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| The Surf4Wine wine blog - Posts from 01/07/07 to 31/07/07. |
| News Archive | Search this blog | 26 article(s) | | Inniskillin Ice Wines | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 30th 2007 3:50pm.
 I can still recall the first time I sampled an Inniskillin Ice Wine - that unimaginable explosion of flavours, the sheer wonder that a 'wine' could taste in such a delectable, intense, yet refined way.
If you are feeling a little jaded by the whole 'wine thang' then a sip of one of these beauts will surly reawaken your taste buds!
Of course by its very nature icewine is never going to be cheap. If you take into account the painstaking process of production - from yields only a fraction of the norm (10-20%), hand harvesting while frozen etc etc - you can fully appreciate why they are priced at the levels they are.
Yields are so low as the grapes are naturally frozen on the vine, are hand-harvested and pressed throughout the night. During the pressing the water in the grapes remains frozen as ice crystals and is easily extracted from the juice. What remains is a few precious drops of sweet, unadulterated liquid which is then fermented slowly into the gorgeous wines we know and love.
Last Friday was a busy day. Not only did the new Lovibonds beers arrive but so did the Inniskillin rep! Samples in hand we sipped our way through the golden nectar of the Riesling Icewine, the effervescent Sparkling Vidal and the oak aged still Vidal. Each as sumptuous and delicious, as the last. But each distinctly individual and different - even if linked by the astounding flavour combinations of lychee, mango, apricot, honey, lime, blossom and gentle spice.
[Pictured - Mr C with icewine in hand]
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| | Two More Beers - Henley Gold & Henley Dark. | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 29th 2007 3:50pm.
 A Surf4Wine exclusive - two locally brewed beers offered for the first time on-line in the UK. They are new with just a limited distribution in Henley-on-Thames itself; until now!
The first cases of the Lovibonds Henley Gold and Henley Dark arrived last Friday and are now available to order.
Henley Gold (£2.10) is a light style of ale, crisp, fruity with a nice yeasty/wheat flavour. Quite effervescent in style, which will appeal to lager drinkers in addition to ale lovers.
The Henley Dark (£2.10) is a different fish altogether - dark, as you would expect, in colour with roasted treacle and cloves evident on the palate and in the aroma. Dark but not 'heavy'. Warming and distinctive.
Two more additions to our revamped beer range and ones we are very excited to offer - until word gets out you can't buy these from anyone else (unless you shop in Henley of course!).
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| | Bremerton Old Adam Shiraz | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 27th 2007 1:46pm.
 We have been a bit perplexed of late regarding the sudden interest in the Bremerton Old Adam Shiraz. Normally such a flow of orders would be meeted with delight but the vast majority have come from Australia.
Not sure Mr C has plans for international outposts for Surf4Wine but at the moment shipment to the antipodes is prohibitively expensive.
But it was just a few moments ago I discovered the reason for the upsurge in orders for this wine.
A $38 BOTTLE of Shiraz made by a South Australian woman has been judged the equal of two of the country's finest reds, which sell for more than 12 times its price.
Langhorne Creek's Bremerton Wines 2004 Old Adam Shiraz, made by 34-year-old Rebecca Willson, has been awarded a lofty 97 points out of 100 by Australian wine guru James Halliday, who gave the same score to the 2002 vintages of Penfolds Grange and Henschke's Hill of Grace.
News.com.au
Many people will know that both Grange and Hill of Grace are Australia's icon wines commanding prices in excess of £100 or more. So for this wine, which we retail for £16.50 to be in such company is astounding.
We have limited stocks of the 2002 and will be quickly sourcing this acclaimed 2004 vintage!
Bremerton 'Old Adam' Shiraz, 2002 £16.50.,
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| | A Tale of Two Arneis | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 26th 2007 1:22pm.
 Oh, how we love you so! That ancient variety grown around Alba in Piemonte, Italy, has been rescued from extinction but still remains relatively unknown and obscure.
In the regional dialect '' translates as 'little rascal' a reference to the difficulty found by producers in growing the vine.
While there is a smattering of producers using this white grape variety to soften tannins in the local red wines it is as a single varietal white wine that shines.
We tasted an American version in the office yesterday - the Seghesio Arneis 2006. And what a beaut! This is really my style of wine - full and rich with an abundance of pear and nut flavours, a long, long length and a spectacular burst of acidity on the finish that keeps everything in balance. There is a delicious creamy character to the palate and maybe just a touch of sweetness.
