You Gets What You Pays For - Usually.

OK, so the average price of a bottle of wine bought in a shop in the UK now is £4.35. Duty is £1.69 and VAT is 65p, making a total of £2.34 to come off. That leaves precisely £2.01 for a lot else - advertising, transport, wages, winemaking, profit margins for resellers, packaging, etc etc. It doesn't take genius to figure out that there's not going to be much left for the winemaker at the end of it all. So what's he/she likely to do - make as much of the stuff as possible as cheaply as possible. And that results in a pretty average bottle.

If you add on a couple of quid or so the end margin improves rapidly - for example duty is exactly the same for a £4 bottle or a £40 bottle. So the maker will take a lot more care of and interest in the wine being made - maybe reduced yield (so more goodness in fewer grapes), picking by hand (perhaps at night to reduce risk of harm from a hot sun), better blending and balance, and so on. Simple moral of the story is spend £7 - £10 per bottle and you will get a better wine - more complex, rewarding, and more truly reflecting its origins.

A couple of caveats - it might not be a good idea to get suckered into the supermarket's special offer "was £9.99 now only £4.99...". There may be all sorts of clever shenanigans going on here. I mean what should the original price actually be? Supermarkets are not in the business of losing money. And also prices over £20 a bottle and you starting to get into premium wines where many other elements come into play - such as status, supply and demand, the name, and so on. People often ask me "What's the best wine you've ever had?" Impossible question. Yes I've had some of the so-called finest wines in the world which were lovely, but I've also eaten in little places deep in French or Italian countryside, and drunk the local stuff for peanuts - outstanding and delicious.

Drinking good wine is great, and can be an adventure that adds romance, laughter, and real pleasure to any occasion. Drinking bad wine serves one function really, which generally ends up with a severe headache. There are plenty of other regular things in life that people happily spend similar money on - why not wine? Up to you of course, but I know which way I go.

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What’s Your Poison For Election Night?

Will it be party night for your party? The polls tell us that parliament will end up an interesting blend – hopefully with a taint free aroma, a refreshing flavour, and a finish that doesn’t disappoint. But for the night itself why not for a moment forget all the blarney, sit down to dinner, and let opinion manifest itself in wine. Below are some suggestions, but the choice is yours of course. We’re pushing the boat out a bit here, but then it may be the last time for a while as the cuts take hold….

What to start with? Well some sort of fizz seems right – you might not end up celebrating, but can at least start on a promising note with the spirits high. So for this I suggest Camel Valley “Cornwall” Brut 2007 (£18.99 at www.waitrosewine.com) for the following reasons: 1) It’s British – a good start. 2) It’s made in the traditional, champagne method (and so instills confidence), but is composed of an unusual blend of grapes – Seyval Blanc, Huxelrebe, Reichensteiner – promising change, and a little excitement. 3) It’s delicious – elegant, fresh, fruity, a velvety mousse, and a long round finish. It deservedly finds a place on the wine list of many fine restaurants.

On to the first course, and lets open with the Lib Dems. I’m going a little further afield with this one, but then international co-operation is no doubt crucial. How about some Mas de Daumas Gassac Blanc from Terroire d’Aniane 2008 (£22.95 at www.slurp.co.uk). So much has been said about this wine – it’s extraordinary. Primary pearfruit from viognier melts into a buttery mouthfeel, and great expression of dried fruits, with a crisp and lingering finish. But the thing is it’s a wild mix of Viognier, Chardonnay, Petit Manseng, and an array of Roussanne, Marsanne, Clairette, Muscat, Chenin and others. In other words some of the time no-one knows quite what’s in it. About right I feel.

The main course, and I’m going to go with Labour. We need something with more substance than popularity – an intense red fellow that initially offers no compromise but yields at the end. A wine that you either develop a lifelong relationship with, or simply can’t abide – and that only works with certain types of food. Chateau du Cedre in Cahors makes sumptuous, inky black wines from the Malbec grape (so different to Argentina), full of dark, brooding fruit, fig, liquorice, and tannic grip. Try the Cuvée Prestige 2006 (£14.25 at www.greatwesternwine.co.uk) which has a dollop of Tannat, and is the most approachable. A purposeful wine that truly reflects it’s origins, but with a character many just can’t tolerate. If you know what I mean.

