Booze Newz September 2010

Peter Morrell, Food and Drink Editor of AMG, continues his report on the liquid surprises and delights he meets on his travels. Here is a roundup of the highlights from the last four weeks

3rd September 2010

Award winning Anna De Codorniu Cava
If you’re a sparkling wine fan then you are in for a real Spanish treat this autumn.  From September 1st, Spain’s favourite sparkling wine, Anna de Codorníu Brut, will finally be available nationwide in the UK at Sainsbury’s priced at £9.99.

Well balanced and refreshing, Anna de Codorníu is a lively, sparkling wine with delicate aromas of tropical fruit and elegant citrus notes.  It is soft on the palate with fine bubbles and a persistent mousse.  The first cava to incorporate Chardonnay, ‘Anna’ is named after the Codorníu heiress who married the viticulturist Miquel Raventós in 1659.  Since then, the Raventós family has led Codorníu and Anna is now a world-renowned brand. Anna de Codorniu Brut is the most frequently awarded Cava in the prestigious International Wine Challenge competition, having won four medals in the last five years.    

Look for Anna in the new ‘Discovery’ section of Sainsbury’s wine aisle, aimed at a more confident, discerning wine consumer looking for interesting, authentic wines. It is ideal chilled as an aperitif, goes well with shellfish, olives and tapas or is equally delicious enjoyed on its own.

Martini Calorie Swap
That blast from the past, Martini, has re-emerged with news that you can enjoy a refreshing drink but cut down on your calorie intake at the same time. For example a white wine spritzer that weighs in at 186 calories can be swapped for a Martini Bianco and soda that contains only 105 calories.

If you stick to the advisory limit of 14 units per week for women you will save 1134 calories, that roughly equates to 155 minutes of work in the gym This goes up to more tha 250 minutes for men – so if you have a choice it really is a no brainer.

Draft House - Tower Bridge
Following the success of his Westbridge and Northcote locations, Charlie McVeigh, owner of Le Café Anglais, is launching The Draft House Tower Bridge (206-208 Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 2UP) on 14th September. The Draft House is a small group of public houses which aim to do for beer what our culture has done for food and wine over the past twenty years; namely, to showcase it by taking its provenance, cellaring and serving seriously. The Draft House ethos is simple, says McVeigh: “I wanted to provide a place that recaptured my idea of the perfect public house”.

The Draft House Tower Bridge will be the first in the UK to serve Stiegl Paracelsus “Zwickl”, a fresh and unfiltered lager that still contains the brewer’s yeast, and will be the first pub in London to offer Dogfish Head 60-Minute IPA on draft. Also available, from the city of Bamberg in Germany, is a distinctive Rauchbier, or ‘smoked beer’, that has been brewed at the city’s famed Schlenkerla Tavern beneath the cathedral since 1405. Its remarkable flavour is achieved by exposing the malt to the intense, aromatic smoke of burning beechwood logs at the Schlenkerla Malthouse. The Draft House also has an established relationship with Dublin’s Porterhouse Brewery and it will be adding Plain Porter to its existing range, which includes Porterhouse Red and Porterhouse Oyster Stout.

And as well as superior beer there’s also  a great selection of food. For more information visit www.drafthouse.co.uk

Celebrate Oktoberfest in London at the Bavarian Beerhouse
The original "Oktoberfest" started in Munich in 1810 and has become the largest People’s Fair in the world, attracting more than 6 million visitors a year. But now British Beer lovers no longer have to travel all the way to Munich to experience the famous Oktoberfest. From 16 September to 6 November 2010, the Bavarian Beerhouse is organising Oktoberfest in London, featuring Bavarian-style, entertainment and live music.

It has become something of an institution as this is the seventh consecutive year that “Oktoberfest in London” has been presented by the Bavarian Beerhouse. Since its humble beginnings in 2004, when it was two nights in a rented Asian restaurant, the event has turned into the biggest Bavarian beer festival in the UK and has since entertained more than 45.000 guests. This year “Oktoberfest in London” will last for eight weeks, which makes it the longest Oktoberfest in the World. www.bavarian-beerhouse.com

For your chance to win tickets to the opening on 16th September click here...

Wines from the Alsace
The Alsace in France is on its eastern border with Germany and the region quietly gets on with the job of producing some lovely, light and delicate wines. Probably the best-known grape type is Gewurztraminer, which yields delicious floral and fruity favourites. But close behind are dry Rieslings, Pinot Blancs and full-bodied Pinot Gris.

A favourite of mine is the Pinot Noir and I drink it chilled even though it’s a red. The whites pair well with Asian food and seafood. With Christmas coming up consider the sparkling Crémant d’Alsace, it’s a cheaper alternative to champagne but there is no loss of quality. www.alsacewines.co.uk

Jack Daniel’s is 160 year old
In celebration of Jack Daniel’s 160th Birthday, a limited edition commemorative bottle will be available this September, so fans of the much-loved Tennessee whiskey brand will be able to raise a toast to mark the special occasion. Whether it was a fire at the local courthouse that destroyed all the town documents, or just poor record keeping, but  no one  is really sure what day in September Mr. Jack was born. That’s why his birthday is celebrated all month long.

The unique design of this bottle makes it a perfect gift or commemorative keepsake for all those who appreciate both the legacy and the fine taste of Jack Daniel’s. Packaged in a square black bottle decorated with red accents and a smoky grey metallic foil, it contains 40 per cent ABV Tennessee whiskey, is available in the 70cl pack size and can be purchased from retailers, including Selfridges, starting from £24.99. In addition, the bottle features a neck tag with a unique reference number to enable purchasers to register their bottle on www.jackdaniels.com

The Wedding
My daughter’s wedding in early August required a large amount of booze to satisfy the 100 guests, peaking at 160 in the evening. Although all the alcohol was free for the entire day to everyone’s credit nobody got noticeably drunk and there were a lot of bottles left over. The final tally was 60 bottles of Cava and Champagne, 80 bottles of Rioja, 80 bottles of Sauvignon Blanc, 12 bottles of Rose, 600 cans of lager, ale and cider and 50 litres of Pimms. I had banned the vodka luge and spirits on the grounds of public safety. A London Route Master bus to get people to the venue and two coaches and a fleet of taxis at the end ensured that no-one mixed drinking and driving and everyone got home safely.

Next Month
I will be going to Denmark to enjoy probably the best lager in the world, tasting wine from Victoria in Australia at an event that was cancelled due to the snow last winter, trying Malaysian Beer at the Night Hawker Market in Trafalgar Square and sampling German beer at Oktoberfest.
 

