The frozen sausage analogy (why not all champagnes are created equally)

The frozen sausage analogy is to be brought out whenever you are thinking about scrimping on a sparkling wine purchase or when you're just good old fashioned skint. For this example I will be basing it on the UK as I've not been in Tasmania long enough to be critical of your sausages but to be honest the general gist is pretty easy to grasp irrespective of your location.

Frozen 'economy' sausages are at the bottom of the sausage scale. Made from the sort of "meat" that is rejected for dog food, a purchase of this is always a mistake. The thinking goes that if it's only for a recipe/party it doesn't matter but then when tooth meets gristle the fun is over and it is impossible to eat any more. The other end of the scale is the butchers sausage (local not in-store supermarket)  or Debbie and Andrew's because they are pig meat not pig bottom. http://www.debbieandandrews.co.uk/. 

Just because you can buy cheaper doesn't mean you should. Obviously real sausages are far more expensive than the mystery meat ones but going cheap as possible is actually a false economy. See also cheap shoes, seafood, ice-cream, chocolate and Ryanair. Particularly Ryanair. For further suspicious sausage enquiries please contact this man, Jamie Oliver.

Champagne is perfect for the frozen sausage analogy. Nobody drinks the £10 el cheapo champagne and thinks what a beauty this is far better than the Green Point (Domaine Chandon) we ditched just because it didn't say champagne on the label. When it comes to champagne, pay as much as you can afford, and if you can't go over £10-15 then buy a sparkling wine instead.

If you're one of those people who think that if it doesn't say champagne then it is in some way poor quality then I can assure you that everyone else is having a good giggle as they knock back a glass of Roederer Estate or some other gem. Top end sparkling beats lower end champagne. Fact.

Sparkling wine can be more difficult to negotiate as it encompasses the rest of the world but if I'm skint or having a bash, these are my staples to see me through until that glorious day when I can buy a case of Krug and not worry about keeping the roof over my head! 

Fuck it, I'll live in the box and be the happiest hobo in town. Whilst i still have my fragile grip on reality, here are my suggestions....

I think if you want to play safe with a big well known brand then you're in pretty safe hands with Lindauer. Despite putting dirty, dirty Pinotage ( it's a bit like this... ) in their rose  , which is actually quite nice so don't be too scared, the whole range does the trick and generally will come in under £10.

Cava wise I'm a Codorniu girl, they're all well made and lack the hairspray quality that has given Cava such a bad reputation. So without the whiff of Elnett, the combination of Reina Maria Christina Vintage and a plate of Serrano ham is a joyous dream. If you're having pre-dinner nibbles, ham, nuts, olives that kind of jazz then this would be a welcome treat for your guests.

Prosecco is the current golden child of the sparkling wine gods so it's availability is far and wide so just look out for DOCG it's new fancy pants classification and you'll be headed towards the better stuff. During my years at Majestic, I comfortably got through a heroic amount of this stuff and despite my galloping bias the customers have managed to award it 4 and a half stars for its effort so it's not just me.

English sparkling wine is very much butchers finest so it's not going to be the cheapest drop but it is worth every penny. That said it is possible to buy some dynamite vintage stuff for under £30 so grading on a curve it's excellent value for money. 

Other French sparklers can be a bit of a treat but I'm going to be controversial here and say that Burgundy isn't the finest of it. They're good grapes are not sent off to fizz so they're adequate but not massively exciting. There's some great Cremant de Loire and Blanquette de Limoux to be had without getting too far over £10.

If it really, really must be champagne and sometimes it must, then I have two words; Tactical shopping. Keep a sneaky eye out for offers, seasonal deals, bin ends any type of promotional deal really. It can be a bit of a schlep but it does pay off, having a nosey around Waitrose in Tenterden I stumbled across a half bottle of Krug for £37. Enough said.

Where to buy....

Majestic Wine Warehouses Majestic Champagne and Sparkling Wine

Despite my galloping bias towards the Majestic folks, I'm not on my own in acknowledging their scorching deals on champagne and sparkling wines as if you snooze you lose with so many people on to them so act quick to score your fizz fix.

Oddbins Oddbins Sparkling Wine and Champagne

I love Oddbins because they sell Tasmanian sparkling wine Jansz. And Bollinger's neighbour Ayala.

Your local wine merchant

Usually rubbish for a bargain but great for low production interesting wines and random bin end bargains.

Waitrose Waitrose Champagne and Sparkling wine

Aside from the half bottle of Krug they sell some belting English sparklers and some very good champagne gift sets at good prices.

Netto

Stay with me. In between the wheelchairs, circular saws and German baked beans are random champagne offers. Useless as  a regular, reliable source of fizz.

Champagne Warehouse website

If you want a small growers champagne but don't know where to start then these are the folks you need to talk to.

Supermarkets Tesco ASDA, Sainsbury's Morrisons

Approach with caution, use sausage analogy. Often supermarkets have large posters of screamingly good offers but limited stock. Clean them out and then do your food shopping locally.

Hope this helps, parties are always better without gristly sausages and nasty fizz.

Christmas special? But it's always time for fizz....

As you know, I don't care what time of year (and day) it is, a good glass of fizz will see me through. However, many people spend most of the year frittering their champagne money away on ridiculous things like the gas bill and kids shoes so it's only really Christmas and birthdays that are enhanced with the pop of a cork.

