BOROUGH CONFIDENTIAL

Discovered by a tip-off, there is a magical wine shop tucked away in one of the back streets near Borough Tube station, not far from the excellent Borough market. Waterloo Wine is based in a former warehouse which was developed into apartments not long ago. The shop, trading since 1982, invites you in, doors wide open, into what looks like a slightly dusty wine cellar. Dark shelves, or rather cubicles, hold some rare and delicious wines, many at bargain prices: superb samples from top producers in the Loire Valley, including star-buys from Prince Poniatowski’s cellar, quality Rieslings from Germany and Alsace, a large selection of Austrian wines, New Zealand wine and many more.

Founded by a co-owner of the Kiwi Wairapa West winery, their philosophy is mainly to work directly with family owned estates, bypassing intermediaries - hence the attractive prices. They act as wholesalers as well as retailers.

Thanks to their philosophy, many brands are available year after year, which makes it possible to conduct comparative studies of vintages or how a wine can develop in the bottle by buying consecutive vintages by the same producers. So you can experiment in the comfort of your home and share your experience with your friends and other wine lovers.

Make your way to Waterloo Wine on Friday or on a Saturday morning when you can enjoy Borough market too, which sells a host of gourmet delights. Buy yourself a few treats as you soak up the market’s electrifying atmosphere or have a leisurely meal in one of the many restaurants, oyster bars, pubs and cafes, old and new. And if you feel like spoiling yourself, pop into the wine museum Vinopolis to tickle your taste buds even further. And don’t forget to check out the bargains at Majestic, next door.

To fully enjoy the experience, allow yourself 5 to 6 hours.

YERING OF OZ

Alas, the previous entry resolution has been broken without remorse. The Italian study case will have to wait while I go Australian. And who’s to blame? Was it really possible to resist something which is getting hotter and hotter in London? A must to try before it flies off the shelves without even a chance to fully mature.

Submitted by Sainsbury’s and Yering Station to the International Wine and Spirit Competition, 2004 Yering Station Shiraz Viognier took Gold Best in Class Award this summer in London which means it received “the highest mark in its respective category”. Shiraz co-fermented with 5% Viognier to add finesse and texture is not trying to compete with the real thing from Cote-Rotie but it’s delicious and smooth, and, priced at £9.99, won’t burn a hole in your pocket.

Purple with garnet on the rim; ripe blackberry, soft pepper, liquorice and mild oak, refined with fine dark chocolate and floral notes on the nose; black fruit, chocolate and spice with well-balanced and integrated tannin and acidity on the palate, it’s an elegant cool-climate-character Shiraz with a good length destined to make your everyday meal a festive event, and it won’t be out of place at a special occasion, either.

It goes well with… well (hmm)… anything, be it a slice of ham or chicken, egg mayonnaise (!) or a pork pie, but will be at its best with grilled and roasted meats and poultry, casseroles, sausages and many cheeses.

Yering Station was first planted with vine by a Scot, William Ryrie, in 1838. 50 years later it was awarded a Grand Prix at the World Exhibition in Paris but then went into a slow decline followed by virtual oblivion until its gradual revival in the 1970s. 1996 saw Yering Station happily change hands - the mighty Rathbones took over the little kingdom.

Their wines don’t gather dust now thanks to their award winning winemaker, Tom Carson, and his team, be it Pinot Noir, rosé or red, or blend of the Rhone white all-stars Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier, so that Channel 4 charmers, Richard and Judy, also sing odes to the wines of the former cattle farm in the Yarra Valley.

2004 Yering Station Shiraz Viognier, Yarra Valley, Australia – 14.5% alcohol.

(Sainsbury’s - £9.99, try also Majestic - £9.99)

ITALIAN ODYSSEY

Whenever I fancy an Italian wine, I always think of Chianti or Valpolicella. Now that’s what I call a chronic lack of imagination when you consider Italy boasts more than 1,000 grape varieties and makes many more different wines. So feeling a tad more ambitious, I decided to break the routine and plunge into something inspirational and exciting from the country of Bacchus. I chose a red Bardolino from the shores of the beautiful Lake Garda, hoping that its vibrant and young acidity would send my taste buds soaring. Alas, it failed to excite or boost my spirit. It was tame and timid, but luckily complemented our pasta with a light tomato sauce well.

2003 Bardolino Classico DOC (Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara), Tedeschi, Veneto – 12% - to be served chilled at 12°

After dessert – raspberry and blackberry soufflé – I realised that it was time I went on an Italian odyssey to get some idea of the range of vignoble delights the country has to offer. So after a lot of head scratching, I’ve settled on the following twelve wines for my case to be tried before I can even begin to feel I have some grasp of Italian wine:

1. Barolo (Nebbiolo grape), Piemonte
2. Barbera d’Asti, (Barbera grape), Piemonte
3. Gavi (Cortese grape), Piemonte
4. Friulano (Friulano), Friuli-Venezia Guilia, Collio
5. Amarone della Valpolicella (Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara), Veneto
6. Nero d'Avola (Nero d'Avola), Sicily
7. Rosso di Montalchino (Sangiovese), Tuscany
8. Pinot Grigio
9. Aglianico del Vulture (Aglianico grape), Basilicata
10. Soave Superiore (Garganega), Veneto
11. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (Montepulciano), Abruzzo
12. Frascati (Malvasia, Trebbiano), Latium

Unfortunately, Super-Tuscans and Brunello de Montalcino have to be excluded until next time, for budgetary reasons. Wish me luck!

