Wine Tastings
‘Douce Providence’ Muscat St. Jean de Minervois 50cl, Clos de Gravillas
This is a beautiful dessert wine from John & Nicola Bojanowski's organic winery in St.Jean de Minervois, deep in the Languedoc countryside. Made from that grapiest of grapes Muscat, this is floral and fruity with aromas of orange flower and honeysuckle combining with flavours of sweet pink grapefruit and mandarin. The finish has such a refreshing tang that you can drink it on its own as an aperitif, but it would also take kindly to strawberries and fruit pastries.
‘La Magendia’ Jurancon Moelleux (37.5cl), Clos Lapeyre
Jean-Bernard Larrieu makes some of the best wines in Jurancon at Clos Lapeyre. This isolated area lies inland in the foothills of the Pyranees and is home to some of the best sweet wines France has to offer (without paying Sauternes prices). Petit Manseng is the main grape for producing these delicious, honeyed wines and it's bright acidity is what makes it so successful; no matter how rich and unctuous the wine, it still feels fresh and mouth-watering on the finish. In case you were wondering, La Magendia means 'the best' in the local Occitane dialect; very fitting, as this is truly stunning.
Perfect with fruit desserts (rhubarb or apple crumble...?) and is a star with blue and rind-washed cheeses.
Barbeito Malvasia Reserva Madeira 50cl
One of the smallest of all Madeira producers, and only founded in 1946 by Ricardo's grandfather, and yet with an extraordinary reputation.
Ricardo Diogo de Freitas took over the winemaking at the family firm in 1993, and hasn't looked back. He possesses energy in spades - eRobertParker calls him the Island's "Gamechanger" and its easy to see why, but risks overlooking his commitment to tradition, or at least the reinvention of it.Certainly a sweet wine, but with great balancing acidity. If serving as a dessert wine, partners very well with dishes which contain caramel, dried fruits, toffee and other similar flavours. Also a great wine for cheese, especially strong hard cheeses (Old Winchester, Vintage Lincolnshire Poacher etc)
Chateau Filhot 2010 37.5cl
The quality of this second growth estate has improved markedly since the mid 1980s. The location is just to the north of the village of
Sauternes on gravelly hillside beds with a southwest orientation. Yields are low (about 15hl/ha) and the blend is
Sémillon (55%), Sauvignon (40%) and Muscadelle (5%). This high proportion of Sauvignon and the refusal to use any
new oak (the wine is aged in stainless steel and 5+yr old oak barrels for 24-36 months) gives Filhot a fruitier, more
aromatic quality than some of the bigger-boned Sauternes. That said, the bottle age here gives real depth of flavour and considerable complexity.Delicious with classic French desserts such as Tarte Tatin, as well as the perfect match for Blue Sheep's milk cheeses such as Lanark Blue, Beenleigh Blue or Mrs Bell's Blue.
Chateau Petit-Vedrines 37.5cl
Monbazillac ‘Jour de Fruit’ 37.5cl, Domaine de l’Ancienne Cure
Monbazillac has a long history (known as early as the 14th century) and is one of the world’s great sweet wines; similar in style to Sauternes but usually offering better value for money. Here, Christian Roche is one of the best winemakers and his attention to detail and organic practices shine through in the wines.
Light and juicy, with the sweetness balanced by good acidity, this is a great introduction to dessert wines; perfect as an all-rounder with a cheese board or with fruit desserts.
Niepoort ‘White Rabbit’ White Port
One of the best white Ports available. Like all of Dirk Niepoort's wines, this is at the top of the tree in terms of quality. Drier than most and with real depth of flavour; rich and nutty with a long lingering finish.Great to drink chilled on it's own, or with olives and salted almonds, or mix with tonic and ice for Portugal's answer to the G&T! A great aperitif.
Niepoort Colheita Port 2008
Niepoort LBV Port
Dirk Niepoort is often lauded as Portugal’s best winemaker, making some of Portugal’s best table wines. However, Port is always at the heart of what he does and year after year, this LBV is one of the very best. Despite it’s power and richness, it stands out from the crowd with it’s real drinkability!
Niepoort LBV Port (Half bottle)
Dirk Niepoort is often lauded as Portugal’s best winemaker, making some of Portugal’s best table wines. However, Port is always at the heart of what he does and year after year, this LBV is one of the very best. Despite it’s power and richness, it stands out from the crowd with it’s real drinkability!...and these half bottles look cute.
Niepoort Ruby Dum 1/2 bottle
Named after the Alice in Wonderland characters Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dee, these wines offer a great introduction to Dirk Niepoort's winesThe Ruby Dee is dark red in colour with a fresh vibrant aroma of dark fruits which follows through on the palate along with an almost mineral character, a youthful wine with good extract and great balance, offering superb "drinkability".Ready to drink now after a meal on its own or with a selection of cheeses.