Festivities are always associated with sparkle. This season is the time to treat your friends to some English Sparkling Wine.  It might not have the same snappy name as Prosecco, Champagne or Cava, but our local fizz is some of the finest in the world.  Here in Berkshire, there are several wonderful vineyards producing top quality sparkling wines using the traditional method (often known as the Champagne method).  Recent research shows this method was actually invented in England, by one Christopher Merret.  It doesn't quite have the same ring to it as Dom Perignon, who is often credited with the invention. Perhaps that's why we aren't all drinking glasses of Merret.  

The local chalk soil and climate is very similar to that in the Champagne region, so if you love Champagne’s crisp apple, or brioche, toasty and biscuity flavours, you will love English Sparkling Wine.  It’s a great gift, particularly for anyone from outside of our region, and makes a perfect accompaniment to festive treats like smoked salmon, gravadlax, crab or oysters.  

Those with a sweeter tooth may well prefer to stick to Prosecco. It’s Britain’s number one fizz by far, and probably set to top the wine charts soon.  So popular is it, that M&S now even make Prosecco flavoured crisps!  ​

At this time of year, treat yourself and your guests to the premium Prosecco Superiore from Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG.  The DOCG category is the highest level of regional quality guaranteed produce in Italy. You'll taste much more interesting flavours.  
Or, brighten up cheaper supermarket Prosecco by turning it into a cocktail.  Whip up a traditional Bellini by blitzing some canned peaches to a pulp, & adding a spoonful or two to your glass.  You might also add a generous slug of peach liqueur.  I like to use good quality liqueurs such as those by Briottet which are made with real fruit rather than just alcohol, flavour and sugar. Other liqueurs that work well in fizz are the classic Crème de Cassis (blackcurrant), and there are a wide range of new flavours that work just as well.  Try some exotic Lychee, or even Violet if you fancy something more floral. Or back at M&S, the Fragola with wild strawberries can add a visual delight as well as a taste sensation. ​

Mulled wine is always a favourite during the festive season, and over the last couple of years, there’s been a trend towards serving mulled cider.  Try adding your usual mulling spices to some cloudy apple juice to make a great child (or driver) friendly version.  Commercial mulling spice mixes can work if, like me, you're no domestic goddess.  
There’s no need to have 2 pots on the go - simply add a shot or two of Calvados (an aged apple spirit, similar to Brandy), for those who aren’t watching their alcohol intake. Like Brandy, Calvados comes in a range of ages and quality levels.
You might also enjoy a glass after dinner instead of a more common Cognac or Whisky.  In Normandy, where Calvados originates, there’s even a tradition of taking a  small glass of Calvados part way through a large meal as a way of creating a “trou” or hole, allowing diners to finish the meal comfortably.
 
If you’re feeling even more adventurous, try some warmed Japanese saké  While warming won’t do much to improve the flavours of a premium Junmai Daiginjo style brew, the inexpensive saké styles readily available in supermarkets will mellow, becoming smoother and rounder on warming.  Just remember that it won’t lose its high alcohol content, so be careful not to serve too much.

When it comes to after-dinner drinks, you might again consider Japan.  Umeshu, a plum infused style of saké, somewhat akin to Sloe Gin, makes a wonderful alternative for fans of Amaretto and is possibly the best drink match for the mince pie I’ve ever tasted.

​For me though, it’s got to be sherry.  No, not the cream style your grandma used to drink in the 1970s.  This is the time to uncork the Pedro Ximénez, an unctuous, treacle-sweet sherry with flavours of dried fruit, spice, and caramel.  If you’re too full for dessert, this is basically liquid Christmas cake.  Sip a glass on its own, or even pour over vanilla ice-cream.  Who needs Brandy Butter? While there are some wonderful premium versions available, most of us are highly satisfied with a glass of Sainsbury's Taste the Difference 12 year aged PX at just £8 for 50cl, it's a great place to start. ​

Finally, a word on wine gifts.  This is not the time to nip down to the supermarket and grab a big brand.  Again, think local. Lavish some care on your friends & family, and support one of our local, independent wine merchants. 

Their survival depends on your support.  They’ll help you choose exactly the right bottle, whether it’s a gift, or for matching your most important meal of the year.  ​And if you still need help, I'm available.  You can lay on a Purple Teeth Wine Tasting party as a gift.  

Enjoy the holiday season and always remember to drink responsibly and leave the car at home.
Cheers!

