Thursday 20th October – Sunday 23rd October
Why not try the flight with our £10 cheese plate, served with crackers and Damson Paste. We try to pick new wines that will match the cheeses each week. This week we have a selection that includes Langres (a rich, sumptuous, creamy, “washed-rind” cheese, brushed with brandy), Lincolnshire Poacher (a rich, nutty hard cheese that’s 14-16 months matured) and Bleu d’Auvergne (a smooth, creamy textured, delicate Blue) which works so well with the rich, luscious Sauternes.
All cheeses are sourced from Artisan Cheesemonger Buchanans, Porchester Place.
The wines - £10 for three 75ml tasters
Wine 1: Saturnino Verdejo, Rueda, Spain, 2020 - £5.10 125ml glass
"La Seca" is one of the most sought-after wine regions in Rueda. It was winemaker Marta's Grandfather (pictured on the label) who first singled out Verdejo and being particularly well suited to the region and worked with grapes planted here, in the "Golden Mile". The grapes are picked at night then aged on lees, which gives the wine a salty, slightly savoury style, balanced out with crunchy green apple and ripe stone fruits.
Wine 2: Bodega Tandem “Macula”, Navarra, Spain, 2014 - £6.30 125ml glass
José and Alicia (the “tandem” founders) set up Bodega Tandem with the aim of doing things very differently from other producers in the area. With vines in a cooler region of Navarra, the wines feel more Mediterranean than most nearby Riojas. The Macula is a Cabernet/Merlot blend with a complex nose of cloves, black pepper, tobacco, herbs and dark chocolate, cassis and a touch of balsamic. This is brilliant with some hard, mature cheese, which really softens the tannins.
Wine 3: Chateau Briatte, Sauternes, Bordeaux, France, 2014 - £6.90 75ml glass
Sauternes is still one of the most magical (and famous) regions for sweet wines. The Chateau Briatte is made in the traditional method, where the cool, misty nights and mornings allow the development of “Noble Rot”. Briatte are right next to Yquem, the most famous of them all – a sweet, golden, honeyed, yet bright wine, easily worth it for the smell alone!