A bunch of rosés

The psychology of summer: sunlight lifting the spirits, warm days, short nights, perfumed gardens, the happy social scene, the lightness of being; and sipping rosé wine.

We Brits have taken to the pink drink like the proverbial ducks to water and many of the bottles we buy are slung into the supermarket trolley along with our sausages, burgers and beans. There's nothing wrong with this, but it can be much more satisfying to search out quality and diversity and to buy from people who can advise you, and often give you a tasting too: our local independent wine merchants.

We are really lucky in the Guildford area to have three good wine shops, run by knowledgeable staff who are in the business because they love their product.

Our quest this week:  to find the perfect rosé wine, so we asked them all to recommend rosés that they thought were good value and that they felt happy to represent as their choice.

Rupert Pritchett of Taurus Wines near Bramley belies his years, as he tells us he has “been around for a long, long time”! It is a delightful experience to visit Rupert in his converted cowshed at Whipley Farm. Useful too, as, after stocking up on the wines, you can buy your animal feed next door. We were offered a whole host of rosés to try, but decided on one classic Provençal and one trendily dark-skinned Chilean.

M de Minuty 2009 is £12.99 and has the lovely and distinctive shapely bottle of Provence rosés, which was modelled, of course, on a woman. Or more prosaically it could be said to have a handy waist to hold on to. In southern France wine is often drunk “on the rocks”, further diluting the alcoholic content and flavour, so the fine but clear acidity of this wine has to be well pronounced to hold up to this treatment. The quintessentially Provençal pale shell pink colour, aromas of rose petals and flat stones baked by the sun and a clean minerality combine to make this a taste of holidays. Drink with or without food - great with grilled fish.

Torres Santa Digna Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé - £7.99. The Torres family name has been linked with Spanish wine for more than three centuries and in 1979 they opened a winery in the wine-grower's paradise of Chile. This rosé is a pale cherry colour with intense and exuberant aromas of red fruit and a hint of blackcurrant. It still retains Spanish roots and makes a great marriage with tapas, salamis - or butterflied lamb on the barbecue.

“Real men drink rosé” is a sentiment that Ben Watkins of The Guildford Wine Company in Shalford subscribes to and he is happy to prove this with his wide range of samples chilled and ready to taste.

His Les Cerisiers Côtes du Rhône Rosé- £8.49 or £6.99 if you buy 2 bottles is not as pale as a Provençal rosé and has more oomph. The weighty stone fruit and herbal flavours, together with a definite acidity, show this wine means business.

Canforrales Garnacha Rosado 2009 from La Mancha in Spain, £7.99 a bottle, is a lively translucent red, just the shade of Heather A's favourite lipgloss. Its delicate bouquet of tinned strawberries might not sound complimentary, but is a classic description of garnacha-based wines and rather delightful. It has a robust dryness and is the rosé to accompany barbecued bangers – a bloke's rosé.

“And now for something completely different”, Ben brought out a dinky little half-bottle called Innocent Bystander (£5.99), an Australian sparkling pink muscat. This quirky wine, crown-capped like a beer bottle, is bursting with effervescent tutti -frutti flavours and would be a wonderful gimmick to bring out for parties....with a straw! Sweet, pink, fizzy and only 5.5% alcohol, it could be just the thing to splash around with a picnic fruit salad.

Les Caves De Pyrène on the Old Portsmouth Road, Artington, always seem to be in a state of chaotic upheaval , but then “busy” is their middle name as one of the premiere suppliers to the restaurant trade, including Terroirs, their own vinous eatery in London. Our man on the spot, Adrian Scholes, when not engaged in endlessly complex conversations with suppliers and clients, unfailingly guides us towards unusual items for our opinion.

Unusual is perhaps just one of the first words that comes to mind when sipping Alquézar Tempranillo-Garnacha Rosado 2009, £7.99 a bottle. The colour and flavours call to mind sour cherries, so an acquired taste or perhaps one for those who want to get away from the “cute” label of many rosés. Treat it more like a summer red that you can chill down for full-flavoured refreshment.

By contrast and oh, such an easy quaff, is Bergerie de la Bastide Vin de Pays d’Oc Rosé 2009 - £6.49. A delicate shade of pink with good, balanced acidity, light and floral, but not at all cloying. Easy and undemanding drinking.

Do seek out your own local wine merchants, buy from a real person and you will get so much more enjoyment from your wine shopping.


Think pink
Most rosé wines are made pink in one of two ways:

• Lightly crushing black grapes and letting the grape flesh remain in contact with the skins for just long enough to colour the juice pink
• Blending in some red wine to some white wine, to make pink. Sounds simple (not to mention cheap) but this is the way that most pink Champagne is made
•  Always seek out the most recent vintage of rosés, as they don't improve with age. Look for 2009’s Europe and California – and we will soon be moving onto 2010s from the southern hemisphere.