It made for wonderful drinking unaccompanied by food but I couldn't help thinking that a little salmon, some fresh sushi or a creamy chicken risotto would all make for a perfect match.
Surf4Wine also stocks an Italian version of the Deltetto Roero Arneis, S. Michele, 2005.
Which is markedly different in style. While still showing those luscious pear and peach flavours there is herbaceous edge to the flavour, while the mineral quality is more evident too. It is drier but equally full and packed with flavour.
The wines herbaceous quality makes it more suitable for matching with green salads - a feta salad with peas perhaps - and would marry superbly with a lightly grilled fish too.
Seghesio Arneis 2006 £15.79
Deltetto Roero Arneis 'S.Michele', 2005 £10.99
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| | Climate Change and Oxfordshire Merlot | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 25th 2007 1:44pm.
 Following yesterday's exciting exploration of Spanish wine and food I was a bit alarmed after receiving a link today to a BBC news report that basically said that in 20 years Spanish wine production will be unviable due to Global Warming.
What a thought!
A US study suggests that climate change could make viticulture much more successful in northern parts of Europe, at the expense of Spain, Italy and the south of France. America too could loose 80% or so of the premium grape growing area.
Looking on the bright side, one day we could indeed be selling Lothian Pinot Noir or Oxfordshire Merlot! Assuming we don't all get flooded out first of course!
But is all this talk just overly alarmist when actually we just don't know whether the changes are a natural fluctuation or something worse? The UK use to be covered with an ice-sheet at one time after-all!
[Image from Winnie87]
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| | Rioja and Food | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 24th 2007 1:23pm.
 Just been flicking through a trade magazine and stumbled upon some Rioja and food matching suggestions. It's a mag for the on-trade, bars and restaurants, and while the article didn't go into any great depth the basic suggestions were good and fitted into the range we currently have.
While Rioja is a widely recognised wine 'name' (UK consumer awareness is apparently at 74%) less well known are the styles of Rioja which are based on the age of the wine in question.
At the youngest level you have Joven which are unoaked wines, rising through the ranks to Gran Reserva. The production rules for Gran Reserva stipulate that the wine must spend at least two years in oak and a minimum of three in bottle before release. What this means is that each 'level' is distinctly different and thus suitable for matching with different foods.
The article, in Imbibe magazine, makes the following suggestions (I've appended some suggested wines from our Spanish list).
- Rioja Tinto Joven (unoaked wine for early drinking) - roast lemon chicken, cheese. The Rioja Tempranillo, Vega del Rayo 2004 would be an excellent choice.
- Rioja Tinto Crianza (minimum one year in oak casks) - lemon-rubbed salmon, pasta with a tomato-based sauce. The Rioja Puerta Vieja 'Crianza', Bodegas Riojanas 2001 fits the bill perfectly.
- Rioja Tinto Reserva (aged three years, at least one in cask) - roast duck, pork with peppers, steak. Try our delicious Rioja Reserva, Bodegas Ondarre 2001
- Rioja Tinto Gran Reserva (only produced in exceptional years, at least two years in oak, and three in bottle) - game such as cinnamon-spiced venison casserole, roast lamb. A 'must try' is the Rioja Gran Reserva 'Monte Real', Bodegas Riojanas 1998; delicious.
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| | Beer and Sausages | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 21st 2007 10:32pm.
 We have sausages. We have barbecue. We also have the worst rainstorm since young Noah sailed a paper boat on the Nile.
If you have ever met Mr Chapman you will know that it is going to take more than a 'slight dampness' to curtail any plans he might have!
So there was I, damp round the edges, clicking like a mad clickly thing (that's clicking, not clucking) as Young Phil set-to on the flame side of things with Mr Chapman squeezing lemons, tossing rocket, 'supervising' and using his mighty powers to break the cloud cover for a few moments of warming sun.
We had a barbecue.
Of sorts. In the pan went Chiltern Brewery Sausages (made with local pork and 300 Ale), a little olive oil and a splash of lemon juice. Jolly nice they were too with a fresh loaf of bread, Chiltern Valley Pickled Onions and Chiltern Valley Chutney. A looser texture to the sausages perhaps than I am accustomed but deliciously tasty in a herby/beer kinda way; and excellent with the 300 Ale.
