Wonderful Warming Wines

'Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the wine is so delightful.......................' well that's how the song goes in my head. Cosying up next to a fire with a favourite wine is always a nice way to cheer yourself up on a bleak and cold wintery day, but there are also those fresh and zingy wines to enjoy after a brisk walk on a clear, frosty evening.

Below is a small selection to inspire your drinking choices this winter.

Fresh and Zingy

Manoir Muscadet Sevre et Maine, Henri Poiron, Loire, France - £8.25
Fresh, zippy and crisp with an ever so slight spritz. This wine has a slight creamy texture from being left on its lees which makes it so more-ish. The first wine the Proprietor Fraser Alexander ever purchased 31 years ago, it was made to go with seafood, so why not enjoy with some Scottish smoked salmon or fresh oysters.

'The Realm' Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand - £8.99
A true classic - with flavours of lip-tingling citrus and aromatic herbaceousness. A great all-rounder that is perfect for just relaxing with or pairing with some asian style food at the weekend. Ideal to crack open after a long frosty walk on a bright winters day.

Spicy and Warming

Simonsig Cabernet/ Shiraz, Stellenbosch, South Africa - £6.99
Made for those dark and stormy nights, with its brooding dark red fruits, sweet spice and toasted mocha on the finish. A real warming delight - and excellent with chargrilled red meats. Time to chill by the fire with a large glass and some Michael Buble in the background........

Cuvee Balthazar Syrah, Pierrick Harang, Languedoc, France - £10.49
A very interesting wine that keeps the tastebuds yearning for more - with flavours of violets, blackcurrants and blackberries on the first sip that then develop into liquorice and spicy black pepper on the finish. Truly spectacular! One to enjoy with that special person in your life cuddled up on the sofa.

Let's go Retro!!

That time of year is almost upon us again, and no I don't mean the C word........ I'm talking about Beaujolais Nouveau Day. Set on the 3rd Thursday in November, this year BN Day falls on the 15th of November, this is the first day the new Beaujolais can be sold to eager customers. Traditionally the winemakers would rush through the Beaujolais villages 1 minute past midnight towards Paris to be the first to get their wines there. They would be greeted with banners of 'Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrive',cheer and celebrations of the new wine would flow along with the wine. Many of the restaurants stay open throughout the night serving copious amounts of this unique wine.

Along with this all over France parties and events take place with the biggest happening in Beaujeu, the capital of the Beaujolais region, where a massive party called Sarmentelles erupts. This party can last for a few days, starting on the Wednesday and finishing on the Friday, with competitions between winemakers to discover who has created the best wine. Lyon also hosts the Beaujolympics which marks the release of the wine with fireworks and 2 days of sampling.

BN Day has now become an international event, with people all over the world celebrating with Beaujolais Nouveau Parties and themed events.

Bottled just 6-8 weeks after the Gamay grapes have been picked, this wine is a fresh, fruity and easy-drinking wine that is best consumed young. The grapes are pressed only 3 days after fermentation preventing heavy tannins from affecting the wine. Fantastic served slightly chilled, this wine is made for drinkign and enjoying with friends. Beaujolais Nouveau also pairs very well with your Christmas Turkey and cranberry sauce, so don't miss out on the hype and try some for yourself. (Sorry, had to pop the C word in there.......)

£7.99 a bottle

Wine for the Weekend

It's Friday and you've had a busy and stressful week.......... you're thinking about the weekend and what you will get up to. Here at AW Headquarters we often discuss what wine we will be tasting at the weekend (I know it's a hard life!), and with the seasonal change in the air our tastes have been changing too.

Spicy reds and oaked whites are the first styles that spring to mind, and below we have a selection from our Warehouse which we think are the perfect Autumn drinkers.

Recently recommended by Jancis Robinson, the Cuvee Balthazar Syrah from Pierrick Harang is full of blackberries, blackcurrants, licquorice and a touch of violets. Full of seasonal flavours, this wine is the perfect choice for enjoying after a long walk in the countryside.

 

 £10.49 a bottle 

Next up is an award winning wine from acclaimed wine makers at Simonsig, South Africa. Their Chenin avec Chene is a wine with bags of character. Translating as 'Chenin with oak' flavours of honey and baked apples dominate with a refreshing citrus twist at the end. Delicious!!!

