There's currently a lot of chatter in the press about Social Media with the likes of Twitter raising even more money to fund their continued expansion (an amazing story really when you consider that, as yet, they don't earn any!), plus David Cameron escaping censure from Ofcom for his Twitter-related outburst on Absolute Radio.

But where all these sites really come into their own is when you can access interesting, informative video - giving the consumer the chance to see the winemaker in action, and hear from his/her own lips their story. Wine is as much about the people that make it as it is about the aromas and flavours in the glass in front of you. Video is  a great way to breathe life into the subject, getting you close to the action and as near to possible to the producer without actually being there. Producers aren't the only one to make use of this type of media - Gary Vaynerchuk over at Wine Library TV does it to great effect, and we've been known to turn out the odd video here on Surf4Wine.

Below is a great little video via Decanter magazine of the harvest at Chateau Latour where they catch up with Penelope Godefroy, Quality and Research & Development Manager, as the 2009 harvest kicks off.

Yesterday I blogged about the exciting arrival of the latest vintages of Mollydooker. When I got home last night, and after I'd had a quick glass of the delicious Aunstfield Sliding Hills Pinot - absolutely stunning value at £12.95 and perfect with my last scrapings of Summer truffle on some spaghetti - I was reading more about Sarah and Sparky's amazing Mollydooker wines. I found this video on their web site, and thought I'd share it with you - an interesting slant on letting wines breath and getting the most out of them!

Great excitement here in the Surf4Wine offices today... two new red wines AND English Summer truffles (Tuber aestivum/unicinatum) have just arrived. Delivered straight from our secret source somewhere in deepest, southern England, we have been anticipating their arrival for a several weeks now. In fact, David Thomas of Caviste (with whom Surf4Wine now share offices and a warehouse), is off fungi hunting in October - so look out for news of his fungi foraging and more food and wine thoughts on his return.

Summer truffles aren't as pungent or as strongly flavoured as winter truffles and these English ones tend to be found on the surface near to certain trees (oak, hazel and beech) as opposed to beneath the ground like black winter truffles. Nevertheless, they are much sought after by cooks and food lovers and add a touch of luxury and flavour when added to eggs, pasta or simple roast chicken. If you would rather have a chef do the work for you, then check out this Telegraph article about truffle hunting with John Campbell, chef at the Vineyard restaurant in Berkshire.

These English summer truffles are actually pretty good value too, certainly compared to their more pricey European winter relations. At £10-11 for a large truffle (approx 50g) these fungal delicacies perhaps make a bit more affordable Autumnal treat. Stocks are limited, but if you would like to sample these rare delights, please buy Summer truffles online here.

So, what to drink with these 'diamonds of the kitchen' (well, diamonds at least according to  French gastronome Brillat-Savarin...)?

Well, as it happens we've just taken delivery of two tasty reds that fit the bill perfectly...

 

Barbera Riva Leone @ £6.95/bottle: From Piemonte, home of Italian truffle's and made from Barbera, one of the region's best known grape varieties.....Dark berry fruits with a core of fine tannins and the typical Barbera acidity that makes these wines so perfect to accompany big hearty autumn meals - perfect with any pasta dish, pheasant and game.

Marmesa Vineyards ‘Cabrillo Peak' Pinot Noir 2007 @ £11.95/bottle: From a single vineyard block in the Santa Lucia Highlands, one of the smallest quality coastal appellations in California, where the south east facing slope, with cobble soils, makes it near perfect for Pinot. A classically structured Pinot, beautifully perfumed with focused flavours of ripe berries, dark cherry and summer hay. Ripe and juicy with a lingering finish of vanilla and pepper spice - great with mushrooms, truffles, game and the richer autumn foods. This outstanding value wine would normally retail at £16.95, but through our extensive trade contacts we've managed to secure a small parcel at a very special price and can therefore pass on the savings to you. Hurry while stocks last...

Much excitement here at Surf4Wine today as the latest release from New Zealand cult winery Astrolabe arrived - and we coudn't wait to open some bottles and share them with you here!

Astrolabe is named after the famous ship which visited the Marlborough region in the 1800's and sank in the Marlborough Sound - something we don't think will happen to this wine! It is the vision of Simon Waghorn, a hands-on winemaker, relishing his role and nurturing Astrolabe as his own brand and baby and turning out stylish and expressive wines. Simon is one of New Zealand's foremost award-winning winemakers and the wines have developed something of a cult following.

First up, Astrolabe Awatere Sauvignon Blanc 2008. The Awatere Valley is situated at the southern end of Marlborough, which is itself located on the north eastern edge of South Island. The wine's slightly tropical with aromas of passionfruit and lime zest combining with lifted gooseberry. The passionfruit and gooseberry continues on the palate, with a tight, mineral core that supports the ripe fruit well.