To aid them in their purchasing, many a publication will assist them in what to buy. This isn't one of them. My selection here is pretty much based on my travels with my flute glass this year, I would be richer if I spent less time buying fizz and travelling to its home but that wouldn't be any fun at all would it?

Christmas drinks with fizz fans
Everybody does it and nobody should be ashamed of it. We only give our expensive good stuff to people who will appreciate it. Who hasn't wanted to punch someone in the face for upending a glass of something you've kept in the cellar for an age waiting for the right time. Don't do it to  yourself and invite only those who will not incite rage when you open the something special. For me it would be Charles Heidsick Mis En Cave 2001.
http://www.charlesheidsieck.com/en/index.html

I love this wine, it's a big, complex, savoury treat of a champagne and as I also love meat on a stick (insert own joke here) it's got enough going on to cope with marinated chicken, pork and in my head but as yet un -tested Nigella's juicy beef skewers. The recipe is in this book and I feel it may have to happen sooner rather than later. Trial run obviously....http://www.nigella.com/books


Christmas Eve
Bollinger NV. Vintage, Rose and Grand Annee are all fantastic but I love the fall back perfection of a glass of Bollinger NV. It's never exactly the same but it's always great. Normally my Christmas Eve is like a Christmas movie, roaring fire, waiting until the kids are asleep to bring out Father Christmas' gifts, Kings College carols and mince pies. Bollinger just works with that. This year its going to be warm, not dark for ahttp://www.champagne-bollinger.com/uk/#/cave/ges and the kids aren't going to be here. Bollinger still works. Genius.

Christmas Day
I stand by the fact that sparkling wine is a breakfast drink and on Christmas morning whilst whipping up scrambled eggs on fresh bread and a slice of Christmas ham I want something crisp, clean and very yummy so Gusbourne blanc de blancs it is. English fizz is very, very good and whether you'll be watching the snow fall or eating breakfast outside it'll do the trick. http://www.ukvines.co.uk/vineyards/gusbourne.htm

Lunch is as yet undecided in our household but Pol Roger 1999 Blanc de blancs or blended is the champagne of choice. Lucky old me has had this a few times over the year and I think it's my stand out fizz for the year. It's headed into a wee snooze for a short time before it arises again all glorious and amazing but it's complexity, depth and development has been bang on the money all year. Superb.http://www.polroger.com/english/

Boxing Day
Usually means people turning up so get a magnum fired up. Roederer Estate or Louis Roederer Brut NV doesn't matter but it drinks a treat on its own or with the assorted nibbles of Boxing Day. Leftovers, Pringles, mini vol-au-vents, Christmas ham....


New Years Eve
Too much pressure generally with NYE. People often think this needs to be the all defining party of the year and also it will define how next year will go. This is bobbins. I'm planning on hanging out with people I like and drinking Pirie NV until midnight when a glass of Krug wouldn't go amiss. Great people, great fizz. It's a simple combination that is too often ignored. http://www.pirietasmania.com.au/pirie-sparkling

January
Detox? Erm, no. Although as Christmas does tend to be eye wateringly expensive Szigeti Welschriesling would be my fizz of choice. Disgustingly good value for money and a cracking glass of fizz to boot, what's not to like?



Enjoy the festive season, I hope you've all been good this year and you get everything on your Christmas list. I'm still not sure I've been good enough for the Krug trunk http://tinyurl.com/25eau59 but you never know...

Food, glorious food

Oh America I do love you but why do you serve me food in wheelbarrow proportions? I am what is known as a greedy girl, I like to eat and I have no truck with fad diets, cutting out food groups, not eating after 7pm nor "diet" foods. However, when I visit America I skip meals pretty much every day. I can't cope with the portions nor the fried/synthetic approach to so much of the food that I am presented with. This is quite the dilemma for a woman who likes to eat so I have to start digging around to discover the good places to eat.

Now there is a difference between somewhere that serves good food and somewhere that is a good place to eat. Sunday evening I discovered a lovely restaurant Celadon http://www.celadonnapa.com/ which served delicious but enormous food. The menu looks fantastic, Kobe steak with wasabi mash for example but I was left sweating after a mere polenta and roasted vegetables, no room left after that to sample the puddings which as a rule are the highlight of my meals.

I struck gold at V Wine Cellar in Yountville, http://www.vwinecellar.com/ . Not for dinner, although the cheese straws were pretty tasty but for advice on where to go that wouldn't require me to be winched from my chair afterwards. The guys suggested Oenotri and they were bang on the money.

Oenotri http://www.oenotri.com/ in Napa is a little gem of an Italian with Californian charm, squash on tables but not Californian portions. My pizza with pancetta was only marginally bigger than my head, thin, crispy and fully flavoured. The wine list is interesting and well thought out and I enjoyed my very first glass of Franciacorta, not something easily found in the UK despite cropping up in the WSET Diploma exam.

I have nothing to compare it to but the Quattro Mani Franciacorta was intense with something of the farmyard about it on the nose with hints of sweet spice, bread, lemon and baked apples on the palate. I am now in planning for an Italian leg of the sparkling tour so I can continue to taste and discover.

Fortune favours the brave so they say, so after agreeing to some company from a chef at a local restaurant on my chefs bench I was incredibly fortunate to find myself sat next to Aaron London from Ubuntu. Michelin starred Ubuntu http://www.ubuntunapa.com/, what a result! In addition to being a fascinating individual with an intense passion for food he also provided a location for my next evenings dining.

