Photo credit: Simone Hilliard What do you know about Chilean Wine? Before I attended a recent masterclass, I associated this South American country primarily with the words ‘red’ and ‘new world’. But after a fascinating masterclass with Master of Wine, Patrick Schmitt, aka editor of the magazine The Drinks Business I have a greater awareness of Chilean viticulture. The class was aimed at the hospitality trade but Bite picked some basic information and tips which we can share. Many of the characteristics of Chilean wines are determined by geography. In the North of the country is desert, in the South Patagonia, to the East is the Andes range and to the West the Pacific. The cold water ocean Humboldt Current also exerts an influence. Generally the cool conditions result in wines that have ripe fruit balanced by high acidity and structure. Two other factors to be considered alongside climate, are the presence of heritage vines and the range of varietals grown. Whites Think Semillón, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling. 2022 Echeverria Sauvignon Blanc Reserva, Curico I am not usually a SB person but this one impresses; it has a pronounced perfume and peachy taste with a touch of grapefruit/citrus. 2017/18 Carmen D.O. Quijada Semillón, Apalta-Colchagua My tasting pal and photographer,Simone, points out that this wine would complement smoked salmon. I can see it and Chilean semillóns are well worth seeking out. Reds Think Carménère, Pais, Pinot Noir, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot. 2020 Casa Silva Cesar Noir Romano, Colchagua A highlight. Patrick describes the grape as a ‘relic’ originating from old French vines with no original rootstock and only 100 hectares devoted to growing. It is full of juicy red fruits but is also savoury and has plenty of tannins. 2019/20 Santa Rita Pewen, Carménère, Apalta-Colchagua 100% Varietal bursting with red fruits but with a taut structure. Apart from the Carménère none of these wines are pricey and Patrick also gave a shout out for the Bicicleta Pinot Noir, from the Cono Sur winery, which is cheap and stocked in many of the supermarkets. If your wine buying has got a little bit predictable perhaps it’s time to choose Chilean. (S. Wilson)

Diana of Wine Events Scotland brings a spring treat to the beautiful Riddles Court in Edinburgh with Matt Walls, author of the Classic Wine Library’s ‘bible’ on Côtes du Rhône . It’s easy to forget this reliable French wine region, given the avalanche of new wine-producing areas and grape ‘discoveries’ elsewhere. Matt shows us this large, varied region is not standing still but continually improving and adapting to current and future challenges. Younger generations of winemakers (including many more women than before) are, unlike their farming forebears, now often holders of oenological degrees, using new methods and equipment alongside a fresh outlook. Unlike much of France, the Côtes du Rhône /CdR Villages appellations benefit from more versatility, being known for blends rather than strictly single varietals, with up to 23 grapes to play with alongside the three stalwart grapes of white (Viognier, Marianne & Roussanne) and red (‘GSM’ - Grenache, Syrah & Mourvèdre) wines. Some are now experimenting with levels of the ‘accessory grapes’ - for example Counois and Caladoc. Along with Grenache and Carignan, Counoise is particularly suited to the rise of drought conditions and poor soils. Both the latter are known to help retain acidity in the face of hotter temperatures that could otherwise result in flabby, overripe wines. We taste a Caladoc-heavy rosé (Ch de Montfrin) to which the high acidity of Caladoc lends a refreshing and appetising redcurrant touch with a mineral edge. This grape also can produce higher alcohol levels when ripe so it’s down to the winemaker's art and skill to decide the best picking date for the desired balance. We enjoy some N Rhone whites of different styles. Reduced disease pressure on vines due to cold Mistral winds, and hand-harvesting on steep riverbank slopes, means many established producers farm organically. One of the new Chapoutier generation, grown on ‘galet’ stones with warming clay below, uses Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne, Marsanne and Clairette, harvested at night for freshness and aged for six months on its lees in stainless steel (Adunatio). The region produces excellent value for money with full-bodied delicious wines. We taste a CdR Villages red (Ch Courac) from Laudun, featuring the Counoise grape in the mix, grown on sandy soils. Really spicy and mouth filling after lees-stirring -a bargain (Tanners) as this village is soon to be elevated to ‘Cru’ status, which will further raise the price. If it’s been some time since you tried this beautiful area’s rewarding wines, it’s worth sampling a selection again to refresh your taste memory and toast their ongoing success. (E. Bowman)

