Wine

Bordeaux is famous for its vineyards but has so much more than just grapes on offer. This summer there are festivals galore and the region has something to delight everyone: culture, sport, history, music. Satiate your appetite with local delicacies and quench your thirst with world-renowned wines. Raise your glass and join the party – read on for just a few of the festivities happening in Bordeaux between June and August 2008.

The Wine Department of Trade Section of the French Embassy in the UK is to hold a special wine-tasting event entitled British Wine Entrepreneurs in France in central London on Tuesday 22 April 2008. The tasting will feature wine from British-owned and -run vineyards in various regions of France.

A new, fully-revised map of English and Welsh vineyards has been produced by the UK wine industry. An ideal accompaniment for the wine enthusiast, the map shows the location of 163 of the country’s leading vineyards, with cross referenced listings by county, full contact details (with postcodes for easy location), websites and a brief description.

While it’s still cold out there and the hot summer evenings seem a long way off; give yourself a little pick-me-up by inviting your best girly pals around for a decadent night of pampering, gossip and classic chick flicks over a glass of chilled sparkling Pink and toast the impending summer, all in the comfort and warmth of your own home.

Oversized socks, comfy tracksuit bottoms and something good on the box – all that’s needed now for the ultimate night in is a quick, easy and delicious recipe which will transform TV dinners once and for all and a glass of wine to finish off in style.

More than 160 restaurants and 200 wine stores throughout New York State will be celebrating New York Wine Month in April by offering their customers hundreds of fine New York wines from about 90 wineries.

D&D Wines International have announced that their Spanish supplier Bodegas Osborne has been awarded a Silver medal at this year’s Wine & Spirit design awards, for the re-designed label of their SOLAZ brand.

What do you do when you discover an amazing new wine? Do you tell all your friends and encourage them to buy lots of it too or do you accept the compliments about the wine without revealing your sources? This time instead of choosing a wine that is good value for money, why not choose a wine that is great value for money!

Nearly 300,000 cases of Fairtrade wines were sold in the UK in 2006 and sales are growing fast. Last November a wine tasting of all Fairtrade wines was held in London and there are some very good examples.

The Rex Cinema + Bar has announced it’s new menu for 2008 featuring an all-new, eco-friendly wine-list. The new list will only feature wines made using organic, biodynamic or sustainable resources and techniques.

Convenience store Spar, has announced the re-launch of its award winning Discoveries wine range, available in stores across the UK from March 2008. Spar Discoveries is an innovative collection of wines created by Spar’s expert wine buying team to showcase the unexpected treasures that can still be discovered, despite the increasing globalisation of wine production.

Lovers of fine food and wine can now enjoy some of Europe’s finest wines at their local village pub following the introduction of an exclusively European wine list, by Salisbury Pubs Ltd.

A Waitrose own label champagne priced at just £19.49 has beaten illustrious champagne houses including Bollinger, Pol Roger and Veuve Cliquot in Decanter’s Guide to Festive Fizz.

Morrisons are to launch two fantastic new wines hailing from the North-west of China. The Silk Road Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay have a background packed full of history that you can practically taste in every sip.

Britain is revealed as a nation of wine bluffers and wine duffers as just one in three know exactly which wine to order at restaurants. Rather than asking for help, Brits bluff their way through the wine list and half just opt for the second cheapest bottle to avoid looking stupid or cheap in front of their peers and waiters.

Griffith Park Sparkling Rose, which is sold exclusively through Morrisons, has beaten off stiff competition to win a Gold medal and a place in the ‘Top 10 Sparkling Wines in the World’ at the renowned Effervescents du Monde competition.

The festive season is upon us which means its party time! No doubt you will be hosting or attending at least one party this Christmas so make sure you’ve stocked up on some of these great-value party wines. There’s something for everyone.

Christmas is renowned as a time for over-indulgence, however with these top 10 wine tips for an ethical Christmas, you can be good to yourself, whilst doing your bit for the environment too.

Why not treat yourself and a loved one to an evening of matching two of your favourite things, Kumala wine and chocolate. What better evening to set aside and curl up together than February 14, Valentine’s Day.

