The Four Personalities of France- Part 2: Cotes Du Rhone

The Cotes Du Rhone- not to be confused with the South African Wine, The Goats do Roam! The primary grapes used in Cotes Du Rhone (if you remember my uber blog on Australia) are Syrah, Carignan, Mouvoudre, and several other grape varieties. Interesting fact about the Cotes Du Rhone- back in the 18th century or so the king from that region insisted that wines from that region be labelled CDR in order to guarantee that those wines were from that region and therefore of high quality... and that's were the French Appellation Controllee system originated from! Wines from this region are generally quite full-bodied, but with silky smooth tannins- which makes them very drinkable! Hmmm a mix of brawn and smoothness.... its got to be James Bond! And its Sean Connery bond- not Roger Moore, or Pierce Brosnan, and definitely not Daniel Craig! Not that I have any problems with the other Bonds- its just Sean Connery was the man!

Now I'm not Suggesting James Bond drank anything but vodka martini's... but if he was to drink something else- when then it would have to be a Cotes Du Rhone, and not just any CDR but the big dog of all the CDR... that's right- he'd be drinking the Chateaeu Neuf Du Pape... neither shakin nor stirred!It translates as the Popes new house- comes from when there was popes ruling in Avignon... Out of all the regions in France Chateau Neuf Du Pape is probably one of the more interesting. They allow roughly 18 grape varieties to be put into wine- and there is no regulations about which grape varieties belong in a particular blend. Red varieties allowed are Cinsaut, Counoise, Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre, Muscardin, Piquepoul Noir, Syrah, Terret Noir, and Vaccarèse (Brun Argenté). White and pink varieties are Bourboulenc, Clairette Blanche, Clairette Rose, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Picardan, Piquepoul Blanc, Piquepoul Gris, and Roussanne. But there is only one vineyard that grows all of these grapes and utilizes them regularly- Chateau De Beaucastel. So how exactly are they like Sean Connery/James Bond? Well when they're young they are generally tough and tannic... but as they age they smooth out- but keep their spicy edge!

The Four Personalities of France- Part 1: Burgundy

At this stage I'm sure everyones sick of hearing about it, but when you talk about French wine... you're not really left with much option but to mention it. I am of course talking about the all important terroir! Now for me terroir is a bit like personality- Everyone's is different! So what personality would Burgundy have? Well Burgundy is a tricky one... because you've not only got some truly great Pinot Noir's, but you also have a brilliant white-Chablis! So one person isn't goin to cut this with regards to Burgundy- for this we need a Hollywood Couple... but who could it be? What couple could represent the smooth, self-indulgent personality of the Pinot Noir Grape, and also the voluptuous nature of Chablis???

Thinking...
Thinking...
Thinking.....

Ive got it!!!!

Yes he may be old, and she may be not a particularly good actor- but that does not mean they don't fit the bill perfectly when thinking about Burgundy. Michael Douglas in Wall Street- and intense, feisty, pitbull, wraped up in his comfortable Millionaire lifestyle... A bit like Pinot Noir which is difficult to cultivate and grow, but when its battled its way to the top, its the Pinot's elgeance and Finnesse which shines through! And as for the Chardonnay... I mean Chablis... (for anyone who doesn't know, and all those people who think they don't like Chardonnay but love Chablis... they're actually the same thing!) She may not be a good actress, and she may be way too hot for Michael Douglas- but its the fact that her and Michael Douglas are polar opposites that makes them the perfect choice for this! Think about it- the nice refined Pinot Noir reds, counter-balnced by the Big voluptuos Chablis!

Now a bit of general info on Burgundy- Reds use mostly Pinot Noir, but Fleurie, and Brouilly use Gamay which is a very very light Grape. So light in fact that it can even be chilled for about 20 minutes! The reds are like the anti-Bordeaux! The Pinot Noir is very expressive and full of flavour- but nowhere near as full-bodies as Bordeauxs! Now the whites are Chardonnay... sorry to break it to you... but they are! Now their one saving grace is the fact that about 99% of Whites from Chablis are unoaked! Which explains why they do not have that butteryness or vanilla notes that so often get associated with Chardonnay! So for future reference its not the Chardonnay ye hate- its the Oak!

