‘It’s the same wine, ma’am, just a different label….’

So I order a bottle of Wandering Bear Merlot in an unnamed hotel chain for dinner.  It’s from California, USA. You know, the big place in the top left of the map as you look at it. The charming, but naïve waiter came back with a Chilean.  Now, I’m no Michael Palin, but I’m pretty sure these places are quite far apart. You don’t need to be an expert to guess the wines probably taste quite different.  So they really aren’t the same wines with a different label. 

Five years ago I probably wouldn’t have checked the bottle. I mean, wine waiters know their stuff right? This one didn’t. Always check your wine.

Just because a grape is the same, it doesn’t mean the wine will be. Climate, latitude, direction of the slopes plus every step of the wine making process can add to, or take from a grape.  On top of that, blending and labelling laws can further confuse us.  So most of the time, unless we have a wine dictionary and a sommelier on hand, we aren't always going to know what the wine will taste like.  

Many of us won’t care for the little differences and just know that we like a certain style. But I’m not keen on a bluffing wine waiter. Sure, there are little things we can look for to help us make decisions. The example I give here is Rioja. 

We all love Rioja. Rioja is the area in Spain, not the grape. It also produces the highest amount of fine wine in Spain. A few different grapes can be used; Tempranillo is the most popular, as well as Garnacha (Grenache), Viura (Macebéo), Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Cinsault, Mouverde ….check out a full list and more details here.   Most wines are therefore a blend of these grapes.  Rioja is split into three geographically very different regions: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Baja.  You can read further on these areas here but the key point is altitude, varying soils and heat all affect the grapes and therefore the final wine. Oak is a common theme.
Here is a great map from Wine Folly that shows how the land lies...

Until around the 1970’s most Rioja was fermented quickly, leading to a pale colour. They were soft, fruity, blended and aged in American oak which gave the wines a sweet vanilla nose. Nowadays it is more likely for this style to be fermented for longer, giving the darker colour most of us would associate with a Rioja.  They are also aged for less time, and usually using French oak, making them fruitier.   

White Riojas do exist. Mostly they are fresh and easy drinking – however more traditional white Riojas can be aged for 10-20 years in oak (Gran Reserva receiving the most oak).  Now, I have only tried one of these, but it resembled the smell of my hands once I’d cleaned out the fireplace. I’m not a massive oak-head, but for those of you out there who like to taste charred wood, knock yourself out. Usually complemented by citrus fruit and a complexity that can challenge many white Bordeaux wines.

Here are some lush examples of Rioja …

Muga Rioja Reserva Selección Especial (£22-£24)

I bought this beauty from Loki wine in Birmingham, an excellent independent wine merchant. I will always try and go independent if possible as you can find out so much more about your wine than if you went to the supermarket. You can get it from Ocado here. You can also get the slightly cheaper Reserva version from Waitrose here, but you’ll learn a lot more about your wine if you pick a good local independent (plus you can usually taste in-store!).

Anyway, this is an absolute corker of a Rioja. It is aged for 28 months in specially selected oak casks. It is then bottled and aged for a further 12 months in the Muga cellars. The resulting wine is powerful, complex with black and red fruits and spice; discover new layers with every mouthful. Drink it now, or keep it a few years. You can definitely enjoy a good hearty meal with this one.  One of my favourites.

Castillo San Lorenzo Rioja Gran Reserva (£8.66 as part of case deal) 

A more affordable version, this is currently on sale at Tesco – 45% off a case! Check it out here. I have bought this wine a few times  – it’s easy drinking; medium bodied and much more generic than the Muga example, but for the price I think its yummy and everyone will want a top-up.  Black fruits and a light, sweet spice, you don’t need food  (but would be great with a medium-weighed meal).

There are many, many terms on Spanish wine bottles. However here are a few to help identify some key characteristics:

Bodega:     Winery

DO:            This is a Spanish 'designation' for wines that meet specified grape/production quality standards.

DOCa:       These are DO’s that have consistent high quality.

Rosado:     Rosé wine

Viejo:         Quality wine that undergoes a three year (minimum) period of ageing.

The four styles of traditional Rioja wines are:

Joven or just ‘Rioja’ are young wines that don’t have the complexity and structure of some of the others, but will be fresh and fruity.

