T'is the Season for Chervil

I love growing herbs in the garden and one of the best herbs at this time of year is Chervil which is wonderfully easy to cultivate. For some reason it is not particularly well known in England, but it is very popular in France where it is known as Cerfeuil. Chervil is one of the earliest herbs to come into season and you will have it available before Easter in most years. In fact it used to be traditional to eat it on Maundy Thursday and it was meant to have cleansing and restorative properties.

As I have already mentioned, it is easy to grow and is best in semi-shade as too much sun will bring it into flower too soon and it will lose some flavour. It doesn’t grow well in doors.



Easter Monday Chervil and Vegetable Soup with Croutons



We use it in salads, sprinkled over vegetables and also I like adding it in huge quantities to vegetable soup – add it at the very end just before serving so as not to lose flavour. In some ways it is like parsley but it is more delicate but with a stronger aniseed flavour, and so you can use it as a substitute for parsley in many recipes. As it has an aniseed flavour you might also want to sprinkle it over some simple grilled fish or make a Chervil sauce it much the same way you would make a Parsley sauce.

As this is a wine blog I better not forget wine pairings – most white wines pair well with Chervil flavoured dishes such as Chervil and vegetable soup– Sauvignon Blanc, dry Riesling or if you prefer something slightly sweeter a Pinot Grigio.

If you don’t know Chervil do go out and buy some seeds and have fun growing and then eating some!

Dining without Wining

For me drinking wine is about drinking wine over a nice dinner with friends or someone I love, Jane. Thus I have, over the years, come to associate wine with food and vice versa. In this way I am probably quite continental European, despite my English background. Matching food and wine for me is a fun experience and one where one can experiment and if the matching is not perfect, so what! It is certainly nothing to get stressed over.

Fine wine has always demanded fine food. It is difficult to imagine drinking a nice bottle of Pauillac without some perfectly cooked lamb or a good Barolo without some beautifully prepared Italian food. However, by fine food I mean the best quality and freshest ingredients. These ingredients also need to be well but very simply cooked. We want to taste the complexity in the wine and not have it masked by the complexity of the food.

With less fine wines one can have fun matching the wine with some less simple food. An example would be matching a sweet white wine with a spicy dish whether it be Icewine with Haggis or a Montbazillac with Tandoori chicken. Neither haggis nor tandoori chicken could be regarded as fine dining and I am not suggesting Grand Cru wines to accompany them either. With both my examples the wine is in effect almost the “sauce” for the dish in that it provides both a counterpoint of flavour and the moistness needed to help down the dish.

Fine dining today is increasingly about Chefs achieving amazing flavour and texture combinations on the plate. In many ways good food no longer needs wine. In England perhaps the traditional English food never needed wine; roast lamb was served with mint sauce and in many ways this acted liked a good Medoc in making the lamb more palatable. However, try lamb and mint sauce with a nice Pauillac and you are definitely going to ruin the wine. Nowadays, a powerful wine might actually ruin the good food.

Yesterday we visited the talented Mr Drake at the Clockhouse in Ripley. Steve is a great exponent of flavour and balance and is looking for ingredients that work well together on a plate. We had the lunchtime tasting menu and none of the dishes needed wine to appreciate them. That being said, and despite the fact that I am a wine lover, it was probably the best lunch I have ever experienced. Most wines would have altered the balance of his beautifully prepared dishes. The way to enjoy the food is to lose some of your inhibitions with a glass of champagne, Mailly Grand Cru Rose or Gosset Brut, in the well tended garden before you start and then to just have water throughout the meal. Certainly don’t go further than a glass of relatively simple clean Gruner Veltliner or Pinot Blanc. Steve’s food is magnificent and doesn’t need the help of wine. The great thing is you can drive home with no worries. His portion sizes are also spot on for lunchtime and you won’t be snoozing all afternoon. Nowadays, fine dining is possible without fine wines or in fact any wine at all.

