So, what do you have planned to drink on Christmas Day?

No idea, same old wine or worrying you may make a mistake in front of the in-laws?

Well, as you should know by now, the whole concept of Wine Angel is to guide you and help you make the right decision but based on what you like, your budget and advice with food and wine matching. So have a read of these suggestions and hopefully your Christmas Day cork popping will be done with more confidence than ever before!

Research shows that we do tend to turn to French classics at this time of the year. But to be honest, if you read the Wine Angel food and wine matching guidelines and pair with the Match tool on the iPhone app, you will find that these wines aren’t necessarily the best match to the vast array of flavours on your Christmas Day lunch plate!

Not only are they not the best match, the opulence of an expensive Bordeaux or classic Burgundy would be totally wasted on such a barrage of flavours- and be a tragic waste!

You have to imagine the whole plate…Full flavoured sauces, zesty stuffing, fatty foods, fruit based frills like cranberries, and light meats. These all point to full-bodied, fruity and young wines.

Suggested Red Grape Varieties/Regions

Why not try a New World spicy Shiraz (Australia), Pinot Noir (Old or New World), Zinfandel, Italian classic (such as Barbera d’Alba, Valpolicella, Chianti or Barolo) or Merlot from Chile or South Africa.

You can choose a wine within these parameters, depending on your budget. Also, a good tip is to always serve the best wines at the beginning of the meal, so these wines can be truly appreciated!

Suggested White Grape Varieties/Regions

Sauvignon Blanc, a Spanish Verdejo, Chardonnay (Californian or Australian) or start with a steely Chablis as a classic, refined, yet fruity example of Chardonnay.

Then there is the issue of desserts- heavy, fruity and brandy based Christmas puddings….

Best matches are sweet dessert wines; even try a Hungarian Tokaj, as these are really coming back in fashion (look on the website under Hungary for more information).

For your mince pies, be brave and serve a luscious Pedro Ximenez Sherry to match perfectly, or a Pale Cortado Sherry.

For your cheeseboard, a good all rounder is the obvious choice of a Vintage Port, which is the classic match to Stilton. But you can also serve a selection of Ports, as Tawny Port is much better with creamy, strong cheddar cheese.

You can also choose a grape variety, and vary the region or country throughout the meal. These suggestions are only that, and are given to show you which varieties stand up well to the flavour explosions on the festive menu! Even impress your guests with a menu designed with wine pairing..it’s easier than you think. Just introduce the wine as it is served with each course, and you will gain more brownie points than the chef!

Remember to spend time preparing which wines you will be drinking. Just a little thought goes a long way. Prepare the right glasses and more importantly ensure the wines are at the correct temperature. Please don’t chill the life out of your whites, otherwise you won’t benefit from their flavours and aromas. See the Wine Angel website for further information on serving wine and related articles and videos to help.

A lot of merchants and supermarkets can lull us into thinking a lot of the wines on offer at this time of the year are the best options, as many French wines are on offer in the festive season, so beware! They are not always the bargains they seem!

Just think outside the box and use the guidelines. A lot of the higher-end supermarkets have superb in-house advisers who are extremely helpful so go in and have a chat. Another positive note is that many of these places also have superb offers at the moment. The more expensive supermarkets actually tend to have superb wine offers so don’t be put off by food pricings!

Finally, before you go out and buy your bubbly; whether it is for your smoked salmon or just as a celebratory tipple, please read the Champagne section of the Wine Angel website and also have a look at this great article by Rebecca Smithers based on the recent Which? survey over at the Guardian.co.uk

You might save a few pennies and be pleasantly surprised!

Cheers! Merry Christmas to you all!

I’m probably sticking my neck out here as this is quite a controversial topic, but like the concept of Wine Angel, I want to show you why, explain reasons and then let you make your own mind up!

People talk about decanting wine, but many feel obliged, pressurised in restaurants sometimes and a little unaware to be honest, as to why wine should or shouldn’t be decanted.

So, should wine be decanted?

My answer to the question is a resounding YES! However, this should be for YOUR benefit, the right reasons, and not for the pomp and ceremony attached.

