Ancient and modern Tuscany

The Dorchester, that “Grand Dame” of Park Lane London was the very smart venue for a tasting of “A selection of the best wines of Tuscany”, dutifully and anticipatorily attended by yours truly Heather and Heather. The ballroom was transformed into a heady and aromatic marketplace of stalls, all clamouring for the attention of prospective wine buyers, distributors and press attention such as ourselves. Every space was filled with a seething mass of Italian verbosity and gesticulation - delightful but oh so difficult to balance a wine glass in the throng! 

I think it fair to say that we have never before attended such a popular exposition and decided that, as the invitation included an Italian-style lunch at the revered Dorchester, this could be part of the attraction.

Indeed we have to say that upon further observation, the interest in the eating (of course with suitably matched vino in hand) rather outweighed the attention being paid to classifying the merits of the various Tuscan wines showcased at the event. In other words, it was a mad bun-fight…..or maybe truly representative of all things Italy.

After a jostled antipasto Heather D declared it was time to go, as a rather calmer tasting of Languedoc wines was also on the agenda for the day and shouldered her way to the exit and the relative peace of Hyde Park.

Tuscany is, of course, home to Chianti, one of the most recognizable names in wine. Where wines benefit from a famous name to help them sell, like Chianti, Rioja or Chateauneuf-du-Pape, it's a reasonable rule of thumb that 1/3 of them will be very good, 1/3 OK and 1/3 fit only for the cooking pot – but sadly prices are not a reliable guide to which is which. Before leaving the crush at the Dorchester, Heather D tasted a near-perfect example of Chianti, which she felt it was her duty to pass onto you , however tempting it is to keep to ourselves! Castello Vicchiomaggio Vigna la Prima Chianti Riserva 2007 is far easier to appreciate than to write. Vicchiomaggio is a traditional estate, in the heart of the Chianti Classico region, and has been making wine since the 5^th century. Unsurprisingly, the wine is distinctly old-style and certainly none the worse for that. Ripe, combining sweet-savoury flavours; elegant, smooth as silk but with a certain juicy opulence, it is worth every penny of the £27.90 being asked by slurp.co.uk.

Heather A decided that she was in for the “secondi” – and sense of adventure paid off as she found a quiet haven in a hidden salon where all the prize winning fine wines were being elegantly served – persistence pays off!

Not being a believer in saving the best till last the favourite of the day was Rocca delle Macie Ser Gioveto Toscana IGT 2006. The 2004 vintage of this wine is available from Godalming-based merchants, Imbibros for £26.95 a bottle. Ser Gioveto is an award-winning wine from the dynamic and highly regarded Rocca delle Macie winery in the Sienna zone of Chianti, renowned for their low yields, green harvesting and manual picking of the fruit. The wine has a mature caramel-y tannicity and a velvety texture. It enfolds you in its arms like a big jovial country woman, a Pillar of the Earth indeed, Hemingway-esque we could say, but that would of course be Spanish rather than Italian…hopefully you get the gist.

 

Sasso al Poggio Toscana IGT 2005 from the Piccini family estates is distinctively different, the first whiff of the bouquet gives you blue cheese rind and the first sip a slightly bitter almond herbal taste. Don´t let this put you off, it develops wonderfully well in the mouth and the lingering finish leaves you wanting more. You can pick up the 2009 of this wine for £8.10 from online merchants, slurp.co.uk.

La Querce is a small wine estate in the Florentine hills area of Chianti. Their simply named La Querce Toscana IGT 2007 is a softly tannined, sensuous wine, a young but completely well-formed specimen having gained character from surviving the sometimes harsh climatic conditions by drawing on the water reserves created by the clay terroir. Sadly, this is a wine that you will need to seek out if you are planning a holiday in “Surrey by the Med” this summer, as it isn't currently imported into the UK.

Villa la Ripa overlooks the lovely medieval town of Arezzo, where recently discovered Etrusco-Roman remains have shown this to be one of the oldest vineyards in the region. Winemaking here is carried out with the greatest respect for the terroir located on a limestone plateau where the ancient vines produce some of the regions finest great growths. Tiratari Rosso di Toscana IGT 2008 is an elegant, full bodied wine with excellent ageing potential. It has something of the scent of warm clover meadows to entice your senses and if you want to give it a try, Secret Cellar of Tunbridge Wells have the 2005 for £19.49.

