This week I 'ave been mostly drinking...

Russell Wallace, General Manager

Bodegas Protos Verdejo – For those of you not in the know about this wonderful variety from Rueda, just outside the Ribera del Duero, I strongly urge you to familiarise yourself as I think this is one that you will be seeing a lot more of.

It is probably fair to say that to a British consumer the most common wines from Spain all tend to be medium-bodied reds. Even the Spanish themselves would tend to keep their white wines just for a lunchtime treat. Light, fresh and fruity are the general hallmarks which makes me wonder why they have not taken off so well before now in the UK market. It is almost like this style of wine was created just for our palette.  

Bodegas Protos are one of my Spanish favourites that we have been following for a long time.  Yes, the reds are to die for as well, but it is in their white un-oaked Verdejo grape that they have found a fabulous value, highly adaptable wine. I choose this to go with my weekend favourite of a Thai Green Curry (home-made paste to an authentic Thai recipe of course). They always say that pairing with spicy foods is quite difficult, but if you follow my principle of thinking to what sort of foods would be eaten by those native to the wines region you can get a few reasonable options. What makes a Thai Curry particularly hard to pair is the creamy coconut milk, too acidic and you will in essence curdle the sauce whilst too little and the wine will be destroyed by the chilli.  

Most recommendations cite something like a Gewurtztraminer or Riesling for the heat which is spot on, but for me too many are a little afraid of these wines or just do not enjoy them.  My solution therefore is the Verdejo. When I think of the country that widely produces wine, but also enjoys a little heat in their food it is always Spain and the Verdejo charms that fit the bill.  Balanced acidity, zippy citrus flavours but not overly so that you risk the curdling effect.

Clive Holroyd, Database Manager

Seems like a while back now, but let me tell you about my major miscalculation on Christmas Day. My strategy (which has worked flawlessly for the last hundred years or so) is to drink the fuller bodied wine with the meal and have another slightly lighter bottle in reserve for postprandial quaffing. I've found that the the time taken for the roast to rest is about right for the wine to breath, so while my good lady removed the turkey from the oven, I popped the cork out of a bottle of the Welgegund Pinotage. "Ooh" she says, "that's that lovely South African one isn't it? No harm in having a wee glass just now." Well I hate to see someone drinking alone so once we sorted out the vegetables I poured two glasses and we went and sat down in the lounge. "What's that you’re drinking?" asks number one son, so of course he went and helped himself to a glass. You can see where this is going can't you? A few minutes later son number two has poured himself a very generous glass and before it's even had time to breath properly the bottle is empty. (I seem to recollect something similar happening the first time I tried the Welgegund). 

Well it's not too unhappy an ending, because a quickly opened bottle of Torrres Celeste was perfect with the meal and I still had a bottle of Cousino Macul Antiguas Reservas Merlot in reserve (as it were) for the rest of the day.