Thursday Club with talk RADIO: Albariño for Albariño Day!

The 1st of August is Albariño Day! Yes, another wine grape day that serves as a fantastic excuse to take a deep dive into a particular wine style. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could LITERALLY do that? Today’s tasting aim is to show that this classy, citrussy, peachy, white Spanish grape is no one trick pony. Experimentation is happening all over the region of Rias Baixas in Galicia, northwestern Spain (where this grape is the queen), which means that we have several styles to choose from these days. Some are zesty and refreshing, perfect alone. Others have a creamy weight thanks to extended ageing on the lees (dead yeast cells left after fermentation) and there is more and more oak ageing happening too that increases texture and body and in some cases, adds a touch of spice. These last two styles can handle various types of cuisine very well. See this article for more on the Albariño grape and its spiritual home in Rias Baixas. 

Don’t forget to check out albarinoday.co.uk for details of

promos and events near you! 

Pazo de Villarei Albariño, Rías Baixas 2020

Pazo translates as a typical house of the region, so something a bit like ‘domaine’ in French. This wine hails from the O Rosal sub-region of Rias Baixas and is a great place to start your Albariño journey, thanks to its approachable, fruity, citrussy freshness.

Find it at The Wine Society here for £9.95.

You & Me Albariño 2019

Taking a small step up with grapes harvested from the Salnés Valley (the most northern and coolest subzone of Rías Baixas), this wine is perky and fresh with floral notes and a touch of peach. There’s a little more body and complexity than the previous wine, so it can handle foods well, especially hard, nutty cheeses, white fish and seafood. 

Find it at Ocado here for £13.99.

Santiago Ruiz `O Rosal` Rías Baixas 2019

Here’s a wine that showcases how well Albariño can blend with other grapes. While 82% is Albariño, there’s a smattering of other local grape varieties that we more traditionally see used in the Vinho Verde wines of Portugal which are literally just around the corner from Rias Baixas. There’s 9% aromatic Loureiro, with 4% Caíño Blanco, 3% Treixadura and 2% Godello for good measure. It’s a crisp and refreshing Albariño with added notes of lime, white flowers and an interesting herbal note too, like lemon balm. One to savour but is still incredibly easy to drink. 

Find it at Bodega Movil here for £17.95.

Check out this link for an article and short video all about Albariño from Rias Baixas! Also, to be in with a chance to win a case of these gorgeous wines head over to our competition!

Thursday Club with talk RADIO: Summer Sips from Sainsbury's

On the Thursday Club this afternoon: More summertime sips and this time, from Sainsbury’s. Here are some wines you may or may not have heard of before, but they are certainly worth chilling and bringing out on hot days, even the red! 

Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine, France. Taste the Difference.

Muscadet is a 70’s favourite but it’s coming back as people reach for cleaner, cool, bone dry, more neutral wines. The grape is actually Melon de Bourgogne, which really makes no sense as Bourgogne means ‘Burgundy - a totally different region! Muscadet wines are famously slightly spritzy with earthy, grape flesh notes and a chalky texture. It hails from the far west of the Loire Valley in France. Perfect with shellfish.

£7.50 from Sainsbury’s

Cono Sur ‘Bicicleta’ Viognier, Chile.

Cono Sur is a big Chilean brand but one you can rely on to make seriously easy drinking, inexpensive fruity wines that are great examples of type. Her, they’ve taken France’s Viognier grape and given it the New World Touch. On the opposite end of the spectrum to Muscadet, Viognier is the sun goddess of wine. Think ripe peach and apricot, with coconut oil and a garland of white flowers. Viognier is great with lightly spiced food, especially Thai. 

£7.50 from Sainsbury’s

Beaujolais Villages, Coteaux Granitiques, France. Taste the Difference

Beaujolais is another seventies throwback in a way but these days, it’s certainly not the strawberry bubblegum stuff that could strip paint. The grape used is Gamay for the reds and it comes from central France, just below the Burgundy region. There are several quality levels of Beaujolais, from the early drinking, ‘bubblegum’ nouveau style, to the more serious Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages and then the 10 ‘Cru’, which each have names you might know such as Fleurie or Morgon. Gamay is a light bodied red with very little drying tanning, that is known and loved for its fresh cherry and red berry fruit. 

£9.50 from Sainsbury’s

Thursday Club with TalkRadio: Tequila Special

This week it’s all about Tequila! We’ll be discovering some top serves to get the very most out of your bottle. Forget shots, this week it’s all about smooth sipping and appreciating some of the finest liquid known to mankind!