Spring is here, the proverbial green shoots now bursting into bloom, lawn trimming becoming obligatory and house renovations underway for so many of us, a busy time not just for the birds. Take time-out to breathe in the stories, history and romance and enjoy the vivacious new selection of wines from the epicentre of the old world, transforming themselves, Armani-style, to be the must have labels of today.I

Trouble downunder?

Flood, fire and for some the worst of all - the brimstone of losing the Ashes to the Poms. It’s enough to test the spirits of even the hardiest outbackers of Oz. Australians are fiercely proud (in a laid back sort of way) of their country and their achievements and there is no doubt that their pioneering spirit will prevail against the recent catastrophes visited upon them. It’s a testament to their can-do attitude that Australia has embarked on a wide ranging media campaign extolling the many wonders of their land down under, making it clear that they are still ready to welcome the world’s tourists.

Wine has, of course, been a key ingredient in Australia’s winning ways since the 1980s, when their “sunshine in a glass” was a breath of fresh air (or should that be sip of cool wine) for UK wine drinkers. It’s hard now to conjure up the excitement that these new arrivals caused at the time: varietal labelling! No funny foreign-sounding and unpronounceable wine regions! Back labels, telling you something about the wine – in English! It must have felt like a little bit of wine heaven had fallen to earth.

However, where the successful lead, others follow and those first Australians were soon joined by a host of “me too” crowd-pleasing wines. Argentina, Chile, South Africa, even those upstart fellow Antipodeans with their “cat’s pee on a gooseberry bush” sauvignon blancs. In order to stay ahead, you’ve got to innovate and indeed many Australian winemakers in the intervening years have been working hard to produce individual, expressive wines that taste of where they come from. This has been great for drinkers who are prepared to pay a little more and who want to move on from the fruit bomb styles of those early hits.

Unfortunately, the UK wine market has been dominated by the pile ‘em high, sell ‘em cheap big brands – you know the ones we mean. The 3 for £10, the BOGOFs, the was £7.99 now £3.99 wines. They serve a purpose, but exciting and elegant they are not.

Australia now finds itself in the unenviable position of having to scrap with the other discounters at the bottom end of the wine mass market and losing share as a result. The double whammy is that we are also somewhat reluctant to spend more on Australian wines, because of the cheap and cheerful image that deep discounting promotes. Over ten quid for an Aussie shiraz? Shome mishtake surely?

If we would all be prepared to spend a little more on a bottle from downunder, oh the delights that await. And, yes, we’re always banging on about this – but it’s true. Fixed costs on a bottle of wine (duty, VAT, shipping etc) mean that there are literally pennies left to spend on the actual wine itself if we pay around £4 in the supermarket. Up the bottle price to £8 or £10 and the winemaker has more like pounds to spend on putting something decent in the bottle. You know it makes sense.

Regionality is a big buzz word in Australia right now. In a country the size of Europe, so it should be. A chardonnay grown in the Margaret River in Western Australia is not going to taste the same as one grown hundreds of miles away in the Adelaide Hills.

Here are some of our favourite Aussies du jour that show just a hint of what this subcontinent of wine can do:

Jacob’s Creek Reserve Riesling 2010 - £9.99 at Tesco.com and Tesco Wine Club

Jacob’s Creek we hear you screech! Yeah but, no but. Yes, it’s Jacob’s Creek, but it’s part of their new regional reserves range (and try saying that after a glass of Riesling). The fruit for this wine hails from the Eden Valley zone of the Barossa region – a noted hotspot for cool-climate loving Riesling. And don’t worry that it might be sweet – this is bone dry, with hints of lime blossom and citrus acidity that make it a great friend to fish.

Jacob’s Creek Reserve Shiraz 2007 - £9.99 at Tesco.com and Tesco Wine Club

Oh well, in for a penny… This shiraz is from the warmer part of the Barossa, responsible for the most distinctly Australian tasting shirazes, which develop a whiff of saddle leather as they age – which is a good thing, honest. Let this youngster seduce you with its aromas of fruitcake and plum, hint of chocolate and soft, ripe tannins – definitely a red meat wine.

