Having opened this wine last night to let it breathe, we have just had a little taster in store, and oh my! What a wine!.

Even the look of the bottle is impressive, with its big chunky wax top, and simple, understated label. You can tell it's a good'un!

It's from Langhorne Creek, a premium wine growing region of South OZ, it's on the Fleurie Peninsula near Adelaide. The vineyards are located on the banks of Lake Alexandrina, with rich and fertile soils, giving outstanding grape growing for the Shiraz variety.

Once in the glass, it is a deep crimson colour, with purple tinges. A mass of vanilla extends from the glass, combined with ripe berry characters. The palate, we found to be, very elegant and refined, something quite unlike any other Aussie Shiraz I have ever tried. It still exudes rich black fruit flavours, with a hint of vanilla and a touch of menthol, but is well balanced with a velvety finish.

This wine will benefit from some bottle ageing as well as being drunk now. Enjoy with a lamb ragu or a meaty stew.

The wine:

Mcguigan Handmade Shiraz, 2008, Langhorne Creek

£20 (when buying to or more bottles)

Its open to try so pop in soon!

As it's Italian tasting week, we thought we'd share with you three of our big staff favourites.

1)Masi Campofiorin:

Dark and ruby red in colour this wine, hailing from Veneto, undergoes a double fermentation process. The latter stage involving fermentation with dried grapes to add complexity and distinctive layers. As a result the wine is rich and bursting with both fresh and cooked fruit flavours. The tannins are well integrated and so provide a smooth mouth feel with a soft finish. This makes for incredibly easy drinking and is a steal at just £9.99.

2) Gavi Toledana:

Ripe with fresh apple and pear notes and finishing with a citrus zing this is an elegant but pronounced wine. Similar in style to a softer new world Sauvignon blanc, it's an ideal alternative party wine that is sure to please the masses. With Italy on offer this outstanding wine could be yours for just £7.99

3)Amarone Della Valpolicella:

We like to treat you here at Tunbridge Wells and so have opened one of our Italian fine wines. Rich and intense in colour the nose is filled with both fresh forest fruits as well as prunes and light spice. If you're into your 'chewy' full bodied reds then this is for you. The Amarone is on our buy two fine wines save £8 deal, so why not treat yourself this summer? Alternatively you could buy a single bottle for £22.00.

Emily's Big Fat Wine Quiz

1) What does 'Extra Brut' mean on a Champagne label?

2) Which grape is rumoured to be the same as Primitivo?

3) Which white wine most tastes like Viognier (i.e. full of stone fruit character)?

4) In which country is Walker Bay?

5) In which country are Eden and Clare Valley?...

6)...Which grape are they famed for producing?

7) Name a mass wine brand from California..

8)..and Australia

9)Match the wines and soils:

Chateau-Neuf-du-Pape

Chablis

Riesling

Slate

Kimmeridgian Clay

Pudding stones or 'Galets'

10) Name 3 red grapes grown in Bordeaux

11) Name three different dessert wines and the countries in which the are produced

12) What does 'frizzante' on a label mean?

13) What is the name for a Champagne bottle that is equivalent in size to 4 normal bottles?

14) Name a synonym for Pinot Grigio...

15) ..and for Shiraz

16) What does 'Sur Lie' mean?

17) What is the difference between Pouilly Fumé and Pouilly Fuissé?

18) What is the difference between Rully and Reuilly?

19) How many grapes are permitted in the production of Chateau-Neuf-du-Pape?

20) Name 3 countries where Pinot Noir is produced?

21) What are the 3 total ageing requirements for Rioja...?

Crianza

Reserva

Gran Reserva

22)What grape is primarily used for Rioja production?

23) Name 3 fortified wines

24) Which grape makes Sancerre and Quincy?

25) Which grape makes Vouvray?

26 )Name the cult red grape of Argentina?..

27)..and cult white grape?

28) Name 3 of the 10 Beaujolais Cru

29)Describe the style of Provence Rosé in 6 words

30) What does 'Veuve Cliquot' translate as?

31) What does 'Oeil de Perdrix' translate as?

32) Name a valley in Australia that is famed for Shiraz?

