Category — News In The Press

Chancellor Darling has announced excise duty increases which apply from Monday 17th March 2008. Ostensibly designed to curb binge drinking, most people seem to think this is just another way of increasing taxes.

Perhaps its the dour Presbyterian Scottish influence at play - although technically Darling is English. albeit with strong Scottish connections and MP for Edinburgh South. However, seeing as the duty on Scotch Whisky has also been raised maybe that is a tad unfair! The real problem is that alcohol duty is a soft touch for Budget day.

Unfortunately even the quick cross-channel trip to stock up at much lower French prices is not as good an option as it used to be - the exchange rate against the Euro is at its lowest since the the euro was introduced - e.g. €1.26 to the £ (13 March 08) - order online at the Post Office

The impact of the changes on retail prices for typical alcoholic drinks is equivalent to:
• 55 pence on a 70cl bottle of spirits @ 37.5% abv;
• 4 pence on a pint of beer;
• 3 pence on a litre of still cider;
• 14 pence on a 75cl bottle of sparkling cider;
• 14 pence on a 75cl bottle of wine
• 18 pence on a 75cl bottle of sparkling wine.

The Independent (9 March 08) has some recommendations for good places to find a glass of well-chosen and affordable wine in the UK:
The Crooked Billett near Milton Keynes, Bucks -

extensive list of over 300 wines. To help you find your way through this vast range we have divided it into Sweet Wine & Digestifs; Ports; Selection of Half Bottles; Sweet Wine 100ml; Most Popular Wines; Wines by Region split into Champagne, Red, Rose and white and finally Wine by Flavour.

The General Tarleton, near Knaresborough, North Yorkshire with a list of over 150 wines, 20 or more available by the glass!

Also noted were Harts in Nottingham and The White Horse at Chilgrove near Chichester.

They were an odd couple who travelled through France in a classic Jaguar convertible; one a wine connoisseur, the other a less cultured beer drinking fast car fanatic who dubbed his colleague “pretentious”. But while wine expert Oz Clarke and Top Gear’s James May might be unlikely travelling companions, they proved a hit with viewers – more than two million tuned in to
watch their exploits on BBC2. And now they’re back – and this time they’ve gone west.

The duo have travelled to California for their second series and now their latest escapades are arriving on DVD as a two disc set, with the March 3 release of the second series of Oz And James’s Big Wine Adventure, courtesy of Acorn Media.

The eight-part second series sees Oz and James heading to the sunshine state to sample its wines. How will Oz react to the taste of wine in the new country? And has James finally developed an understanding of wines? Will he manage to spend a day without crashing their motor home (he also gets to drive a Ford Mustang)? And how will they cope with the morning hangovers
after sampling the local delights from Venice Beach to the Napa Valley?

All is revealed on Oz And James’s Big Wine Adventure Series Two if you missed it on TV.

Oz and Jame’s Big Wine Adventure Series 2 is available from Amazon.co.uk for £14.98. Series one is also available from Amazon.co.uk on DVD for £10.01.

The EU Council has agreed to a permanent exclusion of the UK from the planting rights regime.

This planting restriction had been the greatest challenge to the continued development of the wine industry in the UK, which has been growing very successfully over many years. Under this EU planting ban, UK wine producers would have had to stop any further planting once production exceeded 3.3million bottles (25,000 hectolitres), averaged over 5 years. Although the EU Commission wanted to get rid of the planting restrictions, they were forced to compromise and extend the ban to 2015, in order to get other reforms through, which are designed to make EU production more competitive.

The Planting Ban was introduced in the EU in 1999 in response to the over production of poor quality wine in the larger member state producing countries which resulted in the infamous ‘wine lake’. The current EU Wine Reform, introduced by EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel, aims to revive the languishing European wine industry. Meanwhile, the UK has been steadily producing more and more quality wine, especially within the sparkling wine sector, and demand from both domestic and overseas markets has never been higher. The UK’s representative industry body, the UK Vineyards Association (UKVA), therefore argued that capping the expansion of this vibrant industry, which is completely unsubsidised, would fly in the face of the new Common Agricultural Policy.

EU wine reform amendments have also lifted bans on unlisted grape varieties, as well as the listing of grape varieties and vintage on table wine labels. These reform measures have been put in place to increase the competitiveness of European wines in the face of stiff competition from New World producers.