You see, historically, before wine was treated by fining to produce the clean glass of wine we see today, wine was decanted as it usually had a sediment in the bottle which was produced over time by the ageing process or was cloudy from production. As the years passed and production of wine benefitted from these developments in fining (the wine is treated by passing and filtering through numerous compounds e.g. egg whites, betonite and isinglass) it then became an aristocratic formality to serve many wines from a decanter which in fact did not even have a sediment! It was just seen as elegant and formal but for no real reason.

But, I can show you the benefits of decanting the wines of today, as well as those old wines that deserve special attention and essential decanting. Hopefully you will be rushing out to buy a decanter now or brushing off the dust from the one in your cupboard!

There are some fabulous, ornate decanters available nowadays- my friend Elliot actually collects them!

As I said earlier, officially most wines don’t need decanting, however I believe that most of them can benefit to some degree. I quite like the unpredictability of it actually; it may or may not make a difference….you can taste a wine first, then decant it and see the difference. It makes you understand the wine more and its components. They can taste like two totally different wines- try it and see what I mean!

Firstly, very old wines should definitely be decanted, especially bottle aged reds as these can throw a sediment.

These are to be decanted very slowly, until you can see the sediment reaching the neck of the bottle. Preferably, let the bottle rest upright for a few days so the sediment settles on the bottom of the bottle, especially if this has been lying on its side in the cellar. It is best to remove the entire capsule so you can see when the sediment begins to rise, and can be viewed better with a torch or candle (very romantic if you are trying to impress someone!) under the neck whilst pouring the wine into the decanter. You will usually have about half a glass of sediment rich wine left in the bottle but you can save this for your gravy!

Also, please remember to only do this about 15-30 minutes maximum before you drink these wines, as the oxygen that gives the wine room to breathe can eventually become an enemy to wines that have already had their complex flavours developed in the bottle. There could be little available to flourish and these delicate wines could lose their aromas and intense flavours if exposed for too long.

This is also a reason why you should not drink prestigious, older red or white wines outside. The exquisite aromas and flavours you could be experiencing may very well get blown away on even the gentlest of breezes! So your overall experience will be dampened. Reserve these special wines for dining rooms!

Young wines are where the secrets lie in decanting! These benefit HUGELY from decanting, but for another reason. The aeration given by decanting (the exposure to oxygen) develops, softens and releases flavours and aromas that haven’t had time to develop yet from the fruit packed into these young wines.

It is literally like watching a flower bloom. Try a glass before, then decant your bottle and leave for a few hours (you can swirl it around in the decanter as there will be no sediment). Try it with any wine you buy. It’s truly unbelievable.

White wines should be treated in the same way as reds. It is the same principal as you are allowing the flavours to develop through aeration. It might feel strange to ask for a decanter in a restaurant or to put this on your table at a dinner party, but please do try it and see the difference it makes. Just remember that it’s correct to serve white wine around 10 degrees so by decanting it you also won’t over chill the wine and will be setting the flavours free!

Port- only vintage port needs decanting. It is untrue that all port does. This is because vintage port will have crusty sediment from years of developing in the bottle. But don’t decant it and then leave it in until next year in the cabinet….it has to be drunk. Well, it’s not as if you need an excuse to have a Port evening!

What should you do it you can’t get your hands on a decanter, if you are in a bar or someone’s home who doesn’t own one? In these situations, you can still aerate your wine in the glass. Pour a glass and leave it for a while, swirling now and again before you drink it. This helps to expose more surface area of the wine to oxygen and develop the flavours.

Funnily enough, talking of surface area exposure, opening a bottle of wine and leaving it to ‘breathe’ makes no difference at all!! This is because there is such a tiny amount of wine in contact with the air- the size of a ten pence piece?! I have no idea why some sommeliers or wine waiters still do this. Now you know what effect decanting has, please spread the word!

Don’t be embarrassed to ask for your wine to be decanted in a restaurant, especially if you are not offered one. Remember, it’s your wine and you can drink it how you like, even if it doesn’t make a difference, at least you knew enough to try.

