While it’s always a little risky to prematurely announce the arrival of summer, it’s fair to say we have been blessed with balmier times (excluding today's deluge), and having recently welcomed the deliciously elegant Mirabeau range to CellarVie Wines, we caught up with their owner Stephen Cronk, in order to timely debunk a few myths surrounding rosé wine…

When it comes to wine, we all have different tastes and expectations. Sometimes it can be a real challenge to agree on one bottle and everybody tends to have their own particular favourite.

Our office at CellarVie Wines is very much founded on an Anglo-French axis. Christopher’s wife Dominique, our graphic designer Emeline, her predecessor Sophie, and Cordelia, who is currently on work experience, are all French. Jonathan is moitié français (half French…according to Google Translate). Mr Robins and I are quintessentially English (in desperate need of sunshine) and therefore none the wiser when the office breaks into in a crescendo of French vocabulary. Yet the phonetics of the language is something I have always enjoyed being surrounded by; words like cambrioleur and asperges, never to my knowledge used in the same sentence, roll beautifully off the tongue. And this brings me nicely to my What We’re Drinking selection; Les Abeilles Rouge, Côtes du Rhône, by Jean-Luc Colombo.

Our JJ Hahn Reginald Shiraz (as you must know by now) is a real favourite. Not only from a CellarVie Wines team perspective, but also from the thrilled customer who recently called us to let us know how much they enjoyed it too. Given my love of Shiraz/Syrah wines I was recently asked by a good friend, who almost exclusively only drinks beer, to bring over a bottle of wine to blow him away and the JJ Hahn Reginald was my selection. Additionally, it was this wine that caused a 'first' for CellarVie, when the last bottle on sale at a recent tasting caused something of a melee. But fear not, the wine in question is now back in stock and I’m digressing, because I’m actually going to discuss the Reginald's big brother; the JJ Hahn Western Ridge 1975 Planting Shiraz 2009, which is also from the Barossa Valley.

Bordeaux is a tough region to approach for the casual wine drinker. Yes everyone has heard of it and may be vaguely aware of the names of some of the top wines that now change hands at prices so high they can no longer really be considered as consumables. They are more like works of art with top winemakers often venerated like more conventional artists to those in the know. And who am I to disagree. Having been lucky enough to try some of the premier wines in Bordeaux, their creations feel just as far beyond my abilities and even comprehension as a fine painting or sculpture.

The main character in the gloriously bittersweet comedy Sideways was famously averse to Californian Merlot, and like many, my opinion had been largely influenced by Alexander Payne’s impeccable 2004 film. Fortunately, I was recently afforded the chance to put the aforementioned character’s incorrigible disdain for one of the world’s most diverse and widely planted grape varietals to the test, when I sampled the Blackstone Merlot 2010 at a tasting event.

Shrove Tuesday precedes Ash Wednesday in the Christian Calendar and traditionally it is heralded as a day of feasting before a period of fasting. Some give up chocolate, others alcohol (gulp!) but regardless of your efforts, rarely are we presented with such a prime opportunity of indulgence than Pancake Day, so defy the midweek gloom by pairing tonight’s pancakes with some of these wine suggestions…

On Friday 25th January many will celebrate the life and poetry of Scotland’s national bard, Robert Burns, and seeing as the man himself was famously enthralled by a drop of good vino, we thought it prudent to recommend some lovely wine to enjoy with your haggis. 

I must admit that up until a few months ago I was not an avid wine drinker and had little knowledge about grape varieties and their differing flavour profiles. In an attempt to initiate me into the world of wines - where better to start than at CellarVie Wines - our resident wine-guru Simon suggested I try a Viognier. 

Ahhh Burgundy! Difficult to understand, often fickle and unpredictable but once you have fallen for her charms you’ll find it hard to look at other wines. Alongside Rhone and Bordeaux, Burgundy is one of the three great French red wine regions. As a region it lacks the ostentatiousness of the grand chateau of Bordeaux but at the same time it isn’t quite the source of bargains many still consider the Rhone to be. It sits in the middle of the two regions with its best wines still commanding the very highest prices but in contrast to their monetary value they are often made by relatively small family owned estates.

In addition to our considerable commitments with CellarVie Wines, we also run the RFU Wine Club. At a recent tasting event at the Westbury Hotel, attended by none other than World Cup winner Richard Hill and current bastions of English rugby, Andy Farrell and Graham Rowntree, we tried the Blackstone Chardonnay 2010 from Monterey County, amongst a host of other wines.

When is a blend not a blend? When it is made from the same grape. Now I probably sound like I've been sampling a little bit too much of my own supply but bear with me. The Over the Shoulder Chardonnay is exactly that - 100% Chardonnay, but interestingly it is made from three batches each one created in three completely different ways and then blended. 

CellarVie Wines recently did a tasting with the Philharmonia Orchestra in the aftermath of one of their lengthy seven hour practice sessions in the quite beautiful Henry Wood Hall near Borough. In addition to meeting members of the UK’s unofficial national orchestra, many of whom were unsurprisingly thirsty; it was a great opportunity to reacquaint oneself with some of our tried and trusted wines. One of the eight wines being tasted on the night was the Solandia Primitivo 2010, from Puglia in Italy. 

For my latest instalment of ‘What We’re Drinking’ I chose the multi award winning wine - Veramonte Merlot Reserva 2009. This Chilean wine was not only feted by the Decanter World Wine Awards but also by the International Wine Challenge. The acclaim doesn't stop there; our friends over the pond in the US – The Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator - both marked this wine 87 out of 100. 

Do you like good red Rhône wine? - Try this Barossa Shiraz - the JJ Hahn Reginald Shiraz 2009! 

I was fortunate enough to interview Nederburg’s charismatic cellarmaster Razvan Macici back in June and in addition to being a lovely bloke, he also gave CellarVie Wines a unique insight into the ethos behind one of South Africa’s leading wineries. In particular, the Romanian born star of South African Master Chef laboured the importance of the Nederburg Winemakers Reserve Noble Late Harvest; a wine their world renowned traditions have been founded on and a totem of their unwavering commitment to world-class vineyard and cellar skills. I was sold on it from the get-go and simply had to try it…albeit a little belatedly.

The Gavi di Gavi 'La Toledana' 2011 is a delicious aromatic Italian white and is a fine example of what can be produced in the north of the country. It’s a bit pricey but when I want to enjoy a white that is subtle and complex as a treat, I tend to reach for a bottle of this Gavi di Gavi. 

As a wine growing region in the world, South Africa is often positioned right in the middle of the Old and the New World due to its long and varied heritage and obviously because of its central location. 

My first love, Champalou Vouvray 1998, well my first Chenin Blanc love at least! It must have been 2002 and I was only a couple of years into my wine career when a friend and wine mentor, Mark, suggested we scoop up the last four bottles at the company where we both worked. I followed his lead and two days later I was driving home from work with two new passengers rolling around on the seat next to me.

With the introduction of our new three bottle showcases coupled with the warmer weather, last week I ended up buying the French Whites Show Case with the knowledge we had people coming over to mine for an all-day glutinous feast of seafood. 

At last the summer has arrived and subsequently it’s a perfect opportunity to crack open the lighter characterful Old World white and Rosé wines.

If you want a Rosé with personality, deep colour and not too much alcohol (12%), then I would recommend you try the Don Jacobo Rioja Rosado 2009, Bodegas Corral. 

I tried the Beronia Crianza Rioja 2008 sometime ago but having recently met González Byass’ chairman Mauricio González-Gordón and the family-owned business' Master Blender Antonio Flores Pedregosa at the 2012 London International Wine Fair, I felt compelled to revisit it. 

I really enjoy having light lunches during the summertime (is this really a stereotypical summer in England?) and having stumbled upon a delightful chicken and courgette couscous recipe, I was eager to find a wine with citrus flavours to perfectly match my dish. The Riesling Marlborough 2010, Vidal was the ideal combination.  

I hate car sickness. I don't mean actually 'throwing up', although I do hate that to, but that horrible feeling of nausea and disorientation that used to accompany any attempt to map read my way out of a major European city (I really do love satnavs). Luckily I have now learnt that as long as I eat lots beforehand it doesn't affect me too much. As a child though, without that journey saving tit-bit of knowledge, car journeys would be a real drag. What always used to be the final straw was the slow permeation of the petrol fumes into the car as we sat in another anonymous petrol station on the route du soleil to family fun, sun and arguments.

