Everyone loves hidden treasures, and MATTHEW JUKES has a few bottled secrets to share: 'Random though they are, they're also world-class, delicious and highly sought after.' Two examples are 2003 Chteau La Hase, Bordeaux (7.95; Lea and Sandeman)
Read more...It's a geography lesson from JOANNA SIMON, and Coonawarra is under the spotlight: 'If you ever feel it doesn't matter which Australian brand you pick off the shelf, because they all taste the
Read more...JAMIE GOODE relishes the chance to come up with some fruity partners for a jam butty. Two to try would be 2003 Red Rock Shiraz/Grenache/Pinot, Victoria (5.92; Asda) and 2004 Finca Flichman Tanguero Reserve Malbec, Mendoza (5.99; Unwins).
Read more...MATTHEW JUKES continues to follow Jamie Oliver around Italy this week and suggests a few 'slightly richer and fuller-bodied wines' to accompany the likes of pizza and risotto. His selection includes 2003 Monferrato Rosso, Le Monache, Michele Chiarlo, Monferrato (8.49; Oddbins) and 2003 Valpolicella Classico Ripasso, Veneto (5.99; Marks & Spencer).
Read more...JAMIE GOODE seeks out the best wines to suit Japanese cuisine. His first choice is 2004 Devils Rock Riesling (4.49; widely available): 'Wines like this are in danger of making German Riesling popular again. No, really.' He also picks 2004 Tesco Mcon Blanc Villages Chardonnay (4.99): 'This is a crisp, fresh all-rounder with a nice hint of lemon and apple and a minerally edge. You could match this with almost anything.' His last selection is Villa Maria Private Bin Gewurztraminer (8.25; Waitrose): 'With a sweet, musky smell of grape and melon, this remarkable white couples a rich texture with lovely fresh fruit.' n
Read more...RICHARD EHRLICH is confused: 'I just don't know what to believe about the state of Britain's beer industry,' he says. In his opinion, beer and food matching is a good promotion, and 'there is just as much potential for matching food and beer as there is for matching food and wine'. To help this trend along, selected CAMRA pubs are serving up a series of sausage-and-mash dishes with a beer to match, and Ehrlich
Read more...'Who can argue with more booze for less money?' asks ANTHONY ROSE. With prolific discounting in supermarkets, 'one shopper in five has become a "deal junkie",' he comments. But this isn't without its dangers for the industry, and some companies, such as Majestic and Waitrose, have introduced a better breed of promotion. Rose thinks other retailers would do well to follow their example, commenting: 'Isn't emphasising value and quality better than going for the lowest common denominator?' For splashing out at the weekend, Rose recommends 2003 Quinta do Vallado Douro Reserva (19; Noel Young Wines).
Read more...'Forget the propaganda,' says JANE MacQUITTY, supermarkets do indeed have 'tasty, distinctive, characterful wines, occasionally cut in price, from small to medium-sized producers, that can compete with similar fare sold by fine wine merchants'. And if you don't agree, you obviously haven't tried the 2004 Tesco Finest Pinot Grigio, Isonzo del Friuli (5.99) or 2003 Yering Station Shiraz/Viognier (9.99; Sainsbury's).
Read more...'The Roussillon is currently the most exciting wine region in France', according to TIM ATKIN MW. Grard Gauby is credited with proving the potential of the appellation, and Atkin comments: 'His wines aren't cheap, but they deserve to be compared with the best of Bordeaux and Burgundy.' Recommendations include 2004 Domain du Clos des Fes, Les Sorcires (9.69; Oddbins Fine Wine) and 2002 Domaine Gauby Vieilles Vignes Blanc,
Read more...Reconstructed lad TIM ATKIN MW used to indulge in the 'Vindaloo Challenge' while at university: 'Six of us went to an Indian restaurant and ordered the hottest curry on the menu. We then placed an ice bucket full of cold beer on the table and started eating. The first person to reach for a sip of lager paid for the meal.' Joking aside, Atkin points out that very few of the 8,000 curry restaurants in the UK 'have decent wine lists', and that a common listing is Piat d'Or, 'which tells you all you need to know'. After chatting to a number of sommeliers, he admits that the next time he braves a Vindaloo Challenge, 'there'll be a bottle of German Riesling Kabinett in the ice bucket'.