An Introduction to Australian Wine: Part 2

BLOG 100!!! Now, after part 1, I think is the perfect time to look at the different regions within Australia. Now depending on what you’re looking for, Australia has a region for it. For example I want a really big peppery Shiraz, well then I go to the Barrossa Valley, maybe I want a much more refined ripe fruit Shiraz… well then I simply leave Barrossa and head over to the Clare Valley or Maclaren Vale! I know it doesn’t really make much sense- if I’m honest I don’t really have a full grasp on it yet either. All I know is that different grapes need different elements… but at the heart of it all- they all require a long time to ripen, that way they are more infused with flavour. Which makes sense- think about it, if something grows too quickly its going to miss out on a lot of stuff. So its down to the Wine maker to pick a region that will help grapes ripen slowly but surely. One of the best ways to do this to have a diurnal climate… basically meaning warm days and cool night. I know it’s a bit confusing, but trust me I’ve been reading a lot about it, and essentially that’s one of the main keys to growing grapes. Also soil matters- but that’s a whole can of worms that really doesn’t need to be opened at this point… So below we get a tiny bit technical… I know, I know, but it really was unavoidable- there’s only so long I can waffle on, before I have to give ye some useful information- but what I said in Part1 remains true, I’ll try and keep it as easy as possible!

Clare valley:

The Clare valley is unique to Australia with its cool nights and hot summer days, which ensures the fruit ripens slower and more evenly than elsewhere (seeeee diurnal climate… told you!). The Clare Valley is unique for its abundance of eucalyptus trees, which fill red wines- such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz- with a touch of mint. I know- relax, for some reason the word mint terrifies people when it comes to Clare Valley Cabernets… But trust me when they’re done correctly Clare Valley wines stamp their authority as some of the most special wines in the world- even with the mint! Honestly try some of them- a good example of top quality Clare Valley wine is the O’Leary-Walker Cabernet Sauvignon!

McLaren Vale:

Comprised of many different “terroirs”, the McLaren Vale offers an array of different wines- each giving distinction to the wines produced in this area. McLaren Vale Shiraz displays pronounced berry and spice characters with some dark chocolate and liquorice, while Shiraz from cooler sub-regions exhibits defined ripe raspberry characters. McLaren Vale Shiraz is renowned for its great softness and rolling palate.

Southern Flinders:

Located north of the Clare Valley, Southern Flinders receives a large amount of Sunshine. However, this sunshine is tempered by virtue of the fact that the region is elevated which serves to keep it cool, and therefore the grapes ripen earlier than in the neighbouring Clare Valley. Southern Flinders is capable of creating great reds in Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon- however, like other regions in Australia its best known for its Shiraz’s.

Coonawarra:

Coonawarra is synonymous with classy Cabernet Sauvignon, full of plum and blackcurrant fruit. So much so, that successes with other grape varieties is overlooked. The limestone geology also suits Chardonnay and Riesling, but with Cabernets like these there is little need to look too far afield.

Barossa:

The Barossa Valley is best known for its Shiraz. Australia's, and some of the world’s oldest Shiraz vines still live on in the Barossa from low yielding dry grown bush vines that produce highly concentrated, lush, complex, rich, intense, and full-bodied wines. Softened by some oak and resplendent with juicy berry fruit, dark bitter chocolate and slight minty characteristics, Barossa Shiraz is renowned throughout the world as one of the best. Barossan Shiraz’s may have been on the map for a while but now they are also turning their hand the white variety- Viognier.

Eden Valley:

The Eden Valley wine region includes the High Eden sub-region and is known for its rockier, more acidic soil than the neighboring Barossa Valley. The area has a higher elevation, and thus has a colder, wetter climate. The Eden Valley is home to the Hill of Grace vineyard with its 130+ year old Shiraz vines that are behind the world renowned Henschke Hill of Grace wine. The Eden Valley has also gained international attention for its limestone noted Rieslings.

Margaret River:

The climate of Margaret River is more strongly maritime-influenced than any other major Australian region. The low diurnal and seasonal temperature range means an unusually even accumulation of warmth. Basically the climate is similar to that of Bordeaux in a dry vintage. Interesting fact about Margaret River… the region produces just three percent of total Australian grape production, but it produces over 20 percent of Australia's premium wine market. The principal grape varieties are fairly evenly split between red and white; Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Merlot.