Further to my previous post we now have the beers from the Chiltern Brewery in stock; a delight, in fact, that my first 'assignment' (to sort out the local beer list) is 'coming together' and the results of our exhaustive tastings and subsequent of my purchases are now listed.
It was not all 'fun and games', I should add. A serious Chilean Merlot tasting was instigated as we delved through samples and compared to the currant listings; a new wine will soon join our list if I read the 'results' with any great intelligence.
So with Didcot Railway Station now under more water than said Noah floated above, a lake forming where once Steventon stood and Oxfordshire as a whole being pummelled by 'a months rain in a day' we indulged in a barbecue and a range review.
[Thanks to Young Phil and The Frenchman for getting me home]
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| | The first 2007 - Fairview Sauvignon Blanc | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 19th 2007 3:45pm.
 With barely a by-your-leave the first 2007 slipped into the warehouse this week. In celebration we slipped off that screw-cap to enthuse poetically over the marvels within.
Humour aside it is actually rather jolly good.
Pronounced, lively nose - very clean and crisp. Offering a mass of freshly cut green peppers or as Mr C enthused "green beans and sugar snap peas". The palate, crisply fruity as you would expect, is stylish, nicely balanced and beautifully textured. There's a hint of minerality in there and a delicious touch of tropical fruit.
A new wine, a new vintage and much more exciting than any Nouveau from Beaujolais!
Fairview Sauvignon Blanc 2007 is normally £7.50. We have added this to the list at a generous discount - available until the end of July 2007 at £6.99.
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| | Chiltern Brewery - A Visit | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 19th 2007 2:42pm.
 Luckily Young Phil remembered to bring and, more importantly, use his mobile-camera. Of course I had more important matters to attend to - like trying the beers and enjoying myself with the brewery tour.
As previously mentioned we are looking into expanding and improving the local beer range - one aspect of this is to get 'out and about' and visit the (surprisingly large number) of possible suppliers.
Last Friday myself and Young Phil escaped the tedium of a stock-take and scooted off to The Chiltern Brewery down near Wendover, Bucks.
A tour of the old cow-sheds, now the epicentre of the thriving micro-brewery, and a tasting of the range certainly convinced me of the quality of the brews and the dedication and enthusiasm of the team there.
We haven't quite decided on which beers, specifically, we will be listing but I'll let you know as soon as they arrive.
Pictured are the Chiltern Breweries Three Hundred, Lord Lieutenant's and John Hampden's Ale. Cheers for the images Phil.
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| | Kim Crawford Special - Save 10% | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 17th 2007 11:44am.
 Kim Crawford, winner of countless awards, has long been a favourite here at Surf4Wine.
A recent tasting in our warehouse, against other top-ranked New Zealand wines (mostly Sauvignon Blancs,) proved what a top-notch, and consistently high-quality producer, Kim Crawford is. We would like to offer you a great 10% off the entire range. That's ALL Kim Crawford wines - including the multi-award winning 'Spitfire' and Sauvignon Blanc 2006 available at 10% off. Just enter promo code KCJULY07 when you make your purchase and the discount will be applied automatically.
Personally I am a fan of the Pinot Gris - a full, ripe, terribly food friendly wine but then the Pinot Noir is a juicy little wonder too! Oh, and you really should try the Kim Crawford 'Reka' a delightful dessert wine that goes magnificently with a tropical fruit bedecked pavlova. Choices, choices, choices...
View the Kim Crawford Range.
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| | Stories Behind The Bottles | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 16th 2007 9:31am.
 During my merry trawl through the wine list - updating the products with tasting notes and photographs - several interesting tales and fables surrounding the naming of several wines came to light.
For example the Rozendal Estate owns two cows, Marigold and Pearl, who are 'essential members' of the wine-growing team. They produce the homemade manure which is used in the 'compost tea' to spray the vines.
Producer Coriole have a vineyard named Lalla Rookh. She was the exotic heroine of Thomas Moore's famous 1817 poem and was the name of an early sailing ship who brought settlers to South Australia.
And then there is a legend that the first white settlers arriving in Western Australia believed that they were sailing through the gates of Hell as they watched Saint Elmo's Fire light up the sky above them. They named the area Hellfire Bay. St. Elmo's Fire is an electrical weather phenomenon in which visible plasma is created by a coronal discharge originating from a grounded object in an atmospheric electric field (such as those generated by thunderstorms).