Being something of a hippy, the whole idea of Ubuntu appeals to me massively as ingredients are sourced from the restaurants bio-dynamic garden. Oh. My. Word. the raptures and joy of being served food with such freshness and vitality in America. The Michelin star is well deserved as the delicate balance of texture and flavour alongside the realistic portion size meant that I would have licked the plate clean if it had been decent to do so.

The Kohlrabi noodles were outstanding and perfectly balanced; so much so that my carnivore self didn't feel denied. Which coming from a woman who will happily eat an entire packet of Serrano ham in one go from the packet is saying something. My very favourite thing about the place was that I had room for dessert which I can state was a chocolaty triumph and the perfect end to one of the best meals I had eaten in a long time. I think I very nearly growled at the waiter who tried to take my plate before I had nigh on licked it!

If all food in America was like this there wouldn't be documentaries about people who have to have a wall knocked down so they can get out. Absolute perfection in my books and the wine is pretty darned good to boot. I had a Cremant d'Alsace Brut Rose, Allimont Laugner for an aperetif followed by a glass of Marsanne, Stagecoach Vineyard, Krupp Bros. Both were excellent wines and on my next visit to Napa this is going to be one of the first places that I come!

In the interest of a balanced approach and my desire for dessert I took the tactical approach of having a side salad and cheesecake at San Francisco's Cheesecake factory. Whilst all around me people were being served their main courses in dishes the size of babies baths and skips I cut straight to the chase. Reader, it was delicious, massive but delicious. Sometimes even a girl as classy as myself must succumb to the dark side from time to time...

Holiday homes of the champenois

Being a very lucky girl, the sparkling tour this year has taken me to Taittinger in the Champagne region and Taittinger in the Napa Valley. In the guise of Domaine Carneros it is still pretty easy to spot which is Domaine Carneros if you've ever been to Taittinger's Chateau de la Marquetterie

Top: Domaine Carneros, Bottom: Ch de la Marquetterie

Domaine Carneros is home to one of the First Ladies of sparkling wine Eileen Crane. She has created a range that holds its own identity whilst retaining the classic elegance and finesse of Taittinger. Head hunted by Claude Taittinger himself, Eileen's appointment was a shrewd move in developing world class sparkling wines.

One thing the Americans have down pat is a great winery tour. I was fortunate enough to have the sole attention of Bruce Stirling who took me through a physical tour and also a tasting tour. I tried the Brut 2006, Le Reve 2004, Rose 2006, Demi-Sec 2006, Late Disgorged 2004 and the Blanc de
Noirs 2006. Across the board the wines were an impressive balance of ripe Californian fruits with crisp and refreshing acidity alongside some complex developing flavours.

Being a very English girl I was particularly enamoured with the older sparklers, Le Reve 2004 and the Late Disgorged Brut 2004. The hints of complexity and age that had come through on the 2006 had opened up a little more , showing richer bready and yeasty notes alongside the still ripe fruit flavours.

Although both wines had the capacity to age longer, the extra couple of years had made a real difference and I thought at the time how interesting it would be to see just how old it is possible to go with New World sparklers. The oldest I tried on this trip was a 1999 from Gloria Ferrer that showed some real class and sophistication without being tired. I think the goal for the next trip will be to see how old I can go and see if the fizz will hold up.

Sadly this year did not bring the opportunity to visit Louis Roederer in France but the long drive out to Philo to visit the Roederer Estate is well worth it (fill up before you go though, limited petrol stations). As you pull up the long drive to the winery on top of the hill then you are not only rewarded with an amazing view but a cracking selection of wines that are not readily available outside the US.

In a sleek and simple tasting room I tasted my way through Brut Rose Multi-Vintage, L'Ermitage 2002, Brut MV Magnum, Extra Dry MV and three still wines; Chardonnay 2007, Pinot Noir Rose 2009 and Pinot Noir 2007.  Back at the Majestic ranch in York we would always recommend the Louis Roederer Magnum mainly because it's a great Champagne but also because it adds a little something extra in a large format.

The same is definitely true of Roederer Estate in magnum. If you're celebrating anything Stateside, get your sweaty little paws on one of these gems. I love alternate format bottles anyway, there's nothing like a little half bottle of fizz and a good book for a long train journey and a magnum or jeroboam for big celebration (train journey not necessary).

I'm going to go off piste for a moment and recommend a still wine, it's OK I'll have a lie down shortly. I am something of a Francophile; I love France as a place, as a people and as a provider of wine to me. Thankfully Roederer Estate have taken some of that French style and skill in creating a Pinot Noir Rose that would give most Sancerre's a run for their money. A delicate salmon pink with crunchy red fruit flavours, cherries, raspberries and red apples with hints of vanilla, this wine is crisp, fresh and great drinking. The lightness of touch and skill in winemaking shows that California can produce very good still rose that is completely alien to the terrifying day-glo sticky sweet nightmares they are better known for.

Aside from the joy of a magnum, my sparkling recommendation from Roederer Estate has to be the L'Ermitage 2002. 52%Chardonnay and 48% Pinot Noir this wine is complex and interesting with hints of baked apple, lemon, almonds and toasty notes. Slightly honeyed with hints of white flowers its youthfulness betrays the eight years ageing it has had.

