A world of Easter wines
I’ve been asked to write about spring drinks but it’s so hard to know what to recommend because one never knows what the weather is going to be like – ’tis the season of the April shower, after all. Fortunately, there’s a whole world of wine out there – and thanks to our role as global seafarers, we’ve long been familiar with it. Here are some of the classics.
I’m writing a book about how Britain’s rise as a world power led to the creation of the world’s greatest drinks. You can help me by pledging money here: www.unbound.co.uk/books/empire-of-booze
ROUSSANNE, SOUTH AFRICA The Dutch share many similarities with the British, not least in their love of wine, unpromising climate and maritime prowess. They first planted grapes in the 17th century in the Cape Colony.
The Foundry Roussanne, Stellenbosch, 2012, £10.95: www.thewinesociety.com
The Roussanne grape is originally from the Northern Rhône, but it is very at home in South Africa. It smells a little floral and there is no oak, so the taste is very clean, with spicy notes and a long finish.
CLARET, FRANCE An Englishman’s first love is always claret. Bordeaux was an English territory for more than 200 years and, even after it fell to the French, it maintained its close relations with England.
Château d’Abzac 2010, £11.75: www.yapp.co.uk
One sniff and you know where you are. It’s rich and refreshing, with just a hint of dark chocolate. A good lunchtime sort of wine.
CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE Until the British got their hands on it, champagne was still. The Royal Society’s scientists experimented in the 17th century with re-fermenting wine in bottles to create bubbles: only the Brits had bottles strong enough to take the pressure of fermentation. Now grapes from England make some very excellent bubbly.
Champagne Veuve Monsigny, £12.99: www.aldi.co.uk
An extraordinary bargain – proper champagne with no rough edges.
SPARKLING WINE, ENGLAND England now grows grapes and makes some of the best sparkling wines outside the Champagne region.
Wyfold Vineyard Sparkling Wine 2010, £29.99: www.laithwaites.co.uk
This is one of the best English sparklers I’ve sampled recently. It tastes a bit like marmalade on toast but in wine form – if you can imagine such a thing. …and finally a couple from the colonies… (see below)
PORT, PORTUGAL Port was a by-product of war with France in the late 16th century – and the claret shortage that resulted. Enterprising British merchants headed into the Douro valley looking for wine to export. Initially, it would have been dry and was known as ‘Blackstrap’ but gradually the brandy used to preserve it for the sea voyage was added earlier, stopping fermentation and making the wine sweet.
Churchill’s Estates Douro 2011 or 2010, £9.99, if you buy two: www.majestic.co.uk
I doubt the early, dry Douro wines were as polished as this – spicy and oral with a good bit of tannic grip to it.
Churchill’s 10 Years Old Tawny Port, £16.95 for 50cl: www.tannerswines.co.uk
Tawny port is so versatile, it warms you up on a cold day, or you can drink it chilled they way they do in Portugal.
SEMILLON, AUSTRALIA In the 19th century, enterprising British settlers started trying to recreate the great European wines in the Southern Hemisphere. They have been extremely successful.
Mount Pleasant ‘Elizabeth’ Semillon McWilliams 2005, £8.32, if you buy two: www.majestic.co.uk
A great Australian original and a bargain, to boot. All that lovely toasty flavour comes from bottle age rather than oak. Don’t serve it too cold.
SHERRY, SPAIN The other great Iberian fortified wine is sherry. The locals still complain about the time Sir Francis Drake sailed into Cádiz and stole more than a million litres of the stuff in 1587.
Waitrose Manzanilla Fino Sherry, £6.99 for 75cl: www.waitrose.com
I always have a bottle of this in the fridge. It’s very bready and yeasty with a good saline tang. It offers a huge amount of character for the money.
PINOT NOIR, NEW ZEALAND Pinot Noir is perhaps most associated with Burgundy, but it is now thriving on the other side of the world.
Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir 2012, £27.50: www.etonvintners.com
This is superb Pinot Noir. There’s oranges and leather and just a hint of creamy oak. It combines typical New Zealand generosity of avour with some real bite.
I’m writing a book about how Britain’s rise as a world power led to the creation of the world’s greatest drinks. You can help me by pledging money here: www.unbound.co.uk/books/empire-of-booze
ROUSSANNE, SOUTH AFRICA The Dutch share many similarities with the British, not least in their love of wine, unpromising climate and maritime prowess. They first planted grapes in the 17th century in the Cape Colony.
The Foundry Roussanne, Stellenbosch, 2012, £10.95: www.thewinesociety.com
The Roussanne grape is originally from the Northern Rhône, but it is very at home in South Africa. It smells a little floral and there is no oak, so the taste is very clean, with spicy notes and a long finish.
CLARET, FRANCE An Englishman’s first love is always claret. Bordeaux was an English territory for more than 200 years and, even after it fell to the French, it maintained its close relations with England.
Château d’Abzac 2010, £11.75: www.yapp.co.uk
One sniff and you know where you are. It’s rich and refreshing, with just a hint of dark chocolate. A good lunchtime sort of wine.
CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE Until the British got their hands on it, champagne was still. The Royal Society’s scientists experimented in the 17th century with re-fermenting wine in bottles to create bubbles: only the Brits had bottles strong enough to take the pressure of fermentation. Now grapes from England make some very excellent bubbly.
Champagne Veuve Monsigny, £12.99: www.aldi.co.uk
An extraordinary bargain – proper champagne with no rough edges.
SPARKLING WINE, ENGLAND England now grows grapes and makes some of the best sparkling wines outside the Champagne region.
Wyfold Vineyard Sparkling Wine 2010, £29.99: www.laithwaites.co.uk
This is one of the best English sparklers I’ve sampled recently. It tastes a bit like marmalade on toast but in wine form – if you can imagine such a thing. …and finally a couple from the colonies… (see below)
PORT, PORTUGAL Port was a by-product of war with France in the late 16th century – and the claret shortage that resulted. Enterprising British merchants headed into the Douro valley looking for wine to export. Initially, it would have been dry and was known as ‘Blackstrap’ but gradually the brandy used to preserve it for the sea voyage was added earlier, stopping fermentation and making the wine sweet.
Churchill’s Estates Douro 2011 or 2010, £9.99, if you buy two: www.majestic.co.uk
I doubt the early, dry Douro wines were as polished as this – spicy and oral with a good bit of tannic grip to it.
Churchill’s 10 Years Old Tawny Port, £16.95 for 50cl: www.tannerswines.co.uk
Tawny port is so versatile, it warms you up on a cold day, or you can drink it chilled they way they do in Portugal.
SEMILLON, AUSTRALIA In the 19th century, enterprising British settlers started trying to recreate the great European wines in the Southern Hemisphere. They have been extremely successful.
Mount Pleasant ‘Elizabeth’ Semillon McWilliams 2005, £8.32, if you buy two: www.majestic.co.uk
A great Australian original and a bargain, to boot. All that lovely toasty flavour comes from bottle age rather than oak. Don’t serve it too cold.
SHERRY, SPAIN The other great Iberian fortified wine is sherry. The locals still complain about the time Sir Francis Drake sailed into Cádiz and stole more than a million litres of the stuff in 1587.
Waitrose Manzanilla Fino Sherry, £6.99 for 75cl: www.waitrose.com
I always have a bottle of this in the fridge. It’s very bready and yeasty with a good saline tang. It offers a huge amount of character for the money.
PINOT NOIR, NEW ZEALAND Pinot Noir is perhaps most associated with Burgundy, but it is now thriving on the other side of the world.
Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir 2012, £27.50: www.etonvintners.com
This is superb Pinot Noir. There’s oranges and leather and just a hint of creamy oak. It combines typical New Zealand generosity of avour with some real bite.