This week I ‘ave been mostly drinking…

Russell Wallace, General Manager

This week I ‘ave been mostly drinking… outdoors, which as we all know is a cue for every purveyor of drinks to enjoy gallons of rose, sparkling wines and crisp fresh whites.  Well, as always this wine merchant has to go and be a little different.  With the glorious sunshine that has been baking us in our gardens for weeks now, my good wife and I decided that a spot of camping was in order. Now, when I say camping with my wife, this must involve Egyptian cotton, cosy pillows, an inflatable mattress and at least one thick luscious duvet!!  So with the car packed to the rafters with everything to make a Cairngorms camping trip as comfortable and homely as possible, off we set to a nice little quiet spot we know.  When it comes to camping and outdoor living in general, I get an obsession with icy rose and cold whites but it is just a tad…well, impractical.  Especially when keeping a stock of your favourite tipple at just the right temperature during camping can be a challenge. Combine that with our fondness for a barbeque at any given opportunity, and all the signs point to a red (cue gasps of shock and surprise).  The important decision is which red, yes a nice Pinot NoirBeaujolais works well (especially if the bottle gets a little chilly later on at night), but for me when it comes to camping where everything is food orientated then there really is nothing better for that than a good, basic well made Italian.  So for me it was the Enzo di Sette Rue Primitivo priced just shy of £8.50. This red has a delightful balance between fruit and oak, and an easy drinking softness yet food friendly meatiness, but most of all it really does not mind you drinking it from a tumbler!

Susan Ross, Logistics Manager

This week I ‘ave been mostly drinking Rose wine – the summer has finally arrived, and its arrived with a bang, with temperatures so high how will we cope?

We can with a glass of nicely chilled Rose.  My choice this week being SartoriVilla Molino Pinot Grigio Blush delle Venezie (2012).  I once had the envious task of visiting this Lake Garda based producer, quite a few years ago now, but the trip was such a fantastic experience that the memory lives on.  This is a family based production with vineyards around the beautiful city of Verona and a stone’s throw from the scenic Lake Garda – a trip that should be on everyone’s “to do” list.

This wine is dry in still, not too alcoholic and therefore perfect for sharing on an afternoon get-together.  Crisp and refreshing in style, slightly aromatic with a beautiful pale copper/pink in colour.  The downside?  Maybe just a tad more-ish!  Nothing wrong with that!

Clive Holroyd, Database Developer

I had an attack of conscience this week. Those of you who read my last blog entry may recollect that I more or less ordered you to buy the Welgegund Pinotage. Reflecting on this, it occurred to me that drinking wine is very much an experience of the senses and of course so many other things can affect that pleasure - the food you are eating, the music you are listening to, the weather, the company - I could go on. What, I thought, if I had exhorted you to obtain the wine based solely on a propitious set of circumstances that artificially enhanced my initial impressions? I decided that more research was required and enlisted three others to share a bottle with me. The results are in and I am sorry to report that I have uncovered the Achilles heel of this particular wine, not apparent in my previous tasting. Hard to believe though it is, the bottle contains a mere 75cl of liquid and this amount is woefully inadequate for four people. I am forced to recant my previous advice. Don't buy a bottle; buy several and share the pleasure with some deserving friends.

Dianne Barrie, Company Administrator

As I’ve been pretty busy over the last week, unfortunately I have not really had an opportunity to indulge as much as I would like! However, since I was working in our retail shop on Saturday, I did get a chance to have a little taste of two fantastic wines. To explain (and avoid any ambiguity), we always open a bottle of white and a bottle of red for tasting between 12-4pm on a Saturday afternoon so that customers get a chance to try some of the wines that we sell in our shop. This week we opened Maison Champy Macon Villages France 2010, a beautifully mellow white burgundy which has delicious peach and melon flavours lightly softened in oak. It is just the sort of white wine I really enjoy – full of flavour, but with a creamy softness…yummy. Another of the wines we had on tasting was Bodegas Escudero Razon Spain 2006. I'm a huge fan of Bodegas Escudero Cava Rosado, a sparkling rose made by the same producer so I had high hopes for this red wine, and I'm glad to say that I certainly wasn't disappointed. A blend of Grenache and Tempranillo, this is a full-bodied red packed with jammy fruitiness with a tiny hint of vanilla and subtle spices. I would imagine it being a great accompaniment to tomato based pasta or Indian dishes, chilli con carne, or simply with some white stilton and olives…mid-morning as I write this, but I'm going to stop there as anymore food suggestions and I will not be able to resist having my lunch early!