Booze Newz August 2010

Peter Morrell, Food and Drink Editor of AMG, continues his report on the liquid surprises and delights he meets on his travels. Here is a roundup of the highlights from the last four weeks

5th August 2010

Louis Jadot Beaujolais Village 2009
Another action packed month of alcohol related activity has passed, including ordering the drinks for my daughter’s wedding, but more of that next month. I will kick off with a drop of summer luxury, the Louis Jadot Beaujolais Village 2009. Silky smooth and packed with the red berry flavours of summer it has a perfumed bouquet with hints of spice on the palate and in the aftertaste.  The ideal drink to enjoy with French cheese and charcuterie.

A perfect companion is wild boar salami from the Cotswolds, made by the Real Boar Company, there’s more about this in this month’s Food Newz column. Louis Jadot’s classic summer special is available from Waitrose, Tesco, Budgens, Booths and many independent retailers with an RRP of £9.09.

Mack – The World’s Northernmost Brewery

Hundreds of kilometres inside the Arctic Circle is the city of Tromso, a picture perfect place surrounded by snow-capped mountains and, in the summer, perpetual sunlight. This is the polar summer and your body refuses to get tired, so with those never ending evenings something good to drink is a must.

This is well provided for by the city’s Mack Brewery that has been keeping the good people of Northern Norway amply supplied with a wide range of beers since 1877.  The range includes the popular pilsner which is brewed under the Reinheitsgebot, the German purity laws. Even the water used to make the beer is bottled separately and sold under the brand name Arctic Water.

I tried several different types of Mack beer and finally settled on their Bayer. Deep red in colour, it has a delicious malt and hop taste. I am trying to track down a supplier in the UK.  If you do go to Tromso then seek out Mack’s ‘Brewery Tap’ Olhallen. Here you will find all the Mack beers on offer and some genuine old fashioned decor including stuffed Polar Bears.

For more about Mack Beer go to www.mack.no and more about Norway and the Tromso area visit www.VisitNorway.co.uk and www.VisitNorthNorway.com

In the Pink – Again
Our Editor has been down in Portugal again and on the way back picked up another bottle of the luscious Croft Pink Port at Faro airport. After meeting the owners and inventers of Croft Pink recently she has decided to adopt this port as the official office favourite. Here is a great summer cocktail - Bubbles and Pink, take 9cl Croft Pink,12cl Sparkling wine, 1.5cl Cointreau, a dash or two of bitters and a twist of lemon to garnish. Pour all the ingredients into a Champagne flute, stir and garnish.

A new interactive website for Croft Pink has just been launched to encourage consumers to upload videos and images showing Croft Pink drinking occasions.  Go to http://www.yourpinkmoment.com and share your Croft Pink moments together.

Linie Aquavit
Back to the Norwegian theme, I did get a spectacular view of the midnight sun while in Norway. A group of us stood on a promontory watching the sun kiss the horizon before making its climb back into the sky. We toasted this phenomenon of nature with a Mack Pilsner beer and a glass of Linie Aqauvit. Aquavit is Norway’s ‘Water of Life’, a delicious digestif that is a spirit flavoured with a range of herbs and spices.

The word ‘Linie’ means line and it denotes that the drink has crossed the Equator twice in old sherry casks. This was an accidental discovery with some Aquavit returned from Australia, when it arrived back it had a deeper, richer flavour. So now all Linie Aquavit is shipped to the southern hemisphere and back to give it its unique taste. You can buy Linie Aquavit at www.thedrinkshop.com

Graham Beck Wines
A recent reception at the South African Embassy in London gave me the opportunity to sample some wines from the Country’s Graham Beck vineyards. There was a world class sparkling Brut NV that was dry, crisp and biscuity and a Shiraz showing an array of cane fruit in the bouquet with a peppery palate and aftertaste.

The wines were all typical examples of the quality that comes from the vineyards outside Cape Town. Graham Beck wines are available at all good supermarkets and wine merchants

Mission Hill Wine
At the recent Canada Day celebrations in Trafalgar Square I was drinking a wine that I have written about in the past from the Mission Hill vineyard in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia - The 2004 Syrah. This is velvet smooth with a deep red colour that is reflected in the red summer fruits and blackberry notes. It’s peppery on the palate with drying, satisfying tannins. Look out for Mission Hill wines at specialist wine suppliers.

Soju – Korea’s National Drink
At a recent event to promote tourism to Korea I was introduced Soju is a distilled liquor that is the nation drink of Korea. More than 3 billion bottles of Soju are drunk in Korea each year.  This is unlike Sake which is brewed rather than distilled and it can be made with ingredients other than rice.

Soju is drunk from shot glasses and there is a lot of ceremony and etiquette involved when drinking it in a group, for example you should not fill your own glass. It is very good, dry with a lot of flavour, if you are in a Korean restaurant, there is one in Soho called Soju, then I can recommend that you try it.

Three Champagne growers offer tourists the opportunity to harvest grapes

Like every year come September, the champagne houses in Côte des Bar, a region in the south of the department on the borders of Champagne and Burgundy, will be bubbling with activity. At this time, three winegrowers welcome tourists into their estates and offer to initiate them into the magic moment of the grape harvest that gives birth to the King of Wines.

The day starts with a serious breakfast before setting out under the leadership of a foreman for one of the estate's parcels of vines. There, in the company of professional pickers, participants are initiated into picking grapes by hand which isn't as easy as it looks. But don’t worry, pickers with only a day’s experience won’t be expected to fill their baskets!

At about midday, everyone returns to the estate for one of those friendly lunches that have so forged the grape harvest’s reputation. In the afternoon the “pros” return to the vines, while the amateurs, guided by the boss, visit the cellars and the bubbling presses. There they learn all about the work of pressing before moving on to the most appreciated stage: tasting the champagne. At the end of the day, everyone leaves with a sparkling gift.

Contact Champagne G. de Barfontarc, g.de.barfontarc@wanadoo.fr; Champagne R. Dumont & Fils, www.champagnedumont.fr; Champagne Veuve Doussot, www.champagneveuvedoussot.com

Next Month
Next month I will be writing some more about Californian wine. There will also be some more on Canadian wines, this time from Nova Scotia. There will also be a blow by blow account of the drinking antics at my daughter’s wedding. The amounts of booze ordered are prodigious and include 48 litres of Pimms. I am sure that as I walk up the aisle of life some surprise bottles will magically appear.

