Like this one dude.
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/58093
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Like this one dude.
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/58093
Hi Barry (and everyone) - just ordered some of your recommendations for the return from our holiday, although not the Dino red, as having tried it before I wasn't overwhelmed -Marco will probably have a horse's head put in my bed, but in general I am not a huge fan of Italian wines - Barollo excepted of course, and some Chianti - though in truth I haven't experimented much. Always willing to experiment, so any suggestions will be diligently researched, whilst I still have a liver that partly functions!
Yup - just my kind of place! :) :barrel:Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre
Bollocks to yer trendy bars and overcrowded city centre pubs (where you can't get a table or hear each other speak :rolleyes:) that serve watered down ale at ridiculous prices!
Marco.
Hi Alex,
Lol - I don't blame you! Most of the Italian wine exported to the UK (out with of specialist retailers) is pish! Although Joe's Piccini Chianti recommendation from Sainsbury's is very good indeed!Quote:
Marco will probably have a horse's head put in my bed, but in general I am not a huge fan of Italian wines - Barollo excepted of course, and some Chianti - though in truth I haven't experimented much.
There's a reason why even though statistically Italy produce more wine than any other country in the world, the selection available for purchase outside of Italy is generally much less than that from other wine-growing countries.... Because, quite simply, Italians like to keep all the best stuff for themselves!! :eyebrows:
Next time you're in a supermarket (or even a specialist wine merchant) observe how much more 'New World' and also French wine there is for sale compared to Italian wine, or when you're in a restaurant, the paucity of Italian wine featured on the wine list compared with, say, French varieties.
However, *if* you know what to buy and where to get it, there is some stonking good (if expensive) Italian wines - particularly reds. You must try a good Brunello di Montalcino, Duca Enrico, Barbera d'Asti, Solaia, Gattinara or Amarone, as trust me, they will blow your mind, although don't expect that 'oaky' vanilla hit you get with Rioja - the flavour is rather different but equally as intense and powerful! :cheers:
Marco.
Too right you wont catch me in one of those piss holes dude..besides i've completely stop drinking, have done for some time now.. i intend to keep it up.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marco
Wow - best of luck! :)
I just about manage giving it up for six weeks at Lent, but I couldn't give up drinking beer and wine indefinitely, though not that I ever drink to excess. I rarely have any form of alcohol out with of meal times, apart from the occasional cold beer in the summer months. For me, it's about enjoying it in moderation (quality always over quantity) as an accompaniment to good food!
Here's another place we discovered last time we were in Yorkshire... The food is arguably as good and much cheaper than that at The Star Inn - and the real ales (sorry! :o) are superb:
http://www.crowninnroecliffe.com/
Marco.
I used to go here alot when on my Magic Mushroom escapades years ago, not been tho since they made it into a Wine Bar.
http://www.vintageinn.co.uk/thefoxhouselongshaw/
I think that's very true - in my few visits to Italy I've never been disappointed with the wine, and I suspect like Greece, there are many small but very good wineries that don't have the capacity to export in great quantities, if at all.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marco
Well in the interest of this thread, and purely selflessly I'll have to seek some of those out then! ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Marco
Thanks for the suggestions! :cheers:
No worries, Alex. I'd go first for the Amarone, but be prepared to pay around £25 a bottle for a good one!
Please report back when you've tried it, as I'm curious to know what you think :)
Marco.
Despite it being chilled white wine or rosé weather, I just couldn't resist this:
http://media2.vinogusto.net/pics/win...2add356e95.jpg
A 2002 Château Fourcas-Dumont Listrac-Médoc. Château bottled.
Situated in the Médoc region between Margaux and Paullac. 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot.
Tesco, £14.99 bottle.
:cheers:
That's not a bad buy, Barry, considering the vintage. We've got some roe deer venison in for Sunday lunch, so that'll be nice to accompany it :)
Marco.
Just bought a bottle of this:
http://www.spearcommunications.co.uk...s/Le_Boscq.jpg
A 2004 Château Le Boscq, Saint-Estèphe, a Cru Bougeois Supèrieur. Château bottled.
Not cheap; but I would rather not say how much, as it was paid for in part with a gratuity from an appreciative member of AoS.
