Exploring new wines

Cliveden House in Taplow, Berkshire is synonymous with lavish entertaining and grand hospitality. The house, over the years, has seen almost every British monarch since George l, including the present Queen walk through its doors as well as the rich and powerful including Winston Churchill, President Roosevelt and Charlie Chaplin.

Cliveden House

So, you would expect this world renowned house which offers a fine dining experience to have an interesting and varied wine list, and it does.

The challenge for Guillaume Gorichon, the head sommelier is to match food with the palate of the guest. “Some people only drink white or red, therefore you have to accommodate their tastes and find the best solution for obtaining harmony between the wine and their chosen dishes.”

Guillaume likes to encourage people to discover new wines and try something a little bit different. Wines made from the same grape will vary from country to country, from region to region, from producer to producer.

“We have a good selection of wines at different price points from £28 a bottle to the high hundreds with plenty around the £30 mark.” One that is rather special is the 2009 Bodega Mendel, Malbec, Finca Remota, from Mendoza, Argentina (£195). “This is the business!” exclaimed Guillaume. “It is all about finesse and precision. It is not your everyday malbec.” 

Another one Guillaume recommends is the 2002 Gevery Chambertin Clos Prieur, Domaine Frédéric Esmonin (£155) which has intense raspberry and strawberry flavours combined with the right amount of tannin and earthy flavours.

You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a good wine. Guillaume says you should work out which style you like. “So many people tell me that they don’t like chardonnay but they will drink Chablis which is made from the same grape. What they really mean is that they don’t like oaky tipples.”  

According to Guillaume, the British are more knowledgeable than they have ever been about wine. “I normally ask a guest what they like and don’t like and what they are eating before I suggest something.”

As a general rule, when buying wine yourself, Guillaume suggests looking for simple labels as he thinks that it indicates more money being spent on the wine rather than on marketing. 

“Don’t necessarily go for a special promotion and don’t just choose wines from the middle shelf, look above and below. Read the back of the bottle and see what it says about the wine.

Pamukkale Diamond from Turkey
Available from Waitrose

“If you are unsure, ask. There are no silly questions. Or, you can Google the name and see what other people have to say,” he advises. “If you go for a well-known brand you are going to get a certain quality for the price point. It may not be a new experience, but it will be a safe bet. He also points out that you don’t have to reach for the most expensive wine. “It may be a great wine, but it does not mean you will like it,” he says.

Waitrose is excellent if you want to discover some unique wines at prices that won’t leave a dent in your wallet.  One I particularly like is Pamukkale Diamond from Turkey, (£9.99).

This delicious ruby red is an unusual blend of the well-known shiraz and merlot grapes, together with the much rarer indigenous Turkish varieties of Kalecik Karasi and Boğazkere. It comes from the Pamukkale winery, founded in 1962 by the Tokat family, which is in the small town of Güney, in south-western Turkey. Oozing aromas of black cherry and blackberry spiced up with a little black pepper, this is an ideal for drinking now.

By Daralyn Danns

Say cheers with some unusual wines

Oscar Malek, head sommelier at Chewton Glen, one of the UK’s most luxurious country house hotels, has only been in his current position for approximately six months, and remarkably has managed to assemble a wine list that features 1,000 bins. In the selection he has, in his words, included a few cheeky numbers including some organic wines as well as a few tipples suitable for vegans.

One of his proudest achievements is the offering of 130 bins of dessert, of which many are served by the glass. So, there is no excuse not to try one.

Oscar Malek, head sommelier at Chewton Glen

The English wine selection has been expanded as people are becoming more interested after having their first taste of what we produce. According to Oscar they are an alternative to champagne as they are often less expensive compared some of the renowned French brands, especially when ordering them in a restaurant.

“English sparkling wines are definitely ahead of the rest,” says Oscar. “They are usually made using the traditional method. The chalky soils around the North and South Downs are similar to those found in Champagne and we grow the same grapes [chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier] that champagne is made from.”

Houses that Oscar recommends looking out for are Camel Valley, Nyetimber and Chapel Down. “There are also some great smaller local producers such as Hamphire’s Cottonworth, Furleigh Estate in Dorset and English Oak Vineyard, also in Dorset.

“A good English fizz can cost around £60-£80 in a restaurant,” says Oscar. “Compare that with the prices of similar quality Grande Marques from Champagne which can be over a £100. Pitched in a blind tasting it would be hard to distinguish one from the other!” 

The Duchess of Cornwall must be impressed as she has recently called for a new, rather more glamorous name for English fizz.

Ensuring perfection

There is no doubt about it that wine produced in England has improved in recent years and many people are surprised how good it is.

“English producers have moved away from the medium dry wines, which tend to be flabby and are now making the type of wines associated with cool climates such as riesling and pinot gris. Stophamp Estates produce a particularly good pinot gris bursting with tropical fruit flavours that work well with food. It is a sommlier’s favourite!” says Oscar.

If you want to try this wine, you will have to go to Chewton Glen, as the vineyard’s stocks are now depleted.

For fans of red wine, the shining star, according to Oscar, is pinot noir or blended together with rondo. He suggests trying reds from Kenton Vineyard. For rosé try Setleyridge’s melange of schonberg and rondo.

Oscar has also managed to source some quirky wines to tempt your taste buds. How about a white from Japan, a red from Armenia or a tipple form Mexico or China? Nearer home would you have thought about buying a wine from Switzerland or Luxemburg?  So get experimenting and travel the world of wine.

By Daralyn Danns