Sherry? Summer drink?
OK, maybe nothing beats an ice cold lager to help cool you down during our long hot summers. I’m not sure where this years long hot summer has gone, oh well!
But Tio Pepe should be a candidate for best summer drink.
Chilled, you should treat Tio Pepe as a dry white wine. At 15 percent alcohol it’s strong enough and is complimented by the nutty and yeasty aromas and flavors that derive from the aging of the wine rather than from any primary fruit character.
It has a distinctive, clean aroma and is bone dry with a savoury character. It is this that makes it a perfect accompaniment to summer barbeques.
It also matches well with spicy food, anything with strong flavours, such as steak, fish and seafood and snacky-foods like nuts and crisps. Tapas and Tio Pepe is a match made in heaven.
If you are looking for something a little bit different, Tio Pepe ticks that box too. Imagine turning up to your mates bbq with a bottle of sherry! It will not be long before this becomes the drink of choice within your social circle.
Tio Pepe is widely available from £8.99 from all major retailers and most independent wine merchants.
If you are looking to really enjoy this summer, compliment your R&R time with a really good wine from Radcliffe’s.
The Radcliffe’s website is bursting with news and info re wine. A fab website that gives you a chance to really understand what you are buying.
Radcliffe’s deliver direct to your door too.
Here’s 2 staple bottles you just have to get hold of.
Radcliffe’s Muscadet - Muscadet is a classic French white wine, made from grapes grown in the maritime climate of the western Loire Valley, in the region irrigated by the Sèvre and Maine rivers. This wine is pale yellow-green in colour, with attractive citrus and floral aromas and delicate flavours. A crisp, refreshing wine that is traditionally served with fish and shellfish, or on its own as an aperitif. (Radcliffe’s Muscadet - £5.99)
Radcliffe’s Rioja Crianza - This Rioja Crianza is made from selected grapes grown in the Rioja Alta and Rioja Baja regions of northern Spain. The wine is aged in American oak barrels for more than 12 months, giving it beautiful toasty aromas and hints of vanilla. Cherry-red in appearance with golden hues, aromas of red fruits and hints of spices. This harmonious wine exhibits a perfect balance between the fruit and the oak, and smooth and long-lasting flavour. Ideal served with red meat and game. (Radcliffe’s Rioja Crianza - £5.49)
Available from branches of Martin McColls, Wine Rack, Bargain Booze, Wine Shak, independent wine merchants nationwide and http://www.radcliffeswines.co.uk. Prices start at £5.49.
For more information visit the comprehensive website, right here.
Staying in is the new going out and this should apply to Valentine’s night as well.
My tip would be to get adventurous in the kitchen and knock up something extra special for your loved one. This should impress enough, but on this night, you need to step up a gear or two.
And that’s where G.H. Mumm comes in. Maximum impressing, and thanks to the great range of G.H. Mumm, you can control the budget, without any taste compromise.
Here’s two fantastic options, complete with food pairing ideas -
G.H.Mumm Cuvée R.Lalou
Voted as the finest of all of the Prestige cuvées on the market, (Tom Stevenson’s No 1 rated quality champagne 2008) this very special champagne is only made in exceptional vintages from a range of 12 Grand Cru vineyards. Crafted from 50% Grand Cru Chardonnay grapes and 50% Grand Cru Pinot noir wines this is an extremely rich and powerful wine requiring complex dishes. This champagne should be treated like a fine white Burgundy and accordingly would be perfect with white truffles, meaty fish in sauce, poultry and some game (partridge / grouse).
Cordon Rouge
The Cordon Rouge non-vintage champagne may well be the most widely available of G.H. Mumm’s wines, but that doesn’t mean that there’s anything ordinary about it. Instead, Pinot Noir (for power and structure), Chardonnay (for a touch of delicate finesse) and Pinot Meunier (which adds fresh, fruity flavours) combine to create a zesty, rich wine with a long finish.
Cordon Rouge’s power gives it the body to stand up to rich flavours such as duck and scallops – but it has enough restraint and elegance to ensure a harmonious marriage between wine and food.
Let me introduce you to a company that’s currently launching called Pig in a Poke (what a great name!). Pig in a Poke offer us a fantastic range of wine which has bags of flavour, is ripe, full and satisfying. Their wine is perfect value for money each and every time. The Old Spot range of wine from Pig In A Poke, is named after the Gloucestershire pig. It offers a red, a white and a rose wine, so there’s something to suit all.
Pig In A Poke say:-
“Pig in a Poke has a strong message to back up its strong brand image: rather than getting caught up on the region or grape variety like other wine companies, Pig in a Poke’s appeal is its simplicity, focusing on great taste and enjoyment, which is what consumers care about most.”
I have been lucky enough to sample the Old Spot Red and was very satisfied indeed with it. It is a very easy to drink wine, giving you a perfect flavoursome glass of wine. The combination of Shiraz and Aglianico from Italy works wonderfully, as it offers you everything you would want from a glass of Red. I am usually quite fussy when it comes to my wine, and have not liked many! But, when I first tasted The Old Spot Red I was genuinely surprised at how nice it was! Put it like this – it didn’t take long for me to pour my second glass, as it leaves you wanting more.
The Old Spot Red is a fruit-driven style, free of complex distractions and has crafted for early drinking. Soft, supple and velvet-smooth, it will accompany all sorts of hearty foods excellently - big T-bone steaks, rich stews, sausages and mash, roasts… and anything containing pork of course!
On the Pig in a Poke website (http://www.piginapokelive.com), cases of 12 bottles of Old Spot Red are £120, and in the pubs and restaurants, the prices vary.
For those who enjoy a good party over this festive season, Ocado have got some great accessories and gifts that will help get the party started. I just love the Lanson gift sets they have available. With many sets to choose from, you will not be disappointed with the selection. The Lanson Black Label 75cl + 2 Clear Flutes (£41.00) is a stunning gift. Lanson Champagne Black Label is a pleasant, exuberant wine, displaying excellent length on the palate. And the Flutes that come with this gift set compliment it wonderfully.
I also love the Miniamo Cupcake 13 Hole Cup Cake Stand (£15.00). This is one that would take centrepiece of your table, with a superb range of spectacular homemade cupcakes. This is something the kids would enjoy as well as the adults – it would be fantastic for a party for any celebration.
For further gift ideas and even recipe ideas; check out http://www.ocado.com
