THE GOOD WINE BLOG
Monday February 20, 2011
New branch of The Good Wine Shop opening soon!
(Article from Chiswick W4.com: http://www.chiswickw4.com/default.asp?section=trading&page=openingthegoodwineshop.htm)
A branch of The Good Wine Shop is set to open at 84 Chiswick High Road. The independent wine merchant, which also has a branch in Kew, is taking over the premises of the former Wimbledon Wine shop.
Owner Mark Wrigglesworth said he had been planning to expand in the area for some time, and was delighted to be coming to Chiswick. The Good Wine Shop started in December 1999 based in St. Margaret’s in south-west London, but that shop has now closed.
Mr. Wrigglesworth said they would be offering interesting, good value and quirky wines from some of the world’s best producers. There would be wines for all budgets, ranging from £6, to fine wines at the £50 end of the market. The shop will also offer wine-tastings and would be focus on customer service.
“We don’t compete with supermarkets and you won’t see our wines on supermarket shelves but that doesn’t mean that we are only selling expensive wines” he commented.
The premises is undergoing refurbishment and they hope to open early or mid-March.
Wednesday January 18, 2011
Goodbye and Thank You To St Margarets
Sadly, due to circumstances beyond our control, The Good Wine Shop will be moving out of our St Margarets Shop on Monday 23 January.
It has been a pleasure to be part of this amazing community for the last 12 years and we would like to thank you all for your incredible support.
Our business is in good health and within the next year we plan to open two new shops and we are currently scouting for the best locations to do so.
We also have our lovely shop in Kew, which stocks all the St Margarets wines plus many many more. Our friendly staff will be more than happy to show you around.
If you have one of our blue bags, it will still work in Kew and as a thank you for your loyalty you will receive a free bottle of Prosecco the first time you fill the bag up in Kew!
Alternatively, we would love to continue serving you via our website, which provides free delivery on all orders to TW1, TW7, TW9 and TW10 post-codes. You can still enjoy your favourite wines and better still we'll deliver them directly to your door.
Mark Wrigglesworth
Owner
Before we move out of our St Margarets shop on Monday January 23rd, The Good Wine Shop is giving you one last chance to stock up on bargains!
There will be lots of products available at a reduced price while stocks last:
25% off ALL STILL AND SPARKLING WINE (when you buy six bottles or more)
10% off ALL SPIRITS (single bottles only)
PLUS: Big reductions on selected beers (bulk purchase only)
Hurry though because we will be shutting the doors for the last time on Sunday evening!
Tuesday December 13, 2011
Jancis Robinson praises L'Ame Forest Pouily Fuisse
World renowned wine expert Jancis Robinson reviewed L'Ame Forest Pouilly Fuisse in the Financial Times.
"Lift and delicacy on the nose. Really racy and juicy with impressive extract but a certain coolness overall. Firm with some potential for development. Bracing and clean."
Pouilly Fuisse is an appellation in the Maconnais subregion in Burgundy where dry, pale and refreshing white wines are made from the Chardonnay grape.
L'Ame Forest is very much a family affair. The grapes were planted in 1963 by Andre, cultivated by his son Michel and then taken over by the grandson Eric.
Add L'Ame Forest Pouilly Fuisse to your basket here.
Friday December 2, 2011
The Good Wine Shop warms up Kew Sparkle!
On a chilly winter night, there's nothing better than some Mulled Wine to warm you up, so The Good Wine Shop was on hand to provide cups of our very special Mulled Wine for visitors to Kew Sparkle. Thanks to everyone who came by and to those who dropped into the shop. We hope you enjoyed our warming winter concoction and had a great evening.
Saturday November 19, 2011 - 4-7pm
Meet the Winemaker from Poggio Argentiera!
Gianpaolo Paglia, the winemaker from our favourite South Tuscan outfit Poggio Argentiera, came in to The Good Wine Shop in Kew to have a chat and give customers a chance to taste his fantastic Morellino di Scansano wine, which has been taking Italy by storm.
The company ethos at Poggio Argentiera is to fully express the unqiue nature of the terroir through non- interventionalist wine-making.
Poggio Argentiera has recently received plaudits from Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator (where it received over 90 points).
Thanks to everyone who came by to try the wines and to Gianpaolo for a fascinating afternoon.
Saturday November 12, 2011
Dog Point Free Pour in The Good Wine Shop Kew
Matt Sutherland from Dog Point Vineyard came into our Kew shop to show four Dog Point wines.
Dog Point Vineyard in Marlborough combines the considerable wine-growing experience of Ivan Sutherland and James Healy - the former chief viticulturalist and head winemaker at New Zealand's famous Cloudy Bay.