Postcards from France

The two Heathers have both recently returned from two contrasting parts of France. Read our postcards to find out who enjoyed time amongst the beautiful people and glitz of the Riviera, and who sampled the more rustic charms of France's far southwest.

Dear readers,

I've never had a meal quite like it: this was nose to tail eating, and then some. Piled onto our plates by the grape growers of Fitou from a wood-fired barbecue amongst the vines were mountains of lamb, pork, black pudding and more pork. All this after an appetiser, if that's the right word, of snails (cooked with pork fat, natch - picture above), downed with a dollop of aïoli and washed down with a generous glug of gutsy red Fitou.

Asterix would have felt at home at the feast, though he might have lamented the lack of wild boar on the menu.

This part of France, almost as far south as you can go before you bump into the Pyrenees and the border with Spain, is renowned for having the highest number of sunny days in the country. Needless to say, it was raining when we arrived. It's famous for Cathar castles, strapping rugbymen and the full-bodied wines of Fitou.

Over two thirds of Fitou wines are made by the energetic and quality-minded co-operative, Mont Tauch. So the chances are, if you've ever bought a bottle of Fitou, it will have been made at their state-of-the-art winery in the tiny village of Tuchan, at the foot of Mont Tauch itself.

Grape vines are the only viable crop here and any land that isn't suitable for grapes is soon taken over by that wild mix of aromatic Mediterranean plants that we call “garrigue”.

You too can check on the development of this year's grape harvest, accompanied only by the sound of birdsong and wafts of scent from the garrigue, if you pick up a self-guided walk leaflet from the Mont Tauch winery and Visitor Centre in Tuchan. At the half-way point you can stop for a picnic (pack your own, not forgetting a suitable bottle of wine) at the source of the Artigas, before returning to the hum of the stainless steel vats of the winery.

Wish you were here,
Heather D  xx

Find out more at: www.mont-tauch.fr

Heather’s pick of Mont Tauch wines available in the UK
Le Dog de Roselyne, Pays d'Oc Rose 2009 – Morrison's £5.79 (from September)
A light, fresh mouthful of red fruit, with a spicy kick on the finish.

Les Garrigues Grande Reserve Grenache Blanc, Pays du Torgan 2009 - £8.79, Savage Selections
Grenache blanc is an unsung variety that's capable of really characterful wines with enough weight to make them great with food. This has notes of pear and thyme on the nose, following through to a herbal and spicy palate with a hint of almond.

Les Garrigues Grande Reserve Grenache Noir, Pays du Torgan 2009 - £8.79, Savage Selections
This is one to bring out if you're chucking a wild boar on the barbecue. The dense, brooding fruit and tannins cry out for something meaty to match.

Dear Surrey Advertiser readers,

If you don’t feel the need for hairs-on-your-chest, mountain-man stuff then you would have been better off with me laconically lazing in la-la land, St Trop darling, where pink is the drink.

Just so that Heather D doesn’t think she had all the adventures – I will have you know that I encountered my fair share of wild(?) bores, but mostly of the slashed shirted gold medallion type. Yawn.

Whilst visiting old friends who have lived for many years in the fragrant lavender bedecked countryside of Provence, I found many an occasion to sample various local wines ranging in colour from off-white to almost red, a rosé by any other name.

In the spirit of research I visited various vineyards and hostelries ranging in style from the sublime to the ridiculous - and oft combinations of both. I cannot say that I came across an unpalatable wine in any guise, whether from humble farmhouse (or Mas), to the renowned bars and restaurants on Pampelonne or Tahiti beach - it was just the price that was very, very different.

St. Tropez was a quiet little fishing village until the mid fifties when film director Roger Vadim chose that location to make a film called “And God Created Woman”, staring the up and coming young actress Brigitte Bardot. One enterprising local fisherman decided to offer lunch on the beach to all the stars and crew and this was the start of what is now one of the most iconic restaurants in France, if not the world. It is named after the year it was conceived “Cinquante Cinq”. Le Club 55 is still the haunt of the glitterati, yachtterati and de rigueur for wannabes and vinous voyeurs such as yours truly. Their rosé is excellent but not available in our UK supermarkets.

There are however many excellent rosés to be had and I came across an interesting website that lists some fine examples of the French wines I have been drinking and which you can buy online: www.rose-wine.com . Château Routas Wild Boar Rosé - just to continue on our theme - works out at £11.50 a bottle and is a modern, crisp and refreshing wine, easy drinking with or without food.

