Fareham Wine Cellar Mount Nelson Sauvignon Blanc Special Offer

Mount Nelson Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Special Offer
(Correct as of 18/04/09)

Hot on the heels of our most recent Boschendal Grand Reserve bin-end offer, we have got a special offer on a fantastic first release of Mount Nelson Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region of New Zealand.

Special offer -

12 bottles Mount Nelson Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007

Only £135.00 delivered

(Usual FWC price Delivered £163.79, a saving of over £25.00 on 12 bottles)

More details below......



Introduction

Mount Nelson represents the culmination of a dream for Lodovico Antinori, of the eponymous Italian wine making dynasty. After production ceased of the celebrated Poggio alle Gazze (a Sauvignon Blanc produced in the 90's by the Ornellaia Estate), a passion for Sauvignon Blanc has led him to the land where Sauvignon Blanc expresses itself in its purest form - New Zealand.



Here, along with winemaker Helena Lindberg, he has indulged his passion and created Sauvignon Blanc in the New World with the heart and soul of the Old World.

Tasting Notes

Appearance - Bright straw yellow, with hints of pale green.

Bouquet - The nose is vibrant and classic. This Sauvignon Blanc was harvested in the cool air of the morning to protect the fruit and was then carefully fermented in controlled conditions to capture and retain the essence of the vineyard. Zingy and fresh hints of flint.

Palate - The palate is concentrated and seductive with distinctive passion fruit, gooseberry and green apple flavours. These flavours follow through on to the finish which is complex, refreshing, balanced and lingering.

Serving Suggestion - The fresh, vibrant nature of Mount Nelson Sauvignon Blanc makes it the ideal accompaniment to grilled oysters, fresh scallops and fish, crisp salad greens and alfresco dining. It also makes an excellent aperitif. Serve chilled.

Reviews - "Complex and herbaceous with hints of dried apple. Lovely texture. Layers of building flavours, long and intense. From 2008". Decanter Magazine June 2008, 4 Stars, Highly Recommended.

Please telephone 01329 822733 to place an order or for further information.

Further Information

Location - Located at the northern end of New Zealand's South Island, Marlborough is considered to be one of the finest areas in the world for Sauvignon Blanc. This is due to a cool maritime climate where average daytime temperatures rarely exceed 24°C, even in the hottest months, and yet the area still enjoys more sunlight hours than any other region in New Zealand.

Vineyards - In an area of quite exceptional vineyard quality characterized by soils of various types, Lodovico chose vineyards widely considered to have some of the very best terroir - an alluvial shingle fan that is quite unique in Marlborough. The vineyards, located near Cloudy Bay, have been planted with over 13 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc and this will be continuously extended over the next few years. The Antinoris intend to focus entirely on Sauvignon Blanc.

The Wine - Mount Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2007 is the first wine that has been released. It is produced from younger vines and is bottled under screwcap. Lodovico Antinori personally directs the final blend of vineyard parcels to guarantee the continuation of the style of Mount Nelson. The result is a Sauvignon Blanc which brings together the natural elements and lively flavours of the New World with a classic structure and minerality reminiscent of a European wine.

Mount Nelson Website

What is Armagnac?

What is Armagnac?

Corral de Campanas - Toro (Spain) Wine Tasting

Corral de Campanas - Toro (Spain) Wine Tasting

In the UK, Toro is an little-known and grossly underated wine region. The Toro Do (Denominacion de Origen) is located in the Spanish province of Castilla y Leon in and around the town of Toro itself, which overlooks the Rio Deuro, and is only 40 kilometres from the Portuguese border.

Toro is most famous for its bold, ripe and friuty red wines made from the Tinta de Toro grape - this is the local name for Tempranillo, the famous Rioja grape, or Tinta Roriz as it is known in Portugal. The vineyards in Toro sit at the relatively high altitude of 600 to 750 metres and the region has relatively low rainfall with long, hot and dry summers.

Quinta de la Quietud is one of the best producers in the Toro region. Their two best wines are Corral de Campanas and their top wine the Quinta de la Quietud itself.