St. Elmo's fire is named after Erasmus of Formiae (also called St. Elmo), the patron saint of sailors (who sometimes held its appearance to be auspicious).
In addition to grasping the edges of history there are perhaps traditions in the making too - The Ata Rangi Celebre, for example, has been subbed 'Stella'. This not only marks the exceptional quality of this Merlot-Syrah-Cabernet blend but also celebrates Ata Rangi winemaker Helen Masters beautiful baby Stella, born on Christmas Day. A lovely story I hope you agree.
Rozendal Estate Merlot/Cabernet £12.25
Lalla Rookh from £12.50.
Hellfire Bay £6.99.
Ata Rangi Celebre £17.99
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| | Back to the future... two wines revisted. Rustenberg 'Peter Barlow' 1999 and Alain Graillot Crozes Hermitage 1994 | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Chapman on July 15th 2007 10:39pm.
Having posted once today already I didn't expect to be back online so
soon. But having just returned from a fabulous family Sunday roast, complete
with a raid on Dad's wine cellar, I just had to post again.
It was godmother's birthday yesterday, so we were invited to parents'
house for Sunday dinner. Kids, being teens, were off with
boyfriend/basketball respectively, which left Ali and I, plus Surf4Wine
web-master Kelvin (who's staying with us now while we launch the new admin area of
our web site later this week) to enjoy slow-roast local pork plus spanking
fresh vegetables from Debbies's veg patch. All weaved together in Mum's own
magic way to make for a scrumptious traditional roast.
Of the bottles Dad had hauled out to try, two in particular stood out -
and on tonight's evidence I'm glad I pointed Dad in the direction of both when
he tucked them away a year or two back.
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Both were wines that originated from Surf4Wine's list (well, one producer
was on ACFW's original wine list long before there were such things as web
sites!)
But, before we got to the main event, we tried a couple of whites, both of which were at
risk of being a bit 'long in the tooth' - but we managed to find happiness
eventually with a bottle of
Saint Clair Sauvignon Blanc 2006 that
I'd popped into their fridge a few weeks ago. Not too much OTT New World ripe
fruit, pretty elegant and none of the horrible residual sugar tones that can
sometimes accompany the less well-made Kiwi Sauvignons.
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Onto the reds...something I'd been looking forward to since I
caught sight of them lined up on the kitchen counter when we arrived. First up
was
Rustenberg's 'Peter Barlow' 1999. We've
long since moved on to the 2003 vintage, so this was a great chance to 'go back
to the future', so to speak. At the time this vintage was released I remember
Robert Parker waxing lyrical about the wine, and drinking it again tonight I
can see why. Very Claret-like with its cedary, tobacco-edged fruit. But with a
New World ripeness. This wine really demonstrated why many say that South
Africa is where New World meets Old. Its lovely lingering finish worked superbly
with the moist and tender roast pork. If you want to try this wine for yourself
we are now onto the 2003 - click here to buy Rustenberg 'Peter Barlow' 2003
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Next
up, an old favourite; a producer whose wines I first tasted when he was fairly
new on the scene (at the same time I started ACFW): Alain Graillot. This was
the 2004, and was simply stunning. A rich, roasted meat/deeply fruity nose with
hints of black olives. Rich coffee, game and more olives on the palate. Ripe,
rich, and very gorgeous. Perfect with food, but to be honest, I could drink
this all day - with or without food! We don't currently list any of Alain Graillot's wines - but on tonight's evidence I must look up who the importer is. First thing tomorrow.
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All in all, not a bad way to end the weekend. Roll on the next family
birthday I say!
Posted by: Andrew Chapman
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| | Collectors Corner: Hunter's Chardonnay, Wild Duck Creek and Puligny Montrachet | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Chapman on July 15th 2007 5:04am.
 On Friday I was rushing through the warehouse gathering
up bottles for Andrew B to photograph. As I was jumping from shelf to shelf I
managed to unearth a few gems that I wanted to bring to your attention.
The first is a very small parcel of
Hunter's Chardonnay 2000.