Our favourite local independent wine stores all stock a good selection of rosés and we will be devoting ourselves to researching these on your behalf for recommendations in our next column. Can’t wait.

Au revoir,
Heather A xx
Think pink, www.redwhiteandrose for all your liquid assets.

Any wine for tennis?

“You cannot be serious”  John McEnroe

Rain may stop play, British hopefuls may disappoint, but the fun that surrounds Wimbledon fortnight carries on regardless. All this seasonal sporting showmanship plus a surfeit of strawberries and cream accompanied by pints of Pimm's might seem to present a challenge to any wine-loving tennis fan. Actually Heather Aitken thinks she copes with it very well! For those of a more delicate constitution, fear not, we two Heathers of Red White & Rosé will guide you through the tennis trials and tribulations to come.

There's one wine that well and truly fits the short but sweet grass court tennis season: sauvignon blanc. This wine gives you a grand slam shot of one of the top ten evocative scents in the world - freshly mown grass. Add the subtle backhand sting of nettles, and the oh- so- English gooseberry tartness and this perfectly encapsulates the sporting summer “Season”. Try the ever-reliable Errazuriz Sauvignon Blanc from Chile – down to £4.99 if you buy two bottles at Majestic.

If you'd like to watch your favourite player's game with a suitable tipple, then wine offers some apposite choices. When Nadal is mesmerizing with his matadorial elegance and brawn you could join in the drama with a dash of Domaine de Fondrèche Nadal – a powerhouse blend of meaty Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre from the Ventoux in the southern Rhône. A bottle can be yours for £12.50 from H2Vin of Epsom.

“I play each point like my life depends on it”   Rafael Nadal

Rafa hails from the island of Mallorca, famous for sun, sea and some other things, but not wine. However, we were both impressed earlier this year with an intriguingly named wine from Mallorca – 12 volts, made by 4 kilos winery. (If you want to know why that name, email us atmailto:info@redwhiteandrose.co.uk ). It's a full-bodied but sophisticated blend of the native callet variety, along with cabernet, merlot and syrah. TodoVino of London has it for £14.36, or Winedirect in East Sussex for £16.95.

If mercurial maestro Roger Federer overcomes his recent loss of form and comes good at Wimbledon, then there are plenty of suave Swiss wines to cheer him on with – though you will be unsurprised to learn that they don't come cuckoo-clock cheap. Nick Dobson Wines, based in Wokingham, is probably home to the widest selection of Swiss wines outside the canton, and you can order online.

“Victory is fleeting. Losing is forever.”  Billie Jean King

Ardeonaig Hotel, on the banks of Loch Tay in Scotland, will be commercially harvesting its grapes for the first time ever this year to produce a crisp Riesling. They have a philosophical outlook which could also apply to Scots tennis ace Andy Murray: if it’s not good enough (he/it) will be turned into vinegar. On a positive and patriotic note they also say of things Scottish, “somebody has got to be first”.

Strawberries and cream don't appear to be natural partners for wine and many tennis fans pair it instead with a glass of Pimm's. This can be fun in the sun, but it's easy to overdo it with spirits-based drinks that taste dangerously only of the lemonade you mix them with. A safe and more adventurous bet would be a light, frothy and fun Moscato d'Asti from Italy. Made from aromatic muscat grapes, lightly sparkling and just 5% alcohol, this is a naughty-but-nice lunchtime treat. The Wine Society list Perrone Elio Moscato d'Asti for £6.50 a bottle. More readily available is the less refined and fashionably retro Asti Martini NV, £6.99 from Waitrose.

Once you've savoured the guilty pleasure of something sweet and fizzy, there's nothing to stop you experimenting further, so pick up a bottle of Brachetto d'Acqui while you're at it. A light red sparkling wine, sweet and light in alcohol, its intense red fruit flavours are a wonderful foil for strawberries. Taurus Wines of Bramley have Alasia Brachetto d'Acqui for £7.99.

If you want to have more serious fun with your strawberries, there is no more heavenly match than Sauternes. Heather Dougherty reveals, “For years I pooh-poohed the idea of a lusciously sweet, unctuous and complex dessert wine with strawberries and cream, thinking that no-one who had actually tried the two together could seriously think they make a good match. Reader, I was wrong. Given the opportunity to try this classic combination a few years back, I was forced to eat my words”. Taurus Wines' Domaine du Haut Montlong 2006 is a bargain at £11.99. From neighbouring Monbazillac rather than Sauternes proper, it nevertheless has all the barley sugared charm you could wish for. The same amount of money gets you a half bottle of Castelnau de Suduiraut 2003 from Majestic. The second label of renowned Sauternes estate Chateau Suduiraut, the full-flavoured, sweet style is great for desserts.