Victoria:

As diverse as they come. With over 600 wineries, Victoria has more wine producers than any other Australian wine-producing state but ranks third in overall wine production due to the lack of mass bulk wine-production. The style of wine ranges from full body red wine to dry white’s.

Adelaide Hills:

Boasting a much cooler climate than other prominent Australian regions, Adelaide Hills is the perfect Region for Sauvignon Blanc, Cool Crisp Chadonnay, and also Pinot Noir. The cool days and nights suit the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but also its clay soil retains enough water to prevent either from becoming overly Jammy. Now I Know I talked a lot about Shiraz- even told you it was in my top 5, but I think Pinot Noir would have to be my favourite red! I love the subtlty of it and how a good one will always surprise you, and that’s exactly what the O’Leary-Walker wine does. Its Silky Smooth with a slight touch of Spice on the palate! Also for all those People who hate Chardonnay… try their Adleaide hills Chardonnay. The biggest problem with Chardonnay is how oaked it is- but the oak can be brilliant… if its done right! Now O’Leary-Walker wines are not ones to do things by half measures- AT ALL! This Chardonnay will get you lookin differently at the grape!

Phew! Congratulations to those who read all that, and for those who just skipped to this part well at least now you know where to find the info you’re looking for! Ok so one wine producer we have to talk about is O’Leary- Walker. Its two guys- David O’Leary and Nick Walker. Why do we have to talk about them? Because they produce ridiculously good wines- seriously any style you are looking for they’ve got a wine for you! But also because they did just win a load of awards… they put the win in wine... (pause for laughter). What they won was a 5 star rating from james Halliday- a well respected wine critic in Australia... now this score is only possible for a winery that regularly produces outstanding wines of quality and typicity. Which is why we’ve got a load of their wines on special offer at the moment- so if you are looking to develop a love of wine, or if you’re looking to increase your love with wine, then Australia is one of the First steps to take in accomplishing this! Now our promotion on these O'Leary Walker wines will be ending this saturday... I know I know, but all good things come to an end... Below i will be putting some info on each of the wines, so have a read and also if anyone feels like joining our e mail list(we send one out every week with a list of whats on special offer) simp

An Introduction to Australian Wine- Part1

Maybe its coincidence, it could even be something far beyond anyone's understanding but the way it has worked out... our 99th and 100th blogs are going to be the longest yet! Don't say we don't spoil ye. Now... From the get go- DO NOT FEAR!! This will be kept as easy as possible, wine can be a surprisingly easy thing to come to terms with- once you know where to start! For me it was starting working here- I’m sure all of our regular customers will remember the terrified look in my eyes every time someone came, I was like a deer caught in the headlights petrified in case they asked me something which I would have no clue how to answer. Now I’m not saying I’m an expert at this stage, so so so so far from it, but the easiest way I found was to just pick a country, try some wines from the different regions (it doesn’t matter if you have a developed palate or not), and see what I liked myself. After all at the end of the day when you know what you like you can take it from there. So for the sake of these AWESOME blogs we’ll be focussing on Australia- and why wouldn’t we? With a history of amazing movies like Crocodile Dundee, and incredible facts like In 1954 Bob Hawke made it into the Guinness Record Book for sculling 2.5 pints of beer in 11 seconds. Bob Hawke went on to become the Prime Minister of Australia. How could you not love this country?

Australia is brilliant, so many different regions, so many different types of wine, and so many winemakers (one in particular, O’Leary-Walker, who we will be talking about a lot!) who are willing to try out new techniques. It really does encompass a lot of styles, and the Australians do not shy away from taking on the old world at their own game. The main grape variety in Australia is Shiraz, sometimes you will see it written as Syrah, but they are essentially the same thing. Now one little argument which I think should be laid to rest, at this stage, is the origins of the word Shiraz… Yes I know there is a place in Iran called Shiraz too and therefore the grape has to come from there! I’m afraid that’s all just a coincidence, a pretty freaky one I might add- what the hell are the chances? But, yes from what I’ve read there is no evidence at all that that’s where it comes from. It’s more likely that the main reason behind the differences between the two words is down to good old English mispronunciation… Don’t believe me? Well look at the word whiskey…. Came from the Irish Fuisce Beatha (one of a few Irish words to enter the English language…). So it’s not outside the realm of possibility that Syrah was mispronounced Shiraz- Long story short Syrah and Shiraz are the same thing!