Roederer Estate was a fine end to my sparkling tour of the Napa Valley. Well not quite the end. I went for a sneaky glass of Dom Perignon 2002 at Napa Style. Sat next to the roaring fire, surrounded by enormous squash and pumpkins I wasn't drinking a local fizz but at that moment I couldn't have been anywhere else in the world and nor would I want to have been.

How to hide a winery....

Day 3 started badly. As I had done since picking the car rental wheels up I did myself a little route plan from Google putting on any turns and landmarks that might help. I found myself driving through St Helena thinking I wasn't too far from Schramsberg.

About 10 minutes later...hang on I'm in Calistoga, gone too far, let me ask this bloke.

Bloke: It's on the road between Calistoga and St Helena.

Me: I know that but I've missed the turning, it's supposed to be just off the road.

Bloke: I'm not sure where it is exactly but I know it's on the way to St Helena....

Me: ?!?!?!?!

So back I go, eyes peeled for the sign that says Schramsberg Road. I get as far as St Helena and ask someone else if they know where it is. (See above for how that went...).

After another lap I ask a woman which is what I should have done straight away as she pays attention on her way into work unlike the men I asked previously. She lives in Calistoga and drives past the winery every day and informs me that the winery signs are tiny, set back from the road at an angle and about knee height. Jackpot! 

Far, far later than anticipated I arrived at the winery where the lovely lady informs me they aren't allowed a big sign so as a bit of good karma for the day here is how to find the winery...

Turn up Peterson Drive and on your immediate right you'll see a tarmac drive and a sign that says 1400 and then the Schramsberg winery sign. Up the winding road the track opens up on to a beautiful property

One of the earlier wine producers in the Napa Valley, the Schrams arrived from Germany in the late 19th century and lucky Mr Schram got a (very) good tip from one of his customers which left him with enough cash to buy a winery.  All was sunshine and joy until Schram Jr tanked then sold the business. The property was bought and sold over the years and finally ended up in the hands  of the Davies family.

They were very wise folks who decided that they wanted to make their favourite type of wine, sparkling.  Once you've found the place the tour is very good, giving the historical background of the family and the property finishing off with a tour in the 2 miles of tuffeau cellars.

Of the range that we tasted the Reserve 2002 was the one for me. 80%PN, 20%CH with grapes sourced from all around the Napa Valley, the wine has flavours of baked apple, nutmeg, pineapple, bread, lemons, yeasty notes and a hint of almonds. Our congenial host Donya asked the group for food matches that would go with it and I have never felt so British in my life. I thought of something like pork tenderloin with wilted spinach and a creamy mushroom sauce, nothing too fancy.  Suggestions from the entirely American and Canadian crowd, popcorn, barbecue foods, lobster, shrimps...OK I get it your weather is better than ours now stop with your outdoor and warm weather suggestions!

Hide and seek aside, a visit to Schramsberg is a lovely little piece of history nestled up in the hills. From immigrant links to 1960's vision and Presidents aiming for world peace (kind of..) It's good to see where it all began for sparkling wine in the Napa Valley.

G-L-O-R-I-A Gloooooooooria

With  a little help for the title from Van Morrison (I'm so cool!) , Day 2 found me at Gloria Ferrer in Carneros. Nestled on top of the hill, the view is spectacular. One thing the Napa Valley has in abundance is great spots where a glass of fizz is just the decent thing to do. If you were really doing it properly then a bottle of something shared and a chauffeur home would be the way to go! For Gloria Ferrer that would mean a bottle of the Blanc de Blancs, 2005 and a plate of serrana ham.

I discovered this combo of dreams when in Cava country a couple of years ago. The salty gorgeousness of the ham balances beautifully with the crisp breadiness of vintage cava or Blanc de blancs sparkling wine. There is no need for anything else apart from sunshine and a special someone who doesn't mind that you're eating ham with your fingers. Just for the record Prosecco does also work with parma ham, the sweetness works much the same way as with melon, only far more chic!

The lovely Cindy took some time to show me around and take me through the range which now includes a curious little sparkler that has 89% Pinot Noir, 8% Chardonnay and 3% Muscat called Va de Vi. It's a little treat as the Muscat gives a really rich, ripe fruitiness and the acidity is refreshing and zippy which lifts all that ripeness and stops it being cloying.

One thing that I would love to see become commonplace in the UK is to see English sparkling wines served at Royal occasions. Gloria Ferrer is one of many wineries I visited that had their wines used for White House dinners. If this does already happen in England then hurrah but I have a feeling it isn't a common occurrence. Pictures adorn the walls of the occasion and the menu with which the sparklers were served. I tried the Royal Cuvee which was first tasted by the King and Queen of Spain when it was released. the 2002 vintage wsa incredibly complex with concentrated flavours of citrus peel, apricot, mandarin, caramelised ginger and cinammon. Crisp apple and lemon flavours and refreshing acidity lighten those intense flavours to create an interesting and well put together wine.

If you get the chance to visit Gloria, make sure you look in the fridge and buy some cheese. I love America but the cheese generally sucks in its weird slightly over processed shiny way. They have real manchego and proper goats cheese amongst the shelves of joy and also very importantly you can buy actual Spanish Serrana ham there not some kind of bizarre interpretation of it. Genius and very tasty.