Regards
18th April i think it was last time i had a drink. That aside i just can't drink wine at all.I forget it's wine & drink it like pop, before i know it 4 bottles, dead on the floor & feeling shit for a day or so :lolsign:
I've been very quiet on this page - I'm on the wagon, too. (Although I'm probably going to have a bottle between me & the missus tonight I think.) Been to the Doc for a checkup, loads of tests, upshot is I'm a fat bastard with a drink problem, and very high cholesterol (7.85) who never gets off his lardy ass... Didn't need a quack to tell me that, though the liver function tests were a bit more of a worry... So, I'm trying to be good and cut down. A lot...
And waking up looking like your HR Giger avatar?Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre
Sounds like I'll have to drink for the two of us. Still got a dozen bottles of the Berberana left!Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex_UK
Cheers
Good man, knew I could rely on you Barry!Quote:
Originally Posted by Barry
Stopping has proven that I'm not a fully fledged alcoholic, though. Just need to change my bad habit of drinking too much every night. Everything in moderation, I guess.
During a business trip to South Africa a couple of years ago, I visited the Anura estate. I spent a very enjoyable couple of hours not only sampling delicious red & white wines, but also their own produced cheese.
These are available in the UK and are well worth trying. Especially the Malbec and the Pinotage.
:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Alex_UK
Based on your recommendation Marco, I thought I would get myself a bottle of Amarone:
http://static.winedirect.co.uk/image...2-ITMS0601.jpg
2006 Masi Costasera Amarone Classico, Amarone della Valpolicella-Classico.
Prodotto e imbottigliato da Masti Agricola Spa. S. Ambrogio di Valipollicella Italia.
The blurb states:
COSTASERA: le coste rivolte al tramonto, in Valpolicella Classica le migliori per un Amarone di razza. Qui, dove è più lunga la giornata, le vigne che guardano il Lago di Garda si avvantaggiano del riflesso della sua luce e del suo clima più mite. L’Amarone, vino unico per origne, varetà antiche e metodo di produzione (vinificazione di uve appassite per 3 – 4 mesi sui grattici), esprime in Costasera particulore maestosità e complessità.
What do you think Marco? £22.95 a bottle. 15% ABV
The Massi is a very good one, Barry, as is Bolla. That should knock your socks off!
It's very big, bold and powerful with a massively intense flavour. Enjoy it with a rib of beef, or even better, some venison.
Let me know what you think :cheers:
Marco.
Good News Everybody!
I recently raved about Tesco's 2009 Dino Pinot Grigio
http://img.tesco.com/wine/UIAssets/p...el_126x150.jpg
that was being sold a half price at £4.49.
It quickly returned to full-price and has been so for a few weeks now. Well I'm delighted to tell you that the half-price offer on both the blanc and the rosé has returned.
You can buy a 6-bottle case via Tesco on-line for £25.56, that's £4.26 a bottle.
A new charity shop in the village opened its doors this morning. No CDs or LPs as yet, but I did pick up a 15-bottle wine rack for £1.75. Mine were overflowing, and that's before I spotted this Tesco offer!
Li'l Ol' Wine Drinker Me!
Regards
Never mind that pish - have you tried the Amarone yet? ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Barry
Marco.
It's not 'pish', whatever that is.
No I haven't yet tried the Amarone yet. It's been too hot for roasts, and the only venison I've eaten of late have been the venison sausages from my local butcher - and I'm not going to 'waste' a bottle of Amarone on that! Nor would I with his rather nice wild boar sausages.
Be patient! ;)
Regards
How do you know it's not pish, if you don't know what pish is? :lol:
Marco.
From your previous use of the word in reply to other posts, I sense it is a term of opprobrium or dismissive contempt.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marco
Anyway, I love this Pinot Grigio, so there! :ner: I'm enjoying a glass of it right now.
Regards
Whilst I've been living off salads of late - and that means white wine, and the Dino, Pinot Grigio in particular, I did spot this in my local Tesco:
http://img.tesco.com/wine/UIAssets/p...ot_126x150.jpg
2008 Cabardès, Bastide de Garille, Appellation Cabardès Contrôlée.
Cabardès is a domaine new to me. Situated roughly in the centre of a triangle defined by Toulouse, Perpignon and Montpellier; the last two being on the Mediterranean coast.
Uses a blend of Mediterranean grapes: the 'warmth and generosity' of Syrah and Grenache with the 'elegance' of those of the Bordeaux: Cabernet and Merlot.
"A medium-bodied, fruity, well structured wine that drinks well on its own ...."