Drake’s at the Clockhouse is in the High Street, Ripley, Surrey GU23 6AQ. Lunchtime tasting menu was £45 and we had an amouse bouche and six small courses. Coffee or tea was an extra £4 but came with some superb petits fours. Overall bill for two with service came to £150. Dress is casual and service is good; I know this is fine dining but I just wish they would lighten up a little. Highly recommended.

Jurancon and Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh - TonghamTaster’s French Wine Tasting Course – week 17

The 12 month on-line course to help you learn about French wines - Top tips on how to get value when buying them - Reasonably priced up-to-date recommendations of what to buy and try in the UK - Bringing you the best of Tongham Village Hall wine tastings.

INTRODUCTION
This week we continue our discovery of the lovely wines of South West France and move on to the under-rated white wines of Jurancon and Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh. Much like the wines of last week they are mainly made with local varietals that are not known internationally.

LOCALITY

In the foothills of the Pyrenees around the town of Pau, which is perhaps better known for its annual around the houses motor race, come the lovely wines of Jurancon. This is countryside that is close to Spanish border in the old Kingdom of Navarre. Local legend has it that Pau born Henry IV was baptised with some Jurancon on his lips.
Pacherenc du Vic Bilh comes from slightly further into France in the red wine growing area of Madiran on the old pilgrims’ route to Santiago de Compestela. The strange name comes from the old Gascony name for the area.

VARIETALS
As I mentioned in my introduction, local grape varietals dominate these two wines. Particularly, you will find Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng and Petit Courbu in these blends. The Pacherenc du Vic Bilh may also contain the local Ruffiac and a little Sauvignon Blanc.

The two Manseng varietals with are local to the basque area of the Pyrennes help produce quite tangy wines. The Petit Courbu is an old Gacony grape varietal that can add body to the wine.

THE WINES
The best known wine of Jurancon is the sweet white wine that is often offered with the Foie Gras in many restaurants throughout France but particularly in the South West. There is also the Jurancon Sec, a dry white wine from the same area. The French writer Collette has helped promote these wines though her enthusiasm for them but they are still not particularly well known outside of France. The best sweet wines are dominated by the Petit Manseng as these dry on the vine to produce the classic concentrated fruity taste. The dryer wines tend to be dominated by the Gros Manseng and are also quite fruity.

The dry and sweet white wines of Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh will normally be fruity but often with some oak which you will either appreciate or not according to your palate. To me, the best such as Chateau Berthoumieu are quite wonderful (available at Les Caves de Pyrenes). The better sweet wines will be made with grapes that have dried on the vine.

THE TASTE
The wines of Jurancon will often have a tangy fruitiness but balanced by a good acidity. You may also find floral and spicy aromas.
The wines of Pacherenc du Vic Bilh will have similar characteristics but often have an oaky taste as well.

TOP TIPS
• Look out for the sweet white wines of Jurancon as they represent great value for the quality and go with a variety of foods.

• The better oaky dry whites of Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh are also worthy of consideration if this is a taste you like.

HOMEWORK
For your homework this week you need to buy and try a Jurancon or Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh white wine. You will find buying these wines quite difficult but not impossible in the UK It may include the following wine but I also highly recommend a trip to Les Caves de Pyrenes near Guildford.

Waitrose – Château Jolys Cuvée Jean 2008 Jurançon (sweet white) – about £13.
Waitrose - Château Jolys Jurançon Sec 2008 (Dry White) – about £10.

FOOD PAIRINGS
With the sweet wines why not try some Foie Gras, either cold or quickly half cooked. Like most French sweet wines they will also pair well with Roquefort blue cheese. If a bit more adventurous try with spicy food such as a curry.

With the oaky Paherencs why not try some smoked salmon pasta or strong soft cheese. The other dry whites will pair well with many foods. You may wish to try them with the local Bayonne ham.

COMING SOON
Next week we move on to the tannic red wines of Madiran and Irouleguy. If you missed the early weeks of this course, it is not too late to catch up. Just click on the French Wine Course link at the top of this page.   Also don't forget to try some of these beautiful wines - it is the only way to learn...... and learning about wnes by tasting them is fun!