Miguel of Fion Wines tasting Gramona, Imperial, Brut, 2017. “Us Spaniards like to complicate things!” says Miguel Crunia of Fion Wines “First we ask you to drink Cava then we ask you to drink CORPINNAT instead.” But what is CORPINNAT? Miguel runs Fion Wines with his partner Vera, and they promote and sell minimal intervention wines. They recently ran a pop-up wine tasting at the Italian restaurant RadiCibus to introduce CORPINNAT wines to Edinburgh. The name translates, roughly, as “rocky heart” in Catalan and refers to an area of around 22,000 hectares in the Penedès region. In 2012 a group called Classico Penedés moved away from ‘big Cava’. They pointed out that the giant brands of Codorniu, Henkell-Freixenet, and Garcia Carrion were responsible for three-quarters of Cava's production and felt that smaller producers and provenance were being neglected. Cava DO can be traceable to several areas and is mass-produced. Classico Penedés committed to producing wines that are organic, aged for at least 15 months, and region-specific. And then came another twist to this vinous David and Goliath story. In 2019 a subgroup of Classico Penedés split off and set even further criteria. CORPINNAT was to be: produced in the historic centre of Penedés made from 100% organic grapes (Cava buy base wines) harvested by hand and vinified on each winery’s premises. aged in the bottle for at least 18 months. Cava is made from the indigenous varietals of Macabeo or Viura, Parellada, and Xarel-lo. Miguel tells us that these grapes were actually bought by France and used for Champagne when the Phylloxera disease destroyed the country’s vines in the late nineteenth century. Recaredo, Terrers, Brut Nature, 2018. So what do CORPINNAT sparkling wines taste like? Some are fresh and young but the more aged ‘Reserva’ displays brioche, cream, and yeasty depth. I particularly like the Recaredo Terres Brut Nature 2019 for being bone-dry. Euan from Ithe Plates is doing the catering and serves whipped goat's cheese on tostadas with apple jam and matchsticks. The Recaredo swipes the palate clean. The best two wines are the aged Julia Bernet, 130 Brut Nature, 2017, and Gramona, Imperial, Brut, 2017. Both would give many a Champagne a very good run for their money. Euan wows us with Scallop Ceviche; Pancetta, fat-dipped Brioche, torched Corn; Smoked Duck Breast. A finale of Canele made by Project Canele (see Insta) is a real treat especially as it is served with Pedro Ximenez. If you like good food, good wine, and conviviality don’t miss the next Fion and Ithe Plate collab pop-up.

Premium sakes fall into three main categories junmai, ginjo and daiginjo Sake, the Japanese rice wine, and its unique properties are still not widely known in Scotland despite some mixologists using it more and restaurants starting to suggest food pairings. To help foodies get a better understanding of the drink, Slow Food Edinburgh and Harajuku Kitchen teamed up to offer one of the first Sake tastings ever held in Edinburgh. Sake specialist, Masayo Nuttall from World Sake Imports, travelled from London, to educate guests on the fermented rice wines including their production process and tasting methods. Note, however, that sake simply means alcoholic beverage in Japan. Masayo told us of the over 1200 sake breweries in Japan and we taste rice wines crafted in the mountainside of the prefectures of Kyoto (Tamagawa), Akita (Akitabare) and Nagano (Masumi). The flavours and body of the wine come from the polishing of the rice. Generally speaking, the higher the polishing ratio (percentage of the rice kernel that remains after polishing) the more refined the sake. Premium sakes fall into three main categories junmai, ginjo and daiginjo each of which lends a different flavour. Sashimi Moriawase The tasting started with an Akitabare Daiginjo (Winter Blossom) light and fragrant that Chef Nobuo paired with Sashimi Moriawase made with hand-dived West of Scotland Scallops, salmon, seabass and Mediterranean tuna with seaweed, daikon radish, tsuma and shiso (beefsteak plant). For the second tasting, Masayo, opted for a Masui Shiro (Sake Matinee), balanced and smooth to help clean the fat of the paired slow-cooked Scottish Mackerel, simmered in Miso, dashi, sake, mirin, and Daikon radish. This dish is a work of art as the strong taste of the fish is balanced by the other ingredients. Finally, a fuller-bodied Tamagawa Tokubetsu Junmai (Heart of Oak) nutty with a wild berry zing the spirit is accompanied by an Aburi Charshu pork belly with soy marinated boiled egg and Japanese slaw. If you are interested in tasting and understanding pairing, the staff at Harajuku Kitchen will be happy to introduce you to the world of sake. (E. Vanello) Harajuku Kitchen - 10 Gillespie Pl, Edinburgh EH10 4HS - - 0131 285 8182 Open everyday

