£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