Experimenting and having confidence in your wine drinking and decision making, is what Wine Angel is all about! Also, don’t just think decanting is for medium to high priced wines- try it with any wine you buy to see a marked difference.

So remember, old wines need less time in the decanter than young wines, and red and white wines can both benefit from decanting. Give it a go and test some out.

So in answer to my question- ‘To decant or not to decant’- a firm, resounding yes! We should all own one- and use it regularly!

Hi there!

I’ve been on holiday for a few weeks but just had to show you this!  Maybe the answer becomes clear once you’ve drank the bottle…..?!

Look out for next week’s blog where I’ll be in my native Whistable. It’s Oyster Festival time and I’ll be live wine tasting and sending you some delights on the day!

Sun shining, hubby by my side and FINALLY I get taken to Madison, New Change. (wink wink..I’ve been promised for a while!).

Wow…overlooking St.Paul’s Cathedral, this truly is a spectacular setting.

My reason for going, to be honest, was to try Moet and Chandon’s Ice Imperial Champagne. Well, we were celebrating!

This exclusive Champagne is only available at limited venues in fashionable hotels in cities such as Saint Tropez, Los Angeles, London…a very Sex and the City kind of attachment-so I just HAD to taste it! I’m probably the last one, but hey ho!

Ice Imperial was launched in the Summer. If any of you missed the hype (which I doubt), it is a new wine with a new concept. It is Champagne that is designed to be drank with the addition of ice- three cubes in fact!

The concept was created to fill a niche ‘party market’ where in the heat of the summer, people were already adding ice to their Champagne. This way, Ice Imperial is higher in alcohol so the dilution wont affect the quality- and hey presto, the perfect Summer party Champagne! Heaven for those beach club early evenings! Mmmmmm….

They suggest the addition of a raspberry or two, a sprig of mint. Anything that takes your fancy to create your perfect chilled Champagne cocktail . With this personalisation, they have truly listened to the consumer which can only be a good thing! At least you can drink this and not ruin a perfect glass of bubbly!

And I have to say, I’m sold!  I just need to be lying by the poolside in Saint Tropez with my buddies to top off the experience..sorry sweetie!.

Cheers!

On Saturday night at a party, I spoke to numerous people. A common thread was the confusion of what to drink in this beautiful weather? The sun might be shining but many were bored with white wine, didn’t like rose but weren’t quite ready to ditch the Summer tinted glasses and move onto red wine !

‘What about a chilled red?’, I suggested. To many, they hadn’t even considered it.

Having spent a long time in Europe, it is common place for me, however in the UK many of  us don’t even consider this option and a lot of you may be pleasantly surprised. Even the non-red wine drinkers amongst you- honestly!

Do you remember that sketch from Only Fool and Horses, when DelBoy leant against the bar and fell through? He was quaffing some Beaujolais Nouveau in the yuppy wine bar….hilarious! Unfortunately the ’80′s’ image took Beaujolais with it laughing.

Beaujolais itself is a very low tannin, lightweight, purple/pink and fruity wine. It can be served (best) chilled, at around 13 degrees. It’s made from the Gamay grape. Banana, figs and pear drops on the palate. Go on, give it a try!

But what I want to do is get behind a revival of the Beaujolais Nouveau party! Massive now with a cult following in Japan and the US- let’s take it back with both hands people..

At the strike of midnight on the third Thursday of every November, France erupts in massive celebration in honour of the unveiling (or should we say uncorking) of the Beaujolais Nouveau wine.
Beaujolais Nouveau, which is a young wine (only 6 weeks old) comes from a region south of Burgundy in France. It’s rumoured that the light-bodied and fruity wine must be finished by Christmas time and the French government has put regulations delaying the wine’s release until the third week in November. This means the arrival of the new Beaujolais is warmly welcomed in France. All over the country, grand traditions have developed in honour of the release of the Beaujolais, with the biggest festival taking place in Beaujeu, the capital of the Beaujolais region.