Sadly I had to tear myself away from Gloria and have lunch in Carneros before I drove up to Rutherford to visit Mumm. Getting hold of Mumm Napa has been a struggle over the last few years so I went to see them as much to please myself rather than for educational merit. Despite the enormous pumpkin (see below) there was something of the 80's about the tasting room. The shop is relatively modern but the tasting room has a whiff of British Home Stores cafe about it. Luckily the wine made up for it!

I chose the staff favourites as they were winery only exclusives and that is the point of visiting wine producing regions, no? Deveaux Ranch, 2005,  Brut Reserve NV and the Renouveau Anderson Valley 2001 were thankfully far superior to their surroundings. The first two are Pinot Noir driven  and the Renouveau has Chardonnay take the lead and fruit is sourced from all over the Napa Valley taking in grapes sourved south of Yountvile, Anderson Valley and Carneros. Well made and classy wines with no mistake but I would recommend if you visit to grab a glass of something and head out of the tasting room to the Photo gallery opposite.

When I visited there was a striking exhibition of black and white photographs showing families in the same positions years and sometimes decades apart which in itself was very moving and beautifully presented. The surroundings are sleek, the images beautiful and the light flattering a far better place to enjoy a cool, crisp and complex glass of fizz. The whole experience is set off by the windows showing the bottles in their warehousing capacity so the winery influence subtley peeks its head out every now and then.

Sparkly enjoyed, pictures studied and enormous pumpkin marvelled at I headed back through rush hour traffic to Napa for a freshen up before dinner at Oenotri as recommended to me by the folks at V Wine in Yountville. I'll be doing a foodie blog of the places I've enjoyed later down the line. I've had some tasty treats during my stay and they require a little attention all of their own.

California Dreaming-Day 1

There are two ways to get to Australia from the UK and I picked the long way. It was a genius idea, if I wasn't headed to Tasmania then I would have to be forcibly removed from the Napa Valley.

I started as I meant to go on with a visit to Domaine Chandon in Yountville. Now these guys have the perfect balance between great wine, stylish surroundings and great hospitality. I visited Domaine Chandon in the Yarra Valley a few years ago and its American counterpart didn't disappoint. There are a good selection of sparkles to try, discounts for Club Chandon members and the tasting team are helpful but not pushy sales folks. I tried the EtoileBrut, Rose and Tete de Cuvee 2000 whilst I was there. The range is Chardonnay dominant and very good.

The Brut has seen 5 years ageing sur lees and is intense, concentrated with hints of spice and candied peel, the acidity keeps it fresh and clean and stops some of the big flavours being cloying. The Rose was a real foodie fizz, delicate salmon pink with a real savoury mushroom hit. It's sophisticated and elegant but not for those who want bags of red fruits from their rose. The star of the show (sorry...) is the Etoile Tete de Cuvee 2000 which is seriously impressive as it ought to be at $100. Rich and golden with a truffle and mushroom nose, creamy mouth feel and a long length this deserves its position at the top of the tree.

Sadly I had to tear myself away from Chandon to go and have a look at the town of Yountville. Which if you're not American is some kind of picture postcard town, it's a little bit like walking around a movie set. Timing wise I think I picked a pretty good time of year to go. Not as crazy busy as high summer but it was warm enough not to need a jacket and the blazing autumnal colours made it a joy to visit.

Being the nerd that I am I found myself in a wine merchants, V Wine Cellar http://www.vwinecellar.com/,
 other women buy shoes don't they? If you're ever in town, tear yourself aways from the restaurants and head down to this wine shop. They have chairs and tables outside and a great selection of wines to taste. I tried the Littauer 2008, Beckstoffer Chardonnay. which was delicious. A well balanced oaked Chardonnay with bags of fruit and a well balanced acidity. This was served with cheese breadsticks. Not a match you'll find in the great wine books of our time but with the great conversation from the guys who work there and a slightly dubious soundtrack it worked a treat.

My next stop was a death trap of a drive away in Sebastopol. Now when I Google mapped it the route took me across instead of down and round. DO NOT TAKE THIS ROUTE. Particularly if you are of nervous disposition. It takes an age and is an endless around and around of winding roads and  steep hills but it was well worth the journey to finally get to Iron Horse Vineyards.

Situated on the top of a hill the view is spectacular but it's really all about the wine. As it was a little late I only had time to try the 2002 Brut Late Disgorged which was a seriously impressive and classy fizz. Looking out as the sun went down with a sample of great sparkling wine was the perfect way to end my first day of tasting.

Full pictures from day 1 are on the Flute and Vine Facebook page...
http://tinyurl.com/2c2eta8   Ironhorse Chandon, Yountville album

800 miles later....

So safely settled into my "home" for the next 5 days in the Napa Valley what do I know after my jaunt around the south of England....?

Other than it takes pigging ages to get to most of the lovely places I visited, only a sadistic fool would recommend someone drive from Kent to Cornwall via Dorset on the same day, the main thing I discovered is that England has the capacity to make great fizz from a range of grape varieties. 

On my last couple of days I drove through fog and endless drizzle to see the folks at Camel Valley. Camel Valley is another award winning establishment which produces both still and sparkling wine to great effect. Despite it being the beginning of November a lorry load of grapes arrived whilst I was there to be processed ensuring no rest for Sam and the team just yet. 

As the winery folks were busy Jack took me through their range in the lovely tasting room which I can imagine if you're not driving and the sun is out is one of the best things to do on an afternoon in Cornwall. 