TAVEL - FIT FOR A KING

Legend has it that in the 13th century a king passing through the village of Tavel in the Rhone Valley exclaimed as he tasted the local wine, “There is no good wine but that of Tavel!”. So it’s no surprise that the French elite and aristocracy developed a soft spot for this lavish wine with its intense lush colour of ripe strawberry. And such is the affection of the arts world for Tavel wine in France that in 1987 the administrators of the Comedie Française sponsored the design of a new bottle, which won award for Best Package later that year.

Unlike other rosés, Tavel can be enjoyed all year round, and it boasts the distinction of being the one rosé that is a constant feature of the menu in all prestigious restaurants in France.

The Tavel appellation was created in 1936 exclusively for rosé. The Tavelois were convinced as early as the 16th century that the unique lause and galets terroir was perfect for rosé and nothing else. A blend of black and white varieties in different proportions, no one grape should exceed 60% in the blend. There are only about 30 producers of Tavel and about 80% of the total production is consumed on the domestic market.

2005 CHATEAU d’AQUERIA, Tavel AOC, Grenache, Cinsault and Clairette, 13.5% alcohol – Serve at 12°

Soft strawberry, white pepper and slightly flinty on the nose; red cherry, strawberry and spice on the palate with well balanced acidity and a touch of tannin, elegant and marked with finesse. It goes well with chicken, grilled salmon, various vegetarian dishes, appetisers and salads.

(Majestic – £9.45; with any 2 rosés – £7.55; Waitrose – 2005 “Les Vallognes” by Chateau d’Aqueria - £8.99)

2004 DOMAINE DU PRIEURÉ, Tavel AOC, Montezargues Proprietaires Recoltants (Grenache, Cinsault, Clairette), 13.5% alcohol – serve at 12°. Well structured and elegant, it has similar qualities and aromas to the Chateau d’Aqueria.

(Nicola - £10.99, Uncorked in the City - £9.99 for 2005 Prieuré De Montezargues)

A Quick Recipe for the King’s Rosé: Grilled Salmon.

2 salmon fillets, a little olive oil, freshly squeezed juice of ½ lemon, salt and freshly ground black paper to taste – serves 2 (preparation and cooking time approx 20 mins)

1. Pre-heat the grill (mark 4)
2. Brush with olive oil on both sides and sprinkle with salt, and pepper;
3. Put salmon fillets on a grill tray;
4. Squeeze lemon juice on the fillets;
5. Put the tray under the grill for 8-9 min turning once, whilst turning squeeze some lemon juice on the other side;
6. Serve with new boiled potatoes and salad

Salad: put in a bowl a handful of baby leaf lettuce + baby apollo lettuce + red chard (or iceberg lettuce), baby cos leaves, some rocket, carrot and shredded red cabbage; sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; cut 1 tomato and squeeze the juice onto the bowl - discard the flesh; sprinkle with extra virgin olive oil; mix well and serve with grilled salmon.

ROSÉ ITALIANO

Today, I fancied a change. I decided to go Italian and check out one of their modest rosés.

2005 CAVALCHINA, Bardolino Chiaretto DOC (rosé), 12% - serve chilled at 12°

(Majestic - £5.99; £4.99 – with any 2 rosé)

It’s made near the picturesque Lake Garda in the Bardolino region from the same grape varieties as Valpolicella: Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara. Brilliant rose water in colour, it’s slightly off-dry and its delicate soft cherry aromas and flavours on the nose and palate and well-balanced as if caramelised acidity, makes it an ideal refreshingly delicious aperitif. You can sip on it for ever. It purports to be quite alcoholic at 12% - I have my doubts. But does it really matter? Less is more when the sun is shining and the sky is blue.

It goes well with mildly flavoured food and appetisers, is perfect with light tomato pasta and pizzas of the not so spicy variety. And when it comes to cheesecake, a nice berry one will do, such as the Very Berry Cheesecake from M&S. And finally… it goes very nicely with a slice of Cheddar cheese.

P.S. If you’re a Londoner, Majestic near Borough Market is the only Majestic in the UK which sells its goodies by the bottle rather than by the case.

REDISCOVERING CABERNET

How many times have you faced this problem? You want to taste something special. Does it mean pricey, original or something you’ve never tried before? Well, you could do a lot worse than rediscover the thick-skinned classic grape of the Medoc, Cabernet Sauvignon, now planted throughout the New World. Try 1999 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, one of the hottest spots for this black variety. Priced at £11.99, it’s not particularly cheap, but bearing in mind that in any London “reasonable” restaurant the cheapest plonk will set you back at least £13.00, it’s a real bargain.

Garnet in colour, smoky, with tobacco and black fruit aromas on the nose, its well balanced tannin and cherry and blackcurrant flavours on the palate will make you want to repeat the experience again and again. So, steady yourself, take a deep breath and let your journey into the wonderful world of Cabernet Sauvignon begin anew.

1999 BERINGER Vineyards, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Appellation Collection, 13.5% alcohol.

(Majestic - £11.99; 2 in a case -£9.99; Thresher – £10.99)

Another Cabernet treat is the 2001 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon which comes from another Cabernet classic region – Coonawarra in Australia with its terra rossa soil designed to produce a powerful and delicious wine.

Dark ruby with garnet rim in colour, with strong blackcurrant, cherry and dry mint on the nose and plenty of black fruit on the palate, it will give you a little lift and grace any occasion.

2001 WYNNS Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Australia, 14% alcohol.

(Oddbins - £10.00, try also Majestic, for other suppliers in the UK and USA, search on www.wine-searcher.com)

If you can afford to splash out about £30, treat yourself to 1998 Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, Australia 13.5% alcohol (Tesco, Oddbins)

And finally…
Cabernet Sauvignon goes well with grilled and roasted meats; also with cheeses: gruyere, red Leicester and cheddar, and, surprisingly, with green or black olives.

Cheers!