Wines for our webinars

Amelia Singer and I have enjoyed hosting webinars during 2020, connecting the people who make the wine, the people who sell the wine and the people who drink the wine. In case you missed our webinars you can watch any of them on my YouTube channel and sign up to the channel to be notified of new ones. You can sign up to my mailing list HERE to be notified of future events. I've listed the wines we tasted below. The tasting packs are no longer available, but most of the wines you can still buy individually (price and vintage may vary).

SPRING 2020

An Adventure in the Old World (wines from Novel Wines)

• Istenic Gourmet Rose Brut, Slovenia £22.99
• Johann Donabaum Gruner Veltliner Federspiel, Austria £17.99
• Colomba Bianca 'Vitese' Nero d'Avola, Sicily £9.99

The 'New' Old World (wines from Novel Wines)

• Kayra Beyaz Kalecik Karasi, Turkey £14.99
• Babylonstoren Viognier, South Africa £14.49
• Tbilvino 'Iveriuli' Saperavi, Georgia £12.99

SWIG Wine pop-up! (wines from Swig)

• AA Badenhorst Secateurs Chenin Blanc, South Africa £13.50
• Mun Rose La Calcinara, Italy £14.95
• Soli Pinot Noir Miroglio Thracian Valley, Bulgaria £12.95

Explore Catalan Wines, Spain (wines from Buy Catalan Wines)

• Antistiana Xarel.lo £18.00
• Llumi Negre £12.30
• Pinzellada Negre £11.90

Premium Catalan Wines, Spain (wines from Buy Catalan Wines)

• Giro del Gorner Cava Reserva Brut Nature £21.50
• El Senyal Blanc £16.75
• La Xispa Seleccio £29.50

Winemaker: Lismore, South Africa (wines from Corking Wines)

• The Age of Grace Viognier
• Greyton Chardonnay
• Syrah

Winemaker: Saint Clair, New Zealand (wines from Corking Wines)

• Pioneer Block 3 Sauvignon Blanc
• Origins Viognier
• Origins Pinot Noir

Winemaker: Gerard Bertrand, France (wines from Corking Wines)

• Picpoul de Pinet
• Hampton Water 
• Saint Chinian

Winemaker: San Marzano, Italy (wines from Corking Wines)

• Il Pumo Primitivo
• Il Pumo Negroamaro
• 62 Anniversario Primitvo Manduria Riserva

Winemaker: Balla Geza, Romania (wines from Novel Wines)

• Kiralyeanyka £11.99
• Cadarka £12.99
• Feketeleanyka £12.99

English Wine Week: Stanlake Park

• Bacchus
• King's Fume
• Grand Reserve

Wines Unpacked

• Rose Magnum from Stanlake Park
• Gruner Veltliner in a can from Canned Wine Co
• Montepulciano d'Abruzzo bag-in-box from When in Rome

The New World of German Wines (wines from Novel Wines) - we also featured natural wines by Jan Matthias Klein available from Modal Wines.

• Oliver Zeter Grauburgunder
• Oliver Zeter Sauvignon Blanc Fume
• Oliver Zeter Pinot Noir Reserve

Food & Wine Matching (wines from Berkmann Help4Hospitality)

AUTUMN 2020

Sake (wines from Sorakami)

Wines of Portugal (wines from Exquisite Portuguese Wines)

• Maria Papoila Alvarinho
• Insurgente Dao
• Andreza Reserva Douro
• Azul Sparkling Rose
• Lua Cheia Reserva Douro
• Azul Tawny Port 10 yrs

California (wines from Stannary Wine)

• Liquid Farm White Hill Chardonnay
• Chanin Pinot Noir
• Foxglove Cabernet Sauvignon

Wines of the Rhone with Cellier des Dauphins (available from Asda, Tesco, Waitrose)

• Les Dauphins CdR White
• Les Dauphins CdR Red

WINE& SERIES 2021

Wine& Mindfulness - Re-Wine & Re-Wire (wines from BinTwo)

• Lagravera Onra 
• Mas d'Alezon
• Les Escures

Blind wine tasting is hard!

This week I attended a blind wine tasting hosted by Wine Australia, and I thought, "easy, I'm going to smash this", and although Aussie wines are some of my favourites, I haven't done any blind tasting since my WSET exams five years ago (gosh is it that long?!). I got it wrong. I got it all wrong.

We were given a piece of paper where we could write our notes, and given another which posed 7 questions about the wines, which we had to hand in at the end. Answer papers were marked and the top 4 people given recognition (no-one listed below the top 4, and no scores revealed - thus preventing any (my) embarrassment). It was a lovely experience and my fellow wine tasters were charming.

There were three flights of wine - Flight 1: four white wines, Flight 2: three red wines, and Flight 3: four red wines. We had to guess the single grape variety in each flight, decide which wines were from the same region in each flight, and identify the one wine of the day that was not from Australia (and where it was from). Straightforward right? It would seem... until you throw the way my brain works into the mix. Let me explain...

