If you like flavours from the best of lemons, then you will love this phenomenal liqueur and if you are not a fan of lemons – still try a little and you may find yourself converted.

Salvatore Calabrese, the inventor of this liqueur, grew up on the beautiful Amalfi Coast of Italy, and returns every summer with his family to relax and enjoy all that it has to offer, including the local Limonello Liqueur. For generations the lemons have been cultivated on the sunny mountain sides and gone into the making of this popular digestive liqueur, traditionally made with a harsh grain spirit. Salvatore felt that he could improve on it: “these are the best lemons in the world, and should be married with the best spirit.”

In creating this Liquore di Limone, the maestro insists on fragrant Amalfi lemons; these are picked at the end of spring when the lemon oil is at its most aromatic. Salvatore specifics that only the best Eau de Vie – “the noble cognac” – should be used to infuse the lemon zest. He also requires that the lemon zest is left to infuse slowly for a full five weeks.

Enjoy this Liqueur straight at room temperature, chilled over ice, straight from the freezer or at the centre of a cocktail, and you will savour the work of an undoubted maestro.

My favourite is with a little more cognac, topped up with tonic, lemon and ice.

Salvatore Calabrese’s Liquore di Limone  50cl 30% abv

Save

Hoxton Gin is a serious, but also a fun gin and very different from the rest – a gin that takes the classic juniper driven character and adds something most exotic. In making an exceptionally smooth and rounded gin, both coconut and grapefruit are a key constituent of the distilling process, thus opening up gin to a whole new world of drinking and cocktail possibilities.

Hoxton Gin is a world’s first. Not only is it versatile with the head notes of grapefruit and coconut introducing bright new avenues of what gin can be mixed with. Nor does it merely reinvigorate classic cocktails and combinations such as the Tom Collins and G&T with a stunning contemporary twist. The real brilliance lies in the fact that unlike other gins, you can drink it on its own! It’s so refreshing all you need is ice and a slice of lemon! A spirit so fine, there’s no need to dress it up.

Hoxton – A great new world of Gin & Tonic and ever so cool cocktails. Next they will be adding rhubarb to Gin “click”

Graham D is back after a number of years researching the vineyards of Northern Greenland “one of my favourite wines has to be icewine”

His new schedule of Blogs will commence in early June 2017 and will feature articles on individual and often unique wines, spirits and liqueurs – of course by popular demand a whole new series of Food and Wine Pairing.

There will be a lots of info on Gins this time , since it’s UK’s most popular spirit.

Bewarned some other unpredictable events may also occur ???

Chablis Wines from Domaine Moreau

Domaines Louise Moreau was born from the passion of a family living in Chablis since 1814. As early as the late 19th century, their love for great wines led to the purchase of plots in Grands Crus and Premiers Crus.

Today they are proprietor of parcels in five of the Grands Crus and own individual vineyards within the appellations of Petit Chablis, Chablis and Premiers Crus. Most of the vineyards are managed using organic principles working in harmony with the environment.

The most prestigious of its wines is the monopole Chablis Grand Cru Clos des Hospices dans Les Clos, which was acquired by the Moreau family in 1904.

Louis Moreau, who has been head of the domaine since 1994, produces wines with a unique style, combining minerality, fineness, elegance and purity.

We have recently listed the following wines from Domaine Moreau –  Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru Vaulignot and Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos

Happy Chablis Days

!!! SHARE THIS

WRITTEN BY: Del   (click for further articles)

COMMENTS:

CATAGORIES:

Hawkshead Vineyard is located on the road between Queenstown and Cromwell in the Gibbston “Valley of Wines” in the heart of Central Otago, New Zealands southernmost wine growing region, known for its high quality Pinot Noir Wines. The Gibbston Valley is 20 minutes drive from Queenstown, the lifestyle and adventure capital of New zealand.

Vines have been grown in the Gibbston Valley, Central Otago since 1976. It was one of the areas in the region that Italian based viticulturist Romeo Braggato first predicted, in 1895, to be of great potential for the production of Pinot Noir. After experimentation in many different microclimates in the region with different grape varieties, it was found the alluvial soils of the Gibbston Valley together with the Pinot Noir grape produced some of New Zealand’s finest Pinot Noir.