Now Shiraz is a great grape- easily in my top 5! And what makes it so good? I hear you call… Well as I talked about at a great length above, the grape is popular in France, particularly the Cotes Du Rhone, where it goes by the name Syrah. It is one of the more important ingredients when making a top notch Châteneuf-du-Pape. So Syrah/Shiraz was takin from france in 1832 by James Busby- clearly a fan of wine but much more known for all the stuff he did for New Zealand… maybe they should have called him James BUSY…. Cause of the wine… and the stuff with New Zealand… anyyywayyssss…. Aren’t we all glad that he did bring it with him, because around the 1970’s the Australians were getting pretty thirsty (like our little squirrel friend here!)- and more than anything else they wanted a nice big full-bodied red, that would quench this insatiable thirst. So of course they turned to Shiraz. It took off in a big way; all those vines that had been left lying around sine Busby’s time were now producing some of the greatest wines the Australian’s had ever tasted. But this wasn’t enough! They looked back to the old world, at what France were doing and they started creating some classic Côtes-du-Rhône blends. The possibilities were limitless now- Shiraz and Viognier were a triumph together, Grenache-Shiraz-Mourvèdre (GSM) Brilliant! Yes the Shiraz Grape really won the affections of the Australians, but the key to it being so popular in Australia was not its dependability…. On the contrary it was how different it would be between the regions. The Australians had this brilliant Full bodied Grape- but whats more they had variety like no other country could have in the world! Shiraz produces wines with a wide range of flavour notes, depending on the climate and soils where it is grown, as well as other viticultural practices chosen. Aroma characters can range from violets to berries (usually dark as opposed to red), chocolate, espresso and black pepper. No one aroma can be called "typical" but generally blackberry and pepper are the most pronounced. But at the heart of all this success the Austrlians had, not just with Shiraz but with other grape varieties too, there was one defining atttribute which set them apart from the old world- basically it was the lack of rules and regulations. Most if not all the old world regions have a fixed set of rules which determines what grapes are to be grown and where- France with their AOC, Spain with its DOC, Italy with their DOCG’S, and while these do ensure a certain level of quality… they confine producers to an old way of wine making. But in Australia those rules don’t exist- it’s a playground for winemakers. Look at the O’Leary-Walker Shiraz. They take 70% of their Shiraz grapes from the Clare valley, and the other 30% from the McLaren vale- and because of this blend you get a shiraz which is truly unique to not only to O’Leary-Walker wines, but also Australia! Now in the next Blog we will be going a little more in depth with regards Regions (it'll be better than it sounds trust me!) which are really important for anyone looking to further their knowledge of wine!

Que? Reserva? Que?

In Yesterdays post I mention very breifly the subject of the word Reserve or Reserva on wine labels. Now the assumption we all make when we see this word and the accompaning price increase is that the quality of the wine must have increased and in many cases it will have however there are no rules governing the labeling of Reserve and Reserva wines, with one notable exception Spain. The Spanish are particularly ruthless in their labeling of wines as reserva and gran reserva, with a long established system. I know not what you thinking when you see Manuel in Fawlty Towers, yet its true. The Spanish system varies slightly from region to region but the basics remain the same.

• Joven sees absolutely no oak at all. Joven means young and the style of the wine is fresh and fruity.
• Crianza must be aged for a minimum of one year in oak barrel and at least one year in bottle before release
• Reserva must be aged a minimum of three years in barrel and bottle with at least one which must be in oak;
• Gran Reserva has to be aged for a minimum of five years, a minimum of two years in oak followed by the remaining years in bottle before release.

The Spanish are so serious about this system that even if the producer doesn't display the level of aging of the bottle ( a very rare and unlikely occurrence), that the authories will, next time you have a Rioja or Ribera del Duero wine look at the back of the bottle for the Government Seal, a hologram which tells you the region from which the wine came and the aging, they are even colour coded. And we think the Germans are crazy about rules, well maybe their labels are so complicated you need a code book to crack them.

Old Enough to Drink: Old Vines

Many bottles of wine particulary from Australia and France have the short phrase 'Old vines' or 'vieilles vignes' on the label, this is to let us know that the vines from which the wine has been produced are consider of an Old age, the problem is, that in general, there are no real rules about how old vines must be to be called Old Vines. This is similar to the problem with calling a wine reserve, which with the exception of Spain, also does not have any real guidelines. But why bother with adding this information is it just another line to bamboozle wine drinkers or is their an actual reason for it. Well yes their is a belief that becuase older vines yeild less fruit the flavours and expressions of terrior will be greater. But the question of how old is old no rears itself again.