Huge barrels are opened to much fanfare and party-goers indulge in the new wine for the festival’s 3 day duration. Other areas in France also boisterously celebrate the arrival of the Beaujolais Nouveau. In Paris, restaurants and bistros host their Beaujolais Nouveau parties, staying open through the night and uncorking hundreds of bottles after midnight. Wherever you may be traveling in France, this is a great night to celebrate life, wine, and a grand French tradition.
In Japan thet can’t get enough of the parties! the picture is of a Japanese party where they are literally bathing in it…the hype is extraordinary! In London, there are ’vin de primeur’ events but we have a great opportunity to hold our own parties and bring some sunshine to what usually is a gloomy month.
So, get planning, get your invites out, tell your friends and get ready for an entirely new experience! The third Thursday of November, put it in your diary. Watch this space for more news on the ‘B-N’ party time!

Ageing Casks in Jerez

Check out the video below showing the Guest Stars of Tio Pepe..little mice who live in the Bodega! They leave a glass of sherry and food out, with a mini ladder…apparently if they receive their daily tipple then they take a siesta and then don’t gnaw on the barrels!

If you are viewing from our iPhone app, please access our website www.wineangel.co.uk to download this particular video in full.

See Sherry Fever, Part 1, in the Wine Angel Written Blog for further information about the mice and the fabulous world of Sherry wine!

So..our best friends gets married on Saturday.

A fabulous day in every way. (Congrats again guys!).

Kindly they let me help choose the wines for the big day; or maybe I gave them no choice! But I have to say it was the best wine I’ve ever had at a wedding!

But I didnt expect to come face to face with myself, especially after a very long day! Walking into the Raddisson Hotel in Stanstead Airport at 1 a.m. I came face to face (or bum to face!) with another Wine Angel???!

In the bar, the Wine Angel whizzes up and down on a trapeeze fetching your desired bottle! Yes, you can imagine the fun we had! Superb idea and she did VERY well, despite the men with their mouths wide open…

Sadly, the original Wine Angel doesnt have a bum quite so pert!

Enjoy!

Flights of Wine

I went to Maze and had to share with you their fantastic ‘Flights of Wine’ concept!

Maze is situated in Grosvenor Square, and is one of Gordon Ramsay’s iconic restaurants.

Maze breaks the mould, serving French cuisine with an Asian influence in Spanish style ‘tapas’ sized dishes. They are tasting size portions, allowing diners to sample a wide variety of flavours, textures and styles. These are great to share with friends and partners alike and are so incredible you will end up over ordering like we did!

This wide choice brings fun, interest and encourages conversation within your dining experience. This is something that I advocate, and when it comes to wine this is exactly the concept I am trying to encourage with Wine Angel. For you to discuss your wine choices and feel free and easy to do so, with your fellow diners and sommeliers alike.

And hats off to Gordon..his dining experience is complemented by a SUPERB wine list which has a broad range of wines to suit any palate and purse, a great selection of wines by the glass, and a sweet wine selection to die for. 

Even better, it is easy to read! The list even includes rarely stocked Swiss Pinot Noir and Alion - a must taste Ribero del Duero gem!

But the beauty with the dining experience is that the tasting dishes can be complemented by Flights of Wine.

The Flights of Wine  concept involves a choice of themed wine by the glass served to you in a trio of 125ml glasses, following a chosen theme. These themes are based on country/region, grape variety or vintage. They range from Aromatic whites, Burgundy reds to a Spanish red or white selection.

This negates you having to choose your wine, and seeing that you will be tasting a variety of dishes the flights have been designed to complement these. Best of all, you can ask the sommelier to choose a flight selection to match your chosen menu. Genius!

The sommeliers in Maze were incredibly helpful, informative and could really be seen to put diners at ease and not intimidate them in any way. They had plenty of time to discuss the wine list and what would meet your requirements. If only all sommeliers were like this!

I do think though, that the variety of flights could be expanded upon-

• more grape variety comparison from Old and New World. Same grape, different country
• different countries such as a South African, US or Portuguese focus for example
• introduce local grape varieties to encourage a wider palate and development of taster’s knowledge
• or a mix of red and white by a price bracket choice.

There is so much scope! People should go there just for the wine experience alone!

