We're now stocking Black Rat Cider from Moles Brewery in Somerset. It has a fresh apple aroma, smooth taste and a crisp, clean finish. A must for relaxing in this well deserved summer sunshine! Only £15.60 for 8 x 500ml bottles. Why not pop in for a chilled sample!  

My culinary skills were put to the test when I deiced to make a butternut squash and spinach risotto over my day off. The end result was something fit for Masterchef... I like to think! Choosing a wine to match the earthiness of the squash and the creamy pine nuts I sprinkled on top was an interesting venture.

In the end, I decided to go for Marquis de Pennautier Chardonnay 'Terroirs d'Altitude' 2010 Vin de Pays d'Oc.

The Lorgeril family have been making wine at the historic Château de Pennautier, a National Historic Monument designed by the same architect as the Palace of Versailles, since the Château was founded by the first Marquis de Pennautier in 1620.

Aromas of peach, passion fruit and pineapple mingle with spicy notes such as vanilla, nutmeg and even a hint of clove. The palate displays hints of dried apricots and puffed wheat.

This chardonnay, with a smooth, buttery finish worked really well with this dish, I highly recommend it! £9.99 or buy 2 bottles as part of a mixed case and save £3 = £8.49

Marques de Caceres was set by Enrique Forner, a spanish exile, living and working in Bordeaux. Whilst in Bordeaux he became close to the great Emile Peynaud, and used much of his groundbreaking techniques upon his return to Rioja. I am convinced that the belief that great wines are made in the vineyard are the reason why elegance is the hallmark of the entire Caceres range. 
We stock a number of Caceres wines, all of which I can thoroughly recommend:-
Caceres Blanco Joven 
Caceres Blanco Antea
Caceres Rosado
Caceres Crianza
Caceres Reserva
Caceres Gran Reserva
My two favourites are
Antea, this barrel fermented white is a blend of Viura and Malvasia. This is a amazing complex wine that seems to be constantly evolving in the glass, it is light enough for an aperitif but rich enough to accompany light foods  salads, fish, chicken and pasta. This is one of the real bargains in store
Caceres Gran Reserva, this is a blend of predominately Tempranillo, with some Garnacha and Graciano. It has spent 28 months in barrel and then a further 3 years in bottle before being released. This is a serious, yet elegant wine which whilst drinking fantastically at the moment has many years ahead of it. 

We're now stocking Black Rat Cider from Moles Brewery in Somerset. It has a fresh apple aroma, smooth taste and a crisp, clean finish. A must for relaxing in this well deserved summer sunshine! Only £15.60 for 8 x 500ml bottles. Why not pop in for a chilled sample!  

My culinary skills were put to the test when I deiced to make a butternut squash and spinach risotto over my day off. The end result was something fit for Masterchef... I like to think! Choosing a wine to match the earthiness of the squash and the creamy pine nuts I sprinkled on top was an interesting venture.

In the end, I decided to go for Marquis de Pennautier Chardonnay 'Terroirs d'Altitude' 2010 Vin de Pays d'Oc.

The Lorgeril family have been making wine at the historic Château de Pennautier, a National Historic Monument designed by the same architect as the Palace of Versailles, since the Château was founded by the first Marquis de Pennautier in 1620.

Aromas of peach, passion fruit and pineapple mingle with spicy notes such as vanilla, nutmeg and even a hint of clove. The palate displays hints of dried apricots and puffed wheat.

This chardonnay, with a smooth, buttery finish worked really well with this dish, I highly recommend it! £9.99 or buy 2 bottles as part of a mixed case and save £3 = £8.49

Marques de Caceres was set by Enrique Forner, a spanish exile, living and working in Bordeaux. Whilst in Bordeaux he became close to the great Emile Peynaud, and used much of his groundbreaking techniques upon his return to Rioja. I am convinced that the belief that great wines are made in the vineyard are the reason why elegance is the hallmark of the entire Caceres range. 
We stock a number of Caceres wines, all of which I can thoroughly recommend:-
Caceres Blanco Joven 
Caceres Blanco Antea
Caceres Rosado
Caceres Crianza
Caceres Reserva
Caceres Gran Reserva
My two favourites are
Antea, this barrel fermented white is a blend of Viura and Malvasia. This is a amazing complex wine that seems to be constantly evolving in the glass, it is light enough for an aperitif but rich enough to accompany light foods  salads, fish, chicken and pasta. This is one of the real bargains in store
Caceres Gran Reserva, this is a blend of predominately Tempranillo, with some Garnacha and Graciano. It has spent 28 months in barrel and then a further 3 years in bottle before being released. This is a serious, yet elegant wine which whilst drinking fantastically at the moment has many years ahead of it. 

Pick up our last few cases of Quilmes beeer from Argentina 12 X 355ml for only £6.49 (was £12.99)

Enjoy in the sunshine over BBQ!

Alexandra Hale, the New World Wines Brand Manager from Mentzendorff came into the store to show us some rather interesting wines from Turkey Flat Vineyards. 

Turkey Flat is the local name for the vineyard property and is believed to be so named by the original settlers in the late 1840's after flocks of native bush turkeys (Australian Bustard) in the area. The Turkey Flat vineyards and winery are now located on the historic Section One property in the center of the Barossa Valley. The Schulz family became owners of the Turkey Flat property in around 1865 and while they continued the tended the ancient vineyard, they also developed a thriving butchers business.

All the Turkey Flat wines are made in the Bethany Road winery using traditional open fermenters.

Alex gave us a tasting of the Rosé, which we'll hopefully be stocking in the near future. Turkey Flat has been the one of the first to lead the great Rosé revival in Australia and has grown in popularity internationally. Sweet, perfumed rose petals and forest fruits show well on the nose and leads to red berries with soft tannins and a crisp, dry balanced finish.

We were also fortunate enough to try the 2008 Shiraz, at a generous price of £25. There's nothing 'flat' about this weighty red, the nose is dominated by wild blackberries, licorice and savory spice. The palate shows concentrated fruit characters with youthful, yet restrained tannins. Rich layers of blackberries, ceder and nutmeg are also present.

Another Turkey Flat wine we stock is the 'Butcher's Block' Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre. The nose is floral with hints of five spice, plum, cherry and blackcurrant. The palate is generous, displaying juicy fruit with a firm palate structure. Elegant and restrained, with a velvety finish. Drink with all red meats, game pie, or chargrilled sausages. £14.99 or buy any other wine from Australia and save 20% = £11.99.