Gaillac, Marcillac & Fronton - TonghamTaster’s French Wine Tasting Course – week 16

The 12 month on-line course to help you learn about French wines - Top tips on how to get value when buying them - Reasonably priced up-to-date recommendations of what to buy and try in the UK - Bringing you the best of Tongham Village Hall wine tastings.

INTRODUCTION
This week we continue our discovery of the lovely wines of South West France and move on to the wines of Gaillac, Marcillac and Frontron which are all made with some very local varieties of grape including Fer.

Albi

LOCALITY
Gaillac is south east of Cahors west of the town of Gaillac, although Albi is the best known town in the area. Marcillac is to the east of Cahors. Fronton is to the south of Cahors and to the north of Toulouse.

VARIETALS
Fer, sometimes called Fer Servadou is the local grape variety that can be found in the red wines of all of this area and a little beyond.
The red wines of Marcillac are defined by the use of the Fer grape as their wines must contain 90% Fer, which locally in called Mansois. This grape variety has apparently nothing to do with the Argentinian Fer which is probably a clone of Malbec.

The wines of Fronton are characterised by the use of the little known Negrette variety which must make up 60% of this red wine. Because it is prone to rot and mildew, this variety is not grown much elsewhere.
Gaillac wines can contain many different varieties of grape. The reds used to contain a lot of Gamay but it is being supplanted now by use of the local Duras grape. Fer and international varieties like Syrah and Merlot are also used.
The whites of Gaillac contain local varieties such as Mauzac and also the better known Sauvignon Blanc.

THE WINES
The wines of Marcillac are not particularly well known and were only uplifted to full AOC status about 20 years ago. As well as the Fer grapes they may have a small amount of the usual Bordeaux red varietals in the blend.
I have often seen the Fronton wines in the French supermarkets and have enjoyed them for many years.

The red wines of Gaillac used to be amongst the cheap, good value, light reds in French restaurants. Perhaps the white wines are even better. There are also some unusual sparkling and semi-sparkling wines from the region but I have to admit that I have never tried them.

THE TASTE
The wines of Marcillac can be very tannic. They are known for their aromatic and peppery aroma and taste.
The wines of Fronton can be both spicy and fruity and are not normally so tannic.
The red wines of Gaillac can very a lot but are often simple and easy drinking. The whites also very a lot from a classic Sauvignon Blanc to a more appley white. The whites can also be sweet and sparkling.

TOP TIPS

• Look out for these interesting wines that can represent both value and interest. You won’t find these grape varietals much elsewhere. I particularly favour Fronton if given the choice, perhaps because I find it goes well with food.

HOMEWORK
For your homework this week you need to buy and try a Gaillac, Marcillac or Fronton wine. You will find buying these wines quite difficult but not impossible in the UK It may include the following wine but I also recommend a trip to Les Caves des Pyrenes:

Waitrose – Château Bouissel Classic 2009 Fronton - about £9

FOOD PAIRINGS
With wines like these, it is always good to try them with some local cuisine. The Fronton will go well with Cassoulet and Confit of duck and also Basque dishes. In terms of other dishes why not try the Fronton with simply grilled veal, oxtail or chicken casserole. The Gaillac is said to go well with Rocamadour cheese and steaks.

COMING SOON
Next week we move on to the lovely white wines of Jurancon and Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh.  If you missed the early weeks of this course, it is not too late to catch up. Just click on the French Wine Course link at the top of this page.

Our Wine Safari to Farnborough

The April Tongham Tasters’ wine evening was to be a safari through the wines of Africa. Our guide picked us up at quarter to eight in Tongham and we drove into the furthest depths of Farnborough. Judging by the street names we were in the French quarter, but the natives seemed friendly……

Having travelled extensively in North and South Africa, John S, our host for the evening put together a very interesting selection of North and South African wines for us to try. With most wines there was some interesting story to tell of how he had bought the wine in some Moroccan souk or visited this particular South African vineyard etc etc. John also showed great skill in not serving his white wines over chilled.

Serious drinking?

So how did our team rate John’s wines? In order of preference after voting, here are John’s wines and our views on them. Scores are in the order: John E, Steve W, John S, Jane, Steve S and Sheila.