In an online interview with Wine Angel, Head Sommelier Laure Patry had this to say:

How popular the flights of wine are with your customers? 

They are very popular, we have had them since we opened and it’s always been very successful. It works well here as we serve small dishes, usually a mix between meat and fish, so it allows guests to experience a variety of different wines to pair with the dishes. 

It could be also that the guest is interested in an area, like Piedmont, and want to try different styles, including a Barolo, without having to buy a bottle.

Whether you have any future ideas regarding your wine choices offered and the list?

I always like to find a local grape and introduce it to our customers, as well as small producers. The list has been growing since the opening but I think there is always space for something else. The wine world is always expanding and no one can ever say they have the perfect list in my opinion.

Gordon Ramsay has had his fair share of knocks in the last few years. More so because he has been supposedly toppled from the ‘darling of the nation’ spot. But I disagree.

When his restaurants were all the buzz, there was little competition. Now there is a fantastic range of fine dining experiences for people to choose from. The competition has stepped up to the mark. But do remember this doesn’t make any of his restaurants a lesser choice now..just revisit, discover many of his different dining experiences and you will see that they are packed out with fresh, excited and jubilant diners.

In my opinion, competition sorts the winners from the losers. And like the best at their craft, knocks make you stronger. With their focus on aspects like their wine choices, customer experience and food and wine matching, this surely is something to shout about! They know what we want!

Just go and see what I mean…Team Gordon is now better than EVER.

The Whitstable Oyster Festival was our destination!

The Whitstable Oyster Festival has more than doubled in size in the past few years to become one of Kent’s major tourist attractions.

Buddies in tow (and with the little ones safely at home) we all had a blast at this year’s event.

A fabulous food and wine fair was promised in the harbour, however to disappoint we only found one wine local winery (come on!). With 17,000 visitors in a week I think English Wines missed a big opportunity to show off their fabulous wines here.

But we tasted, sniffed, ate and shucked a few oysters! The official ‘Landing of the Oysters’ was a treat (albeit a little chilly by that stage) and then onto the Oyster Company for a table of 12 very dear friends. Joyful times!

The debate then began..which wine really does match Oysters perfectly?

Well, our argument fell on Chablis, Champagne or Muscadet. 

Oysters are a battle when it comes to a wine match. Oysters are generally 3 years old or more when they end up on your plate, so are inherently complex in themselves.

They can vary greatly in flavour and are high in salt and acid. I’ve even known someone to be served an oyster the size of a plate and it tasted meatlike and fleshy?! Knife and fork job!

So, what on earth can stand up to this dish you say? Well, avoid expensive, complex wines as these would be lost, but plump for powerful dry whites e.g. Sauvignon Blanc (Sancerre is a good match) or unoaked Chardonnay, like Chablis. Or a non-vintage Champagne is best. This is a much better match than a vintage Champagne, which would be complex and luxurious, but again be wasted on the pungent flavours and complexities.

But I hold my hands up when the decider came…Muscadet was a clear winner!  I was wrong!

It’s crispness, that exact acidity. It matches PERFECTLY!

Muscadet also has, or should have, a profound minerality that shines through the grape’s largely neutral flavors and can further enhance the oyster experience. Go on, try it and see what I mean.

So when I am wrong, I say I am wrong. And that doesnt happen very often!!

See you at the Whitstable Oyster Festival next year everyone!

Isn’t it always true that the best things in life come up out of the blue and bite you on the bum!?

Well, more fool me..where have I been? I have just come back from a seriously great weekend away in Brighton where I didn’t just stumble across a restaurant, I literally FELL over it it was so good!

Dermot O’Leary joined forces with two of his closest friends Paul Shovlin and James Ginzler to open the Brighton brasserie called “Fishy Fishy”, dedicated to providing local, affordable, seasonal fish and seafood in a unique environment.

Three men and a baby it really was…Fishy Fishy was a dream and became reality when three old school friends joined forces and skills and really made it happen.

Their personalities and passion are very much evident in their menu derision, restaurant vibe and surrounding design, alongside their modern and confident wine list. Which of course, was what jumped out at me before I even ordered my starter!