For those with a few pennies remaining after the Christmas season may have a happy time in the sales this year - assuming the new kitchen/bathroom/sofa/computer does not grab the funds first. Off Licence News is reporting that a disappointing end of year for many merchants will see extended sales this month.

“Retailers who haven’t done the business they expected to before Christmas will be very keen to cut their losses and shift whatever seasonal stock they’ve been left with. Supermarkets dramatically cut prices of beer wines and spirits before Christmas to boost sales, but some are continuing to offer discounts throughout January.

Morrison’s is giving up to £10 off selected bottles of Champagne and sparkling wine until Jan 7, while Co-op and Sainsbury’s have both confirmed discounts of up to £3 on selected wines. Threshers has re-launched its three for two deal on wine and Champagne with a high-profile ad campaign to lure customers into shops and wine merchant Berry Bros & Rudd is offering discounts of up to 30 per cent on wine in its annual sale, which starts today.”

London retailer chain Jeroboams whose interest spread from an up-market deli, whisky retailer and wine merchants has revamped their online prescence for 2008.

Jeroboams is the wine retailer with 8 stores across London, Mr Christians the deli and Milroys of Soho the whisky specialist. Each of the websites now has “more background information to help make online decisions more informed as well as improved web features to make shopping easier”.

Enhanced Information

• Fiches techniques and tasting notes for each wine and whisky
• In-depth, market-focussed discussion on key countries and regions on both the Milroy’s of Soho and Jeroboams sites
• Mr Christian’s has full menu listings for Notting Hill’s favourite deli and brings a feel of the shop’s character to the internet.

New Web Features

• Reduced delivery costs - £9.95 or free on orders over £200.00 in England and Wales
• Enhanced ‘My Account’ area that allows customers to view their order history as well as manage the wishlist and address book
• ‘Quick-Shop’ feature allows customers to find a product simply by entering the product code from any offer or list
• Click and Collect feature that allows customers to pick their order up from their nearest Jeroboams shop

Each of the stores, incidently, has a live webcam - always fun!

Clos des Papes has been proclaimed by the Independent as “The best wine in the world”.; well not the Independent exactly but following up on Wine Spectator magazine proclaiming the Clos des Papes 2005 as the best wine, quickly followed by the 2004 vintage:

“in a recent, mass, blind tasting of 15,000 wines from all over the globe by the American magazine, Wine Spectator, it was the relatively unknown Clos des Papes 2005, a red wine from Château-neuf-du-Pape, near Avignon, in the Rhône valley, which came out on top. Value for money was taken into consideration but also sheer quality (98 marks out of 100) and a subjective element labelled simply “excitement”.”

The producer, M. Avril, makes only two wines (a red and a white). The red is a blend of six different kinds of grapes, grown on 24 different pieces of ground – to fulfil his own “instinct” for how to “express” the qualities of the grapes, the terroirs and the year. He is not trying to produce a “Parker” wine or a “Spectator” wine but a Clos des Papes.

What the Independent fails to say is where to buy these acclaimed wines; a little on-line research shows it ain’t easy to find!

Speciality Wine -
Clos des PapeRhones 2005 £89 per bottle
Clos des Papes 2004 £48
Clos des Papes 2003 £58

Berry Brothers
Clos des Papes - sold out

A & B Vintners
2004/2005 - price not displayed on website

Wine Society
Clos des Papes 2002 - £23

Lay and Wheeler
Clos des Papes 2004 - £32.70

Blenheim Fine Wines (case sales only)
Clos des Papes 2002 - £22.10

Flying Corkscrew
Clos du Papes 2004 - £41 (online case sales only)

En Primeur
Clos du Papes 2001 - £30.80 (case sales only)

M. Avrion says that his wines should be kept for at least six to eight years before they are drunk. He is selling his 2001 vintage – now ready to drink – at €50 a bottle. Although the 2005 is all sold, he reckons the 2006, to be bottled in the new year, and the 2007 are equally good, “if not better”. Eighty per cent of his wine is sold abroad, including 15 per cent to Britain, the biggest buyer outside France.

The Office for National Statistics has reassesed the number of units found in drinks to take account of bigger glasses, and their increased alcoholic. As a result average UK consumption for 2006 has been recalculated at 14.3 units a week, up from 10.8 units

New units for alcoholic drinks

A new website, designed by teenagers, has been launched by the The Drinkaware Trust with the aim of educating youngsters about the dangers of drinking.