Crianza wines have aged for a minimum of one year in oak casks and a couple more once they have been bottled.  White wines have less, with six months in cask.

Reserva wines are only the best vintages that have been aged for a minimum of three years, with at least one year in oak casks. White wines are aged for two years, with a minimum of six months in casks.

Gran Reserva wines can store in the right conditions for up to 30 years!  These are selected wines from exceptional vintages, which spend at least two years in oak casks and three further years in the bottle. White wines are aged for at least four years, with a minimum of one year in casks.

Until 2014, happy drinking J

There is a remarkable breakdown of taste and intelligence at Christmas time. Mature, responsible grown men wear neckties made of holly leaves and drink alcoholic beverages with raw egg yolks and cottage cheese in them.
— P. J. O’Rourke

Well, maybe not cottage cheese. We do like a nice mulled wine though. We’ve got through a few recipies here at Barnett HQ. This is our favourite from Jamie Oliver, which really does taste like Christmas. Except we put it to the test against a less faffy, throw-it-in- a-pan Aldi Glühwein (£4.99 for 1 litre).

I’ve chosen Aldi as I do think it gets a bad rap – they do some fantastic value wines (Prosecco for £5.99, Beernauslese for £5.99). The Jamie Oliver version costs over double, once you have purchased all the bits.

Jamie Oliver Recipe

• 2 clementines
• 1 lemon
• 1 lime
• 200 g caster sugar
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 3 fresh bay leaves
• 1 whole nutmeg, for grating
• 1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways
• 2 star anise
• 2 bottles Chianti or other Italian red wine

The method involves making a thick syrup first then adding in the rest of the wine to make a really rich wine.

(Image from Jamie Oliver's website - my attempt did not look this serene).

Aldi Glühwein

• Place entire bottle in pan
• Add in fruit (to make it look homemade and confuse the tasting panel)
• Ta daaa!

We served the Glühwein first as it was much sweeter than the stronger, richer Jamie Oliver recipie.

Jamie's  looks and smells more authentic, filling the house with cinnamon and cloves. But the Glühwein is sweeter and may be to more tastes. Or so I thought.

Jamie actually won with 10 votes to 6 – even though on first sip it knocked your socks off versus the Glühwein, it was ‘much more Christmassy’.  A couple of ABV % stronger I may add too. The smell was utterly divine and it is the best smelling mulled wine  - but takes a lot longer and if you have other stuff to do - Glühwein makes a nice replacement.

Thanks to our host +Richard Whillock who seemed to drink most of the wine... not bad for a non-drinker ;) 

Cheers!

To be or not to be.

The answer is definitely s’not to be. I cannot taste anything below 20% ABV so I am going straight into Mr. B’s ‘hard stuff’ cabinet and reviewing the only thing I can taste – whisky. This exercise is usually accompanied with squawks of ‘who drank all that!’ from aforementioned spouse and me promising more whisky for *insert occasion*. This blog is costing me….

These are all tried and tested whiskies if you need to get any gifts this Christmas. As you can see, Barnett Towers has a massive preference for smoky, peaty single malts; three of the five below are from Islay (southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland). Also, these are my preference. So this isn’t a fair review of Scotch – just the cupboard in arms reach of my sofa. Call it a lazy blog.

5^th place… Talisker 10 year (45.8% ABV)

I think we got this from The Whisky Exchange for about £34, but you can usually pick it up in a supermarket; Waitrose for sure. In fact, I have just checked online and there is 20% off, making it £26.40. Check it out here. Bargain! It’s from the Isle of Skye (the only whisky from here, I believe) and it is SO drinkable while still being full bodied. It could definitely be described as fragrant, with a clear cutting freshness and at the same time alluringly smoky. There is a moreish sweetness and a rich finish. Definitely one Dad and I could put away on Christmas night without realising quite how much we’ve supped.

4^th place… Bruicladdich Islay Barley 2006 (50% ABV)

Made from Barley grown on Islay, I bought this at the Good Food Show last year (mainly because of the bright yellow tin packaging – yes I am a marketers dream). But it was worth every penny. Wonderfully light in colour, after the Talisker, this tastes positively fruity yet you can taste the grain; biscuity and again a sweetness that lasts after just a sip. This is unpeated. Seriously gorgeous single malt. I will get in a lot of marital trouble if I finish the bottle.

