Going to head to the New World Wine Room at a place called The East Room in Shoreditch this Wednesday, 4 November. It's just off City Road, between Old Street and Moorgate tubes (Liverpool St is also nearby).
http://www.thstrm.com/home/index.html
From 7-7:30pm. Hope to see you there.
Anto
Friday, 30 October 2009
Thursday, 22 October 2009
Plot of Land
Terroirs, by it's literal translation means "soils" or "plot of land", which I came to learn from a Hungarian wine buff at a Vinopolis wine tasting session. From Wikipedia - it is a French term in wine, coffee, and tea used to denote the special characteristics that geography bestowed upon particular varieties. Better yet - at its core is the assumption that the land from which the grapes are grown imparts a unique quality that is specific to that region.
And so we went. The wine bar's concept "derives from the Parisian natural wine bars with their emphasis on superb, rarely-seen wines, informal yet informed service, and excellent, hearty food." It certainly was, including a little French arrogance thrown in for good measure. They say the intention of their wine list is "to introduce customers to natural, hand made wines that they feel like drinking." The wines were lovely. Jim embraced the old world, including some Merlot and Beaujolais... at least for a night.
Tasty snacks too, particularly if you like anchovies. We finished these promptly... we had to be out by 9pm. Keeping the WoW dream alive we headed down the road to Gordon's Wine Bar for a few (bottles) more.
The prize on the night seemed to be our old friend Rioja - we finished strongly with some Viña Pomal Rioja Reserva 2003. Relating this particular wine back to the facts on Rioja - it is 100% Tempranillo [one of the grape varieties produced in the region]. Viña Pomal [the estate] is produced by the historic Bodegas Bilbaínas, the largest vineyard in Rioja Alta [one of the three principal regions within Rioja]. And as a Reserva - it's been aged for 3 years (in French oak for 1 year and in the bottle for 2 years). Rich and smooth. Lovely. Needless to say, there were some sore heads today.
Cheers
And so we went. The wine bar's concept "derives from the Parisian natural wine bars with their emphasis on superb, rarely-seen wines, informal yet informed service, and excellent, hearty food." It certainly was, including a little French arrogance thrown in for good measure. They say the intention of their wine list is "to introduce customers to natural, hand made wines that they feel like drinking." The wines were lovely. Jim embraced the old world, including some Merlot and Beaujolais... at least for a night.
Tasty snacks too, particularly if you like anchovies. We finished these promptly... we had to be out by 9pm. Keeping the WoW dream alive we headed down the road to Gordon's Wine Bar for a few (bottles) more.
The prize on the night seemed to be our old friend Rioja - we finished strongly with some Viña Pomal Rioja Reserva 2003. Relating this particular wine back to the facts on Rioja - it is 100% Tempranillo [one of the grape varieties produced in the region]. Viña Pomal [the estate] is produced by the historic Bodegas Bilbaínas, the largest vineyard in Rioja Alta [one of the three principal regions within Rioja]. And as a Reserva - it's been aged for 3 years (in French oak for 1 year and in the bottle for 2 years). Rich and smooth. Lovely. Needless to say, there were some sore heads today.
Cheers
Thursday, 15 October 2009
Slow Wine?
It would seem like the next place we're going to for wines is very much keen on a topic dear to me - Slow Food. Their philosophy is:
"Great food and great wine sourced with an eager eye for provenance.
It is about the purity of the product, either raised, or grown, with sensitivity and compassion. It is about food and wine which is natural and free of additives and about artisan products that taste simply of their origin. It is about serving food and wine in a fun, friendly and stimulating environment and it is about the people who return to Terroirs and bring with them that sense of enjoyment and pleasure."
The place is Terroirs. It's on William IV Street in between Trafalgar Square and Charing Cross tube station, near Covent Garden. Next Wednesday, 21 October. I've booked a table at 7pm. Jimmy McDonald and his lovely wife Emma are coming along after their adventures around Europe, so please join us.
Ant
"Great food and great wine sourced with an eager eye for provenance.
It is about the purity of the product, either raised, or grown, with sensitivity and compassion. It is about food and wine which is natural and free of additives and about artisan products that taste simply of their origin. It is about serving food and wine in a fun, friendly and stimulating environment and it is about the people who return to Terroirs and bring with them that sense of enjoyment and pleasure."
The place is Terroirs. It's on William IV Street in between Trafalgar Square and Charing Cross tube station, near Covent Garden. Next Wednesday, 21 October. I've booked a table at 7pm. Jimmy McDonald and his lovely wife Emma are coming along after their adventures around Europe, so please join us.
Ant
Rioja - that Spanish wine
It seemed the wine of choice last week at Pix. It so often is. I thought I'd look in to further, so here's some background:
Rioja is a wine named after La Rioja in Spain - in the north, south-west of Bilbao, San Sebastian, Pamplona. Rioja is made from grapes grown mainly in the Autonomous Community of La Rioja. The grapes produced are Tempranillo, Granacha (or Grenache), Granciano and Mazuelo (or Garignan).
The three principal regions of La Rioja are Rioja Alavesa, Rioja Alta and Rioja Baja with each area producing its own unique expression of Rioja wine.
A distinct characteristic of Rioja wine is the effect of oak aging. It’s also something that affects it’s classification. Rioja red wines are classified into four categories.
1. Simply labeled "Rioja," is the youngest, spending less than a year in an oak aging barrel.
2. A "crianza" is wine aged for at least two years, at least one of which was in oak.
3. "Rioja Reserva" is aged for at least three years, of which at least one year is in oak.
4. "Rioja Gran Reserva" wines have been aged at least two years in oak and three years in bottle.
Is it the quintessential Spainish wine?
Rioja is a wine named after La Rioja in Spain - in the north, south-west of Bilbao, San Sebastian, Pamplona. Rioja is made from grapes grown mainly in the Autonomous Community of La Rioja. The grapes produced are Tempranillo, Granacha (or Grenache), Granciano and Mazuelo (or Garignan).
The three principal regions of La Rioja are Rioja Alavesa, Rioja Alta and Rioja Baja with each area producing its own unique expression of Rioja wine.
A distinct characteristic of Rioja wine is the effect of oak aging. It’s also something that affects it’s classification. Rioja red wines are classified into four categories.
1. Simply labeled "Rioja," is the youngest, spending less than a year in an oak aging barrel.
2. A "crianza" is wine aged for at least two years, at least one of which was in oak.
3. "Rioja Reserva" is aged for at least three years, of which at least one year is in oak.
4. "Rioja Gran Reserva" wines have been aged at least two years in oak and three years in bottle.
Is it the quintessential Spainish wine?
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