Flight 1:
My first thought was Chardonnay, of course these are Chardonnay, but hang on wine #1 is oily - in the way that cocoa butter is oily, and lemon aroma, so a bit like eating a Hotel Chocolate Lemon white chocolate. Yum. But not typical of chardonnay. There's a slight spritz on the tip of my tongue - again atypical for Chardonnay, hang on could this be Semillon? It has a full body - tick - and is not very complex (i.e. doesn't have many different flavours coming through - similar to a pinot grigio) - tick. Then I looked at the legs (the viscous drops down the side of the glass, which indicates alcohol level), and wiped it from my mind, no, no it can't be a Semillon, as Semillon has low alcohol, these thick legs mean high alcohol... so I continued tasting Flight 1 thinking the wines were Chardonnay (both wines 2 & 3 had buttery notes - typical of Chardonnay, but also possible for Semillon). But then, Wine 4 threw me - it was quite light and pale, with citrus and mineral, and dental floss (or, rather, a medical tasting eucalyptus flavour) - this can't be Chardonnay screamed the devil on my left shoulder! The angel on my left was too timid to remind me of the typical Chardonnay characteristics I had experienced with the other two wines.
I wrote Semillon on the answer sheet. These wines were Chardonnay. Then they asked which wine is from Barossa and although the eucalyptus is blatantly a clue for Wine 4, I wrote down Wine 1, because that white chocolate flavour made me think it had to come from a hot climate. I wonder now if that white chocolate is a result of a process during winemaking (such as Malolactic fermentation - I can cover this another day), rather than a characteristic representative of the terroir (the place where the grapes are grown). Bobbins!

Flight 2:
The wines were very pale in colour and had delicate aromas (i.e. you can't smell a thing), the wines had brownish edges, a sign of ageing. Wine 5 tasted of charries and burnt toffee, Wine 6 reminded me of eating fresh red fruits and buttered toast in the mountains, and Wine 7 felt like red velvet and made my lips tingle. It must be Pinot Noir - it's a widely-grown grape in Australia, it's pale, and ages well. But then, my brain switched again, I know that Austalians are using a much wider variety of grapes than we normally think of, and there was something distinctly savoury about these wines, and that brown colour that made me think it could be something else... ooh... Nebbiolo?! I wrote that down. WRONG - they were Pinot Noir - Doh! I saids wines 5 & 6 were made in the same region: wrong again! Wines 6 & 7 were.

Flight 3:
These wines showed characteristics of jammy fruit, blackcurrants, and vanilla. Where they differed to each other was Wine 8 had cooler climate sturcture (less jammy, higher tannins), Wine 9 was more Ribena-y and spicey and was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS, Wine 10 had a brick colour to the edges, Wine 11 was cherries, chocolate, and a bitter finish, Wine 12 had a tar aroma. So the debate was Shiraz versus Cabernet Sauvignon. Now, none of the wines had the characteristic Eucalyptus found in Aussie Cab Savs, so these wines were more typical of Shiraz. However, cherries, chocolate and a bitter finish (Wine 11) are atypical for Aussie Shiraz, as is the roughness of a tar aroma (Wine 12). So I wrote down Cab Sav. What I didn't think to consider was Wine 11 was not an Aussie Shiraz, it was from Chile; and Wine 12 was a £9 bottle of wine, which caught me out! In my blindness, I wrote that Wine 9 was the not-Australian wine, and because a) I had convinced myself these were Cabernets, and b) my other favoured region for wines is California, I wrote down Cali as the origin of the non-Aussie wine.

Stung on every question. I may have studied extensively and passed my WSET exams, but without practice you lose your touch. I intend to go back next month and try again, this time I hope to report better results! #practicemakesperfect

Thank you @Wine-Australia

South African Wines - HYO Wine Club

South African Wines

South Africa has a Mediterranean climate and is known for full bodied reds and rich whites. Pinotage is a native red varietal, with very high tannins that stand up to the heat. Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are other common red varietals grown in this region. South Africa is branching out with other grape varieties, including Malbec, but if you're going to go off piste I'd recommend you stick to producers you know and love.

Swartland Winery, Chenin Blanc, Western Cape, South Africa, 13.5%

Chenin Blanc is a versatile grape which can be made in a variety of styles. Chenin from the Loire in France, is fresh with pear and chamomile because of the cool climate. This South African wine is richer with baked apple, honey and dried fruit. It is creamy on the palate and is a perfect match for turkey dinner!

Available from wine-discovery.co.uk £15.50

Mulberry Bush, Shiraz / Merlot, Robertson, South Africa, 14%

This is what I like to call a telly wine - soft, easy drinking; you don't have to think too much about it, and a pretty price. This wine celebrates the mulberry flavours typical of Shiraz and Merlot from Robertson in South Africa. A cacophony of mulberries, plums and figs, with a smooth finish, this wine is much softer than the mainstream tannic reds coming out of South Africa.

