Rose ! But it wasn ’ t ! This wine , made from 100 % sylvaner , comes from an estate in Franken , between Frankfurt and Nuremberg , in Germany . Vibrant , floral , lively and elegant . At £ 17.59 a bottle this was an extremely fresh wine , with a lovely texture .
Lavadores de Feitoria ‘ Meruge ’ Branco [ 2017 ] – the Lavradores de Feitoria winery , in the Douro Valley in Portugal , has recently been chosen as one of the ’ 30 wineries to discover ’ by Wine Spectator ( the renowned North American wine magazine ). This wine , made from 100 % viosinho , was a lovely golden straw colour . It possessed complex aromas of ripe fruit . On the palate you got quince , vanilla and dried fruits . A fresh and harmonious wine at £ 25.99 a bottle .
THE REDS
Gasper Cabernet Franc , Goriska Brda [ 2017 ] – Gasper is located in Goriska Brda …… in Slovenia ( close to the Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine region in north eastern Italy ). This wine is made from 100 % cabernet franc grapes and possesses an aromatic nose of red and dark fruit . It is a smooth , textured wine . On the palate you get great fruit with lovely soft tannins . At £ 31.99 a bottle , the finish is long and fulfilling .
Domaine Rimauresq Cru Classe Rouge , Cotes de Provence [ 2017 ] – into France we head , for the first blend of the day . As with many of the best Provencale vineyards , rose dominates at this winery . However , there are also some stunning whites and reds produced too . This blend is 62 % syrah , 23 % carignan , 14 % grenache and 1 % mourvedre . On the nose you get redcurrants , plums and blackberry aromas , with hints of black pepper . The palate is a concentrated mix of blackberries , redcurrants and blackcurrants . At £ 19.29 a bottle this was a chewy but , at the same time , an almost fresh wine .
Finca Flitchman ‘ Dedicado ’ Gran Corte , Uco Valley [ 2014 ] – another blend , this time from Argentina . The wines from the Finca Flitchman winery are made today by one of Argentina ’ s brightest talents , German Berra , who was recognised as the ‘ Best Young Winemaker ’ in the Argentina Wine Awards in 2016 . This blend contains 70 % malbec , 25 % cabernet sauvignon and 5 % syrah . Deep in colour , you get rich aromas of black plums , blackberries and tobacco leaves . The palate is wonderfully soft , elegant and complex . This will set you back £ 23.99 a bottle .
Huerta de Albala ‘ Taberner ’ [ 2015 ] – the Huerta de Albala winery , in southern Spain , has been described as possibly the most significant development in Andalucian wine making since the creation of Sherry ! Here we go back to one grape – syrah . The nose is a perfumed mix of black fruit and plums with floral , spicy and savoury notes . On the palate you get complexity and a mix of dark fruit , leather and tar . This is a wonderfully balanced wine with ripe tannins and a long finish . Although we weren ’ t provided with the price of this wine , it seems to retail at around the £ 29 a bottle mark .
Today we find a stunning and innovative bioclimatic winery which produces an array of great wines . This sweet wine is made from 100 % malagouzia . You get wonderful aromas of candied citrus peel , honey , barley sugar and dried fruit . The palate is luscious with orange , honey , citrus , apricot and peach . Great balance and purity of fruit at only £ 17.59 a 50cl bottle .
CONCLUSIONS
1 . Some , perhaps many , of the eight wines tasted blind are not wines that many of you have probably heard of , or tasted , before . Don ’ t worry , if my assumption in such regard is accurate , you are in good company here ! But give them a go . The selection of wines for this years tour proves two things : ( i ) that the world of wine is growing and growing in every direction , meaning that we , as the consumer , are becoming better educated as to what is available for us to purchase and enabling us to sample unusual , interesting and well made wines from all around the world and ; ( ii ) you never get a bad bottle of wine from D Byrne & Co .
2 . This a wonderful part of the country to visit and tour , however many times you make the trip . Whether you go for one night , a weekend or just simply on a day trip ( the Oxton group hired a small coach ) you should go . In many ways this is our countryside at its very best .
3 . All that is D Byrne & Co , both the shop and the warehouse , are wonderful places to visit . They are unlike any other wine shop I know .
4 . The Parkers Arms always comes up trumps . The whole area itself is full of great places to eat , mostly selling wonderful local produce . Another haunt for the Oxton Group in the area has , over the years , previously been the Inn at Whitewell ( an establishment I am sure some of you may know ).
5 . Ever wondered about your work / life balance ? Well ….. this sort of tour is a good start . Great wine , wonderful food and great company !
All the wines tasted can be purchased from D Byrne & Co . Indeed , they will happily provide you with anything you fancy and will also happily give you advice on what to buy for your palate and for your budget . They deliver to Merseyside too ( if you can ’ t physically pay them a visit in Clitheroe ). Give them a ring on 01200 422281 or visit their website ( www . dbyrne-finewines . co . uk ).
As to the Parkers Arms – booking in advance is a good idea ( 01200 446236 or www . parkersarms . co . uk ). As to wine tasting , courses are run in Hoylake , Frankby and Oxton . If interested contact Steve Byrne at stevebyrne1 @ live . com . No prior , or expert , wine knowledge is required ... you ’ ll be in good company whatever you do , or don ’ t know about wine !
SWEET WINE
Domaine Papagiannakos ‘ Melias ’, Attika [ 2019 ] – and , finally , off to Greece . This winery was established in 1919 , only some 30km or so from the Acropolis , and remains a family run affair . wirrallife . com 39