Wine~Works
Wine & Beer Tastings with a Difference
Nyetimber Releases Tillington Single Vineyard 2009
Nyetimber has recently announced the release of Tillington Single Vineyard 2009, available from September 2013.
Only 2,900 bottles have been created, with each bottle numbered, and only 2,500 bottles will be released.
Nyetimber's first vines were planted in 1988 and the House has a strict policy of producing its wines using only one-hundred percent of estate-owned grapes. Nyetimber's vineyards are composed of eight specific vineyard sites, six in West Sussex (Manor, Nutbourne, Upper Tillington, Tillington, Lower Tillington, Roman Villa) and two in Hampshire (Hazeldown and Chalk Vale), amounting to an estate of 152 hectares spread across some of the very finest vineyards in England.
The decision to create Tillington Single Vineyard 2009 began when Nyetimber's head winemaker Cherie Spriggs was particularly impressed by the fantastic expression of Pinot Noir coming specifically from the Tillington vineyard back in 2009. Spriggs was keen to create a sparkling wine which would showcase the flavour of those particular grapes. In order to impart elegance and finesse to her new creation, she also decided to blend them with a portion of Chardonnay grapes which were also specifically selected from the Tillington vineyard.
Inspired by the the amazing flavours Spriggs found in the fruit that year with a nod to the great 'single vineyard' wines of Champagne, Tillington Single Vineyard 2009 is the first 'single vineyard' sparkling wine released from Nyetimber with all grapes being selected from a specific vineyard site in order to create a very specific wine.
Spriggs comments: "We're incredibly proud of the Tillington Single Vineyard 2009, which we see as a pure and true reflection of a single expression of a single terroir. The first time I tasted the grapes, I knew we would create a very special wine."
David Gleave, MW, Managing Director of wholesale wine merchants Liberty Wines, who will be distributing the wine, adds: "The exclusive release of Tillington Single Vineyard 2009 underlines Nyetimber's dedication to the highest attention to detail and expression of flavour."
Tasting notes: Tillington Single Vineyard 2009 is light gold, with hints of silver and tiny bubbles. The nose begins with aromas of toasted cr£me br£l£e toppings and meringue, before the wine continues with time in the glass to open and build in intensity. Flavours of strawberry and cherry emerge to create both power and freshness on the palate. Notes of mandarin and pastry proceed to a finish, which is long and balanced, and introduces a hint of vanilla.
Tillington Single Vineyard 2009 will be launched to the trade at the Liberty Wines portfolio tasting on Tuesday, 10th September 2013.
Biggest ever English sparkling wine bottle commemorates Turner’s millionth visitor
Britain' s biggest ever bottle of English sparkling wine has been produced by a Kent-based winery, Chapel Down.
The bottle is a unique, 15-litre Nebuchadnezzar bottle of their gold medal-winning Blanc de Blancs 2007 sparkling wine.
From today, it will go on show at Turner Contemporary in Margate alongside the gallery's summer exhibition Curiosity: Art and the Pleasures of Knowing.
It is the equivalent of 10 magnums and pouring out the 120 glasses that are held inside the bottle would require at least two people.
Chapel Down estimates that there are around 60 million bubbles inside - one for every person in theUK.
The 26 kilogram bottle has been produced to celebrate the museum's one millionth visit.
The landmark, which the museum expects to achieve during the summer, will have been reached just two years from when it opened.
When the exhibition ends in September Chapel Down will tour the giant bottle to restaurants and bars across the country before auctioning it to raise money for the Margate-based gallery, which is a registered charity.
Chapel Down CEO Frazer Thompson commented:
"This is a genuine Nebuchadnezzar that£s been expertly bottled to maintain the correct pressure and preserve the quality of the wine. Whoever makes the winning auction bid later this year could drink this fizz that day or enjoy it in 10 years' time.
"Given the uniqueness of the bottle, and how we're intending to decorate it, we're looking at the reserve price to be at least £10,000.
