Category Archives: Alcohol Reviews

London Wine Week – May 23-29

Posted on by

Wines at Bishopsgate

Over the next few days London will become a paradise for wine lovers. London Wine Week (LWW), which lasts from 23 to 29 May, will be based in around 125 venues – mainly bars and pubs – around London.

Wine lovers have to buy an LWW wristband for £10. Equipped with this, they can go into a large number of bars and buy a ‘flight of wines’ – ie an exciting selection – for a mere £5. Many of the bars will be offering free snacks to show how the wines pair with different types of food.

In addition Aldi will be setting up a display in Shoreditch, at which they will offer masterclasses and taster sessions, to help people understand the wide variety of wines now available. This is completely free. As Aldi is building up quite a name for itself as a supplier of high quality but reasonably priced wines, this should be worth a look.

Stylish Gins at Wine Rack

Posted on by

It may often be thought of as ‘mother’s ruin’, but these days gin is becoming very popular – and not just with mums. A lot of stylish bars and pubs with a young and trendy clientele have entire racks full of different gins.

Wine Rack and Bargain Booze had their Spring tasting yesterday. And the most exciting thing was the range of superb gins. The two chains – they are part of the same organisation – sell around 140 different varieties of gin. And many of them have unusual flavours.

Gin is a neutral spirit – made from potatoes or grain or apples or just about anything which can be fermented – flavoured with juniper berries. In addition to the juniper it can have just about any other type of flavour. So gins can be quite distinctive.

The Slingsby London Dry Gin (£39.99) is flavoured with rhubarb, tea and jasmine, which makes it pleasantly smooth with a soft aroma. Chase Gin (£39.99) made in Herefordshire is distilled from apples, giving it a freshness on the palate, and is flavoured with just a hint of orange zest and liquorice.

Gins on offer at Winerack

Gins on offer at Winerack

 

Obviously not every drink will appeal to everyone. Brocks Intensely Smooth Gin (£35.99) is flavoured with blueberries and blackberries, but I felt that this made it somewhat medicinal in taste. But I particularly enjoyed the Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin made in Germany (£39.99 for 50cl). This is flavoured with sage and verbena and ginger, and I thought it was delicious.

With so many different types of gin, it would be lovely to work your way through the lot, although if you want to get through all 140 varieties, you’ll need deep pockets and a strong liver.

Secret’s out Heliot Steak House serves up a Feast worthy of Kings

Posted on by

Heliot 111

Voted The Best Steakhouse in London by the customers of Bookatable 2015 we had high expectations for Heliot and boy did they live up to them. Known as West-End’s secret, we wondered why the secret? As the food is outstanding we would want to be on the rooftops shouting about it

Tuna Tartare

Tuna Tartare

Located in London’s Hippodrome Casino, perhaps this wouldn’t be the first place you would think of going for dinner, but trust us on this, the food really does speak for itself. On the subject of Steak, the restaurant serves up to it’s hungry customers USDA Prime Steak. Basically a Steak Lovers fantasy, USDA is meat that has been approved by the US department of Agriculture, and the Prime cut Heliot serve is the superior grade. Nothing but the best here, Head Chef, Ioannis Grammanos, is the master or serving up a decent bit of meat and the reputation is built on his ability to grill a steak to perfection. We must admit when the Steak arrived, I opted for the 7oz Fillet, I was slightly worried that I should have ordered larger, but a little certainly goes a long way here and Grammanos certainly delivers flavour and quality by the steak load.

Flaming USDA Steak

Flaming USDA Steak

With such a varied and well versed menu, we decided to pick the most indulgent options to accompany our Steaks. Think Lobster Tails, Roasted Bone Marrow and the ultimate indulgence, Millionaires Mac n Cheese with Poached Duck Egg and Truffles. Each of the heavenly and luxurious side dishes complimented the steak just as you think it would. The Roasted Bone Marrow was sweet, caramel but meaty with a herb crumb and the Mac and Cheese was unctuous, sumptuous and every bit as fit for a King as it sounds. But don’t take our word for it the only way to know is to get the full experience yourself.

Steak with all the Sides

Steak with all the Sides

Overlooking the bustling Hippodrome Casino, we went on a Sunday night and it was buzzy and alive and a little bit of Vegas in the heart of London, with a wine list which is just about as extensive as the different steaks being served, we paired our steak with a 2008 Malbec because we really were pulling out all the stops for this meal, a sublime and full-bodied choice for any Steak Lover, our tummies and hearts were full. Finishing off with Baked Alaska and Irish Coffee, it really is surprising to think that two skinny ladies could have eaten as much as we did but with such a triumphant menu and did I forget to mention, the best Espresso Martini ever, this will be somewhere i’ll definitely be visiting again for a good feeding. The piéce de la resistance is that the enigmatic restaurant dishes up fine dining at fast food prices. Prices start from just £13 for a rump steak with the priciest item just £29 for the 23oz T Bone. The menu is simple but delicious after all there’s nothing better than your traditional and old favourites cooked to absolute perfection and that’s all you need. No more secrets, book a table and thank me later.

