A
Ardross
Guest
Once again old big glasses Jancis Robinson is a leading light in this and she recommends as follows :
Every two years at this time of year, we in Britain are urged by Comic Relief to dig deep into our pockets to help fund their carefully-monitored projects which have done so much to transform the lives of poor and disadvantaged people in the UK and, especially, Africa.
This year, things will be a little different. Comic Relief has already used some of its funds to help victims of the Tsunami, and more will be committed from however many millions of pounds are raised over the next few weeks leading up to Red Nose Day, the annual culmination of the campaign, on Friday 11 mar this year.
Since 1999 the wine trade has played its part in this annual orgy of grinning and giving and, as I heard one of its members describing the virtues of Wine Relief, “if you’re not the sort of person who is going to bathe in custard, you can always buy a bottle of wine”. The campaign is varied. Champagne shippers are making a donation related to sales of rose on Valentine’s Day. There are wine tastings such as the wine tasting extravaganza being organised by Master of Wine Rose Murray Brown in Edinburgh on 02 mar (see also www.rosemurraybrown.com for details), wine dinners such as Arthur Rackham’s in Sussex on Red Nose Day itself (see www.ar-emporia.com), and actor Julian Curry’s wine evening in Kent on 05 mar (contact hic@onetel.com).
But the most substantial and nationally accessible fundraising mechanic is via specific Comic Relief wines, selected by all the major retailers. These are marked with the red Comic Relief logo in stores and, during whichever promotional period has been decided upon by each chain, 10 per cent of the retail price goes straight to Comic Relief. Most retailers should already have their Comic Relief campaign underway with only Asda, marks & Spencer and Morrison/Safeway yet to join the fray.
As a wine writer who has been closely involved with Wine Relief since its inception I am always torn in two by the retailers’ choice of wines. The wine critic in me wants the wines to be as interesting (for which often read obscure) as possible, whereas the fundraiser in me wants sales to be as substantial as possible and suddenly starts to see the merit in the most popular brands which so wildly outsell my beloved Lesser Spotted Grüner Veltliner. Is it a good thing if the wines are specially reduced for the campaign, or will this result in less money going to Comic Relief overall? It is up to you and your purchases to decide.
This year many of the brand owners have come on board and are funding half of the 10 per cent themselves. Gallo and Wolf Blass have been particularly active supporters, and it will be interesting for example to see how much Somerfield manage to raise via Mateus Rosé. Meanwhile Tesco and Sainsbury’s are concentrating on a selection of their own-label bottlings, as Thresher is to a certain extent.
I have tasted just about everything you are likely to find with a Comic Relief neck or shelf label and offer you the following enthusiastic recommendations, my absolute favourites first. (As you will see, this seems to be the year of Australian Viognier.)
Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc 2004 Stellenbosch
£6.99 Waitrose
South Africa’s master of the dominant South African grape did several vintages in its birthplace the Loire Valley before deciding he could do just as well at home – as this tangy, honeyed, ultra-fruity white for spring and summer demonstrates. Drink it as an aperitif or with salads and charcuterie.
John Loxton Shiraz/Viognier 2003 Currency Creek
£7.99 marks & Spencer
Particularly well-made South Australian red, using the fashionable traditional Côte Rotie recipe of a little Viognier to stabilise the colour of the Syrah grapes and, in this case, perfume the blend too. You really can taste both grape varieties. From a little-seen, sandy wine region between McLaren Hills and Langhorne Creek.
Sainsbury’s Classic Selection Western Australian Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2003
£6.99 Sainsbury’s
This was one of my most recommended Christmas bargains. The label is terrible but the winemaking, by the talented Larry Cherubino out of the famous Forest Hill vineyard, is superb. Required drinking for all Bordeaux wine merchants.
Longview, Beau Sea Viognier 2003 Adelaide Hills
£11.99 Arthur Rackham
Really zappy, cool climate Australian version of this heady white Rhône grape.
Yalumba Y Series Viognier 2004 South Australia
£6.99 Majestic
Great value. Full and yet blossomy and vibrant.
Ken Forrester Merlot 2002 Stellenbosch
£6.99 Waitrose
Fully mature, gentle, South African red that really does taste of (good) Merlot. Even the hero of Sideways might approve.