 

£14.99 a bottle

Another intriguing white wine which we recommend for this time of year is the quirky Furmint from Royal Tokaji, Hungary. Made from the native Furmint grape, this wine is becoming increasingly more popular. Subtle apricot and honey with a delicious mineral backbone show the delicate and complex flavours.

£10.49 a bottle

 Chill out with a glass of warming wine and enjoy the weekend - you've earned it!

Let's sing for Riesling

What a wonderful grape variety Riesling is - able to retain it's distinctive characteristics in all styles! From dry and fruity to sweet and fresh dessert wines, Riesling never disappoints when made well. Now grown all over the world and having great success, this shows how versatile this grape variety can be. 

It is most commonly associated with Germany where the cool climate can produce some of the finest crisp, dry and fruity wines with low alcohol. These make them perfect wines for the warm summer days we are now getting. One such wine is our Domdechant Werner Hochhiemer Riesling 'Classic' from Rheingau in the South West of Germany. This is a very elegant and crisp wine which is perfect with seafood, and at only 12.5% is great for summer sipping.

£13.25 a bottle

From a completely different area altogether, we also stock the New Zealand Selaks Riesling which is a medium dry wine. This wine takes on the crisp lime and grapefruit notes and balances with soft honeysuckle. Riesling from New Zealand has been tipped to be the next big thing since the Sauvignon Blanc boom, so get there before everyone else does and try this wine!

 £10.99 a bottle

Riesling can also produce some of the finest dessert wines. The South African Jordan Mellifera Riesling, from award winning wine makers Kathy and Gary Jordan, is produced from ripe Riesling grapes affected by botrytis to create this deliciously sweet yet fresh dessert wine. This results in flavours of delicate floral and apricot with a limey citrussy twist on the finish. Named after the Mellifera bee that lives in the vineyards - this wine is spectacular!!!

£12.29 a half bottle

Raise your glass - fill it with some of these fabulous wines and sing out for Riesling!

Gavi the Great!

Gavi has been getting a brilliant reception recently, with many people breaking from old drinking habits and trying new wines. Made from the Cortese grape, Gavi is a great alternative for Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio drinkers as it is light and fruity like a Sauvignon but has a bit more character than a Pinot Grigio.

With classic flavours of zesty fruit, light floral characters and a crisp steely minerality Gavi is best served with freshly caught fish and shellfish. However, this wine is also great for sipping in the sunshine (if we ever get any?) making it a fantastic choice for summer.

And if you don't believe the hype all three Gavi's in Alexander Wines portfolio won an award at the recent International Wine Challenge and Decanter Awards. Check them out.........

Gavi La Luciana - Commended by both IWC and Decanter 2012

Gavi La Battistina - Commended IWC 2012

Gavi di Gavi Fontanafredda - Bronze by both IWC and Decanter 2012

 

Bubbles galore!

With so many celebrations at this time of year- it can sometimes be a bit baffling as to what to buy for everyone to enjoy. And with most people working to a tight budget you want to get the best possible wine for the best price. So where do we start?

The first thing that helps me when choosing a wine, whether it be bubbles or not, is who am I going to be drinking this wine with? If it's amongst friends then you will generally already know what they love, like or even hate! Don't stray too far from what they enjoy unless you know they like change - if they do, go for anything within your budget. If it's with people who you may not know very well, I always go with what I like, as when you like something it's easier to talk about it and get everyone involved. In general, although a crowd will love a well known name - more and more people are wanting something a little bit different and want to have 'The next big thing'. Therefore, go with your gut instinct - if you like something, chances are so will the majority of who you will be drinking your wine choice with.

My recommendations for this time of year are pretty varied as you may want bubbles to just enjoy with your friends at the end of a busy week, or you may be wanting them to celebrate. Either way, all that matters is that you can enjoy your experience and not feel daunted by what is on offer around you.

For those who are looking for something that little bit special Laurent-Perrier Ultra Brut is 'The Summer Drink'. Perfect for celebrations and with no dosage, this crisp and vibrant champagne was made for those hot sunny days. The perfect partner to fresh oysters and shellfish platters - you can imagine yourself sitting with sun beating down on your face and relaxing with a chilled glass of this exquisite wine (and with no dosage - less calories!)

My next choice for summer is our signature sparkling wine from South Africa, Kaapse Vonkel Brut by Simonsig. This sparkling wine is made with the same grapes as those used to make Champagne and is also made using the same method. This is the ultimate alternative to Champagne in my opinion as it still has all the elegance and full flavours but does not have the weighty price tag to go with it. In fact, this wine is so good I have friends who work for other wine companies asking me to bring a bottle of this whenever I pop round!!!

