What is Pineau des Charentes?

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New Wines from The Fareham Wine Cellar

New Clarets

Chateau Croix-Mouton, Bordeaux Supérieur, Jean-Phillipe Janouiex 2004

Excellent, chunky Bordeaux Supérieur. For drinking but will round out over 2 or 3 years. Was called Chateau Mouton until a lawsuit with Mouton Rothschild!

£151.00 per case (12 bottles)

£13.25 per bottle


Chateau Larmande, St Emilion Grand Cru Classé 2006 Chateau Larmande
St Emilion Grand Cru Classé 2006

Top level, silky St Emilion. Approachable now but will drink over 5 to 8 years.

"Strawberry and plum on the nose, with a bouquet of flowers. Subtle and complex. Medium- to full-bodied, with fine tannins and a fresh, clean finish." Wine Spectator Review.

£296.00 per case (12 bottles)

£25.99 per bottle


Le Cadet de Larmande, St Emilion Grand Cru 2005

The second wine of Chateau Larmande. Excellent wine from the best vintage in years. Youthful and primary on the bouquet. Dark, almost purple colour. Balanced medium to full bodied palate with well integrated tannins on the finish.

£193.50 per case (12 bottles)

£16.99 per bottle


Chateau Lilian Ladouys, St Estephe Cru Bourgeois

Chateau Lilian Ladouys, St Estephe Cru Bourgeouis 2001
Excellent for drinking now.

"A nose to smile about. Here there is an elegant, gravelly, slightly meaty perfume, with aromatic fruit maturity. A delicate palate, not brimming with structure although it has decent acidity." www.thewinedoctor.com

£153.75 per case (12 bottles)

£13.49 per bottle


Chateau Soutard, St Emilion Grand Cru 1997

Chateau Soutard, St Emilion Grand Cru 1997 Excellent, mature St Emilion at a very good price. Soft, plummy and earthy. For drinking now.

£341.50 per case (12 bottles)

£29.99 per bottle

Les Jardins de Soutard, St Emilion (Chateau Soutard) 2004

In 2004, during all the wrangling concerning the St Emilion classification, Chateau Soutard did not bother to register their wine as a Grand Cru. Instead they released the wine as Les Jardins de Soutard, a second label, but a St Emilion Grand Cru by any other name.

£187.75 per case (12 bottles)

£16.49 per bottle


And for a sticky -

Chateau Coutet, Barsac-Sauternes 1er Cru Classé 50cl 2001


Sauternes from one of the best producers.

"Great richness on the nose and mid-weight on the palate. Lively ripe pears and apples flavours and good botrytis character" - Jancis Robinson, 18/20. In a handy half-litre bottle, for when a half-bottle isn't enough.


£336.00 per case (12 bottles)

£29.50 per bottle


Please telephone 01329 822733
to place an order

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