Tequila Dobel Diamante

Made with 100% pure agave and formulated using a blend of Extra-Añejo, Añejo and Reposado tequilas. This complex spirit gives you a mix of sweet flavours – caramel, honey and maple alongside a nutty vanilla finish. An indescribable smoothness and a long finish that leaves you wanting more.

ABV: 40% // Size: 700ml // Find here: £54.95

Spicy Margarita

50ml Tequila Dobel Diamante
25ml Lime
4 Slices of Chilli
10ml Agave Syrup

Herradura Reposado

The Original Reposado. Tequila Herradura introduced the world to Reposado in 1974 and has been setting the standard ever since. Aged longer than industry standard for 11 months, Reposado has a rich amber color with notes of cooked agave, vanilla and butter. This additional time spent resting in charred American White Oak barrels creates a smooth, sweet finish with a slight taste of spice.

ABV: 40% // Size: 700ml // Find here: £43.64

Chocolate Orange Margarita

50ml Herradura Reposado
15ml Grand Marnier
20ml Lime
1 Dash Chocoalte Bitters
1 Dash Vanilla Bitters

Storywood 14 Year Speyside Añejo

Bottled at cask strength, Storywood Double Oak is at the top of the range of their Cask Strength Limited Editions. Raised over 14 months in single malt Scotch whisky casks and Oloroso Sherry casks. Honey and caramel merge with cherry and dark fruit notes for a radically rare tequila. Limited to around 500 cases a year.

ABV: 40% // Size: 700ml // Find here: £53.20

Tequila Old Fashioned

50ml Storywood Double Oak Anejo
15ml Agave Nectar
1 Dash Angosturra Bitters
1 Dash Orange Bitters

Top Tip: When making margaritas, use Grand Marnier to hit that cocktail up a notch!

To see more of the bottles we’ve featured on Thursday Club click here!

Thursday Club with talk RADIO: Quintessentially English Drinks

As I write, England just beat Denmark in the Euros and will face Italy on Sunday in the final! What else can we do today then, than crack some English fizz and celebrate a few quintessentially English tipples? As a nod to Sunday, we will also take the English gin liqueur and give it a little Italian twist.   

The Fizz

Kingscote Sparkling Brut (11.5% abv)

An incredibly aromatic, dry, English fizz, packed full of forest floor flavours. Unusually for most English fizz these days, it’s made in the charmat or ‘tank’ method like Prosecco rather than the more lengthy, traditional method. It is also Bacchus dominant, rather than Chardonnay or Pinot Noir. As a result, it's fresher and more frothy than the Champagne style wines. At under £20 too, it’s an absolute bargain!

Find it here at The English Vine for £16.19 mix six price (£17.99 single)

The Bargain Summer Cup

Austin’s Classic Summer Punch (17.5% abv)

I was recently commissioned by The Sun to do a taste-off of all the supermarket variations of summer punch against the most famous brand, Pimm’s. Aldi’s Austin’s did not only do better than all the other brands as well as being the cheapest, but I also scored it more highly than Pimm’s itself. For your quintessentially English summer punch, just use one part Austin’s to two parts lemonade and throw in some strawberries, cucumber and mint. 

Find it here for £7.49 for 1 litre from Aldi

The Sophisticated, Step-up

Rev Hubert’s Garden Gin (20% ABV)

The Reverend Hubert Bell Lester (1868 -1929) was a charming man who apparently enjoyed a good party. He created his ‘famous’ winter liqueur recipe in 1904 for the joyful Christmas gathering of his army colleagues and congregation and the recipe endured. Today, his great grandson Thomas has revived it, updating the various versions and creating everything by hand. This Garden Gin liqueur is a summery version of one of his recipes, featuring rhubarb, plum, sweet pomegranate and tart cranberries. Have it with soda or tonic. It also makes an excellent English Garden Negroni. (⅓ Rev, ⅓ Cocchi (or other white) Vermouth, ⅓ Campari).

