Southern Rhone Tasting Trip - Part one

Although it now seems a world away from a slightly damp and chilly Aylesbury, last week I was lucky enough to spend three days in the sunny Southern Rhone as a guest of Famille Perrin, the owners of the legendary Chateau de Beaucastel.

The Perrin family have business interests all over the Southern Rhone, not just in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and our visit treated us to a tractor tour of their Vinsobres vineyards, a 4x4 drive to some of the highest Gigondas sights and some of the most beautiful and exciting food and wine i have ever tried.

Chateau de Beaucastel

Shortly after touchdown at a warm and sunny Marseille-Provence airport we headed straight for our first tasting of the trip. Arriving at Chateau de Beaucastel for 4pm, our host Kirsty welcomed us straight down to the cellars for a tour. After some in depth discussion about Perrin's winemaking style and their history, a look around the fermentation areas and a wander through the dark, mystical and deeply historical cellars where every bottle of Beaucastel will spend a good period of it's life, we commenced what we were all truly excited about: the tasting.

Tasing through almost the entire Famille Perrin wine range bought joy to everyone in the room - here is southern Rhone winemaking at it's best and all the wines, right the way through from La Vielle Ferme to Chateau de Beaucastel were impressive. Personally for me, i enjoyed the very drinkable La Vielle Ferme Blanc, the Famille Perrin 2010 Vinsobres (from vineyards we would subsequently visit and a wine that with a couple of years age will open out beautifully), and Coudoulet de Beaucastel Rouge and Blanc (an absolute steal, when available in the UK, at around £15-20 from vineyards across the road from Beaucastel but not in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AC). A real group favourite was the stunning 2010 Roussanne Vieilles Vignes, Château de Beaucastel - weighty and honeyed yet perfectly elegant, easily one of the greatest white wines i've ever tried (http://majw.co/HVtfrS).

Of course, the wine we were all looking forward to trying was Château de Beaucastel's Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The 2010, far from it's optimum but still remarkably rewarding was great, but it was Kirsty's surprise 'guess the vintage' bottle that was truly special. Delicately poured and truly savoured, the 1990 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Château de Beaucastel has aged gracefully and will continue to do so, fooling some of our group into thinking this wine was a good ten years younger than it was.

Reflecting over dinner (accompanied by Chateau de Beaucastel 2005 and Chapoutier 'Les Becasses' Côte-Rôtie 2006) we all keenly anticipated the following day - vineyard tours, more tasting, lunch in Gigondas and dinner at Chateau de Beaucastel. As if day one hadn't been exciting enough!

This week we will be posting dates for our wine courses and wine walks for February and March here on our store website. Please check again later in the week when we have dates comfirmed.

Even better is if you follow us on twitter @majesticayl and you will be the first to know of our upcoming events!

Our new spring promotion is the perfect time for a bit of a clear-out to make way for 2012's exciting new wines, so we have just knocked a third off the price of loads of bin ends in the first ever Majestic Bargain Hunt!

Stock is limited so please be quick to come in and see what we have in stock. Our highlights are Clos D'yvigne Rouge et Noir from Bergerac (£9.99 down to £6.66) and Bruno Colin's Pluigny-Montrachet 1er Cru La Truffiere 2008 (£45.00 down to £30.00).

Get your dickie bows and orange tan line ready as Bargain Hunt is coming to Aylesbury!!!!

Southern Rhone Tasting Trip - Part one

Although it now seems a world away from a slightly damp and chilly Aylesbury, last week I was lucky enough to spend three days in the sunny Southern Rhone as a guest of Famille Perrin, the owners of the legendary Chateau de Beaucastel.

The Perrin family have business interests all over the Southern Rhone, not just in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and our visit treated us to a tractor tour of their Vinsobres vineyards, a 4x4 drive to some of the highest Gigondas sights and some of the most beautiful and exciting food and wine i have ever tried.

Chateau de Beaucastel

Shortly after touchdown at a warm and sunny Marseille-Provence airport we headed straight for our first tasting of the trip. Arriving at Chateau de Beaucastel for 4pm, our host Kirsty welcomed us straight down to the cellars for a tour. After some in depth discussion about Perrin's winemaking style and their history, a look around the fermentation areas and a wander through the dark, mystical and deeply historical cellars where every bottle of Beaucastel will spend a good period of it's life, we commenced what we were all truly excited about: the tasting.