Available from Laithwaites £8.99

Bain's Kloof Black Frost Reserve, Pinotage, Breedekloof, South Africa, 14.5%

Frost in the Breedekloof Valley is almost unheard of, but in 2016 the worst fronst seen in a generation descended on the vines and the whole vintage was wiped out. A few barrels of Pinotage that had been put aside in 2013 were rediscovered. Named after the devastating black frost that struck, this wine has seductive richness and power, bramble fruit, spice cake and toasty oak. Enjoy with warming venison and redcurrant jelly or at your next barbecue.

Available from Laithwaites £11.99

Host Your Own Wine Club


We have been serving great wines at our pop-up wine bars and would like to get more people involved with trying the wines we recommend. Once you join HYO Wine Club we will send you a list of wines that we recommend to try each month. When you try the wines please tell us what you think on Twitter using @HYOwineclub and #HYOwineclub, or on the PrincessAndThePinot Facebook Page - we would love to chat to you about the wines you've tasted based on our recommendations. Most of the wines will be available on the high street, but some come from independent stores or winemakers. You can try the wines in the comfort of your own home at your leisure, or you can come to our pop-up wine bars to try the wines, or we can help you to Host Your Own wine club. The flights of wine served at our pop-up wine bars will feature the wines recommended for HYO Wine Club.

To find out more about our pop up wine bars please visit www.princessandthepinot.com/events

To find out more about our wine club please vsiti www.princessandthepinot.com/hyo-club

Host Your Own HYO Wine Club - Aussie Shiraz

Australian Shiraz

Top Tips
McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley in South Australia are two areas best known for quality Australian Shiraz (Syrah). However, this flight explores Shiraz from other regions of Australia. Orange in NSW is an up and coming region of Australian wine. Clare Valley is better known for its Riesling wines, but winemakers are diversifying their crops. When a bottle says “South Eastern Australia” the grapes can come from anywhere, which means that they can make cheaper wines with consistent quality.

Wollemi, Shiraz, South Eastern Australia, 12.5%

This wine has been bottled in the UK, which is why the price can be so low. By law the label must state where wine has been bottled, so look for a UK postcode. If you pay less than £6 for a bottle of wine like this one then you will generally get better wine if it has been bottled here, because of the savings in transport costs.

Available from Sainsbury’s <£8

Climbing, Shiraz, Orange, Australia, 2014, 14%

Trying wines from newer regions can lead to finding hidden gems. Orange is not yet known for winemaking, but soon will be. This wine is deep red with purple edges. Plum, dark cherry and blackberry, with hints of spice, and subtle oak. Soft and drinkable, this is a great-tasting Shiraz for less than a tenner.

Available from Waitrose £8-10

The Hedonist, Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia, 14%
Black and silky, aged in new American oak with a long velvety finish. Blackcurrant jam, sweet spices, vanilla and coconut. This is a vegetarian and organic wine. It has been made with minimum interference so represents Australian Shiraz at its best.
Available from Wine Rack or Waitrose or independents >£10

Host Your Own Wine Club

We have been serving great wines at our pop-up wine bars and would like to get more people involved with trying the wines we recommend. Once you join HYO Wine Club we will send you a list of wines that we recommend to try each month. When you try the wines please tell us what you think on Twitter using @HYOwineclub and #HYOwineclub, or on the PrincessAndThePinot Facebook Page - we would love to chat to you about the wines you've tasted based on our recommendations. Most of the wines will be available on the high street, but some come from independent stores or winemakers. You can try the wines in the comfort of your own home at your leisure, or you can come to our pop-up wine bars to try the wines, or we can help you to Host Your Own wine club. The flights of wine served at our pop-up wine bars will feature the wines recommended for HYO Wine Club.

To find out more about our pop up wine bars please visit www.princessandthepinot.com/events

To find out more about our wine club please vsiti www.princessandthepinot.com/hyo-club

Domaine Sainte Rose - Host Your Own Wine Club

Host Your Own Wine Club - Wines by Domaine Sainte Rose

When you try the wines please tell us what you think on Twitter using @HYOwinecluband #HYOwineclub, or on the PrincessAndThePinot Facebook Page - we would love to chat to you about the wines you've tasted based on our recommendations. Most of the wines will be available on the high street, but some come from independent stores or winemakers. You can try the wines in the comfort of your own home at your leisure, or you can come to our pop-up wine bars to try the wines, or we can help you to Host Your Own wine club. The flights of wine served at our pop-up wine bars will feature the wines recommended for HYO Wine Club.

Domaine Sainte Rose
Ruth and Charles Simpson have spent the past 16 years learning about, growing, crafting and exporting exceptional wines from their estate, Domaine Sainte Rose, in the Languedoc region of southern France. Highly awarded and hugely enjoyed, their wines have become firm favourites with so many.

Method Traditional Blanc de Blanc 2014
A sophisticated sparkling Chardonnay with notes of fresh apple and subtle undertones of biscuit. A full-bodied fizz, which lingers on the palate. Perfect for celebrations and long summer evenings al fresco. Available from Naked Wines £18.99

Le Marin Blanc 2013
A stunning blend of Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier, combining white Melon, pear drops
and sweet vanilla beautifully balanced with rich, caramel flavours and a silky smooth finish. Available from Waitrose £9.99

La Garrigue GSM 2014
A wild and arid yet fragrant and delicate mix of Mediterranean flora. Scents of the garrigue such as rosemary with jammy red fruit and spicy black pepper. It is warm, generous and complex. Available from Majestic Wine £9.99

To find about more about HYO Wine Club or Princess and the Pinot events please visit www.princessandthepinot.com

English Still Wine @ Host Your Own (HYO) Wine Club June 2018

It's English Wine Week, so to celebrate we're recommending three tasty English still white wines for your wine club.

