50 Fabulous Wines all Under £15 Wine Tasting

50 wines under £15.00 – Here are 3 of them …

We are holding a tasting on Saturday 2^nd March 7.30pm – 10.30pm at the Church Hall opposite our Weybridge shop showcasing our range of wine wines under £15.  This is a perfect opportunity to come and discover some great wines and the opportunity to sign up to our loyalty card too, giving you the very best discounts around.

To taste the 50 wines and book your ticket click here

The following is just 3 of the beauties that will be on tasting…

NV Dolci Colline Prosecco – £9.99 a bottle

The One-Liner

The perfect fizz to add a touch of sparkle to an otherwise ordinary day

Tasting Note

Fresh and gently fruity fizz from northeast Italy (Veneto) with citrus and green

apple aromas. Delicate and lively on the palate with ripe, lightly grapey fruit,

zesty acidity and a clean, refreshing finish.

Producer Details

Set up in 2003, Adria Vini is a winemaking venture jointly owned by Boutinot and Araldica Vini Piemontesi, the leading co-operative in Piemonte. All areas of production, from grape selection through to vinification,

maturation, blending and bottling are meticulously overseen by Araldica's Claudio Manera and Lella Burdese.

In The Vineyard

From selected parcels of Prosecco grapes grown northeast of Treviso. Hand harvested at optimum ripeness to give the required balance between aromatics and good acidity.

Food Recommendations

Serve chilled as an aperitif or with peach juice for the perfect Bellini

Awards & Press

NV: Vintage: Decanter World Wine Awards 2012 - Bronze

NV: International Wine Challenge 2010 - Bronze

NV: Decanter Awards edition, October 2012

Nieto Malbec Reserva 10.99 a bottle

  

The One-Liner

A blockbuster of a red - a complex but juicy fruit palate and a long persistent finish. Excellent value.

Tasting Note

Full bodied with great concentration of vanilla, mocha, blackberries, sweet

spices and clove. The palate is rich and warming with vanilla, more black

fruit, plums and cherries, as well as leathery notes. The wine is vibrant and

well structured, with powdery, fragrant tannins. A great wine with a fresh

finish.

Producer Details

Nieto Senetiner has grown to become one of the leading stars of Mendoza. The vineyards and winery were developed in 1969 and continue to be extended and updated. Nieto have vineyards in virtually all of the best sub

districts of Mendoza from which they produce typical and classic wines, characterised by the uniquely appealing balance of power and finesse that defines the best wines of Mendoza.

In The Winery

Aged in French oak barrels for 10 months.

Food Recommendations

A treat with rich, red sauce based pasta dishes, game

and matured cheeses.

Awards & Press

2011 Vintage: International Wine Challenge 2012 -

Bronze

2010 Vintage: IWSC 2011 - Silver

2010 Vintage: IWC 2011 - Bronze

2009 Vintage: Argentina Wine Awards 2010 - Trophy

2007 Vintage: IWC 2009 - Silver Trophy

2011 Vintage: International Wine Challenge 2012

2010 Vintage: 88 points Wine Spectator October 2011

Pinot Grigio “La Giareta”, Marcato  £7.99 a bottle

Miles better than your average PG due to its weight on the mid palate and excellent alluring long finish.  Great value for money

Tasting Note

Medium gold yellow colour. Ripe, with some red fruit sensation, dry hay and nut hull. Solid and developed with a mineral finish.

Producer Details

The knowledge of terroir combined with passion are recurring themes in the production of the Marcato wines. The family owned estate focuses on innovation with the enthusiasm and drive that characterises the new generation. Every Marcato wine has its own spirit and history determined by grape variety and vineyard, the harmony between vine and soil, their special qualities verified through centuries of know-how and refined by experience.

Food Recommendations

White meat and poultry.

Loire Trip of Discovery

Setting off early on Monday Morning, Joe, David and myself made quick work of getting to Angers, one of the many historic towns in the Lorie valley, for the Foires des Vin de Loire.

What quickly became apparent when tasting through the opening salvo of wines that had been grouped by region,  is the tremendous diversity that can be found from the Loire. 