IMG_6657IMG_6656

Heliot Steak House can be enjoyed as a destination in its own right, or as part of an unforgettable 24-hour ‘night out’.

Opening Times; Monday-Friday from 5pm until late

With American Brunch from 12pm until late on weekends.

For Bookings Call;

0207 769 8844

or visit; London_reservations@togrp.com

Keep your eyes peeled for more exciting events coming up at Heliot Steak House including their unique 24hour Roast Beef and Yorkshire pudding fest for St George’s Day. More info on the way…

The Best of The London Whisky Weekender

Posted on by

9148716821_75e66bc557_o

With hundreds of delicious Whiskies to choose from, we were spoilt for choice at this years London Whisky Weekender. It seems almost criminal to pick a favourite as most of the exhibitors deserved a special mention and also being a novice to Whisky compared to most of my fellow attendees, I would feel slightly foolish. But if I had to pick there were some absolutely stand out drams. Obviously we didn’t make our way through the entirety of the selection…we would clearly need another hour or so, but this year I made sure that I tried out some of the less known and small batch distilleries, trying some drams that I wouldn’t normally favour such as the Peatier kinds.

With that said, our favourites this year;

Murray McBride; The Vatting Peatside

Youth is favoured here at only 6 years old, Peatside has been resting in a bourbon barrel with a combination of port pipes and a sweet sherry cask. The overpowering flavour of bacon will bowl you over in a most pleasant way. We had to go back for more.

Scapa

Scapa, originating from The Orkney mainland, is a fresh and balanced Single Malt. Aged 16, the sweet Heather Honey and flavours of autumn will leave you feeling content.

The Quiet Man 8 year old Single Malt

An Irish Whisky to add to the mix, this very new craft distillery have created something which would rival the legends. Sweet Vanilla, Honey and Spicy Oak all contribute to the smooth finish.

Michters American Whisky

A real small batch Whiskey here, Michters unblended American Whiskey is blended in Bourbon soaked barrels. The result, butterscotch, caramel and ripened fruit. Delicious.

If this has inspired you to get your dram on, then make sure you don’t miss out next year.

Whisky Lovers gather round for The London Whisky Weekender 1st-3rd April

Posted on by

Celebrate the end of a four-day week with a toast of some of the finest Whisky’s from around the world. The London Whisky Weekender is back and returns to the popular East London venue, The Oval Space. From only £30 ticket-holders can revel in trying a whole host of new and traditional Whisky’s from American bourbons through to Japanese, Irish, Scotch and more. This year sees a particular emphasis on Old and Rare World Whiskies, along with a programme of unique ‘blendathon’ workshops, tastings, guest appearances from distillers, whisky cocktails, street food and music all weekend, making it the whisky event on the London calendar.

LOGO

With four sessions to choose from from Friday-Sunday, there will be plenty of time to try, buy and ask any burning questions to the expert exhibitors who include, Talisker, Chivas Brothers, Jamesons and Jura to name a few. Included in the ticket price is a bottle of water, a festival guide and a Glencairn glass for you to try drams from any of the eclectic exhibitors. With the opportunity to try out some of the legends or the newer craft and small batch distilleries, The London Whisky Weekender is your grain-filled oyster. If you’re after something extra special, why not try one of the Under-the Counter drams this gives you a chance to purchase tokens to try some of the more exclusive and rare Whisky’s on offer.

9148723819_11778474bc_o

Soaking up the whisky will be a roster of tasty street food offerings and local organic suppliers, whilst a soundtrack of rock and blues will set the tone for a whisky fuelled weekend. We think it’s the hottest ticket for the Weekend, whether you’re a connoisseur or novice, trying something new or enjoying an old favourite, toast away your winter blues with a decent old dram.

For more info or to purchase tickets visit;

 The London Whisky Weekender

Special offer if you visit on Friday 1st April session 2 tickets for £40

Oval Space, 29-32 The Oval, London, E2 9DT

Mumm Brut Rosé Champagne The Perfect Mother’s Day Gift

Posted on by

Mumm Brut Rosé Champagne The Perfect Mother's Day Gift

It can be hard to buy mum the best gift for mother’s day but it is nigh on impossible to go wrong with champagne, and even more so with Mumm’s Brut Rosé Champagne. I have often said the colour of a rosé is a good indicator of how good it is and this is a gorgeous, fresh, light rose. Not too red, but not too pale either. It is luxurious, fresh, decadent and of the highest quality. I am a huge fan of rosé champagne and this one has beautiful notes of red berries. Perfect. 