When you try the wines please tell us what you think on Twitter using @HYOwineclub and #HYOwineclub, or on the PrincessAndThePinot Facebook Page - we would love to chat to you about the wines you've tasted based on our recommendations. Most of the wines will be available on the high street, but some come from independent stores or winemakers. You can try the wines in the comfort of your own home at your leisure, or you can come to our pop-up wine bars to try the wines, or we can help you to Host Your Own wine club. The flights of wine served at our pop-up wine bars will feature the wines recommended for HYO Wine Club.

Top Tips

English wine has come a long way from the tart flabby wines that we used to make, to the 120 awards won at the International Wine Challenge 2016. Now even Taittinger, the French Champagne house, has bought some land in Kent to invest in English Sparkling wine. But it’s not just the sparklers that are outstanding, there are some English still wines that are worth a try, and here are three of them. Be aware that “British” wine is different to “English” wine. English wines are made from grapes that are grown here and then the wine is made here, whereas British wines import the juice to make here.

Chapel Down Flint Dry 2016 12%

Chapel Down is a winery in Kent. They don’t reveal grape varieties on the bottle, meaning it will be a blend of several varieties, and the quantities will vary to continue making the same style of wine through varying vintages. This one is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Schönburger among others. Elderflower, mineral and smokiness, not dissimilar to a Pouilly Fume style. This wine gets its texture from extended lees contact (sitting on the dead yeast cells left over from the fermentation). Chapel Down also make amazing vodka and gin using grapes. And brandy. And Curious Brew beer. They run guided tours, with a restaurant on site, and you can also lease a vine for exclusive benefits. £11.99 Waitrose.

LDN Cru Baker Street Bacchus 2016 11.5%

This wine is grown in England and made in London. Vinifed from Bacchus grapes grown in Kent and Essex. Bacchus is England’s answer to Sauvignon Blanc because of its aromatics – known to have high sugars and low acidity, but our climate can cultivate a higher acidity in the grapes. Elderflower, stone fruits and cut grass with crisp acidity. Won Silver medal IWC 2017 and £15 Roberson – all LDN Cru currently 25% off. My favourite LDN Cru wine is the Charlotte Street Chardonnay (£20), but although the wine is made in London the grapes come from South of France, but worth a mention here! And soon they will be launching their English Chardonnay which I can't wait to try.

Litmus White Pinot 2015 12%

Litmus makes their wines at Denbies wine estate. Still wines produced in England, producing food orientated Northern European cool climate styles. They use a number of vineyard sites in Essex, Surrey and Sussex. Typically using old barriques and extended lees contact to create flavour complexity. Peach, honeysuckle and smoke. Full bodied, which is unusual in English wines. Grapes are carefully handled throughout the winemaking process. Fermented in oak barriques and remained on lees for 9mths. Possibly the first still white 100% Pinot Noir to be made in England. M&S £22. Another wine to note from Litmus is Element 20 (Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio) available from Waitrose £16.99.

Host Your Own (HYO) Wine Club May 2018

Host Your Own Wine Club!

Totally FREE and UK-focused wine club - we will tell you which wines to try each month and then let us know what you think about the wines on Twitter or Facebook. #HYOwineclub #joinin

If you would like to host your own wine club, please read our TIPS.

The wines we recommend for you to try and join us on social media in May are listed below. If you would like to know which wines we recommended for April (Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon), please click HERE.

AROMATIC WHITES

Aromatic white wines are pronounced on the nose and are defined by dominant floral aromas, including Riesling, Gewürtztraminer, and Viognier. These wines range in taste, intensity and sweetness, with many styles on the sweeter side. Torrontés and Albariño tend to be bone dry. Good quality aromatic whites tend not to be served super-chilled so that the aromas can develop in the glass further. Aromatic wines are ideal partners to Asian cuisine.

Catena Alamos, Torrontés, Salta, Argentina, 2013, 13.5%

Torrontés is a grape that originates from Argentina. The best Torrontés wines come from the high elevation vineyards in Salta, like this one. It is a full bodied white wine, which gives the freshness of the wine some oomph. Fragrant with perfume of spring flowers, honey and tropical fruits, so smells as though it ought to be sweet, but it isn’t. On the palate it’s dry, crisp and well-balanced.

Available from Wine Rack £9.99

Yalumba, Organic Viognier, South Australia, 2016, 13.5%

The Viognier grape originates in France, in the Condrieu appellation in the Rhône Valley. A full-bodied, dry aromatic unoaked white wine, with lovely peach, tangerine and honeysuckle flavours. You may notice an oily sensation on your tongue, which is common with this grape. It has quite a high alcohol content because the grapes are left on the vine longer to ensure they achieve the heady aromas. Yalumba is a well-known producer of Viognier, at all price levels.