The Nyetimber Estate, Sussex Recently we attended a Glasgow meetup of the Institute of Wines & Spirits (IWSS), which holds bi-monthly events in both central belt cities, where members & visitors taste & discuss a wide variety of wines - our speaker, Michael Bush, regional manager for Nyetimber , England’s top-rated sparkling wine, had visited before. We enjoyed four lynchpins of the hugely respected & award-winning range, of which the Blanc de Blancs 2015 (£47) was our overall favourite, closely followed by their £99 Tillington single vineyard (both, as is the house style, aged lengthily on lees, so full of flavour). The evening was a memorial to David Mair, past president of the club, but also included some very interesting background on the English sparkling wine industry. Nyetimber itself was first mentioned as a Benedictine monastery in 1086 (that year is now immortalised as one of their flagship wine lines), with the building given to Anne of Cleves (one of the luckier wives) in a divorce settlement from Henry VIII, after the dissolution of the monasteries in the 15th C. Fast forward 900 years from 1086 to the fledgling wine industry in 1986 and there were only 26 vineyards (using the same geological seam of chalk terroir as the French in Champagne) and Nyetimber was one of just a handful of operators. Eric Heerema became the Owner and Custodian of Nyetimber in 2006. He spotted the market potential of the English sparkling wine category and recruited two winemakers: "Married couple Cherie Spriggs and Brad Greatrix first joined Nyetimber as winemakers in 2007, after trying a bottle gifted to them by Cherie’s parents. They instantly recognised the promise of this early wine, and since 2007, Cherie and Brad have been integral to building Nyetimber into a sparkling wine producer that rivals the best in the world ." Today there are an amazing 900+ vineyards in operation over the wider English sparkling wine designated area, illustrating its exponential growth and economic importance in the wake of Brexit.

Champagne lifestyle on a lemonade budget? Lidl’s got you covered this Christmas. The supermarket today reveals its award-winning Montaudon Champagne Brut has officially beaten prominent champagne house Moët & Chandon in a recent blind taste test. In a bid to prove its affordable tipples stand up against high-end heavyweights, Lidl went head-to-head with the luxury label, with six in ten participants agreeing the supermarket’s own-brand fizz ‘tasted better’ than Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut. The best part, priced at just £14.99 , shoppers can pick up a bottle of the bargain bubbly in stores now for less than half the price of the premium label, which can retail upwards of £43*. The perfect festive aperitif or savoury canape accompaniment, Montaudon is sure to impress guests with its delicate aromas of citrus fruit and complementary fresh, dry finish. The taste test concludes Lidl’s nationwide wine tasting in the dark events Chateaux Noir . Designed to democratise wine and change the perception that you need to blow the bank to enjoy quality booze this Christmas, the discounter polled over 2,500 attendees in a series of guided blind tastings carried out in total darkness. Once again going up against big brand rivals, the results recorded across London, Glasgow, and Liverpool show an overwhelming shift in consumer perceptions around cheaper tipple alternatives. A sweeping 82%* of attendees preferred Lidl’s Montaudon Champagne Brut over Moët and 7 in 10 voted the popular champagne as their favourite beverage of the evening. Another 56 % voted Lidl’s Deluxe Irish Cream Liqueur (£9.99) cream of the crop – preferable over almost double-the-price Baileys*. During the blind tasting sessions, Lidl also profiled a selection of red, white, and rosé wines, all priced under £9, perfect for pairing with your Christmas dinner or festive parties this year. Montaudon Champagne Brit (75cl) £14.99 Lidl Deluxe Irish Cream Liqueur (1L) £9.99 Ca' Del Lago Rosato IGT Trevenezie 2022 £6.49 New Zealand Marlborough Pinot Noir 2022 £8. 29 Deluxe South Africa Sauvignon Blanc 2022 £5.79 *Independent test conducted November 2023. 63 of 100 people preferred the taste of Lidl’s Montaudon champagne compared to Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial * https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/255245509 *Taste test in the dark conducted in November 2023 by Lidl at Chateaux Noir events in London, Glasgow, and Liverpool. 2,500 participants took part in the study. * https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/255249782