Shaw & Smith Sauvignon Blanc 2009 - £11.99, Taurus Wines (Bramley)

Not a gooseberry bush (or indeed a cat) in sight, this sauvignon from the Adelaide Hills near, well, Adelaide, is full of understated herbaceous and floral appeal. A class act.

Cullen Sauvignon/Semillon 2009 - £19.99, the Guildford Wine Company (Shalford)

Margaret River in Western Australia makes fantastic red Bordeaux blends as well as world class chardonnay. But we’ve chosen this distinctively Australian blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon, made by Vanya Cullen from her biodynamically farmed vineyards. The zip and pungency of the sauvignon is given added weight and depth and a certain limey punch by the semillon. This delicious and lively wine is perfect for spring.

We’re not often in the position of feeling sympathy for the Aussies – so go on, raise a glass of one of these delicious wines and show your solidarity. Howzat!

Tolkein about New Zealand wines

“It's not my hobbit to be star struck but I was thrilled to meet Gandalf recently, (Ian Mckellan, the actor, that is) though sadly he was minus his flowing white locks. I am a huge Lord of the Rings fan, since being introduced to Tolkein's masterpiece in my youth and becoming totally bewitched by his allegorical legends.” enthused Heather A.  Like many afficionados she was sceptical about how these fantastical tales could be translated to celluloid, as nothing can ever hope to compete with our imagination, but she applauds director Peter Jackson for his masterly and magnificent effort.  The Lord of the Rings trilogy was famously filmed in New Zealand’s South Island, the stunning scenery providing the perfect backdrop for the trials and perilous journey of the Ring Bearer, Frodo Baggins.

In recent months there has been a public outcry in this far flung outpost of “British-ness”, as it has been mooted that another Tolkein tale, The Hobbit, is to be filmed  - but not in New Zealand.  This news has prompted a national outcry as a whole tourist industry has grown up in the wake of this land being designated Hobbit Holme.  We await the outcome.

In the meantime life goes on apace (or actually quite slowly in NZ it must be said), with the other relatively new “industry” that has captured the world’s imagination – New Zealand wine.  Cloudy Bay sauvignon blanc is cited by many as the first Kiwi wine to make its mark on the world's wine fashion stage.  It is still popular and has become the model for the multitude of follow-on-ers who have since appeared. 

Sauvignon blanc must be a contender for the world's most easily recognizable grape variety:  that pungent, nettley, gooseberry fruit that jumps up out of the glass to meet you could not be mistaken for anything else.  New Zealand made its mark with what you might call “fruit salad” style sauvignons, which packed a punch, but perhaps lacked subtlety.  More recently, though, a greater deal of diversity in taste and a far more sensitive touch from the winemaker has allowed more subtle nuances of flavour to emerge.  A sauvignon much-rated by those in the know is Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc, from Marlborough of course.  Here  lively, herbaceous and lightly floral fruit dances across the palate.  More of an elegant pas de deux than a Highland fling.  Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc 2009 is available from the Vineking (Reigate and Horley) for £15.99, or £14 as part of a case.  The Vineyard in Dorking has the 2008 for just £9.99 – a steal, but as this is generally not a wine style that suits ageing, try a bottle before you grab a case of it.

Success breeds confidence and where once apple orchards exported fruit to the northern hemisphere, the new crop is the grape.  Many a brave decision has been made by colonial farmers to turn their lands and their hands to viticulture, and the result has been an upsurge of individual and family owned vineyards enthusiastically producing uniquely styled wines.  However, success can also breed over-production, as New Zealanders have found as they now wrestle with a glut of sauvignon blanc and vineyard sell-offs.  

Rieslings are being talked up as the vine variety à la mode by those of us who write about wine and those who try to sell it.  A variety that originally found fame as a light, floral wine  from Germany, and something more muscular and mineral in Austria and Alsace is now being championed by the newcomers from “the land of the long white cloud.”  Try Wild Earth Riesling 2008, £13.50 at Godalming-based Imbibros.   It has lively acidity and a combination of flowers and peachy fruit on the palate.  The flavours are delicate but have enough presence and the hint of sweetness (don't panic!) makes it a great choice with Thai dishes and Malaysian lightly-spiced curries.

