Hello Again! I hope you enjoyed the sparking wine I recommended in
the last edition of All Things Local (isn’t it a brilliant local
magazine!). As soon as the clocks go back and the earlier nights begin,
it draws my attention to the next event on the calendar, Christmas.
A time for family and friends to meet up and of course share a glass
or two of wine together. There are couple of other traditional drinks
at Christmas, sherry and port. I know my mother always offered visitors
a glass of sherry at Christmas time. I personally prefer white port
to sherry, it goes down especially well, when I am cooking the Christmas
dinner.
I thought this month I would suggest something for you to drink after
your Christmas meal.
I discovered d’Arenberg Fortified Shiraz, whilst on holiday in
Masham, North Yorkshire. Masham was not somewhere I expected to find
a wonderful wine shop, selling interesting wines. When we discovered
the shop last year, it had only been open for two weeks. We wandered
in and discovered an Aladdin’s cave full of wine and very helpful
and knowledgeable owners, Philip and Angela. Needless to say our Christmas
wine shop came early that year. Both of us love Shiraz, so seeing a
fortified Shiraz was enough to tempt us to buy a bottle. We saved it
for Christmas day and decanted the wine, as it does have some sediment
in the bottom. It was a truly wonderful wine.
Brand: d’Arenberg
Type: 2004 Vintage
Region: McLaren Vale, South Australia
Grape: Shiraz
Alcohol Strength: 17.5 %
The colour – Garnet red/black
The bouquet –Ripe blackberry fruits, spice and liquorice, with
a slight brandy smell.
Flavour - Blueberry/blackberry, liquorice, anise and spice and a warming
feel from the brandy as you drink it.
Price: £ 16.99.
Available for delivery from Corks & Cases
Masham, North Yorkshire
www.domain1064069.sites.fasthosts.com (holding site only)
Tel: +44(0)1765 688810
Serve at room temperature decanted. It is ready for drinking now or
it will store for the next 3-30 years. I like to drink it by itself
or with a mature stilton and digestives, but this wine also goes well
with rich cakes such as Christmas cakes and chocolate.
Have a great Christmas.
Anne Kennedy.