Turner Contemporary will also be marking 1 million visits more widely with a national campaign "I am one in a million".
Chapel Down will also be awarding 20 bottles of its sparkling wine - the equivalent number of bottles in a Nebuchadnezzar - to the one millionth visitor that comes through the doors of the gallery.
Australian Vintage soon to launch low alcohol wine in UK
Australian Vintage is launching a new red and white reduced alcohol wine which the producer says will set new standards for taste in the 5.5% abv category.
Called Summer Light, the new wines will be officially unveiled in mid-August and comprise a Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz, both at 5.5% abv to benefit from the lower duty in the UK at this alcohol level.
“We know we’ve nailed it,” said Julian Dyer, general manager for the UK and Europe at Australian Vintage about the two new wines in an interview with last week.
Although the Australian producer launched a 5.5% Moscato called Vinni in October last year, it has been absent from the fast-growing low-alcohol still wine sector in the UK because Dyer said it was hard to get a good enough flavour at 5.5%.
“We are coming into the 5.5% category a bit later than the others because to date we haven’t been able to deliver the quality that’s right,” he commented.
Continuing he said, “But we have done benchmark tastings and without question Summer Light is the best tasting – the wines are actually in balance and still taste like [standard abv] wines.”
A particular challenge for the producer according to Dyer was the red 5.5% Shiraz, and he believes Australian Vintage is the only winemaker to have created a really palatable 5.5% red, which, he added, spends a period in oak barrels to bring some wood-derived sweetness.
The wines will be priced at £5.99 and Australian Vintage has already achieved two listings for the Summer Light range, which will be on shelves in the UK in September, and will be sold under the company’s Miranda brand.
Key to the producer’s development of more reduced-alcohol wines has been the adoption of the latest type of the spinning cone alcohol removal technology.
At a cost of AU$1.8 million, the new version is the first to be fitted in Australia and allows alcohol extraction to take place at a lower and less damaging temperature of 42 degrees Celsuis, which is 20 degrees lower than the standard technology.
Wine Guy reserves judgement until these 'wines' are tasted,
High-tech corkscrew takes wine from uncorked bottle!
You must check this out. Wine Guy wants one!
Follow the link below for something truly different and unique.
Burgundy loses 90% of harvest due to severe hailstorms
Top wine producing vineyards in France's Burgundy region have suffered 'catastrophic' damage after hailstorms and high winds on Tuesday and it is feared that between 75-90% of this year's crop may have been lost.
High winds and hailstorms caused serious damage in the Beaune region, which covers a 12 mile area, affecting well known wine growing villages such as Meursault in the south to Savigny-les-Beaune to the north and includes Volnay and Pommard.
Leaves were ripped from the vines and the grapes burst. It depends how many leaves are left to protect the remaining grapes. The northern part of the area was the worst affected with Pommard and Beaune being worst hit with damage hitting 70-90% of vines but the BIVB reported that no vineyard is untouched.
The Burgundy region produces some of France's most expensive grand crus wines with the Lest Epenots grand crus being one of the hardest hit. After a poor harvest last year due to late frosts and disease the vineyards in the Burgundy and Beaujolais region had recently predicted a harvest of 2.31 million hectolitres - an increase of over 30% on last year.
London Cru is Central London’s first winery!
I'd heard about this but was sceptical about the whole enterprise but now I see that they will indeed begin production later this year!
We'll be sure to include a couple of the wines in our tastings if they are up to scratch....watch this space!
Bespoke winemaking equipment is currently being installed at London Cru – central London's first winery – and the first grapes will be processed in September. The winery plans to open to the public in November
London Cru will be a state of the art, boutique winery, with grapes sourced from prestigious vineyards in Bordeaux, Languedoc and the Roussillon.