Casillero del Diablo Shiraz 2003 Central Valley
£5.49 Somerfield
Dramatic deep purple essence shows just how well Syrah is doing in Chile.
Flagstone Longitude Red 2002 Western Cape
£5.99 Oddbins
Exciting, mellow cocktail of grape varieties makes a thoroughly satisfying whole that is absolutely ready to drink.
Les Ruffes, La Sauvageonne 2003 Coteaux du Languedoc
£4.99 Booths
Very individual, characterful red from one of the coolest, highest vineyards in the Languedoc. You can taste the altitude even in this product of the heatwave vintage.
Montes Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2004 Casablanca Valley
£5.99 Majestic
Very racy rival for New Zealand Sauvignon – one of my Christmas selections too.
Kumala Ruby Cabernet Merlot 2004 South Africa
£4.99 Morrison/Safeway
Extremely deep crimson, thanks to that Ruby Cabernet, and very sweet and gentle right up to a slightly inky finish.
Tesco Finest Californian Pinot Grigio 2003 California
£4.99 Tesco
My fruity, perfumed favourite from the dozen, mainly screwcapped, Tesco’s Finest (UK) bottlings initially selected for Wine Relief, although it is rumoured that there may be more.
Ch de Beranger 2003 Picpoul de Pinet
£3.99 Booths
Lemony southern French white from the Pomerols co-op. Do not keep this – drink immediately.
Radcliffe’s Sauvignon Blanc 2002 Haut Poitou
£5.99 Thresher
Still, remarkably, zesty Loire Valley Sauvignon. I would normally worry about a two and a half year-old Sauvignon but this seems still very correct and refreshing.
Retailer Number of wines Promotional period
Arthur Rackham 12 07 feb-13 mar
Asda 4 19 feb-13 mar
Booths 8 01 feb-13 mar
Majestic 12 01 feb-14 mar
Marks & Spencer 10 21 feb-13 mar
Morrison/Safeway 14 21 feb-20 mar
Oddbins 7 07 feb-12 mar
Sainsbury’s 9 02 feb-15 mar
Somerfield 13 09 feb-15 mar
Tesco 12?+ 06 feb-12 mar Thresher Group 12 01 feb-11 mar
Waitrose 6 04 feb-11 mar
Every two years at this time of year, we in Britain are urged by Comic Relief to dig deep into our pockets to help fund their carefully-monitored projects which have done so much to transform the lives of poor and disadvantaged people in the UK and, especially, Africa.
This year, things will be a little different. Comic Relief has already used some of its funds to help victims of the Tsunami, and more will be committed from however many millions of pounds are raised over the next few weeks leading up to Red Nose Day, the annual culmination of the campaign, on Friday 11 mar this year.
Since 1999 the wine trade has played its part in this annual orgy of grinning and giving and, as I heard one of its members describing the virtues of Wine Relief, “if you’re not the sort of person who is going to bathe in custard, you can always buy a bottle of wine”. The campaign is varied. Champagne shippers are making a donation related to sales of rose on Valentine’s Day. There are wine tastings such as the wine tasting extravaganza being organised by Master of Wine Rose Murray Brown in Edinburgh on 02 mar (see also www.rosemurraybrown.com for details), wine dinners such as Arthur Rackham’s in Sussex on Red Nose Day itself (see www.ar-emporia.com), and actor Julian Curry’s wine evening in Kent on 05 mar (contact hic@onetel.com).
But the most substantial and nationally accessible fundraising mechanic is via specific Comic Relief wines, selected by all the major retailers. These are marked with the red Comic Relief logo in stores and, during whichever promotional period has been decided upon by each chain, 10 per cent of the retail price goes straight to Comic Relief. Most retailers should already have their Comic Relief campaign underway with only Asda, marks & Spencer and Morrison/Safeway yet to join the fray.
As a wine writer who has been closely involved with Wine Relief since its inception I am always torn in two by the retailers’ choice of wines. The wine critic in me wants the wines to be as interesting (for which often read obscure) as possible, whereas the fundraiser in me wants sales to be as substantial as possible and suddenly starts to see the merit in the most popular brands which so wildly outsell my beloved Lesser Spotted Grüner Veltliner. Is it a good thing if the wines are specially reduced for the campaign, or will this result in less money going to Comic Relief overall? It is up to you and your purchases to decide.