The Corral de Campanas 2006 is a lovely dark crimson colour with slightly lighter purple / red highlights. It has good "legs". The nose is packed with ripe red fruits and blackcurrant / cassis notes but there are also savoury, spicy vegetal and almost meaty notes with sweet oak notes. On the full and rich palate there are many more ripe fruits (raspberry, fruits of the forest) and lots of sweet oak. There are also herbal (garrigue) and chocolate notes. The medium to full-bodied palate is spicy and warming and quite lengthy. Try with red meats, particularly roast lamb, herby sausages or go wild with a lamb tagine.

A very warming and spicy wine.

Lychee Martini Recipe from The Fareham Wine Cellar

Lychee Martini Recipe from The Fareham Wine Cellar

Inspired by Nigella Lawson's Lychee Martini cocktail which featured in her BBC television show last Christmas, I have been experimenting and have finally decided that this is my finished Lychee Martini recipe!

Lychee Martini

1 Measure Good Vodka such as Belvedere or Cold River.

1 and 1/2 Measures Edmond Briottet Litchi (Lychee) liqueur.

A dash of Lychee juice from some tinned Lychees.

1 or 2 Lychees on a cockail stick to decorate.

Shake all of the ingredients together over ice for about 20 seconds.

Strain the cocktail into a Martini glass straight from the freezer and decaorate with a lychee on a cocktail stick. Et voila, as they say somewhere!

I like to use the Briottet Litchi liqueur as it is one of the better, more concentrated compared to others I have tried. Indeed, all of Briottet's liqueur including his Creme de Cassis, Mure, Framboise and Fraise de Bois are all superb.

Cold River and Belvedere are my two favourite vodkas. The Belvedere is made from Golden Rye from Poland and and is distilled four times. There is a hint of vanilla on the nose, the palate is very creamy and clean but also full and rich. The Cold River, being made from potatoes, is a slightly fuller vodka and has an oily texture on the palate, Not quite as sweet as the Belvedere. Very nice!

Georgian Wine - Tamada Kindzmarauli

Georgian Wine - Tamada Kindzmarauli

Imformation on Georgian wines from the Fareham Wine Cellar by Georgian Wine and Spirits (GWS). They produce two ranges of wines - Tamada and Old Tbilisi. There are various types of red wines including Pirosmani, Kindzmarauli and Mukuzani - most of these are made from the Saperavi grape and the style varies from dry to semi-sweet red. There are also various dry white wines made from grapes such as Mtsvane or Rkatsiteli.

Vintage Armagnac - Ideal Anniversary or Birthday Present

Vintage Armagnac - Ideal Anniversary or Birthday Present

New Fonseca 40 Year Old Tawny Lens on Squidoo!

Visit my Squidoo Lens at the link above or visit Fareham Wine Cellar for more information and to see our full list of Ports.

Chateau Garraud 2002

Chateau Garraud 2002, Lalande de Pomerol - £14.25 per bottle

The 2002 is ageing very nicely. The wine is a good, clear, ruby red colour with no real signs of age to it yet. There are typical Bordeaux characteristics on the nose - hints of cedar, cigar box, blackcurrant and a slightly herbaceous note. On the palate there are hints of red fruit and a touch of spiciness. Very soft, supple tannins and a clean minerality on the finish.

"Everything that dreams are made of...." Sebastian Peake Esq.

Les Domaniers de Puits Mouret Blanc, Ott Selection 2005

Les Domaniers de Puit Mouret Blanc, Cotes de Provence, Ott Selection 2005

The Les Domaniers range of wines is made by Domaines Ott, considered by most to be one of the top producers of wine in Provence. Indeed, their Chateau de Selle Rosé Coeur de Grain is one of the best, and most sought after, Rosé's from the Cotes de Provence. The new "Les Domaniers" range replaces the Chateau Léoube range of wines that was made in association with Ott, whom, I believe, are now doing there own thing. As far as I can ascertain this wine is made from grapes bought in from various growers. The packaging and presentation, a smart new label and a fancy-ish bottle, are certainly a massive leap forward.

