New wines!

Its been a busy month here.  We’ve been tasting, sniffing, debating, slurping, spitting (sometimes), eventually selecting and at last the new version of the wine list is ready…hope you like it!   We’ve been concentrating on our wines by the glass, improving the range and quality (where necessary) of the whites, reds and dessert wines.  We’re really pleased with the results and look forward to sharing these with you over the coming months.   The new wines on the list are:   Chardonnay, House of Certain Views, 2013 – Australia, Hunter Valley – light and unwooded but with lovely complexity. We loved this one. It has the complexity you’d usually associate with an oak-aged Chardonnay but its actually unwooded, light and quaffable. Our new Chardonnay by the glass is ideal for a tipple in the garden.   Parapuda Estate Selection Pinot Noir 2013 – Romania – . fantastic pinot fragrance and a delicate raspberry fruitiness, wine from an lesser known region punches well above its weight. A bit off the beaten track this one but the description above says it all – a lot of Pinot bang for your buck here.   Peter Lehmann “Art ‘n’ Soul” Shiraz/Grenache 2011 – Australia, Barossa – soft, fruity and approachable from a renowned winery. We were looking for a Shiraz that delivered that classic meaty Shiraz and this delivers in spades, but with a touch of elegance too.   Guenoc Merlot 2013 – USA, California – easy drinking with cherry and chocolate flavours. We wanted our new Merlot by the glass to have the classic varietal characteristics of lovely fresh plummy fruit but not to be bland. Here it is, a proper grown up Merlot by the glass!   Lost Angel Chardonnay 2013 – USA, California – heavy on apples and peachy fruit and light on oak this is bright, modern and refreshing. Now added as a “paired wine” on our tasting menu as well as on the “what we’re drinking section”. We weren’t going to add two new Chardonnays but just couldn’t turn this one down. The label says “Serve it chilled on a hot summers day” and what an amazing label it is too. Montes Limited Selection Pinot Noir 2013 – Chile, Aconcagua Costa – Elegant with pronounced Pinot characteristics. A great example for the money. The list was in need of a Chilean Pinot and we’re delighted with this, went down really well at the staff training session too…always a good sign. Vin Santo (Fattoria dei Barbi) 2008 – Italy, Tuscany – Local speciality served with delicious cantuccini dunking biscuits. Thanks to our friend Robin Jones who practically insisted we add a Vin Santo – dunking biscuits are compulsory and great fun!   A big thanks to our suppliers Berkmann, Enotria, Fingal Rock, Liberty, Tanners for coming up with the goods.   Cheers!