If most people had to guess as to where the oldest vines are, we would naturally say france however we'd be wrong, most of French and indeed other European vines where destroyed by that most devious of bugs Phylloxera (if what they did wasn't bad enough, their name is hard enough to pronounce with out feeling like you made it up, "fill-oxer-a"). Any way back to the old vines some of the recognised oldest vines still used in production are in the Barossa Valley in Australia, and there would be more if during the 80s the Aussies hadn't ripped them up to plant fruit!

Now the Aussies appreciate their Old Vines and in the The Barossa they have established their own classification based on vine age. A specific name applies to the vines based on their age:

• Old vine: 35 years or older
• Survivor vine: 70 years or older
• Centurion vine: 100 years or older
• Ancestor vine: 125 years or older

So next time you open a bottle with Old vines on the label consider the fact that those vines maybe older than you!!

Terroir V.S Regionality

It seems only fitting to follow up the last post on terroir, with an fine example of Australian Terroir, because it's not just the French, much as they would have you think so, that have terroir. In Australia they jsut tend to call it regionality. Both idea accept that wineproduced in differnet climates within one country can show differnt aromas and flavours, the Aussies however are slightly more generous when it comes to letting you know whats in the bottle, and where the wine is from.

The Clare Valley is Australia's premier riesling producing region, although it is only the third most planted the region after Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. Riesling loves diurnal temperature changes, ie, warm days and cool nights, the Clare Valley is perfectly suited to this. Clare valley riesling is approachable when young but still delicous when ten or twelve years old, a real gem when one considers many whites fade after a year. Another great example of Regionality from Clare is Cabernet Sauvignon, oddly the most planted red in the area, Clare Valley Cabernet has a has a wonderful mint and euculyptus edge which is indicative of all Clare Valley reds. O'Leary Walker do both a Clare Valley Riesling from the sub-region of Watervale and a straight up cabernet from Clare, both of which demonstrate these terroir expressions in full.

Terroir...rific?

Yes Yes this Blog will be focusing on that brilliant little word the French coined- Terroir! Even just saying aloud fills me with a sense of knowing exactly what I'm talking about! If you ever want to impress someone, try saying it about the wine you're drinking, ie- oh my you can really taste the terroir from this wine OR mmmm this wine is really infused with its terroir, but this is the most important part- you have to say it in your most pompous french accent, otherwise whats the point? There's a very strong chance they won't know what you're talking about, but should they ask won't you be glad you read this Blog! So the word itself was coined in an attempt to account for the subtle differences between the varying regions, within France. Basically the french see the wine they produce as an expression of the area- they aren't just making Pinot Noir, they're making a wine with a grape that best exudes the sense of Burgundy. And because of this that's why French wines don't put the grape on the bottle- because as far as they're concerned its not about the grape, its all about the region! Its because of this idea that the region is whats important, and not necessarily the grape, that the french Apellation Controle system came about- a unique region will have a unique wine that cannot be replicated! So at this point it would only be natural to assume that french view the wine making process as entirely up to nature... wrong, in fact the wine maker can do certain things which will bring out or suppress the terroir. For example things like flood irrigation, or excessive oak aging would kill the terroir, whereas pruning so that they get low yields or using old vines are all things that would enhance the terroir in the wine. Basically land has always been viewed as something that had to be works in order to get the best results from it- the idea behind a terroir is that it has to be worked WITH in order to get the best unique product from it!

Hurtle V Champagne

So in honour of O'Leary-Walker wines wining a load of awards we've decided to put them on promotion! Now i know a lot of you will have tried most, if not all, of the O'Leary Walker wines- but one which may have eluded you is the Hurtle. The Hurtle is a Sparkling Wine made in the Classic Champagne way- so I thought it fitting to do up a blog on Champagne!