Only six bottles left, but these were one of my favourite New World
Chardonnay's when I bought them a year or two back. They had great poise,
elegance and structure, but also plenty of ripe New World fruit. I have no
reason to suspect that they have done anything other than mature gracefully
while quietly reposing in a forgotten corner of the warehouse. Only six
bottles, so reduced to £9.50 to clear (save £2 a bottle)
Next was a stash of
Wild Duck Creek
wines, made by the irreverent
David
'Duck' Anderson. Big, huge wines with high alcohol and lots of flavour
crammed in - definitely not wine for wimps! In their youth these wines were so
monstrous that I wondered if these wines would ever unfurl into wines of
beauty. Drinking one the other day that was kindly opened by a customer showed
that I should have held no such reservations. Use the promo code WILD07
to get 12.5% off ALL Wild Duck Creek wines. Click here to see Wild Duck Creek wines @ Surf4Wine.
 Finally, a few bottles of
Puligny
Montrachet 1er Cru Champs Gain, Jean-Claude Boisset 2004 turned up. This
was white wine of the year a year or so back and is tasting sublime. Really
must stop buying so much expensive wine and forgetting all about it! So, to
help me turn this back into cash why not take advantage of a generous discount
- reduced by £2 a bottle to clear
Posted by: Andrew Chapman
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| | Don't judge a book by its cover - two Argentine wines | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 12th 2007 11:13am.
 I have to be honest but I absolutely detest the labels on these two wines. The brand name is Urban and they have gone for gritty, black and white photographs of (an unnamed) Argentine city.
The Tempranillo sports a tranquil river scene with rising tower blocks looming above the tree-lined bank. On the Sauvignon's label a kid sprays a passing bus from a fire hydrant. In themselves they are fine images; they just don't work for me on a wine label. Perhaps it is the black band across the top or the pale yellow along the bottom but they just look terrible to me. But I maybe I'm in a minority for Young Phil thought them "fresh, contemporary and evocative of American urban life".
As the American proverb states "Don't judge a book by its cover"
Of the two the Urban Tempranillo was my favourite. The wine is firm, ripe and juicy with a hint of tomato and pepper backing up the ripe black plum and raspberry fruit flavours. Juicy and very food friendly. Certainly a generous and gorgeous wine.
The Urban Sauvignon Blanc shouldn't be ignored though. Very European in style, no gooseberry/grassy exuberance, but softly textured, clean, crisp and very drinkable. I like it; in fact the more I sip the greater the attraction. A little goats cheese, a glass or two of this and some sunshine... just keep the bottle in the wine cooler so you can't see the label!
Urban Tempranillo £5.99.
Urban Sauvignon Blanc £5.99.
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| | Brussels and the EU Wine Lake | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 11th 2007 9:54am.
 Anyone who has driven through France or toured Spain or Italy will realise just how extensive wine as an agricultural product is. Across Europe the industry employs 1.5 million people and covers a mammoth 3.6 million hectares of land.
But increasingly we are drinking wines from outside Europe - the delights of Australia, New Zealand, Chile and elsewhere are still on the rise. We actually consume 60% of the world's wine production.
But European production is too high with the surplus wine lake amounting to a whole years production. Obviously such waste cannot continue and efforts are underway in Brussels for the wine lake to be drained and more effort put into producing wines people actually want to drink!
Proposals under debate include the idea of paying producers of unsaleable wines to "grub up" their old vines. From 2013 restrictions on the planting of different varieties of vines would be lifted to "encourage 'competitive' growers to shift to types of wine more in demand from consumers".
The "grubbing-up" proposal would mean producers will be paid to give-up wine production or reduce their acreage of vines. To encourage early adopters payment s will be 30 per cent higher in the first year of the five-year scheme than the next year.
There are many detractors of course but this should be good news for the consumer, you and I, as wine quality should rise.
Image used with permission.
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| | Wine Blogging Wednesday: Passionate Spain | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 11th 2007 4:15am.
 An exciting day here in Surf4Wine HQ - our first chance to participate in the monthly Wine Blogging Wednesday event. It's round 35, which shows just how long this international 'virtual' wine tasting event has been running. This month WBW is hosted by Wine-Girl.net.
The theme (which changes each month and is selected by the host) is Passionate Spain (wines under $10), which as we are all aware, is about a fiver in 'proper' money. We couldn't decide between two possibilities, so we uncorked, or rather unscrewed, them both.
Marques de la Villa, 2004, Toro, Spain
A mix of Garnacha and Tinta de Toro. Retail price £4.99.