Many people equate New Zealand with white wines, but for some years now really exciting reds have been emerging as a new world force and we urge you to try these hot contenders whilst they are still relatively inexpensive for their quality.  The wines from Te Mata Estate are a superb example and mentioned in the esteemed Robert Parker’s Buyers Guide as one of the top five outstanding wine producers.  Te Mata is in the Hawke’s Bay area of North Island and is well established as New Zealand’s oldest winery going back to the 1890’s.  Their 2005 Awatea Cabernet/Merlot blend with 92 Parker points is stunning – if you can find it, as it's not commercially available here.  However, the 2007 can be yours for £19.15 from online merchant, New Zealand House of Wines. 

Heather A was lucky enough to visit the Te Mata vineyard and to sample these wines recently and thought it would enhance your enjoyment of the wines to hear the love story legend of Te Mata:

Long, long ago when the world was young and warring tribes fought for land and sustenance, a plot was hatched by the Heretaunga tribes to conquer their main adversaries by using the womanly wiles and beauty of the chief’s daughter, Hinerakau.  She was sent to win the heart of the opposing giant chieftain Te Mata and, having accomplished this task, was to set him impossible feats to benefit her own tribe. In the meantime Hinerakau fell in love with this mountain of a man but that fact didn’t change the pact, and poor lovesick Te Mata died in his labours of love.  Today his prostrate form is known as Te Mata peak, and at sunset, when the mists form, a beautiful blue cloak (or purple-tinged mist) is seen to cover the body, put there by the grieving Hinerakua, who then leaps to her death.....  Sob.

On that sobering note (please excuse the pun), a Maori fare-thee-well, until we meet again.

Haere ra, Ka hoki mai ano

Do you come from a land downunder?

No, not that one, the other one. New Zealand, whose Maori name, Aotearoa, translates to “land of the long white cloud” is famous for a few things: having more sheep than people, having one of the most feared rubgy union sides in the world and being home to more flightless birds than any other country. OK, we may have made one of those up, but they do have quite a few flightless birds, including their national symbol, the kiwi, and the endangered kakapo, the world's largest parrot.

The All Blacks have long made a big impression on the rugby pitch with their haka, the ritual Maori dance that involves rhythmical chanting along with thigh slapping, eye-rolling and tongue-poking – and we only have God Save the Queen. No wonder they run our guys ragged.

Nowadays New Zealand is spreading its wings (excuse the pun) beyond the world of flightless birds and rugby and adding wine to its list of famous exports. Sauvignon blanc has been the Kiwi calling card of the past decade and it has truly struck a chord with the UK's wine gluggers.

However, no-one wants to be a one-trick pony and New Zealand's wine producers know that today's Top of the Pops white can rapidly go the way of Liebfraumilch and Lutomer Laski Riesling, which today you would only encounter in a strictly ironic way at a Seventies party, along with the prawn cocktail and steak Diane, washed down with a Demis Roussos LP. The Kiwis do not intend to be consigned to merely providing the alcoholic accompaniment to Noughties parties, along with a Jamie Oliver pukka pasta dish and Lady Gaga or JLS on the ipod.

So while we've been busy slugging back the sauvignon, they have been beavering away, planting new varieties, experimenting with growing techniques and exploring which of their variations of climate and soils best suits each one.

Pinot noir has triumphantly emerged as THE red grape best suited to this cool climate land – which is great news for any wine producing country, as pinot noir is notoriously picky about where it will grow. Too hot and it turns fat and blowsy, with nothing to recommend it. Too cool, though, and it will fail to ripen, succumb to rot and generally be economically non-viable. New Zealand, though, is clearly the Goldilocks country – it's just right.

And why all the fuss about a grape variety? Well, once you've been bitten by the pinot bug, you appreciate that no other grape is the same. It's light in colour, with soft tannins and fresh, crisp acidity. The fragrant cherry, raspberry and strawberry fruit, often combined with a subtle lick of spicy oak is charming, beguiling and the opposite to a blow-your-socks-off blockbuster red. It combines elegance with understated power – a ballerina rather than a prop forward.

Decades ago, there was no choice but to head to Burgundy to indulge your pinot habit – and at Burgundy prices it can be an expensive one. Now, you can look to places like Leyda Valley in Chile, Walker Bay in the Indian Ocean-cooled far south of South Africa, isolated cool pockets like the Mornington Peninsula in Australia – and to New Zealand.