Finally, my 3rd choice would be our Prosecco Valdobbiadene from San Giovanni. This may be slightly more expensive than your regular Prosecco but the extra pennies are definitely worth it. This wine oozes sophistication with enticing and seductive flavours of apples and pears and a soft and delicate mousse. A great end of week drink to have with friends and family.

So raise a glass of bubbles to our 'summer' - carry on with your celebrations and party in style!

French Summer Sizzlers

Summer wouldn't be summer without some stunning Languedoc wines to sip in the sunshine - so we were very happy to receive some new wines from winemaker Pierrick Harong. Pierrick is a 5th generation winemaker hailing from Languedoc, France who has mastered the art of creating delicious wines with lower alcohol content. Using scientific techniques and technical expertise - he has created these wines as a reflection of what consumers want. Easy drinking yet delicious wines with lower alcohol content........

His Petit Balthazar range are at 11% alcohol naturally, with no dealcoholisation used to obtain these low percentages.  And, at only 87 calories per 12cl glass this is the perfect choice to drink on those long hazy sunny days without feeling guilty.

Alexander Wines are proud to now supply Petit Balthazar Sauvignon/ Viognier, Petit Balthazar Cinsault Rose and Petit Balthazar Merlot - all at only 11% alcohol.

The Sauvignon/ Viognier has intense flavours of lime, grapefuit and exotic fruits that drench the tastebuds and finishes with a well balanced roundness. The perfect wine to sip sitting under a shaded tree with the sun peeking through the leaves while enjoying some shellfish!

Next up we have pure sunshine in a glass - Cinsault Rose - the epitome of summer in our opinion. Warming images of eating strawberries whilst basking in the sun spring to mind when first tasting this wine. Bursting with flavours of strawberries and blueberries with a delicous zing on the finish. Yum.

And finally, to complete the trio we have the juicy Merlot, a great summer red to enjoy at the end of a busy week. Blackcurrants, blackberries and a little touch of spice made this an ideal wine for a BBQ.

£6.99 each - go on treat yourself to a mixed case of these and if the sun isn't in the sky at least it will be in your glass.

French Strike Back

Most people will say their favourite wine is a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, but do they realise that just over the water in the Loire region of France, there are some amazing wines to rival? Probably not - hence why InterLoire are making a big song and dance about their wines.

They have selected 18 Sauvignon Blancs from across the area to represent the quality and value for money. Of these 18 wines, Alexander Wines supplies 3 of these......

1. Ackerman Sauvignon Blanc - £6.99 a bottle

2. Touraine Sauvignon Blanc, Domaine Joel Delaunay - £9.45 a bottle

3. Henri Bourgeois Petit Bourgeois - £9.59 a bottle

So why not give France a chance and take the plunge - choose a new wine to rival that trusty New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc - we think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Spring Time Wines

Now don't blink, you might miss it - but there is actual sunshine! And what better selection of wines to drink during this change of season than some of our newbies from Italy.....

Firm favourite with some of the staff is the Il Meridione Nero d'Avola - full of ripe plum and cherries and just a slight swoosh of spice. Enjoyed with pizza and friends this is a great wine to drink at the end of a busy week - £6.25 a bottle

Next up from Italy is a crackling little wine, a blend of the relatively unknown Garganega grape and old faithful Pinot Grigio - it's our Vinazza gPG. Fresh, crisp and very easy drinking this is a perfect wine to open with a group as everyone will love it - £6.25 a bottle

And now for something a little different - Salice Salentino Riserva, a rich and robust red which is fantastic to serve with a Sunday Roast. Full of dried fruit with a creamy bitter chocolate and smoky after taste - £10.49 a bottle

So there you have it, a cheeky Italian selection which we recommend for drinking just now.

Wine for Spring

Ah, the sunshine has finally come out (after that random snow) and the evenings are getting longer, so it's time to think about some refreshing changes to our wine selections. The first thing that comes to mind when you think 'Spring' is fresh cut grass, cool breezes and the odd spring shower along with that blissful sun. So what wine would the staff here at AW HQ choose to reflect this?

Something zingy, fruity, fresh and maybe something a bit quirky........


