The Italian Job
Happy Friday Club Members!
Oh, it’s almost over, 2023 is coming to an end. I think I would need to write at least another 50 more newsletters to be able to tell you all the ups and downs of this year. But there is one thing for sure, when it was up, it was so good! And despite everything, I managed to laugh a lot.
Even though the holidays are upon us ( last newsletter before Christmas!! ) I still have a lot of wine discoveries to share with you so keep an eye on the emails next week.
Did you see my latest post regarding our 3 months anniversary and my favourite wines and adventures? Head over to our Home page where you can read about all the wine fun we had.
The Italian Job
Do you remember that little wine tasting/training session I did a few weeks ago at Friend’s place? Well, we decided the best way to finish the day would be an Italian wine tasting session between the two of us. We haven’t really spent any time with Italian wines recently so choosing the bottles for this evening took a little time. I just wanted us to try something different and not the usual suspects. And I think we managed to pick quite well (except for one, but these things happen ). Oh, and to make the evening even better, Chef made us lasagne, which matched the theme of the night perfectly!
Colomba Bianca, Vitese, Grillo
This one took us by surprise. We knew it would be lovely but didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as we did.
Grillo is a Sicilian white grape variety most famous for its role in fortified Marsala wines. It is still widely planted on the island despite Marsala's fall from fashion and is now used mainly in a variety of still white wines. Thanks to improved wine making techniques and a shift from quantity to quality, we are seeing more and more of this white across the shelves.
The scents on the nose completely won us over and made us fall in love with the wine instantly. Imagine the freshest spring bouquet, filled with sweet peas and lilies. Or walking along a wildflower meadow in the sunshine. That’s what it smelled like; spring, sunshine, birds chirping. Aromatic and harmonious with lots of floral notes. Pleasantly fresh and open on the palate, with ripe melon, peach, green apple and some spices; sage and white pepper. With plenty of mineral flavours, this is a well-structured and rather complex Grillo with a long and elegant finish. Think of it as a fuller, funky alternative to Pinot Grigio. My new happy wine!
Name: Colomba Bianca, Vitese, Grillo
Origin: Sicily, Italy
Grape: 100% Grillo
ABV: 12.5%
Notes: Beautiful floral notes on the nose, very aromatic with hints of white pepper and sage. Yellow peach, white melon and green apples on the palate. Great acidity and minerality, elegant and long finish.
Price: £12.45
Recommend with: This is the perfect aperitif!
Where: Frazier's Wine Merchant
San Marzano 'Timo', Salento, Vermentino
Managed to pick another elegant and flowery white!
The grapes for this wine are grown in Salento, Puglia, at an elevation of approximately 100 metres above sea level. The wine takes its name ‘Timo’ from the thyme bushes that grow along the rocky shoreline of the Ionian Sea.
Upon pouring the straw yellow-coloured wine, you could smell those herbaceous fragrances in the air straight away. Delicate white flowers with hints of thyme and rosemary. Expresses beautifully refined, light citrus, grapefruit and fruit tree aromas. Elegant with lots of mineral notes and a touch of almond at the end.
Name: San Marzano 'Timo', Vermentino
Origin: Salento, Puglia
Grape: Vermentino
ABV: 12.5%
Notes: Straw yellow colour, herbaceous notes on the nose, thyme and rosemary. Refined citrus, grapefruit and fruit tree aromas. Lots of mineral notes, very easy drinking
Price: £12.95
Recommend with: Perfect accompaniment for seafood starters and lightly cooked, delicate white fishes
Where: Aitken Wines
The red
We did have an Italian red but it was something I already tried, written about and absolutely loved it! And if you haven’t had a chance to find a bottle for yourself, please do!
Coste Di Moro Montepulciano Lunaria Biodynamic
Do you want to find out more? You can read about it on our Home page:
5th December - Bold Reds
That dinner with Chef
I am finally getting around to tell you about this place! On that rare day I had with Chef, we decided to indulge in a lot of great food, coffee and some lovely walks. For those of you who know us, it wasn’t a surprise we ended up at this restaurant. We only manage to get here once a year but it’s the same experience every time. Super busy but still feels calm and comfortable. Buzzing atmosphere, chefs in the open kitchen and the waiters and waitresses in the main dining room, all moving effortlessly and swiftly with an array of beautifully looking food. Small plates but think of indulgent and Asian fusion flavours, instead of your typical Patatas bravas.
Yes, you might need to Google some of the ingredients on the menu but I promise, it’s worth it! So many choices that you can easily just close your eyes and have everything your fingers point at.
I could go on forever about all the unique and mouth-watering dishes, the small but rather interesting wine list ( from all over the world ) and the eclectic, seasonal cocktails. And the signature dish of Hen’s Egg which taste exactly the same as when they opened. But instead of me writing about it, just go. Go next year, as a treat and I can assure you, you will want to be back in an instant.
Next time…
Taco night with an unexpected wine selection
Have a grape Christmas Everyone!
The 4pm Club