Spending winter in the UK is often challenging as the weather can be miserable. Work permitting we pop over to the Canary islands for some winter sun. 

The first vines in el Hierro were planted by an Englishman, John Hill in 1526 to satisfy England's thirst for sweet fortified wine or "Canary sack". Most of the wine produced in El Hierro went to Central America, mainly Cuba and Venezuela.

The Canaries never suffered the philoxera infection which devastated every other wine region in Europe. Canarian wine producers cultivate grape varieties which are now extinct in their places of provenance. This helps explaining why the "fortunate islands" have nine distinctly unique wine denominations/regions. DO El Hierro is one of them.

Viña Frontera Tradicional Tinto is produced by classic fermentation at 25C. With regards to grape varieties: 90% Listán negro, 10% Baboso negro/Vijariego negro/Negramol. 

Appearance: deep purple colour with compact rim width

Intensity: medium to high

Flavours: spice, liquorice, black pepper and dark fruit

Best enjoyed by itself or with red meats or hard cheese

99% of the production is consumed locally in the Canary islands. Almost impossible to get hold of it online. If you know where to get it from please share. In the meantime we will have to go back to the Canary Islands to try it.

Had a terrible day at work as two of our best people announced they were leaving on the same day. P is one of the best telecom professionals in the industry and a good friend. B is the best boss I have ever had, most knowledgeable, professional and fun to work with/for. It's then not strange that I spent the whole day with a knot in the stomach. 

We all want bad days to end. After an amotional day at work, went for a run, swim and cycle to calm down. As I got home all I could think about was toasting to their health and celebrate their escape, I mean departure.

Any bad news taste better with a bit of vanilla, dark fruits and good company. Best of luck in your new ventures P and B!

Beronia Rioja, Reserva 2008 
http://www.beronia.es/vinos.php?s=vinos&v=19&idioma=2

Appearance: attractive red ruby colour
Intensity: medium to high
Flavours: hints of vanilla (oaked Rioja), blackberry and chocolate (mazuelo, graciano), leather (tempranillo). Good to keep for 5-10 years (2018 max)
Best enjoyed: delicious by itself or with red meats, lamb or steak
TIP: pour into a decanter half an hour to an hour before serving

Online retailers:

The best offer is either buying directly at Waitrose or online via Ocado. Reduced from £12.99 down 25% to £9.74 until the 10th September
http://www.ocado.com/webshop/product/Beronia-Rioja-Reserva-2008/55958011

Wine direct sells it at £10.95 per bottle, slightly cheaper (4-5% discount) if bought by the case
http://www.winedirect.co.uk/beronia-rioja-reserva-2008

Steep hill wines offers it at £14.50 per bottle
http://www.steephillwines.com/beronia-rioja-reserva-2008.ir?cName=still-wines-red-spain

My friends Neil, Lisa and their son Matthew treated us to dinner for two at a Chelsea restaurant for my 40th birthday last year. Half a year later to the day I got the chance to enjoy the experience. 

The restaurant is at the westernmost part of the Kings road and famous for its steaks. As I was booking going through the wine list, I found dinner's perfect wine partner, Malbec. Dinner was superb, delicious food, good wine and well presented as you would expect in a Pierre White restaurant. 

We left on a high, with that happy feeling of having achieved something, disconnecting from a busy week at work. What a different does it make celebrating your birthday in mid June rather than the usual mid December with some of the coldest and shortest days of the year. We finished dinner and went for a walk on a beautiful summer evening. Thank you Lisa, Neil and Matthew for an amazing dinner, hope all is well and we can catch up again soon. 

And the note: cot is the grape that makes Malbec, high in alcohol and tannins. Originary from Cahors in Southern France. Once widely planted around Bordeaux, most vines were lost to the 1956 frost and not replaced. Today it comes to life in Argentina where it's its most planted grape, hugely popular in the US.

Appearance: ruby red colour
Intensity: full bodied, high in alcohol (14.5%)
Flavours: plum with a little blackberry and vanilla (aged in oak for 8 months)
Best enjoyed: with steak or any red meat
Serve: at room temperature

TIP: it can keep for 3-5 years, let it breathe for 30mins to an hour before serving

None of the big supermarkets stock it. Where can you buy it?

The Fine wine company is the most reasonable at £9.48 per bottle buying 6
http://www.thefinewinecompany.co.uk/tomero-malbec-2011-17843.html

Drinks Direct at £9.49 per bottle buying 6
http://www.drinksdirect.co.uk/acatalog/Tomero_Malbec.html

Exel wines at £10.23 per bottle buying 6
http://www.exelwines.co.uk/details/stockcode-AGMD0014B11X

Great western wine sells at £10.95 per bottle also based on 6
http://www.greatwesternwine.co.uk/wines/argentina/tomero-malbec-valle-de-uco-mendoza.html

Eclectic tastes at £11 per bottle buying 6
http://www.eclectictastes.co.uk/shop/product-329-tomero-malbec

Hugh Johnson and Terry Theise in separate books put Mosel wines at the top of their favourite wines' list. Hugh Johnson recommends good Mosel wines as "wines to keep" as having high acidity content they get better and better with time. Most people only think of red wines for aging and as I enjoy keeping good wine for celebrations or special occasions, let this be one of those I thought. 

It wasn't meant to be. As i was carrying the shopping home the carrier bag broke and that same bottle of wine (out of four) went rolling down about 10-12 steps. The screw top got loose which only means one thing, ready to be enjoyed now. And what a find, I will be buying a case and can only wonder what it'll be like in a few year's time.