If Cornwall is a drive too far for you timewise then just outside of London is Denbies Estate. It's all geared up for visits, the whole team are incredibly chirpy, the wine is very good, particularly the award winning Greenfields Cuvee 2006. 100% Pinot Noir and utterly scrumptious, bags of fruit, including some crunchy redcurrant flavours, hints of candied peel, refreshing acidity and a fine creamy mousse. They have a train, restaurant, gift shop and you can even get involved during harvest with some picking followed by a trip to the winery to see the grapes being processed and then a tasting and lunch.  All in all well worth a look see if  you want to know a bit more about English wine but you haven't much time.

I love visiting wineries and vineyards as I don't think anything else can give you the same sense of place as actually being there. There are rules however for visiting vineyards/wineries, under no circumstances must you repeat the following to anyone before, during or after a trip to wine land. They will just assume you are a cretin and are just trying to show off.

1. "You know we went to (insert winery name here) and this only cost a couple of  Euros/Dollars/Groats and it's what all the locals drink. It's so overpriced when you buy it here isn't it?"  

Oh just f*$% off, either buy it where you've just been and have it shipped over or just keep your mouth shut. End of, nobody cares.

2. "That's hardly a taste, how am i supposed to find out if I like it from that tiny amount"

Tasting, not a free bar. If you want more buy it from these nice people who just gave you a sample to taste and let you look around their winery.

3. "It just tastes like wine, all that other stuff is just power of suggestion, you're only saying you can taste blackcurrants because someone else said it. They all taste the same to me"

 Why did you go to visit a winery? Go home immediately after apologising to the person at the cellar door who has been looking after you.

More pics from the UK leg can be found on the Facebook page for Flute and Vine http://tinyurl.com/27f7rl6

 

Yes England makes wine and yes it is good....

So day 2 of the UK road trip and what do I know apart from the fact I've spent a huge amount of time in the car? Well I can pat myself on the back for the accurate assumption that we can make cracking fizz here in England. 

First stop was a repeat visit to Chapel Down in Tenterden, one of the bigger producers of sparkling wine in the UK and a jolly lovely place to visit. Having become familiar with Chapel Down at Majestic, I made a flying visit earlier in the year and as I was in the area to visit Andrew at Gusbourne I felt it would be rude not to pop in again. They have a very well set out offering with a fancy pants restaurant, Richard Phillipe, upstairs and a tasting area/fancy pants deli shop below. I took a meander around the vineyard as it was an uncharacteristically warm day with golden sunshine blazing through the yellows, reds and oranges of an English autumn.

Fizz wise the range of six is a mix of the traditional and the what exactly is that of Reichensteiner and Rivaner. Prices range from £16.99 to £24.99 which is pretty typical of English sparklers and well priced when considering the quality produced.

A few miles away is Gusbourne Vineyards, a huge property that is partially planted with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The capacity for growth at Gusbourne is huge as there is lots of good land that just hasn't been planted yet. It's a good job there is capacity for growth as this stuff is fantastic! I've tried a few English sparklers made from traditional varietals and they have all been most impressive.

Nyetimber (got to include them even if the meanies won't let me visit!) Camel Valley and Ridgeview have won scores of awards and accolades between them over the years and a visit to Gusbourne says to me that this isn't a fluke. The ability to produce serious, high quality exciting and dynamic sparkling wine is what English wine is all about. There are some very good still wines around, the Gusbourne Pinot Noir 2007 will keep the French on their toes but it is sparkling that we excel at. I tried the 2006 Brut and the 2006 Blanc de Blancs which blew me away. There is a rose in the pipeline which I look forward to trying at a later date. 

I had a long an interesting chat with Nick from Herbert Hal in Mardenl, wines to be released 2012, about the future of the English sparkling wine industry. Nick not only has a real passion for fizz but also a very sharp business mind and I look forward to trying his wines once they are ready.

After speaking to him I still very much feel that we are on the edge of something very exciting in England with regards to sparkling wine. I would recommend anyone who has not tried an English fizz or has maybe only tried one to start scouring them out now because in 25 years time it will be like saying you saw The Beatles at Skegness Town Hall before they were big. Depending on your age feel free to substitute The Beatles for Take That at a Rollers skating rink in Milton Keynes or Dizzee Rascal at Butlins but you get the idea...hunt them out before they go global!

http://www.ukvines.co.uk/vineyards/gusbourne.htm 

http://www.englishwinesgroup.com/ 

http://www.herberthall.com/

http://www.ridgeview.co.uk/

Viennese whirl

Oooooh Vienna, whether it is the original or the impressive Seal version, it's pretty tricky to walk around Vienna without the song playing in my mind. Maybe I'm just of a certain age...

One of the joys of wine is it has taken me to places I may not have found myself in normally. Like Tunbridge Wells. But that is another blog... Austria however wouldn't have featured in the sparkling world trip if I had not stumbled across the Szigeti stand at the London International Wine Fair this year. Two of my colleagues found me and told me I had to go and see the man who made sparkling Gruner Veltliner. Being me I was primed to  mock. Being me I was curious enough to try first. I went, I tasted, I had no opportunity to mock.