Winemaker Gavin Monery will oversee everything from grape deliveries through to processing, fermenting, ageing and bottling. Gavin started his wine career in 2000 in his native Western Australia, and has worked at some of the world’s top wineries, including Cullen Wines, Moss Wood and Jean-Louis Chave.
Grapes will be hand harvested, transported in refrigerated trucks and will arrive at London Cru within 36 hours. The fruit will then be carefully processed and vinified with the first limited edition London Cru wine expected to go on sale from mid 2014 onwards.
London Cru will offer a unique experience for people wanting to get more involved in the winemaking process without having to leave London. Doors open to the public in November, when winery tours and tastings will begin. It will also be available for hire as a unique events space in the city.
Housed in a former gin distillery, London Cru is being built under Roberson Wine’s Earls Court head office, near its shop in Kensington.
Explaining the decision to launch the winery, Gavin Monery, London Cru’s winemaker said: “With so many talented people creating world-class craft beers and spirits in London we thought it was a great time to do the same with wine, and share the experience of making it with people who want a hands-on, informative and entertaining experience.
“We realise that this is going to be a challenge, but we have all of the tools, skills and experience to make top quality wines in an urban environment. We also have the freedom to create the styles we want without the rules that apply to so many wine regions.”
McMullen Brewery releases beer in honour of new Royal Baby
It was only a matter of time before a UK brewery released a beer in honour of the new royal arrival and on Monday the McMullen Brewery released their new beer called 'Heir Raiser' to mark the occasion.
Heir Raiser is a 4% ale, a golden bitter made with a careful blend of English grown Progress, Fuggle and Bramling Cross hops with Ale and Crystal malts to give a well-balanced bitter with delicate fruit and floral notes.
McMullen's operates 49 Tenanted pubs and 86 managed outlets, including 7 'Baroosh style' bars the first of which opened in Hertford in 2000. All their pubs and bars are located in the northern Home Counties, from central London to Chelmsford in the East, to Windsor in the West and to Cambridge in the North.
A Major Study Endorses the ‘French Paradox’
A wide sweeping study has found a link between moderate wine consumption and a lower risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease and cancer among middle-aged men, lending more credence to the French paradox.
After following up with 35,292 men over about 28 years, researchers from the Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense and Bordeaux Segalen University in France found that when more than 50 percent of their alcohol consumption came from wine, subjects showed a lower risk of death from heart disease as well as lung, lip, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, bladder and rectal cancers.
In numbers, moderate wine consumption was associated with a 40 percent reduced risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease, and a 20 percent reduced risk of death from cancer.
At the beginning of the study, subjects ranged in age from 40 to 65 years and hailed from Eastern France. In the end, a total of 4,035 deaths from cancer were recorded. Numbers for heart disease-related deaths were unavailable.
The results of the study were presented at WineHealth in Sydney, Australia, which wrapped up over the weekend.
When it comes to the famous French paradox, however – that long-standing belief that the health benefits of red wine negate the effects of the famously rich, high-fat diet and the risk of coronary heart disease – the scientific community is divided.
A study printed the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health also suggested that drinking up to half a glass of wine a day can boost life expectancy in males by five years after studying the driking habits of randomly selected men over a 40-year period.
But another study out of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, for instance, found that resveratrol, the magic ingredient in red wine thought to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of heart disease, had little effect in already healthy women.
Though small, the study of 29 postmenopausal women found little health improvement in those who were given 75 mg of resveratrol daily -- a large amount equal to drinking 8 liters of red wine.
The Wine Flows at Westminster
A bit of a Government feel to this week's news. Nice to see that our MP's are drinking so well. I didn't see any 2 for a tenner here!
The amout of wine drunk at government functions went up by 20% last year. A total of 5,547 bottles were consumed compared with 4,651 in 2011-12.
This was partly because of extra events to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and Olympics, said the Foreign Office, which runs the wine cellar.
More than £45,000 was spent stocking the cellar - £3,000 less than the previous year - but the government says it is funded by auctioning the most expensive bottles.