The wine itself is a blend of 90% Semillon and 10% Ugni Blanc. It is a clear, lively, light golden / straw colour. The nose has aromas of white fruit, maybe honeysuckle, a touch of rose petal and a slight hint of hazelnuts. The palate is fresh and clean. It has a good mouth-feel, it has a slight "oiliness" .There are exotic fruit notes, hints green apple, nutty notes and touch of honey. There is also an underlying minerality and a touch of chalkiness. I wonder if the palate is a bit tired, it would be good to try the 2006 or, better still, the 2007. The finish is clean, dry and has good acidity, elegance and finesse. This is not an immediate wine but I think it will go well with a variety of foods or as an aperitif. I can see it matching well with goat's cheese, fish or chicken dishes. 14/20

Domaines Ott Website

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Tasting Wednesday 24th January 2007

Here are a couple of interesting wines we tried recently, a superb NZ Pinot Noir and a very interesting Vin Santo.

Peregrine Pinot Noir 2004, Central Otago, New Zealand

I didn't know anything about this wine, which I bought on the spur of the moment from Berry Brothers and Rudd's website before Christmas, and it turned out to be a rather good wine.

I since looked up some details from their website, Peregrine Wines, for a bit of further information. They are located in the Gibbston region of Central Otago, 20 minutes from Queenstown, and have been going since 1998. The concentrate on Pinot Noir and various white wines that I would now like to get my hands on to try! Take a look at their website for a rather unusual and award-winning winery.

The 2004 Pinot Noir is aged 10 months in French oak. It is a good mid-weight, garnet colour, pretty typical of NZ Pinot. The nose is expansive with hints of black cherry, spice, leather (tack rooms!), hints of confectionery and a touch of smokiness from the oak. Loads of red fruit on the palate, sour cherries on the palate, with silky soft tannins, which is quite dry. The wine is medium to full-bodied, has very well integrated oak and the length is very good, it is a bit alcoholic at 14.5.% but this doesn't come through on the wine. Will probably age really well over the next 2 or 3 years but it is excellent right now. Superb wine. 18/19 - £18.95 per bottle from www.bbr.com or about £15 if you hunt around.

Feel safe in the knowledge that by buying this wine you are also helping sick and injured raptors in New Zealand! Visit The Wingspan Trust.

Vin Santo del Chianti Rufina 1990, Villa di Vetrice, Italy - Half-bottle

This is a very interesting wine. The Grati family has been making wine, using traditional methods, in Rufina for 5 generations. Visit the Grati website.

Vin Santo is only usually made in good vintages. After harvest, the grapes (in this case Trebbiano, Malvasia and Sangiovese) are hung from rafters to dry until December. The grapes are continually ventilated, the windows of the drying rooms are opened every morning and closed every dusk, to allow drying. The resulting wine is then sealed into small, wooden casks known as "caratelli", for the aging process.

The wine itself is an amber / brown colour (reminiscent of tawny port). The nose is very nutty, there are hints of esters, sherry (oloroso), slightly oxidised rancio notes, raisins (px) and banana bread. There is also a slight salty note. On the rich palate there are flavours of orange, more raisins, apricot jam, nutty notes and a very long, lingering finish with toffee and caramel flavours. The finish is, surprisingly, quite dry (alcohol is 17%). This wine would be ideal as an aperitif but is recommended with aged cheeses. We tried it with some Parmesan Reggiano and Stilton. It was okay with the Parmesan but the sweetness complemented the saltiness in the Stilton brilliantly - a very good match. This is a traditional style Vin Santo, there are more modern styles that tend to be a bit sweeter. 18. £15.49 per half-bottle at Fareham Wine Cellar.

So, two very high-scoring wines there!

Catch you later,

Dominic

Louis Jadot En Primeur 2005 Wine Tasting

Blimey, it has been nearly 4 months since I last blogged a few tasting notes, that is not to say I haven't been trying any wines because I have, I just haven't got round to writing them up. I have had some excellent wines over Christmas but the event that stands out most for me was the Louis Jadot 2005 Vintage En Primeur tasting on the 15th January 2007 at the Four Seasons Hotel, Park Lane.

General consensus is that 2005 was a "babysitter" vintage - all of the conditions were so good that all the producers had to do was to sit back and let the wines look after themselves. I have to say I thought that the quality of Jadot's whites seemed to be better than the reds but both were of an extremely high standard - it will be a superb vintage. It is difficult to appraise such top wines at such an early point in their development and I was a bit short on time so apologies for the brief notes - but here goes (scores out of 20).