Feedback from under-18’s is the focus of Truth About Booze with forum discussions such as “I’m scared I’ll be rejected if I don’t go out drinking” and “My uncle used to do a bottle of whiskey a week. Never did him any harm”. Answers are of the ‘ticking off by an adult’ variety - “Shame you need alcohol to help you have a good time, once in a while it’s OK to let lose and roll with it , but saying you feel like your’e out with primary school kids without booze smaks of addiction and other under lying issues” for example.

It is the first time that teenagers have been directly asked about what would help them and their friends “make better informed choices” about drinking.

In addition to the forums users will be able to read real-life stories from under-18s affected by alcohol, watch educational videos and have easy access to services that provide counselling and treatment.

An English sparkling wine has once again triumphed in an international competition. Theale Vineyard Sparkling Chardonnay 2003 beat off stiff competition from fine Champagnes and top sparkling wines to make it into the world’s Top Ten Sparkling Wine at the world’s only dedicated sparkling wine competition, French-based Effervescents du Monde (sparkling wines of the world) 2007.

Since its first wine was launched in 2006 this small vineyard, which measures only 200 square metres (2150 sq feet), has received a growing list of top plaudits from the world’s best wine judges. The same wine also received a Silver Medal at the world’s premier wine competition, The International Wine Challenge, held earlier this year.

The Theale Vineyard is sited in front of the offices of Laithwaites, Britain’s leading mail order wine merchant, in Berkshire. When Laithwaites built their new premises on a brown field site in 1998, a shrub border was due to be planted over debris from the previous building. However, Tony Laithwaite, the company’s owner and a geographer by training, saw an opportunity to experiment with growing vines to produce a unique English wine. An artificial hill facing south was fashioned with suitable topsoil and planted with Chardonnay vines imported from Champagne in 2000. The vineyard is managed by award-winning sparkling wine producer RidgeView Wine Estate, who also makes the wine under contract.

Only 756 bottles of this 100% Chardonnay wine were made. It can be purchased in person for £22.99 per bottle from the Laithwaites shop in Theale or by calling 0870 4448282 for home delivery.

Tony Laithwaite is delighted with the wine’s success:

“We don’t really know why the sparkling wine from this vineyard has proved so successful. Perhaps it is due to the carefully built south-facing slope or the shelter and heat from the surrounding buildings? Certainly Ridgeview’s skills and the dedication of the team who keep the vineyard immaculate have lead to its success.”

Another English wine produced by Ridgeview, this time exclusively for The Sunday Times Wine Club and Laithwaites – Ridgeview Merret South Ridge 2005 – added to the English success in the same competition with a Silver medal. The wine, with a cepage of predominantly Chardonnay, with Pinots Noir and Meunier, has enjoyed consistent success in this competition, with Silver medals awarded twice before to previous vintages. South Ridge is available from the Sunday Times Wine Club and Laithwaites, price £15.99 per bottle.

Planet of the Grapes have opened a Wine Bar/shop type thing in Leadenhall market, London, less than 10 mins walk from Liverpool Street, Bank and London Bridge. They have a range of around 450 wines available by the bottle and a small but select range of wines by the glass.

What’s new about your wine bar, I hear you cry, well all the wines are priced at retail and to enjoy them in the bar simply add £10, irrespective of price. Therefore Mouton Rothschild 1983 priced at £225 will cost you only £235 to drink in the bar, as opposed to £500+ in other bars and restaurants, more realistically Louis Roederer N.V is £42 per bottle and Pol Roger N.V £38

All the wines are served in Riedel glasses and, to compliment, there will be serving platters of the finest meats and cheese from our Cheese in Leadenhall. For full details of the bar and for a map see their website www.planetofthegrapes.co.uk or call the bar on 020 79297224. You can also reserve tables and order any specific wine to be chilled or decanted in advance.

Planet of the Grapes Wine Bar
9/10 Bulls Head Passage
Leadenhall Market
London
EC3V 1LU
020 7929 7224

No reason to suspect that this email, just received, is not for real…

Advance warning - there is going to be a 50% off voucher in this Sundays Telegraph (25th November) for 50% off threshers Radcliffe’s range!!!