1. Bellingham The Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc South Africa 2010 £8.80 Majestic Wines
Four out of seven of us voted this the top wine of the evening. The nose was of marmalade with some pepper and spice and over-ripe pear. One might have guessed it was an Alsace wine from the smell but the taste indicated something different. The slight sweetness but good level of acidity immediately had some of us recognising this as a Chenin Blanc. It also had a slight spritz. Jane went golly, gosh, wow! – difficult to get a higher accolade than that. The scores were 11,17,17,19,17,15, A majestic white wine from Majestic wine warehouse.

2. Beyerskloof Pinotage 2009, Western Cape, South Africa, £7.21 Morrisons.
All seven had this wine in their top three and two of us had it at the top of the ladder. It was spicy and slightly sweet and Steve S quickly identified the grape variety. This wine changed the perceptions for some of what Pinotage could be like. Scores were 15,12,16,15,15,15. This is a wine that will have a few more of us shopping at Morrisons for their red wine..

3. Klein Constantia Sauvignon Blanc, South Africa, 2010 £9.60 Majestic Wines
One top vote, two seconds and a third gave this wine our bronze medal of the evening. The most expensive wine of the evening as it is normally priced at £11.99 but is on special offer at the moment. Initially it had a heady floral aroma that quickly became more typically Sauvignon Blanc. Ian and Jane were quick to identify the grape variety. For John E it was not as dry as he would like a Sauvignon Blanc to be but he still felt it had great balance and enough acidity to carry the slight sweetness. Scores were 13+,12,17,17,12,13. If you are into New World Sauvignon Blanc white wine  this could be the wine for you.

4. Chateau Elissa 2006 Grand Vin de Mornag Tunisia £6.25 Le Bon Vin
The best North African wine of the evening was from a retailer few of us had heard of – Le Bon Vin Ltd who are based in Sheffield and have a website http://www.lebonvin.co.uk/. I suspect a few of us hadn’t tasted Tunisian wine before either. Steve W had it as the runner up wine of the evening whilst the rest of us had it at number four or five. Ian found its aroma fascinating and identified a childhood reminiscence of Extract of Malt amongst the tar and black treacle. Most of us identified liquorices in the smell of this wine that had obviously started ageing and was perhaps slightly past its peak and perhaps this is why Sheila identified cabbage water as well. Scores for this red wine were 12,13,11,13,9.5,11. The blend had us guessing and we didn’t identify it as a cabernet, merlot, syrah.

5. Mornag Magon Blanc Vermentino 2006 £5.74 Le Bon Vin
Another Tunisian wine from our Sheffield retailer, this didn’t impress as much as the South African whites. Some felt that it was typical of wine from a hot climate. The initial impression was that it might be Viognier and nobody identified the grape as Vermentino, which is best known as a grape varietal in Sardinia.. It went extremely well with John’s olive oil dip. Although it had a floral smell it was actually quite sharp. Scores were 12+,12,12,12,9,12. Apart from Steve S we had an amazing consistency or scores for this white wine!

6. Mdeaillon Cabernet Vin Vieux Grande Reserve 2004 Marocco €7.00 purchased in Marocco.
This wine split the group as it had a third place from John E but five of the group had it in last place. It had a smell of molasses and tobacco and the tannins were still evident despite the age. It had some sweetness but this completely changed once one had it with some Mediterranean hummus. This was a good lesson in food matching for us – the right food really improved this wine. Scores were 13-,9,11,10,10,9. A red Cab Merlot blend that went well with hummus.

Overall some interesting wines that showed Africa in a very good light and accompanied by some interesting Mediterranean food such as the hummus, olives and falafels. Well worth the trip to Farnborough – well done John.

Next month we return to Tongham for Tongham Tasters’ founder John E to show us five interesting Sauvignon Blancs from different parts of France. The evening will be rounded off by a nice glass of something red. The date for your diary is Thursday May 12th. Click on Wine Circle at the top of the page for more details – all are welcome.

The Dark Wines of Cahors - TonghamTaster’s French Wine Tasting Course – week 15

INTRODUCTION
This week we continue our discovery of the lovely wines of South West France and move on to Cahors. The wine making region of Cahors has been famous for many centuries and was long known for its dark inky wines that were distinct from the lighter wines of Bordeaux. Cahors makes a lot of wine and it is the second biggest AOC after Bergerac in South-West France.

Dark, tannic but lovely!

LOCALITY
The wines of Cahors come from around the town of Cahors which is the capital of the Lot department and is situated on a bend in the Lot River. It is a little South East of Bergerac and Bordeaux.

VARIETALS
The defining varietal of Cahors wine is the Malbec grape which locally is also called Auxerrois or Cot. The Malbec grape must make up at least 70% of the blend with the rest being Merlot and/or Tannat. Almost all Cahors wines are blends and thus few are 100% Malbec unlike Argentina who have made the grape variety famous having imported it from the Cahors area.

THE WINES
All AOC wines from Cahors are red and dark red at that. The inky blackness of old Cahors wines was sometimes made darker by heating some of the Malbec grape juice to concentrate its colour. Interest in Cahors has been growing since Argentina have made Malbec fashionable.

THE TASTE
The wines tend to fall into three main styles – the older style that is very tannic and needs ageing before it is drinkable, the more approachable modern fruity style, and the style that tries to mimic the Argentinian Malbecs.

TOP TIPS
• Look out for Cahors as it is the French expression of the Malbec grape and is reasonably priced for the quality. Do try the different styles.

HOMEWORK
For your homework this week you need to buy and try a Cahors wine. It may include one of the following wines from very good producers but I also recommend a trip to Les Caves des Pyrenes:

Waitrose – Le Malbec du Clos Triguedina 2008 Cahors – about £8. (Traditional)
Majestic – Chateau de Gaudou Cuvee Renaissance 2007/8 Cahors – about £12 (Traditional)
Majestic – Chateau de Gaudou Cuvee Tradition 2008 Cahors – about £8 (more approachable)

FOOD PAIRINGS
The lighter fruity wines will go with pork and chicken dishes.
The more tannic wines will go with lamb or traditional local dishes such as Cassoulet.

COMING SOON
Next week we move on to the wines of Gaillac and Marcillac. If you missed the early weeks of this course, it is not too late to catch up. Just click on the French Wine Course link at the top of this page.

Bordeaux’s Next Door Neighbours - TonghamTaster’s French Wine Tasting Course – week 14

The 12 month on-line course to help you learn about French wines - Top tips on how to get value when buying them - Reasonably priced up-to-date recommendations of what to buy and try in the UK - Bringing you the best of Tongham Village Hall wine tastings.

INTRODUCTION
This week we start a five week discovery of the lovely wines of South West France. Bordeaux is of course in South West France but it is always considered separately due to its size and importance. Bergerac, however, which is next door to Bordeaux, is always considered as part of Les Vins de Sud Ouest or wines of South West France. Over the years Bordeaux has considered adding Bergerac to its grouping but this has not happened yet. However, as we shall learn, the wines of Bergerac often bear a great similarity to those of Bordeaux in terms of taste and quality but often offer better value.

LOCALITY
The wines we are looking at this week are just to the East or South East of Bordeaux. Whereas, Bordeaux is in the Gironde, Bergerac is in the Dordogne, just next door. I have also included the wines of Buzet, Duras and Marmandais in this weeks selection and they are a little further south in the Lot et Garonne department.

This week’s wines are further inland from the Atlantic coast than those of Bordeaux and thus the climate is slightly less maritime. Many of the Bergerac wines are grown close to the Dordogne river, whereas those of Buzet lie on the Gironde.

VARIETALS
The grape varietals we find in the Bergerac and Buzet regions are similar to those found in Bordeaux. Thus we find plantings of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc for the red wines and Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle for the whites. Merlot tends to dominate the reds rather like it does in Right Bank Bordeaux wines.