The folks at Szigeti can make anything sparkle. I was met by Peter Szigeti at the Sekt Comptoir on Judengasse http://www.szigeti.at/sektoutlet.htm one of the city's two dedicated sparkling wine bars. We drove the hour or so through the traffic to Gols in Burgenland where I tried nearly all 25 sparklers available. Welschriesling, Blaufrankisch, Zwiegelt, Tokaji, Neuberger, Riesling, Gruner Veltliner and Weissburgunder all made an appearance at some point. I can't remember having spent a better afternoon drinking fizz in a while! It was an absolute pleasure to spend the day with someone who has so much passion in making things sparkle. Although they are not trying to ape champagne in any way, skills and equipment come from the Champagne region, I got to watch my first disgorgement in action as well...

Like a nerd I loved it! It was such a great way to kick off the sparkling tour with someone who has a passion for quality and also a curiosity to make the unusual sparkle. After a lovely afternoon I took the train back to Vienna (cheap, clean and efficient-why aren't they like this in the UK????) and had a nosey around for more Austrian sparkling wine.


Dedicated aren't I? Favourite other than Szigeti was a Brundelmayer, Kamptal Sekt. Pinot Noir 85%, Gruner Veltliner 15%, a very classy offering, excellent structure, lots of fruit, crisp acidity a real gem of a sparkling wine. Least favourite was the big brand leader for Austrian wine the Schlumberger which had something of the pub carpet about it, a bit claggy and mass produced. Very glad I didn't try this one first.


If I've learnt one thing about my Viennese whirl it is not to lose my curiosity. I had not expected that I would enjoy a sparkling Welschriesling and that it would be very well made but I am very glad that I have stumbled across it. I'm looking forward to trying many new things that surprise and impress me on my journey.

I did also go to Mozart's Requiem, Vivaldi's Four Seasons, the Picasso and Michaelangelo exhibition, the natural history museum and a go on the Big Wheel with time to buy an amusing giant pencil for my nephew. It's all about balance....

Hammersmith Gin Palace

Occasionally I stray away from the bubbly comfort of the sparkling world back into the spirit world. Not like Derek Acorah, you'll not find me lurking outside a run-down farmhouse trying to feel the spirit of Elsie the maid who got "into trouble" with the lord of the manor. I like to revist my past as a spirits maven. Back in the day when I was a whizz with my shaker it was distillation that got my spidey-sense tingling.

Having a few hours to spare, I wasted most of them trying to drag across town from Kings Cross in the midst of the tube strike, I thought I should take the opportunity to visit the fine chaps at Sipsmith. Their tiny distillery and the modest and beautiful Prudence may not seem the most glamorous but it has real history and intrigue. Once a micro-brewery for a pub in the next street and then the legendery late, great Michael Jackson (the whiskey one not the spangly gloved one) used it as his office before the Spismith chaps took it over.

On 11th May 2009 the first vodka flowed through Prudence, swiftly followed on the 14th by baby Emily Hall and the first batch of gin. Just 10 globally sourced botanicals are used by Sipsmiths to create an indivdual product that changes with each small batch as the natural ingredients have a unique diversity. As the nights start to draw in, I would highly recommend searching out a bottle of their rich and pungent Sloe Gin.

Stood in the little distillery with Prudence warming an already warm building and shelves of botanicals and numbered bottles I felt very, very privileged to spend a little time with the Sipsmith guys. They passionately believe in what they're doing and have created a cracking set of spirits to their own agenda rather than demands of a bigger company looking to fill a gap in the market. If you want to experience quality over quantity, hunt out a bottle and pour yourself a sublime G and T. 
 Peruse the Sipsmith site at your leisure..http://www.sipsmith.com/

Rocking robin. Diddleey diddleey dee....

Despite the balminess of today, nothing says summer is over like the appearance of a robin in the garden. The staple of Christmas cards and early Michael Jackson hopped along the garden as I was making tea this morning, which got me to thinking what do I want to acheive before the year is out.

I've done a lot of major stuff this year already and there's more of that sort to come so I figure the rest should be fun wine stuff! Here's my top 3...

1. Drink my 1977 bottle of port

Wine from the birth year is a classic and sadly 1977 was a hideous year for champagne but luckily port has come through and saved the day. Hopefully it will be cold enough before I depart to allow for sipping it in front of a real fire. 

2. Drink things  I can't find easily in Oz

Like Cava.  Tangy, fruity and luscious German whites. English fizz. The entire Dom. Paul Mas range. Planeta Cometa. Delicious fruity and interesting red and rose Navarra wines. Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere. Boutique gin. Yorkshire tea...

3. Fizz, fish, chip..

A proper chippy, nothing oven made or a modern twist of. I want it battered, fried and ideally with mushy peas, red sauce and lashings of salt and vinegar. Served in paper alongside a chilled bottle of Bollinger.

Edinburgh Festival, apparently there are also shows...

Edinburgh Festival. Brilliant fun for everybody that doesn't usually live in Edinburgh.

I, like every man, his dog and his woefully inept street theatre group head up to Bonnie Scotland for the fringe. Due to a galloping lack of comic/theatrical skills it is purely as an observer but aside from the shows it is a great opportunity to experience Edinburgh's cocktail bars and gastronomic treats.

This weekends visit was one of new discoveries. I happily stumbled upon Barioja http://www.barioja.co.uk/barioja/ the tapas bar that adjoins Iggs on  Jeffrey Street. A traditional Spanish bar, it was heaving when I arrived but the staff were superb and had me settled at the bar, menu in one hand and juicy rose cava in the other before I knew it. I ordered my personal favourites of croquetas, cured meats and garlicky tomatoes on bread.  All arrived without too much of a wait and were superb. For an un-pretentious but highly enjoyable feed this is well worth the visit next time you're in town.