Its not a marketing ploy in the style of the silly 40% but it is a massive deal ,that you, and I’m sure your readers might want to take advantage.. was going to post in comments on one of your pages but thought better to mail…

Follows list of all the Radcliffe’s range (Ive just had to type up list for my customers so thought may as well email it… )

Epos Name RRP 50% Off
114618 Cotes Du Rhone £5.99 £3.00
114608 Beaujolais £5.99 £3.00
114611 Chateau Neuf Du Pape £14.99 £7.50
114533 Fitou £5.99 £3.00
114595 St Emilion £11.99 £6.00
118637 Red Bordeaux £5.99 £3.00
114534 Corbieres £5.99 £3.00
114586 Barolo £16.99 £8.50
122386 Piccini Chianti £6.49 £3.25
114487 Chianti £7.49 £3.75
118762 Rioja Crianza £6.99 £3.50
118760 Rioja Reserva £9.99 £5.00
114610 Chablis £10.99 £5.50
114359 Saint Veran £8.99 £4.50
118646 Sancerre £12.99 £6.50
114596 Pouilly Fume £12.99 £6.50
114552 Gewurtztraminer £9.99 £5.00
114613 Haut Pitou sauvignon £6.99 £3.50
114614 Macon Villages £7.49 £3.75
114605 Muscadet £5.99 £3.00
118648 Bdx Sauvignon £5.99 £3.00
120893 Pinot Grigio £5.99 £3.00
114603 Frascati £5.99 £3.00
115488 Soave £5.99 £3.00
121524 Pinot Grigio Blush £5.99 £3.00

with haut pitio @ 3.50 a bottle, and Chablis @ 5.50 a bottle I’m stocking up like mad…
thought i would let you know.. knowing how you like a bargain…

Dave

A new green virtual rewards card is launched today - and will be accepted by over 1,000 big name online retailers including wine merchants Oddbins and Virgin Wines.

Using the carboncred card gives free green reward points to shoppers for every purchase made online at one of 1000 partner stores. These points can then be used to buy green lifestyle products and services to cut shoppers’ personal CO2 emissions.

How it works
Step 1: Shop online
With 1000 retailers to choose from, if you can buy it online, you can find it at the CarbonCred Mall.
Step 2: Earn points
Every purchase counts towards your CarbonCred.its, whether it’s a mobile phone or home insurance.
Step 3: Reduce CO2
Use your CarbonCred.its to lower your carbon footprint.Buy carbon-busting products, or pay your green energy bills.

They estimate that an average shopper using the site for a year could collect 750 CarbonCred.its. These would pay for a years electricity.

Other wine related sites involved include Absinthe Supply, Baileys Wine Merchants (a Spanish specialist where CarbonCred.it reward are approx. 3.00% of your purchase), drinkstuff.com (1.25%), Gift to Drink , the Whisky Exchange (2.5%) and Sparkling Direct (4%). Oddbins give rewards to around 2.5% of your purchase.

Clive Roberts, Owner of World of Wines:

“We wanted to do something positive in our own small way to help the environment. I don’t want my children wading through landfill sites just to get around our countryside. So we came up with this idea.

We think a bag can be used safely five times. The bags cost us 9p each so there are three winners!

1. The customers are going to get perhaps as much as 50p back just by reusing a World of Wines carrier bag when they buy from us.
2. We save on the cost of buying quite so many new bags.
3. The environment wins as less plastic goes into landfill.

He goes on to explain that they tried really hard to find a paper bag with handles that could carry three bottles of wine at a competitive price; but failed. It’s a sad fact that a paper bag costs three times the amount for a plastic bag.

“Our shop managers will put no more than three bottles of wine into a reuse bag. Equally customers cannot purchase three bottles of wine and present three bags hoping for 30p!”

I know it’s not much in the grand scheme of things but we also wanted to show that if businesses think creatively about how they work, how they manage both large and small things, we can all have a positive effect- no matter how small; they all add up.”

World of Wines operate three stores in Henfield, Steyning and Storrington. This news follows attempts in London to ban carirer bags.

The Times has published the initial part of their Top 100 Winter Wines covering 25 wines under £5. Jane MacQuitty is the newspaper’s wine critic and has selected the hugely interesting Domaine de L’Olivette Blanc, 2006, as her Star Buy. It’s listed by Waitrose for £4.99 [See the note on Spittoon too].

“This unusual, organic, limited-edition (scarcely 3,000 cases) white, made predominantly from the grenache blanc grape, topped up with 20 per cent of the Rhône’s rich, spicy marsanne and ten per cent of the rare smoky bourboulenc, is a big food-suitable, concentrated, nutty, smoky star with a very fine, long, peppery, almost apricoty finish.”

The Times is running a competition to win all 100 bottles of the complete Winter Wines Top 100. Enter online.