Because New Zealand is two long islands, with climates ranging from warm enough to ripen syrah in the north of the North Island, to cold enough for penguins and icebergs in the far south of the South Island, there are many places in between that provide happy sites for the pinot grape, producing different styles of wine.

Some notable New Zealand pinots from north to south:

The Society's Exhibition Martinborough Pinot Noir 2008, £12.95, The Wine Society

Martinborough lies at the bottom end of the North Island, just across the narrow straits that separate it from the cooler South Island. Pinots here are typically more masculine, deeper in colour, with more tannin and spice than Marlborough – but it's all relative and you could never mistake this for a shiraz, with its red fruit and silky feeling in the mouth.

Ata Rangi Crimson Pinot Noir 2008, £15.99 The Vineyard, Dorking

Ata Rangi were pioneers of pinot and their years of experience show in this fragrant delight, which somehow has depth without weight.

Craggy Range Te Muna Road Pinot Noir 2008, £19.99, Taurus Wines, Bramley

Another Martinborough pinot! This wine is so silkily and spicily seductive that it was one of our favourites at last year's Taurus wine festival.

The Crossings Marlborough Pinot Noir 2009, £9.75, The Wine Society

Finally we cross to the South Island. This is so light in colour, you could mistake it for a deep rosé, but it has bags of bright cherry fruit and soft tannins which are typical of Marlborough pinots. It would be a treat chilled down once the weather warms up.

Wild Earth Central Otago Pinot Noir 2008, £22.99, down to £20 as part of a case, The Vineking (Church Street Reigate branch), £119.94 for a case of 6 from M&S, £234 for a case of 12 from Tesco Wine by the Case

Central Otago is the world's most southerly wine region – any further south and you swap vines for glaciers and fjords – and makes some of the most delicate, perfumed pinot around. There is plenty of charming cherry and raspberry fruit in Wild Earth, with a pleasing, meaty note on the finish.

Felton Road Central Otago Pinot Noir 2008, £24.99 from The Vineyard, Dorking, £32.49 from Les Caves de Pyrene, Guildford

Biodynamic winery Felton Road has something of a cult following – let its haunting, ethereal charms win you over.

Next time we'll unveil the white wines that New Zealand is counting on to score a hit with UK wine drinkers – until then pop-pickers, we suggest you seek out one of those pinot noirs to keep your spirits up.

In these dark and uncertain times...invest in wine

Picture courtesy of Agne27 via Flickr

Pétrus is recognized as the King of Claret. Or perhaps it should be the Queen, as it was served at the wedding of the then Princess Elizabeth and Philip in 1947. This is a wine coveted by millionaires as, starting at around £2,500 a bottle, it is unlikely to be served at most of our dinner parties. What, we wonder, will be the principal wine served at the nuptials of Prince William and bride Kate?

There is enormous cachet attached to Pétrus, partly due to its small production, around 30,000 bottles, from its 30-acre family-owned estate in Pomerol, near Bordeaux. The entire harvest can be completed in just half a day, allowing the owners to pick at optimum ripeness. The virtuous circle of high prices and small quantities mean that attention can be lavished on each drop of the precious wine, from vine to bottle.

Every vintage of this wine is acclaimed as a classic, but some are raised to a pinnacle of achievement, such as the 2000, rated a perfect 100 points by Robert Parker, and currently selling at auction for around £4,000 a bottle. Apparently the secret to its success is, of course, that peculiarly French notion: terroir. 
 

Terroir is a shorthand to describe the unique combination of climate, aspect and soil on which the vines are grown. Pétrus sits on a clay “boutonnière” (or buttonhole, a poetic image) above the Jurassic limestone-based gravels of surrounding vineyards. The combination of moisture-retentive clay and free-draining gravel makes for a perfect environment for the Merlot grapes which make up 95% of the blend of Pétrus.

Bordeaux wines are hot tips for investors, particularly with the increasing Far East, especially Chinese, market demand. Wine investment houses report that Châteaux Lafite and Mouton-Rothschild were the best-performing commodities in 2009. Fine wines generally produced a return of 10.9%, the same as crude oil, and certainly out-performed the UK property market with returns of 8.2% AGR.

