Sarah Ahmed – The Wine Detective

It’s  nearly the weekend and here’s the heads up on a couple of press releases that merit your attention

Waitrose firecracker deal - 25% off wines and champagne across most of their range when you buy a case or more – ends 10 November. I’ve had a quick look at their website and, for my areas of focus, I’d recommend the following wines which I’ve recently tasted:

Australia – Petaluma and O’Leary Walker Rieslings are a snip at £7.49!  SC Pannell Shiraz Grenache is very classy – a modern, restrained Aussie style, yes, even though it’s from McLaren Vale! Mac Forbes Coldstream Pinot Noir 2006 also represents a new breed of Yarra Valley Pinot Noir – class in a glass and went down a storm at a tasting I presented at the Ledbury for Waitrose Food Illustrated readers in the summer.  At only £8.99, the Shelmerdine Pinot Noir is a total bargain – surprisingly light in colour and delicate but intense on flavour.

The Loire – a hotbed of biodynamic viticulture, Waitrose list some of its finest producers – Domaine Vacheron (Sancerre, red and white), Domaine Huet, (Vouvray) and Frederic Mabileau (Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil) – you won’t go wrong with guys, in fact you’ll go very right!  By the way, 2008 is a stunning vintage for Cabernet Franc.  I tasted the Mabileau for the Decanter Loire Cabernet Franc advertorial feature in the current November edition and it was my wine of the flight.

Portugal – the Quinta Do Vallado, Touriga Nacional 2005/2006 from the Douro is the stand out wine of the collection and the Douro 2007 vintage is a beaut, so the Altano and Quinta de la Rosa wines are good buys.

South Africa – some very nice wines here – Columella of course!  Rustenberg John X Merriman (an October wine of the month), Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir, Cederberg Chenin Blanc, Porcupine Ridge Syrah and TMV Syrah would be top of my list.

“A Chile Christmas”

Wines of Chile have organised a consumer tasting on Friday 20th November 2009 at The Banqueting Hall, Glaziers Hall, 9 Montegue Close, London SE1 9DD (see www.glaziershall.co.uk for directions) 6pm* – 9pm.  Tickets cost £15 per person.

Over 120 wines will be on shows from top UK retailers including:

Adnams – Avery’s – Co-op – Harrods – Laithwaites – Majestic – Morrisons – Oddbins -QP Wines – Sainsbury’s – South American Wines Online – Tanners – Taurus Wines -Vintage Roots – Waitrose – The Wine Society

Tickets available in advance from Wines of Chile UK Ltd, Telephone: 01344 872229
Email: info@winesofchile.org.uk www.winesofchile.org

Have a great weekend!

Sarah Ahmed
The Wine Detective