As always, enjoy your drinking but please drink responsibly. Visit http://www.drinkaware.co.uk
 

Booze Newz July 2010

Peter Morrell, Food and Drink Editor of AMG, continues his report on the liquid surprises and delights he meets on his travels. Here is a roundup of the highlights from the last four weeks

2nd July 2010

Beer for Women during the World Cup
Thinking about writing this column last week, I was going to suggest some beers for Women to drink during the World Cup, to toast our glorious victory over Germany. Unfortunately it’s now the morning after the night before, so instead here are my suggestions for some suitable tipples to drown your sorrows.  I have written before about Kasteel Cru, a beer brewed with champagne yeast. It is available in both white and rosé versions and has a highly sophisticated taste. Or what about Blue Moon, a wheat beer from the U.S. with hints of orange peel and coriander and, if you are watching your weight, the low cal Coors Light. For more about beers for Women visit www.bittersweetpartnership.co.uk

Codorníu Clásico 1872 Rosado
After discharging my Father of the Bride duties last month by tasting the Codorníu Clásico 1872 Brut this month I have been sampling the Codorníu Clásico 1872 Rosado cava. This is another winner with the blend of Monastrell and Garnacha grapes giving some lovely citrus notes with light, red berry flavours, making it a perfect aperitif to quaff on the lawn before the Wedding Breakfast. The great thing as well is that during July it is reduced at the Co-op from £8.99 to £5.99, a beautiful drink at a beautiful price.

Journey’s End
Sounds like a fitting name at the moment for a wine from South Africa, but it is, in fact, just the thing to cheer us up. Readers of my Travel News column may remember a piece in March about some luxury cottages on the Journey’s End estate in the wine lands of Stellenbosch just outside Cape Town. Well this month I have tried a bottle of wine from the estate and it is as lovely as the surroundings that it is grown in. The wine was the 2007 Bluegum Merlot. The name is derived from the surrounding trees. Silky smooth and showing its class after 18 months in French oak barrels, it is a rich combination of spicy cedar mixed with dark red fruit berry flavours with a long and satisfying finish. Available from Bibendum Wine www.bibendum-wine.co.uk

Black Moth Vodka
I recently stumbled across a really unique drink, Black Moth vodka. It is infused with black truffles which give it a very sophisticated and unusual flavour. Black Moth is the result of a collaboration between Paul Amin and truffle expert Paul Thomas, who some may remember from his Dragon’s Den appearance. This is a drink that is great on its own and also works well as a cocktail base. To create some memorable drinks the inventors have employed the skills of expert mixologist Johann Svensson. Here is the recipe for his delicious English Summer Cobbler. Take 40ml Black Moth vodka, 20ml Tio Pepe dry sherry, juice form 2 orange wedges and 10ml sugar syrup. Mix all of the ingredients together in the cocktail shaker, serve over cracked ice in a large tumbler and garnish with summer fruits. For more cocktail recipes and to buy go to www.blackmothvodka.com

African Mishale Brandy
Staying with the South African theme I have recently tried Mishale Brandy, made by KWV, one of World’s largest producers. This is a super smooth drink with very strong toffee and caramel notes.  A real treat on its own or you can try it as a cocktail. Here is a suggestion from London barman Gerry Calabrese of the ‘Hoxton Pony’. Take 50 ml African Mishale Brandy, 10 ml Fresh lime juice, 2 spoons of Vanilla sugar or 10 ml Vanilla Syrup and 80 ml fresh apple juice. Shake with ice and strain into a Highball glass containing ice, top up with a dash of Ginger Beer and garnish with a slice of Star fruit. This cocktail is a real summer special.  African Mishale is available from branches of Wine Rack Stores and, until 18th July, there is £4.00 off so it is an incredible £9.49, a snip for a brandy of this quality.  www.winerack.co.uk

Chang Beer
You may have seen the beautifully decorated elephants that have recently been decorating the streets of London. One of the most striking elephants, sponsored by Chang Beer, called Cha-Chang, was created by Turdsak Piromkraipak based on a Batik design. I met with Cha-Chang recently at the Taste of London festival and had an opportunity to sample Chang Beer. As the beer is produced in Thailand it is brewed perfectly to go with South East Asian food. It is well balanced with a hint of hops and fruit. We will be running a competition for some Chang Beer and other goodies soon so keep a look out for your chance to sample this Thai classic. www.changbeer.com

Sonoma-Cutrer Chandonnay 2006
And now over to California for something quite special. The Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay 2006 is in a class of its own, boasting a host of medals and awards, and it’s easy to taste why. Strong tropical fruit flavours of melon and citrus on the nose with dancing light oak and fruit flavours on the palate all backed up with a long and satisfying finish.  Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay is barrel aged in French oak for at least 18 months, which provides its complexity. The vineyard itself is something of a legend in the U.S. and now you have the chance to taste the wine in the UK. Available from Waitrose and other good wine suppliers for £14.99 or less.

Wines from the Languedoc
As I have written before, the Languedoc region of France never gets the full recognition that it deserves for its wines, despite massive improvements in the vineyards and the methods of production. Although the wines are available in supermarkets, good examples of single estate wines from small producers are still hard to come by. I was therefore pleased to meet a company recently that is concentrating on buying and importing wines direct from vineyards in the Languedoc region. Sanglier Wines has been founded by Frances Keane who is very knowledgeable about the area. You can buy direct from the web site or arrange a tasting evening with some friends. For more visit www.sanglier-wines.co.uk

Bar News
News that the Scottish bar and restaurant in Trafalgar Square Albannach has acquired a bottle of Balvenie Cask 191, made in 1952. Dubbed the ‘Albannach Treasure’ this is for the real connoisseur at £750 for a double, but don’t be put off because Albannach has got a whole range of reasonably priced single malts that you can sip and enjoy, I have been to the bar and had a great time. www.albannach.co.uk

All Bar One has just started its third annual Rosé festival with a range of summer wines to savour during the warm weather. The festival will run for as long as stocks last. www.allbarone.co.uk

Bjorn van der Horst’s Eastside Inn has launched a new bar. The Clerkenwell restaurant has just unveiled a new lounge to complement the restaurant. The new bar has a chic and sophisticated feel - imagine Mad Men meets Clerkenwell, with a twist of Parisian understatement thrown in.  www.esilondon.com

Next Month
There will be something of a Canadian flavour next month with the chance to sample Mission Hill wines from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, wines from Nova Scotia and Sleemans beer. There will be a tasting report on Soju, Korea’s equivalent of Sake and I will be trying Mack Beer in Tromso Norway, at 300 kilometres inside the Arctic Circle, it is the world’s northernmost brewer. And, as ever, the occasional bottle will parachute down from the sky that is called life and land conveniently on a table in front of me.

 

Booze Newz June 2010

Peter Morrell, Food and Drink Editor of AMG, continues his report on the liquid surprises and delights he meets on his travels. Here is a roundup of the highlights from the last four weeks

3rd June 2010

A Happy Father of the Bride
Well this has been another month jam packed with alcoholic adventures so let’s start with some fizz. With my elder daughter’s wedding now only a couple of months away final decisions are being taken, and one has been to serve Cava at the drinks reception. And, as Father of the Bride, I feel it is my duty to do some tasting.  This month I have tried the impressive Codorníu Clásico 1872 Brut. This is an ultra dry, apple and citrus beauty with floral notes that will soon get the conversation flowing. Don’t tell anyone but during June there is £3.00 off at the Co-op, so it’s an incredible £5.99. Am I happy? Do jumbos fly?