Find it exclusively at Master of Malt for £34.95

Thursday Club with talk RADIO: Top wines from Co-op

This week on the Thursday club, it’s the last in our supermarket series and this time, it’s the turn of the Co-op! I’ve chosen an impressive little white that you may not have heard of before, a simple and delicious pink Rioja and I also spotted a real bargain red that tastes a lot more expensive than it is…

Co-op Irresistible Marsanne 2019

Made by one of the star winemakers of the Languedoc; Jean-Claude Mas from Les Domaines Paul Mas, this is a well-made, perky white that is simply a great expression of the Marsanne grape. Marsanne is normally associated with Rhone Valley and often blended with Roussanne as it can often be a bit much on its own, but this one is really attractive. Think of ripe peach, pear and subtle, tropical fruit flavours with a lovely, creamy texture and good weight. It’s a bit different. If you like Viognier, you will like this. 

Find it for £8 here

Cune Rosado 2020

Cune is a name to know in Rioja for its fruit-forward, modern styles of wine that are easy to love. Despite its youth, the 2020 pink is drinking perfectly now, with a pretty scent of ripe cherry and delicious strawberry notes on the palate. It’s elegant, juicy and so easy to drink. Amazing value too, knocking many Provencal rosés off the shelf. 

Find it for £8.50 here

Co-op Tinto, Vina Gala NV

This was the surprise of the tasting to me. A non-vintage wine that clearly has some age on it - it must be a small parcel they have picked up. Made with 100% Tempranillo (the same grape that makes Rioja), this is super savoury with notes of grilled meat, leather and a flash of stewed strawberry and woody spice. Perhaps not one for everyone, but with a bit of air and either a slab of meat or some cheese, this properly belies it’s ridiculously low price. 

Find it at Co-op for £5.85 soon to be online

Thursday Club with Talk Radio: A Pride Special... with Aidy!

Today’s Thursday Club is a little bit different and a little bit special because both Aidy and I are on with Mike Graham and we are celebrating Pride month with a few drinks!

We’ve chosen these companies today because they are all created by members of the LGBTQIA+ community and all of them give back in some way, so are well worth our support. We hope you like them as much as we do. 

Gays Who Wine

Gays Who Wine is a friendly community where the founders run a popup, gay wine bar offering wine tastings and great food pairings in welcoming, judgement-free venues around London, Brighton and Cardiff. While live events are on hold due to you know what, they have been creating some wonderful, at-home experiences. It’s more than a shop, it’s a whole community. Today, we’re test driving one of their monthly, ‘at home’ hampers, which comes with a couple of bottles of wine, cheese bread and snacks. Today’s wine is a South African, Pinotage (that’s the grape) rosé. It’s packed with ripe strawberry and melon fruit with a beautiful, biltong-esque bite.

10% of the profits go back to LGBTQ+ charities. Find their hampers, beers, wine cases and a whole new community at www.gayswhowine.com

LuvJus (4.8% ABV)

The hard seltzers in super smart cans are all-natural, low sugar low alcoholic craft-pop drinks. They currently come in two flavours: The yellow one, which is Pineapple, Mint, Korean Ginseng, Jasmine & Vodka and the red one, which is Blood Orange, Pomegranate, Korean Ginseng & Vodka. It all started back in 2016, when housemates George and Owen set off for their first international Pride experience and discovered a true celebration of a huge, new community. The wanted a way to bottle the experience having had the time of their lives, but not finding anything they wanted to drink amidst the sugary, expensive, unhealthy options and corporate brands jumping on the Pride bandwagon, so they spent the day discussing their ‘perfect' drink and came up with this. In keeping with the supportive nature of everything they encountered during that first Pride, a proportion of the LuvJus profits support LGBTQ+ charities and initiatives. It has also become a social platform for the community.

Find it at Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, Amazon and their website £19.95 for 6 cans.

Ciroc Vodka

Celebrate Pride month with this exclusive hunapologetic Philip Normal x INKD CÎROC design. For the month of June, INKD will donating £5 from every bottle sold to the Albert Kennedy Trust, a charity working to tackle homelessness in the LGBTQ+ community. Each bottle sold in June will also get an exclusive free Philip Normal tote bag featuring the text “It’s vodka hun”!

Philip Normal is famous for his bold, characterful statements which he integrates into colourful designs. Inspired by the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community, this bold bottle is a true celebration of self-acceptance.  Choose from a variety of CÎROC flavor's and add your own message to make this exclusive Philip Normal bottle your own.

Get it here for £45

Chambord Liqueur

Yep, it’s the world’s favourite raspberry liqueur and with their brand new PRIDE edition they’re giving back to the community! A portion of proceeds from ever sale will go straight back to the Stonewall charity.

The sumptuous spirit starts its life as an infusion of juices from blackberries, raspberries and blackcurrants. They intertwine with a variety of fine French spirits over six weeks before being gently pressed.