The annual statement on the use of the wine cellar shows £63,000 was raised auctioning off just 54 bottles of wine - a 50% increase in sales revenue.
Among the wines the government parted company with were six bottles of Chateau Latour 1961, considered one of the top five wines produced in the Bordeaux region of France, and 12 bottles of Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1988.
Chancellor George Osborne named as Beer Drinker of the Year
I read this article the other day and was wondering whether anyone else sees any irony??
At the Parliamentary Beer Awards on Wednesday 10 July Chancellor George Osborne was named as Beer Drinker of the Year, in recognition of his decision in this year's Budget to scrap the beer duty escalator and to reduce the rate by 1p - the first cut in beer duty since 1959.
The Brewer of the Year award went to Fergus Fitzgerald from Adnams Brewery in recognition of his record for innovation which has seen him produced new beers such as East Green, Ghost Ship and Sole Star and a series of "world beers" using yeasts from other countries. Suffolk Coastal MP Therese Coffey, who was at the awards event, said: "Congratulations to Fergus on a fantastic achievement. Brewer of the year is a coveted prize at the Annual Beer Awards and he deserves this recognition."
Other honours included a Lifetime Achievement award for Black Sheep brewery founder Paul Theakston, the Beer Sommelier of the Year title for Sophie Atherton and a Special Award for Andrew Griffiths MP, chairman of the beer group, for his work on ending the duty escalator.
Wine Tasting in London
Schedule a wine tasting in London for your family and friends in the comfort of your own home.
Wine: Its history and social importance
The production and consumption of wine dates back thousands of years. Historical data and evidence points at the country of Georgia to be the first known site of wine production around 7000 BCE. The first known winery was in Armenia around 4100 BCE. The winery is considerably developed with tools such as fermentation vats and a wine press.
It is believed that the Romans brought wine to England. After Julius Caesar's introduction, monasteries grew vines and produced wines. Winery is so much embedded in the English culture, as evidenced by streets and places named after it (i.e. Vine Street).
The use and consumption of wine throughout history is widely related to agriculture, cuisine and civilization. Drinking wine is a tradition that is repeatedly mentioned in the bible, as well as local legends, tales and folklores. Greek and Roman mythology has the god Bacchus, the god of revelry and wine.
Wine was largely used in ceremonies, and were seen in scenes drawn on tombs in Egypt. The Romans made wine a huge industry, as wine is consumed daily during meals. In China, rice wine was more popular because grapes were considered exotic. In areas where the climate was not conducive for growing vines, such as the Middle East, medieval merchants traded with wine.
Today, wine remains a social tool in dinners and gatherings.
Wine Tasting in London
Wine tasting is the evaluation and examination of wine through the sense of taste. Wine tasting may either be a formal activity, such as to retailers, or a more informal, recreational activity.
Wine tasting in London have become very popular. Traveling to famous wine regions and visiting wineries have become part of an adventurer's itinerary. Wine schools have also been sprouting up, offering wine tasting classes to the public.
Wine Works can provide you with the best experience in wine tasting in London. The best part is -- we will come to you! No matter where you are, or what the occasion is, we can accommodate you. Call us today and let us help you plan a day of wine tasting in London.
Fighting over wine??
I read this article the other day and just had to share it as it is so unbelievable! Read on
A Deltona man confronted by his grandmother for drinking her two bottles of wine bit her on the shoulder, investigating Volusia deputies said.
Blake Hale, 19, also gave his 70-year-old grandpa a bloody nose, an arrest report shows.
Deputies were called to the Albury Avenue home in Deltona at 7:49 p.m. Tuesday where 59-year-old Sue Wilson reported her grandson had bitten her, investigators said.
Wilson said Hale was acting drunk when she came home and she noticed two bottles of her wine were empty, deputies said.