Boca Manga   ¡‘Vamos a tomar un vermut!’ ‘Let’s go and have a vermut’ is the way a Madrileño will suggest a drink out with pals to get together.  Regardless of whether any actual vermut, a classic popular aperitif, is taken - any of Spain’s vast array of classic and new-wave wines may be enjoyed on the occasion.   This fallback expression for fun is a godsend natural slogan for sales, which Jesus Llamazares, UK-based director of Los Origenes distributor & retailer of Boca Manga vermut - now also beloved of Michelin-starred chefs as a culinary ingredient, amongst other deli lines - enjoys explaining to me at the Wines from Spain annual tasting organised by Rose Murray Brown at the Balmoral Hotel. This year’s visit focuses - as it must - on Alternative Varietals, with future climate sustainability at the top of everyone’s agenda.  There’s more than the usual quota of ‘Off The Beaten Track’ wines & producers to investigate.   Monastel - no relation to Monastrell! Rose Murray Brown presents her fascinating masterclass demonstrating the breadth of work that has already been undertaken and is ongoing towards this goal.  She introduces a selection of grapes with a longer ripening season crucial to survival through alternating extended drought, flash flooding and the full gamut of winegrower headaches. In terms of varietals to watch, we can expect more wines utilising both ancient & newly (re)discovered grapes such as: Whites - Forcada, Caiño Blanco, Albarin Blanco, Beba, Tempranillo Blanco, Maturana Blanco, Merseguera; Reds - Moneu, Trepat, Caiño Tinto, Prieto Picudo, Manto Negro, Rome, Sumoll, Carrasquin & Sousón.   Other authentic rarities such as Albillo Real, which will crop better in areas free of early frost risk, make for truly enjoyable alternatives when rediscovered & such varietals will increase in plantings where appropriate. Keys include (a) long growing cycle, drought resistance, heat tolerance, late ripening & frost resistance, for which both Tardana and Garnacha Blanca are known suitable varietals in active use, as well as (b) the ability to retain acidity in heat that both Rufete & Mando are known for (I’d previously only known of Mando in Mallorcan wines).  Internally I’m cheering that Garnacha Blanca (Grenache Blanc in the south of France) is in there since its varietals are personal favourites.   When combined with standout producers who’ve put in the spadework (including traditional farming methods) over the last thirty years, such as Juan Carlos Sancha, founder of the Minority Native Varieties Recovery Project in 1988, amongst others, the results are a beacon of hope for future development and interest in beautiful wines from Spain.

Carmenére Harvest - Matt Wilson_ Before participating in a masterclass, my perception of this South American nation was largely limited to the descriptors "red" and "new world." However, after an education from Master of Wine, Patrick Schmitt, editor of The Drinks Business magazine, I gained a deeper understanding of Chilean wine production. While the class was intended for the hospitality industry, Bite managed to glean some fundamental insights and tips that we can pass along. Geography and Characteristics of Chilean Wines Many of the characteristics of Chilean wines are determined by geography. In the North of the country is the desert, in the South Patagonia, to the East is the Andes range, and to the West is the Pacific. The cold water ocean Humboldt Current also exerts an influence. Generally, the cool conditions result in wines of ripe fruit balanced by high acidity and structure. Two other factors to be considered alongside climate are the presence of heritage vines and the range of varietals grown. White Wines Think Semillón, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling. 2022 Echeverria Sauvignon Blanc Reserva, Curico - I am not usually a Sauvignon Blanc person, but this one impresses; it has a pronounced perfume and peachy taste with a touch of grapefruit/citrus. 2017/18 Carmen D.O. Quijada Semillón, Apalta-Colchagua - My tasting partner and photographer, Simone, points out that this wine would complement smoked salmon. I can see it, and Chilean Semillóns are well worth seeking out. The Cabernet Catch - Matt Wilson Red Wines Think Carménère, Pais, Pinot Noir, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot. 2020 Casa Silva Cesar Noir Romano, Colchagua a highlight. Patrick describes the grape as a 'relic' from old French vines with no original rootstock and only 100 hectares devoted to growing. It is full of juicy red fruits and savoury with plenty of tannins. 2019/20 Santa Rita Pewen, Carménère, Apalta-Colchagua - 100% Varietal bursting with red fruits but with a taut structure. Apart from the Carménère, none of these wines are pricey, and Patrick also gave a shout-out for the Bicicleta Pinot Noir from the Cono Sur winery, which is cheap and stocked in many supermarkets. If your wine buying has gotten a little bit predictable, perhaps it's time to choose Chilean.