Available from Waitrose £11.99

Dr Loosen Grey Slate, Riesling, Feinherb, Mosel, Germany, 2014, 10.5%              

Many wine journalists state Riesling as their preferred varietal. Riesling from the Mosel is light and refreshing. This wine is fruity with pineapple, peach, green apple and slate flavour characteristics. There is grey slate surrounding the vines, which is important for radiating the heat on to the vines overnight and during the cold misty mornings, but makes it very difficult to harvest. This wine is “feinherb” which means off-dry; look for “trocken” on the label if you prefer a dry German Riesling.

Available from Waitrose £9.99

ITALIAN REDS

There are hundreds of grape varieties that come from Italy. Here we showcase three very different styles, from the Nero d’Avola in Sicily, a wine not dissimilar to Malbec, to the classic refined Chianti (no fava beans in sight!), to the bold and fruity Primitivo from Puglia in southern Italy. Italian wines are made for Italian food, and since Italian is a favourite cuisine in the UK we should explore the variety of wine this beautiful country has to offer.

Columba Bianca Vitese, Nero D’Avola, Sicily, Italy, 2016, 14%

Nero d’Avola is a full-bodied wine but with brighter flavour characteristics than you might expect from such a warm region. It’s a more rounded, more consistent, more fun alternative to Pinot Noir or Malbec. Rich flavours of plum and black cherries with a violet aftertaste. It has the same flavour profile as a Cabernet Sauvignon, but without the tannin.

Available from wine-discovery.co.uk £9.50

Poggio Chianti Classico, Sangiovese, Tuscany, Italy, 2013, 13%

Chianti Classico is the oldest area in the Chianti region in central Italy. Sangiovese is Italy's most widely planted grape variety and produces wines with pronounced tannins and acidity. Its character can vary from savoury leather to fruity red cherries. This wine is Sangiovese blended with Merlot and Syrah to give great balance and structure. Sophisticated, like a romantic dinner with a linen tablecloth. Pair with pasta in tomato sauce, Tuscan Sausages, or roasted aubergine.

Available from Waitrose £10.79

Terre di Faiano, Primitivo, Puglia, Italy, 2015, 13.5%

Primitivo is the same grape varietal as Zinfandel, but grown in Puglia, the heel of the boot of Italy, which sees a lot of sunshine. This is a full-bodied red wine with an intense deep-ruby colour. Aromas of juicy blackberries, and a silky texture with spicy flavour characteristics of black cherries, vanilla and chocolate.  Comfortable and familiar, like reading a book on your sofa. Great with meatballs, roast lamb or BBQ.

Available from Waitrose £9.49

Prices may have changed, and availability not guaranteed

HYO Wine Club - April 2018

Welcome to HYO Wine Club!

Every month we will recommend wines for you to try, and we would love to hear what you think of them on our Princess and the Pinot Facebook Page or on Twitter @HYOwineclub #HYOwineclub

CLICK HERE to read more about HYO Club

To JOIN OUR CLUB please sign up to receive the monthly Princess and the Pinot newsletter

For the first month of our new wine club, we are going to showcase two noble grape varieties: Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Chardonnay
Chardonnay suffers from an image problem that was introduced by the oaky Chardonnays of the 1990s. Many people still label themselves as ABCs (Anything But Chardonnays), but it’s time for that to end! Chardonnay is known as the “tart of grapes” because it can be made in any style you want – varying from earthy to fruity and from light to rich. In Burgundy and Italy Chardonnay wines tend to be earthy, and in the New World they tend to be fruity. I have chosen here to three quite different Chardonnays: from France, Spain and Mexico.


Florent Rouve Viré-Cléssé, Chardonnay, Burgundy, France
A crisp yet rounded dry white with peach, honeysuckle and citrus aromas followed by expressive fruit and mineral flavours. Enjoy this delicately oaked chardonnay lightly chilled with meaty white fish in cream sauces or chicken with wild mushrooms. This wine won best supermarket Chardonnay under £15 by Decanter 2016.
From M&S £14.50

Paso Prima Blanco, Chardonnay, Somontano, Spain
Paso Prima is 100% Chardonnay in a fruity style, so should even appeal to ABCs (Anything But Chardonnay). This wine is full-bodied, rich with pineapple and mango, and a lime finish. It has been lightly oaked, giving it a slight nutty characteristic, and has a beautiful creamy texture. Very drinkable!
From Tanners £11.95

Quetzal, Chardonnay / Chenin Blanc, Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico

Although Mexico has a hot climate, Valle de Guadalupe, just above the 30º latitude line, has a Mediterranean climate and is known as the ‘Napa Valley of Mexico’. This wine is heady with lemongrass, lime and a an oily texture, with a salty finish. In parts of Mexico, grapes are grown at high altitude to combat the heat.