Lafite especially seems to have a particular appeal for the Chinese, with the result that its wines are trading at up to twice the price of the other four Bordeaux first growths, a kind of fine wine premiership. Mouton-Rothschild is famous for commissioning a different artist to create a unique artwork to adorn the label of its “grand vin” each year – and it is surely no coincidence that, this year, it has chosen Chinese artist, Xu Lei, to complete the task.

The Bordeaux wine trade shamelessly talks up each vintage and is famous for announcing the “vintage of the decade” at least three times every decade and even talked of 2005 as the “vintage of the century”. Are they equipped with crystal balls, we wonder? 

 

In recent years the UK wine-buying public has reacted to Bordeaux hyperbole and high prices by buying less. The Bordelais, however, care not a jot as they can sell pretty much all they can produce, no matter what the price it seems, to the burgeoning East Asian market. 

 

There are a number of Bordeaux 2010 vintage tastings over the coming months at London venues which the two Heathers are pleased to be attending and we shall no doubt report back ecstatically, as we are probably due for another “vintage of the decade”. Unfortunately we are not invited to the upcoming auction sale of composer Andrew Lloyd-Webber's personal fine wine collection at Sotheby’s Hong Kong. The decision to sell in Hong Kong affirms this city’s newfound status as fine wine capital of the world. More fine wine was sold here than in the top auction houses in London and New York combined. (One has to question why he is selling off all his goodies – has he hit hard times? Perhaps Love Never Dies is indeed on its last legs!)

 

Just in case you are beginning to feel like you are reading the FT rather than The Surrey Advertiser we will come back down to the Surrey hills with a bump and let you in on the best Bordeaux buys available locally and at rather more modest prices than the exalted Pétrus.

You will be delighted to hear that one of our favourite locals stocks an excellent example of the 2005 vintage for you to try at the right opportunity. Château La Mission, Lalande de Pomerol 2005, £24.99 from Taurus Wines, Bramley is big, beefy and concentrated – sounds like Bovril, but be assured it tastes much better. Like Churchill, it has a distinct whiff of the cigar box about it. Don't discount this wine as too serious, as it's a good example of the right region in the right year and will be recognized as a bargain by all Surrey claret lovers.

Not to be sniffed at (metaphorically only) is L'Orangerie de Château Carignan 2008. The influencial critic, Robert Parker, included this wine is his “50 best value buys” in Bordeaux 2005 and gave this vintage 86 points. Mostly merlot and from just around the corner from St Emilion and Pomerol – at just £9.99 you can't go wrong . Taurus wines of Bramley stocks this one too and owner Rupert refers to it as their "house Claret".

We are fortunate to have some great independent wine stores in Surrey, and Ben Watkins of The Guildford Wine Company in Shalford certainly qualifies. Ben tells us that Bordeaux is selling at a rate of 3/1 against other French wines. His popular La Tuilerie du Puy 2006, £9.99 sells like hot cakes. It is an elegant, classy claret with a merlot suppleness which softens the rather stern tannins found in many wines of this genre. Ben’s bargain Bordeaux from a brilliant year is La Tour L’Aspic, Pauillac 2005 at £26.99. The name may suggest aspic jelly, but the wine itself is a firm, well-structured and masterful wine for drinking now, preferably with some time to let it breathe. If you have the patience, lay it down – it will continue to improve over the next five to ten years.

If you still think even these suggestions are expensive then consider the truism – only death is free, and that costs you your life!!!

Winter sun...in a glass

We did consider at the start of this New Year kow-towing to expectations and suggesting non-alcoholic beverages as ways in which you can flush your overloaded liver and whittle your expanded post Christmas waistline. But sorry, we won't be doing that.

But don't turn over - or whatever the online equivalent is. Yes, we know this time of year is one long round of detox, abstention and belt-tightening in fearful expectation of the Christmas credit card bill. So even more important is a sense of wellbeing in these dark times and, based on the premise that “a bit of what you fancy does you good “ we have come up with some ideas to brighten up your spirits in cold January.

Sunshine makes everyone smile, but if you can't spare the time or money to jet off to sunnier climes, then you can always pore over some holiday brochures (or more likely some internet pages), glass in hand, for a taste of the good life.