Tasing through almost the entire Famille Perrin wine range bought joy to everyone in the room - here is southern Rhone winemaking at it's best and all the wines, right the way through from La Vielle Ferme to Chateau de Beaucastel were impressive. Personally for me, i enjoyed the very drinkable La Vielle Ferme Blanc, the Famille Perrin 2010 Vinsobres (from vineyards we would subsequently visit and a wine that with a couple of years age will open out beautifully), and Coudoulet de Beaucastel Rouge and Blanc (an absolute steal, when available in the UK, at around £15-20 from vineyards across the road from Beaucastel but not in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AC). A real group favourite was the stunning 2010 Roussanne Vieilles Vignes, Château de Beaucastel - weighty and honeyed yet perfectly elegant, easily one of the greatest white wines i've ever tried (http://majw.co/HVtfrS).

Of course, the wine we were all looking forward to trying was Château de Beaucastel's Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The 2010, far from it's optimum but still remarkably rewarding was great, but it was Kirsty's surprise 'guess the vintage' bottle that was truly special. Delicately poured and truly savoured, the 1990 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Château de Beaucastel has aged gracefully and will continue to do so, fooling some of our group into thinking this wine was a good ten years younger than it was.

Reflecting over dinner (accompanied by Chateau de Beaucastel 2005 and Chapoutier 'Les Becasses' Côte-Rôtie 2006) we all keenly anticipated the following day - vineyard tours, more tasting, lunch in Gigondas and dinner at Chateau de Beaucastel. As if day one hadn't been exciting enough!

This week we will be posting dates for our wine courses and wine walks for February and March here on our store website. Please check again later in the week when we have dates comfirmed.

Even better is if you follow us on twitter @majesticayl and you will be the first to know of our upcoming events!

Our new spring promotion is the perfect time for a bit of a clear-out to make way for 2012's exciting new wines, so we have just knocked a third off the price of loads of bin ends in the first ever Majestic Bargain Hunt!

Stock is limited so please be quick to come in and see what we have in stock. Our highlights are Clos D'yvigne Rouge et Noir from Bergerac (£9.99 down to £6.66) and Bruno Colin's Pluigny-Montrachet 1er Cru La Truffiere 2008 (£45.00 down to £30.00).

Get your dickie bows and orange tan line ready as Bargain Hunt is coming to Aylesbury!!!!

Now it's Sunday, it's time to relax and really indulge with a great white wine.

I've gone for the delicious Petit Chablis 2010 by Seguinot-Bordet from Burgundy. It's a new wine for us here at Majestic and certainly worth a try at £11.99. I think this wine would be a great match for a creamy and luxurious seafood risotto. This Chablis has a nice body to it, so will really work well with the creamy sauce, and of course seafood and Chablis is a classic combination.

This wine is light and lively, with citrus aromas on the nose and crisp apples on the palate. There is a twist of lemon which gives a lovely clean finish. It is unoaked but has spent 6 months on its lees to give it a subtle creamy taste.

Overall an absolute pleasure to drink on a leisurely Sunday with a late lunch.

If you can handle beef two nights in a row after Steve's burgers; you are in for a real food and wine pairing treat!

My choice of wine is the Umbral de Los Tiempos Malbec 2008 from Mendoza, Argentina £12.99 down to £9.99 when you buy 2 or more (until 30.01.12). To be matched with Steak Tartare. If you haven't had this food and wine pairing before – you are missing out.

Malbec and meat is a classic match, however not all Malbec's have the strength, tannin and body to live up to good quality british beef and intense flavours of a Steak Tartare!

The Umbral has ripe bramble and red fruits with hints of spice and delicate oak and with fresh acidity. This acidity cuts through those maze of flavors such as the capers, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco pepper! The finish is very Moorish with fine grained tannins to blend nicely with the protein in the meat.

Because the wine is on a 2 bottle deal use the other bottle to marinate the finest strips of fillet steak a couple of hours before hand before mincing up.

Please come back here tomorrow www.majestic.co.uk/aylesbury to see what delights Helen's choice is for a Sunday afternoon.