First bit of interesting information about Champagne- it became popular because of its association with the anointment of French Kings, so it then became associated with Luxury and Power. All this coincided with the emergence of a middle class, which had a bit of money to spend and wanted to show this fact off- So they bought a lot of the Sparkling Stuff! So that's your History lesson for today... but its important when you realise that Champagne's price tag comes pretty much from the word Champagne... Now I don't know about you but if i have any money nowadays I'm not spending it on fancy pancy status symbols like Champagne... but every now and then the fancy pancy Pop of a Sparkling wine is needed- which brings us on nicely to the Hurtle! Its called the Hurtle because Nick Walker's Grandfather Hurtle Walker was revered as one of the best producers of Sparkling Wine- ergo its only fitting that this Sparkling Wine be named after him!

So I know you are all dying to know what is the traditional Champagne method... well basically after the first fermentation takes place- its bottled and a bit of yeast is added to so a second fermentation happens. This is where the Bubbles come from. Apparently it takes 1 and a half years for all the flavours to come through in the Champagne. So what they just put it in the bottle, leave it for a year and a half, slap a huge price tag on it... easy! WRONG! One man is actually responsible for turning the bottles a fraction each day so the yeast doesn't settle... so a lot of Love goes into that Sparkling Stuff!

Ohhhhhh'Leary-walker!

Every now and then certain things happen which allows us to be pretty smug on this Blog- like the Eternum Viti from Toro winning best value under €15! Or as is the case here the wines of O'Leary-Walker winning a bucket load of awards! If you don't believe us just take a stroll by the shop we've got all the articles up in the window- don't believe the articles then try some of the wines and see what all the fuss is about! They Started their Winery in 2001 with a simple Philosophy-source the best grapes from the best Vineyards and therefore make the best wines....

Best Grapes+Best Vineyards=Best Wines!

Ya I can see how that works so well for them... So for anyone who follows the Blog (all the millions of ye...) Ye will know that James Halliday gave them 5 stars out of 5 stars- pretty good once you realise the requirements to get such an award (here's the link to our own blog on this...). So they couldn't simply be an overnight success by taking the best fruit, from the best regions, to make the best wine. On the contrary both worked at several different vineyards in Australia producing great wines until they got bored of their success- and decided instead to start producing for themselves... They are essentially living the dream- doing what they love to do, and doing it better than everyone else. So you see we're not the only ones who get to be smug over their success- they can be pretty smug about it too!

Appelation Sensation: Combining Chocolate and Wine

Now their are many of us out there who enjoy a nice glass of red wine and chocolate, it is one of the top food wine combinations. If you haven't tried it then- my god- get out there and get some nice chocolate, the darker the better and a nice full bodied red. Two great wines to try with dark chocolate are the Blue Cutting Road Cabernet Merlot and Spain's own Eternum Viti from Toro, and both could be worth a go this weekend when trying to impress your Valentine. But the king of this combination is undoubtedly Recioto della Valpolicella from Italy, one word describes the combination of dark chocolate with Recioto, Divine.

But a husband and wife wine making team based in Bordeaux, France have taken the wine chocolate combination a step further, and created Appelation Sensations. Which brings us wine-filled chocolates. Appellation Sensations does two variations on this theme. Their all-natural dark chocolates (shown here) are 72 percent cacao and filled with red Bordeaux estate wine. The perfect gift this Valentines maybe??

Sparkling Rose!

Christmas is well and truly over, the ice has melted and now spring is so close to being upon us- but we've got one last thing to celebrate.... Valentines Day! So if your Christmas gift to that special someone wasn't quite up to par this year then this is your chance to redeem yourself! Now nothing says Romance quite like a Sparkling wine, and Nothing says Valentines day like the colour pink....

Sparkling Wine+Colour Pink= Sparkling Rose

BINGO! Problem solved just crack a bottle of Sparkling Rose and your sure to impress... provided you don't hit them with cork when it opens.... or else a Valentines in casualty would not be easily forgiven... So here's how to open the perfect bottle of Sparkling Wine- remove the wire mesh around the top (carefully though its not unusual for the cork to fly off once the wire is gone...). Tilt the Bottle away from everyone holding it with one hand around the fat part of the bottle, and the other on the cork. Now while holding the cork twist the bottle with the hand around the fat part- resist the urge to yank the cork out!!! Now if you successfully do this then You will be well on your way to having a great Valentines- as opposed to shaking the bottle like a formula 1 driver, and letting the cork fly off to hit your loved one right between the eyes... Unless you want to get dumped this Valentines- then go right ahead!