Bruicladdich has a wonderfully interesting history which I recommend reading about. The other whiskies look fab too. Plus, if you like your gin, Bruicladdich does a SERIOUSLY good one, called The Botanist. Check more about this here.

You can buy this whisky from here. This website is great as you can buy a mini sample for under £5.

3^rd place… Auchentoshan Three Wood (43%)

Oh god. This is heaven in a bottle. You can probably tell from the bottle it’s nearly finished. We visited Auchentoshan earlier in the year (in the Scottish Lowlands) and bought a few bottles of various – and this is my favourite.

I’m not sure it’s as smooth as the two previous but it tastes so sweet; it has been tripled distilled for absolute pureness, then matured in THREE different casks.  First, the whisky is matured in ex-bourbon casks, followed by maturation time in ex- Pedro Ximénez (PEHD-roh hee-MEH-nehth) - a thick, sticky, sweet sherry - or oloroso sherry casks. All adds to the sweetness, fruitiness, complexity and depth. It’s nutty, spicy and citrus too plus sweet like butterscotch. I love this whisky.

Here’s a link to purchase.

2^nd place…Ardbeg 10 year (46% ABV)

Ardbeg says it is ‘revered around the world as the peatiest, smokiest, most complex single malt of them all’. Yes – this is a very popular single malt. It is regularly voted the champion by many peat lovers and would certainly make a top gift for anyone who loves single malt.

It has that recognisable sweet peatyness on the nose. It’s much more mellow than some others on first sip, followed by powerful spices, sweet spice and unmistakable smokiness. Yummy yum yum.

You can buy this in most good independent retailers, or online, for around £40. Try here.

1^st place … Laphroaig Quarter Cask (48%)

Laphroaig has cult status and its quarter cask is its finest. Most people would put Ardbeg first but this is my favourite due to its rich flavour and full body.

This whisky has been matured in American oak barrels, then moved into quarter casks. The quarter cask refers to yesteryear when casks were smaller.

Laphroaig Quarter Cask has a beautiful gold colour and it’s full bodied. But WOW. Peat is really prominent with a sweetness that is a mixture of coconut, sweet spice and smoke. It’s best with a drop of water when it will go cloudy (standard for a chill-filtered whisky). Really bloody good. Only buy this for someone if you REALLY love them. Or maybe keep it all for yourself.

You can buy this in most good independent retailers, or online, for around £36-£40. Try here.

Next blog – wine that tastes like family arguments.

Overload

I’ve already reached the point where I am thinking I probably need to stop eating gingerbread hourly or ease up on the whisky. Christ, it’s not even the 10th. I push back thoughts of January 2014’s abstinence and open a few more bottles… all in the name of education (addiction). 

I decided to give this online ordering by-the-box malarkey a go again; previously burnt by not reading the t’s and c’s and ending up with 12 wines a month in 2010 (none of which were particularly inspiring), I chose my supplier carefully. Virgin, Naked wines, all the big retailers… you are spoilt for choice with various deals and money-off vouchers. This time, I chose Laithwaites (make sure you Google for voucher codes before you make the purchase). I chose them because of their selection in terms of unusual countries; India, Georgia, Romania.  A good chance to try something different. Customer service was good too. 

Laithwaites - Pillitteri Estates Vidal Icewine, 2011, Ontario, Canada (£9.99 for 200ml)

I love a good sweet wine. But to avoid death-by-Tokaji Aszu this Christmas, I selected a Canadian ice wine. I’ve wanted to get my mitts on a Canadian for a while however I couldn’t find a bottle of standard, still wine (unless I wanted to fork out £150+ for a case).
So, I have reverted to the more accessible ice wine. It does what it says on the tin – the grapes (or rather, the water inside them) are frozen and removed. This leaves behind the concentrated acids and sugars, making for a lusciously sweet wine that’s low in alcohol. It is made with Vidal which is a ‘hybrid’ grape. That just means it’s a hybrid of two different vine varieties, used because of its hardiness in the cold weather. It promises peach, apricots and lychees – and you’re not disappointed.  At a tenner for 200ml it’s probably not going to be on your weekly shop. But if you like a sweet tipple – it’s worth parting with the cash for an occasion.