Mumm Rosé offers finesse in both taste and design. A beautifully drawn rose – designed by the great Franco-Japanese artist and friend of the House, Léonard Foujita – adorns the bottle. Within, notes of red berries expand into delicate scents of caramelised vanilla. The result is a luscious champagne dominated by Pinot Noir and created by Maison Mumm, a Champagne House whose founding mantra of providing “Only the best” continues today.

 Maison Mumm, established in 1827,  is the official champagne for celebration, its iconic red sash symbol celebrates an ancient French distinction for bravery – the Legion d’Honeur. 

This is Mumm’s first ever Rosé champagne, offering an iconic rose watercolour design and dynamic freshness to charm mothers of all ages..

Available online and inshore at Waitrose.com for £29.99

 

Four exciting Riojas for winter

Posted on by
rioja,Vina real

Riojas from Vina Real

The picture above shows two empty bottles of Rioja sitting on my desk. The reason why they are empty is that we drank the lot over Christmas – and very good they were too!

Rioja is one of the classic wines of Spain. Made primarily from Tempranillo grapes, it has a strong, rich flavour of berries and a slightly leathery smell. It is a wonderful robust wine, and just the thing to drink in the evening, when there is a slight chill in the air. It can be drunk by itself – preferably in front of a log fire – or it can accompany strong beef stews or slices of Jamon Iberico, Manchego cheese and rich olives. It’s a macho wine from the land of bullfighters!

I was fortunate enough to be sent four bottles of wine from Vina Real. They represent a wide range of Riojas, so I thought it would be fun to compare them.

The first one was a Vina Real Rosada. (£11.05) from Majestic. This is unconventional – a rose wine made with 15 per cent tempranillo and 85 per cent viura – a white grape grown extensively in the Rioja region. I wasn’t greatly impressed with this one. It was a brave experiment, but I thought the flavour was just a bit thin and it didn’t suit the Rioja style of wine.

The Vina Real Crianza 2011 (£11.60 Lea and Sandeman) was a much better buy. Crianza has to be aged for at least two years old. This had lovely rich flavours of plum and vanilla. We drank it with meatballs and rice and loved it!

The Vina Real Rioja Reserva 2010 is only available from independent outlets, price £18.95. A Rioja Reserva has to be at least three years old. This means that the tannins have softened, so it’s not so sharp. It is gentler on the palate. This was sumptuously fruity, nicely oaked and had a long finish.

Best of all was the Vina Real Gran Reserva (£28.85 Majestic). A Rioja Gran Reserva has to be least five years old. This one had lovely scents of candied fruit and coffee. Save this one for wine aficionados, who can really appreciate it! All in all, a great selection and worth hunting out.

Villa Maria Reserve Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2014 Review

Posted on by

Grapes Sauvignon Blanc

This wine is fruity and fresh. Savoury with the perfect balance of acidity: this wine is the perfect wine to bring in the New Year. Ripe fruit characters, intense aromas of passion fruit, grapefruit and blackcurrant with a subtle underlying of gooseberry on the nose. The palate is concentrated with tropical flavours and it has a long finish. Delicious. 

 

Winemaker Notes

A classic Wairau Valley style bursting with the trademark ripe fruit characters found in this sub region. The nose displays pure and powerful aromas of peach, grapefruit, blackcurrant, and underlying fresh aromatic herbs like rosemary and lemon thyme. The palate is concentrated with an enticing array of gooseberry, melon and guava flavours, balanced by a fine thread of acidity, and a savoury refreshing finish.

Vineyards

The fruit for this wine comes from a combination of vineyards with varying soils and viticultural techniques throughout the Wairau Valley. The common thread between the vineyards was an unrelenting focus on vine health. This was achieved by careful yield adjustments and water management as well as a balanced approach to vine nutrition

Winemaking

All Sauvignon Blanc grapes were harvested at the cool of night to retain aromatics and freshness in the grapes. The fruit was destemmed, crushed, and pressed before cold settling. The clear racked juice was inoculated with selected aromatic yeast strains. Cool, slow fermentation in stainless steel tanks took place to retain distinctive sub-regional and varietal characteristics

Vintage

The climate in Marlborough has high sunshine hours, but temperatures during the growing season are regulated by the cooling ocean influence. In 2014, Marlborough had warmer than usual spring, followed by temperate summer. Overall, it was a bountiful harvest with excellent quality grapes; intensely flavoured and picked in pristine condition. All Sauvignon Blanc grapes were harvested between early March until mid April.

Food match

Enjoy with:

  • Fish/Shellfish
  • Salads & Picnics
  • Mild Creamy Cheeses

 

Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc 100.0%

Region: Marlborough

ABV: 13%

pH: 3.00

Total Acidity: 6.80 g/l

Residual Sugar: 3 g/l

Drink: Now to 2 years 

Reserve Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2014