Straight off the vine

ThE Cammies household has had a rather exciting couple of weeks recently, culminating in not only the delivery of a new bed, but the replacement of our bedroom furniture... I know, we are so rock ‘n’ roll. The bed is one of those giant ones you get in posh hotels and as a consequence I am finding it increasingly difficult to depart the giant marshmallow as the morning light dawns.

It’s like a raft of wool, cotton and cashmere designed to trap you like a human flytrap... and I’m the bluebottle.

We have spent all day in the bed watching movies, eating snacks and drinking the odd glass of wine – it’s almost as if the Romans have returned to Newport (they did have a sojourn in neighbouring Caerleon a wee while back).

There is nothing like a big glass of red while the rain beats against the window as a pot of something simmers in the oven, filling the house with delicious aromas.

Anyhow, I’ve chosen a few cracking reds that can be enjoyed by the fireside or even in bed – should the mood take you.

Continuing our support of the beleaguered South African wine industry, ThE hUNTSMAN ShIRAZ MOURVEDRE GRENAChE 2019 (£14, Noble Green Wines) from the Journey’s End stable in Stellenbosch gets a shout-out.

This tasty drop has plenty of hedgerow fruits on the nose with lots of smoky spice and a smidge of savoury wood tones too.

A nice clip of acidity on the attack gets things off to a racy start, then crunchy black fruits have little leafy notes through the mid-palate.

Enjoyable from the get-go with a balanced mouthfeel, this wine is meant to be enjoyed young and is a super pairing with rich tomato-based pasta dishes.

The McMANIS FAMILY VINEYARDS PETIT SIRAh 2019 (£11.95, The Wine Society and some independents) hails from the Lodi region in the Central Valley of California east of San Francisco.

Sweet spicy blueberry fruit on the nose with some confected, baked tones in there too.

Across the tastebuds the sweet theme continues with an entry of a caramelised note to the juicy fruits, which is tempered by a little bitter balance from a hint of coffee grounds across the mid-palate and a touch of spice to those attractive purple fruits.

I’m a big fan of Lodi petite sirah and it’s no surprise that this was awesome with a rich spicy chilli with tacos and all the bits.

Staying in the Lodi region, a completely different proposition is the KLINKER BRICK ‘OLD GhOST’ 2017, OLD VINE ZINFANDEL (£30, Daniel Lambert Ltd, Bridgend).

As some of you may know, the zinfandel variety is the twin of primitivo in Italy, so you’ll have an idea of the flavour profile on offer – fans of light, delicate reds need not apply.

There are some days when you need a big, hearty drop of red that shoves the winter chill out through the cat flap.

There are big, bold aromas of cassis fruit with a little cola cube sweetness nestled in the background.

In the mouth the fruit is given a leg-up by bright acidity while firm tannins add to the already hefty midpalate.

There is so much going on in this wine, from the dark chocolate tones that show vanilla notes as it opens in the glass to the opulent compote fruits that carry sweet spice as if baked in a pie. Alcohol is showy but balanced – if you are going to grab a glass of warming red, then this fits the bill perfectly.

I really like California zinfandel and this is a doozy.

For something completely different, from Spain comes the TINTILLA NUDE, BARBADILLO (£16.95, Ultracomida and spanishwinesdirect.co.uk).

Striking packaging (label-free) sort of hints at what is on offer with this wine.

The tintilla variety has had no aging involved and as such results in a purity on the nose of deep, sweet plum and blueberry fruit aromas.

In the mouth the slighty off-dry entry reminds me of a baby Amarone or ripasso wine from Italy with that deep – almost raisin tone – while maintaining a freshness throughout.

Alcohol is big but not at all showy and if you give this a chill and serve with anything involving blue cheese, you are on to a winner.

Steak with a stilton sauce anyone?

From south of Bordeaux and in a French wine heartland near the Spanish border comes the ChâTEAU DE MASCARAAS MADIRAN 2016 (£18.50, Cambridge Wine Merchants).

This blend of tannat (big in Uruguay), cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc shows plenty of dark berry fruit on the bouquet but this is lightened by some floral tones.