“Whoever said ‘It’s not whether you win or lose that counts.’ probably lost”   Martina Navratilova

The winners of Wimbledon this year will undoubtedly celebrate with a bottle or two of Dom Pérignon or Krug. If you can stretch to those prices – please get in touch, we'd love to come along to the party! If you're on more of a tight budget, then look no further than Lindauer Special Select Blanc de Blancs NV. A mouthful of a name, but this light and elegant, 100% chardonnay sparkler from New Zealand is no effort to drink. And at £7.49 a bottle from Majestic currently, it's easy on the wallet too.

Enjoy the soporific rhythmic clunk of balls against rackets and remember that “Tennis begins with love”.

World Cup wines

“The first 90 minutes are the most important.”  Sir Bobby Robson

As you read this, excitement will be at fever pitch....it’s ok we are not deluding ourselves that our SA (Surrey Advertiser) articles are the generators of such intense passion. Another SA will be creating a huge amount of heat on 11thJune 2010 with the kick-off of the FIFA world cup in South Africa.


“Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I’m very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.”  Bill Shankley

This summer there are really only two choices and, for those who, like us, are not the biggest footie fans, the pressure to support “our boys” will be hard to resist. So our advice is to go with the flow, avoid arguments and relinquish the TV for the duration. Do not fret that you have no idea how offside works, or what the sweeper system is - there are other compensations. Admiring the physique and prowess of the players has its own rewards and instead of whingeing, we are going to get wine-ing and demonstrate our enthusiasm by drinking delicious South African wine!

Our goal is to find something a little different that you can appreciate come rain or shine and that reflects the spicy heat of the SA proving grounds. South Africa's gift to the world of wine is its unique grape, Pinotage – the result of a crossing of the southern French Cinsault and the noble Pinot Noir. It's a Marmite of a wine grape and some people wish that South Africa had kept this particular gift to itself. Others lap up its lush, black fruit with smoky notes and beefy undertones. A feel-good and taste-good option is Tukulu Pinotage 2007, £8.99 from Oddbins. This wine amply demonstrates the South African term “Wamkekile”, a local Xhosa word meaning “we welcome you”, which we're sure we'll be hearing more of over the coming weeks.

The bookies' favourite to win this summer's beautiful game is Spain, followed by Brazil, England, Argentina and Netherlands. Is that a cue for a country-based wine and food matching dinner we hear?

“I felt a lump in my mouth as the ball went in” Terry Venables

Spain - land of conquistadores, matadors, rhythmic clicking castanets and the provocative rustle and swirl of a flamenco skirt. Old Moorish, intense and darkly brooding Spain, as opposed to the flashy Marbella Pina Colada portside pueblos, is what you are drinking deeply of when you senses first encounter Marques de Caceres Rioja Crianza, £8.99 from Guildford Wine Company (and Majestic, as long as you buy 2 bottles ); £9.99 from Oddbins.  A whiff of horseflesh and tack room tannins, with the backbone of the steely rapier of the corrida emanate from this lean, garnet red classic wine. Eat meaty tapas and chorizo. Olé!

Brazil - samba and sensuality, bronzed bikini-clad (at most) bodies on Ipanema beach, the shocking contrast of the über-rich and the gangster-riddled ghetto fraternities of the favelas. The food has to be Dobrada, a bean stew with everything in it, including pigs' intestines if you are up to it!  Brazil is a big wine producer (third behind Argentina and Chile in South America) including, perhaps surprisingly, huge quantities of fizz. So Brazilians will be hoping to toast their team's success with home-produced sparkling wines. Not much of it makes it way to Europe though, so we'll have to settle for something to match that hearty bean stew. Guigal's Côtes du Rhône is a benchmark for the region, with plenty of rustic-tinged fruit and a hint of the warm south - £9.99 a bottle from Taurus Wines of Bramley. Beleza!

England, ah England – our battling colonial spirit has taken us worldwide, so we won't confine ourselves to an English wine.  As an historically seafaring nation our strength is honed by the mixing of our races from Vikings, Normans, Celts and, more recently, from Caribbean and Asian erstwhile colonies. Our men of England possess, as in the times of our national hero Horatio Nelson, strong “Hearts of Oak”. In this vein we recommend for our heroes a lightly oaked Chardonnay from New Zealand, still part of the Commonwealth: Wither Hills Marlborough Chardonnay is £8.99 from Waitrose and shows plenty of backbone and a strong finish. This would be perfect with roast chicken and all the trimmings – though if we do manage some real summer weather, it would be equally at home around the barbecue. Cheers! Bottoms up! Mud in your eye!