A wine blog that starts in a swimming pool?  
A personal challenge that can't be completed until it's suitable day for drinking a very nice bottle of wine?
All part of business as usual at Chateau Purple Teeth.  
On Tuesday, I spent the whole day as an associate judge at the International Wine Challenge so, I didn't go swimming on Monday because I wanted an early night.  As a result, I completed a 44 mile (equivalent of swimming The Channel twice) challenge in my local pool in aid of the Aspire Charity, which helps those with spinal cord injuries. You can read more about my challenge here.  The charity was especially relevant as one of the IWC crew was out of commission with a broken neck, putting her wine shop out of business. Anyway, onto the wine.

First things first. 
An absolutely huge THANK YOU to Debbie Kerr, Managing Director at Milton Sanford Wines, who gave me this bottle as a personal thank you after I completed my contract with them, during the summer.

A 1985 Show Sparkling Shiraz from the Great Western winemaker Seppelt is something that deserves to be drunk with respect.  A gift that had real generosity and thought behind it. The world's most iconic and prestigious sparkling red wine.  It needed an occasion.  And last night was the night. A celebration of personal achievement.

Quickly, the focus moved from the source of the celebration and onto the wine.  
How often do we get to drink a taste of history?  
Seppelt made the world's first sparkling Shiraz in the 1890s.  It was named "Irvine’s Sparkling Burgundy" (yes really) until the 1980s, when it was renamed Seppelt Show Sparkling Shiraz in later vintages.  Only released in truly exceptional vintages, you can pick up a bottle of the 2004 (the last release) for around £60, from this website. Be quick - he only has 2 left.  I can't trace any of the 1985 in the UK, and that's a shame because it means you'll just have to read about it, rather than tasting history with me.   

A taste of 1985.  I left my job in the Polaroid accounts department and went off to the University of Strathclyde.  I was listening to Talking Heads, Simple Minds, Aztec Camera and The Smiths.  I was drinking Black Tower, Hock and whatever else was on sale at the student's union.  I shudder to think that I probably consumed lots of white Zinfandel. My "wine drink of choice" was the Castaway - a sickly sweet white wine cooler, with fruit juices.  I'm not proud.  
Had I even heard of Shiraz?  Probably not.  

Fortunately, the good people at Seppelt were having a wonderful vintage, in Australia's Victoria, and laying down this incredible wine for our enjoyment in the years to come. 

​It opened with a gentle pop rather than an exploding cork. It was actually quite tough to remove the cork, unlike much commercially available Champagne which can leap out of the bottle almost before the cage has been removed. But a 30 year old fizz that's been in bottle for around 20 years will not be so full of pressure.  Was it worth the wait?

The first observation was just how soft the bubbles were.  Clearly some fizz is lost in the long bottle ageing, but this is no bad thing.  The texture is like satin sheets or melted chocolate.  It felt incredibly luxurious.  We had been watching The Apprentice when I popped the cork, but this needed our full attention. Pause for a deep rich blackberry flavour with some ripe cassis top notes along with vanilla and nutmeg spice. Incredible in a wine that's been in bottle for at least 20 years. That Shiraz fruit character was still as fresh as the day the grapes had been picked.  Alongside, there were altogether most serious wine flavours you'd expect from a well-developed, well-produced wine: game, leather, smoke.   This layer of flavour gave us the most pause for thought.  If this had been a still wine, it would have been just delicious.  How often would we say this about another sparkling wine?
And then, the finish.  The flavour lasted in the mouth for full minutes. Smooth vanilla, chocolate, cocoa, rich and velvety. There was no rush to take another sip because the flavour remained.  It was incredible. 

How does it get to be this way?

To make the Show Sparkling Shiraz, Seppelt’s estate grown fruit is harvested from the best blocks from the three vineyards of St Peter’s, Imperial and McKenzie which are close to the Seppelt winery.
The base Seppelt Great Western shiraz wine goes through a process of fermentation in seasoned large format French oak barrels for around 12‐16 months. Then the wine undergoes a second fermentation and ageing in the bottle (in the same traditional method as used in Champagne) for seven plus years before disgorging. At this point the crown cap is removed, the lees (or dead yeast cells) are removed and the wine is traditionally corked, trimmed and ready to go to market, where it will age in cellar for, as we've seen, easily 20 years. This wine had serious potential to age for another good few years.  