The woman reported Hale became defensive, angry and started yelling obscenities at her. The verbal argument escalated into a physical confrontation and Hale started to bite Wilson on the shoulder as she walked out the front door, the report said.
Wilson had a bite mark on her right shoulder, deputies said.
When deputies made contact with Wilson's 70-year-old husband, he reported Hale had punched him and given him a minor bloody nose.
Deputies arrested Hale and charged him with battery on a person 65 years or older and battery, the arrest report states.
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"I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food."
"I should say upfront that I have never been in a cellar in my life. In fact, I can see no reason why anyone should ever go into a cellar unless there is wine involved."
"Beer is made by men, wine by God."
"Wine gladdens the heart of man."
"Wine is the most healthful and most hygienic of beverages."
"In wine, there's truth."
"High and fine literature is wine, and mine is only water; but everybody likes water."
"This is one of the disadvantages of wine, it makes a man mistake words for thoughts."
"If we sip the wine, we find dreams coming upon us out of the imminent night"
"Give me wine to wash me clean of the weather stains of cares"
"Wine can of their wits the wise beguile, Make the sage frolic, and the serious smile"
"Wine enters through the mouth, Love, the eyes. I raise the glass to my mouth, I look at you,I sigh."
"Wine makes every meal an occasion, every table more elegant, every day more civilized."
"Wine is like the incarnation--it is both divine and human"
"Wine makes all things possible."
"Sir, I did not count your glasses of wine, why should you number up my cups of tea?"
"Wine can be a better teacher than ink, and banter is often better than books"
"Life's too short to drink cheap wine..."
"The first kiss and the first glass of wine are the best."
"A bottle of wine begs to be shared; I have never met a miserly wine lover"
"I prefer my water in wine form."
"White wine is like electricity. Red wine looks and tastes like a liquified beefsteak."
"Great wine works wonders and is itself one"
"To take wine into our mouths is to savour a droplet of the river of human history"
"Wine gives one 'ideas,' whereas champagne gives one 'strategies."
"Men are like wine-some turn to vinegar, but the best improve with age."
"Most days I juggle everything quite well, on the other days there's always red wine."
"There is truth in wine, but you never see it listed in the ingredients on the label"
"Always carry a corkscrew and the wine shall provide itself."
"Wine is like the incarnation-it is both divine and human."
"Wine improves with age. The older I get the more I like it."
"Age is just a number. It's totally irrelevant, unless, of course, you happen to be a bottle of wine."
"My only regret in life is that I did not drink enough Champagne."
"Consuming wine in moderation daily will help people to die young as late as possible."
"Wine is the thinking person's health drink."
"Wine cheers the sad, revives the old, inspires the young, makes weariness forget his toil"
"The wine cup is the little silver well, where truth, if truth there be, doth dwell"
"Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance"
"Good wine is a necessity of life for me"
"Champagne is one of the elegant extras in life"
"I drink Champagne when I win, to celebrate and I drink Champagne when I lose, to console myself"
"God made water, but man made wine"
"Penicillin cures, but wine makes people happy"
"Drinking good wine with good food in good company is one of life's most civilized pleasures"
"A bottle of good wine, like a good act, shines ever in the retrospect"
"Like human beings, a wine's taste is going to depend a great deal on its origins and its upbringing"
"Compromises are for relationships, not wine"
"Language is wine upon the lips"
"Wine is wonderful stuff, but so many people are put off by the snobbery of it"
"I'm only drinking white wine because I'm on a diet and I don't eat"
"Wine has been with civilised man since the beginning"
"Whenever a man is tired, wine is a great restorer"
"Wine rejoices the heart of man and joy is the mother of all virtues"
"A waltz and a glass of wine invite an encore"
"Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing."
"Good wine carrieth a man to heaven"
"Drink wine, and you will sleep well. Sleep, and you will not sin. Avoid sin, and you will be saved. Ergo, drink wine and be saved."
"A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine."
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