This year many of the brand owners have come on board and are funding half of the 10 per cent themselves. Gallo and Wolf Blass have been particularly active supporters, and it will be interesting for example to see how much Somerfield manage to raise via Mateus Rosé. Meanwhile Tesco and Sainsbury’s are concentrating on a selection of their own-label bottlings, as Thresher is to a certain extent.
I have tasted just about everything you are likely to find with a Comic Relief neck or shelf label and offer you the following enthusiastic recommendations, my absolute favourites first. (As you will see, this seems to be the year of Australian Viognier.)
Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc 2004 Stellenbosch
£6.99 Waitrose
South Africa’s master of the dominant South African grape did several vintages in its birthplace the Loire Valley before deciding he could do just as well at home – as this tangy, honeyed, ultra-fruity white for spring and summer demonstrates. Drink it as an aperitif or with salads and charcuterie.
John Loxton Shiraz/Viognier 2003 Currency Creek
£7.99 marks & Spencer
Particularly well-made South Australian red, using the fashionable traditional Côte Rotie recipe of a little Viognier to stabilise the colour of the Syrah grapes and, in this case, perfume the blend too. You really can taste both grape varieties. From a little-seen, sandy wine region between McLaren Hills and Langhorne Creek.
Sainsbury’s Classic Selection Western Australian Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2003
£6.99 Sainsbury’s
This was one of my most recommended Christmas bargains. The label is terrible but the winemaking, by the talented Larry Cherubino out of the famous Forest Hill vineyard, is superb. Required drinking for all Bordeaux wine merchants.
Longview, Beau Sea Viognier 2003 Adelaide Hills
£11.99 Arthur Rackham
Really zappy, cool climate Australian version of this heady white Rhône grape.
Yalumba Y Series Viognier 2004 South Australia
£6.99 Majestic
Great value. Full and yet blossomy and vibrant.
Ken Forrester Merlot 2002 Stellenbosch
£6.99 Waitrose
Fully mature, gentle, South African red that really does taste of (good) Merlot. Even the hero of Sideways might approve.
Casillero del Diablo Shiraz 2003 Central Valley
£5.49 Somerfield
Dramatic deep purple essence shows just how well Syrah is doing in Chile.
Flagstone Longitude Red 2002 Western Cape
£5.99 Oddbins
Exciting, mellow cocktail of grape varieties makes a thoroughly satisfying whole that is absolutely ready to drink.
Les Ruffes, La Sauvageonne 2003 Coteaux du Languedoc
£4.99 Booths
Very individual, characterful red from one of the coolest, highest vineyards in the Languedoc. You can taste the altitude even in this product of the heatwave vintage.
Montes Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2004 Casablanca Valley
£5.99 Majestic
Very racy rival for New Zealand Sauvignon – one of my Christmas selections too.
Kumala Ruby Cabernet Merlot 2004 South Africa
£4.99 Morrison/Safeway
Extremely deep crimson, thanks to that Ruby Cabernet, and very sweet and gentle right up to a slightly inky finish.
Tesco Finest Californian Pinot Grigio 2003 California
£4.99 Tesco
My fruity, perfumed favourite from the dozen, mainly screwcapped, Tesco’s Finest (UK) bottlings initially selected for Wine Relief, although it is rumoured that there may be more.
Ch de Beranger 2003 Picpoul de Pinet
£3.99 Booths
Lemony southern French white from the Pomerols co-op. Do not keep this – drink immediately.
Radcliffe’s Sauvignon Blanc 2002 Haut Poitou
£5.99 Thresher
Still, remarkably, zesty Loire Valley Sauvignon. I would normally worry about a two and a half year-old Sauvignon but this seems still very correct and refreshing.
Retailer Number of wines Promotional period
Arthur Rackham 12 07 feb-13 mar
Asda 4 19 feb-13 mar
Booths 8 01 feb-13 mar
Majestic 12 01 feb-14 mar
Marks & Spencer 10 21 feb-13 mar
Morrison/Safeway 14 21 feb-20 mar
Oddbins 7 07 feb-12 mar
Sainsbury’s 9 02 feb-15 mar
Somerfield 13 09 feb-15 mar
Tesco 12?+ 06 feb-12 mar Thresher Group 12 01 feb-11 mar
Waitrose 6 04 feb-11 mar
:huh: :lol: