£5 Versus £50 - is there a difference?

Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat and all that. Actually, it’s probably already dead and stuffed by now, but I digress…

Digiboy and I were discussing wines for Christmas Dinner and he told me about a conversation he’d had with his Dad about the value of wine. His pop just couldn't understand how wine could ever be worth more than a fiver. What Digiboy needed was Winebird analogy -and fast.

People like cars, don’t they? Some people LOVE cars and can talk about the finer points of carburetors (I had to look that up) for hours. Do we call them Car Ponces, though? Do we? We do not.

From my side, even if I could, I wouldn't spend £80,000+ on a sports car to get me from A to B as my Ford Fiesta can do the same for £5,000. The difference would be wasted. I would not appreciate all those little details: the softer suspension, the way the lights turn on when they sense the dark, or acceleration for example. Not only that, I wouldn’t even enjoy the experience. It would be terrifying! The only way would be for me to work up through driving bigger and better cars, increasing my confidence and experience along the way. Only then would I even attempt driving one of those sporty machines.

Well, wine is exactly the same. While more expensive wines are occasionally instantly gorgeous to everyone, quite a lot of them actually have a bit of an acquired taste. Fine Burgundian Pinot Noir with a bit of age on it for example, has aromas – famously- of manure. MANURE, I tell you! The first time I tried it, I wanted to be sick. It seemed thin, it stank of pig poo and was just plain weird. Nowadays however, after tasting all kinds of wines at all price levels, I would kill to go back to that tasting and down the lot! We really have to work our way up and pay attention to appreciate the subtle differences in certain wines - those from ancient vines for example, or those who have been entirely hand-made. Believe me, these nuances are there to be celebrated and it's an amazing feeling when you can pick them out.

So, my advice to you all would be to start at the bottom, maybe with one particular grape or area, and work your way up the price scale. I guarantee that quite soon, you’ll have that Eureka moment in your local pub or restaurant when you fancy a glass of red, go for one you used to drink and exclaim very loudly: ‘This is sh**t!’.

Congratulations – you will have become a wine ponce, fully fledged speaker of wine language and will be skint forever more, pouring all your hard earned cash in to greater and greater little slices of heaven! But you know what? You’ll be very happy. And drunk.

Joyeux Noel,

WInebird x

Shiraz, Syrah or Shakespeare?

“Come, Sirrah. Crush a cup of wine!”

Who best to play the lead in one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies, hmm? A comedian, that’s who! Lenny Henry has proved to us all of late that he is not just the funny-guy-with-the-red-nose. Oh, no. While we all enjoy his lighter side, this full-bodied, hulk of a man with his brooding, dark tones and spicy sense of humour is capable of much more serious and meaningful things too. Yes, Lenny Henry is a Shiraz who occasionally puts on a serious face to become his alter ego – Syrah.

The Shiraz that most of us know and love is that full-on, full-bodied red with its obvious dark plum and spicy, jammy flavours. This is Lenny in his sketch-show format: simple humour, but familiar, fun and easy. You tune in because you want a reliable, big personality.

And just as this very same man can highlight the plight of the third world to millions and churn out some incredible straight-up acting talent, so can Shiraz switch its style to ‘serious’ and call itself Syrah.

Yes, Shiraz and Syrah are the same grape variety. It’s just called different things in different places! Syrah’s heartland is France’s Northern Rhône. Here, it’s all about violets and dried herb aromas with savory, well hung game flavours (I’m not alluding to Lenny here – honest!) and a peppery aftertaste. When a wine is called Syrah elsewhere in the world, this is the style that they are often aiming for. Enter, the Rhône Rangers!

Shiraz is not trying to be such a complex, meaty style. For Shiraz, think hot blackberry jam tarts versus Syrah’s gastronomic feast!

Wine Language Tasting Tour:
Head for Australia’s Barossa Valley for straight-talking, in your face Shiraz.

Compare this to France’s Rhône Valley and the village of ‘Saint-Joseph’ for the violet and dried herb kick!

For something in between the two, I find that Argentina’s Mendoza province is capturing some glorious concentration at really fantastic value.

Forsooth, I must away! Parting is such sweet sorrow…

Winebird

Riesling, Runways & Rubber boots

Claudia Schiffer in lime green rubber wellies. Suddenly, Digiboy is much more interested in tasting Riesling!

Just like this world famous beauty, Riesling is loved all over and is a veritable national hero at home in Germany. Long, lean and fresh-faced, it has a naturally high metabolism (due to the high acidity level) which gives it that lean and clean feel without it ever becoming flabby - even when sweet! Yes, Riesling is the supermodel of the major grape varieties.

Whether bone dry in tight black leather for a David Bailey photo-shoot or sweet and pretty, wrapped in white fur for Cosmopolitan's Christmas cover, both grape and model suit any style thrown at them. Despite such changing faces however, both always exude that inimitable character that could never be anyone or anything else:

Think freshly squeezed lime juice on a summer day with the feint aroma of burnt rubber and diesel coming off the hot road. These are some classic markers for a Riesling which become increasingly bolder with age. You may like to take it lip-pursing, lemon-sucking dry. You may prefer it with a sprinkling of sugar...you may even crave it as a full-on dessert style wine! There's something for everyone.

The thing is, it ain't always clear what you're gonna get, so here are some uber basic tips to help minimise the surprise element:

Wine Language Tasting Tour:
For that full-on, dry, lime and rubber experience, head to Australia's Clare Valley or Eden Valley.

If you'd prefer it still dry but fuller bodied and more fruit, go to Alsace.

For something more delicate with just a touch of lime, more flowery aromas and a little bit of sugar, think German 'kabinett' style Riesling with just 1-2 years age. For more sweetness, try a 'spatlese' style.

For something fresh and clean tasting with a lovely mineral edge, try Washing State.

Just remember: the more age on it, the more aroma!

Riesling is coming back big time and I'm not the only one who thinks so. Sure, it can be an acquired taste, but have a go and see what all the fuss is about. If you're not into the sugar - try it with Thai food. You'll soon change your mind.

Zum Whol!

Wein-Vogel x

Sauvignon Blanc & celebrity chefs...

It was a minor disagreement with Digiboy concerning the place of celebrity chefs on TV that inspired the subject of today's blog:

Gordon Ramsey. Chef and lothario. While undisputedly talented, achieving sheer excellence in the kitchen, Gordon is known just as well all around the world for his brash opinions and fruity, nay tropical language. As far as personality goes, he's arguably the most distinctive celebrity chef about. Whether you love him for his classic, accomplished dishes or hate him for his controversial behaviour on The F Word, the man polarises opinions and everyone knows his name.

Gordon is the personification of the Sauvignon Blanc grape (shame Raymond Blanc didn't quite fit the bill!). In some areas, classic and understated. In others, loud and flamboyant. Both grape and chef are the marmite of their field: you either love them or hate them.

France's Loire Valley is Sauvignon's spiritual home - the villages of Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé being the most famous. This is where austerity, elegance and classic style comes in. In one of its holiday homes in Marlborough, New Zealand however, it is equally happy; putting on a bit of weight, getting a bit lary and turning the stereo up to the max. Two very different styles that people can't get enough of - or can't get fast enough away from!

Regardless of where it comes from, Sauvignon is arguably the most recognisable white grape variety, with it grassy flavours and super-distincitive aroma that its fans describe as elderflower, its dissenters as cat's pee. It's always first to be picked out of a line up.

Compare a few to see what camp you're in. Here's the trusty Tasting Tour to help guide you...

Wine Language Tasting Tour:
Start with a Sauvignon from Sancerre in France, then move onto one from Friuli in Italy for more weight. Next, move to Casablanca in cooler climate Chile to add some fruit and body, then go in for a Marlborough Sauvignon from New Zealand for general flamboyance. If you're feeling brave after that, for something quite different, try an oaked Sauvignon (often called Fumé blanc) from California!

Cin Cin,

Winebird x

The C word! Pammy & Jen do Chardonnay.

Do you remember how at school there were always about 15 people in your year with the same first name? The parents must have thought they were being quite original at the time, but there was clearly some subliminal advertising going on somewhere. In my year, it was Rachel: fat ones, skinny ones, bitchy ones, drippy ones, French ones, Italian ones; you name it! Variations on a theme of Rachel were popular the world over.

It was hard to work out how to feel about Rachels because just as I had decided I hated the name because of bully Rachel who smelt of wee, I met supermodel-in-training Rachel who had a perm and some older friends who could get into nightclubs. Suddenly, I wanted to name all my future children Rachel. Even the boys.

Well, Chardonnay is the wine version of Rachel. The myriad of different styles you can find worldwide can make it difficult to pin down your thoughts on it. After all, nearly every wine producing region in the world has a go at growing the Chardonnay grape! You may have been put off by some overly oaky, alcoholic fruit bombs in the past, only to discover that your white wine of choice – an unoaked and understated, super-dry offering - is also a Chardonnay. Chablis sound familiar, anyone? Yep. That's Chardonnay.

As styles of of this wine go, they move from the sublime to the ridiculous with arguably the greatest white wines in the world made from this grape. There are still however, some key elements that they all have in common: peachy-melon aromas and flavours and a fuller body than many other white varieties such as Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc.

Obviously, I can’t give the full spectrum of Chardy in this one page, but here is my Human Tasting Tour of 4 key styles to compare. They'll help you to get to know the grape better. If you can, spend a bit more per bottle as you go up the scale:

Human Wine Language Tasting Tour:
Chardonnay 1 - The Pamela Anderson. Big, buxom and bursting with fruit. Well-oaked with a sickly sweet edge and not a lot going on beneath the surface. Try a cheapy from California.

Chardonnay 2 – The Jennifer Aniston. Safe & reliable, with just enough fruit character and a full enough body to keep everyone happy. Try a mid-priced offering from South Africa or Chile.
Chardonnay 3 – The Gwyneth Paltrow. Understated, elegant and super dry with plenty going on upstairs. Celebrated the world over, there’s only one Gywneth Paltrow; there’s only one Chablis.
Chardonnay 4 – The Kate Winslet. A perfect blend of character, beauty and sophistication with plenty of complexity, body and a wide appeal. Another Oscar winning actress, she is the perfect cover-girl for top end White Burgundy.
I'm thirsty now.
Winebird x

I love Merlot in the springtime...♫♪

You know when when you just have a feeling that you're not supposed to admit to something? Fancing Michael Bublé for example, or Felicity Kendall (Digiboy!)? Secretly wishing 'Jedward' were still in the X-factor? Well, that's a little like enjoying Merlot these days.

The 'Sideways Effect' saw Pinot Noir surge in popularity while Merlot sales plummeted after the film Sideways came out in 2004. Here, our friendly protagonist Miles screams at one point "If anyone orders Merlot I'm leaving, I am NOT drinking any F***ing Merlot!" He's referring to the gallons of cheap, sugary, unsophisticated Merlot-based glug-glug that can be found all over the US and elsewhere. Since then, millions have been sheepish about ordering it. What the film doesn't tell you however, is that there are stunning Merlots made around the world and occacsionally, just occasionally, Merlot is used to make some of the finest wines on the planet. Check out Chateau Pétrus in Bordeaux. You see, There's no need for embarrasment!

For me and Digiboy, Merlot is the singer-in-the-band. It has a voice as smooth as silk that washes over you with chocolatey tones and is easy listening, uncomplicated and as familiar as your comfiest pyjamas. Sure, there may have been some bad press in the past, but the following is now right back to where it used to be. Could the poster-boy for the Merlot grape variety be... Frank Sinatra?

If you pay attention, you'll realise that like Merlot, Frank isn't the most technically skilled and complex example of his type as he essentially just talks his way through songs (contraversial - but just my personal opinion!) And just like Merlot again, he had bad press in the past, but the formula still works. The man is a legend, a classic and millions have bought his records. Frank is a Merlot man we can all admit to liking!

Merlot produces soft, easy drinking wines with juicy red fruit flavours. Like Frank, it is the crowd-pleaser.

Wine Language Tasting Tour:
Chances are, you won't want to spend the £800-£6000 a bottle for Chateau Pétrus imediately, so try a few Italian Merlots (eg from Veneto, Friuli & Tuscany) and then move on to Australia and Chile. Next, try a St Emilion Bordeaux (from the right bank of the river) and enjoy a whole world of difference!

Hasta la Pasta,

Winebird x

The pulling power of Pinot!

Digiboy made me laugh this week. His friend had called him up in a panic asking which wine he should go for on his hot date. 'I'm thinking Pinot as it's trendy', friend told him. 'Great', said DB, 'So what's the problem?' Friend replied 'Erm...what is it?'

Classic. There's much confusion around 'Pinot' in this country as in many pubs and bars if you ask for one, you are served a rather neutral Italian white wine. This my friends, is not the wine that all the fuss has been about. Oh no! This white wine is Pinot Grigio. 'Pinot' is generally used to refer to Pinot Noir; a delicate red grape that has the potential to produce incredible wine.

Pinot Noir is like a Tango (the dance, not the drink!). It's extremely complex and difficult to get right. When not done properly, it can be rather mediocre and awkward, but when conditions are right and the masters get hold of it, oh boy! It's the most elegant and intriguing thing you ever saw. Miles, the protaganist from the film Sideways sums it up well when he says that its flavours are "the most haunting and brilliant and thrilling and subtle and ancient on the planet".

If Pinot were a person, it would be Audrey Hepburn. Nuff said.

Pinot's spiritual home is Burgundy, France. Frustratingly, to get what the fuss is about, you often have to pay a lot of money and get something with a few years of age on it. That's when it's best. I wouldn't start in Burgundy though. Instead, I'd follow the tasting map below to get a good idea of what ths grape can do around the world. These have all become classic regions for Pinot in their own right. Some are made to mirror the Burgundian style and some aren't at all:

Wine Language Tasting Tour:
Start in Chile and then work your way to New Zealand. If you can find it, next try one from Russian River Valley in California or Oregon and then work up to Burgundy, France. (Note - you will not see Pinot Noir written on the label in Burgundy. If it says Bourgogne - which is French for 'Burgundy' - and it's a red wine, it's almost certainly a Pinot Noir.)

TTFN,

Winebird x

Cabernet Sauvignon - drunk by men with odd shaped balls...

Digiboy complained to me this week that tasting notes didn't mean anything to him yet, so how was he supposed to remember the various wine styles I gave last time? We started again with the key grape varieties and this is the first we (well, he!) came up with...

Cabernet Sauvignon is like a professional rugby player. Actually, it's like a team of rugby players! Here's why:

You can generally presume that all professional rugby players have certain elements in common: they are all full in body, fairly heavy, well-structured and their playing quality is generally going to be pretty good, no matter which country they play for. There are the Forwards that pack a bigger punch and are full and fruity, as well as the Backs who are more refined, lean and elegant. Then there is everything in between.

Cabernet is the wine version of this: full bodied, well structured with decent texture and heavier than most. It's pretty reliable from just about anywhere, although the style will vary slightly according to country and region. Remember my climate tip:

Hot = big and fruity!
Cool = elegant and restrained!

Here's my Wine Language Tasting Tour to help compare some Cabernets from different countries:

Start with Australia, then try a Southern French Vin De Pays, possibly followed by a Cabernet from Eastern Europe and finally, one from Bordeaux.

Bottom's up!

Winebird x
For more indepth information on classic red grape types, look here...

Teach me how to read a wine list!

With another client dinner looming, this was the first question DB (Digiboy) asked me on our very first winebird 'date'. Over several glasses of red, white & rosé, we tackled this question by first considering:

What do you fancy drinking?

A gutsy red? A steely white? If you don't want to just ask the waiter at this point, start with the grape. While styles can vary all over the world, the general flavour profiles of the various grape varieties will be very similar anywhere so, get to know a few of the famous ones.

Here are some simple pointers for the best-known RED GRAPES:

• Chunky, dark, full bodied and blackcurranty = Cabernet Sauvignon
• Soft, chocolately, juicy red fruit = Merlot
• Big, warming, peppery and jammy = Shiraz / Syrah (same thing!)
  
• Lighter bodied and fine, stewed spicy cherries = Pinot Noir
• Silky, concentrated, blueberry and plum = Malbec

And some WHITE GRAPES:

• Dry, grassy, elderflower, cat pee (and sometimes tropical fruit!) = Sauvignon Blanc
• Richer, ripe melon & buttery = Chardonnay
• Steely, dry, crisp and chalky = Chardonnay when it's a Chablis! (more on this later)
• Weighty, floral, peaches and orange blossom = Viognier
• Zesty, lime-citrus and rubber = Riesling

Easy, no? No, because as mentioned above, many labels show no mention of a grape! Instead, they are named after areas. As the area itself denotes a particular grape and style, you need to get to know these. Here are some well-known ones. Print them out and keep them in your wallet!

• Chablis -Chardonnay grape (yes it is!) Named after the village where it's produced in Northern France. Steely-dry, chalky and very elegant.

• Sancerre - Sauvignon Blanc grape. Named after a village in the Loire valley famous for this style of Sauvignon: grassy, elderflower, dry and crisp.   

• Chateauneuf-du-Pape - a blend of red grapes, usually Grenache, Syrah & Mourvedre. Named after the region in Southern France. Big, warming, Christmas cakey & figgy.  

• Chianti - Italian region, famous for red 'food' wines made from Sangiovese.

• Burgundy - French wine region famous for reds made from Pinot Noir and whites made from Chardonnay. Some of the very finest wines come from here but they're not cheap! 

• Bordeaux - Another French region famous for fine red blends dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Like Burgundy, you usually have to pay big bucks for the good stuff.  
•  
• Beaujolais - Another French region famous for very light, soft reds tasting of bubblegum and strawberry that are drunk young. Made with the Gamay grape.

• Rioja- Tempranillo grape often with lots of oak aging from the Spanish region of the same name. 

So, Grape and / or Area are generally the two most important pointers on labels, so start with these! The other elements is Producer or Brand Name. As you get more into wine, you'll probably start to pick up which producers are best from an area and which should be avoided.

• Producer is often written as Chateau X or Domaine de X or international versions of that such as Bodega (Spain) and Finca (Argentina).   
• Brand Name. Self explanatory. Check out Fat Bastard or Bob. 

**Style Tip: Hot Climates= Bigger, fruitier and often more alcoholic wines. Cool Climates = Leaner, more elegant, usually with less alcohol**

The examples above are highly generalised, but it doesn't help to go into too much detail too soon. Start with this and we can move on later!

Until next time,

Winebird x

p.s. (Try this great page from the 'winedoctor' for more info on grapes...)