enjoy as we move into spring!
Written by Micheal Simpson-Jones, Spirits buyer
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Doing it the responsible way |
Wednesday, 20 February 2008
It was all smiles when our marketing specialist Andrea returned from her lunch break yesterday. Suspecting the nice weather as the reason for her cheery mood it took some time before she broke the news – she had been asked for identification while shopping her Tuesday night tipple at our local Waitrose branch. Now we understand that this is a stressful experience for some, but for Andrea being well above (approximately 12 years) of the legal drinking age it was total bliss. So what does such a youthful looking lady drink? La Gitana Manzanilla Sherry of course. ‘Great with olives, well-chilled’ Andrea says.
Written by Linda Bexell
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40 anyone?? |
Monday, 18 February 2008
It always surprises me how many reasons there are to send somebody a gift. Next up is Mother's Day (Sunday 2 March) and soon we'll return to a pattern of gifts purchased for all sorts of special occasions, celebrations and congratulations but most of all, birthdays. It seems that wine gifts for 40th birthdays are particularly popular and one of our gifts is just perfect for those born in 1968 - D'Oliveiras Reserva 1968 Boal Madeira. It's an amazing tipple after all this time and after the lucky recipient has enjoyed its contents, the bottle itself becomes a keepsake in its own right. So if you're buying for Will Smith, Celine Dion, Kylie Minogue (or Jason Donovan), who all turn 40 this year, here's a great gift idea.
Written by Dave Thornton
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Sunday lunch in Burgundy |
Friday, 15 February 2008
One of the best days of my trip down to Burgundy in November was stopping at Domaine Fougeray de Beauclair. I always have too many visits to squeeze into the time and fortunately Patrice Ollivier agreed to see me on a Sunday as I travelled down from Chablis. I arrived at the office and as we got into his car to go to the winery, I noticed a very strong pong of cheese. I didn’t like to say anything(!) but all became clear when we arrived as he disembarked with a tray laden with an array of charcuterie and gooey-looking cheeses.
Once we had tasted the wines (you can read about his Bonnes-Mares here), we squeezed into the tiny kitchen at the back of the winery and tucked in. Standing there with a glass of Bonnes Mares and a dollop of oozy cheese on a crusty baguette, I don’t think I could have been happier!
Written by Susan McCraith MW, Wine buyer En Primeur
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The Valentine mission |
Tuesday, 12 February 2008
Not that I want to discourage you to enjoy our lovely champagnes on Valentine’s Day but I must say that I’ve been on a quite sneaky mission the last few weeks: trying to find the quirkiest and most original ideas for Valentine’s Day. Although I’d like to attribute this to my journalistic ambitions, I must admit I’ve run out of my own ideas and have resorted to stealing others. The good news is that I’m about to share them with you. However, as Valentine’s Day has yet to arrive there will be no names mentioned and ideas will remain anonymous as not to spoil the surprise for some very lucky men and women this Thursday.
Idea #1
The wife of the BIG boss in the office is pregnant and surprising her with fine bubbly ain’t gonna happen so Mr A has resorted to the next best thing: Champagne infused marmite – how brilliant is that!
Idea #2
She is our creative whiz in the office so no surprise there but that Ms S will wake up a bit earlier this Thursday and surprise her boyfriend with heart shaped toast (no pre-shaped cutters allowed) is just so sweet.
Idea #3
This really works best if you are a man and it is bound to set you apart from the rest forever – a hand painted egg with a romantic message on it!
And, if all else fails you can always resort to a duvet day with my favourite champagne – a glass of this one and it’s bound to be a good day…
Written by Linda Bexell
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Alpine treats |
Monday, 11 February 2008
I have just returned from the snowy slopes of France - fully refreshed and ready to drink some non-French wine. However, I have had a chance to reflect on the question of what to drink with fondue – not always an easy wine match. The best fondues are made with Gruyère cheese and for a really traditional style French mountain fondue why not try adding some deliciously nutty Comte cheese – Waitrose sell a great example that will give additional depth of flavour. The choice of a wine to drink with fondue is slightly more difficult as very few outstanding Savoie or Jura wines (the traditional pairing) are imported to Britain and so my choice is a Bourgogne Aligote. It has well balanced fruity flavours with good acidity and just the thing with chunks of bread, a few cornichons and a warm, creamy fondue – in fact I think I can hear the alpine horn calling me right now!
Written by Simon Hayward
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An early morning tonic |
Friday, 8 February 2008
I was looking forward to a day out in London with Giles Fisher, our spirits buyer, and a chance to meet one of our suppliers – it makes a great change from being in the office at our HQ in Bracknell!
Giles and I met up at the John Lewis Partnership HQ in Victoria and we jumped into a cab bound for SE11 (the back of the Oval to you and me!). I’m not sure the cab driver really believed it can be such a hard job as a Waitrose buyer when we said that we were off to a gin distillery at 9.30 in the morning, especially as I told her Giles had just returned from a week in Scotland looking at whisky! We chatted amicably as she told us about the dearth of Waitrose’s around Epping and I quizzed her on why every cabbie I met came from Essex!