A range of sherries As we approach the end of the year I am happy to have ticked off some foodie resolutions for 2023. One of these resolutions was to attend a sherry tasting which I did last month when Fion Wines held an event at  Mistral in Leith.  I started appreciating fortified wine a couple of years ago, but my knowledge of the topic was limited to two styles - Fino and Oloroso.  The ‘Veil of  Flor’ masterclass curated by Miguel of online store Fion Wines, presented the opportunity to learn more about sherry’s different expressions and the production process.  Historically and legally, the label ‘sherry’ meant the drink had to be produced in the ‘Sherry Triangle’; an area in Andalucia bounded by Jerez, Sanlucar and El Puerto de Santa Maria. However since October 2022, wineries outside the triangle but that complete the process in its premises entirely will also be protected by the DO. Tasting Menu Sherry is produced using three white grapes Palomino (most commonly used to craft dry sherries), Moscatel and Pedro Ximenez (for sweet sherries, even though dry wine can be made out of them too). Biologically aged wine aged in oak casks are never full as a couple of inches are left empty to allow the development of a layer of yeast know as the veil of flor. This flor gives sherry its distinctive flavor (fresh with notes of bread crust celery, chamomille, and a sharp mouthfeel). There are many styles of sherry, but what determines them is the fortification and the type of aging. If the wine is fortified up to 15% ABV and aged completely under the veil of flor (called biological aging), then you will get Fino or Manzanilla sherry. Amontillados are born once that veil of flor disappears (naturally or because the wine was re-fortified) and the wine is in contact with oxygen. If fortified up to 18%, the veil of flor cannot develop and you will get Oloroso or a Palo Cortado. The former have a lighter color and dry flavor, while the latter have a darker color and a richer, nutty taste. The traditional aging of the sherry is based on a solera/criadera system and I am still getting my head around it. Barrels of sherry are placed one on top of each other (criadera) with the youngest harvest on the top and the oldest on the bottom (solera). The sherry is then periodically blended from barrel to barrel with a portion of the youngest criadera (tier) going to the next tier and so on until the most aged is reached at the bottom. There is a good explanation of the system here. Complementary tapas were provided by Mistral Read about Scotch and Sherry a flavour odyssey These sherry lessons were not delivered on an empty stomach as we paired our wines with small dishes provided by Mistral Wine Bar. My favorite sherries were Primitivo Collantes, Ceballos, Fino and Fossi, Amontillado. As Christmas was approaching, I asked Miguel for some seasonal pairings: - Manzanillas may follow the same production method (biological aging) as Finos, but in most cases Manzanillas are lighter, fresher, with a feel of the Atlantic breeze. For this reason, I recommend drinking Manzanillas with a salmon terrine or a mackerel/sardine paté. - Finos tend to be a bit more textural than Manzanillas so we can add a bit of a bite to our dishes. Try it with battered cod, hake, or haddock, as it will cut through the fatty and oily mouthfeel. They work with charcuterie too.  - Manzanilla Pasada or Fino Amontillado : Thesemstyles are old-ish Finos or Manzanillas whose veil of flor starts to weaken letting the oxygen enrich the character. Try a nice pan-roasted fillet of turbot with a buttery sauce, or lobster thermidor. Good also with Brussels sprouts! - Amontillado : despite the oxidative aging, but they still retain a fresh mouthfeel as a result of previous years aging under the veil of flor. Ducks, pheasants, guinea fowls, and... why not your turkey or goose roast! If you are vegetarian, pair with roasted cauliflower in brown butter and hazelnuts. Mushroom-based dishes are also great with amontillado. - Oloroso / Palo Cortado : these are full-throttle sherries (big in ABV and super textural) that can easily stand up to the challenge to match with meat roasts and stews: beef cheek, oxtail, lamb shank... - Moscatel : The most forgotten of all the sherries can be paired with panettone or a classic fruity trifle. If you are planning your Christmas menu and now you are considering adding a sherry to the drink list please visit www.fionwines.co.uk  or contact Miguel for suggestions at info@fionwines.co.uk .