Read more...It's 20 years since TIM ATKIN MW started writing about wine. Asking himself whether he is still excited about wine, he replies that 80% are unremarkable (or worse), 20% are worth writing about and, of that, maybe 5% 'make me want to dance on the spot'. Three of the latter are 2000 Tesco Finest Barolo (12.99), 2003 Domaine Tournon Mount Benson Shiraz (14.99; stockists from Mentzendorff) and 2004 Verdicchio Marotti Campi, Marche (7.19; Oddbins).
Read more...It's fashion week for JANCIS ROBINSON MW as she takes
Read more...JANE MacQUITTY is also loving Argentina and asks why 'British drinkers still treat its wines with suspicion'. Malbec is Argentina's 'strongest suit', and this becomes all the more apparent to her after the recent Wines of Argentina tasting - 'Gone are the rustic Malbecs of a decade ago, and in their place are gorgeous, chunky, rich reds.' Her top-end choice is 2003 Lurton Brothers Chacayes (34.95; Robersons), moving down the price range to 2005 Catena Argento Malbec (4.99; Sainsbury's).
Read more...Terms such as 'riserva', 'reserva' and 'old vines' are questioned by ANTHONY ROSE. How private is Robert Mondavi's Private Collection Cabernet Sauvignon?, he asks. The overuse of such terms merely weakens them. Wines that deliver include 2005 Tesco Finest Reserva Especial Casablanca Valley Tapiwey Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (7.99), 2001 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva (around 28.95; Bennetts Fine Wines, Noel Young Wines, Reid Wines) and 2002 Seghesio Old Vine Zinfandel (23.50; Bacchus Wine). Rose's 'under a fiver' wine is 2004 Anjou Chenin Blanc, Bougrier (4.99; Oddbins); 'under a tenner' is 2004 Terra Felix Mourvdre (6.99; Hoults, Knightwick Wines) and 'splash out' is 2003 Danie de Wet Misty River Chardonnay (12.99; Tesco).
Read more...GILES KIME ventures off the beaten track with a few unusual whites, including 2004 Gobelsburger Grner Veltliner (5.99; Waitrose) and 2003 D'Arenberg The Money Spider, Roussanne (8.99; Oddbins).
Read more...The latest drinks craze sweeping Japan, according to RICHARD EHRLICH, is fruit vinegar. The Oaks Heart vinegar shop in Tokyo sells more than 40 varieties, including mango, pear, and strawberry. What's more, they're all supposed to aid the circulation and digestion, combat fatigue and stimulate the appetite. In the States, Ehrlich reports that Coca Cola has launched a range of Minute Maid orange juices in a bid to combat the dominance of Pepsi Cola's Tropicana brand. He recommends three non-alcoholic favourites of his own: AriZona Pomegranate Green Tea (2; Holland & Barrett, www.arizonabev.co.uk); Fentimans Ginger Beer (1/275ml; widely available); and Mawsons Sarsaparilla (4.99/375ml; www.mawsonstraditionaldrinks.com).'
Read more...More Rioja ruminations from JOANNA SIMON, and it's a positive result: 'The country that was saddled with the image of plonk-producer-in-chief for so long is now bucking the floundering Old World trend.' She recommends 2003 Marqus de Concordia Signa Tempranillo (5.99; Tesco).
Read more...'Italian wines are foodie numbers,' says MATTHEW JUKES as he introduces his guide to the complex wines of this Old World stalwart. 'The main attribute that Italian wines possess is a crunchy, refreshing lick of acidity on the finish. It is this magical ingredient that makes them so refreshing and also so adept at slicing through cheese or meat dishes.' This week's food focus (relating to the accompanying three-week series of excerpts from Jamie Oliver's new book of Italian recipes) is salads and pasta dishes, and Jukes's choice of wines to match include 2004 Tesco Finest Pinot Grigio, Isonzo del Friuli (5.99; Tesco) and 2004 Rosso di Montepulciano, Poliziano, Tuscany (8.99; Booths supermarkets, Sainsbury's).
Read more...ANTHONY ROSE has also taken a trip to the Rioja tasting, and he's quick to comment on the new and improved treatment of oak: 'Wines aren't left to loiter in oak barrels to become dried out and toothless.' One of his favourites is 2001 Finca Allende Tinto (around 17; Harvey Nichols, Booths supermarkets).
Read more...'Chianti is a wine with which you can hold an intelligent debate,' says VICTORIA MOORE; the downside is 'that picking one has become a lottery'. Moore suggests a few of her own favourites, including 2003 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico (14.45; Liberty Wines - available from December.)
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