The grapes for Dog Point wines are all hand-picked, and, with the exception of the stainless steel made Sauvignon, all wines are given extended barrel ageing with minimal racking and handling. It's a non-interventionist, natural, hands-off technique that characterizes all their wines.
Thanks to everyone who dropped by to see just how good the Dog Point wines are.
Browse Dog Point wines on our website.
September 24, 2011
Celebrate International Grenache Day with The Good Wine Shop
Welcome to the world of Grenache Noir - the world’s most widely planted red grape, whose fame rests largely on its ability to beef up wines with its own high levels of alcohol – strength rather than subtlety if you will. Yet in the hands of a careful, skillful grower and especially from very old bush vines, Grenache yields incredibly appealing, hedonistic, gluggable, soft and fruity wines.
Grenache – or more properly, Garnacha, is likely Spanish in origin, spreading from the north eastern corner of Spain over the Pyrenees into the Roussillon which belonged to Spain in ancient times. It dominates the Mediterranean littoral to this day with plantings in Sardinia as Cannonau, in Sicily and the far south of Italy, in the Lebanon, Languedoc and the southern Rhone vineyards where it forms the backbone of all Cotes du Rhone blends. In the New World it thrives in Australia and California.
In our rush to embrace the seductive delights of Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet and Malbec, the sturdy old Grenache has been neglected International Grenache Day aims to redress that neglect and reacquaint us with its pleasures.
Here at The Good Wine Shop we’re doing our bit to encourage you to give Grenache a chance.
Over the weekend of September 24th/25th we’ll have 6 Grenache-based wines open to taste in the Kew shop, each one available at case price on those days. For the true aficionados amongst you there will also be a limited edition Blue Bag selection of the six wines with case notes for you.
In case you need any further encouragement to come along and join the Grenache party we leave you with the great Oz Clarke’s description of the grape:
“Grenache is for me the wild, wild woman of wine, the sex on wheels,
the devil take the hindmost, the don’t say I didn’t warn you."
September 13, 2011 - Six of the Best
Dodge The Hangover With Our Lower-Alcohol Selection
These six wines with an alcohol level of 12.5% or less prove that there is no need to compromise on flavour simply because you prefer a more modest level of alcohol some of the time. None of these wines has had any alcohol removed (a favourite trick of many a Californian winemaker) they are simply naturally that way, neither are any of them sweet –the other way to ensure lower levels of alcohol .
Alcohol plays a vital role in the make-up of wine, not just for its undoubted ability to lift our spirits in every sense of the word – but most importantly as a conduit for flavours. The great thing about these wines is that they are full of flavour, refreshing and balanced –they also happen to be marginally more healthy.
Enjoy!
Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2010, Caves de la Tourangelle (12%)
Lovely crisp, grassy and fresh Sauvignon from the middle of the Loire Valley. There’s plenty of crunchy apple and white currant flavours here. It makes a superbly refreshing aperitif, a great base for a Kir and is the ideal suitor for a grilled goat cheese salad with walnut oil and light white fish like sole and plaice.
Planeta La Segreta Bianco 2010, Sicilia IGT (12.5%)
A juicy and full-bodied mouthful of a wine combining Grecanico and Fiano , two of southern Italy’s greatest white grapes , with some Viognier and Chardonnay . It’s fruity, aromatic and has a nice creamy mouth-feel –yet it retains its freshness. It will cope equally well with a selection of Antipasti , a seafood risotto or white meat dishes.
Pinot Blanc D’Alsace Réserve Particulière, Domaine André Scherer (12.5%)
A lightly fruity and spicy Pinot Blanc with just a tiny bit of residual sugar –in other words it’s off-dry. This makes it a good partner for lightly spiced dishes and more delicately smoked fish such as Haddock. It’s also rather good, all on its own, for that restorative first glass at the end of the day –or cook’s nips if you will.
Chinon “les Gravières” 2009, Domaine Couly-Dutheil (12.5%)
A delicious Cabernet Franc-based red from the heart of the Loire Valley showing the grape’s signature sappy raspberry , cherry and strawberry flavours , characteristic lively acidity and fresh leafy scent . 2009 was the year of that gorgeous Indian Summer that we’re all wishing were here now. Throughout France that extra autumnal warmth benefited red wines in particular helping them ripen beautifully. You could drink this slightly cool with a fatty fish like Salmon for example –but it will do just as well with roast pork or lamb. Or you could try to resist its youthful charm and cellar it for a few years.