While there are other sparkling red wines made in Australia, this is the only wine of its kind that is sourced solely from mature Great Western vineyards, and then aged for so long in the bottle on its lees prior disgorgement.  Trust me.  If the only Sparkling Shiraz you've tried was made by Jacob's Creek, you haven't tasted a "true" Sparkling Shiraz.

And what did Mr Purple Teeth make of it?  Keen readers will know that he's not a fan of fizz.  He is, however, a fan of Shiraz.  Would this simply be a good Shiraz wasted for him?

"Not too fizzy.  That's good"
"Wow, it's fabulous. Delicious.  Really purple.  Black fruit driven but with much more smokiness.  It lingers and lingers.  Not overly tannic.  Is this really 30 year old wine? It's amazingly fruity"
A bit later...
"Bloody Delicious."
"My Kind of Fizz."
"Can I have a top up?"
"Heaven in a glass".  
I couldn't have put it better myself. 
Cheers!

I've reviewed Lunatic wines favourably before but Mr Purple Teeth had never had the opportunity to try the red blend.  

One of the interesting things about Lunatic blends is that they're pretty unusual in that they change the blend every year.  Many branded wines tend to find a formula and stick to winemaking by numbers.  Not so for this Napa Valley winery.  This wine is about innovation and discovery.  

Their female wine-maker takes the opportunity to blend the wines differently each year based on vintage conditions and the best grapes to suit that year's blend. They maintain their respect for the land, tilling the soil as little as possible and restricting the use of chemicals and fertillizers. They hand-pick and sort, and this is complimented by the proven practice of native yeast fermentation.

​As a Napa wine, you can expect density, richness, and of course, a hint of jam.  Although it's a dry wine, the sweet flavours appeal across the mass market, but there is enough complexity here to keep serious wine fans interested till the end of the glass.  This is much more than a Californian fruit bomb.
​
It's all in the blend.  You will taste notes of cedar spice from barrel-aged Syrah and lush tannins and raspberry notes from Grenache. Sangiovese adds a juicy pomegranate flavour, while the lesser known Petite Syrah adds that note of blackberry jam on the finish. 

I found it a perfect antidote to the weekend's troubles. A really good fruit core of blackberry and cranberry, and a great soothing texture. Unusual on my tasting notes for red wine, I found this zesty - that pomegranate sharpness is there, but it's not too acidic.  Liquorice, nutmeg and other sweet spices added personality and pizazz. 

What did Mr Purple Teeth make of it?  I served it blind and cruelly asked him to guess what it was.  It's not easy being married to a wine buff.

His thought process went something like this: "Full bodied - is it Shiraz? Great depth of fruit - really love the smoothness and fruitiness.  Nice long lasting flavour - not overly tannic.  It would be really hard not to like it...  is it a new world style of Shiraz?"  

Pretty close, Mr PT... I'll call that a result for the Purple Teeth training!  A hefty dose of Syrah grapes, and certainly a new world style.  
​
I poured him a second glass on Sunday, asking for a further tasting note.  

"Bloody lovely," he replied and got on with enjoying it.

Cheers!

Just a quick post today.  I know that many of my readers are fans of Hedonist Shiraz.  And if you're paying attention, you'll also be developing your sherry palate... 

If you haven't got the luxury of a decent independent merchant nearby who can offer a personal service and recommendations, buying the better quality wines while they are on a supermarket special offer is a good way to go.
While the major supermarkets like Tesco etc are starting to cut back on the over inflated RRPs for certain ranges which then spend 99% of the time on half price offers, it's still difficult to know when you're getting a real bargain with supermarket pricing.  However, tried and tested by Purple Teeth, you can be sure you're onto a winner.

Hedonist Shiraz - current RRP is £13.99 at Waitrose.  Now £10.99.  MyWaitrose card holders get another 10% on top of discounts taking it down to sub £10 a bottle - a far more realistic proposition.

La Gitana Manzanilla - a GOLD medal winning wine at the International Wine Challenge is reduced from £10 (an already incredible price for a wine with a gold medal) to £8.50 for the full 75cl bottle.  The 10% for MyWaitrose Card holders brings it down to £7.65.

Even more weirdly (even bigger saving): if you buy any 6 bottles of wine at a time, you still get the 5% discount in store, which is applied before the other savings take effect.  
Unable to make sense of all of this? I bought 2 each of Hedonist and La Gitana, as well as 2 bottles of non-reduced Alsace Pinot Gris (RRP £9.99) and saved £8.85 at the till on the current wine prices.  Sounds like a good time to stock up for Christmas to me...
Cheers!