Highlights for me were -

White Wines

Clos des Prouges Pouilly Fuissé - greenish tinges, pineapple / tropical notes on the nose, some vanilla and oak. Good acidity, clean finish, fairly alcoholic at 13.5%, good length. 15/16

Santenay "Clos de Malte" - Yellowy golden colour, slightly subdued nose but mineral and chalky, toasty oak. Powerful and well-balanced on the palate. 15/16

Meursault-Blagny 1er Cru - Good, clear, light golden colour. Buttery and rich nose, hints of almonds, really "good mouthfeel", tropical fruits with a nutty (hazelnut) finish reminiscent of nougat or caramel. 16/17

Puligny-Montrachet Champ-Gain 1er Cru - Light straw colour. Quite oaky nose, savoury palate. Hints of herbs and spices (fennel maybe) and green apples. Little closed but the quality there is evident - good clean finish, really well-balanced acidity. 16/17

Puligny-Montrachet Folatières 1er Cru - Clear, straw colour. Very well integrated oak, notes of elderflower, berries and lime on the nose. Very well-balanced. Very good wine. 17/18

Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru - Yellow in colour with golden hints. Very clean, elegant nose with toasty notes. Excellent rich palate, superb mouthfeel, again clean and very well-balanced. Flavours of green apples and a toasty, brioche finish. Top Burgundy at its best. 18/19 My favourite white wine of the tasting.

Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru - Golden colour with green flecks. Really elegant nose, clean and mineral, buttery and oaky notes. Silky smooth on the palate, tropical fruits, very full-bodied, intense and rich. Superb wine, but the Batard-Montrachet just scrapes it. 18/19

Chevalier-Montrachet "Les Demoiselles" Grand Cru - Light, golden colour with green tinges. Excellent nose, notes of fennel, citrus, blossom and green apples. Clean and elegant. The palate has mineral and lime / citrus . Very good. 17/18

Red Wines

Santenay "Clos de Malte" - Very good youthful, purple colour. Fairly light-bodied, tannins not too hard. Good smooth finish on the palate - 16/17

Beaune Clos de Couchereaux 1er Cru - Very deep, dense purple colour, smoky oak on the nose (hints of smoked bacon). Full-bodied on the palate , dark fruit and earthy notes. 17/18

Pommard Grands Epenot 1er Cru - Very dark and concentrated colour. Plums and dark cherries on the palate, hints of spice and orange notes. 16/17

Pommard Rugiens 1er Cru - Dark colour, good concentration. Dry, mineral, chalky nose (what I call "powder-dry" - not sure how to describe that). A big powerful, masculine wine, good tannins and structure. Will be a very good wine with bottle age. 18/19

Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Boudets 1er Cru - Good colour, reddish around the rim. Medium-weight compared with the Pommards. Quite Christmas-y on the palate, touches of dried fruit, mulling spices, citrus notes. A little bit of alcohol coming through on the end of the palate though. 17/18

Chambolle-Musigny Les Baudes 1er Cru - Very good wine, excellent nose. Hints of dried fruits, pot pourri, spice on the nose. Violets and red berry fruit. Tannins a bit chewy as to be expected of a wine of this age. 18/19

Chambolle-Musigny Les Fuées 1er Cru - I preferred this to the previous Chambolle although the nose was a little bit tighter. Good colour, hints of ruby rather than purple. Very well-balanced palate dominated by damson and mulberry. Might be my favourite red wine on show. 18/19

Bonnes Mares Grand Cru - Slight orangey-red colour. Very floral nose with hints of orange peel and spices. Good dense flavour, quite dry palate but very lingering. 16/17

Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru - A return to the smoky bacon type nose I detected on the some of the Beaune. A very big powerful wine but with quite smooth, silky tannins, soft and elegant. Flavours of coffee and dark chocolate on the palate. Very good. 18/19

Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru - Very good colour. Aromatic nose with coffee and dark fruit notes leading onto plums and rich dried fruits on the palate (prunes, slightly raisin-y). Full-bodied, yet supple with elegant tannins. 17/18

