Straight off the vine

WE WERE up in that there Hull last weekend catching up with our gorgeous friends Jen and Lance to celebrate – whisper it – Jen’s 50th... I know, she doesn’t look it, does she?

A grand party was had in a very cool rooftop bar in the city, chock-full of their warm, friendly pals.

We were made to feel so welcome with their typical northern hospitality and their gifts will keep Jen in fizz and gin for a good few months.

As everything starts to open up a bit, people are finally getting together after almost a two-year hiatus, celebrating weddings, birthdays and anniversaries that have previously fallen victim to the dreaded pandemic.

I don’t need much of an excuse to open a “good” bottle and time spent with wonderful friends is as precious as ever.

There is something rather delightful about opening something delicious, and it’s something I’m sure I’ll be doing next Friday for my birthday... See what I did there?

I can’t put candles on a cake – fire hazard – so I have to get my kicks with a nice plate of food and a fine glass to get me excited – not too excited, you understand, I am a man of advancing years.

We are not necessarily talking about fizz but anything that gets the old juices flowing, so I’ve popped in a couple of bottles that would suit any sort of celebration.

If there was ever an example of a wine showing off the skill of blending by the winemaker, it would be TORBRECK’S ‘THE STEADING’ 2018 (2018-19 vintage RRP around £35, Fareham Wine Cellar, Wine Direct, TheDrinkShop.com, Specialist Cellars, Rannoch Scott Wines, Hedonism Wines, Handford Wines, Honest Grapes, VinQuinn Nickolls & Perks).

I have long been a fan of this Barossa winery, which identified the region to be perfect for grenache as well as the much-lauded shiraz found here.

This is a blend of 53% grenache, 28% shiraz and 19% mataro, making it a premium GSM – a popular style of wine in Australia.

The Steading is a collection of 45 different sources of fruit, some from their own vineyard estate as well as growers on a share-farming basis.

The nose has an abundant fragrance of spicy dark fruits that have a glorious underpinning of floral violet notes.

In the mouth the super-silky entry of the fruit carries integrated tannins which give the wine its delicious mouthfeel.

There is so much going on through the mid-palate, with a freshness throughout that keeps the wine interesting as it bounces around the tastebuds without ever losing its elegance and length on the finish.

Never overwrought, just a cracking glass of red with a great sense of place.

A wine that carries such fond memories for me is the JOSEP GRAU VESPRES 2018, MONT SANT (£18.95, Ultracomida). Not that I’ve tasted this example before, but because of the great time I had in Mont Sant in Spain many years ago.

Neighbouring the hugely prestigious Priorat region, Mont Sant can be overlooked but produces super wines from similar terroir in the Tarragona area, west of Barcelona.

From the first whiff, glorious black cherry and hedgerow fruit shows a little spice heat from the cariñena and garnacha varieties on show here.

On the palate, the fruit has a soft, pliable entry with the authentic juicy tones to the fore.

Some elegant acidity chimes in alongside grippy tannins that dry the wine out through the midpalate.

Some liquorice spice drifts in across the finish.

It would be great for the reds from this fine region to gain some traction in the UK market as they represent the great produce from outside of the traditional Spanish red strongholds.

Another unusual blend comes the TREFETHEN ESHCOL RED BLEND (£23, Daniel Lambert Wines Ltd, Bridgend) from their two estate vineyards that are located in the Oak Knoll District, California – known for the largest range of individual microclimates within an appellation, thus allowing Trefethen to grow a diverse range of varietals.

Here cabernet sauvignon and merlot are combined with smaller amounts of petit verdot, malbec and cabernet franc, showing off its Bordeaux credentials.

Perfumed dark fruits, mainly blackcurrant and dark plum, are full and fragrant, with a little floral note sitting alongside some oak seasoning.

In the mouth there’s a little sweet spice initially but as the wine opens some leather, tobacco and mocha appear through the mid-palate.

This theme is carried on across the generous finish from this blockbusting Bordeaux blend that just so happens to be enjoying the climate from the fine Napa Valley.

Finally, back to Australia and at last a white wine gets a look in.

The VASSE FELIX PREMIER CHARDONNAY 2019 (RRP £25, Harvey Nichols, Australian Wines Online, Fareham Wine Cellar, Specialist Cellars, Lattitude Wines, The Soho Wine Supply, Frazier’s Wine Merchants, Fortnum & Mason) is no ordinary drop, though.

Rich oak sweetness frames the deep stonefruits on the bouquet.

In the mouth, the fresh wash of grapefruit citrus goes on the attack, with a touch of savoury nuttiness coming in through the mid-palate.

A little mineral note sits alongside the complex yet refreshing finish.

This chardonnay is more akin to the output of Burgundy and showcases the elegant wines of the Margaret River region in Oz.

We were made to feel so welcome with their typical northern hospitality and their gifts will keep Jen in fizz and gin for a good few months

@NeilCammies email: neil.cammies@walesonline.co.uk Neil Cammies is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers

Ed Gilbert examines why the Harden’s restaurant guide is unfair to dismiss the food scene in Wales’ cities and towns...

I’vE been writing about Cardiff and Wales’ hospitality industry for more than a decade and in that time it’s fair to say that the independent restaurant scene has flourished. As well as acclaimed destination restaurants, the range of more affordable neighbourhood eateries and street food venues continues to get better every year.

Award-winning Korean street food, high-end southern Indian cooking and Spanish grill houses have all made their mark in towns and cities across the country.

It especially feels like the pace of improvement has picked up in the past few years, with a number of ambitious young chefs who’ve worked in some of the UK’s top kitchens taking the leap and opening their own restaurants.

In Aberystwyth, SY23 is headed up by Nathan Davies, a previous sous chef at Ynyshir, while in Conwy Nick Rudge, who spent seven years working with Heston Blumenthal, has recently opened the Jackdaw. Back in Cardiff, Lee Skeet, Tommy Heaney and Tom Simmons, among others, have all had a big impact on the city’s restaurant scene over the last few years.

So, for Peter Harden, the co-founder of Harden’s Guide, to say that “for a gastronomic treat, head for the countryside” in the announcement of their top 100 UK restaurants is more than a little bit unfair and, in my opinion, shows a lack of understanding of the hospitality scene in Wales.

Harden adds: “Ambitious city dining has never been a tradition here – partly because high-quality country-house alternatives are relatively close to hand.”

While there may not have been a history of top urban-based restaurants in Wales, it’s most definitely not the case nowadays.

In Cardiff, Aberystwyth, Menai Bridge, Penarth, Hay-on-Wye, Abergavenny and Conwy, to name just a few towns and cities, some of the most exciting chefs in the country are cooking at the highest level.

I’m not the only one who thinks so, as they’ve been recognised by national restaurant critics and recommended in that significantly more wellknown restaurant publication, the Michelin Guide.