Leaving just dessert for the Tories. We need something unctuous and sticky to finish with, so back to Middle England for this with some Nectar 2007 from Chapel Down in Kent (£13.23 for 50cl at www.formanandfield.com). Siegerrebe, Bacchus, and Huxelrebe grapes blended to give a luscious and aromatic mouthful, streaked with a vein of acidity that cuts through and refreshes. But being low in alcohol (8.5%) it’s a lightweight, and it also has a great affinity with cheese. Draw your own conclusions.

Which is what we must all do on May 6^th. Which party am I for – why, the drinks party of course. Bottoms up!

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Raise A Glass Of English

The English wine industry goes back a long way. Cuttings of grapevines were first brought over by the Romans some 2000 years ago, and the winemaking business thrived into the Middle Ages. But strangely enough England was a degree or two warmer then, and it was as ambient temperatures fell over a century or so (remember those pictures of the Thames frozen solid?) that the vines suffered. At the start of the 20^th century there was no wine industry at all, and it wasn’t until the 1950s that a few pioneers began growing vines again. Now there are around 400 vineyards throughout England, and while it’s fair to say that not all of them are producing good stuff (OK, some of it’s pretty bad), there are shining examples that compete in their own right against well-established names from abroad.

You might not recognise some of the grapes, and you won’t see many examples of noble varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc – there’s just not the climate for them to do well (yet). But the likes of Bacchus, Seyval Blanc, Huxelrebe, Rondo, Reichensteiner, Dornfelder, Ortega, and many others are finding a good home here. There are limited plantings of some well-known names though – notably Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, the key champagne varietals, and it’s in sparkling wine that England is excelling. Nyetimber from Sussex has won countless awards, and recently their 2003 Classic Cuvée won “Champion of Worldwide Sparkling Wines” at the Bollicini del Mondo competition in Verona – defeating the likes of Pommery, Bollinger, and Roederer to name but a few. Not so unlikely when you think about it, since the geology and climate in southern parts of England are both similar to those of Champagne. And certainly at some of our wine tastings we put in an English sparkling blind, which people often pick as the best.

Really satisfying reds are still quite hard to find, with one or two decent exceptions, but several whites and rosés are showing nicely, and are great for a summer tipple – gone are the days of the puckered wince at the first taste of any English wine. Here are a few to look at:

Nyetimber Classic Cuvée 2003 – champagne method, champagne grapes, dry, intense, but soft, with apple acidity, toastiness and great complexity. Chiselled and sophisticated - possibly England’s best.

Ridgeview Cuvée Merret Bloomsbury 2006 – aromatic, crisp lemon acidity, richly textured mousse, and a hint of toast and biscuit on the finish. Again champagne method and grapes – very classy.

Camel Valley Cornwall Brut 2006 – Chardonnay and Pinot Noir don’t have to have it all their own way. Seyval Blanc, Huxelrebe, and Reichensteiner in the champagne method to give a wine that’s creamy, fresh, elegant, and with delightful fruit. Goes down very nicely, thank you.

Chapel Down English Rose sparkling – one for the summer frolics. Reichensteiner, Rivaner, and Pinot Noir blended to create a pleasure in pink. Hints of blackcurrant, rosehip, and strawberry, composed with delicacy and finesse. Frivolous drinkability.

Camel Valley Bacchus 2009 – Young, aromatic, fresh and zesty - some say England’s answer to Sancerre. A bright accompaniment to seafood, full of zip and fruit. They like it in The House Of Commons…..

Sharpham Barrel Fermented 2007 – made from 100% Madeleine Angevine and one of the few English wines to be barrel fermented. Complex, balanced, and a great companion to the spicy and oriental.

Chapel Down Bacchus 2009 – Aromatics that smack of a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, and a zing that sings. A bit young yet, but full of summer promise.

Biddenden Ortega 2007 – a medium full fruity number that works well as chilled aperitif. Elderflower, good acidity, and an entertaining palate.

Chapel Down English Rose 2008 – the still version. Strawberries and cream in a glass, even with some shortbread on the side. Ever so slightly off-dry, refreshing acidity, and a no-brainer for picnics and the tennis.

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