You can have it with pudding (one review recommends cheesecake), but I’d just go at it alone as the bottle says, as an aperitif or after dessert.

If you don’t want to order a batch and would like to try something new, here are some grapes that aren’t as well-known, but utterly scrumptious. They are also easy to get hold of, both from Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference range.

Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference - Albariño 2010, Rías Baixas, Spain (£8.49, Sainsbury’s)

Albariño (al-baa-ree-nyo) is a white grape grown in north west Spain; in this case Rías Baixas. Albariño is my new favourite; medium bodied, aromatic, fresh acidity, peach and apricot. I could sup on this all afternoon and it’s a definite guest pleaser. This brand has been given a ‘best buy’ from Decanter.com which is a nod to the great value offered. Mind you, it has gone up over a quid since the award, but I’d say still good value. Great with food too but keep it light so you don’t drown out the aromas.

Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference - Fairtrade Pinotage 2012 (£8.49, Sainsbury’s)

Pinotage is a signature South African variety, a crossing of Pinot Noir and Cinsault. I love the colour of this wine, a pleasing purple. This variety can smell smoky and like burnt rubber, but this example doesn’t. It smells and tastes of ripe, juicy plums, blackberry, with hints of vanilla and a lovely warm oakiness. There is a definite herbal element but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Tannins can be harsh in a Pinotage but these are soft and don’t dry your gums. It’s not won me over completely, so I’ll probably share this one….! 

Happy drinking!

* Pinotage label stain optional extra

The Vinous and Spirituous  

Tremendous pressure of blog one, eased marginally by the large Talisker I have sneaked from Mr. B’s whisky cabinet, alongside the fact absolutely no one is reading this.  Both aspects seem to warm the finger joints and make putting one letter in front of the other, in a reasonable order, a simpler task than I first anticipated.

This is my second month of studying the WSET diploma. If you want to learn a bit about wine, drink a lot and generally not really remember what you got up to for six weeks, the WSET (Wine and Spirits Education Trust) beginners course is absolutely for you. You learn a bit, a nice thing to do after work.  The intermediate level, you need to read a book. A small book, usually after drinking. You will almost definitely pass despite the drinking.  The advanced, you definitely need to read the book. You have to drink a lot more, but it’s all fairly do-able without feeling you have sacrificed any real time studying (drinking time is of course excluded from this).  The diploma wipes out every little bit of your spare time. 10 hours a week WSET? I think not. But I bloody love it. I will recommend it to anyone that is missing a few brain cells and is as obsessed with all things wine.

So with my WSET Diploma I have learnt one thing for sure. The more I learn about wine, the more I realise I don’t know. It is so vast and changes so quickly. This is why snobs are a great source of irritation to me. Without extensive reading on the various classifications, gazillions of grapes, vini and vitification techniques, or at least a few decades in the industry, you just ain’t gonna know. So a kinder attitude by those who should know better would give us all a break.

I have also learnt that folk don’t mind a bit of guidance when they choose wine. So here are my recommendations for this month. Snobbery not included.

Who says it has to be white wine with white meat? Don’t ditch your usual tipple just because it’s turkey time. Try a red with softer tannins that’s a little lighter in the body. Go for fresh fruit flavours to match the turkey sauce rather than heavily oaked wines.  Try a bright, younger wine and it will set your Christmas dinner alight (not literally, maybe save that for the pudding!). Try this Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel (Waitrose £7.49) – a new world wonder that oozes ripe cherry and blackberry with just a hint of soft oak and spice.  This is my new stock-wine. Go and clear the shelves, if there are any left!

 

Fancy a change to the usual Port pairing? Make a wedge of Stilton very happy with a bottle of Royal Tokaji (Royal Tokaji, 5 Puttonyos), a Hungarian sweet wine that is a heavenly match for salty cheese.  A lusciously sweet tipple that fills your mouth and nose with figs, orange peel and honey, with just a touch of cinnamon. A true Christmas taste sensation, with a swift serving of palate–balancing acidity.  (Waitrose Direct, £12.29 for 25cl).

Tip: When serving wine with a pudding, always make sure your wine is sweeter, else it may taste thin and uninteresting.  The ‘Puttonyos’ in Tokaji refers to the sweetness level and you won’t get more luscious than this!

Next blog, less whisky.