Our new wines this week have a bit of a grandfather feel for some reason. One our longer term customers might remember is the Turkey Flat Butchers Block, named after the butcher’s block which the owners grandfather used to use which still stands in the winery’s shop. It’s a lovely mix of Shiraz, Grenache & Mourvedre made from some of the original vines planted by said grandfather is & a tastyNew World version of Chateauneuf du Pape

The other wine is the Lapostolle Alexandre Cuvee from Chile which is dedicated to the owner’s great grandfather. There were only 714 cases made of the 2008 Pinot Noir which is the vintage we have.One of the finest Pinot Noir’s from South America, it’s got a  rich style with soft, silky berry fruits bursting to get out & mild tannins. Perfect with a thick piece of roast ham.

Happy drinking (in moderation obviously!)

Dianne

Xmas was vibrant in the shop as always & we again sold an incredible number of hampers, the perfect present for the person who has everything, but “hampers are not just for xmas…” so if you need a birthday/anniversary/thanks you present don’t forget we can make these up to order.

We’d also like to say thank you to everyone who’s taken the time to pop in & say congrats to Gerard on his MBE, it’s lovely to realise how many people are as proud of him as we are in the family. Don’t worry ladies I’ve got the dress for the palace already!

Here’s looking forward to a lovely 2011-we’ll have a busy one with another 2 grandchildren on the way to join our gorgeous Jordan. I hope you all have lovely things like this to look forward to this year.

Dianne

No, I’m not talking about Gerard! You’ll be delighted to know we’ve got the Penrith Toffee & Fudge back in this week. Unfortunately this isn’t good for my waistline as there are samples on the counter & you know how bad my willpower is when it comes to sweet things.

We’ve also got some lovely new sauces coming in later this week or early next week, all with a wine/alcohol theme. We, of course, suffered on your behalf in quality testing them & I’m happy to say they’re delicious (& really easy!).

I’m reliably informed there are only 98 days till Xmas (of course by a teenager lol!) so we’ve starting to build up the gift & hamper section. Why not pop in & have a look?

Dianne

Everyone seems to like the new look, we’ve got new paint, new flooring, new signage, new stock, in fact the only things he hasn’t replaced are me & Louise! (Maybe I shouldn’t put ideas in his head)

The most exciting new addition is our very own coffee roaster-yes we’ve talked about it for 10 years (or Gerard has anyway) & we’ve finally got one. Hes very happy with his new toy & it looks as if you are as well as hes having to roast 5 mornings a week to keep up with demand.

The Whitehaven Costa Rica will shortly be joined by a Columbian to extend the range.

Dont worry though weve also invested in lots of lovely new wines & spirits including for some reason numerous new wines which involve dogs which is a little worrying. Seriously though the Miss Molly range from South Africa which is named after the winemakers beloved dog has a very cute picture on the label but more importantly tastes lovely & is priced economically at £9.99.

Anyway if you get chance come & see our new look

Dianne

Had to try a bottle of one of the new offerings this week-the Dark Side is a Cab Sauv Shiraz mix from South Africa described as hedonisitc by the winery. The label says it’s a “wine with curves where others don’t have places” which was intriguing. Not sure what they mean by that but thoroughly enjoyed the glass (or 2 or 3!) that I drank. It’s an absolute bargain at £10.99 & well recommended.

We also had G dancing for joy when the Angus the Bull wine came back in. This is one of those wines that he always gets excited about having in stock & goes perfectly with a juicy piece of steak. A lovely aroma of violets & cassis with a smooth palate and chocolatey finish, how can you resist?

So don’t forget if you’re sick of hearing about the Hung Parliament switch the TV off & get the corkscrew out!

Speak to you all again next week

Dianne

I’ve sneaked on again while himself is distracted by the Manchester Derby & a large portion of chips (yes again!). We’ve got an couple of old favourites back on the shelf, the Quinta de Camarate made by Fonseca in Portugal-yes its wine not port-and the Alamos Malbec from Argentina.

I took a bottle of Camarate to my Mum & Dads the other week when Mum kindly offered to make us all a roast dinner (which was delicious by the way). Mum set off saying oh, just the one glass but was persuaded to have a little more by the superb quality of this wine. Those of you who know my Mum will be aware she has very high standards so this is indeed a recommendation.  Thoroughly enjoyed by all of us I can’t understand why it’s been absent from our shelves for the last few years.