We crossed the river and turned into a quiet cul-de sac where we pulled up outside a large brick building with a Beefeater sign but my keen nose could smell no junipers as yet!
We were met at the door by Desmond Payne, Master Distiller at Beefeater Gin, with a friendly smile and he ushered us up to his office where he told us the history of Beefeater and the Burrough’s family who built the brand. I couldn’t believe that here in the middle of South London was one of the last remaining distilleries in London. He took us through a whistle stop tour of the history of gin, brought back by soldiers from the 30-year-war and practically distilled in people’s back rooms for centuries. Then Government took a hand and implemented a licence system and so distilleries became a business rather than a side line!
Desmond took us round and we saw the unique process where juniper, citrus and botanicals are steeped in the spirit for 24 hours before being distilled and then taken off for bottling. The aromas as I stuck my head in a still where the ingredients were macerating were out of this world! We did a blind tasting of a number of gins and I was struck by the differences and subtle nuances of this enigmatic white spirit.
We discussed the cocktails I usually associate with former years – gin and It, pink gins and Negronis amongst others and Desmond in his unassuming way told me that gin is the perfect constituent to many mixed drinks. So this weekend's homework will be to dust off my bartenders guide and get mixing!!
Written by David Jones, Director, Ambient buying
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New Zealand update |
Wednesday, 6 February 2008
Known for its clean fresh high-quality wines majoring on pure fruit flavours to suit the modern wine-drinker, the recent New Zealand trade tasting in London also showcased the country’s appetite for adventure and innovation. Although Sauvignon Blanc is still their trademark white, many other grape varieties are starting to make a name for themselves. This year pretty much every producer showed a Pinot Noir, a Riesling or a Pinot Gris alongside the classic selection of Sauvignon Blancs. Multi-grape blends are breaking the single varietal mould, such as Chardonnay/Viognier from Villa Maria, and a mix of Bordeaux varieties in Wild Rock. As New Zealand’s climate lends itself to aromatic grape varieties, I suspect these ‘new’ wines will appeal to the British palate.
Traditionally this island wine producer concentrated on Bordeaux style blends from gravelly stony soils in both Marlborough and Hawkes Bay. Some years back there was a trend towards Pinot Noir in the South Island, replacing Cabernet which struggled to ripen. Now there are good supplies of supple fruity Pinots with the freshness of Burgundy, plus some extra juicy ripeness.
Lately there has been a smattering of plantings of the northern Rhône Syrah grape, and with the creation of the Gimblett Gravels appellation in Hawkes Bay there was a marriage made in heaven. Often co-fermented on Viognier skins (a la Côte-Rôtie) these make stunning wines with more finesse than Aussie Shiraz. It will be a while yet before much is available, but some exciting parcels should start to trickle in through the summer. I think these will be a real hit with those who love the new generation of Rhône reds but are intrigued by the Kiwi interpretation of the style. For my new selection of New Zealand wines, please check back with us in May/June.
Written by Dee Blackstock MW, Wine buyer New Zealand
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Susan’s best 2006 Burgundies |
Monday, 4 February 2008
Our En Primeur offer of 2006 Burgundy has just launched and I am always asked which particular wines I recommend. This is really difficult! Because I have already tasted hundreds of wines and whittled the selection down to a couple of dozen, I therefore recommend them all, but if my arm is twisted, then I will come up with my (very) top tips. So here they are:
Top 3 whites:
Chablis Premier Cru Montmains, Domaine Denis Race– lovely purity of fruit and great value.
Pernand-Vergelesses villages Les Belles Filles, Jean-Jacques Girard – it may be difficult to pronounce but don’t let that put you off, this is grown within sight of Corton-Charlemagne and is a fraction of the price!
Puligny-Montrachet villages Les Charmes, Jean-Louis Chavy – Jean-Louis’ straight Puligny is terrific value and has wonderful perfume and finesse.
Top 3 reds:
Bourgogne Rouge, Cuvée Gérard Potel, Nicolas Potel – it may surprise you that I have chosen the least expensive red, but Nicolas (pictured) has named this cuvée after his father, Gérard, of Domaine de la Pousse d’Or fame in Volnay. He was very fond of his father and I’m sure he’s proud of this wine.
Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Petite Chapelle, Marchand-Grillot – archetypal Gevrey.
Pommard Premier Cru Rugiens, Aleth Girardin – soft, voluptuous, earthy Pommard.
Written by Susan McCraith MW, Wine buyer En Primeur
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On icy roads in Scotland |
Friday, 1 February 2008
There is snow in the air and it’s cold up here - but that helps with the whisky making process so there is a silver lining to a frozen buyer making his way around Scottish distilleries. The industry sees a good time ahead globally as more people understand the scotch malt market – this will have an impact on prices as demand is high globally. On the food and whisky matching front there’s a lot going on with coffee and chocolate although this is still an adventure in the malt world! My best tip from the trip is to use a light whisky and water it down so it is about the same strength as a strong wine and serve as an apéritif - great before salmon dishes!
Written by Michael Simpson-Jones, Spirits buyer - reporting directly from Scotland
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