The Château Les Justices from the 2005 vintage is quite simply to die for. The property is family owned and relatively small at just 40 hectares. Out of these hectares the vineyard production for this wine is 11 hectares of Semillon vines, three-and-a-half hectares of Sauvignon Blanc and three quarters of a hectare of Muscadelle vines.  

The Rare Vineyards Cinsault Rosé, 2011 is a great glass of summer rosé. It’s quite a savoury wine and would go well with barbecued chicken and pork – if the sun ever comes out – or with a salad and some grilled fish, if not I enjoy it as a pick me up when I get home from a particularly hard day. 

Finding a good glass of affordable claret can be a real challenge - but look no further than the Château Piochet 2009, Bordeaux Rouge. 

Often whilst trying to bully team members into completing their ‘What We’re Drinking’ selections I will fail miserably and end up writing another one myself. Everyone is so willing to try the wines yet are reluctant to write about them! So for the second time in three weeks I found myself trawling through our wine list to find something suitable and following an insightful recommendation from Jon, I stumbled upon the Schubert Sauvignon Blanc 2009.  

They are not household names like their Piedmont or Tuscan cousins, but the wines of Southern Italy are bold, full-bodied, and satisfying. Southern Italy has been producing wine for over 4000 years. The wine business here was already booming in 2000 B.C. when the Phoenicians arrived. The Greeks dubbed southern Italy "The Land of Wine". 

As everyone knows we girls love bubbles; there really isn't any occasion I can think of which doesn't merit that infinitely memorable 'Pop'. However we're all aware that the purse and circumstance tend to have something to say about that and outside of Christmas, birthdays, and new year’s eve, there aren't that many times when we can indulge in this love... and then the Diamond Jubilee weekend arrived! Last Christmas I treated myself to a case of the Besserat de Bellefon Blanc de Blanc for my family and prior to the weekend there were still two bottles left…prior to the weekend! 
  

The centre of Italy is perhaps the gastronomic heart of Italy, after all some of the country's most famous ingredients come from the region of Emilia Romagna and its environs. Think balsamic vinegar, Parmesan cheese, Parma ham and Mortadella and you have an idea of the region's contribution to Italian cuisine. 

“Retail is detail” is a favourite quote of Christopher’s here in the office and as Operations Manager I can only agree! It was with this mind-set that the label of Finca Constancia Parcela 23 caught my eye. 

The North East of Italy includes the regions of the Trentino-Alto Adige, the Veneto, Friuli–Venezia Giulia and Liguria. All have similar themes to their cuisine but equally a tremendous amount of diversity. Polenta and rice are the staples of their diet and are incorporated into many of the dishes in each region.  

Having looked through our previous 'What We're Drinking' wines, I realised not one member of the team had covered a Rosé! Subsequently, and while I've been telling my male colleagues it has been a sacrifice I've had to endure (for masculinity reasons), the wine I bought last week to cover my 'What We're Drinking' selection was a Rosé, and I must admit it has been anything but a chore.  

Bordering France and Switzerland, the North West of Italy naturally has a number of influences from these countries rather than the Mediterranean, as might be expected. The regions of Piedmonte, Val d’Aosta and Lombardy roughly make up the north western part of the country, and the area’s rich diet and higher standards of living compared to that of the south, is due to its close proximity to the major European trade routes. This perceived prosperity manifests itself in the food, which is characterized by less use of olive oil, pasta and tomato sauce and more use of butter (or lard ), rice, corn (for polenta) and cheeses for cream sauces. 

Alsace, the region that has been buffeted backwards and forwards between France and Germany throughout its conflict riddled history, has subsequently got a strong Germanic influence in its cooking and wines. 

Provence is the south eastern region of France on the Mediterranean Sea. Bordered by Italy on the east, Provence’s diverse topography is characterized by mountains, valleys, beautiful beaches and salt marshes. Originally a Greek colony, Provence was part of the Roman Empire and eventually became incorporated into France in the 15th century and subsequently the cuisine of the region is a reflection of its varied Mediterranean heritage. 

Last Tuesday evening for supper we had roast fillets of salmon lightly covered with tapenade, roasted cherry tomatoes (on the vine) and French beans. So the question was which wine to accompany this dish? I opted for Chateau de Rully 1er Cru, Clos la Bressande 2007, Domaine Rodet and WOW!