Recently we and intrepid tasters pitted ourselves against the snowy elements to sample some wines, which brought a smile and a transfusion of bonhomie to the throng. We've selected a few highlights to tempt you here. Whether in a party or tucked up warm at home, transport yourself to the sun and dream of the not-too-distant shores of sunny Spain and Portugal with our winter sun wine recommendations:

Soalheiro Alvarinho 2009 (£13.95 from The Wine Society)

Soalheiro means “sunny”, so where better to start? This is technically a Vinho Verde, from northern Portugal – but it's a million miles away from the bog standard stuff. This 100% alvarinho (aka albariño) is seriously delicious, with a hint of spring blossom, peach – and a whiff of the Atlantic. Picture the scene: surf’s up on Guincho beach – favorite Atlantic hangout for surfers and wind riders - chill out, drink in the tang of the ozone and imbibe with delicious piri piri prawns or scallops.

Quinta de Lagoalva 2009 (£6.50, The Wine Society)

This 50/50 blend of touriga nacional and castelão, with its violet-scented, soft, spicy fruit is a perfect mid-winter, mid-week treat. The floral bouquet insinuates itself into your imagination and suggests wild flower be-decked hillsides, views for miles, castles on the horizon and the romance of Moorish southern Portugal in its springtime glory.

Legaris Crianza 2007 (£12.99, Taurus Wines, Bramley)

A 100% tempranillo from Spain's highly-regarded (and highly-priced) Ribera del Duero region, this relative bargain is a smooth, supple and sophisticated wine that would infinitely improve any winter warmer casserole. Imagine the exhilaration of swishing through the snow of the sunlit Spanish Sierra Nevada ski resorts and enjoying melting in the afterglow with this crimson stunner.

Quinta do Côa 2007 (£14.99, The Guildford Wine Company, Shalford)

Back across the border to Portugal's Douro valley – famous for Port, but increasingly making waves with its table wines. The Douro's beguiling cocktail of native varieties, including touriga nacional, touriga franca and tinta roriz (in fact tempranillo again) make for a satisfyingly complete wine with many nuances of aroma and flavour to enjoy. A big wine, but with grace and elegance too. The Côa Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage site, a wild and remote area known for its Paleolithic rock art. A ride up the river on a slow boat from Porto sampling wines from the vineyards en route is a trip worth contemplating as you soporifically sip and savour. Fine but simple dining is called for to complement this vintage. Red meat, either beef, venison or wild boar would be good – not scorched on the barbeque but lightly seared by a talented chef and served with élan, white tablecloth and silver cutlery please.

...Are you drooling yet?

Thinking of food, nearer to home and back in time to a pre-Christmas carol concert party: Heather A was delighted to meet some of the students from the facing page to us, from Tante Marie Cookery School. They were a charming and talented bunch of young men and women and made some amazing canapés, a few of which disappeared down the throat of yours truly before being hoovered by the ravening hordes. In the spirit of neighborliness and an excuse for a good party we think it would be a great tasting experience to combine in a wine and food matching evening with you Surrey Advertiser aficionados and the Guildford glitterati. Anyone up for this we would love to hear from you at www.redwhiteandrose.co.uk

Now we are in 2011 we can all look ahead optimistically to a good vintage year in all senses, wonderful wines and prices to make the producers weep. In the spirit of Auld Lang Syne share a cheering glass or two with good old friends and new acquaintances. It is a truism that – Water divides the peoples of the world, but wine brings them together.

We wish you a wonderful year with the Heathers being the only reason for an “H” in your wine!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Dreaming of a white (and red) Christmas

Have you ticked off all the items on your Christmas gift list? At least thought about a Christmas tree? Ordered the turkey, goose, or veggie nutroast? Have you been to far too many Christmas Bazaars and felt obliged to buy something that you will later feel too embarrassed to give? Have you fed the Christmas cake with just a few more drops of brandy and stocked up with all sorts of weird and not so wonderful alcoholic concoctions – which will probably still be in the store cupboard next year? If you said yes to more than one of these - join the club. It is Christmas madness time.

Surrey's towns are agleam with twinkling lights and gorgeous festive displays vying to attract the money from our purses. The streets are thronged with manic shoppers – at least those of us who haven't embraced the joys of internet shopping. In the seasonal spirit of goodwill we would like to save you time and a bewildering choice by listing some of the better wine buys that will make your festive season go with a ding dong, merrily....

