The Return of Bulgarian Wine

By Jonathan Rogers of VIN Wine Merchants, Emsworth

When I was in my teens in the mid 80’s I remember my father buying wine from The Sunday Times wine club, in particular some Bulgarian wine. As a family we had always enjoyed wine, but I only ever remember seeing French bottles. Buying Bulgarian wine was a whole new concept for my father and it was at this time I was beginning to enjoy wine and take a bit of an interest in it. I was intrigued about this wine from this Soviet bloc country and being one of the first ‘non-French’ wines to try. A couple of years later I got my first job with Oddbins when I was 18 and was excited to notice the same wines on the shelves.

By the late 70’s Bulgaria had achieved what it had set out to do in the 1950’s. This was to produce huge amounts of everyday wine intended for the Soviet Union. The plan went far beyond everyone’s expectations and soon the West took notice of the quality and value for money wines the country was producing.  Exports increased, and demand was high.

Then things took a turn. Gorbachev had introduced a purge on all things alcoholic during the late 80’s and this started to take effect on the wineries. The fall of the Soviet Union followed, and the economy started to shrink and demand for the produce simply vanished. Wineries and vineyards went into decline and most were neglected or abandoned.

After it gained its independence in 1990 the once state-owned wineries were privatised and started to receive millions of investments from the West and EU funds. Even today there is no shortage of investors looking for the value for money and quality wines that Bulgaria produced in the past. When Bulgaria became part of the EU in 2007 a quality wine scheme was introduced which although complex, ensures control and quality and enables wine makers master their techniques. Cabernet Sauvignon remains the dominant variety along with Merlot and Chardonnay, however indigenous varieties such as Mavrud and Pamid are proving very popular with wine makers.  Today there are around 62000 ha of vines with around 220 producers however these are on the increase.

I recently tasted a selection of wines from Domaine Boyar which was established in 1991. Today they are one of the most respected Bulgarian producers and are producing some of the most sought-after wines, not just in Bulgaria but from all over Europe. I have listed a few below for you to look at they will arrive on my shelves by the end of March.

Domaine Boyar Bolgare Merlot - £7.99 (approx.)
Medium body with softer fruit and a lingering finish.

Bolgare Chardonnay -£7.99 (approx.)
Creamy vanilla tones with a rounded silky finish.

Bolgare Sauvignon Blanc - £7.99 (approx.)
Fresh grassy tones with gooseberry hints and a crisp citrus character on the finish.

Christmas Wines Under £10

Christmas Wines Under £10

By Jonathan Rogers of VIN Wine Merchants Emsworth.

It’s all too easy to go overboard on spending during the festive period. The kids want the latest action figures, the teenagers want the latest gadgets while Dad is happy with the festive socks, Christmas seems to get more and more expensive each year.

So, this year I have decided to show you a range of wines which I stock that have both the quality, which is important at Christmas, but still won’t break the bank. Some budget wines can taste, well like budget wines and although you may think you are getting a bargain, the wine itself is far from decent.  Some big brand names are mass produced with the grapes coming from many different areas and sources. This can lead to inconsistency in the quality in the grapes and a lack of care and attention in the wine making practices. Ask any wine expert; you can’t make good wine from bad grapes. Smaller producers are the opposite. They know exactly where the grapes come from giving them more control on the growing, and ultimately more care and attention from grape to bottle.

‘Wine to open the pressies with’ – Christmas morning is traditionally fizz time, or more commonly Bucks Fizz time. I have gone for a Prosecco Frizzante (less fizzy) £8.99 – loads of gorgeous dry apple fruit with gentle bubbles and a lingering finish.

Aperitif time – Generally something softer and lighter is the preference here so try my Vila Regia Blanco from the Douro in Portugal, £7.99. A lovely fresh and rounded white with loads of fruit on the finish. Its soft and fruity and not over powering on the alcohol front (12%).

Starter time – Whether you are having a fishy starter or something like pate or light meat, again go for something lighter. For fishy starters I have a lively white from the South West of France. Heritage Blanc £7.99 is a crisper white but with a lovely aromatic finish. This would also pair nicely with a ham based starter.

Main course –If you are staying traditional and going for Turkey you need a white but something with a little more body and less acidity. Grapes like Viognier, Vermentino, Marsanne have more tropical fruit so I have Les Vignes de L’Eglise Vermentino £8.99 from the Languedoc. Lots of peachy characters jump out of the glass. If you are having something like duck or goose then try Il Faggio Montepulciano from Italy £9.69. Full bodied yet a wonderful elegance with loads of flavour.

For the cheese board go for a red with body and a bit of tannin balanced with a bit of fruit. Spitting Spider Shiraz from Australia at £9.99 has just that. Red berry fruit with balanced tannin with a hint of spice.

All these are available at VIN Wine Merchants 6 Queen St Emsworth PO10 7BL with FREE Wine Tastings throughout December.

The Many Faces of Sauvignon Blanc .

Jonathan Rogers from The Solent Wine Experience looks at the different styles of Sauvignon Blanc

Everywhere you go now you will see an abundance of wines made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape and one particular country stands out from the most; New Zealand. During the 1990’s the grape variety became very popular and the Marlborough region in particular was favoured due to the good drainage of its soil which encourages the vine to concentrate its flavours in lower yields. These low yields are what New Zealand wine growers favour most.

Soil plays a huge part in the style of wine which is produced , and as Sauvignon Blanc is planted in many parts of the world, you will see a vast array of different styles on the market. The soils of the Marlborough region tend to be quite sandy with a mix of slate. This results in intense grassy characters with high levels of acidity and citrus characters. If we move to  Europe , in particular the origin of Sauvignon Blanc, South West France we get different characters altogether. The grape is one of four varietals  (Semillon, Ugni Blanc and Muscadelle being the other three) allowed for the dry white wines produced in Bordeaux, in particular the regions of Graves, Pessac Leognan and Entre Deux Mers and the Sauternes region for sweet wines. Here it is blended with Semillon and the ratio of the two grapes varies from producer to producer.