Highly illustrated and beautifully designed, this is a 446-page hardback guide to Portugal for independent travellers who love good wine and food. Book in hand, head straight for the gastronomic hotspots of Lisbon and Porto, the Algarve and Madeira, but also the places to eat and drink well in the stunning countryside of undiscovered inland and island Portugal.

For a real treat Morrisons have launched a range of three exclusive Old World wines which are perfectly suited to sipping this Christmas.

Bookers Vineyard has helped take the hassle out of your Christmas meal this year, matching a selection of its award winning wines with a menu of seasonal favourites - from starters through to puds.

Matching wine and food is becoming increasingly popular but Morrisons’ wine experts can also help you find the perfect wine to complement the time of year. So now there is a distinct chill in the air, reminding us that winter is just around the corner, Morrisons Wine Development Manager, Stuart Purdie, shares some of his expert knowledge on what’s best to drink to give you that warming glow during the colder months.

Osborne Solaz, the deliciously fruity red wine from Spain, will be available at Asda with a great offer price until the end of the year. Translated from Spanish, Solaz means relaxation and contemplation, making this the perfect drink to unwind with this festive season. If you have ever journeyed to Spain you may have seen on the roadsides the large Spanish black bulls which dominate the horizon; this is the famous logo of Osborne which is behind the wine Solaz.

Put some real fizz into your Christmas in perfect time for the party season with the first sparkling rosé wine from Bordeaux rosé wine experts, Chateau de Sours. Rosé wine specialist Chateau de Sours, acclaimed for their wine of the same name, has introduced Reserve de Sours, bright salmon pink with a nose of vivacious ripe red summer berry fruits.

Christmas is a time for celebration so why not pop the cork on a bottle of festive fizz with one of these fantastic champagnes.

Champagne Gosset - the oldest wine house in Champagne, Aÿ, 1584 - has launched its latest prestige cuvée - Gosset Celebris Extra Brut Vintage 1998 – one of its finest vintages in recent years.

Are you fed up with trying to cook the perfect turkey each Christmas? No matter how much you spend on a good quality organic free range bird, is it still a bit of a disappointment? Laureano Gomez, winemaker for Argentinean brand Salentein, suggests going Argentinean this Christmas, with a traditional rib of roast beef. “In Argentina we eat a lot of beef, and I can think of no better dish than a beautiful succulent rib of roast beef to grace the table on Christmas Day.”

With the odds stacked against us seeing snow at Christmas, why not make sure your Christmas is white with our guide to the perfect white wines to serve over the festive period.

The Fairtrade Wine Committee is set to hold its second annual wine tasting event at Vinopolis on Thursday November 1st, when over 120 Fairtrade certified wines will be showcased to the wine trade, journalists and the general public.

Salmon beats cod as the most popular fish for health-conscious Brits who are eating more seafood than ever before. A poll of 4,000 people by Nobilo Wines, to coincide with National Seafood Week, found that 58% of us are eating more seafood than five years ago with two thirds (65%) citing health reasons.

Bookers Vineyard in West Sussex is celebrating after its 2005 Dark Harvest red wine came top in a blind tasting of European wines selected by Justin Howard-Sneyd MW. Bookers’ Dark Harvest achieved an average score of 3.5 (out of a possible five) and was the joint highest-scoring wine of the selection.

Burgundy winemakers are bucking the trend of disappointing harvests in many wine-growing regions, having just completed promising first tastings. Sensibly, the growers decided to wait before harvesting the grapes, selecting only the best right from the beginning of the process, starting with the vine stock itself. Sacrificing part of the crop is paying off, as are the careful choices made in the vinification process. With the uncertainties of late August now behind them, the 2007 vintage has been rescued from the rain!

Bodegas Salentein is much more than a leading producer of Argentinean wine, with its stunning lodge and an amazing visitor centre, Bodegas Salentein is the ultimate wine tourist destination.

Embarrassing moments happen to us all and many of us have had those mortifying experiences when you want the ground to swallow you up right there and then. To honour all those toe-curling incidents, Echo Falls are encouraging girls to get together and share their stories of shame with a glass of their new Pinot Grigio Blush.