Slonk Wines arranged an evening to show off their exclusive new producer Tenute Navarra . Ambassador Mattia presents a range of central Sicily’s finest while Jack & Scott of Marchmont’s pride & joy, the small but sublime Argile chef’s table restaurant, serve up a storm of creatively faultless food. This young winery at Butera, with holdings of 175ha in the DOCG appellation of Cerasuolo di Vittoria and also producing olive oil & almonds, is the joy of Toto Navarra’s family, whose journey Mattia brings to life for us. Certified fully organic this year, they’ve made all the right moves to ensure a sustainable future, maintaining a lake on the property as a water source and helping preserve some lesser-used native grape varieties and prized heritage almonds for the future, alongside mainstay varietals such as Frappato, Grillo, & Nero d’Avola. Courgette marinated with Tenute Navarra olive oil Even their olive oil, which tonight seasons our mid-menu courgettes and helps, along with fine lardo, to silken the texture of the creamy Breton haricots de coco, is produced from lush Nocellara fruit. The terroir encompasses two main soil areas between 350-450m altitude; white sand & limestone yielding lighter minerality, with red clay & sand adding depth. A delicious new Spumante rosato “Rosemosse’, unusually made with Frappato, gives way to Jack’s ultimate canapé croustade. A crispy flavoursome shell, utilizing sourdough discard, hides peach rehydrated in fig oil, grilled in smokey embers and smothered in burrata with fennel flowers & pollen. Not one of these processes is wasted; the result blows minds along with our second glass, this time ‘Allucia’, a suitably fine Grillo. Like the two following, from Tenute Navarra’s ‘Art’ line, its label doubles as a colour-coded location guide to where relevant harvest parcels originate on the folds of the estate. ‘Disiata’ Frappato Rosato pairs smoothly with lobster & grapefruit consommé in one of Jack’s local artist ceramics, which feature throughout the meal. Whipped lobster & basil cream create a cappuccino effect topped with zest and a baby punch of bottarga. Loin of roe deer cooked with kelp Kohlrabi with citron confit and dulse; preserved berries Next a vegetable ‘chamomile pause’ (it’s in with those courgettes), with which we move to our first red which retains a cherry character but with a letter shift indicates a more masculine style of their ‘Disiato’ - meaning desired. And then the big guns come out starting with the DOCG ‘Maribu’ Cerasuolo di Vittoria, accompanying a glorious hunk of beef short rib, where some alchemy involving low temperatures and saintly patience has brought in-house black garlic glazing alongside caper leaves & green sauce to gild this triumph. An earthier first sniff of liquorice, dispelled with a hint of vanilla in a swirl of my glass, heralds an impressively maturing 2020 riserva Nero d’Avola ‘Battichie’, aged 6m each in new and seasoned oak as well as 12 months in the bottle. My neighbour is still enthusing about this while I close my chops around the finest-prepared roe deer ever - loin & fillet dissolve effortlessly tenderly while I enjoy the clever kohlrabi puree that’s been sexed up with confit lemon. Kelp, or kombu has been used in the preparation but the wine I’ve savoured has done its work and I’m past caring about details while I spy a raspberry & black sesame tartlet on the prettiest shell plate.  Go enjoy!

