RAISE A GLASS

This week I’m toasting memories, enjoying special wines and prompting you to help families thousands of miles away.

My first wine is Yealands Reserve Gruner Veltliner 2021

(RRP £12.99, Waitrose). This is my “toasting memories” wine. In the past three weeks or so, photo prompts have been popping up on my phone.

They’ve reminded me that it is four years since I went to New Zealand.

One of the loveliest experiences was a visit to the beautiful Yealands winery where winemaker Natalie Christensen showed me round, and I’ll never forget looking out over the coast and sighing deeply.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, this Gruner came into my life and I had a chance to sip, to reflect and to toast Natalie who made this wine from grapes grown in those biodiverse coastal vineyards.

The wine has a nose of white peach and lemon. There’s a softness which is comforting, then by contrast, a zip of acidity and a flash of pepper spice. I sipped with chilli-flashed prawns.

Now to a special wine, because Saturday February 26 is a date for the diary: Open that Bottle Night – there’s always a wine-themed day on the calendar if you look hard enough.

The idea is to encourage people to open special wines and enjoy them right now.

I bet you have one you’re hanging on to for a special occasion? Why wait?

Open That Bottle Night’s ethos is about sharing and celebrating. Make the day you’re waiting for, that day or you may forever be procrastinating.

My “practise run” was with

Giant Steps Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2020 (independent merchants, including noblegreenwines.co.uk, £25.50).

Yes its special, by golly it is. But that’s the point.

The wine is fermented in oak, some old, some new; and aged in the same. It has a honeyed, buttery nose, with dried and fresh apples, and peach. The palate is crisp, zesty and mouthwatering.

Finally: Help some families if you can by supporting Fairtrade Fortnight, which runs until March 5.

The Co-op is one of the leading retailers of Fairtrade wine. The wines help to improve standards of living for poorer communities working in the wine industry.

Don David Malbec (£9) is a Fairtrade wine from Argentina, and is brambly, peppery and plummy. It’s perfect for a weekend steak. It’s perfect to help others too.

Jane is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers. Find her on social media and online as One Foot in the Grapes.