I was in Fishy Fishy, Brighton but they also have a sister restaurant in Poole, Dorset.

I was thoroughly impressed with the wine list, and of course the food which simply reflects the passion and forethought for fish and it’s complement to wine (oh, such a wine writer that I say it the other way around!). I asked for an interview and very kindly, one of the co-owners of Fishy Fishy gave me the time to answer my questions.
‘Fishy Fishy’, opened in Spring 2009 and was the dream of three, thirty something very close friends who love food. Dermot said; “For years we’ve talked about opening and running our own restaurant, how it would work, where it would be, why it would be different. One day we got together and thought, let’s just do it!”.

Thanks to their partners Dee and Alice (who are responsible for the fabulous interior design), their personalities are reflected in this relaxed, trendy and classy venue.

James said; “I’m keen to make sure that, as we live by the sea, we use the fish on our doorstep wherever possible. I’m a bit of a fish obsessive and don’t believe that seasonal fish should be brought in from other places. Working with the local fishermen and suppliers as much as possible means the fish will be fresher, more affordable and have little or no food miles.”

Fishy Fishy is certainly what they say it is – a desirable, affordable, informal place to eat with fantastic food and wine on the menu!

1. What is the motivation behind the wines you have chosen? I was really impressed with the confidence behind the list and how you gently encouraged the consumer to be a little braver without scaring them off! Was this intentional?

We all love wine and feel like we know a little bit about it so perhaps that’s where the confidence comes through? Putting together our wine list was almost like deciding what songs you would put on a compilation album – we tried to mix it up without being too radical! 

 2. It was nice to see a Gruner Veltliner on the list. Would you consider some of the more modern German whites, Argentinian or South African indigenous grape varieties?

We have actually just added a really good Chenin Blanc on there. I am a massive fan of all Alsatian wines 

 3. Is it intentional that a large percentage of your wines are French, or is this just personal choice?

It’s a bit of both really. The (mostly Southern) French wines we have go well with shellfish and seafood. Picpoul and oysters – what a great mix!

 4. What’s the most popular wine on your list?

Rayus Sauvignon Blanc, a real punchy, crisp, Spanish Sauvignon.

 5. Do you get asked for advice on choosing wines or do you find many people choose the same classics as they find it difficult to match with shellfish acidity?

We love to recommend wines, it helps us educate people and also drives sales. Our staff love to talk about wine too – they have good fun with customers who are open to asking for help and want to learn because they are knowledgable about the wines we serve.

 6. Do you believe people buy their wine based on price, and choose as an afterthought once they have picked their chosen course?

Yes, it’s most definitely price dependent. I think everyone has a ceiling price when choosing a bottle. 

 7. What is your stance on English wines, still and/or sparkling? Have you considered any other of the winery’s e.g. Chapel Down, rather than just Ridgeview?

I love English sparkling wines and have tried loads of them. For us, Ridgeview (Cavendish) just came out on top.

 8. Have you considered breaking down your wine list into different categories, other than just white, red and rose? This can help people be a little braver when choosing wines and it makes the food and wine matching element more fun? Or maybe suggesting a particular wine by the glass with certain dishes you offer? 

This is something we are looking into when we next change our menu.

 9. What is your favourite wine and food combination?

Mmmm, that’s a hard one!! Laurent Perrier Ultra Brut with some freshly shucked oysters, or an Alberino with some freshly grilled mackerel 

 So I can’t recommend Fishy Fishy enough. Brighton was a scream but Fishy Fishy really was a gem find and I hope you all enjoy!

P.S. if you ever fancy some freshly shucked oysters or freshly grilled mackerel in Whitstable chaps, then give the Wine Angel a call please. I will return the favour with that bottle of Alvarino! Portuguese or Spanish, your call. Cheers for the interview and thanks for making my wonderful friend Faye’s hen do one to remember!

“The Fishy Fishy Cookbook is now available on Amazon and in all good book stores, priced £16.99. You can now download the Fishy Fishy Cookbook app FREE from the App Store – 10 recipes, video demonstrations, fishy facts and fun!”