Half price at £5 a bottle, 13.5% ABV, this offer lasts until 10.08.10.
Described as a Cuvée Gourmande; I assume this is at least a step up from vin de table! Worth a punt.
Go on Alex (UK), buy one to celebrate the on-going success of your diet. ;)
And no Marco - I've still yet to sample the Amarone. Still waiting for the special occasion. :eyebrows:
Regards
Hi Barry - yep, we did find this one, and as wine drinking is not banned at the weekend, had one on Saturday, and very nice it was. The other nice one which we also tried is a Bordeaux, a 2008 Prestige de Calvet also half price at a fiverQuote:
Originally Posted by Barry
http://imagesa.ciao.com/iuk/images/p...ct-7808138.jpg
Enjoy!
I did my weekly weigh-in this morning, and the regime is certainly working - total lost so far is 19lbs, with a stone coming off in July so far. Away with work later this week which could be a challenge :cool:
Hi Alex,Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex_UK
Yes, I know of the Prestige de Calvet, and it is good. Damm, Tesco have some good offers on at the moment, and I'm slowly working my way through my last dozen bottles of the Berberana Rioja!
Delighted to report that the half price Dino Pinot-Grigot has returned. Now that really was a find for me.
Cheers
Especially for Barry - a heads up on the Tesco Berberana Offer - 2004 Berberana Rioja Reserva Etiqueta Negra is back on Half-Price offer (£4.99 from £9.99) - runs until 7th September - so dive in and get some! :cocktail:
Chaps,
Del and I have just been out for lunch to celebrate my birthday at one of our favourite gastro-pubs, the Cock O Barton in Cheshire, see below:
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/2580/itp2497.jpg
The food is absolutely stunning, and Michelin rated, but the wine we ordered with our meal eclipsed even that high standard, and was arguably one of the finest red wines I've ever tasted; trust me, that’s saying something, as I've sampled some truly top-notch wines over the years!!
The wine in question is Rustenberg John X Merriman 2007 Stellenbosch from South Africa (2005 vintage shown below):
http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/1862/1040571x.jpg
Info here: http://www.rustenberg.co.za/
UK availability here: http://www.waitrosewine.com/230404972/Product.aspx
At £8.54 a bottle it's not exactly cheap, but it's of utterly outstanding quality if you like big powerful reds that blow your socks off! This is 14.5% VOL, so massively full-bodied, and intensely jammy like a very jammy thing, but oh so velvety smooth and fruity with it.
Here's a more detailed description which I've plucked from the Net:
Yum, yum... Think St. Emilion Grand Cru Classé in style, but at a mere fraction of the price!! This is a stonkingly good red to enjoy on a special occasion - and one which will keep for years and improve with age.Quote:
This wine is renegade winemaker Adi Badenhorst’s favorite in his portfolio, and for good reason. In line with the best Bordeaux blends, it leads with an earthy, mineral-driven nose, and on the palate, it’s both juicy and restrained. Expressive flavors of pepper, mocha and spice and elegant tannins give the wine a stately and sophisticated style. It will keep getting better in the bottle." (7/1/2007) According to the Wine Spectator: "Polished, with a solid mix of black cherry, plum, vanilla and grilled herb notes that show good length on the finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Shiraz. Drink now through 2009. 1,700 cases imported." (04/08) 92 points from Stephen Tanzer's IWC: "a Bordeaux blend based on 54% merlot and 32% cabernet sauvignon) Deep ruby-red. Enticing aromas of black raspberry, tobacco, licorice and fresh herbs. Lush, broad and sweet but firmly built, with a slightly exotic candied fruit quality giving this seriously concentrated wine plenty of early sex appeal. Finishes sweet and plummy, with a fine dusting of tannins and excellent length. Aged for 20 months in 50% new French oak.
Enjoy! :cheers:
Marco.
Stellenbosch wines are rather good. we sampled a few when we were out there a couple of years ago. Anura wines are also quite splendid.:)Quote:
Originally Posted by Marco
I think £8.50 is pretty reasonable for a good bottle of wine.
Hi Andy,
I agree, and TBH given the quality on offer, it's a veritable bargain. Pity it wasn't £8.50 in the restaurant! :eek: ;)
Marco.
No. I dont suppose it was. :)
Try £30 - lol!