Another region where Sauvignon flourishes is the Loire Valley in the regions of Sancerre, Touraine and Pouilly Fumé. The latter refers to the village of Pouilly and the term Fumé, meaning 'smoked' refers to the style of the wine. Here the soil is a mix of flint and limestone and the locals feel that this ads a particular smoky hint to the wine. Also the wines are aged in oak which supplies these characteristics. The wines in the Loire region are more perfumed and have more tropical fruit hints, are more rounded and elegant. This is due to the continental climate which allows a longer ripening period of the grape which in turn gives more of a balance between the acidity and sugar levels.  The Touraine region also offers excellent value for money where as the Sancerre and Pouilly Fume tend to be on the 'fine wine' side.  

So depending on the style of wine you like depends on which region you choose. If you like your Sauvignon to be crisp, with high acidity and grassy tones then head to New Zealand. If you prefer a more tropical, aromatic and elegant wine then head to the Loire Valley. Either style, they are perfect summer drinking wines.  

Try these from Majestic Wines

Pouilly-Fumé ‘Les Cascadelles’ 2013 Caves de Pouilly-sur-Loire.  £13.99 (£11.99 as part of multibuy)
Packed with fruit flavours of orange and gooseberries along with a typical elegant flinty character

La Croix St Vincent Sauvignon Blanc 2014 Entre-Deux-Mers £9.99 (£6.66 multibuy)
Lots of green apple flavours with clean crisp finish and balanced acidity.

Jackson Estate 'Stich' Sauvignon Blanc 2013/2014 Marlborough £14.99 (£9.99 multibuy)
Ripe citrus fruit dominates this classy Kiwi.  

La Grille Touraine Sauvignon 2014 Paul Buisse £8.99 (£6.74 multibuy)
Soft rounded tropical fruit with a balanced citrus acidity on the finish. A bargain price too.

For information on wine courses or if you want to host your own wine tasting event at home or at your place of work then contact me at thesolentwinex@gmail.com or visit www.thesolentwineexperience.co.uk

New Zealand Wines.

More than just Sauvignon Blanc.

Jonathan Rogers from The Solent Wine Experience looks at this growing wine producing country.

The rise of New Zealand wines has been all to evident over the last few years. Known for its grassy, perfumed Sauvignon Blanc, producers concentrate on quality wines as opposed to half price, BOGOF deals. The average cost of a bottle of New Zealand wine here in the UK is £7.27 which is up 14% on last year and we import over 51,000 litres.  We are second only to Australia who import 53,000 lts and the US, 48,000 lts. The next highest is Canada importing 7,000 lts so its a huge gap between the top three and fourth place.

As a country we have fallen in love with Sauvignon Blanc. Its crisp, perfumed, grassy dryness has captured our hearts and every wine shop and supermarket you go to has an abundance of various types from various producers. It is the most widely planted grape variety in the country by far (22,000 hectares) with most of it coming from Marlborough on the north island. The highest producing region in the country, it accounts for over half of all wine produced.

But its not just Sauvignon Blanc that New Zealand can produce well. If you visit the independent wine merchants as opposed to the high street chains or supermarkets, you will find some classic little gems from other varieties and other regions, proving that spending a few pounds more is the difference between a good bottle of wine and   'drool over' , life changing bottle of wine.

Otiake Estate is one producer concentrating on these 'other' varieties. A small vineyard consisting of three separate blocks of vines making up 11.5 hectares only, it was established in 2008. It is already making a name for its self in New Zealand and Australia. Based in the Waitaki Valley in Otago on the South Island, it has similar soil and climate to the Alsace region in France and grows the likes of Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer, which are all the typical varieties grown in the Alsace.

Check these two and remember, there is a whole world of wine out there, it needs exploring.

Otiake Estate Gewürztraminer 2011/12 13.1% Alc £ 9.99 (offer price).

Classic perfumed characters, floral and rich with hints of lychee on the palate and a spicy finish. A beautiful wine it pairs perfectly with lightly spiced dishes.

Otiake Estate Riesling 2011 10.7% Alc £9.99 (offer price).

Earthy and perfumed characters with hints of apple. A lovely dry light palate with green fruit acidity and a hint of sweetness on the finish.

Available from The Solent Wine Experience 02392451848. www.thesolentwineexperience.co.uk

For more inspiration on other New Zealand wines visit Hennings in Chichester or The Vineking in Reigate. www thevineking.com . Source - nzwine.com

We Love Prosecco

As a country, our love affair with Prosecco is growing stronger. Recent figures show that sales of the Italian sparkling wine were up by 75% with all the top major supermarkets recording growth sales year on year. Sales have now overtaken those of Champagne for the first time.  Basically, we love the stuff!

Some of the discount retailers such as Aldi and Lidl offer Prosecco at a cracking price of under £6 a bottle which is contributing to the success. However many leading industry experts believe that this could be harming the brand  and they believe that many of the producers would be shocked at this price point here in the UK.

Prosecco, like Champagne can only come from one particular region, the Veneto in Northern Italy. The vineyards are centered around two towns, Valdobbiadene and Conegliano. The best examples of Prosecco come from this DOCG with the very best coming from Cartizze, a small area located within the  Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG where the grapes are grown on very steep vineyards. The term ‘Rive’ which you may see on a bottle denotes that the wine was made from the best grapes from the steepest vineyards.