Pocket Vintages - wine guide, wine recommendations, wine reviews

Do you know how much you drink?

Alcohol limits -do you exceed them?

That the recommended weekly alcohol allowance for men is 21 units and for women is just 14 units?

You might know that, but did you know that a typical 75 cl bottle of wine actual contains 9 units?  Many people believe that since you get 6 glasses out of a bottle, that it is only 6 units, but that is not correct.

So drinking half a bottle of wine a day is the equivalent of 31.5 units of alcohol every week, more than twice the recommended allowance for women and way above the male allowance.

It gets worse.  These recommendations are based on a typical alcohol volume of just 12%.  Many New World wines are much higher than this and Old World wines are trending to the heavier than the lighter, since this is historically what the market is drinking.

I wonder whether we will now start to see a shift towards lower alcohol wines, such as some of those produced in Germany, since we all still love to drink so much.

Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Regular readers will know that I purchased 12 bottles at a bargain price from Majestic recently. I opened the first bottle last night.

Screw cap, but don't let that put you off - this Cabernet Sauvignon is built to be drunk within a couple of years.  It is an incredibly rich, powerful wine and packs a punch at 13.5% alcohol.

It is a big mouthful, very fruity and toasty, with a little tannin but not so much that it puts you off having a glass on its own.

This really is incredible value at the moment and a delight to drink.

Wine storage

Did you know...

That in addition to selling wine, Majestic also sells good quality wine racks - wooden racks with metal hinges that will stand the test of time.

Most stores stock a variety of sizes although a 6X8 configuration is normal, holding 48 bottles of wine, which is 4 cases.

Majestic charge 'by the hole', so a 48 hole rack will set you back £48.

If you have a cellar or garage then these racks can be easily affixed to the wall and should last for many years to come!

Champage shortage possible

Did  you know...

That the champagne region can produce a maximum of 350 million bottles every year and that global sales have risen from 287 million in 2002 to 321 million in 2006.

Russia and Asia demand is increasing year on year and is up 125% in India.

Champagne growers, facing little in the way of pensions in their old age, are storing up millions of bottles in their cellars to sell when they retire.

So what will this mean?

Champagne prices will probably go up in the medium to long term and vintage champagne could be a very good investment.

Champagne alternatives, such as the sparkling wines from Australia, New Zealand and even the UK, might see a boost in sales, providing they can continue to maintain the quality and the big price advantage (at least for new world wines).

Rose wine bargains

The fact that this summer has been a total wash out must be bad news for wine buyers at all the major supermarkets and wine merchants.

Rose wine, which is traditionnally quaffed during the summer months, will be sitting in stores by the wine mountain full, clogging up vital space and generally gathering dust.  I mean, who wants to drink Rose wine when it is raining cats and dogs outside?

Anyway, the good news is that the weather seems to be improving and there is plenty of rose wine on special offer, so risk it and stock up now!

Tesco has an absolute bargain if you want cheap and cheerful - Kumala Rose at only £3.80 a bottle when you buy 6.

It isn't anything super special, but chill it down and open it up at a BBQ and you will enjoy a good tipple at an excellent price.  It's a Merlot/Shiraz blend, making it fruity and easy drinking, with the Shiraz adding a touch of spice.

Buy it from Tesco Online here.

How to tell a good bottle of wine (maybe)

Did you know....

That according to one website, Itchy Squirrel, if you want to know how expensive a bottle of wine is then measure the depth of the dimple at the bottom of the bottle.

The deeper the dimple, the more expensive the wine.  The website shows the research, so even if you don't believe it, check out the site because it is a very entertaining read!

Visit Itchy Squirrel Website.

Glynde Place hosts the 33rd English Wine Festival

Did you know....

Glynde Place in Sussex will host this year's English Wine Festival, which attracts over 1,000 visitors every year.
It will take place on Sat 22nd September and Sun 23rd September in the beautiful grounds and against the backdrop of the South Downs.

There will be plenty of food and wine to sample from a variety of producers with visitors able to vote for their favourite wines at the show.

More info here.

Borat's Guide to Wine Tasting

Surely the best tip of all  -wine tasting with Borat!

Enjoy:

Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon

A friend treated me to a bottle of Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 last night to accompany a delicious BBQ.  It was his last bottle from a case he had purchased from Majestic over a year ago.

When we tasted it we were bowled over - drinking perfectly, really smooth and bursting with black fruits.  It would have been lovely drinking on its own but was even better with the grilled lamb that we had from the BBQ.

I went hunting for some but Majestic don't have it and I could only find the 2003/4 available through EveryWine.  This would also be a good buy and worth keeping for another year or so before drinking.

I also tracked down the wine-maker and this is what he says about his 2004 Vintage:

"Our 2004 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon unfolds in deep, dense layers of blackberry and black plum, cassis, and a hint of cedar. These expressive flavors come from the diverse soils and climates of vineyards located primarily in the Oakville and Stags Leap District American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) of Napa Valley. With supple, well-integrated tannins, the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon is what the winemaker calls “a complete wine”—a beautiful flow of aromas, flavors and textures from start to finish."