Free Run Wines is launching a new white wine from L’Olivier. Following the success of the Syrah Mourvedre from the heart of Minervois, Free Run Wines is now offering a second organic wine. Like the original red L'Olivier, the new white is made exclusively from organically grown grapes (Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Muscat Petits Grains) and supports the Tropical Forest Trust (TFT).

Echo Falls, the leading Californian wine brand, has introduced two new wines to its portfolio with the launch of its Pinot Grigio Blush and Sparkling White Zinfandel, two fresh and exciting additions to the delicious range of easy-to-drink wines, which are perfect for relaxation and celebration.

The silhouette of a giant bull is a familiar sight throughout Spain. November 2007 marks the 50th anniversary of its first appearance. Starting life as an advertising logo, the bull is now regarded the country’s unofficial national symbol.

Searching for a festival with a difference this year? Head over to the tiny town of Bunyol in Eastern Spain and take part in La Tomatina on 29th August. La Tomatina (The Tomato War) was born over 60 years ago, when a restaurant food fight got a little carried away. Ever since, locals and visitors alike have flocked to Bunyol to take part in a mass tomato fight.

The succession of European winemakers taking part in Talk to our Winemaker on Fromvineyardsdirect.com marches on this week, from Château Leoville-Barton in Bordeaux right across the Alps and down into the heart of Tuscany, as Judy Beardsall of Ananda di Toscana begins a fortnight at the keyboard, answering the questions wine enthusiasts want to ask the producer of this estate’s particularly Super Tuscan wine.

Over the last year or so a whole host of bottled ciders came into our bars and restaurants, within a matter of months everyone was indulging in the latest trend; drinking cider on ice. Now meet the wine that is “nice on ice” which will taste great when served over ice and doesn’t lose its flavour – Frozé.

Sovio, a new reduced-alcohol wine is to be launched this week, in response to consumer demand for wine with 100% aroma, flavour and integrity, but which is lower in alcohol.

Charles Sichel of Château d’Angludet finished his stint as resident wine sage with artisan wine website Fromvineyardsdirect.com yesterday, as part of the etailer’s “Talk to our Winemaker” season of forums with some of Europe’s most inventive winemakers.

Preparing for a holiday? Keen to keep your bikini figure intact? Summer doesn’t need to be a pleasure-free zone with The Savoy Hotel’s new summer cocktail - Ultra Blue - a perfectly chilled flute of Laurent-Perrier Ultra Brut Champagne with a garnish of blueberries and sprig of refreshing mint.

The country’s longest running English wine festival is moving to a new venue at Glynde Place in East Sussex. Following the successful launch of the Glynde Food & Drink Festival in 2006, this year’s event will incorporate the 33rd English Wine Festival. The move will ensure the future of the popular festival and complement the new gastronomic showcase, which attracted 1,200 visitors last year.

Laurent-Perrier, the largest, independent, family owned Champagne House, is renowned for producing a diverse, experimental and enjoyable range of fine champagnes. Today, each wine stands out from the crowd in its category – here, we explain why ...

Bonhams’ forthcoming Sale of Fine Wines at 101 New Bond Street, London, on 27 June, features a collection of remarkable vintages from 1927, 1937, 1947, 1957, 1967 and 1977 – perfect for anniversaries being celebrated this year.

Bordeaux leader, Dourthe is promoting its Dourthe N°1 Sauvignon Blanc 2006 at Waitrose from 12 September to 9 October. Described by Dourthe as having “ample structure with attractive acidity”, Dourthe N°1 Sauvignon Blanc 2006 is a triumph for this Bordeaux brand exuding typical fresh Sauvignon character, lots of fruit, freshness and balance.

Hampshire’s Wickham Vineyard Row Ash red wine has won a bronze medal at the International Wine Challenge, the first medal won by an English vineyard in this category for many years. Wickham also won Commended for its lightly oaked dry white Fumé wine, as served at the House of Commons, a fitting tribute to English Wine Week.

