Autumn is upon us. Autumn, with its mists and rain and gently rotting leaves, as well as those odd warm days of late summer that refuse to disappear entirely until well into October. And autumn calls for its own season of wines, of course: wines to comfort and warm on the soggy or windy days – Clarets, Burgundies and spicy Shirazes; rosés and aromatic whites to remind us that it’s not yet winter; rich, sumptuous whites to accompany the seasonal fare.
Pretty much anything goes in autumn then, wine-wise, but we have a few more specific ideas for you, particularly where food and wine matching are concerned. See below.
WINES OF THE MONTHS
September
Tobia Rioja Blanco Crianza 2002 – a fresher style of white Rioja, with pronounced citrus and tropical fruit and herbaceous notes over a background of toast, honey and vanilla.Was £8.50 This Month £7.50
Côte du Luberon, Dme de la Citadelle, Cuvée “La Chataignier” 2003 – a Southern Rhône with plenty of the characteristics typical of its location: full of peppery spice and blackcurrant.Was £7.25 This Month £6.50
October
Vacqueyras, Dme de la Verde, Rhône Valley, 2001 – a wine of great character, all the black berry fruit, spice and pepper typical of the Southern Rhône and befitting the neighbour of the renowned Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Full-bodied and juicy with fruit.
Saint-Véran, Cave de Chaintré, 2002 – classic white Burgundy from the Maconnais region, for many this is the archetype of unoaked Chardonnay. Plenty of ripe tropical fruit and the added weight of extra lees contact.
Both above whites are medium to full bodied and perfect with poultry, rich fish dishes or lighter game. The reds are both Southern Rhônnais and are full-bodied and have a peppery spice that make them ideal with robust red meats as well as spicy dishes such as curries and good, rich stews.
November – To be Confirmed…
AND OUR SPECIAL AUTUMN CLARET OFFER…
Château Cana, Côtes de Bourg, Bordeaux, 1996. Only £4.95 until December
A mellow, easy-drinking Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from the outstanding 1996 vintage. Damsons and violets on the nose precede a palate of blackcurrant and hints of liquorice.
This wine represents good value at its usual price of £6.75, but until December it will be slashed to a special promotional price of £4.95. The offer is available while stocks last, so get your order in immediately and let this quality Claret be your staple for the season.
FRIARWOOD WINES IN THE PRESS
Joanna Simon reviewed our Belgravia Reserve Shiraz 2002 in the Sunday Times Style Magazine on Sunday 25th September where it was described as “impressive, pure spicy cool-climate shiraz.” The wine is available to order on-line, by telephone or at our shops in London and Edinburgh. Also featured in Oz Clarke’s recent Wine Buying Guide 2006 where it earned the following praise: “In this Shiraz you can taste the cool, and it’s a beautiful brow-soothing cool of gently ripe plum and loganberry, maybe blackberries too, wrapped round with a slightly sweet crusty bun toastiness and shot through with shards of chocolate.”
Our Chilean wines from Haras de Pirque continue to impress the wine world, and as well as earning many gushing reviews at the Wines of Chile tasting on 13th September, the Haras Character Syrah 2003 has been described in Decanter as a “faintly herbal, spicy Syrah on the nose; fairly full, moderate fruit concentration, a warm, spicy black fruit flavour, with good length, but still with a marked oak ‘grip’.” – Michael Schuster
In the Wine Report 2005 Haras placed third of the South American ‘Up-and-Coming Producers’, and we are very proud to be associated with them – their wines represent wonderful quality and value for money. Oz Clarke, in the Wine Buying Guide called the Haras Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 “impressive stuff, everything black and powerful: ripe blackcurrant and black plum fruit that’s almost as rich as homemade jam, black treacle, bitter black chocolate. In short a top Cabernet for now or up to 10 years.”
Clifford Bay continue to win medals and awards at an alarming rate, the most prestigious of which being the one all the winemakers strive for – the International Wine Challenge 2005 Gold, which went to the stunning Pinot Noir 2003.
The Sauvignon Blanc 2004 recently won the Gold at the Australian Small Winemakers Show 2005, no real surprise for what is a benchmark Marlborough Sauvignon and is featured in the new Oz Clarke book alongside Haras de Pirque’s Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 and the aforementioned Belgravia Reserve Shiraz, published on 23rd September 2005 by Websters. Of the Sauvignon Blanc he said “...everything green piles into the glass: nettles and capsicum, asparagus, and lime squeezed over passion fruit. There’s a savoury scent of coffee beans too, and a rich texture that coats your mouth with all things green.”
Come and see other reviewed and medal-winning wines in our London shop, on a special display until Christmas, but always available and often on tasting.
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