33) What does 'Premier Cru' mean on a Burgundy label?

34)..and is 'Grand Cru' better or worse?

35) Name 3 different Italian white wines with 3 key words for each

36) Where does Lirac come from?

37) Name 3 noble grapes grown in Alsace

38) On a German wine label, what does 'Spatlese' mean?

39) Where is Saumur made and what is it?

40) What does 'Blanc de Blanc' on a sparkling wine label mean?...

41)..and 'Blanc de Noir'?

What is the raw material for tequila?

43) What is Calvados?

44) Name a raw material that can be used to make Vodka?

45) What are botanicals?

46) Is it true or false that rosé champagne is the only wine in the EU allowed to blend red and white wine to create a rosé?

47) Where in the grape is tannin found?

48) Which two countries primarily produce oak barrels for maturation?

49) Describe Cabernet Sauvignon in 5 words

50) What is 'Riddling'?

Having opened this wine last night to let it breathe, we have just had a little taster in store, and oh my! What a wine!.

Even the look of the bottle is impressive, with its big chunky wax top, and simple, understated label. You can tell it's a good'un!

It's from Langhorne Creek, a premium wine growing region of South OZ, it's on the Fleurie Peninsula near Adelaide. The vineyards are located on the banks of Lake Alexandrina, with rich and fertile soils, giving outstanding grape growing for the Shiraz variety.

Once in the glass, it is a deep crimson colour, with purple tinges. A mass of vanilla extends from the glass, combined with ripe berry characters. The palate, we found to be, very elegant and refined, something quite unlike any other Aussie Shiraz I have ever tried. It still exudes rich black fruit flavours, with a hint of vanilla and a touch of menthol, but is well balanced with a velvety finish.

This wine will benefit from some bottle ageing as well as being drunk now. Enjoy with a lamb ragu or a meaty stew.

The wine:

Mcguigan Handmade Shiraz, 2008, Langhorne Creek

£20 (when buying to or more bottles)

Its open to try so pop in soon!

As it's Italian tasting week, we thought we'd share with you three of our big staff favourites.

1)Masi Campofiorin:

Dark and ruby red in colour this wine, hailing from Veneto, undergoes a double fermentation process. The latter stage involving fermentation with dried grapes to add complexity and distinctive layers. As a result the wine is rich and bursting with both fresh and cooked fruit flavours. The tannins are well integrated and so provide a smooth mouth feel with a soft finish. This makes for incredibly easy drinking and is a steal at just £9.99.

2) Gavi Toledana:

Ripe with fresh apple and pear notes and finishing with a citrus zing this is an elegant but pronounced wine. Similar in style to a softer new world Sauvignon blanc, it's an ideal alternative party wine that is sure to please the masses. With Italy on offer this outstanding wine could be yours for just £7.99

3)Amarone Della Valpolicella:

We like to treat you here at Tunbridge Wells and so have opened one of our Italian fine wines. Rich and intense in colour the nose is filled with both fresh forest fruits as well as prunes and light spice. If you're into your 'chewy' full bodied reds then this is for you. The Amarone is on our buy two fine wines save £8 deal, so why not treat yourself this summer? Alternatively you could buy a single bottle for £22.00.

Emily's Big Fat Wine Quiz

1) What does 'Extra Brut' mean on a Champagne label?

2) Which grape is rumoured to be the same as Primitivo?

3) Which white wine most tastes like Viognier (i.e. full of stone fruit character)?

4) In which country is Walker Bay?

5) In which country are Eden and Clare Valley?...

6)...Which grape are they famed for producing?

7) Name a mass wine brand from California..

8)..and Australia

9)Match the wines and soils:

Chateau-Neuf-du-Pape

Chablis

Riesling

Slate

Kimmeridgian Clay

Pudding stones or 'Galets'

10) Name 3 red grapes grown in Bordeaux

11) Name three different dessert wines and the countries in which the are produced

12) What does 'frizzante' on a label mean?

13) What is the name for a Champagne bottle that is equivalent in size to 4 normal bottles?

14) Name a synonym for Pinot Grigio...