Get the party started with a sparkler. Don't splash out on anything expensive, there are plenty of fizzy options including the ubiquitous Prosecco and keenly priced Cavas. They are great for mixing: with orange juice for Bucks Fizz, cassis for Kir Royale, peach juice for Bellini or brandy-soaked sugar lumps and a dash of Cointreau for a great party cocktail. If you'd like to serve something that will stand up to being sipped on its own, then give Cuvée Royale Crémant de Limoux, £8.99 at Waitrose a go. In Limoux, in the foothills of the French Pyrenees, they have been making sparkling wines for centuries – long before Dom Perignon and the widow Clicquot they reckon. This toasty blend of chardonnay, chenin blanc and pinot noir would make a great Christmas Day aperitif.

“I get no kick from Champagne” - it definitely wasn’t us who said that! Champagne prices have been taking a hammering this season – but the deals come and go so quickly that you need to follow us on Twitter (@wineandwords) to keep up. But here's a Champagne top tip – buy now and squirrel away a few bottles for NEXT Christmas and New Year. It will only improve with a few months under the stairs. If for some reason you do not wish to finish off the bottle in one go, then buy a Champagne stopper from http://www.waitersfriend.com/, based near Guildford. They have lots of great wine related gifts and innovative ideas.

Deep breath: here's our wine-based sprint through the Big Day...listen very carefully, we shall say this only once.

White wines for turkey – drink up the Chablis with your aperitif, the big bird and all the trimmings needs something with more weight and fruit. Head to the Mâcon, in Burgundy, and get a bottle of Christophe Cordier's Mâcon-Peronne 2008, £11.25 at The Wine Society. Floral-tinged fruit and subtle oak make this a classy option.

But the colour of Christmas is red. The Heathers are in agreement that one wine is tantalizing with turkey, gorgeous with goose, and holds no truck with duck – pinot noir. Kiwi Daniel Schuster's Twin Vineyards Pinot Noir 2008, £14.49 from local heroes Caves de Pyrène at Pew Corner is a perfumed, delicate yet heady delight from downunder. Claret may be classic at Christmas, but pinot is, er, prettier.

Save your claret for a roast rib of beef and you'll appreciate the natural harmony between the tannin in the wine and rare meat. Rupert Pritchett of Taurus Wines in Bramley has a good selection of reasonably-priced clarets and knows his stuff – he can of course provide some more luxuriously-priced clarets too. In the same vein, style-wise, is Le Faîte Red, £16.99 at Adnams Cellar and Kitchen (Richmond). Le Faîte means “the peak” in the local Occitan dialect, and this is the top banana of the Plaimont Co-operative – a juicy, inky, full-bodied blend of indigenous and international varieties – one for those who don't like to be a slave to tradition.

Cheese and wine are regarded as a classic pairing but take care: some matches are made in heaven, and others in hell. Try tawny port with the Christmas cheeseboard. Look for something that says 10 year old or 20 year old, to ensure you get the real nutty, mellow tawny experience. Taylor's 10 year old Tawny Port is widely available from around £18 a bottle – great with hard cheeses and stilton. The more adventurous amongst you might be tempted to try Sauternes with stilton – readers, trust us, it's delicious. The Co-operative have Chateau Roumieu 2007 at the tempting price of £7.99 for a half bottle.

Don't forget to set fire to the Christmas pudding – having first soaked it in brandy, or you'll find it rather a disappointment. THE wine for the pud (and any stray mince pies you might encounter) is an Australian Liqueur Muscat, which is like dried fruit in (just about) liquid form, so a natural match. Caves de Pyrène has the classic Stanton & Killeen Rutherglen Liqueur Muscat at £12.10 for a half bottle.

For many of us, there is a certain amount of slumping in front of the TV over the festive period. While you're there, try a glass of Langmeil Cabernet Sauvignon, from the Barossa Valley in Australia (£13.99 at The Vineyard in Dorking). This full bodied, lively as a gazelle red is what we'd call a DVD wine (as opposed to a food wine) – but a DVD wine de luxe, as befits the season.

If you have really over-done it, the kill or cure is port and brandy mixed. Some people swear by it...or perhaps because of it!

We are off to join the masses and, no doubt, over-indulge in some seasonal retail therapy. Next time we will provide a last minute panic buy list - and New Year fizz. Happy shopping!