RAISE A GLASS
I’M drawing January to a close with a selection of my themes from the month. If you’ve enjoyed exploring Ginuary, signed up to Veganuary, or been brave enough to embrace Dry January, here’s a handful of ideas.
Vegan wines: Bordeaux wines are among my favourite red styles. I was excited to join a Zoom tasting to explore some reds from the Hot 50 Bordeaux Selection which you can find online at bordeaux.com/gb
Two wines in our tasting selection were veganfriendly. Merlot is the grape with the leading role in
Château Merigot Côtes de Bourg (£12.49, online at strictlywine.co.uk). Malbec is there too, but just 5% of the blend. When you think of the character of merlot, then think soft, smooth and delicious black fruits and plums. There’s a nod towards spice and oak as some of the wine was aged in oak barrels for one year. Château George 7 2018 (£23.95, online at davywine.co.uk, left) is crafted in the Fronsac appellation in Bordeaux’s Right Bank. The vines are 35 years old and 100% merlot.
The philosophy is to be as sustainable as possible and to restore the natural balance in the vineyard. New hedgerows have been planted to encourage biodiversity, no chemical weed killers are used, and birdlife is encouraged.
This wine is the château’s first vintage. It oozes plums and cherries, a good shake of pepper and has the classic cedar notes of Bordeaux reds.
Now for a vegan white. Litmus Element 20, 2014 (RRP £20, Virgin Wines, Waitrose Cellar, Harvey Nichols, litmusenglishwine.co. uk, left). The blend is an even split between chardonnay, pinot blanc (grown in Essex) and pinot gris (Surrey). The grapes were fermented in oak and left on the lees (the dead yeast) for 11 months.
These winemaking techniques create a silky mouthfeel, and a gentle toasty nose. A sprightly acidity rises to the occasion and grapefruit, lemon, pears and apples partner amiably.
Ginuary: Morrisons has a handful of gins in its “The Best” range, including a classic citrusy London Dry, The Best Gin. There are also a couple of fruities,
including The Best Blood Orange & Sicilian Lemon
Gin, right. Both are £15.99. I enjoyed the orange and lemon gin as it gave me hope of a sun-filled spring and summer. As I write it’s hailing outside. The gin is sweet, with orange aromas and candied lemons. In a sip, the orange notes open out, but subtly so. All the classic characteristics of gin botanicals remain.
Dry January: Heineken 0.0 has a clue in its name; zero alcohol. As a bonus, it has 69 calories in a 330ml bottle. But what of the taste? Well, not bad! Much better than many zero alcohol beers I’ve tried. It has a zesty, fruity nose which is mirrored in the taste. Of course it’s missing the body of a real lager, but that’s the nature of the beast.
It is widely available in 4-pack and 12-pack of 330ml bottles, and a 6-pack of 330ml cans. There’s a 12-pack of bottles at Tesco for £8.
■ Jane is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers. Find her on social media and online as One Foot in the Grapes.