Clos de Torribas 2005, Tempranillo Crianza, Penedes (12.5%)
This is a lovely supple, rounded blend of Tempranillo (85%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) given a ten month stint in old oak barrels and six months’ further ageing in bottle before release. Tempranillo’s red fruit dominates alongside the extra little bit of freshness that the cool Penedes climate gives. This is such a useful red –it works well with so many different dishes –lamb burgers, pasta, mushroom risotto , roast chicken.
Château Mayne-Vieil 2007, AC Fronsac (12.5%)
A small property based in Fronsac next to its much more famous neigbour, Saint –Emilion, with whom it shares a similar, soft, plummy, Merlot –dominated style of red . In the nineteenth century it was Fronsac that was famous for the quality of its reds. Nowadays it’s rather less known and considerably better value. The blend here is roughly 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc giving a softer, slightly earthy edge to the fruit . 2007 is a great vintage for current drinking-especially with a roast leg of lamb or roast beef.
August 25, 2011 - Six of the Best
Pippa's Off-Piste Picks
Pippa Hayward from The Good Wine Shop in Kew gives us her selection of wines that aren't exactly household names...
We love championing the weird, wacky and wonderful - especially in a world of wine increasingly dominated by variations on a theme of Syrah, Cabernet, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Sometimes finding something obvious in an unfamiliar location shows us a new aspect of a grape we thought we knew while finding a totally unknown grape in an unexpected place can be a fabulous discovery. Each wine in my Off-Piste selection has been picked because it exemplifies one or both of these - and of course because we love it.
Malagousia 2010, Domaine Gerovassiliou, Thessaloniki, Greece, 12.5%
Malagousia is an ancient grape rescued from extinction by Evangelos Gerovassiliou - Greece's foremost white wine maker. In some respects the grape is similar to Viognier with its aromatic peachy scent and minerality. Yet this is fresher and despite being fermented in French oak barrels the wine retains its character and manages to incorporate the peppery spice of the oak beautifully. It's wonderfully persistent in flavour yet is a modest 12.5% alcohol. Works a treat with sweeter shellfish and oriental cuisine. The wine is a Decanter Gold Medal winner in 2011.
Grecanico 2009, Terre di Giumara, Sicily, Italy, 12.5%
The warm south of Italy is home to a number of unique white grapes all of which combine rather peachy, sweet hay-like scents with surprisingly assertive flavours of stone fruit, bitter almond, citrus and minerality. Grecanico is one of them. Crisp acidity and intense flavours make them very food friendly and versatile, well able to stand up to roast pork, chargrilled sardines or the sweet and sour flavours of a Caponata.
Heinrich Red 2008, Burgenland, Austria, 12.5%
A blend of three native grapes: Zweigelt, St Laurent and Blaufrankisch aged in large old oak barrels to create a seriously quaffable red full of red fruit and cherries with soft silky tannins and a juicy supple mouthfeel. This lovely red comes from the eastern edge of Austria near the Hungarian border where the climate is warmer. Drink slightly cool - old-fashioned cellar temperature is about right.
Sola Fred 2009, D.O. Montsant, Celler de Masroig, Spain, 14%
A mouthful of sweet, earthy, brambly fruit and spice with a refreshing finish. Made in the region of Montsant just inland from Tarragona from 100% Carignan or "Samso" to give it its local name. This lovely juicy red sees no oak at all. The Montsant region is relatively new but is making a name for its gutsy, approachable and relatively affordable reds. Partner with fresh pasta and tomatoes or a rich beef ragu, stews, cassoulet and chorizo.
Vista TN 2007, Touriga Nacional Reserva, Vinho Regional Beiras, Portugal, 14%
A treat from Portugal - Touriga Nacional is the most important grape for Port production in the Douro Valley. This wine comes from the more southerly central region of Beiras where Touriga Nacional also flourishes. A year in French oak barrels helps tame the fierce tannins and acidity of the grape - the very qualities that help Vintage Ports age so magnificently. This a real winter red full of warm spicy notes from the oak and rich black fruit from the Touriga Nacional.
Chalten Merlot 2006, Neuguen, Patagonia, Argentina, 14.5%
A Merlot from some of the most southerly vineyards on the planet in Patagonia. Although not very deep in colour, this Merlot packs a real punch of rich, soft, plummy fruit complete with chocolate notes. The climate here can be quite humid with very cool nights - this allows the grapes to ripen very slowly developing full flavours yet retaining balance even at 14.5% alcohol. The wine is perfumed and very silky on the palate - devastatingly easy to drink in fact - and a great example of a familiar grape grown in a very unfamiliar location.
Click the links to order online or drop in to our Kew shop at 2 Royal Parade, Station Approach, TW9 3QD and ask Pippa or Ali to direct you to the wines that take your fancy...
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