Climate and Wine

So having finished a couple of Blogs on some of the major regions in Australia and New Zealand one thing is obvious.... Climate is one of the most important factors when it comes to Grape Growing. But what are the factors that dictate what grapes do well and where? Well if you google climate and wine most of the results relate to climate change and how it will affect grape growing... claims of Germany becoming the major region for nice reds, Burgundy will start growing syrah, and the best Sparkling wines come from surrey in South England not Champagne... may someday become true, but as long as wine is being produced somewhere then we'll be OK! By the looks of it scientists actually think Wine regions will be pushed more to the Polls, so we could see appelation Norway controlle someday.So with all these wine producers being forced to look further afield what are the key elements they will be looking for in their new wine regions? Well temperature is the most important climatic element- obviously- so our wine producers will be looking for a nice sunny destination! Grapes need roughly 1,400 hours of sunlight throughout the year to ripen properly, and fill them with natural sugars. Now the longer the grapes take to ripen the better because then they are full of flavour. So they've got the sunshine, and the grapes are growing well but they need to be slowed down... What else do our wine growers need to ensure high quality wine? Fog! Fog will moderate the temperatures in the Vineyard- it will cool the warm days, and warm up those cold nights and mornings. And that's why places located close to the ocean or on high altitudes are so good for our much loved grapes. One more major thing to consider is Rainfall- too much of this and it will dilute the sugars in the grapes, and kill of the flavour... but because soil types are also very important (maybe soil types will be my next blog....) they can help out if a region is getting too much or too little rain- like Nelson in New Zealand, doesn't get a whole of rain, but they clay soil retains water so it kinda balances things out! But essentially Vines need no less than 22 annual inches of rain for them to survive. So lets have a look- 1,400 hours of sunlight, some fog, and rain (but not too much...) Well that really rules Ireland out of ever being a major wine producing region... Even if this Climate change thing takes off!

Region by Region- New Zealand: Hawkes Bay

Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokai
whenuakitanatahu.... In Maori it means "The summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travelled about, played his nose flute to his loved one." And why is this important? well (this is one for the pub quizes....) it is the longest place name in the english language! And it is located in Hawkes Bay- the north island just got a lot cooler! But more importantly back to the wine- Hawkes Bay is not like the other regions we have focussed on- basically Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir. Hawkes Bay accounts for more than 80% of New Zealands plantings of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah grapes. Hawkes Bay's succes in these big red wines is in part to its diversity of soil types and climates.
Hawkes bay not only enjoys being able to boast the longest place name in the english language, it also boasts long sunshine hours, low precipitation, and a long ripening season. Now for a fickle grape like Pinot Noir this would be horrible.... but for late ripening grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon or Riesling this is perfect. In fact its 100% different to the other regions I've talked about so far. But all this serves to highlight is that during our 20% off sale on New Zealand wines today and tomorrow- You're going to find something you like!

Region by Region- New Zealand: Nelson

I know I know another south island wine region but trust me, just like the others this one doesn't disappoint. It lies just to the west of Marlborough... and therefore has a pretty similar climate... except because the mountains lie to the east of the region they have a bit more shelter from the rain than marlborough does Which is great if you live there, but all this means is that the soil used for planting grapes- in particular Pinot Noir- need to be mostly Clay type. Basically the advantage to clay- especially in a climate that doesn't get much rain- is it retains water much better than other types of soil. And this is perfect for grapes like pinot noir which need to remain ripe and moist otherwise they shrivel up, which gives them a real jammy taste. Which just goes to show how temperamental a grape pinot noir is- but when you get a good one its 100% worth it!

Now, in store anyways, one of our favourite producers from Nelson is Greenhouogh. The great thing about Greenhough wineries is their dedication to producing the best possible wines- now not as extreme as muddy water in waipara, but still pretty dedicated! Just like the other regions I could talk endlessly about the Sauvignon that comes from here- but to be honest it only differs slightly from Marlborough. But what nelson is also great for (especially Greenhough) is richly textured and buttery Chardonnay, and also dense and quite spicy Pinot Noir's.