The original land use in the valley was extensive merino sheep farming and the Hawkshead Vineyard was once part of the large Waitiri Sheep Station. Waitiri Station had farmed the land since the early 1950’s and saw the potential for Viticulture, spending years recording information on climate and soil from their farm. As the land in the Gibbston Valley was developed for viticulture Denis Marshall was fortunate to be able to obtain a most suitable block in 1995 which was to become the Hawkshead Vineyard. The pinot noir grapes are planted on gentle north facing slopes to maximise the full year round sun.

In November 2009 Hawkshead Vineyard became a fully Accredited Vineyard under the Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand Programme. This was a stepping stone and from 2009 all their Pinot Noir has been grown organically.

Pinot Gris 2012 

Pinot Noir 2010

Happy Wines from Otago Days

!!! SHARE THIS

WRITTEN BY: Del   (click for further articles)

COMMENTS:

CATAGORIES:

Saint-Amour is the most northerly of the ten Beaujolais Cru areas and is one of the region’s top rated vineyards. Saint-Amour’s granitic clay and schist soils are often credited with the particular  wine style produced from the vines here. These range from brightly coloured, fruity and floral examples through to fuller-bodied, more spicy and richly complex wines that can be aged for four to five years.

A large quantity of white Beaujolais Blanc is also made from Saint-Amour’s vineyards, mostly from Chardonnay and Aligote grapes.

The wines of Beaujolais Cru are both different in style and of a higher quality than is generally associated with the region and most producers move away from overt references to the generic title and prefer instead to use the name of a particular cru.

We have recently selected these wines from Domaine Du Penlois based in Lancie, Beaujolais

  St Amour, Les Vins du Penlois

  A fuller bodied, more spicy and richly complex style with lovely floral fruit

Beaujolais Blanc, Chardonnay du Chatelard

A pale straw colour with almond and grapefruit aromas

Celebrate Burns Night with Bobbie Burns Shiraz, Campbells Wines, Rutherglen, Australia

Burn’s Night celebrates the life and works of the poet Robert Burns, born January 25, 1759 as well as Scottish culture in general. John Campbell sailed from St Andrews, Scotland in 1857 to Rutherglen, Australia in search of gold. He acquired land adjoining the Bobbie Burns Gold Seam and established his Bobbie Burns Vineyard,Successive Campbell generations of this adventurous Scot have continued his tradition of premium winemaking on this original vineyard. We think Bobbie Burns Shiraz 2010 is a worthy wine to celebrate Burns Night this Friday 25 January 2013.

MALLORCA….Always Beautiful Sandy Beaches with lots of Sunshine and now Wonderfully Delicious Wines

With regard to great holidays in the sun, Mallorca is well known all around the world, but with regards to Mallorcan wines outside this beautiful island, they are not so well known. Maybe the reason for their limited availability outside the island is that only a dozen or so years ago most of the red wines produced were boardering on the harsh side and lacking finesse, while the white wines were mainly dry, thin and too acidic, only being enjoyed by the locals with most tourists sticking to beer, Menorcan gin and of course jugs of fruit filled sangria.

Although the wine making state of affairs has dramatically changed for the better in recent years, even so, the wines are sadly still relatively unknown outside the Ballearic Islands. There are many vineyards large and small around Mallorca with about twenty now producing stunning red and white wines along with some very decent rose, wines of such quality would command at least double the price if they were produced in Rioja or Ribera del Duero. Many of these vineyards I have visited over the past four to five years and can truly testify to the huge changes made to both facilities and the processing of wine e.g. modern stainless steel equipment and storage tanks, refrigeration and proper control of the fermentation temperature, automatic irrigation systems, much experimenting and more use of oak barrels for maturing wines and most importantly greatly increased planting and quality spacing of the more popular grape varities like cabernet sauvignon, syrah, merlot, chardonnay, viognier and malvasia and these varities are now producing many deliciously tasting varietal wines as well as carefully crafted blends.

Mallorca is perceived by most visitors to be an island in the sun, with many fine and interesting coastal resorts and beautiful golden beaches with crystal clear and seductively tainted azure waters and then to be arid,dry and uninteresting further inland where even today very few venture. For certain that is not the case, many parts of the central plain are extremely fertile, lush with ever ending fields of natures flowers, sweet smelling herbs and tiny leaved shrubs. Follow the ever winding narrow roads lined either side with wild poppys and you will also come upon acres and acres of fields of deep red soil producing each year successions of crops like strawberries, artichokes, potatos and green salads. Further on you could find huge orchards ripe with growing peaches, nectarines, oranges, lemons, almonds and we must not forget to mention thousands and thousands of olive trees. The whole island is a paradise, sadly to so few visitors.