1. First choice would be the Muscadet de Sevre et Maine sur Lie by Domaine du Manoir - fresh and zippy and that all important tang, this wine is almost made for those cool evenings to enjoy with some local caught salty shellfish.

2. A controversial but intriguing red, our Via Romana Mencia ticks all the boxes for a fresh and quirky wine. Similar in style to a light Cabernet Franc, this wine has entincing flavours of ripe red fruits with a touch of violet on the finish.

3. Now try saying this one after a few glasses - Txomin Etxaniz, DO Chacoli de Goetaria. Crisp and fruity with a slight salty tang from ageing by the sea in the North West of Spain. Excellent wine to have with fresh anchovies marinated in garlic with hunks of crusty bread.

So there you have it, a quirky yet refreshing selection of wines we recommend for drinking in the springtime. Which one will you choose?

Big accolade for Ona Pinot Noir 2010

Sometimes, well actually quite often, we think a wine is amazing here at AW HQ and it's always fantastic to see when great independant wine connoissuers agree with us. A frequent first choice for a weekend bottle to take home and enjoy with friends and family, this wine is a firm favourite with the staff. However Robert Parker has just awarded the Ona Pinot Noir 2010, from acclaimed winery Anakena, 90 out of a possible 100 points showing what impeccable taste we have here.

Now this wine has already been awarded 'Silver' at the Decanter Wine Awards of 2011, so this marking will be put along side its mantlepiece of trophies to showcase how good this wine actually is. And it's not even overly expensive. Here at Alexander Wines this wine sells for only £9.99 a bottle. Great if you're looking to buy something of great quality but not wanting to spend too much.

We like to pair this complex yet refined wine with game and mushroom based dishes, although Pinot Noir is classed as one of the most food friendly wines and can pair with most food types. One superb pairing is with smoked vension with chanterelle mushrooms, the earthy gamey notes of the dish complement these tones found in the wine perfectly.

So there you have it - if you're stuck with what wine to choose from our wide selection don't just take our word - follow Robert Parkers advise and get yourself some of this juicy and moreish wine, and show your friends how good you are at choosing wine.

Tokaji the Noo

What is Tokaji (pronounced Tok-aye) and why is this blog called 'Tokaji the Noo'?

Well it all started with the planning of our 2012 Portfolio Tasting (held on the 27th of February 2012), with Master of Wine Chris Donaldson from The Royal Tokaji Wine Company confirming that he would be coming along and showcasing an exclusive range of wines from The Royal Tokaji Wine Company.

Here in the AW office we like to keep ourselves amused and in the past we have often referred to Tokaji as 'Tokaji the Noo' (being Scottish we are proud of our strange and unique words!), and therefore during the lead up to our event this was a running joke. On meeting Chris we told him about our little quip which he found highly amusing and thought it would be a great way to get the name of Tokaji out to world.

So what is Tokaji?

Tokaji wines have a long history from Hungary dating back to the 17th century, where the quality of these wines were noted by Prince Rakoczi II of Transylvania and the vineyards were classified into Great First growths, First, Second and Third Growths. In doing this Tokaj became the first wine region in the world to have their vineyards categorised in such a way and these classifiactions still stand today.

The grape varieties used to make these exculsive wines, from The Royal Tokaji Wine Company, are - Furmint, Harslevelu and Muscat de Lunel with each grape variety bringing its own unique element to the wines. These wines range from the enticing dry and aromatic 100% Furmint to the unique and exclusive Essencia which only has up to 3% alcohol due to the level of sugar from the grapes.

The sweeter dessert style wines, termed aszu, have an aszu classification system in which their sugar levels can be categorised. The aszu classification was traditionally based on how many puttonyos (types of barrels used to collect the grapes) of dried out, aszu, grapes were added to a barrel of dry wine. Now it is based on sugar levels. The sweeter, the richer; the richer, the rarer; the rarer, the more expensive. Therefore a 6 puttonyos is sweeter than a 5 puttonyos. Essencia, the sweetest of all, often takes years to ferment to an incredible 3% alcohol, and is the rarest wine of all from The Royal Tokaji Company.

We were lucky enough to open a bottle of the Royal Tokay Aszu Essencia 1993, where only 450 bottles were produced. This liquid delight was perfectly balanced with rich and lucsious sweetness but with a delicate acidity to finish. 


So lets raise a glass of this delicious and exquiste wine and say 'Tokaji the Noo'!

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