Region by Region- New Zealand: Waipara

Alright so first off the important stuff! We have decided that for New Zealand day we will be giving 20% of all New Zealand wines for Friday the 5th and Saturday the 6th of February! So you can load up on all the Marlborough Sauvignon, or Waipara Pinot Noirs you want- in fact it would be a good idea to do this! But back to the Business at hand today- Waipara! Waipara is located south of Marlborough but still has the cool coastal climate like Marlborough. However, unlike Marlborough their main focus is on the Pinot Noir Grape- which is actually my favourite Grape! As a region they're very young- just 20 years old... Which is brilliant when you see the style of wines they are producing. The wines from this region posses a deceptive lightness when you view them in the glass- almost like a rose! But on the palate they come to life with some of the richest red fruit flavours. They are absolutely incredible wines- and well worth a try for any Pinot Lover!
So what else has Waipara got to offer- for the people who don't like Pinot Noir all that much. Well Marlbrough may be the benchmark when it comes to Sauvignon Blanc but that doesn't stop Waipara from trying their hand at it... One vineyard that is doing well is Muddy Water (actually the literal translation of the maori Waipara not to be confused with the america blues artist muddy waters...). The first grapes from this vineyard were planted in 1993 and first bottle came out in 1997, so in 4 short years they accomplished what generations have tried to. Whats their secret? Well simply they're producing wines of quality not simply for profit... they are so dedicated to achieving the highest possible standard that the year before last the chief wine maker Belinda Gould didn't feel like the grapes were up to scratch so rather than have a bad vintage which would tarnish the name of their vineyard the opted to scrap the lot! Costing them a lot of money, but to produce a great wine you have to be able to stand behind every vintage! We carry a lot of wines from Muddy Water and i could talk about them all endlessly but with 20% off them this weekend I'm sure it would be much more fun to try them yourself!

Region by Region- New Zealand: Marlborough

So after months of hard work- finally my Blog gets its first comment! I got to say I'm pretty happy about that... Whether you agree with me or not I welcome all comments- otherwise what would be the point of the Blog? But enough about that- in preparation for New Zealand day we'll be covering the major wine regions in New Zealand! Today- Marlborough! It has the reputation for the best Sauvignon Blanc in the World and yet all you get is people looking for the one type of wine from there... Cloudy Bay... Now I'm not saying its a bad wine- but come on! Its the best region in the world for Sauvignon Blanc.... there's much better value wines to get from there! Anyways Whats the Secret to their success? Well nothing really- they started plantings there in 1970's which is incredible when you think about it. In just 40 years they've built up that kind of reputation. But as i was saying- the key to their success is the Climate- it suits the Sauvignon Grapes so perfectly. Protected to the west by mountains, Marlborough is one of the Sunniest, driest places in New Zealand, but still has a cool climate which leads to a long intense ripening period, which leaves the Grapes Bursting with Flavour. That's all that really needs to be said about this region- there's no secret to why Marlborough produces such great wines! It just does! But, there are a few different sub regions within Marlborough- So don't just stick with one particular brand... cough cough cloudy bay cough... experiment! Ye Won't regret it!

Corked Wine

We've all been there- at a restaurant ordering a bottle of wine acting like we know what we're on about, and then the waiter comes out with the bottle, pours you a bit, and you have to act like you know exactly what you're doing... How are you supposed to know if the wine is corked or not? I asked someone this when I was 18- the response was simply "oh you'll know!" Clearly not supplying me with enough information to answer any part of my question- but enough of a statement for me to never really think about it again... not until i did get a bottle that was corked... The tell tale sign is it smells like mould, or wet dog- basically it smells exactly like something you don't want to be drinking!

So this inevitably leads us to the age old (well maybe not all that age old... actually its a pretty recent debate...) debate.... Corks Vs Screw caps! Alright lets start by listing the advantages of Corks

• they look cooler than screw caps
• they make a better sound when you open them
• opening a bottle of wine with a cork give it a sense of ceremony

So there you have it the advantages of Corks... of course no matter how sound the Advantages sound- they don't really excuse the disadvantages do they? well there is only one real disadvantage- corked wine.

Now I'm not saying Screw Caps are great- apparently at a experiment carried out in Chateau Haut-Brion in 1970 they found that the corks worked perfectly for the first 10 years- but after that the threads wore a little thin and a tiny amount of Oxygen got in. So they are far from ideal yet. But whats most important is they're not far off. So what you loose some of that ceremony when opening a bottle. The Wine is there to be enjoyed- not to be celebrated.