15) ..and for Shiraz

16) What does 'Sur Lie' mean?

17) What is the difference between Pouilly Fumé and Pouilly Fuissé?

18) What is the difference between Rully and Reuilly?

19) How many grapes are permitted in the production of Chateau-Neuf-du-Pape?

20) Name 3 countries where Pinot Noir is produced?

21) What are the 3 total ageing requirements for Rioja...?

Crianza

Reserva

Gran Reserva

22)What grape is primarily used for Rioja production?

23) Name 3 fortified wines

24) Which grape makes Sancerre and Quincy?

25) Which grape makes Vouvray?

26 )Name the cult red grape of Argentina?..

27)..and cult white grape?

28) Name 3 of the 10 Beaujolais Cru

29)Describe the style of Provence Rosé in 6 words

30) What does 'Veuve Cliquot' translate as?

31) What does 'Oeil de Perdrix' translate as?

32) Name a valley in Australia that is famed for Shiraz?

33) What does 'Premier Cru' mean on a Burgundy label?

34)..and is 'Grand Cru' better or worse?

35) Name 3 different Italian white wines with 3 key words for each

36) Where does Lirac come from?

37) Name 3 noble grapes grown in Alsace

38) On a German wine label, what does 'Spatlese' mean?

39) Where is Saumur made and what is it?

40) What does 'Blanc de Blanc' on a sparkling wine label mean?...

41)..and 'Blanc de Noir'?

What is the raw material for tequila?

43) What is Calvados?

44) Name a raw material that can be used to make Vodka?

45) What are botanicals?

46) Is it true or false that rosé champagne is the only wine in the EU allowed to blend red and white wine to create a rosé?

47) Where in the grape is tannin found?

48) Which two countries primarily produce oak barrels for maturation?

49) Describe Cabernet Sauvignon in 5 words

50) What is 'Riddling'?

As our Wines of Italy tasting week begins tomorrow I thought it would be apt to mention just a few whites that Italy offer apart from the more familiar Pinot Grigio.

Gavi

The village located in Piedmont, North West Italy has been dubbed the Chablis of Italy due to its steely taste. Made of the Cortese grape the wine is light, fresh and full of peach this would suit a seafood dish. My Gavi of choice would be the Gavi Toledana at £7.99.

Soave

Moving across the North to the North Eastern area of Italy, mainly made from Gargenaga and Trebbiano grapes. The Inama Soave Classico at £11.99 is made from the heart of the area and is full of apricot, honey and floral notes on the palate.

Verdicchio

The Rondini Verdicchio is new to Majestic this summer. From the center of Italy in the Easterly Marche region, this young, light wine is crisp and dry with ample characters of lemon and lime on the palate. The Rondini is at £6.99 per bottle

Greco

The name represents this varieties' Greek origins and is a very up-and-coming wine. Located in the south of Italy near Naples, the Fremondo Greco at £7.99 perfectly expresses fresh honeysuckle and minerally stone fruits perfect for a hot summers day.

Pecorino

Named so because the grape bunches grow in a triangular shape which the local population believe to look like the shape of a sheep's head which funnily enough goes perfectly with Pecorino cheese! The Contessa Pecorino at £7.99 has had 30% of the wine oak fermented creating beautifully intense nose and palate of citrus and orange peel with mineral complexity.

Prices based upon buying any two or more Italian wines and saving 20%.

We've all just had a 10 minute breather to try the wines on the tasting counter and my collegues and I have decided that this wine deserves the 'wine of the week' title!

It is the  Yalumba Y Series Viognier 2012, South Australia
Viognier is an up and coming grape and is becoming very 'trendy', and Australian viogniers in particular are very tastey. The Barossa Valley has some of the oldest vines in the world and is home to Yalumba, founded in 1849. Yalumba has had considerable success with the rare and aromatic Viognier grape.
This is a full-bodied dry white, with a gorgeously perfumed floral scent and a ripe, peach and apricot fruit, with a silky palate-feel.
Enjoy with a light pasta flavoured with herbs, seared swordfish or tuna.

This is available to taste so i hope to see you at the tasting counter for a tipple and a chat!