Other wines tasted that were already sold out when I got to them or I do not have detailed tasting notes for -

White Wines

Savigny-Les-Beaune Clos-des-Guettes 1er Cru Domaine Gagey 14/15
Beaune Grèves Le Clos Blanc 1er Cru Domaine Gagey 14/15
Meursault Goutte d'Or 1er Cru 15/16
Meursault Genevrières 1er Cru 14/15
Meursault Perrières 1 er Cru 15
Puligny-Montrachet Referts 1er Cru 16/17
Puligny-Montrachet Monopole Clos de la Garenne 1er Cru Domaine Duc de Magenta 15/16
Chassagne-Montrachet Grande Montagne 1er Cru 16/17
Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot Monopole Clos de la Chapelle 1er Cru Domaine Duc de Magenta 15/16
Chassagne-Montrachet La Romanée 1er Cru 16/17
Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 16/17
Montrachet Grand Cru 17/18

Red Wines

Moulin-A-Vent Clos de Rochegrès Chateau des Jacques. No rating, I think it was corked.
Moulin-A-Vent Clos de Grand Carquelin Chateau des Jacques 14
Morgon Cote du Puy Chateau des Lumières 12/13
Cote de Nuits-Villages "Le Vaucrain" 15/16
Savigny-Les-Beaunes Les Vergelesses 1er Cru 14/15
Savigny-Les Beaunes Les Lavières 1er Cru 14/15
Pernand-Vergelesses Clos de la Croix de Pierre 1er Cru 14/15
Beaune Chouacheux 1er Cru 16/17
Beaune Theurons 1er Cru 16/17
Beaune Boucherottes 1er Cru 15/16
Beaune Clos des Ursules 1er Cru 15/16
Volnay Clos des Chenes 1er Cru 16/17
Pommard Clos de la Commaraine 1er Cru 14/15 - this is usually my favourite Pommard!
Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots 1er Cru 15/16
Vosne-Romanée Les Beaux Monts 1er Cru 15/16
Gevrey Chambertin La Combe aux Moines 1er Cru 17
Gevrey Chambertin Les Cazetiers 1er Cru 17
Gevrey Chambertin Lavaux-Saint-Jacques 1er Cru 15/16
Gevrey Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er Cru 16
Corton-Pougets Grand Cru 16
Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 16
Echézeaux Grand Cru 17/18
Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 18/19

All in all a very interesting tasting, where else to you get to try such world-famous wines. The quality for this vintage is very good, the three Beaujolais were very disappointing especially after some excellent single vineyard Moulin-A-Vent from 2003. We have ordered some of these and I can't wait for them to arrive later in the year. Some of these wines will be true stunners in a few years time.

Dominic

Vina Veredo Del Rio Crianza 2001 (VR) Tasting Notes

A new wine from Bodegas San Martin de Abalos (near Fonzaleche), which is itself a fairly new winery created in 1998 by the Gutierrez Abalos family. This is the winery's first premium wine above their basic range of Riojas (more of which later). The winery and techniques are all very modern and the wine is very smartly presented.

"VR" Crianza DOC 2001, Vina Veredo Del Rio, Bodegas San Martin de Abalos 12.5%

The VR is made from grapes sourced from the Bodegas' oldest vineyard. It is aged 16 months in American oak. Tempranillo 80%, Garnacha Tinto 15% and Viura 5%.

To the eye the wine is very clear and a good dark red / crimson colour with only a touch of brownish colouration around the rim. The nose is dominated by dark berry fruits. Along with hints of vanilla I also get a whiff reminiscent of marzipan, but mainly typical American oak characteristics. Hints of red cherry. On the palate there is a touch of sweetness and this time red fruit. I detect a coconut type flavour that I usually get from American oak. The wine is medium to full-bodied and a bit firmer than other crianza Riojas I have tried recently. The palate is quite gripping, has good length and the finish is clean, mineral and elegant with soft tannins. Maybe it could do with a couple of years. A good Crianza Rioja. Approximately GBP 7.00. 15 or 16 out of 20.

I'll be tasting the rest of the wines from this bodega soon.

Cheers,

Dominic