I asked for recommendations and they were more than forthcoming. One of the places that scored highly on an Australian's must visit list was Maison Bleue . http://www.maisonbleuerestaurant.com/. The restaurant is in a fairly similar vein to Barioja in that it does what it does very well and without too much pomp and circumstance. The joy of eating out when travelling alone is to find an establishment that doesn't scream "You've got no mates, so we shall give you a terrible table to highlight your lack of dining companion!".

I think the highlight of a rainy early evening on Saturday has to have been my extended cocktail hour. Just a hop and  a skip away from the melee on Princes Street, is the divine basement bar of Bramble http://www.bramblebar.co.uk/. Situated on the corner of Queen Street and Hanover Street is the blink and you'll miss it joy of a proper cocktail bar. As a rule the grape and the grain don't mix but I do enjoy flitting between the two and indulging myself in the spirit world. 

The bartenders were attentive, highly skilled and very friendly. My violet infused cocktail come with a glass of water to aid appreciation but not over-indulgence and when asked for directions to my next watering hole, my bartender drew me a map and told me I would be well looked after there.

The "there" in question was recommended to me by my personal cocktail god Mr Angus Winchester. The poster boy of the gentleman bartender, Angus is and always will be my go to guy on all things bar related so when he recommended I drop in to see the folks at The Raconteur  http://www.theraconteuredinburgh.com/ I didn't hesitate. 

A 15 minute walk away from the town centre this kind of place is bartender porn. Classic cocktails, speakeasy uniforms, impressive back bar, dark wood and jazzy tunes.  I was in some kind of heaven. Again the team were superb, glass of water with my Champs Elysee and possibly the best Sidecar I've had in years. If I hadn't defected to the grape I would have been itching to get back behind the bar. Sadly I had to tear myself away from my little cocoon as I had places to be but couldn't have picked a better spot to while away a few hours. 

Although you may think otherwise, I didn't just eat and drink my way around town, I did manage to dodge the street theatre to see a few shows whilst I was there...

John Bishop-Funny

Reginald D Hunter-Funny and a little bit rude.

Just the Tonic late Show-Funny and very, very hot in that cave

Ross Sutherland-Funny but too much poetry (hate poetry)

As is my way, I wrapped up another fun visit to Edinburgh by ducking into Harvey Nicks for a glass of champagne before I got on the train but that is another story entirely...

Brothers from another mother

Well my trip to Tassie has got a little more exciting. By the time I make it to Launceston, Tamar Ridge Estates, which includes the magnificent Pirie, will be part of the Brown Brothers family. 

I have a particular fondness for the wines of Brown Brothers; I love their secondary mini winery at Milawa for their experimental varieties and their excellent and unusual range. I was fortunate enough to visit the folks in Milawa back in 2008 on my Vintners Bursary trip and had a more than thorough tasting of their range and was massively impressed with the Sangiovese that had been tucked away and allowed to mellow and settle itself to become a beautiful savoury beast that showed real elegance and class.

 It will be really interesting to see what they do in Tasmania, Ross Brown, as quoted in The Shout, had this to say... “This is a very sound business that ticks all our strategic objectives for growth in pinot and sparkling, and at the same time reduces the risk of drought and associated high temperatures and scarcity of water,".

 For us sparkling fans it could be very interesting to see how they help to shape the endless joy that is Tassie sparkling wine and I am very lucky that I shall be on that magical isle in the infancy of this new era.

 If you're not sure where my obsession with Tassie fizz comes from, check out these links...you're welcome!

www.jansz.com.au

www.pirietasmania.com.au

www.bayoffireswines.com.au 

www.slw.com.au 

http://www.brownbrothers.com.au

The word on the street

I've just read a great article from Liz Palmer a wine writer based in Canada about the man who brought Champagne to the rap fraternity, Branson B. .http://lizpalmer.wordpress.com/

Now let it be known now before things get any further that despite looking like Naomi Campbell's chunky little sister, I am unsure of the word on the street. I'm not entirely sure where it's at nor how it is hanging. I don't have any homies, a crib, a ride or beef with anyone. I'm not even massively sure what I've just written but I do know that where there is champagne there are rappers and it turns out the man to thank for that is a chap named Branson B.

Branson, being based in New York, was in prime location to hang out with P Diddy/Diddy/Puff Daddy/Mr Coombs/Sean and the Notorious B.I.G at the end of the 80's and since then Branson has ensured that Taittinger's Comtes de Champagne, Dom Perignon, Louis Roederer's Cristal and its replacement Armand de Brignac have all been introduced to hip-hoppers. These days he's in proud posession of his own champagne range http://www.bransonbchampagne.com/ 

The real question for me here is, do other music categories have such strong links with particular drinks? I mean obviously for goths it's anything that looks like blood and nothing that could possibly cheer them up but do country musicians only drink bourbon and then sing about it? Do pop bands only drink luminous soft drinks and Red Bull? 

Back in the day it was Jack Daniels for rock bands (now this is more my area of knowledge, I still have a bottle of J.D given to me by Samuel L Jackson) although I can't see kids walking around the streets wearing T-shirts with Veuve Cliquot on them somehow.

As for house music, that is still eejits shovelling down narcotics in a dark room and listening to repetitive beats isn't it?