Nice mark-up on wines at restaurants.... However, considering the fantastic meal we had, the beautiful surroundings, and the overall standard of service, I wouldn't grudge them a penny! :)
Marco.
I do like a good restaurant. This is my current favourite, The Chesil Rectory in Winchester. I have been eating there on and off for over 20 years. The building also has some interesting history behind it.
That looks really nice, Andy... If I'm ever in the Winchester area, I'll check it out :)
I particularly liked this bit in the description:
That sounds just right up our street. We like quaint and 'cosy' olde-worlde design and also "British classics" when eating at good pub-style restaurants. If we see bloody lasagne and curries on the menu, we run for the hills!! :mental:Quote:
The Chesil Rectory is a relaxed and informal restaurant serving honest, exceptional, robust, British classics. Located in a unique, historic Grade II listed building dating back to 1450, the restaurant still has many original features including solid oak beams, ancient doorways and beautiful open fireplaces.
Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with curry or lasagne, done well, but if I want that I'll go to either an Indian or Italian restaurant which specialises in it! When I'm in a tradtional British pub, I want traditional British food! [Rant over]
Yes, Del and I enjoy dining out. Trouble is, she's such a good cook that finding food outside of the same standard (or better) is rather difficult!
Still, I guess it's not a bad problem to have ;)
Marco.
The front door is also an original 15th Century fixture and is only about 5 foot high. :)
Wine slurped over the last couple of weeks
In no particular order, the following Bordeaux’s have been quaffed recently:
2007 Château Chante Alouette Cormeil, Saint Emilion Grand Cru
Merlot 91%, Cabernet Franc 9%
http://images.izideal.com/img/produc...-cru-2006.jpeg
2005 Château Labardie, Cru Bourgeois Médoc
http://www.corksout.com/images/produ...482396_732.jpg
2002 Château Fourcas-Dumont, Listrac-Médoc
Merlot 50%, Cabernet Sauvignon 40%, Petit Verdot 10%
http://www.vinsdusiecle.com/photos/c...rcasdumont.jpg
2006 Heritage du Mayne Lalande, Listrac-Médoc
Château bottled.
http://www.sundaytimeswineclub.co.uk...ype=smallImage
2004 Château Le Boscq, Sainte-Estephe, Cru Bourgois Supérieur.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_D3zE-Mcj4Q...to%2812%29.jpg
2006 Château Bellevue Chollet, Grand Vin de Bordeaux
http://www.bawineclub.co.uk/images/products/61249b.jpg
2005 Château Labourdette
http://ei.isnooth.com/wine/chateau-l....0.detail.jpeg
2008 Vacqueyras, Grand Vin des Côtes du Rhône
Grenache black (at least 50%), Syrah, Mourvèdre (at least 20%) ; other Côtes du Rhône grape varieties , excluding Carignan, maximum 10%.
http://www.cellartracker.com/labels/96835.jpg
A few bottles of the redoubtable Berberana Rioja, Now drunk up, requiring me to buy another case.
Plus various Cabernet-Sauvignon and Pinot-Grigot whites, Tesco’s: Prestige et Calvert and Dino.
And finally, a very fine bottle of Masi Costasera Amarone – but that requires a separate post to do it justice.
Excellent Barry. I think the Berberana offer has finished at Tesco now - but fear not - Castillo San Lorenza Rioja - 2005 Reserva has taken its place as the half-price Spanish bargain (£4.99 from £9.99) and very good it is too!
(PS - your PM inbox is full, but thanks for the message, glad all is A Ok.) :)
We bought some of this from out local Waitrose in Willerby yesterday after reading this :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Marco
http://www.waitrose.com/branches/bra...s.aspx?uid=697
Took some finding as was in the area where they have 'special' wines on a posh display stand in a corner with wooden crates etc, not on the shelves with the usual budget wines :lol:
saving it for the weekend :cool::cool::cool:
Mark.
Hi Mark,
Of course, old boy. Did you expect me to recommend a wine likely to be kept where the oiks and chavs go for their Lambrusco? :lol: ;)Quote:
Took some finding as was in the area where they have 'special' wines on a posh display stand in a corner with wooden crates etc, not on the shelves with the usual budget wines...
It'll be interesting to know what you think of it :)
Marco.