Argentina - the heat and dust of the pampas, the macho cigar-smoking gauchos and the thrilling tempos of twanging guitars and tango in Buenos Aires bars. Big haunches of tender steak feed late night revellers, washed down with a strong, spicy and intense deeply purple Malbec. Argentina may not be the original home of this grape, which started out in France, but it has certainly made it its own. Majestic stocks Ben Marco Malbec from the Dominio del Plata winery at £10.99 if you buy 2 bottles.  This wine has got “cojones” and a whiff of the cigar box alongside the ripe and lively black fruit. In spring it is the practice of the gauchos (cowboys) to castrate the cattle in order for them to grow bigger and fatter. The testicles are eaten as a relished delicacy cooked over burning coals.....ouch....don’t cry for me Argentina. Salud!

Netherlands - the easygoing Dutch have obviously got “on their bikes” and out of their windmills to be rated amongst the top Cup contenders. As a quiet, tolerant bunch of tulip-growing cloggies they may appear quite tame to the gambler and to have far less of a chance than their flamboyant Latino counterparts. Yet Dutch adventurers have been in South Africa as settlers since 1652, and of course their un-compromising Afrikaaner stock is renowned for tough, ruthless survival tactics.  Across the other side of the globe, the Dutch invented “Rijsttafel” or Rice Table, a lavish Indonesian feast of rice served with from six to sixty side dishes of seafood, vegetables, coconut and all manner of attractively presented meats. Such a substantial and spicy meal needs a ripe, limey Riesling with some sweetness to stand up to the spice. Vidal Riesling 2009 from New Zealand fits the bill perfectly and is £8.99 at Oddbins. Let’s hope they don’t do a Van Gogh if they miss out on the top spot. Prosit!

“Sometimes in football you have to score goals” Thierry Henry

Now we are all exhausted from running round the Heathers’ football philosophy it is time to open a bottle of something from the host country that will set you off in anticipatory dribbling. Iona Sauvignon Blanc, £9.99 at Waitrose, £12.49 at Majestic is a classy combination of cool-climate acidity, combined with mouthwatering gooseberry and tropical fruit.

Enjoy the beautiful games and we hope to indulge in many a celebratory tipple.

Parliamentary pin-ups: a coalition cocktail

Has it occurred to you that we now have a veritable “boy band” of a government in Cameron, Clegg and perhaps soon to be one of the Milliband family as leader of the opposition? Watching this contest (“The Fraternicide?”, or “Cain and Abel?”), will be the next big spectator sport with brothers David and Ed battling it out for the thrill and patronage of the voting public. The erstwhile hugely popular X Factor will now likely be rendered passé and no longer relevant with such an intriguing gladiatorial contest on the world stage.


Coalition cocktails
Try Belt-tightening Bellini, using “champagne” Cameron –economise with sparkling wine instead of the real thing and mix with a peachy future.


Young’s Old Nick Barley Wine – a very English taste, add a dash of vodka to make it international, befitting Nick Clegg’s aspirations and roots.



Our ministerial leaders are all in their early forties, and…..probably the best looking bunch of politicos ever. What a coup and a proving ground for this media-led, celebrity obsessed country. But actually, who’s complaining? England has always been innovative and a world leader in pop culture and we do have in this line up a remarkably potent and persuasive force. Our prediction is that all things new wave English will become the fashionable trend in lifestyle impacting on our everyday living.


With events conspiring to keep us in England what with the rubber band ash cloud and the threat of strikes affecting foreign travel, we will all be gardening, growing our own and visiting our lovely coast, countryside and magnificent monuments. We think this strong community feeling will embrace support of local and personal enterprises such as one we visited last week, Taurus Wines near Bramley.


Rupert Pritchett outdid himself with this, his 9th Summer Wine Festival, held inside the delightful wood-beamed Gate Street Barn at Wintershall . It was a jolly band of tasters who crowded into sample the wide range of wines, beers, spirits and ciders on display and quite the party atmosphere developed with very little use being made of the spittoons.


Our English favourite was Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs Brut 2001, just announced as having gained a Gold Medal in this year’s International Wine Challenge, “the Oscars of the wine world”. This West Sussex ringer for a classy Blanc de Blancs Champagne is £24.99 – Champagne prices too. Staying with the sparklers but on a mission to try a recommendation of some youthful tipplers we sampled Alasia Brachetto d’Acqui 2009 - £7.99 . This is a sweetish sparkling red with the perfume of roses, violets and a distinct weightiness of raisin in the taste. It has a young and exuberant taste and contrary to expectations we both liked it and thought that as an aperitif or even lightweight pudding wine it would be fun and “different”. We have to say that Rupert himself is less than enthusiastic and describes it as “red lemonade”: he is obviously feeling old!