This offers wonderful ripe, open aromas, more pronounced than the Sequoit, deeper and more complex too. A few sips and spits and this really impresses for the money. An extra year has worked wonders. Medium to full-bodied with a nice rounded, juicy palate and plenty of tomato/fruit flavours. A decent finish with a tight tannic ending.
Sequiot, 2005, Valencia, Spain
Here it's a blend of Tempranillo mixed with Cabernet Sauvignon. Retail price is £5.19.
Despite the lighter nose the Sequoit is more vibrant on the palate. Tannins are more noticeable and the acidity is higher too - both are really food wines after-all, but the flavours are great. Younger, fresher, with a juicy vibrancy.
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| | Cloudy Bay Special Offer | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 10th 2007 11:12am.
We have managed to secure a small parcel of Cloudy Bay Chardonnay at a very advantageous price.
Normally 12 bottles would cost £265 but we are offering a £15 saving and free delivery on this superlative New Zealand wine.
Obviously demand is going to be huge at this price, especially for such a cult wine label, so don't dilly-dally!
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Jamie Goode, the wine writer for the Express has extolled its virtues -
This is the ultimate new world Chardonnay. There's lots of everything, and if you are in the mood for it,
it's a compelling glassful. The nose shows rich tropical fruit combining with some spice, a bit of smoke and some vanilla oak. Indeed,
there's a hint of malt whisky on the nose. The palate is bold and full, with tangy, herby tropical fruit, a bit of citrussy zest, spicy
complexity and some sweetness from the alcohol. It's concentrated and powerful, with the oak playing a supporting role rather than
grabbing central stage. With boldly flavoured food, this is a winner.
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To purchase Cloudy Bay Chardonnay 2004 at this special price you will need to enter the promotion code CBSUMMER, during checkout, the price will go from £265 to £250 (£15 off).
Smaller quantities can be purchased at £22.50 a bottle.
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| | A Wine For A Pork Pie | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 9th 2007 4:54am.
I don't want to give the impression that our days are spent just eating and drinking pork pies and donuts but there is a rather good bakery nearby that does do exceedingly good pies!
The Andes Sur rose went exceedingly well with one of their pies; an indication that all light styled picnic foods would suit this delightfully curranty pink wine.
It is not expensive at just £4.69, and not hugly complex either, but it is a good, honest, highly drinkable wine equally suited for drinking on its own or to accompany lighter foods.
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| | The Royal Oak, Wantage | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 9th 2007 3:16am.
 What exactly is the connection between the Royal Oak in Wantage and a certain Mr Chapman?
The Royal Oak, under the expert guidance of landlord Paul Hexter, has recently been awarded Pub of the Year by the local branch of CAMRA (The Campaign For Real Ale). The Edwardian street-corner pub just happens to be Mr Chapman's local.
Paul Hexter works closely with the West Berkshire Brewery who have regularly brew special beers for him. He had the Wedding Ale served at his wedding in 1997, which just happens to be the other connection with Mr Chapman; for he too served Wedding Ale at his hitching moment last year.
Here at Surf4Wine HQ we are currently reviewing our beer range with thoughts of expanding our local ale range. Following Mr Chapman's enthusiastic endorsement, and warehouseman Phil's equally forthright praise, perhaps the bottle brews from The West Berkshire Brewery will soon be listed.
Image shows Paul and Frankie Hexter receiving the award for Southern Region Camra Pub of the year 1999.
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| | Extending the Surf4Wine 'brand' | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 6th 2007 11:20am.
 A momentous day here at Surf4Wine HQ - the much anticipated arrival of our new despatch boxes!
Pictured is a jubilant Mr Chapman, helpfully pointing out said new boxes in case you missed them. There is also Chief Warehouse Operative Steve (well, he was complaining he didn't have enough respect the other day - so we've given him a 'grander' title now!), plus Young Phil (top left) actually doing something useful, i.e. putting said boxes away.
It's all part of extending the 'brand' and ensuring the name of Surf4Wine is known across the length and breadth of this fair kingdom. There is wild talk of company branded sweatshirts to follow!
And where was I when all this activity was taking place? After taking a few snaps I scurried back to the safety of the office to garner much needed strength from nibbling on a Giant Blueberry Bar, apparently 'a delicious cereal bar made with rolled oats and blueberry pieces'. Exciting times.
Posted by: Andrew Barrow (AKA, Andrew B, to avoid confusion!)
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| | Something For The Weekend - 10% Off Kim Crawford | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 6th 2007 4:04am.