Astrolabe Kekerengu Sauvignon Blanc 2008 comes from a single vineyard in the Kekerengu region. A big wine in every sense, not least reputation! Gooseberry, lime peel and currant leaf on the nose, following through to zesty palate with flavours of lime, gooseberry, white currant and green pepper. Dry and flinty finish with bags of ripe fruit. A top drop!

Definitely two wines to please the New Zealand Sauvignon lover... and we've more Sauvignons to add over the coming weeks too. Watch this space...

 ... Tinta del Pais is the name for Tempranillo when grown in the Spanish wine region of Ribera del Duero?

Not everyone has the same level of wine knowledge, so maybe these kind of how/why/where factoids might be of interest - what do you think?

 Perhaps a combination of web site articles, blog, twitter and even some newer things like 12second TV - Robert uses it to great effect on a variety of subjects - mostly wine - might work? I think we're going to give a few of them a go and see what happens. Your comments are very welcome...

Meanwhile, if you're looking for bite-sized info on what's going on in Surf4Wine-land (we've lots planned that we'd like to share with you) then follow us on Twitter... www.twitter.com/surf4wine

No sooner had I pressed 'publish' on my last blog than I noticed a mention for the Botani Moscatel from Jorge Ordoñez & Co on the Purple Pages section of  Jancis Robinson's web site (unfortunately you need to be a member of the Purple Pages section to read the report - but I thought it worth mentioning here)

Her colleague Julia Harding MW is cleary as enraptured with the wine as we all were on tasting it this morning.

And it also reminded me that I forgot to mention earlier the Malaga sweet wine from the same producer as the Botani.

The No. 1 Special from Jorge Ordonez is 100% Muscat; rich, unctuous, grapey - but lovely purity and balance. They are working with Kracher of Austria now, and this clearly shows in the sweet  wine. Excellent value sticky (very true description!0 and I think good value at £15-16 a half.

Clearly there are some good things happening in Spain. But as another tasting later in the day of some over-priced Ribera wines showed, it is definitely a case of looking carefully and sorting the wheat from the chaff - something you can be sure we do very diligently at Surf4Wine!

A bank holiday week-end AND a week off in sunny (well, mostly) Devon and I was back in the office with a huge spring in my step this morning, itching to put to work the ideas I'd dreamed up while drinking Doom Bar, drinking some fab S4W wines and eating fish down in Brixham.

Top of the list was to stop thinking about keeping the blog up-to-date, and start getting on with it...

I hadn't even read the zillions of emails waiting for me -and this was after keeping on topof them while away via my iPhone - and one of our favourite Spanish importers had arrived, laden down with various samples to try. As we're looking to develop our Spanish selection, the timing was perfect. Some of this will hopefully make the grade for S4W list in the coming months, once we've all chipped in with our views and tasting notes.

Highlights were the Naire white (100% Verdejo) and red (100% Tempranillo) pair which would be stunning value at £5.95 if we can do the right deal and get them down to that price. The euro not withstanding...

We tasted the amazing dry Botani Moscatel made by Jorge Ordóñez & Co in Malaga . Expensive, but very good - aromatic, but with a lovely spice and mandarin/lime zing to it too. Nice breadth and even richness for a Muscat, coming from being partly barrel fermented - and unusual winemaking technique for Muscat. Lots of aromatic wines are often spoken of as being great with Asian-inspired food - this wine really would work brilliantly. Very striking love it/loath it wine label too- it won a trophy for design at the recent Spanish New Wave wine awards.

Next up, the barrel fermented Cantocuerdas Albillo from Bodega Bernabeleva - although it looks like their web site is currently under construction. Albillo is a pretty much unknown (well, certainly in the UK) indigenous Spanish variety: lots of Burgundy-like flavours with minerality and zest to boot. A tad expensive at £18-19, but interesting and very good quality. In a sea of Sauvignon and Chardonnay it is wines like this that make Spain so interesting - especially as it is mostly red wines that we associate Spain with. In fact, we're not the only ones as the wine was recommended by Spanish wine guide Penin in a recent article in Decanter on white wines from Spain.

Of the reds the 100% Graciano from Vina Zorzal from Navarra was scented, plummy and rich while the Vina Marro Rioja from 100% Tempranillo was softly fruity and easy to drink, but with a core of firm tannins and minerality and just the right amount of oak.

The two stand out reds for me were Bajondillo - a blend of Tempranillo, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet with a cherry/damson nose and lots of ripe, dark fruits on the palate (se VERY gaudy label on bottom right of pic above), and  Paisajes V Rioja - cassis on the nose and a warm, spicy, curranty palate.

All in all, not a bad way to start the first day back to work after the holidays!