The wine that we were really enthusiastic about was Te Muna Pinot Noir 2008 - £19.99, smooth, delicate and subtly perfumed from Craggy Range in New Zealand. This company claims to have the best vineyards in kiwi-land and wines to compete with the best in the world. We like this bold, confident new world attitude. A “must do” tasting is Vina Errazuriz’ Chilean wines; they never disappoint and Wild Ferment Sauvignon Blanc 2009 - £10.99, lets you smell the sea beyond the herbal meadows , delicious.


According to Rupert he likes to provide with his wine fair the means and encouragement for local residents to experiment with something other than what he refers to as “Surrey water”, which, to the un-initiated is Pinot Grigio!


Talking of local events, Bramley Village Fete is on Sunday 30th May, 1pm until 4.30pm. This bank holiday celebration really kicks off the start of the summer season. This year, in addition to the traditional stalls and amusements, there will be a brilliant sheepdog display, music from the soon to be signed band “Satellite Cities” and curry lunches from the famous Champan restaurant. All the more usual village staples such as barbequed sausages, teas, sandwiches and cakes galore will be there and our recommendation for food and wine matching for the day is to visit the Pimm’s stall and the Beer tent with local ale, always a popular choice. Entry is free, so see you there.


Wine on tap is not a new idea, and could tie in nicely with your British cultural visits this summer. Inspired by a painting of the Field of the Cloth of Gold, a royal summit meeting held in France in Tudor times, an ornate fourteen foot wine fountain replica has now been built in Hampton Court. The working replica will dispense wine which visitors will be able to buy for £3.50 a glass. In the days of Henry VIII wine from the fountain was free of charge.


Still in Surrey, Jeremy Hunt, MP for South West Surrey and a possible contender for our virtual boy band being an attractive early fortysomething - is aptly now Culture Secretary. We are, however, a little concerned about his cultural credentials as it has come to our attention that he eschews wine in favour of Sake, a potent Japanese fermented rice wine. We applaud his feeling for continuity in that he apparently speaks fluent Japanese, but which came first we wonder, the Sake or the language? Irrelevant if, like us, you can understand neither. We do feel that in order for Jeremy to be fully accepted into our Surrey community he should get a working knowledge of what the locals drink. He is after all hardly going to be popular turning up to dinner parties with a bottle of “eau de paddy fields”. Both Heathers agree that in the spirit of community service (of course), it would be quite fun to help educate him. http://www.redwhiteandrose.co.uk/ - awaiting your call.


Finally, those in the happy position to be able to invest in wine are eagerly anticipating the Bordeaux 2009 vintage, rumoured to be absolutely stunning. Older bottle sales have hit the record books and the Liv-Ex 100 Fine Wine Index shows a rise of 166% over the last five years and is now at an all time high. This is mainly due to Asia’s insatiable demand (Jeremy Hunt please note) and shows no signs of abating. This of course just confirms that it is Red White and Rosé for all your liquid assets!

Village enterprises and vinous surprises in Surrey's green and pleasant land

Surrey Hills villages are full of suprises, many of them pleasant, such as a recent event in a village hall in Shalford. Ben Watkins, owner of the rather grand sounding Guildford Wine Company, threw a wine tasting bash for his local clients and fans. Unlike most tastings we have attended this was for real people, the”punters” who actually buy and consume the product, as opposed to wine experts. It was a beautiful sunny day and glasses of wine from all the usual country origins, plus a few less well known areas such as Lebanon, were carried out onto the grass and enjoyed, picnic-style with Paul Cancelliri’s delicious Italian charcuterie and cheeses.


As an independent retailer Ben puts long hours into his business and he is obviously aware that he has to offer something different than the supermarket shelves. He carries a wide range of wines from Mediterranean and new world countries and feels very qualified to offer advice on them as he has “tasted 95% of them”!  Dedication indeed...


Here are two recommendations from our man in Shalford – Domaine Bergon Vermentino Sur Lie, 2008 – Vin de Pays D’Oc, France £7.99. A perfect all round white, crisp and dry with delicate peach and nectarine fruitiness. We love the name of this one, Innocent Bystander Pinot Noir, 2009 – Victoria, Australia £10.99. Great value Pinot Noir from the relatively cool climate of Victoria in Australia. A good example of the style showing vibrant, ripe strawberry fruit in a silky elegant way. Excellent for summertime quaffing.


“We have never had a bad bottle from you” is the statement from his clients that this entrepreneur says makes it all worthwhile.


Further surprises were in store as just along the A281 in Bramley, tucked away in the bluebell woods is The Organic Spirits Company, a family firm who are the purveyors of the FIRST AND ONLY ORGANIC SPIRITS IN THE WORLD, fair-trade and holders of the Royal Warrant to boot!