THE WINES
The main various Bordeaux look-alike appellations of the South West region are:
Bergerac – A very large region producing red, white and rose wines.
Buzet – not to be confused with Bouzy which is a red wine from Champagne. Most of the wine is made by the local cooperative and is a Merlot dominated Bordeaux blend red wine that is improving.
Cotes de Duras – this region is just to the east of Bordeaux and south of Bergerac. It produces red, dry white and sweet white wines. You won’t see these often outside the region.
Cotes du Marmandais – This is just south of the Cotes de Duras. As well as the Bordeaux varietals they insist on some local varietals plus Gamay and Syrah making up at least 25% of the red wines. There is also a little white wine made.
Monbazillac – One of my favorite value sweet wines, it is the equivalent of a Sauternes. Similar wines are Sassignac and Rosette but these are harder to find outside the region.
Montravel – Mainly dry white wines using the using Bordeaux varieties.
Pecharmant – Another of my favourites, although I only really discovered it relatively recently. It is a lovely red wine, perhaps similar to a St Emillion. In France it can represent good value but you don’t see it often in the UK.

THE TASTE
Most of these wines taste similar to those of Bordeaux right bank and generic Bordeaux.  Some producers go deliberately for a very Bordelais taste, some try to express the more local terroir and some are perhaps pleasantly rustic.

TOP TIPS
• Look out for Monbazillac as this is a great sweet white wine to be used in food pairings in a similar way to Sauternes.
• Look out for Pecharmant as this is a great value red wine in a similar style to right bank Bordeaux.  Its a shame its so rarely seen in the UK.

HOMEWORK
For your homework this week you need to buy and try one of Bordeaux’s next door neighbours, sometime referred to as Bordeaux satellite wines. It may include one of the following wines:

Majestic - Murets de Gouts 2008 Côtes du Marmandais – about £6
Waitrose - Château Les Sablines 2006 Monbazillac– about £9 for 50cl
Waitrose - Domaine des Eyssards 2009 Bergerac – about £7
Marks and Spencers – Bergerac Dry White 2009 – about £6

However, your best bet this month is to head down to Les Caves de Pyrene which is just off the Old Portsmouth Road outside of Guildford on the way to Godalming.   They are both specialists in the wines of South West France and also promoters of real, natural wines; thus they make a pleasant change from the usual supermarket wines.  As a wine lover you really need to try their wines.  You will have to buy a mixed case of twelve and if you are following the course I would suggest you look for the following appellations to buy:
Week 14:  Bergerac, Montbazillac, Buzet, Cotes de D uras, Marmandais.
Week 15: Cahors
Week 16: Gaillac, Marcillac, Fronton
Week 17: Jurancon or Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh
Week 18: Madiran, Irouleguy

With these 12 you will have a great mixed case lof South West wines.  Which exact wines you choose will depend on your wallet.

FOOD PAIRINGS
For food pairings follow what you would do with a similar style Bordeaux.
Red – Roast dishes especially lamb, beef. Try also with pork and chicken.
Dry White – fish and seafood.
Sweet White – Foie Gras, non-chocolate desserts, some spicy food, Roquefort cheese.

COMING SOON
Next week we move on to the wines of Cahors which used to be famous for its very dark red wines. If you missed the early weeks of this course, it is not too late to catch up. Just click on the French Wine Course link at the top of this page.

Over the Moon

A new regular feature of this blog will be a quarterly restaurant recommendation. This month I have at last found a relatively local restaurant worthy of my custom. Having visited some very good restaurants in London and France since Christmas, I am very pleased to say that La Luna in Godalming was my favourite this quarter. This restaurant was a real revelation as we have been searching for good restaurant in the Guildford and Farnham area for years without real success. For me the food was worthy of a Michelin Star and they have a lovely Italian wine list to match. We got there by bus from Tongham via Guildford in less than an hour and had a very pleasant rural ride. Our return was by taxi as we left rather late after a leisurely and thoroughly enjoyable meal and although this added to the cost it enabled us to sample the wines chosen for us by Daniele Drago, the sommelier.

Jane comparing the different desert wines!