On the very day French President Jacques Chirac left the Elysée Palace The Antique Wine Company (antique-wine.com) finalised a deal with a South American businessman, who acquired the finest bottles from the Paris City Hall wine cellar, amassed during Chirac’s time as Mayor of the French Capital.

Jansens, UK distributors of Champagne De L’Argentaine were delighted to be invited back to sponsor a second event held by exclusive fashion designer Shanghai Tang of Sloane Street, London. Champagne De L’Argentaine was provided all evening for the guests at the launch party that and which featured a catwalk show with the Autumn/Winter Collection for both men and women.

Critics who slam major wine brands as ‘bland and boring’ have been dealt a blow by the Matthew Jukes 100 Best Australian Wines 2007 (announced last night), as the UK’s number one Aussie brand, Jacob’s Creek, took three places in the prestigious ranking. This is the fourth annual ‘hotlist’ produced by wine expert Matthew Jukes, at a time when sales of Australian wines are at an all-time high.

The Antique Wine Company (antique-wine.com) is offering one fortunate wine collector the opportunity to acquire a unique collection of fine wines amassed by Jacques Chirac during his time as Mayor of Paris. Bids open from today on this assemblage of exceptional wine, personally selected for Chirac across his years in mayoral office, from 1977-1995.

Isabelle is quite unique in the wine world; French, female and under 40. She is on course to become the first ever French female Master of Wine, the most prestigious and internationally recognised qualification in the wine trade.

Trophy winning Piper-Heidsieck Champagne - recognised by its bold red label - has always dared to be different. This Summer, enjoy it with a flourish of extravaganza - as Piper-Heidsieck Piscine. Look out for Piper-Heidsieck served in its own red, curvaceous and elegant, stemmed glasses, with ice cubes inside, in stylish, contemporary bars.

Instead of looking back red-faced and cringing at our flares and platform wearing days, when the height of sophistication was bangers and Smash followed by Black Forest Gateau and washed down with a glass of Blue Nun, we can now hold our heads up high again, knowing that we grew up during the era that is now the height of cool all over again!

Champagne Gosset has unveiled the latest addition to its Celebris portfolio – a Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut. Speaking at the UK launch in London yesterday, Odilon de Varine, executive director for Champagne Gosset, said: “It was important for us to create a unique, worthwhile interpretation of Chardonnay, and furthermore, one which was worthy of the Celebris name. To achieve this we needed to wait, to reflect, to select and then meticulously assemble a cuvée which translates the very spirit of the ancestral savoir-faire of Champagne Gosset.”

Bonhams’ sale of Fine Wine and Whisky at New Bond Street on 25th April is to include a very rare bottle of Johnnie Walker 1805 Scotch whisky (estimate £12,000-16,000). Only 200 bottles of this rare blend were produced in 2005 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of John Walker and have never been available for retail sale.

BKWine has announced its autumn wine tour program, with two new wine tours scheduled. The tours are organised by Britt Karlsson, founder of BKWine, a Swedish woman based in Paris who specialises in wine, food and gastronomic travel.

Enjoy a day of tasting with Decanter as you explore the top wineries of the New World. From Australia’s famous Grange to the vineyards of California, Chile, New Zealand, Argentina and South Africa some of the most dynamic and exciting wines being made today will be gathered under one roof for this unique event.

Balti Wine has cruised to a deal to supply P&O Ferries with its range of wines that are specially blended to accompany spicy food. The deal means the Manchester-based company will be slating the thirst of passengers travelling from the UK to its four key destinations: Calais, Bilbao, Rotterdam and Zeebrugge.

The Antique Wine Company (antique-wine.com) announces today that the record breaking sale of 135 bottles of the world’s most rarefied Sauternes wine, Chateau d’Yquem, was sold to a French buyer – Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat.

The CIVB (Conseil Interprofessionel du Vin de Bordeaux) has become one of the first wine growing regions to develop a website for education and promotion, launching the innovative multi-lingual website, bordeaux.com.

Women’s lifestyle glossy magazine Eve chose Champagne De L’Argentaine to be the champagne brand that rewarded the winners of the 2006 Eve Beauty Hero Awards.