What makes their products so different, was the question we asked of Christopher Parker, MD and local resident. “One taste is worth a thousand words”, says Chris, and luckily you can prove this for yourselves as his products are sold in Waitrose, The Guildford Wine company (featured above) and various other select outlets. Christopher is rightly proud of his gold, silver and bronze medals awarded not just for his best seller Juniper Green Gin but also for Papagayo organic Rums, Utkins UK5 organic Vodka, Highland Harvest organic Scotch Whisky and Prince Charles’ favourite, Organic Sloe Gin.


Every aspect of Juniper Green Gin’s production is 100% organic which results in a spirit of unparalleled purity. The finest ingredients and biodynamic farming – a sustainable form of agriculture which maintains soil fertility and works in harmony with nature – are key to quality. As a man of much marketing experience Chris knows that in the Hotel, restaurant and bar trade one in ten customers prefer organic products, a number on the increase. This thought can be compared to the fact that just ten years ago very few venues offered vegetarian food. Today no menu is complete without the vegetarian option. When you try these spirits for the first time swirl and sniff and savour in the mouth as you would with wine to appreciate their depth and finesse, then you had better add a bit of water, tonic or soda as appropriate or you will be reeling in seconds flat!

Bramley Bramble cocktail – mix together 50ml Juniper Green Gin, 37.5ml lemon juice, 12.5ml blackberry liqueur. Serve on ice.

Before leaving Bramley and in the name of art we would like to mention two charity events, the first one featuring postman Lawrence Moore who, like his famous namesake, is a sculptor. Lawrence, who in most weathers delivers naked from the knee down, makes striking and unusual objects and pots from various stoneware clays and porcelain. He will be exhibiting together with painter Mary Hainline at “Pentire” Snowdenham Lane, Bramley on Friday 21st May until 9pm on 23rd May in aid of research into Motor Neurone Disease.


Celebrating the Sculpture exhibition at Birtley House on Saturday 15th May, artists of a different hue, yours truly Heather Dougherty and Heather Aitken will be exhibiting their own particular brand of wine lore at a dinner to benefit The Surrey Foundation. Tickets from Janet@birtleyhouse.co.uk .


Moving on across the valley, hidden away behind a kitchen furniture supplier in Artington is a quirky wine wholesaler known as Les Caves de Pyrène. Why the unpronounceable name we wondered? The shortest answer (there are several), is that they started out as a specialist importer of wines from Southwest France and wanted to reflect this in the name – hence Pyrène as in Pyrenees. Their range from this fascinating corner of France is still probably the best in the country. Many of their bottles end up on the wine list of top notch restaurants in London, including their own jointly-owned venture, the superb Terroirs. So popular is it with those in the know that it’s unofficial name is the wine trade canteen.


“Les Caves” have now expanded their stock range to include wines from Italy to New Zealand and most places in between. Adrian Scholes - the man with the tattered black book - has been with Les Caves since the beginning. He is a friendly, big daddy-ish but sometimes rather fraught-looking director who logically, sympathetically and diplomatically sorts out wine dilemmas. Heather Aitken (roving reporter?) paid a visit to experience their Mediterranean tasting evening featuring Corsican wine. To set the mood there were serenading Corsican balladeers, who sounded better and better as the evening wore on.


The good news for Surrey residents is that this place is not just for “the trade”, anyone can browse and buy providing it is a minimum purchase of 12 bottles. This is the place to head for if you have a thirst for vinous adventure and are keen to discover what les Caves call “real wines”: many organic and/or biodynamic and always made with individuality and care. If you delight in tongue- twisting names, try Pacherenc du Vic Bilh, (say it, drink it and then try saying it again), from Domaine Berthoumieu from Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng grapes. Like walking through an orchard of almond blossom, this wine is a unique and delicious experience (£10.75 a bottle from les Caves).

“I had rather be first in a village than second at Rome” Julius Caesar

There are an abundance of hidden gems in our neck of the woods and it is a pleasure to discover and highlight them in our wine and lifestyle columns. Do contact us at http://www.redwhiteandrose.co.uk/ to let us know your favourite places and people that make Surrey such a “green and pleasant land”.

Readers' wines...and star signs

“Democracy is the worst form of government except for all the others that have been tried.” Winston Churchill.


It's but a few hours until the general election and if you are still in a quandary as to the various strengths, weaknesses and intentions of the various parties and their leaders, then read on.


The expression “in vino veritas” will be our guide as we examine the character and values of the party leaders through the medium of – what else? - wine. Imagine, if you wilI, Messrs Brown, Cameron and Clegg conducting their TV debates with a glass of wine in their hand (and that might have pepped things up a bit), what should it have been?