From M&S £9.00

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon from the Old World has more herbal and floral flavours such as violets and tobacco with less fruit present. A Bordeaux (Cab Sav / Merlot blend), will usually have hints of black cherries and liquorice along with some earthiness. Cab Sav from the New World are often more fruit-forward and you can also taste black cherry and liquorice, but this time with spicy black pepper and vanilla. The New World wines tend to have a little bit less tannin and acidity, and have more alcohol, due to greater sunshine hours.

Chateau Tour de Pez, Saint-Estephe, Bordeaux, France, 2011

Bordeaux is split into Left-Bank and Right-Bank. Left-Bank is closer to the Atlantic where Cabernet Sauvignon grows well, and Merlot thrives on the right-Bank. This luscious wine, although from the Left Bank is Merlot-rich, making it easy-drinking and ready to drink now. This particular vintage is a steal at <£10 from Aldi, when typically this wine would cost £20+.

From Aldi £9.99

A Tavola! Cabernat Suavingon, Lodi, California, USA

A full-bodied and rich wines, as you would expect from a Cab Sav but surprisingly fruity in style. This Californian Cabernet Sauvignon by director Francis Ford Coppola may have celebrity status, which might put some people off, but it certainly deserves the red carpet. Juicy dark fruts with buttered toast to finish.

From Laithwaites £15.99

Berton Vineyard, Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, Australia

Coonawarra in South Australia is just about the best region for New World Cab Sav, known for growing grapes on its strip of “terra rossa” soil. The 2014 vintage was rated as the best New World Cab Sav in Decanter magazine April 2017. Cherries and fresh blackberries with firm tannins and a lovely long length.

From wine-discovery.co.uk £14.75

To JOIN OUR CLUB please sign up to receive the monthly Princess and the Pinot newsletter.

We hope you enjoy our recommendations, and please do let us know what you think on our Princess and the Pinot Facebook Page or on Twitter @HYOwineclub #HYOwineclub. To find out more about HYO wine club please visit www.princessandthepinot.com/hyo-club and we look forward to hearing from you!

We cannot guarantee availability and prices of wines at retailers, please check retailer websites for details.

Host Your Own Wine Club

Princess and the Pinot - Host Your Own (HYO) Wine Club

We have been serving great wines at our pop-up wine bars and would like to get more people involved with trying the wines we recommend. Once you join HYO Wine Club we will send you a list of wines that we recommend to try each month. When you try the wines please tell us what you think on Twitter using @HYOwineclub and #HYOwineclub, or on the PrincessAndThePinot Facebook Page - we would love to chat to you about the wines you've tasted based on our recommendations. Most of the wines will be available on the high street, but some come from independent stores or winemakers. You can try the wines in the comfort of your own home at your leisure, or you can come to our pop-up wine bars to try the wines, or we can help you to Host Your Own wine club. The flights of wine served at our pop-up wine bars will feature the wines recommended for HYO Wine Club, and as a member of the club you can book spaces at our Club Table.

The Club Table

We reserve one table at our pop-up wine bars for HYO Club members. We charge £29 per person and included in this is two tasting flights of our Wine Club flights, which Soma will take you through personally. Then we will serve an additional wine that has been specially selected, with cheese and charcuterie boards. The Table is communal and will seat up to eight people, making it an intimate social evening. Places will be booked on a first come first served basis. To book seats at the Club Table, the person making the booking must be a member of HYO Wine Club.

To find out more about HYO Wine Club, the Club Table, and tips on running your own wine club, please visit www.princessandthepinot.com/hyo-club

Books About Wine

Since it's World Book Day I thought I'd share with you my favourite wine books. I've read a lot of them, but these are the ones I go back to again and again.

Reference Books:

Wines and Spirits: Understanding Style and Quality
by Wine and Spirits Education Trust - you get this when you do your WSET Level 3 qualification

Wine Folly: A visual guide to the world of wine
by Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammock

The Wine Bible
by Karen MacNeil

The World's Shortest Wine Book
by Simon Woods

The World Atlas of Wine
by Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson

The 24-hour Wine Expert
by Jancis Robinson

Novels:

Unquenchable!
by Natalie MacLean - I can't find where to buy it, but worth seeking out

Red, White and Drunk All over
by Natalie MacLean

Blackberry Wine
by Joanne Harris

Vintage:

Here's How... To Buy, Serve and Keep Red and White Wines
Issued by The Victoria Wine Comapny Ltd in 1934
Try finding this last one! A friend gave it to me, a truly wonderful present.

Fairtrade Wine

Fairtrade Fortnight 2018 runs from 26th Feb to 11th March. The Fairtrade Foundaiton has been working hard to support the farmers and workers who grow our food. Buying Fairtrade wine ensures the farmers and workers get a fair price for their products, plus a premium to help the community develop education, sanitation and healthcare. The Fairtrade Foundation supports winemakers in South Africa, Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Lebanon. Why not try a Fairtrade wine this fornight?

Waitrose, Co-op, Sainsbury's and M&S are retailers who stock a range of Fairtrade wines. Fairtrade wines I recommend include the 30' Pinot Noir from Co-op, the Fish Hoek Sauvignon Blanc from Waitrose, TtD Pinotage from Sainsbury's, and Tilimuqui Organic Cabernet Sauvignon from Waitrose.