Low in alcohol (8.5%) and high in acidity which makes it good for cellar keeping (easily 10-30yrs). 


Appearance: light straw in colour
Intensity: high with a medium sweet finish
Flavours: dried peach with candied lemon peel and a hint of mango
Best enjoyed: by itself (low alcohol content at 8.5%) or with fish, chicken or Thai food
Serve: ice cold
TIP: keep it for 10-20 years to let the flavours develop strength

I am buying a case online, here is what i found:

RannochScott has it at £13.99 per bottle
http://www.rannochscott.co.uk/shop/info_2_rs3569.html

Jeroboams has it at £15.20 per bottle (10% discount on a case of 12 is currently unavailable)
http://www.jeroboams.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=176252&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=&product&itemDisplaySection=

Available at Waitrose or online via Ocado for £15.99
http://www.waitrosedirect.com/product/loosen-wurzgarten-riesling-kabinett/047615
http://www.ocado.com/webshop/product/Dr-Loosen-Urziger-Wurzgarten-Riesling-Kabinett-2009/34137011

Hosted a dinner for some friends over the weekend. The menu was light and summery (wishful thinking as it rained): seafood and fish. The challenge was getting a wine to match and possibly enhance the mood during dinner. Success!

Vinho verde grapes are grown close to the sea 50-50 from Pedernã and Loureiro varieties. Loureiro means laurel in Portuguese suggesting that the aroma of their berries is similar to that of bayleaves and laurel flowers. Pedernã adds freshness, lime and green apple flavours. 

Appearance: white straw in colour at 11% alcohol
Intensity: light and fresh from the sea
Flavours: lime, lemon, green apple with laurel and lime flowers
Best enjoyed: cold by itself on summer nights or as a fairhful partner to shellfish/seafood

Where to get it from:

Majestic has a special offer, two bottles for £5.99 each
http://www.majestic.co.uk/find/product-is-15103

The Wine Society stocks it by the bottle (£6.95) or by the case (12 at £6.08 per bottle)
http://www.thewinesociety.com/(S(1k2vkw45bycwcu55spm40u55))/shop/productdetail.aspx?section=pd&pd=PW3741&prl=STD&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

Ocado sells it by the bottle at £7.29 and gives it 4 out of 5 stars
http://www.ocado.com/webshop/product/Quinta-de-Azevedo-Vinho-Verde-2010/43142011

Had dinner at some friends' house last week, an opportunity to share good wine. My friends are Korean and I wanted to bring something typically Spanish. Came across Waitrose's special offer for the Baron de Ley Rioja, Reserva 2008 at £8.29. 

This is a good chance to sample the traditional flavours and subtleness on which Rioja has built its name, at a fraction of the price that you would pay for similar quality.

Baron de Ley is the winery behind Tesco's Finest Viña Mara with some of the most delicious riojas in the market. Tesco gives it a generous 4.5 stars out of 5, which is not surprising as the wine is excellent.

Appearance: attractive red ruby colour
Intensity: medium to high
Flavours: strawberry, coconut, spices and toffee, rounded up with silky vanilla ( as a result of spending 20 months in oak)
Best enjoyed: by itself or with red meats, lamb or steak

Not easy to get hold of online, here is what i found:

The best offer is either buying directly at Waitrose or online via Ocado. Reduced from £12.49 down to £8.29 till the 21st May. 
http://www.waitrosedirect.com/product/baron-de-ley-rioja-reserva/714803

As I write this Waitrose has gone "out of stock", still available on Ocado (limited to 20 bottles) at £8.29
http://www.ocado.com/webshop/product/Baron-de-Ley-Reserva-Rioja/64288011

You can order from Vinissimus at £8.63 per bottle
http://www.vinissimus.co.uk/en/vinos/tinto/detalle_vino.html?id_vino=bleyr08

Tesco Finest Viña Mara Rioja, Reserva2008 at £9.99 per bottle
http://www.tesco.com/wine/product/details/default.aspx?searchBox=Baron+de+ley&search.x=0&search.y=0&id=261787141

Went to Brindisa in Borough market for dinner, good Spanish tapas. When choosing the wine, a blend of grapes caught my eye and we got to try "Castillo Perelada, 5 Fincas". The 2008 vintage is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (25%), Garnacha (25%), Merlot (20%), Syrah (15%) and Cariñena (15%).

Nobody knew what wine we had ordered, when the Frenchman in the group tried it, I saw his face lit up, then everyone else's. What is this? It is something special. It was also very reasonably priced for a restaurant. Strong fruit flavours, full bodied and very easy to drink at the same time. What's not to like?

Varieties on the 2007 blend: Garnacha (39%), Syrah (26%), Merlot (26%), Cabernet Sauvignon (9%).Winemaking with long maceration and fermentation at 26C.
Aged for 21 months, 50% in American oak, 50% in French oak.
14.5% Vol. Bordeaux dark bottle.

Taste: Cherry colour, mature fruit, balsamic and coffee.

Online retailers have some good rates, here are the best I found:

Vinissimus, 2008 vintage at a reasonable £8.73
http://www.vinissimus.co.uk/en/vinos/tinto/detalle_vino.html?id_vino=cp5fr08

Wine Merchant, 2005 vintage at £12.99
http://www.online-wine-merchant.co.uk/castillo-perelada-fincas-reserva-p-494.html

KMW, 2007 vintage at £14.25
http://www.kwmwine.com/shop/wine-by-grape-variety-multi-varietal-blends/castillo-perelada-emporda-5-fincas-reserva-2007.html