Gordon Brown – As the PM hails from Scotland, we automatically associate him with scotch whisky. But he doesn't have much of a reputation for drinking of any kind: Chancellora are famously allowed to drink while delivering the budget speech, yet Gordon chose nothing more intoxicating than Scottish mineral water when he was in the role.


Whisky, however, may not be too wide of the mark character-wise as he certainly comes across as a strong, serious dram of a man. Whisky is an essential part of our national heritage, though its uncompromising flavour isn't to everyone's taste - it's a world away from crowd-pleasing, undemanding, sweet and sickly alcopops.


Don’t forget, though, that much of Gordon's perceived dourness comes from his Scots antecedents rather than from his personality. He does have a taste for all things financial; is bossy, but works hard, particularly for the under-dog. If you give any credence to that kind of thing, Mr Brown's astrological sign is Pisces: a romantic, emotional water sign, which is a bit of a surprise, based on what we know – still waters run deep perhaps?


Taking all these factors into account, the PM should be attracted to the profound flavours of a red wine that appears light and straightforward, but has undercurrents and hidden complexities, with a long finish. Wines made from pinot noir encapsulate these qualities perfectly, so Gordon should get on fine with Roaring Meg Pinot Noir, from the Mount Difficulty winery (a neat reminder of the mountain to climb perhaps?) in New Zealand. Majestic have it for £14.99 if you buy 2 bottles (£17.49 normally). Despite the name, drinking this perfumed, silky wine would be a pleasure, not a LABOUR of love.


David Cameron – Middle England, dimple-cheeked pin-up, the sort of chap that Sloane Rangers (remember them?) would choose as the RIGHT chap to have on one's arm at a black tie dinner and to take home to meet Daddy. His is the perfect profile for the diplomatic service: suave, compliant, charming....style over substance? He is a typical Libran in that he encapsulates all this along with a desire for a balanced lifestyle. This is perhaps why his policies never seem to stay quite still. He would like everyone to have the perfect life – it is how to achieve this that could be a problem. As an air sign his preferences for wine would be reflected in something light and bubbly but, we must hope, with some intellectual backbone. Dave got himself into hot water being caught on camera quaffing Champagne on the eve of George Osborn's austerity speech last year, so he should stick with the popular budget choice of Prosecco. Marca Oro Prosecco at Sainsbury's for £6.99 should strike a suitably happy-go-lucky note, with enough zing and verve to enliven even a CONSERVATIVE party!


Nick Clegg – He started out as the Third Man, practically the Invisible Man, of the election campaign, but his apparent triumph in the first TV debate has brought him to the forefront of our minds. Yet what do we really know about the man who holds an increasingly important and pivotal position politically as the possibility of a coalition government looms? He has a very interesting and cosmopolitan background, his father half Russian, his mother Dutch and his wife Spanish. But of course what we all know about him is his boast (or confession?) that he had had “no more than thirty” lovers before marrying. It's always the quiet ones isn't it?


His persona and appearance are completely at odds with the beards and anoraks image of the party he leads. He is besuited and business orientated rather than otherworldly or bookish: an expression of his Capricornian star sign, the down to earth but upwardly mobile grafters of the zodiac, perhaps? Or is it just that, with his, ahem, romantic history, he is also a bit of an old goat? With such a mixed heritage and lifestyle his wine character, like his politics, could go anywhere. However, taking into account his earthy influences, his ambition and his predilections the thought of a “hung” parliament could definitely work in his favour...


A sensuous, earthy but sophisticated, red with Euro credentials such as Domaine Font de Michelle Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2007, £24.99 from Waitrose is a reassuringly exspensive choice. A fabulous wine with a hint of wild spice that should be quaffed LIBERALly and DEMOCRATically.


“Don’t believe a word, for words are only spoken. Your heart is like that promise, made to be broken”. Thin Lizzy, 1976


Now that everything is as clear as “must” - the mud of the wine world - we hope that the choices in wine will help to clarify and cut to the chase through all the waffle and political posturing. Judge a man by what he drinks, how he drinks and who he drinks with, is our axiom and thought for the day.



“Politics” is made up of two words “poli” which is Greek for “many, and “tics” which are blood-sucking insects”. Gore Vidal



Wine and Sculpture at Birtley House, Bramley.
Heather Dougherty and Heather Aitken will be entertaining and educating guests into the wonderful world of wine at a charity event and dinner in aid of the Surrey Community Foundation on Saturday 15th May at Birtley House, Bramley. We would love to meet you there, come and join the fun.


Tickets priced £35 available from 01483 892055 or email; janet@birtleyhouse.co.uk www.birtleyevents.co.uk