In the mouth the savoury black fruits have plenty of crisp acidity initially then as the wine develops in the glass complex secondary textures chime in, like leather and some inky tannins adding weight and texture.

This medium-weight Madiran has lots going on and would be rather grand with a meaty casserole while wearing your favourite slippers and something cool playing on the turntable.

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

YDIWYDIANT, diwylliant a chwedl – dyma dri gair sy’n crisialu’r ardal hanesyddol o amgylch Treffynnon yn Sir y Fflint. Bydd tîm Cynefin – sef Heledd Cynwal, Dr Iestyn Jones a Siôn Tomos Owen – yn ymweld â’r dref hynod hon sydd yn gartref i un o saith rhyfeddod Cymru – sef Ffynnon Gwenffrewi – yn y gyfres newydd ar S4C.

“Heb amheuaeth, ardal Treffynnon oedd y cawr diwydiannol cenedlaethol cynta’. Mae’r olion a chreithiau’r gweithfeydd o’r oes euraidd honno yn dal i’w gweld,” meddai Heledd.

“Ond fe adawodd yr ardal yma waddol diwylliannol hefyd – a hynny i gyd yn y gornel fechan yma o Sir y Fflint.”

Mae ardal Treffynnon wedi meithrin artistiaid byd enwog megis yr actor Jonathan Pryce, y tenor

r wythnos hon mae gwyddonwyr yn meddwl fod pobl yn dioddef “mwy o flinder, amhariad ar wneud penderfyniadau a diffyg ffocws oherwydd y pandemig”, gan arwain at ffenomen o’r enw “ymennydd pandemig”.

Mae hynny’n cael ei ddweud am bobl sydd heb hyd yn oed gael Covid. Felly maddeuwch y diffyg ffocws yr wythnos hon gan ’mod i newydd ddal Covid, ar ôl ei osgoi am ddwy flynedd.

Ydi, mae’n ymddangos fod y brechlynnau yn dechre colli eu heffaith, ond o leia eu bod nhw wedi lleddfu rywfaint ar y symptomau.

Ond mae ’na ryw deimlad o déjà vu, o fod nôl mewn lle go debyg i Fawrth 2020, yn trio ynysu yn y tŷ tra’n mynd nôl i’r arferiad hwnnw o “doom

David Lloyd, y naturiaethwr Thomas Pennant a mawrion y byd pêl-droed Barry Horne a Mike England.

Mae hefyd yn gartref i Ffynnon Gwenffrewi sydd wedi denu miloedd o ymwelwyr am dros 1,300 o flynyddoedd – ac mae’r dynfa yn parhau hyd at heddiw.

Mae Iestyn yn clywed hanes cythryblus Gwenffrewi ac yn profi dyfroedd y ffynnon sanctaidd.

Siôn Tomos Owen sy’n mynd ar drywydd chwedl arall yn Abaty Basing a hanes un o’r mynachod a gafodd ei swyno gan gân aderyn.

“Yn ôl y chwedl, cafodd un o’r mynachod ei hudo i’r goedwig gan sŵn eos yn canu,” meddai Siôn.

“Oedd e’n credu taw dim ond ychydig o funudau oedd e allan yn gwrando ar yr eos ond pan ddaeth

sgrolio” a gwylio’r byd yn datgymalu. (Oes ’na derm Cymraeg am “doom sgrolio” gwedwch?)

O leia nad o’n i wedi credu’r nonsens yna am y “roaring twenties” – ai jôc fawr Putin oedd hynny?

Mae’n amlwg fod y pandemig ’ma ymhell o fod ar ben a bod y feirws ddigon slei i godi’n gobeithion bob hyn a hyn, tra’n paratoi i’n llethu eto fyth.

Tra fod hynny i ryw raddau allan o’n rheolaeth ma’r rhyfel ’ma a Vladimir Putin yn fater gwahanol.

Gyda’r holl sgrolio a gwrando dw i wedi ei wneud dros yr wythnos ddiwetha ’ma does dim oll i roi optimistiaeth am y dyfodol.

roedd yna deimlad pell i ffwrdd am ryfeloedd