Sex and the City Cocktails
This month SATC has been all the rage and that includes on the drinks scene. Albannach the Scottish Bar and Restaurant in Trafalgar Square has come up with some very special cocktails for the girls. Try a twist on Carrie’s favourite, a mix of whiskey, grenadine and lemon juice or how about a Big Apple treat of Bourbon Whisky, Amaretto, Apple Schnapps and Cranberry Juice, just right for Miranda. I have been to a reception at Albannach and it is a great place to go. To find out about these and many more cocktails and events visit www.albannach.co.uk

And another SATC cocktail that you may want to try is the Summer Charlotte. Make a Pimms, but instead of lemonade add Kasteel Cru, the beer made with champagne yeast, and add a dash of Strawberry Bols. For more cocktails like this visit www.bittersweetpartnership.com, the website devoted to promoting beer drinking for women.

Hendrick’s Gin – A Curiously Interesting Job
I shall be writing at more length during the month about a strangely good gin, hand crafted in Scotland called Hendrick’s. I tried it recently at Jo Wood’s pop up restaurant event Mrs Paisley’s Lashings and it really is quite unique. At the moment Hendrick’s has got one of the UK’s most unusual jobs on offer, steward on their horseless carriage of curiosities. The carriage is stuffed with weird and wonderful objects and will tour summer festivals this year. For more information and details on how to apply visit www.hendrickshorselesscarriage.com

Californian Wine
Following on from my comments last month about Californian food and wine pairing, I have been sampling the Dawson Creek 2004 Chardonnay. This is a rich buttery wine, with tropical fruit but shot through with a hint of citrus. Whatever dish takes your fancy this spring, just remember that a Californian touch with the wine choice will open up an array of options guaranteed to please the palate. For more information on California Wines visit www.discovercaliforniawine.com

Croft Pink Port
For the Valentine day edition of Booze Newz last year I wrote about Croft Pink Port and how we had to surgically remove the bottle we were sampling from our Editor’s hand. Well about a month ago she not only visited the place where Croft Pink is made, in Vila Nova De Gaia, but also met the inventors.  Although she thoroughly enjoyed sipping an aperitif of Croft Pink over ice, while overlooking the Porto vineyards, her time on the Taylor’s estate was unfortunately cut short by a reappearance of the volcanic ash cloud which meant a dash to Lisbon airport. So here in memory of what might have been is the aptly named Runaway cocktail, take 4cl of Calvados, 1.5cl of Benedictine, 3cl of Croft Pink, 1.5cl of lemon juice and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters. Put in a shaker with ice and then strain into a chilled cocktail glass, Saúde! For more Croft Pink based cocktails visit www.croftpink.com

Israeli Wine
The Israeli Embassy in London recently brought together a large collection of Israeli winemakers to give the UK market an appreciation of how their industry was developing. And there were some very sophisticated wines on show. Our old friends Rimon were there with their pomegranate wine and there are two other producers I would like to mention. The first is the Tulip Winery based in KFar Tikva, the‘Village of Hope’ a residential community for people with special needs who are employed at the winery. Their White Tulip 2008 is unique, a blend of Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc. The second producer is Tishbi, making vegan approved wine with handpicked grapes. Their Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 with 7% Petit Verdot was packed with red berry fruit. This wine is available in the UK from www.greenborders.co.uk

Home Draught for the World Cup
Three of the UK's favourite beers Carling, Coors Light and Grolsch are now available in special ten-pint draught dispensers. The packaging is specially designed to fit in the fridge and using a CO2 cartridge will deliver a perfect pint. Once open the beer keeps fresh for 30 days, if you can make it last that long. The dispensers are available now from all good supermarkets. For more information go to www.homedraught.com

The Bar Wizards
I was on the ‘Deck’, the rooftop terrace at the National Theatre recently to hear about the good works of the Newman’s Own Foundation, who distribute all the profits of Newman’s Own dressings and marinades to charity, an incredible $300million to date. Apart from Hugh Grant who was in the crowd the entertainment was provided by the Bar Wizards of Britain’s Got Talent fame. The two Wizards are Neil Lowrey and Neil Garner and they juggle, throw and spin bottles, cocktail shakers, cans in a way that make you have to pinch yourself. Their performance is pure genius and these guys have entertained everyone from the Queen to the Beckhams. They have also recently opened the Bar Wizards Lounge in Littleborough, Lancashire. For more on the Bar Wizards and the Lounge visit www.barwizards.net

The Real Food Festival
There was a plethora of interesting drinks at the Real Food Festival, at Earls Court last month and I will just pick out a couple worthy of note. The first is a sparkling from Meopham Valley Vineyard in Kent. The 2007 is made with the Reichensteiner grape and is beautifully dry with a light clean taste and subtle herb and floral notes. A snip online for £15.00 visit www.meophamvalleyvineyard.com. The second, not available in the UK yet is the Liberation Ale from the Jersey Brewery. It has some lovely citrus flavours and is not too bitter, so come on you beer distributors get this available on the mainland. Visit www.liberationgroup.com

Next Month
I will be reporting in more depth on Hendrick’s Gin, saying something about Hanoi Beer from Vietnam, may put in a bit more about Pimms, as ‘The Season’ is nearly upon us and as ever tripping over that upturned mat of life with bottle written on it.

As always, enjoy your drinking but please drink responsibly. Visit http://www.drinkaware.co.uk

Booze Newz March 2010

Peter Morrell, Food and Drink Editor of AMG, continues his report on the liquid surprises and delights he meets on his travels. Here is a roundup of the highlights from the last four weeks.

1st March 2010

Dion St Pauls
Well what a busy month February turned out to be and this month I am going to start with a bar rather than a drink. In prime position and with stunning views of St Pauls Cathedral, Dion is a bar with a real buzz. As well being the only place, apart from the Dorchester, to have a room sponsored by Krug Champagne, it also has a great wine list and some very good food.

When I paid a visit recently, I sampled a couple of the wines. First off was a French Macon Villages, Chedeville, 2008, a juicy, soft Chardonnay with peach, melon, apple and a wave of citrus. Next was the South African Grootepost, Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007. This would not have been out of place in the tasting room of a Bordeaux Chateau. Soft, smooth and accessible red berry fruit and dark spicy notes, it was a lovely drink.

If you go to Dion on a Wednesday evening you will be doubly rewarded as it’s the night that the sensational resident soul band, The AllStars play. www.dionlondon.co.uk/dion_stpauls.htm

Here for the Beer
At a recent reception hosted by the South Korean Tourist Organisation I tasted Hite, one of the country’s leading beers. It has a dazzling white head and, as very aromatic hops are used in the brew, a distinct bouquet. Light on the palate, you could drink this all night and if you are having a Korean meal it is a great companion to Korea's national dish, Kimchi, pickled and spiced cabbage with other vegetables, try it, it's addictive.