 Our first weekend special is offering the superb Kim Crawford Range at a hugely generous 10% off!
Yep, you read that correctly - all the Kim Crawford range from now until Sunday midnight is under our 'Something For The Weekend' special. Not only are the 12 different wines - from the delicious Sparkling Rory Brut through to the Spitfire Mk II Sauvignon Blanc - reduced by 10% but so are the two taster cases (12 bottle and 6 bottle). If you have not sampled the range before then these are a perfect introduction.
Our Something For The Weekend promotions run from Friday afternoons through to Sunday midnight.
The full Kim Crawford Range can be viewed here.
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| | ASICS 10k London Run | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 5th 2007 2:58am.
 You're probably wondering what happened to Mr Chapman's bid to complete the ASICS 10k London Run. Just because it's been quiet on that front this week doesn't mean he didn't do it, oh no.
It's just taken him this long to catch his breath to tell us about it. He "ran" it ,(actually he confesses to walking a fair part of it) along with twenty thousand other people, in a little under and hour and a half, and has helped to raise over a thousand pounds for Helen and Douglas House (two hospices for children and young adults in Oxford (find out more here) Mr Chapman also pledged 10% of all profits from S4W on the Sunday that he ran.
For those of you that take a keen interest in these things, the official website gives the winners as:
The race was won by Stephano Baldini of Italy, in a time of 29 mins and 27 secs. Second place was taken by UK runner Phil Wicks, in a time of 29.33, and third place was secured by Simon Tonui of Kenya, in a time of 30.35."
For the record, Mr Chapman's proud to add that his son Douglas ran it with no training in 55 minutes. (He puts his fleetness of foot down to running away when he's asked to tidy his bedroom.)
We asked Mr Chapman what his memory of the day will be:
The whole event was an experience that no-one there will ever forget. The atmosphere was amazing, with all the spectators taking it in turns to shout encouragement as we ran past. And some of the other runners were plain crazy....one man was dressed as a 6 foot silver spoon (perhaps he was running to find a well-bred mouth to go in?!) and another lot were rugby players, who were passing the ball to each other. Whenever anyone dropped the ball, he had to drop to the floor and do ten pushups. I made sure I didn't get in their way!
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| | Mr. Chapman comes out... | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Chapman on July 4th 2007 7:23am.
I think it's about time Mr Chapman had a go at this new blogging thing......
said a voice somewhere in Surf4Wine Blog-land. So, here he is.
Avid readers of our new blog will have spotted a new team member here at
S4W - Andrew Barrow. That makes two Andrews around the new office and
warehouse, just to complicate things! (And yes, we've heard the jokes about the
Andes being good for a whine.....!) Andrew B is a really talented wine writer and
techno wizard - look out for our new 'Meet the Team' feature coming soon. He
joined the team 4 weeks ago to help me with all the things I've been wanting to
bring you, but haven't had time to sort out, like this blog among other
things.
You'll get a fresh posting every weekday, and on Friday watch out for
our "Something For the Weekend" feature. It's a place to find the best offers
and discounts to help celebrate the end of the working week. Just at the
moment, you can't post a reply to a blog, but that should be changing soon. I
want to turn S4W into a place that's not only a place to buy blooming good
wines at fabulous prices, but a place to pass on tips and finds to other
customers too. Keep checking back with S4W, by the way, because in just a few
days' time something big is happening with the site. We think you'll like it!
It's going to mean more interaction, and a way for everyone to personalise
their S4W experience online. Right now we're trying to sort out the virtual
"goody bag" for customers that will come with the changes.
And talking of goodies...
I was up late with Mrs Chapman last night, while we listened to the BBC Radio 2 documentary she helped put together
with "Whispering" Bob Harris. It went out at 10.30 last night and can be
heard again here.
To help celebrate Mrs Chapman's first effort on Radio 2, I decided to open a
few bottles of fizz to compare and contrast while we listened.
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Allan Scott Methode Traditionelle
Really gorgeous nose of buttered toast, yeast and toasted hazelnuts - classic for quality fizz made from 100% Chardonnay. Toastiness came through on the palate too, along with lovely ripe fruit and enough acidity to make the whole thing really balanced. Yummy! Excellent value @ £12.99
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Kim Crawford 'Rory' Brut 2003
This one is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir - just like in many Champagne's. More 'New Worldy' than the Allan Scott, even though they both come from New Zealand. Hints of tropical fruit and a twist of citrus (lime). Nice toasty flavours, although no as much as the Allan Scott. Lovely crisp acidity offsets the ripe fruit on the finish. Never mind Champagne, drink 'Rory' Brut (named after Kim Crawford's son), especially when it's only £10.99!