La Luna is situated at 10-14 Wharf Street in the centre of Godalming and is a modern Italian restaurant. We asked Chef Valentino Gentile to prepare us a tasting menu and this enabled us to sample a fantastic selection of his dishes. Starting off our taste adventure we had some fantastic Sicilian street food, Panelle which are chick pea fritters served with a tomato based dip. They were “to die for” and were accompanied by an excellent Prosecco. Other dishes we tried and can recommend were slow cooked belly of pork, seafood linguine and baked sea bass. Perhaps, my favourite was the stuffed free range quail and smoked ham with Jerusalem artichoke – this is well worth trying. The deserts were also good but the star of the desert course for me was the gorgeous raisiny Sicilian desert wine that accompanied my Tiramisu.

If you live in the area and fancy a fantastic meal out, I would heartily recommend La Luna. Service, ambience, food and wines were all top class. We went on a Saturday night and it is obviously a popular restaurant. Visit their web site for a sample menu and prices. For more details on our meal and some pictures, visit wife Jane’s blog.

Out of Africa

You are all cordially invited to our April Tongham Tasters’ wine tasting evening at 8.00pm on Thursday April 14th. In honour of our two regular Farnborough attendees, this month the tasting will be in Farnborough Hampshire. The evening has the interesting theme of African wines, both from the south and north of the continent. Our host for the evening will be John S. Should be worth the trip and we are looking forward to the evening.

Click on the picture to find out more about African wines

Nowadays, we tend to think of African wines as New World but in fact South Africa is quite an old wine region dating back to the sixteenth century. Today, South Africa produces some lovely wines, often but not always in an old world style. The wines of North Africa are less well known in the UK than they are in France, but at one time, in the nineteen fifties, the wines of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia represented one third of the world’s production of wine.

As usual we hope to welcome both our regulars and some new faces to our monthly tastings. If you are interested in coming, either send an email to tonghamtaster@gmail.com or ring John Etherton on 07717 876743. Let us know if you need a lift to Farnborough and we’ll try and share transport. Cost of the evening is £10 and will include blind tasting 6 wines and some simple food as palate cleansers. Participation is limited to 14 attendees. If you need any more details click on Wine Circle at the top of this blog for our FAQs.

Wine of the Month – March 2011

This month has had a couple of themes running through it. Mainly the Languedoc as it featured in four of my blog posts and also our Tongham Tasters wine evening for March. However, Merlot cropped up quite a lot as well in my drinking including the wine I am going to recommend this month. My top Merlot wine experience of the month was undoubtedly a 2005 Pomerol that I selected when dining at the excellent D’Antan Sancerrois restaurant in Bourges and I also tasted a number of Merlot based Bordeaux blends from Bergerac that I will be talking about in my April blogs.

So the wine I am going to recommend this month is a Merlot from the Languedoc. Not only is it a very pleasant wine, it is also incredible value for these hard times. Priced at just £3.84 it is my second wine of the month to have come from Lidl supermarket – although the last was in September 2008 in my first ever blog! The wine is Chevalier de Fauvert Vins de Pays D’Oc Merlot 2010. It is nice medium bodied fruity Merlot that has that typical Languedoc sweetness when it first hits your palate but then gets balanced as some nice acidity hits in. It is very nice for the price. As long as you don’t expect Pomerol quality and complexity, you should enjoy this wine. Get to Lidl quick as it has also been recommended by Fiona Backett in the Guardian and this recommendation was also in The Week. I scored the wine 13 out of 20 for taste and 20/20 for value.

If you are not into sub-five pound wines but still want a bargain, I can heartily recommend at just £7.95 another red but this time from Spain. Altos de Oliva Gran Reserva Catalunya 2000 is a fantastic wine from FromVineyardsDirect.com. Twice the price of the Merlot but probably nearly twice as good and also very good value compared to a comparable Gran Reserva Rioja. It is well balanced between a lovely oaky vanilla flavour and some good fruit. It has an excellent length on the mouth. I scored it at 16.5/20 and again 20/20 for value. It got pipped at the post by the Merlot only because I know that everyone wants to find drinkable wines under £4 and because you have to buy 12 bottles when ordering from FromViineyardsDirect. However, if you drink wine regularly I would recommend trying to buy from their website. You will be able to taste some other of their wines at the May Tongham Tasters wine evening.