Jazzy Wines
Happy Friday Club Members!
This is it, we officially entered that almost Christmas/Winter time. The time when no one really knows what to do or how to dress for the weather. But at least you will know what to drink!
It was all about seeking new wines on our long-awaited jazz night which ended up…well, you will find out soon.
And some other news; I am working on something really exciting for the Accidental Wine Club and as soon as I have finalised everything I will share the details with you.
Until then, don’t forget to keep an eye out for our newsletter, every Tuesday and Friday, at your favourite time of the day.
Today’s mood calls for ….
Jazzy wines
Oh, that wine bar with live jazz, Chef and I were so excited to go! Outfit planned, the night off from work sorted, tabel and taxi booked. So did we go, you might ask? No, we did not. The wine bar had to cancel the event last minute which was a shame as it is a pretty cool place ( will let you know where it is next time, a must try! ).
But after the initial moment of what to do now, we realised we might be okay staying at home. Couple of bottles of wine? Got it! Music? Well, Chef has over 300 vinyls and visits record shops probably as often as restaurants so that is a big yes!
We had two bottles of wine on our shelves which none of us tried before and now seemed like a perfect opportunity to open them.
When in Rome Pecorino Terre di Chieti from Italy was the first on the list. And no, it is not a cheese wine!
Pecorino grape, mainly used in Italy’s eastern coastal regions is once again one of those that can go on your list of underrated varieties. Similar story to some others we heard before; thought to be extinct, old vines were found in an overgrown vineyard, cuttings were taken and luckily for us, winemakers managed to grow enough grapes to make some wine!
This one will catch your eyes straight away. No glass bottle in sight, comes in an eco-friendly paper bottle with a small, plastic liner and tube inside of it. It looks way better than this picture, which doesn’t do it justice. Even Chef used the word ‘trendy’ when we got it in the shop.
On the nose, there were more characteristic notes than expected. Stone fruits with florals and delicate herbal notes. Those fruit aromas were clearly on the palate too, especially white peach, crisp, crunchy apples and a more distinct herbal note, sage. It is very light and fresh with a nicely balanced minerality and a slightly short finish. I must say the packaging carries more weight on this wine than the juice itself and the finish is much shorter than I would have liked it. But, if you want an easy-drinking, nonoffensive white that you could just pop open any time of the week and still do some good for the environment, then you can’t go wrong with this.
Name: When in Rome Pecorino Terre di Chieti
Origin: Abruzzo, Italy
Grape: Pecorino
ABV: 13%
Notes: White stone fruits, floral and herbal notes on the nose. Crisp, crunchy apples, white peach and sage aromas. Fresh, balanced minerality, very light with a short finish. Pale colour with a straw-yellow hue
Price: £10.50
Recommend with: Roasted Mediterranean vegetables and light pasta dishes if you want to have it with food but I think it will have more potential as an aperitif
Where: When In Rome Pecorino 75cl | Sainsbury's (sainsburys.co.uk)
Bread & Butter Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley was a good choice to have, after all…
I have to tell you, I was slightly disappointed with this after the first sip. Not because it wasn’t very good, it was mainly because I expected it to be quite different than what it was. More robust with a lot of body and weight, something to write home about ( I keep talking about the weight of the wines this week! )
But, do we always need something so full on when we pour a glass of wine? Especially when it is not paired with food? No, don’t think so. And when you accept that fact you will find yourself a pretty good glass of red in this one.
It’s probably the most easy-drinking Cabernet I tried from California. The use of French and American oak barrels gives this wine a soft, warm opening. Hint of vanilla, orange zest and a touch of cinnamon followed by very plush fruits. Imagine lots of overripe berries, coated in caramel, mocha and more vanilla, all poured into a silky glass of wine. Almost like a liquid red velvet cake! A fruit-driven red with much softer tannins than usual and a sweet mouthfeel, this could be a crowd-pleaser for sure. Smooth and mellow, I think we did okay to try this for our jazz night!
Name: Bread & Butter Cabernet Sauvignon
Origin: Napa Valley, California
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
ABV: 13.5%
Notes: Blackcurrants, soft oak and vanilla on the nose. Aromas of ripe, plush berries, caramel and mocha on the palate, slightly sweet and a bit jammy, in a good way. Soft tannins, very smooth and mellow
Price: On offer for £13.50 at Sainsbury’s nationwide
Recommend with: Lots of jazz and some steak with a blue cheese sauce or you could venture out and sip it with your chocolate pudding
Where: Bread & Butter Cabernet Sauvignon 75cl | Sainsbury's (sainsburys.co.uk)
Small or large?
Substack might warn me I had written too much today… But I must talk about wine glasses! Those who know me are aware of this topic; I talk about it all the time. Especially now, when the visit of my faraway friends is fast approaching ( very excited by the way, lots of wine planned for their return! ). For some reason, they seem to be the ones I keep having this conversation with.
What size do you ask for when out and about? A small, medium or large glass of wine? In my hospitality days, I always taught to my team to never even mention a small glass to customers, as if it didn’t even exist. And maybe just start with a large. But would I ask for a large glass myself? Definitely not. And not just because I would look even smaller with it, given my height. It is a third of a bottle really, if you think about it. But still, not my main issue. Doesn’t it look more elegant and classy when you swirl that tiny drop of wine in your glass? Have you tried it with 250ml in it?
I don’t think I ever asked for a large glass of wine in my life, ever. But I always let my faraway friends do it, standing a bit further back, whilst I ask for ‘just a small one please’.
Next time…
Happy wines, big plans, Accidental Wine Club Ambassador has been born!
Have a grape weekend!
The 4pm Club