Rose Murray Brown brings us this event in the delightful Riddle’s Court venue, celebrating the delicious and exceptionally varied wines of this often-overlooked but extremely dynamic region, with a special nod to wines selected for a ‘Coup de Coeur’ (here meaning ‘love at first taste’!).  After a warm welcome, I’m greeted with maps demonstrating the plethora of mixed terroir there to play with, and also reaffirming ‘Roussillon est lá’ - pointing downwards to the inland valleys, foothills & cliffsides by the extreme SW corner of France’s Mediterranean shore - roughly the Pyrenees-Orientales area stretching from seaside to hilly Spanish borderland.  Everywhere there are reminders to ‘Reach for Roussillon’ as a positive choice. With me, they’re preaching to the converted, as this ‘North Catalan’ area has it all.  Not only can they take advantage of any of their seven winds and scenic, impressive hillside elevations when choosing from which plots to craft very individual wines; but there are famously many routes to market in terms of choice of both appellations & varietals. Domaine Sol Payré - Tatiana Rodriguez Far from the only show in town, but still closest to the heart of Roussillon, is Grenache, in all its guises.  My favourite, Grenache Gris, is showing strongly in the selections today from producers full of pride and passion for their products.  There’s a minerality or, if you prefer, a savoury salinity balancing the wines here, rather than a mouth-puckering acidity as can apply farther North.  A frond of fennel flavour in some whites, while many reds are big on liquorice or lightly seasoned with peppery Syrah.  Even Chardonnay comes to this southern party - showing some variation more suited to the climate, but guarding much of its restrained elegance.  Although the production of lush local fortified wines is proportionately less now, I’m glad they are still as good as ever, from dark chocolate & raspberry’s best friend Maury to the many shades & styles of Rivesaltes. There is finesse and delicacy of winemaking aplenty, albeit very few shrinking violets - overall the freshness achieved from this hot region attests to local expertise.  A splash of Vermentino seems to lend a surefire lift.  At the presentation with Eric Aracil, I'm especially pleased to find lightness also in an orange wine from Ch. de l’Ou (‘egg’ in Catalan, referencing the fermenting vessel), keeping clear of the palate-tiring excesses of some of its ilk, while retaining its individuality. Distributors Alliance, Hallgarten & Hatch Mansfield, along with de Burgh, who hold wines from Maison Bruno Andreu, represent many recognised growers direct, while several excellent independents still seek distribution, such as Domaine La Part des Anges; Jonquères d’Oriola (with Franco-Scottish heritage) at Chateau de Corneilla; Chateau Planères; and Domaine Sol Payré - where Tatiana Rodriguez runs a winery restaurant well worthy of a visit!

Like a breath of fresh air! With sunny skies on the horizon and rosé season in full swing, searches for the tipple are up 138% this month * and Lidl is celebrating with the launch of Breath of Paradise , a brilliant alternative to Whispering Angel.  Giving fans of pale blush rosés a taste they can Côte d’Afford, this delightful rosé is not one to whispered about. Priced at £10.99 , Breath of Paradise is a whopping 50.6% cheaper ***, offering high-end flavours with a budget-friendly price.  Côte de Provence wines have surged in popularity among Brits over the last few years, who are drawn to their pale pink hue, refreshing elegance, and easy pairing with summer dishes – making them a symbol of relaxed sophistication during the season.  Lidl’s Master of Wine, Richard Bampfield, says: “Well known for producing grapes that fuel the 'premium dry rosé' category, wines from the region of Provence are well known by both Brits and the French alike. However, with branded options often carrying a hefty price tag, most tend to reserve them for special occasions rather than include them in the weekly shop.   “At excellent value, Lidl’s Breath of Paradise is a summer game changer. Like any luxurious dry rosé alternative, it’s made primarily with Grenache grapes grown in Provence, giving it that iconic rosé hue and the classic Provençal aroma of fresh peach and wild herbs that we know and love.   “With a perfectly balanced acidity, body and dryness, each bottle of Breath of Paradise is effortlessly drinkable. Best served well chilled or even over a large ice cube, it’ll quench the t hirst of rosé lovers at any occasion this summer.” Lidl’s Breath of Paradise rosé will be available in store from 20th May , and available nationwide throughout the summer period .