One of my favourite Belgian beers is Duvel, which, by the way, is Flemish for Devil. It's a rare treat and I would recommend you try it but at 8.7% alcohol make sure you are sitting down. The news this month is that the Duvel Brewery has extended its range with the acquisition the Liefmans Brewery of Oudenaarde in Flanders. www.duvel.be

Liefmans has developed Liefmans’ Fruit. It is based on older brother Liefmans Cuvée Brut (formerly Liefmans Kriek), a famous brown beer brewed just once a year and left to mature for 18 months on fresh, whole cherries. The new beer is then blended with the fresh, natural fruit juices of strawberry, raspberry, cherry, elderberry and bilberry, before being crown-capped. The result is a highly refreshing fruit beer that is delightfully sweet, with the sparkle of Champagne and the freshness of a nicely chilled glass of wine. Both Duvel and Fruit are available from Waitrose. www.liefmans.be

And sticking with the beer theme, a fun night out with some great beers to boot can be had at the Bavarian Beerhouse. I went along recently to sample the beer and the huge portions of Bavarian food, to read the review click here... If you are a fan of German beer then this place is a must. www.bavarian-beerhouse.com

Villa Maria Private Bin 2008 Pinot Noir 2008
With winter still showing no signs of loosening its grip comfort food, accompanied by a glass of robust red wine, is just the thing to keep us going. So with Pies and Pastas, Casseroles and Chilli Con Carnes firmly on the menu, what better than to pair them with Villa Maria’s Pinot Noir?

Lovely ripe cherry and raspberry flavours with delicate spicy undertones combine to produce a smooth and satisfying partner to your winter warmer dishes. Look out for this wine at Sainsburys, Tesco and The Co-op, RRP £9.99

Make your own Cider at Brogdale Farm
If you enjoy drinking cider, you’ll love learning to make your own. Now you can do just that at Brogdale Farm Faversham, home of the National Fruit Collection which, for the first time, is running an Introduction to Cider Making
 
The one-day course, on either Saturday, 29 May or Saturday, 19 June, is being led by Simon Reed, Co-Producer of Rough Old Wife Cider from Canterbury, Kent. It will cover the history of cider-making, the varieties of apples and pears to use, the equipment you will need and techniques for milling, pressing, fermentation, bottling and storage. Students will also get a chance to press and mash to produce their own juice for cider.

Both courses run from 10am to 4.30pm. The cost of £75 includes a light lunch and refreshments. To book a place, contact Brogdale Collections on 01795 536250

Dickens Delight
I recently ended up sat in a cell, complete with loo, in a Central London court. This wasn’t through any wrong-doing on my part, I was having a drink in the bar of the Courthouse Hotel, the carefully refurbished Great Marlborough Street Magistrates court which in the past has seen Mick Jagger, Keith Richard, Christine Keeler and John Lennon pass through its doors in less salubrious circumstances. www.courthouse-hotel.com

I was enjoying a Dickens Delight cocktail, named in homage to Charles D, a one-time court reporter there. The cocktail was delicious mix of muddled limes, Captain Morgan rum, a dash of our old favourite, Sailor Jerry, topped up with Ginger Ale and a cinnamon quill as a swizzle stick. For a review  of Silk, the restaurant at the Courthouse, click here...

Cockburns Late Bottled Port for Mother’s Day
To give your Mum a real surprise this Mother's Day why not treat her to a bottle of Cockburn’s Late Bottled Vintage 2004 port which pairs fantastically with an 18-hour slow cooked Easter lamb recipe that has been created by Steve Bulmer, head chef at Brook Hall Cookery School

This melt-in-the-mouth lamb is satisfyingly rich, and virtually cooks itself, making it the perfect dish for Easter Sunday lunch.  Pairing it with this full and fruity port really complements the sumptuous taste of the lamb.  The port’s hints of cherry and dark chocolate on the palate will further enhance the depth of the dish, whilst its complex character will leave your taste buds tingling. To download the recipe click here...

Coole Swan - For when the Guinness runs out on St Patrick's Day
When you have drunk all the Guinness on St Patrick's Day, 17th March, here is a drop of real Irish indulgence. Coole Swan Superior Dairy Cream and Liqueur is the only Irish Cream Liqueur that includes Single Malt Irish Whiskey and real chocolate.  It is a seriously delicious tasting, luxuriously textured liqueur – crafted from the finest quality, natural ingredients such as bittersweet cocoa from the Cote d’Ivoire to Madagascan vanilla and Irish cream..

Coole Swan was awarded the “World’s Best Liqueur” and “Double Gold” at the 2009 World Spirit Competition in San Fransisco.  This is the first time a cream liqueur has won the award. Coole Swan is available in the UK at Selfridges, Harrods and Fortnum & Mason. www.cooleswan.com

Next Month
I will be visiting Philadelphia (BA Cabin Crew permitting) in early March, once known as the greatest brewing city in the Western Hemisphere, and now home to many craft brewers. Philly is also the capital of Pennsylvania, one of the best producers of wine in the U.S,. so there will be some wine and beer news from State-side. Will also be taking a look at Mestizo, the Mexican restaurant and Tequila Bar, near Warren Street tube and also reporting on any other bottle that may need to make an emergency landing on the airstrip that I call life.

As always, enjoy your drinking but please drink responsibly. Visit http://www.drinkaware.co.uk

Booze Newz February

Peter Morrell, Food and Drink Editor of AMG, continues his report on the liquid surprises and delights he meets on his travels. Here is a roundup of the highlights from the last four weeks.

3rd February 2010

Chapel Down from the UK
As a philosopher once said, “The road to hell is paved with good intention” and so it has been during January. My New Year resolution of having some nights on the wagon has been derailed by the temptations of the demon alcohol. So let’s start with a couple of drinks being served at a recent event promoting tourism in South East England (www.visitsoutheastengland.com). The first was a sparkling from the Chapel Down vineyard in Tenterden, Kent (www.englishwinesgroup.co.uk), the Brut NV. This is a very classy wine, dry, with a toasty palate, it could easily give a good Champagne a run for its money

Hole Hearted
The other was a beer, called Hole Hearted from the Oakleaf Brewery (www.oakleafbrewing.co.uk) in Gosport. Consistent winner of the Champion Beer of Hampshire award, Hole Hearted is brewed with Cascade Hops to produce a powerful, floral and fruity beer that’s made for sipping and enjoying, a real treat.