Upmarket department store Harvey Nichols has launched a luxury Champagne flavoured Lollipop containing gold flakes.  

The Loire Valley is the longest valley in France wending its way from the very centre of the country to the Atlantic coast; as you would imagine the styles and types of foods and wine are very diverse, varying from having a strong maritime influence in the west to a more continental focus towards the centre of France, where pork and game dominate the cuisine. The same of course is true of the wines which go from being light and fresh whites to fuller, tannic reds closer to the source of the River Loire. 

Famous for producing some of the world’s most expensive and sought after wines; the region of Bordeaux also has a rich gastronomic culture.  

Lying on the Atlantic coast in the southern part of western France, and divided by the Gironde Estuary and its two major rivers, the Dordogne and the Garonne, Bordeaux remains one of the finest wine producing regions in the world.  

For the past couple of weeks I have been tucking into the rather deliciously fresh Kleine Zalze Bush Vines Chenin Blanc 2010/11, Stellenbosch from South Africa.  

Britain has an insatiable appetite for Champagne; in fact we are the region’s premier export market. We love it, especially as an aperitif or as part of a celebration and whilst the French enjoy this bubbly beverage in the same way, in the Champagne region it is drunk throughout a meal and not just at the start. 

After a protracted and perhaps cowardly attempt to get someone else to do it and following a number of curt responses, it dawned on me that I had successfully avoided writing my ‘What We’re Drinking’ since arriving at CellarVie Wines. It was my turn and sitting in an office full of wine experts it was a daunting proposition. Suffice to say I set about recalling the wines that I had tried over the last month or so, and kept coming back to the lengthily named Flagstone Longitude Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz-Malbec 2010. 

Burgundy produces some of the world’s best Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and at times it must be said, some of the worst – it all depends on the producer and of course the vintage. The tip with Burgundy is to get to know the names of those who make the best wines and persist with them; otherwise you tend to be left a little underwhelmed. Once you have stumbled upon a good one, they tend to be the definition of a quintessentially fine Chardonnay or Pinot – dependent on your tipple. 

Seasonality of wine drinking is something I don't subscribe to particularly. While I can certainly see the attraction of choosing rosé on a blistering hot day, I often find myself picking up a good red wine for my picnics. Despite this fervent desire not to conform on this particular topic, as I sat at my desk thinking of a recently tasted wine to write about, with sunshine pouring in through the window, I found myself drawn to the Rare Vineyards Marsanne-Viognier 2009, Pays d'Oc. 

The meandering Rhône Valley, one of the longest in France, boasts hugely diverse and deliciously varied styles of food and wine. 

The high quality of South American wines has really begun to show in the past five to ten years, resulting in Chilean and Argentinean wines becoming more and more popular both on the shelves and in restaurants. Whilst conducting my own research in to South American wines I came across the Veramonte brand, a small Chilean producer who is really beginning to punch well above their weight, and in particular the Veramonte Pinot Noir Reserva, Casablanca Valley 2009. 
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During my fledgling career in the wine industry, I have found the hosting of a wine tasting a perennially difficult balancing act. You want to select a suitably eclectic array of wines that not only spark healthy debate or mutual appreciation, but more importantly a selection of wines that titillate the taste buds. The Piluna Primitivo is one of our 'bankers'; a thus far universally enjoyed wine at CellarVie that is yet to disappoint. 

I love the 1847 Oloroso Dulce from Gonzalez Byass – yes it’s a Sherry and no, it’s not still Christmas nor am I a granny or a vicar. I just adore the rich, sweetness of the wine.

Well it took me (Simon) a bit of time to choose my wine of the week because I've been re-tasting quite a few of the wines recently so had many of them fresh in my mind all competing for attention (don't worry they don't actually speak to me!).

In the end I went for a Chilean wine, Errazuriz Single Vineyard Carmenere 2009 for 3 reasons: it's a famous producer but a wine few will have tried, it's an interesting grape variety and last but by no means least it's a bargain right now!

This week it's Jon’s choice, he's described the wine selected as his personal 'white wine of 2011', high praise indeed! While you can see that the bottle is extremely impressive, read more to find out the real reasons why he has chosen this wine.