Co-op has also supported the first Fairtrade and organic wine to come out of Lebanon - Coteaux Les Cedres. It's a little young, but if you see it, buy it, then leave it in your wine rack for a year and it should be an unusual treat!

If you'd like to know more about Fairtrade Fortnight, CLICK HERE.

If you'd like to know more about Princess and the Pinot, CLICK HERE.

Wine with pancakes for Shrove Tuesday

Ooh, yes, which wine with pancakes for Shrove tuesday? That's a toughie! It really depends on the filling...

Lemon and sugar > sweet, sparkling wine, like Asti, or Nyetimber Demi-Sec

Fresh berries > sparkling rose, like Harrow & Hope, or like Premier Estates Grand Rose if you add sugar to the berries

Golden syrup > orange muscat

Chocolate > sweet red wine or Port

Fruit compote > Tokaji

Savoury cheese / ham / spinach > dry white like Soave or Pinot Grigio

Smoked Salmon blinis > Champagne like this Laurent Perrier from Wine Rack

Anyone giving up wine for lent? No, thought not!

To find out more about Princess and the Pinot please visit www.princessandthepinot.com

Wine for Veganuary

My recent post to help wine drinkers with #DryJanuary doesn't seem enough, as we also have the trend of #Veganuary this year.

As news is released that Co-op is to increase its number of vegan wine SKUs by 30% this year, I thought I'd share some goodies for you to try. Below are a few wines I recommend, but first... WHAT THE HELL IS VEGAN WINE?!

Ha ha, I often get asked this, from customers querying that surely grapes are vegan? Well yes, but there are many processes that go into making wine, and the one where animal products is used is fining. Many wines are filtered (to remove large particles) and fined (to remove small particles). The easiest way I find of describing fining is using the cooking example of making consomme. When chefs make consomme they make a broth, but then want to remove all the fine particles that make the soup cloudy to leave a clear liquid. To achieve this chefs add egg whites to the mixture, stir it up, and then leave it. The small particles cling on to the proteins in the egg white, which then rises to the surface of the liquid. This makes it easy for the chef to remove all the unwanted contents, leaving a clear liquid. It's the same concept with wine, and traditionally winemakers use casein (a milk protein), albumin (egg whites), gelatin (animal protein), or isinglass (fish baldder protein). Therefore, animal products have been in contact with the wine, so it cannot be classed as vegan. To make vegan wine, winemakers use alternative fining products, such as bentonite clay.

Vegan is the biggest growing health trend, with now over 500,000 vegans in the UK, which is more than 3.5 times the number 10 years ago!

So are vegan wines any good? In theory, they shouldn't be any different to other quality wines, and actually if the idea follows organic and biodynamic wines, any winemaker who puts effort into these practices will be making boutique, rather than mass-produced, wines, and will care more about the wine he or she is making. It might increase the price, but that doesn't mean you can't find affordable vegan wines - see my selection below. Some of these you might have tried before without knowing they are vegan. In fact, most of these Waitrose vegan wines have been featured in flights at our pop up wine bars! We will always have at least one vegan wine available by the glass at our pop ups, and we clearly label our wines on the menu if they are vegetarian, vegan, oragnic or biodynamic.

I am only sharing Majestic (36 vegan wines to choose from) and Waitrose (278 vegan wines) vegan wines in this blog as an example, because they have made it easy for you by adding 'vegan' to their search filters online. Many other retailers stock vegan wines, and with this growing trend, staff will increasingly be able to help you find them in store.

Majestic:

1. Herdade De Gambia Portugal £9.99
2. The Cup And Rings Albariño Sobre Lias 2013/2014 Valedorras Spain £12.99
3. Catena Malbec 2015 Mendoza Argentina £13.99
4. Parcel Series Central Otago Pinot Noir 2015 New Zealand £19.99
5. Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume Domaine Chatelain France £27.99

Waitrose:

1. Luis Felipe Edwards Carmènere/Shiraz Chile £5.99
2. Puklavec & Friends Sauvignon Blanc Pinot Grigio Slovenia £8.79
3. Les Nivières Saumur Cabernet Franc France £8.99
4. Fairview Barrel-aged Pinotage South Africa £9.49
5. Yalumba Organic Viognier Australia £9.99
6. Vasse Felix Filius Cabernet Merlot Australia £12.99
7. Rustenberg Chardonnay South Africa £13.99
8. The Hedonist Shiraz Australia £14.49
9. Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Zind Chardonnay France £17.99
10. Chateau Musar Cabernet Sauvignon Lebanon £24.99

Come and try this delicious vegan Viognier at our celebration of Australia Day at our pop up wine bars in Marlow (Friday 26th January 2018) and Wooburn Green (Saturday 27th January 2018). Email soma@princessandthepinot.com to book.

