RAISE A GLASS
IT’S still February, but in my outdoor wanderings today the air has had a peep of spring.
I spotted some crocus flowers in the park (which the dog then stood on) and a few feet away some shoots were shyly appearing on a couple of shrubs.
I’m pre-empting a change in the season by several weeks, but who cares. My morning doggie walk has made me yearn for a glass of white wine, as fresh as the breeze in the air today. Here’s a handful I’ve sipped recently.
A glass of Caprasia Macabeo Chardonnay (£11.95, online at Vintage Roots) is exactly what it says on the vin. A blend of chardonnay and the Spanish grape macabeo, which is one of the traditional grapes used in cava. The wine hails from
Valencia and has floral and apple notes which lead into a creamy peachiness which lingers in the mouth.
If you’re maintaining a vegan lifestyle, then the Caprasia will work for you, as will The Society’s White
Burgundy 2018 (£9.95,
The Wine Society).
I’m told this is the online wine merchant’s mostbought wine for many years and after a sip (or two) I’m not surprised. The grapes are sourced from the Mâcon, with the
Wine Society’s buyer Tim Sykes working with long-term supplier Jean-Marc Darbon to craft a blend to please and tease our palates. It snaps with crisp green apples yet warms with ripe, stone fruits and freshens with a good acidity.
Finally, a super-special white wine, also from Burgundy. It’s one to serve with special guests.
Well actually, no! Be selfish and save Simonnet-Febvre Chablis Premier Cru Montmains 2017
(RRP £25.49, Waitrose) for you and the special person in your life. I have a special place in my heart for Chablis. I visited many years ago and it planted the seed of wanting to learn more about wine. So a special “cheers” to this premier cru, which is elegant and structured with crisp apple and zesty lime flavours and a perfectly refined upright finish.
■ Also in my glass… There’s still time to think about fizz buys for Valentine’s Day.
If you’ve missed the date, then fret not, as love can be celebrated on any day of the year. Seek out ‘The Rhona’
Brut Rosé (£11, from Marks & Spencer). It’s a delicious sparkling pink from South Africa. It is made in the same way as champagne, from pinot noir and chardonnay grapes. It’s a pretty pink and has moreish flavours of red fruits, together with a soft creaminess.
This wine has been shortlisted in one of the “fabulous fizz” sections of the People’s Choice
Wine Awards. I‘ll be sharing the results next week.
The Co-op Irresistible Eight
Acres Sparkling Rosé (£18) is available at selected stores and has been made exclusively for the Co-op by Balfour Hush Heath Estate. Its sister wine, Balfour
1503 Foxwood Cuvee, won my Christmas blind fizz taste test as an alternative to champagne. Eight Acres is pale pink, with delightful flavours of wild strawberries, red fruits and citrus. Those flavours last a long time, long enough to tell someone how much you want them to be your Valentine.
■ Jane is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers. Find her on social media and online as One Foot in the Grapes.