Columba Beer
And while on the subject of beer, I had dinner in Edward’s Restaurant (www.edwards-restaurant.co.uk) in Bromley a couple of weeks ago, little brother to the well established Joanna’s in Crystal Palace, it was very good indeed. We had a drink in the bar before the meal and tried the Columba Beer,  a brew from the Pietra brewery on the Island of Corsica. It’s an unpasteurised wheat beer that gets its  totally unique flavour from the Corsican herbs steeped in the wort before it ferments. A slightly mysterious taste, and well worth trying - available from www.beersofeurope.co.uk

Egyptian Wine
To carry on in philosophical mode, and as Rabbie Burns said to the wee timorous beastie, "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men, gang aft agley". And so it was with my plans to taste both U.S. and Australian wines during January, the weather did its best to keep me sober. However, the snow couldn’t stop me getting to Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt last week and some samplings of Egyptian wine.

Obelisk, Omar Khayam and Sherazade are three reasonably priced local brands, I stuck to the reds and they are all quite palatable, although given the climate and the ‘terroire’ they will never have the complexity of old world reds. The predominant grape in the red wine is Cabernet Sauvignon and it produces satisfying aromas and flavours on the palate. Blackcurrant and red stone fruit predominate with hints of spice and leather and the overall effect is very smooth and matches well with the excellent Egyptian food on offer. If you visit the country expect to pay £10-£15 a bottle in a mid range restaurant and around £7 in a (rare) off licence.

Egyptian Beer
Also a plug for the local Stella beer. It’s a pilsner style and has been owned by Heineken since 2002. It started life in 1897, dry and thirst quenching, it is not unlike Almaza, the top Lebanese brand and also in the Heineken stable.

Valentines Day
Well love is in the air again with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, so here are a few suggestions for the big day.

Jansz, Premium Rosé
If you want to deliver a romantic surprise to your loved one then why not get a bottle of Jansz Sparkling Premium Rosé delivered to their door. Coming from the Jansz vineyard in Tasmania's Pipers River region, known simply as 'Sparkling Tasmania', this NV Rosé is a delicate yet vibrant pink, with a tantalising rose petal nose and a rich, creamy palate. The Pinot Noir gives it deliciously ripe strawberry flavours that fill the palate and give real length to the wine. The fresh, natural acidity provides balance and a crisp, refreshing finish. The delivered package comes complete with personal message and can be ordered from www.thewinegrapevine.co.uk for £20 including delivery

The Adam and Eve Martini
Akvinta is the Mediterranean's first luxury vodka, made in Imotski, Croatia in the foothills of the Dinaric Alps from organic Italian wheat wpirit and Dalmatian wpring water. Akvinta has a light lemon nose, appealing sweetness, luxurious round mouth-feel and a gloriously smooth finish. In fact just the thing to use as the basis for a Valentine Day cocktail, so here is a recipe for the Adam and Eve Martini.

Take 1.5 oz  of Akvinta vodka, 1/4 oz of Grand Marnier, 1.5 oz of apple juice, 1 oz of blood orange juice and two figs. Muddle the figs with the apple juice in a Boston glass (shaker), then shake with ice and the rest of the ingredients. Garnish with a slice of apple and fig. Akvinta is available from www.thedrinkshop.com

Harvey’s Pedro Ximenez Sherry
If romance was bottled then it would probably be Harvey’s Pedro Ximenez sherry. This is a deliciously decadent drink that will match perfectly with the dessert of your Valentine’s Day dinner. Think bitter chocolate mousse or sticky toffee pudding to pair with this.

Pedro Ximenez is made from the grape of the same name in Harvey’s own bodegas around Jerez is Spain to the traditional method of Solera where sherries from different years are carefully blended so that the average age of the wine is more than 30 years. In fact the Solera for this sherry was born in 1919 and is still going strong. It has got the distinction of the VORS certification (Very Old Rare Sherry)

The result is an incredibly smooth and complex drink, mahogany brown and literally bursting with the flavour of sun dried raisins, figs and spices. For your taste of romance get along to Waitrose who are the exclusive U.K. stockists of this heavenly nectar. The 50cl bottle is £19.99.

Next Month
Next month I will be visiting the Bavarian Beerhouse near Old Street tube to try some traditional German beers, hoping to reschedule the tasting of Australian wine, trying a Dickens Delight cocktail in the old Great Marlborough Street Court House (now the Court House Hotel) where Charles D was a reporter, enjoying a glass of draught Leffe Brun in the Old Crown on New Oxford Street and sampling other liquid delights that seem to materialise like a delivery from the Starship Enterprise.
 

Booze Newz

Peter Morrell, Food and Drink Editor of AMG, continues his report on the liquid surprises and delights he meets on his travels. Here is a roundup of the highlights from the last four weeks.

5th January 2010

Well, after the festive season, where do I start? So many new tastes and aromas, the only pity is that it’s all over for another year.

Chimay Beers
Let’s begin with a range of beers that are real winter warmers and perfect for the current weather. Chimay is brewed by Trappist Monks at Scourmont Abbey in the Southern Belgian town with the same name as the beer There are three types to choose from: the Rouge, at 7 per cent , is dark brown with a sweet fruity/nutty taste; the Blanche, at 8 per cent, is very dry with a strong hoppy flavour and the Bleue, at a whopping 9 per cent,  is considered by many to be the classic version of what is one of the best beers in the World. This latter ‘Grand Réserve’ has a fruit and spice aroma that is very pronounced on the palette. Drink it now or leave it for a few years, as it will mature like a fine wine. Chimay is available from good supermarkets at around £1.90 a bottle or less. www.chimay.com

Hardys in a FreshCase
Now for some wine news.  I held an informal tasting on New Year’s Eve of two Hardy’s Nottage Hill Australian wines that now come in a unique new wine box called Freshcase (www.freshcase.co.uk). The Hardy’s red was a Cabernet Shiraz 2007 and delivered all that you would expect, luscious blackcurrant and plum flavours with a vanilla and spice palate and finish. The white was a classy Chardonnay 2008 and showed rich tropical fruit with a subtle oaky taste and finish. The verdict of the tasting panel was resoundingly positive. We also liked the elongated box shape that allowed the white to fit neatly into the fridge while containing the equivalent of three bottles. The wine lasts for six weeks once opened and will ease the conscience of the eco warriors amongst you with the knowledge that three glass bottles have not been carted across the World. The Freshcase boxes are available from Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and other leading supermarkets for under £20

Lebanese Wine at Laya'Lina
In mid December I reviewed an excellent Lebanese restaurant in Beauchamp Place, Knightsbridge called Laya’Lina. One of the highlights of the meal was the wine that is produced in the Bekaa Valley in the Lebanon at the Clos St Thomas vineyard (www.closstthomas.com). My dining companion’s 2007 white was a fresh well constructed wine, rich and fruity while my 2003 red, ‘Les Gourmets’, was as smooth as silk, well balanced and packed with stone fruit flavours. They were priced on the wine list at £15 a bottle, an absolute snip for wine of this calibre. I think that we will be seeing a lot more wine from the Lebanon if this is representative of the quality. To read the review of Laya'Lina click here...