Recently quaffed this Bordeaux, bought from the Co-op for £6.50:
http://www.weinwelt-probst.de/images...ges/1400_0.jpg
2008 Chateau Pierrousselle, chateau bottled 13% ABV
74.5% Merlot, 14.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Cabernet Franc
"Situated in the Entre-Deux Mers region, the vinyard is planted with Cabernet Suvignon and Merlot grapes wich gives a rounded, supple wine with flavours of damson and blackcurrent."
"Château Pierrousselle AC 2007 is an intense dark purple red in colour. It has a complex nose giving you both spice and delicious mouthwatering black fruit aromas. The blackberry fruit notes are well rounded and the wine has a good finish.. Bottled at the Château Pierrousselle. Owner is Michel Lafon. Vineyard has 43 hectares and the vines are 25 years old (on average)."
Probably best keeping for a year or two, but can be drunk now.
Tesco have on offer at half price:
2009 Ogio Della Venizie.
100% Pinot Grigio, 12% ABV. £4.49 Offer ends 5.10.10
http://napi.net-flow.com/ogiowines.c...ottle.php?ID=2
and
2008 Saint Joseph.
100% Syrah, 12% ABV. £6.50 Be quick - offer ends 21.09.10.
http://img.tesco.com/wine/UIAssets/p...el_126x150.jpg
Can be drunk now or kept for up to 5 years.
I have recently enjoyed a bottle of 2006 Masi Costasera Amarone, a beautiful Italian red Valpolcella Classica.
http://static.winedirect.co.uk/image...2-ITMS0601.jpg
I am not particularly knowledgeable about Italian reds; my tastes in red wine have been limited to those from French vineyards. In fact apart from a few bottles of Barolo and some dubious Chianti, my experience of Italian reds is lamentable. It was a forum post by Marco that drew my attention to Amarone and some of the better but lesser known reds from Italy.
This bottle was on ‘offer’ in Tesco at £23. Usually it sells for more, so I grabbed the opportunity to try it out. Running the name past Marco, assured me I hadn’t bought a ‘pig in a poke’; apparently Masi are producers of some of the finest Amarone.
I’ll quote the blurb on the bottle:
“COSTSERA: the coasts which face the sunset are the best ones in Valpolicella Classica for producing a high-quality Amarone. Here, where the day is longer, the vines, which overlook lake Garda, benefit from the reflection of its light and its milder climate. Amarone is a unique wine due to its origin, ancient grape varieties and production method (vinification of grapes that have semi-dried for 3 – 4 months on bamboo racks). The Costasera Amarone expresses a particular majesty and complexity. …”
So what’s it like? Well in short: it’s big, bold and beautiful! Oh yes, this is a big wine: full-bodied and powerful (15% ABV). It’s also beautifully balanced and structured - I’ve never tasted a wine that is so free of tannins: no need to describe this wine as "having supple tannins", it’s so obvious it doesn’t need stating. The Amarone is an intense wine with complexity and a smooth, long finish.
A wine that can be enjoyed seul but goes wonderfully well with red meats and cheese. In fact this bottle was consumed with the following:
Scottish venison steak, served with Pommes Dauphinoise, lightly sautéed mushrooms and corgettes, red cabbage, purple-sprouting broccoli, carrots, fresh garden peas (there’s something therapeutic about shelling peas) and fine beans. There might have been some asparagus there but I don’t remember.
If you have ever drunk Barolo, the Amarone is Borolo-plus, if not ‘Borolo-zilla’. Don’t expect much in the way of postprandial activity. You’ll have just about enough energy to load the dishwasher, pour yourself a cognac and pull out a few CDs to play.
It’s that good – nice one Marco!
Great review Barry - I've yet to find an excuse for a bottle but maybe I should try harder after reading your description! :cheers:
Finca Flichman - Malbec Mendoza..
Around my neck of the woods, Wirral, there is an excellent bitter called Trappers Hat made by the Brimstage Brewery. It's not too strong but is very tasty with a good hop aftertaste. You can drink a few without getting brain damage (I drink Belgian for that).
Wossat like then, Andre, and where do you get it from? :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre
Hi Campbell,
I'll remember that, as I have quite a few friends in the Wirral. Where's the best place to drink it? I'm in the area quite often :cool:Quote:
Around my neck of the woods, Wirral, there is an excellent bitter called Trappers Hat made by the Brimstage Brewery. It's not too strong but is very tasty with a good hop aftertaste. You can drink a few without getting brain damage (I drink Belgian for that).
Marco.