The Alamos Malbec hasn’t been away quite that long but has been missed by many who tasted it on it’s last visit. At only £8.99 this is an amazing wine for the price which won a double gold in the San Francisco International Wine Competition. I cannot deny it often makes it way onto our winerack at home (but doesn’t stay there long lol)

Our new kid on the block is a Pinot Noir from Alsace-yes I know we always think of white wines when we think of Alsace but as with New Zealand the climate in Alsace favours Pinot Noir of all the red grapes. Very different to the Burgundian Pinots this wine is full of soft strawberries, you’ll almost be tempted to add cream!

Just a quick update on the Whitehaven while I’m here, we’ve still got small amounts of the Sauvignon in stock so if you want to ensure you have your favourite summer drinking call in soon.

See you all again next week

Dianne

Hi all,

as you’ve probably all guessed Gerard’s rather caught up with the Festival preperations so I’ve sneaked onto his blog to give you all an update-don’t tell on me or he’ll realise I’ve got his password-naughty wife!

For those of you who’ve been asking about the Concannon wines which we had on special offer last year you’ll be pleased to know we’ve not only got them back in stock but we’ve even managed to get the special offer price again-are we good or what? RRP £12.99, offer price £9.99 but we’ve very limited stocks so don’t leave it too long.

We’ve also got some new wines especially for that BBQ you’re all thinking about in this lovely weather. They’re a range called Long neck from South Africa & we’ve got Shiraz, Cenin Blanc & a Shiraz Rose @ £7.99. If you’ve got a crowd coming round & you buy 2 or more bottles they’re only £6.99 per bottle.

Personally I’m looking forward to a nice bottle of Whitehaven Sauvignon sitting on the step in the sunshine tonight, hope you all have something just as nice in mind.

I’ll sneak on again next week & let you know what’s happening in the shop

Dianne

Dixon’s Double Diamond Tawny Port

Well its getting close to Christmas so I thought I’d do a port of the week as a special treat!

The Dixon’s is a classic style Tawny Port, so loved its even listed in one of Dickens books. A winner for certain. The Port is carefully matured in oak casks in the cool dark lodges of Villa Nova de Gaia. Here is develops a smooth, complex and refined flavours of apricots and dried fruit.
It goes down really well with cheese or nuts,,, take your pick. A perfect port for Christmas.

Don’t forget to pop in the shop for your Christmas presents. Its no fun if you don’t treat yourself as well!

Gerard

Anyway, I’m about to lock the door and go home where I’ve a log fire to light,, traditional or what? We had a few friends round last night for the odd glass or three and we finished off with a 1955 Gonzalez Port which I can tell you was simply breathtaking. I was a little worried at first when the cork crumbled and the deposits attached to it were thick and heavy but that subsided as soon as the aroma came through. It was like a sleeping beauty waking from 54 years of slumber. Delicious caramel flavours dominated the evening after that. It’s not often I’m in awe of anything but I can honestly tell you that experience was up there with the Red Arrows and the visit of the Queen. £190 very well spent.

Anyhow, we’re open again on Tuesday for the New Year and with luck we’ll have a delivery arriving the same morning because the shop looks like Mother Hubbard’s cupboard and theres more stock in your average Zimbabwean wine Merchants!

Have a lovely few days and stay safe through the crisp weather.

Merry Christmas

G

Hello again,

we’ve got so many fabulous wines coming and going at the moment, asking me to pick a wine of the week is like asking a councillor which model of blackberry they would like! However, one old friend stands out a mile. It’s a Cabernet Sauvignon from one of the first vineyards we ever dealt with, Bon Courage in South Africa. Tremendous colour with a lovely cassis and cedar nose. Yes cedar! It’s an aroma usually found on some of the top clarets and comes from the interaction with the French Oak barrels. Now would you look at that, I’ve gone all Wine merchanty on you.

Anyway, as with a lot of our purchases at the moment, this is a small parcel so grab it while you can and at a snip over a tenner, it’s well worth treating yourself to.

Gerard