Finally, this berry infusion is blended with all-natural black raspberries flavours as well as with a combination of exquisite XO Cognac, Madagascan vanilla, Moroccan citrus peel and delicate honey. Et voila!

The normal edition is available on Amazon and in Tesco for £23.99 for 70cl and the Pride edition is out in July!

Want to discover more LGBTQ+ led drinks brands? Check out this article.

Thursday Club with Talk Radio: Top Wines from Morrisons

It’s Thirsty Thursday and that means time for the Thursday Club with talkRADIO! This week, we continue the supermarket theme and taste three wines that impressed me from Morrisons. Two whites and red. Have you heard of any of these?

Morrisons ‘The Best’ Rioja Blanco

White Rioja is a totally different animal to red Rioja, even though it is made in the same region.  While the reds are based largely or entirely on the Tempranillo grape, white Rioja is all about white grapes, especially one called Viura, which has to make up at least 51% of the blend. Other local white grapes can be added too, such as  Malvasía de Rioja, Garnacha Blanca, Tempranillo Blanco, Maturana Blanca, Turruntés de Rioja, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Verdejo. The style of these can be light or heavy and there is often a bit of oak involved. They have age statements too like the reds, from Joven, which means young, up to Gran Reserva, which will be released after a minimum of 48 months. This one is fairly young and has a good balance of ripe fruit, oak and texture. 

Find it here for £7.75

Masseria Pietrosa Verdeca 

We’ve talked previously about how Italy has some really interesting and brilliant value grape varieties, so here’s another one for you: Verdeca. It’s fairly rare, comes largely from Puglia and Emiglia-Romana and tends to be aromatic with herbal notes and ripe, citrussy flavours with a mineral core. It’s often used in blends from smaller DOCS around Southern Italy, so it’s interesting to see it here as a varietal wine (With just one grape on the label). Masseria Pietrosa means old stone farmhouse and refers to the famous trulli houses in the area. 

Find it here for £7

Morrisons ‘The Best’ Barolo 2017

Barolo is the famous Italian wine hailing from Piedmont in the North and made with the Nebbiolo grape. It’s often a bit of a surprise as it often looks pale and delicate and has pretty, aromatic notes of rose petals and violet but then get it in your mouth and it’s hugely powerful and full-bodied. Think tar and roses, truffle and marzipan. Needs time open and an amazing meat stew. This one won a gold in the recent International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC). 

Find it here for £14

Thursday Club with Talk Radio: Waitrose Summer Whites

Carrying on our supermarket theme for the Thursday Club on Talk radio, we look at Waitrose this week with some pretty, summer whites! How much do you know about Vinho Verde? Have you ever had Grillo when on holiday in Sicily and how about the italian grape Vermentino, but made in Australia? Here are four slightly different whites for summer that are great value for picnics, barbecues and glugging in the garden.

Waitrose Blueprint Vinho Verde

Waitrose Blueprint is their own label, produced to give classic examples of regions and styles. Their Vinho Verde from the north-west corner of Portugal is crisp, zesty and lightly aromatic, with notes of citrus and apple. There’s a little spriitz too and it’s not so high in alcohol, so perfect for hot summer nights and great with salads and seafood, especially grilled fish.

Find it here for £6.99

Vermentino, Berton Vineyard

The Aussies love Italian and French grapes and this Vermentino comes from vineyards in the South East of Australia, which suits it well as it keeps its cool acidity even in the warm sun. Pale lemon colour , it has a vibrant nose of tropical fruit and lemon rind, with a waxy, weighty body reminiscent of apple pie.

Find it here for £7.99

Grillo, Stemmari

Grillo is a grape famous in Socily that makes inexpensive, but delicious sunshine wines oozing with notes of fresh orange and pineapple, mango and jasmine, with a cool, saline freshness. Always a bargain and a great crowd pleaser, particularly with anything grilled on the barbie, especially prawns and white fish.

Find it here for £8.99

Waitrose Sauternes 2013

Made by the famous house Chateau Suduiraut in the French region of Sauternes, just below Bordeaux proper, this famously sweet wine is unctuously rich with notes of marzipan, marmalade, apricot jam and zesty lemon citrus. A fabulous match for blue cheese, you could also try this over crushed ice with an orange wheel and sprig of mint!

Find this in half bottles here for £16.99

Tune into talkRADIO every Thursday to join Helena and Mike Graham as part of the Thursday Club. You can now watch live too!