February arrives... with new wines!
So dry January has finally bitten the dust and we look gooey eyed towards Valentine’s day, lighter evenings and the prospect of Spring around the corner (although perhaps not just yet!).
I am writing whilst currently on a train, travelling the length and breadth of our country (well London and Manchester to be precise) to attend various trade wine tasting events, where we get to sample current vintages of existing wines and check they make the grade… as well as look for new and exciting wines to offer you for the year ahead.
I am thrilled to say Jonathan has already got a few of his finds already in the shop; our first wine from Georgia, a new Spanish organic rosé and a new South African red from Chris Mullineaux.
We have tried a number of wines from Georgia these last 2 years and none really have made the grade, in either image or taste until now. Made from the indigenous Georgian variety Saperavi, (obvs. !) partially vinified in traditional qvevri vessels, Bedoba translates to `Day of Luck’.
The vines are planted in the renowned wine region of Kakheti (near the eastern border with Azerbaijan) in the Kvareli and Kindzmarauli appellations along the Duruji River valley. The soils here are rich in black shale and the southern slopes of the Caucasus Mountains provide elevations of over 400 metres, creating fresh acidity and soft tannins. Bedoba embraces sustainable and organic practices, alongside hand-harvesting and careful sorting of the dark-skinned, red-fleshed Saperavi grapes. This wine is dark purple in colour. The nose opens with a powerful savoury-spicy bouquet of blackberries, herbs, flowers and black pepper. The palate has a creamy, juicy texture, ripe tannins and black fruit flavours. So, if you’re looking for something beyond your usual this might be the one at £19.95 a bottle. I think if anyone had this in a blind tasting they would be quite amazed!
Whilst February wine tastings are now fully booked. However, we’ve just announced dates for March.
We’re also delighted to have a date in the diary for a tasting back at Bobby’s in April, as well as a Champagne tasting in later the same month, which is also already sold out!
A wine that arrived a few weeks ago now is a cabernet franc from the Gard region of southern France.
I tasted it on my trip to the Rhone last October and been waiting for the right time to list it, as then I felt it would have been forgotten with all of Christmas wines and offers; Domaine Barrau, vin de pays de Gard organic cabernet franc only 13% vol. and just £11.95.
This grape is normally found in the Loire Valley as a varietal in the Chinon/Saumur – Champigny appellation or in Bordeaux as one of the 5 main red wines used as a blend.
So, here it is: perfectly balanced with cassis and herbal notes, light in tannins as not over extracted as more about the primary fruits and surprisingly light in alcohol… and certified organic to boot, so ticks all my boxes and hopefully yours!
Santé!