Buck's Fizz and Sailor Jerry
Breakfast on Christmas morning saw a new twist on an old favourite. My daughter cooked bacon and scrambled egg with brioche accompanied by a Buck’s Fizz but made with Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava and pomegranate juice -  a perfect start to the big day. Another drink that really caught the imagination during the festivities in our house was Sailor Jerry, Caribbean Rum with the essence of spices, vanilla and lime. Try it Cuba Libra style with Coke, lime and ice or just on its own the rocks. Check out their web site www.sailorjerry.co.uk for pictures of some classic tattoos by Norman ‘Sailor Jerry’ Collins and more cocktails.

Disaronno Cocktails
And while we are on the subject of cocktails, here is a winter treat, from award winning mixologist, Ben Reed, called the Seasonal Spice. It's made with one of my favourite drinks, Disaronno, the classic Italian liqueur, flavoured with herbs and fruits soaked in apricot kernel oil. Mix 50ml Disaronno Amaretto, 100ml milk, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 vanilla pod, 1 star anise and a tablespoon of caster sugar in a saucepan. Warm over a low heat until the desired temperature has been reached, stirring constantly. Take care not to allow the mixture to boil. Pour directly into a heatproof glass or allow it to cool and serve over ice. Add a cinnamon stick or star anise as a garnish.  It's really heart warming on these cold nights. For more cocktails go to www.disaronno.co.uk

Free Cocktail at the Sherlock Holmes Hotel
And finally calling all Holmes and Watsons.  In the run up to Guy Ritchie’s new movie Sherlock Holmes at the end of this year, the Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes hotel on Baker St is offering anyone whose surname is Holmes or Watson a free drink, for every one purchased at Sherlock’s Bar until 31 January 2010. Why not choose ‘Sherlock Holmes favourite cocktail’ – a delicious blend of Bulliet bourbon whiskey, angostura aromatic bitters and a sugar cube. Or opt for ‘Dr Watson’s favourite cocktail’ – a mix of Jim Beam whiskey, Martini Rosso, Maraschino syrup and angostura aromatic bitters, both priced at £6.95. With its stylish dark wooden bar and comfy armchairs, Sherlock’s Bar is the perfect spot to solve a few mysteries. Show your photo ID to the bar staff when buying any drink from the menu and the hotel will buy you one back. For more information and terms and conditions visit www.parkplazasherlockholmes.com

Next Month
I will be trying some wines from the U.S.A and Australia in January and be going to Sharm El Sheikh for some winter sun, so will track down and report on Egyptian wine. There will also be some suggestions about what to drink with your nearest and dearest on Valentine’s Day

 

Booze Newz

Peter Morrell, Food and Drink Editor of AMG, continues his report on the liquid surprises and delights he meets on his travels. Here is a roundup of the highlights from the last four weeks.

1st December 2009

Rimon Pomegranate Wine
Welcome to another edition of Booze Newz.  I have come across some really interesting drinks this month, starting with a range of Pomegranate wines from Israel. These come from the Rimon Winery (www.rimonwinery.co.uk) and are made from Pomegranates grown in Upper Galilee. There are three products in the range, a deep red dry, a luscious dessert wine and a port. All are aged in French oak barrels, have a unique bouquet and taste and are packaged in very stylish bottles.

I have tried the dessert wine and it is superb, with similar notes to a red wine and a deep ruby colour. Sweet cherry flavours with an underpinning peppery taste, a hint of tropical fruit, honey and the subtlety of pomegranate make this smooth wine the ideal pairing with pudding and cheese. Alternatively , if friends visit over the holiday it would be a warm welcome to enjoy just on its own. You can buy Rimon wines at Waitrose.

E & J Gallo's Wine Pairing
And staying with California  E & J Gallo are suggesting a festive food and wine pairing of their popular Turning Leaf Pinot Noir, which is loaded with cherries and spice, with goose. The dark, rich meat of this bird needs a strongly flavoured companion and this Pinot Noir has just that strength.

Fetzer Herb Pots
Fetzer, the Californian Wine company has made an interesting addition to bottles of their Valley Oaks varietals, White Zinfandel, Pinot Grigio and Shiraz.  It’s a ‘grow your own herb’ pot. Each bottle has a small metal pail on the top and the bottle collar is impregnated with either oregano, thyme or basil seeds. Just add some compost and water and voila! You not only have wine to drink with a meal but also a way of giving it flavour. Look out for these bottles with the herb pot in Tesco and Waitrose.

I have also tried the Fetzer Russian River Valley 2006 Pinot Noir from Sonoma County, a most gorgeous part of California. This beefy 14% wine is packed with cherries, red stone fruit and spice and is a real treat.

Villa Maria Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is also just the thing for the winter evenings, so here is just one more. The Villa Maria Reserve Pinot Noir 2007 from Marlborough in New Zealand has intense aromas of dark cherries, plums and cloves that are followed by a fruit driven palate with a long and satisfying finish. A fantastic wine to partner with New Zealand rack of Lamb. Available from Tesco and www.nzhouseofwine.co.uk

Wine from Nova Scotia
Now for something completely different: the Canadian Provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador are renown for beautiful scenery, fresh seafood and, wait for it, wine. Despite the incredibly short growing season, vineyards in Nova Scotia produce some elegant wines. I recently sampled the L’Acadie Blanc 2008 from the Domaine de Grand Pre, (www.grandprewines.ns.ca) which overlooks the lovely Bay of Fundy. The wine was full-bodied and complex with aromas of freshly cut hay and herbal notes, complemented by a rich, full and slightly buttery flavour with lively grapefruit acidity. If you see it in the UK, or are visiting Atlantic Canada (www.AtlanticCanadaHoliday.ca), then you must try it.