When we talk of Terroir, it has to be viewed as an all in one encapsulating factor, it’s not just soil but the differing climatic influences each region feels and this climatic fact is possibly one of the most important factors when determining the quality an styles of the wines from the Loire. 

This possibly accounts for the lack of 1er Cru or Grand Cru vineyards as whilst the individual vineyards give differing styles there is not the same degree of quality levels to be found as a result of differing vineyard sites.

So what did we find?

Domaine Bedouet – Muscadet – organic and thrilling – but can I sell 600bts?

Domaine Gitton Pere et Fils – Sancerre & Pouilly Fume – a re-discovery as I first shipped from here 10 years ago!

Emile Ballande – Coteaux de Gienois & Sancerre – complex and deeply textured

Chateau du Petit Thouars – Touraine Rouge – sensationally well priced but need time

Clos de L’Elu – Anjou Rouge – brilliant modern organic source of reds

Jonathon Didier Pabiot – Pouilly Fume – we already do his basic wine, tasted the amazing top cuvees

Thomas Labaille – Sancerre - we already do his basic wine,  but again tasted the amazing top cuvee

Leduc Frouin – Anjou – good Anjou Blanc, Cremant de Loire and sublime Coteaux du Layon

Eric Louis – brilliant Sauvignon and Pinot Noir from Touraine, Sancerre and Menetou Salon

Seguin – Pouilly Fume – some really good, elegant mineral and classically gun flint styled Fume.

Where did we stay?

Possibly the worst hotel  to date, other than a Thai place I stayed in on Koh San Road back in 1988.  With the aroma than can only be conjured up by chain smoking for 2 days in a very small space, whilst there was an en suite shower, the rest was on par with Pentonville but without the same levels of fear.

Where did we eat?

1^st night at the local chain grill which was actually pretty good steak and frites washed down with a faugeres – you can’t do the same wines you’ve been tasting all day!

2^nd night –

We got back from a very successful day of tasting and got ready to hit the town.

Taxi duly arrived and dropped us off by the quite amazing Angers Castle and we headed off into town.  40 minutes later and it was getting a bit nippy and I was getting more thirsty and we hadn’t found anything that looked that exciting but that was all to change when  we found a very cool little wine shop – Le Pifometre, 64 Rue Bressigny.

The best way to find out what’s going on when you’re in a new town is find your local independent!  Phillipe, the charming caviste quickly had us sorted, recommending Le Cercle Rouge,  a very cool, slightly messy, rustic wine bar with a belting wine list full of things we’d never come across before………..

A local Presion to kick off, a plate of charcuterie and then a slightly overtly esoteric bottle of “natural” wine from the Jura……

The thing about “natural” wine is most of it is a bit weird and unbalanced and whilst this greatly improved with the meats, it still remained a bit awkward and gawky…..if a wine can be those things!

Restaurant Aux P’tits Oignons http://www.cityvox.fr/restaurants_angers/aux-p-tits-oignons_200120552/Profil-Lieu

We had a really good, simple meal with classic rustic French dishes, such as ouef en concotte, potage, terrine de lapin, and filet de mignon de porc.  This was washed down with two wines from Rousillon – one from 2010 Cotes du Rousillon Domaine Gauby and the second 2008 Olivier Pithon Cuvee Lais – both sensational.

So back to one of the world’s worst hotels but at least replete!

The next morning we were up early and drove off to the local Carrefours to load up with French goodies.  As ever I overly stocked up with wines under 5euros and some hopefully brilliant Alsace Grand Cru’s for 8 euros a bottle (!!!) – just think how oggd it would be if they got rid of Duty in the UK….!

Needless to say food was on the agenda too so to accompany the Alsatian I found some delicious looking Choucroute (I’m not sure if my wife will be so appreciative!) and a rabbit, as I love the French farmed rabbit, plus lots of lovely salads, meats etc etc…….

Now I’ll have a few wines from Gitton open to try in the Vineking social in Church street tonight, so come and try these and you’ll see why I’m so excited about the wines..