The centre of the island around Inca and Manacor (note, Nadal territory ) is where the majority of Mallorcan vineyards are located, although you can find small industrious and successful growers around other parts of the island. Traditionally the grape of the island has and still is Monastrell, on its own it simply does not produce good red wines, but blended with other varities, the results can be simply outstanding.

Out of the many first class vineyards in Mallorca our favourite has to be MORTITX, a sleeping beauty and that is why we import, retail and wholesale six of their wonderfully complex, deep and rounded wines. Mortitx is located in the quiet North East of Mallorca a few kilometors from Pollensa on the steep rising road from Pollensa to Soller up in a hidden valley within the Tramontana mountain range. An awsome and captivating location with panoramic views looking down on to the enormous and attractive bays of Pollensa and Alcudia. Visitors are most welcome to taste and buy wines at the winery whose location is breathtakingly sited below rugged and steep pinky mauve coloured mountains with eagles and kites souring high above the sun baked pine trees and cliff tops and all around you take in the inviting scent of wild rosemary, thyme and juniper. This most appealing winery is owned by a number of private shareholders,many of whom own hotels and fine restaurants on the island and make available these exceptional Mortitx wines for sale in their own establishments.

From this magnificent vineyard we list the following wines:

Mortitx Negre Anyada Tinto

 Mortitx Rodal Pla Tinto

Mortitx Syrah

Mortitx L’u Tinto

Mortitx Rosat

 Mortitx Blanc

Mortitx Dolce de Gel

These wines can be purchased via our website or by visiting our Retail Outlet near Southampton

For Food Matches with the Mortitx Wines please check on https://www.ahadleigh-wine.com/wine-and-food/ which takes you to our websites specialist section on ” Matching Wines with Foods” then just type in the name of the wine in the box located under “TYPE IN WINE”.

Happy Mallorcan Days

Updated 23 September 2010

Pairing Wine with the Last of the Summer Fruits

FOOD and WINE PAIRING—PAIRING WINE WITH THE LAST OF THE SUMMER FRUITS
(continuation from blog  “ Food and Wine pairing”  dated 29 July 2012)

INTRODUCTION:—–this blog and the many more following will examine the pleasurable and often complex relationship between good food and wine, with the ultimate aim to assist our many discerning customers evolve the convivial bonding of good food and wine.

CHALLENGES : The main challenges when matching various fruits are often the differences in the acidity and ripeness of the fruit, for example the soft sweet flavours of a ripe pear and the slightly tartness of a late season raspberry. The key to this type of pairing is to match the weights and sugar intensity of both the wine and the fruit and to ensure one is not overpowering the other.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Apricot based dessert : goes well with a rich and flavoursome Sauternes – Chateau Rolland 

Blackberries : an outstanding match would be a wine of great depth Black Noble, De Bortoli Wines, Australia 

Blueberries : a superb partner would be a refreshing and energetic Emeri Sparkling Shiraz

Autumn Raspberries from Scotland : require a full bodied and luscious Muscat such as Muscat de Beaumes de Venise Tradition from the Rhone Valley.

Apple Crumble : go for a light delicate dessert wine from New Zealand Hukapapa Riesling, Hunters Wines, Marlborough

Pears Poached in Red Wine : will appreciate a quality  Sparkling Rose, Saumur Rose Brut, Ackerman, France 

Honey-Roasted Figs : this deliciously sticky dessert works well with the fresh fruity taste of Pineau des Charentes.

MAIN DIRECTORY:—–click on THE MARRIAGE OF FOOD AND WINE to access our quick search facility to locate hundreds of other food/wine/food pairing options, including hors-d’oeuvres, starters, soups, main courses and desserts. Also view GREAT FRIENDS – CHEESE AND WINE for cheese and wine pairing.

NEXT ARTICLE: Partridge,Pheasant, Teal and Mullard

HAPPY PAIRING WINE  WITH THE LAST OF THE SUMMER FRUITS

Graham D

 TOP TIP FOR WINE ENTHUSIASTS

Be very careful when opening old bottles of wine, port, madeira or even an expensive bottle Bordeaux or Burgundy. ( these wines tend to have longer corks than normal ).  As illustrated always use a double lever corkscrew.

Just follow these three simple steps:

1. Make sure the screw enters the centre of the cork.
2. Drill down to the maximum.
3. Always utilise both levers, then one has a much better chance of successfully extracting fragile and long corks.

HAPPY TOP TIP WINE DAYS

Graham D