Cooleys Irish Whiskey
Recently at an event hosted by Bord Bia ( www.bordbia.ie), the Irish Food Board, I was not only  able to enjoy the quality of the oysters, smoked salmon, beef and carigeen moss pudding (a seaweed superfood) but also an  Irish Whiskey tasting.  This was to sample the delights of Ireland’s only independent whiskey distiller, Cooleys (www.cooleywhiskey.com). This is a relatively young distillery, founded in 1987, so some of their aged whiskeys are only now coming to market. The reaction to them has been tremendous with a raft of awards and gold medals including being named European Distiller of the Year for the second year running in the 2009 International Wine and Spirit Competition Awards . Look out for the Connemara Peated Single Malt. The peat smoke rising through the malted barley when it is being made gives the whiskey a distinct smoky flavour. Add that to the honey, vanilla and chocolate notes and you have a beautifully smooth drink. Available from www.thedrinkshop.com

Talisker and the RNLI
And just before we leave the subject of whisk(e)y I have always had the utmost admiration for the people who run the RNLI. So I am pleased to see that they have teamed up with Talisker Single Malt whisky to produce an RNLI Christmas Gift Pack. Available in major supermarkets, a donation is made to the RNLI for every pack sold

Courvoisier's Punch Bowl
Courvoisier has recently been running a competition to find the best cocktail based on their Exclusif cognac. To give as many people as possible the chance to try the winning recipe they have teamed up with Bompas and Parr to create a huge punch bowl in the Billiard Room of 33 Portland Place London W1. On 9 – 10 December you will be able to go along, be rowed in a boat across the punchbowl and of course drink the cocktail. Tickets are available from www.jellymongers.co.uk/news/punchbowl.html

The Bavarian Beerhouse
Some of you may remember that we ran an Oktoberfest competition to join in the fun at the Bavarian Beerhouse. Well if you missed that, you have a chance to get down to the Beerhouse and try some Bavarian hospitality over the Christmas period. There will be a range of Christmas delicacies on offer, including sausages, schnitzel and Munich pork roast served with dark beer sauce, all specially imported from Bavaria. The drinks menu features special winter cocktails such as “Goisenmass” (dark beer, cherry liqueur and coke), “Glühwein” (mulled wine) and traditional “Schnaps”, as well as original German beers served in huge one-litre glasses -  so-called Steins. Go to www.bavarian-beerhouse.com for more details.

Next Month
Next month I will be musing on the alcoholic delights of Christmas, will still be trying to find out about wines from New Mexico, the cradle of U.S. winemaking, sampling Belgian Chimay Beer and trying Lebanese wine. So until next month have a good and hopefully sober Christmas and if you come across anything you think is worth a mention in this column do mail me on peter@aboutmygeneration.com

As always, enjoy your drinking but please drink responsibly. Visit http://www.drinkaware.co.uk

Booze Newz

Peter Morrell, Food and Drink Editor of AMG, continues his report on liquid surprises and delights he meets on his travels. Here is a roundup of the highlights from the last four weeks.

1st November 2009

The House of Commons
October proved to be another month where booze flowed in some very convivial and interesting surroundings. Let’s start with the wines at the House of Commons where the Monaco Tourist Authority (www.visitmonaco.com) were sponsoring a reception.  Two excellent wines were on offer. The first, not available to the public, was the very drinkable House of Commons claret. However the white was a Louis Latour Macon Lugny 2007. Grown on the limestone rich soil in Macon, this is a succulent and rich Chardonnay with a lovely buttery and citrus palate. So if you want to drink like your MP, it is available in supermarkets and from Davy’s Wine Merchants ( www.davy.co.uk) for under £9.00 and well worth it, the wine that is not the MP.

Cognac Cocktail
After a long summer of gin and vodka based cocktails it's time for something warmer, and Courvoisier has come up with some warming cocktail recipes based on their Exclusif cognac. For a full range of recipes visit their web site by clicking here... but here is one just in time for bonfire night, the Ginger Explosif. Take 35ml Courvoisier Exclusif, 20ml pear purée, 25ml cloudy apple juice, 10ml Pain D’Epices (gingerbread syrup) and a squeeze of fresh lime. Shake ingredients over ice, double strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a little gingerbread man. Courvoisier Exclusif is available from selected Sainsbury’s stores, RRP £28.59.

A Heavenly Pair
Staying with the theme of winter indulgence, organic wine brand Bonterra, from California, has created a gift pack for wine and chocolate lovers. It has teamed up with Green & Black, to pair their barrel aged Bonterra Merlot with some delicious organic chocolate.

The gift pack contains a 75cl bottle of Bonterra’s Organic Merlot 2007, and a selection of twelve miniature Green & Black’s milk and dark chocolate bars. At a suggested retail price of just £15, you can give your partner the feel good factor without breaking the bank. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct, Ocado, Costco, Co-op, Planet Organic and Hemmingways.

Lena and Gavi di Gavi
I recently reviewed a superb restaurant in Great Eastern Street called Lena (www.lenarestaurant.com) and the wine we had was quite expectional. It was the 2007 Gavi dei Comune di Gavi DOCG, 'Granee', Batasiolo, from Piedmonte. Sometimes known as Italy’s answer to Chablis, Gavi di Gavi, made from the Cortese grape, had real elegance. Spiced fruit on the palate does not take away any of its dryness and it has a distinct and pleasing mineral finish.

For the full review of Lena click here... If you can’t get to the restaurant, Oddbins do a couple of good examples of this interesting wine. ( www.oddbins.co.uk )

The Ice Bar
And while on the subject of going out, there’s news that the Ice Bar has melted. But don’t worry because it’s been re-frozen – this time with an Aquatic theme. I was at the opening and, as always, enjoyed the Absolut Vodka based cocktails, sipped from an ice ‘glass’ while keeping warm in a designer cape despite the -5c temperature. I rate this as a fun night out and you can also eat there, at normal room temperature. (www.belowzerolondon.com).

Floridita
Based around a much warmer theme Floridita, the Cuban bar and restaurant has just celebrated its fifth anniversary and I was at the party it really is a great night out whenever you go. Cuban musicians are showcased, lots of salsa dancing and of course Mojitos, the Cuban National Drink. Try and get there Monday to Friday between 5:30 and 7:30 to sample a range of classic and modern Mojitos at some very reasonable prices. (www.floridita.co.uk)

A new Beer Measure
News from BitterSweet Partnership, (www.bittersweetpartnership.com) set up to promote beer drinking amongst women, that the Government is about to introduce a new beer measure, the two thirds of a pint. This seems like a good idea for both sexes as sometimes a pint is just too much. BitterSweet Partnership is currently working with designer and co-founder of fashion label PPQ, Amy Molyneaux, to look into the design of beer glasses for this new measure, with the female audience in mind.

The Turberfield Royale
And finally, regular readers may remember that in Booze Newz back in June, I suggested the creation of an all English Kir called the Boris, using Pixley Berry Blackcurrant cordial. Well someone has actually done it, although it’s named the Turberfield Royale after William Turberfield, the Town Crier of Ledbury in Herefordshire. This new drink features Weston’s Original Perry 4.5% ( www.westons-cider.co.uk ), Strawberry or Angostura bitters and a dash of Pixley Berry Blackcurrant cordial. (www.pixleyberries.co.uk). Vive Le Turberfield

Next month, following news that George Fistonich owner of the Villa Maria Winery in New Zealand has been knighted, I will try one of their winter warmer Pinot Noirs and be taking a look at some wine and food pairing suggestions from the E&J Gallo Winery. I am hoping to get another sampling of wine from Eastern Canada and to find out more about the wine industry in New Mexico. There will of course also be news of other drinking delights that I bump into during my journey through the pinball machine called life.