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All in all, two tasty wines to enjoy while listening to the radio - or anything else that fizz can be used for. I blame Bob's dulcet tones for soothing me to sleep and not the long hours spent in new office, or the effects of the fizz... Hope I didn't snore guys!
But of course Mrs Chapman is not only a great documentary maker (among
other things)....her radio skills mean we can post interviews with winemakers
on the site which you can listen to with one click of a mouse. Big things are
afoot here at S4W!
Posted by: Andrew Chapman
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| | Once in a while, in a blue moon they say... | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 4th 2007 2:18am.
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Robert McIntosh writing on the Wine Conversation highlights a great rear label he recently found.
Once in a while, in a blue moon they say
The weatherman smiles in a fatherly way.
Instead of capricious with night frosts pernicious
A hot sun shines bright making wines more delicious.
Two thousand and five was just such a year
Which is why Pizzicato is better than beer
Certainly more entertaining than much of the rubbish printed on many bottles. I ask you, how useful is 'good with chicken' or 'great with red meats' ?
Amazing how few producers use that little space effectively as a 'sales' or 'story' advertising spot. I like the little background blurb that appears on the Miles Mossop range.
...named after Miles and Samantha Mossop's son, Maximillian Anthony. Max inherited his name from his grandfathers. This wine offers a modern interpretation of a classic - a charismatic older soul juxtaposed with youthful ardour and a fearless streak of individualism. Characteristics that are to be found in both Max and his grandfathers."
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It adds such a personal feel to the product, like you know the family. A 'connection'. Something that in this age of mass-produced big anonymous brands is important for the smaller, more 'hands-on' producer.
These Mossop wines are 'new to the shelf' - the red, Max, is a Bordeaux blend, (£17.29) and the white, Saskia is a Chenin-Viognier blend (£16.99). Not cheap but with such individualism and deliciousness, plus the rear-label 'story', worth every penny.
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| | Wine Glass Porn | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 3rd 2007 2:05am.
 In the food blogging world decent, quality, professional looking food pictures are known as 'food-porn'. I guess that the equivalent for the wine world would be wine-porn. Maybe bottle-porn? There are a million and one ways to prepare and present food. Wine is either in a bottle, in a glass or spilt on the Debenhams picnic rug.
Being a budding photographer I fancied a little 'wine-porn' on the blog today. I've tried it in black and white, sepia toned and heavily photoshopped, but for such a simple image the original works best.
For such a picture the actual wine is superfluous. For info purposes it is our Il Faggio Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (£5.99).
Opened on a whim by the venerated Mr Chapman 'because it is dull and raining' a glass was proffered with a 'blog about this, boyo' command. (I should point out that Mr Chapman is not Welsh).
As with many Italian wines the action is on the palate, rather than the nose, with a richness to the fruit I found surprising and delicious. Many similar wines can seem dried out, even with food, but this has a sweet edge to the fruit and a nice food-friendly stance in the middle.
While a glass washed down the lunchtime ham sandwich, baked lasagna or rabbit casserole would be a perfect match; and another opportunity to practice those food-porn shots.
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| | Surf4Wine on Facebook | Permalink | Posted by Andrew Barrow on July 2nd 2007 4:25pm.
 Have you caught the Facebook bug yet?
Apparently Stephen Fry and Brent Hoberman (founder of lastminute.com) are confirmed addicts. It's a social networking 'thang' where you have your own page and can receive feedback and the like.
I'm sure many of you are fully conversant with the joys of Facebook!
Interestingly it seems that the incredibly busy (and incredibly rich) actually hire others to sort out and maintain their Facebook page - manage the connections and the like.
The BBC has found someone who pays £1000 a month to someone "be him online" - networking is big business!
Of course being at the 'cutting edge' Surf4Wine now has (or will shortly) have its own Facebook page [login required].
Simply put - another way for customers to be connected with us. The ability to leave comments (in The Wall), read the recent news and email us through the site is all part of our drive to 'stay connected' with our customers. Feed-back is important to us and view these social networking sites as an aide to 'connect'.
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