If you would like to find out mroe about Princess and the Pinot pop up wine bars in Marlow, Wooburn Green and Twyford (and across Bucks and Berks), then please CLICK HERE

Princess and the Pinot Pop Up Wine Bars Video

Low Alcohol Wine

Many people start the year with Dry January, and many wine lovers suggest Try January instead, which is an opportunity to try something you might not normally drink. Others prefer the Drink Less Drink Better motto. I think I will carry on drinking as normal, as I do have to taste a lot of wines to curate amazing yet affordable wine lists for my pop up wine bars, but I have taken this opportunity to try some low alcohol wines, and here are my top choices...

By law, low alcohol wine has up to 11% for whites and up to 12% for reds. So I started with Riesling, which often has a lower alcohol content because the sugars in the wine have not been fully fermented, resulting in a sweeter and lower alcohol wine. The great thing about Reisling is it has high acidity, so even though both these wines are off-dry, the acidity balances them well.

Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Kabinett 8% from Waitrose £15.99

Dr L Grey Slate Riesling 10.5% from Waitrose £9.99

Another low alcohol wine, which is a personal favourite of mine, is Oaken Grove Benham Blush at 11%. A great tasting fruity rose. Also available from Waitrose for £11.49, or buy direct for £50 for six bottles.

I also found a fantastic light Sauvignon Blanc from Laithwaites for £12.49 called Stonewall which is only 9.5% (my mum drinks it because she often gets a reaction to wine, but doesn't with this one)

Then I thought I would try a dealcoholised Muscat that was recommended by a wine journalist friend of mine, called Natureo by Torres, which is only 0.5% alcohol and sells for £5.99 at Waitrose. It's not bad tasting, but you can definitely tell its missing the punch from alcohol.

I haven't found any decent red wines that are 12% or less - let me know if you do!

Personally, if I'm going to be drinking wine, I don't want to be restricted by alcohol content, so if I was going to do cut down my alcohol intake, I would go for something completely different, like a savoury soft drink. It's pretty pricey but I love the two Seedlip drinks (Garden or Spice), you mix them with tonic or soda so the gin-looking bottle lasts a long time, and they are delicious savoury soft drinks. Buy from Ocado for £27.99.

Top Wines Under £10 from 2017

I have hosted over 30 pop up wine bars as Princess and the Pinot in my first year and I'm feeling pretty chuffed. The wines change each month so you can imagine we get through a lot of different wines, and we're always on the hunt for wines that are great tasting and good value for money to showcase at our events. Here are our Top Wines Under £10 from the year. As you can see there are more reds than whites, and this is partly because reds are more popular at our pop up wine bars, but also because quality reds are easier to make than quality whites.

Learn more about Princess and the Pinot pop up wine bars at www.princessandthepinot.com/events

(Listed by type of wine then £ low to high)

Sparkling

Premier Estates Grand Rosé, Vino Spumante, Extra Dry, NV, 11%, from www.premierestateswine.co.uk £9.99

White

Puklavec & Friends, Sauvignon Blanc / Pinot Grigio, Slovenia, 2016, 12%, from Waitrose £7.99

Baily & Baily “Folio”, Riesling, Clare Valley, Australia, 2015, 11.5%, from Waitrose £8.49

Black Shack, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2015, 13.5%, from Wine Rack £9.19

Borgo Magredo, Sauvignon Blanc, Friuli, Italy, 2015, 12.5%, from Wine Rack £9.99

Dr Loosen Grey Slate, Riesling, Feinherb, Mosel, Germany, 2014, 10.5%, from Waitrose £9.99

Rose

Oaken Grove, Benham Blush from oakengroveyineyard.co.uk £50 for 6

Red

Little Penguin, Shiraz, South Eastern Australia, 2013 13.5%, from Wine Rack £6.99

Cono Sur “Bicicleta”, Pinot Noir, Chile, 2016, 13%, from Sainsbury's £7.00

Dark Horse, Cab Sav, California, USA, 2015, 13.5%, from Sainsbury's £8.00

Paso Primero Tinto, Cab Sav / Merlot / Temperanillo, Somontano, Spain, 2016, 14.5%, from tanners-wines.co.uk £8.50

Anciano Gran Reserva, Tempranillo, Valdepenas, Spain, 2007, 13%, from Waitrose £8.99

Climbing, Shiraz, Orange, Australia, 2014, 14%, from Waitrose £8.99

Mulberry Bush, Shiraz / Merlot, Robertson, South Africa, 2015, 14%, from Laithwaites £8.99

Porta 6, Tinta Roriz / Castelão / Touriga Nacional, Lisboa, Portugal, 2012, 13.5%, from Majestic £8.99

Trivento Reserve, Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina, 2016, 12.5%, from Wine Rack £9.19

Pisano Cisplatino, Tannat, Progreso, Uruguay, 2015, 13.5%, from M&S £9.50

Columba Bianca Vitese, Nero D’Avola, Sicily, Italy, 2016, 14%, from wine-discovery.co.uk £9.50

Rex Mundi, Shiraz / Grenache, Roussillon, France, 2016, 13%, from Laithwaites £9.99

Learn more about Princess and the Pinot at www.princessandthepinot.com

To see the full list of Top 50 wines with tasplease click HERE