Valentines Offer

TO COURT cupid, Bedales are offering a discount of 10% off all rosé-tinted wines to take away. Why not serve a cool bottle of Provence pink or Bandol blush alongside this simple (garlic-free) recipe from UKTV food (makers of Market Kitchen)...

You will need:

1 x whole tilapia (also known as St, Peters), cleaned and de-scaled
3 x limes
1 x tbsp. coarse sea salt
4 x tbsps. olive oil

Method:

i. Set the oven to 200°C. With a sharp knife, score the body of the fish. Squeeze the juice from one lime into cuts, add salt crystals;
ii. Slice the remaining limes, inserting several into the body of the fish. Scatter any remaining over the fish, drizzle with olive oil;
iii. Embalm in foil and roast for 40-minutes, depending on size of the fish.

Bon appetit and happy drinking!

Notes on Closures

HEARING the reassuring ‘pop’ of a natural cork drawn clean from the neck of a good bottle brings much pleasure. Most times what follows is pleasurable too. However on some occasions you might have noticed a musty, soil-like smell emanating from the glass, accompanied by a mouldy taste. This is indicative of a cork-carried bacterial infection known as trichloroanisole 2-4-6, estimated to effect up to 7% of cork-closed wines.

Not all wine drinkers can detect the ruinous scent, and indeed sometimes the level of infection is very low. However afflicted wine will not improve, even if you allow it ‘breathing time’.

Tricholoroanisole is not the only corky issue to spoil the enjoyment of wine. Another problem arises from incorrect storage. Aside from sparkling wines that are best stored standing, still cork-closed wines should be carefully laid on their sides, the logic being that this keeps liquid in contact with the cork so it can’t dry out, become brittle and allow too much air in. Whilst a little air causes wine to age and thus in many instances develop fine nuances, wine should be bottled with enough air anyway. Excess air results in oxidization, meaning wine spoils, becoming tawny brown, or worse depending on the level of damage. In this way, priceless collections have turned to vinegar!

However the way to guarantee wine’s freedom from infection and excess air exposure is looming. More people are feeling frustration, giving purchase to makers of other methods of innovative closure.

As regular tasters, Bedales believe that certain grape varieties, such as Riesling, work well under screwcap... However even a number of the top Chateau in Bordeaux, the geographical opus of the winemaking world have a trend towards keeping their stylistic wine libraries under screwcaps. However critics of this form of closure argue that they keep the wine too fresh, not allowing it to develop in a way that cork, prone to moderate air leakage, might. Sommeliers have their grievances too, and complain that simply twisting the cap off the wine is utilitarian and removes the sense of ceremony from the occasion.

Whilst plastic bungs are hard to put back in the bottle, some critics complain about ‘glue’ or silicone aromas in the wine; others find some of the colours used garish.

However there is always the environmental test: if one leaves a natural cork, screwcap and plastic bung in a field for 10 years, the cork will crumble and return to the soil; the screwcap will look the same, in fact it won’t even have rusted; and the plastic cork will still be as bright and as un-biodegradable as on the day of manufacture. In fact it will take at least another 40,000 years to biodegrade!

Ultimately, perhaps this is up to your taste, not your conscience.

Substantial Tasting

WE'RE excitedly gearing up to host one of our largest private tastings ever this week. Armed with tasting booklets, and bidding for a prize, 150 guests will circulate a series of wine and food experiences, themed by region and hosted by experts. At Bedales, we like to think our team is small enough to listen to and respond to clients' requirements, whilst being substantial enough to deliver professionally.

If you're interested in booking a tasting, from as little as £30pp, please contact tastings@bedalestreet.com. Fun, informal, informative: taste the wine world through the glass with us.

Pictured: a recently harvested cork tree, Tejo, Portugal.

Wine Jokes for the Weekend

-Wine is like opera. You can enjoy it even if you do not understand it.
-Money may not buy happiness but it will buy wine.
-Forgive me for I have zinned.
-Dr. Freud would say that pinot noir lovers suffer from pinot envy.
-Wine improves with age. The older I get, the more I like it.
-What did the grape say when he was squeezed? Nothing. He just wined.
-I like long legs and not just on a wine glass.

We hope to see you over the weekend for a mug of mulled wine at Spitalfields and Borough markets.

Don't forget the Spitalfields art competition too!

Q&A, Greg Zakrzewskai

Greg Zakrzewskai is manager of our flagship Borough Market shop/bar. He lives in London with his wife and three-year-old daughter.

How long have you worked for Bedales?

I've managed Borough Market for three-years. Before that I worked at Lay & Wheelers, Leadenhall Market - which is what is now Bedales.

What are your favourite wines?

In terms of reds, I adore gutsy, full-bodied, wintery wines such as the savoury, herby, vanilla-scented Salentein Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina. Also from the same region, I find floral expressions of the white Torontes grape variety decadently sippable. Like Malbec, it has old world origins...

What are your favourite foods?

T-Bone steak served 'medium minus', covered in pulverised peppercorns.

Do you have any wine quirks?

I believe that the wine in your glass can be improved by the right music on your I-Pod...

Meet Greg at Bedales, Borough Market, Tuesdays-Saturdays.

Blood into Wine

HERE is a trailer for an eagerly awaited documentary on winemaking in Arizona - 'Blood into Wine'. Let us know your thoughts...

Artistic Architecture

IS wine art? In uncorking a bottle, do you also uncork culture? A somewhat rhetorical question, perhaps... Certainly not all commercial wine could even vaguely fall into those categories.

With the aim of bringing a little colour into the lives of those who hum around the City, the winner of Old Spitalfields Market's latest open-air art exhibition will be decided by you.

Eight finalists have been announced:

Wenqin Chen's work Bring Out is a 10-metre stack of polished, red egg shapes in stainless steel which embodies the vigor and vitality of the sculpture's location. It is a witty and strongly visual abstract work.

Cinimod Studio has developed a light installation inspired by the area's history of dressmaking and silk trading. A rainbow of light bounces between a two huge needles created as light is shone from the eye of one through mist produced by the other and the cocoon of the silkworm sits at ground level.

Paul Friedlander has imagined a contemporary take on the gateway to the City that existed up until the mid 18th century. Here Friedlander builds on his previous kinetic light sculpture work looking at waves, in this instance holding them static and captured in time to form the outside of the gate. A 'clockface' screen will sit within the gate.

Ryan Gander's work is inspired by Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince, where a statue is gladly stripped of his riches by a swallow to help people in need around him. Carved in stone, the sculpture will depict a pile of rubble, the heart, sword and helmet of the prince along with the swallow. 50 school children from around Spitalfields will be asked to choose the two most precious things in the city to include in the sculpture.

Elpida Hadzi Vasileva wants to use a semi-transparent maze of woven metal sheets, using silver and copper threads like silk to create new vistas of Spitalfields. The public can wonder through its fragile, organic form and look at local landmarks in new ways.

Tod Hanson has designed a large built sculpture of a huge tailor's dressform. Built in brick to represent the historic trade of Brick Lane, the shape is also that of a kiln and a chimney sits at the very top. The shape and silk patterns created with different colour bricks make it an ode to Spitalfields' longstanding connection with the textile industry.

Nick Hornby proposes a large scale, multi-faceted sculpture that merges six different aspects of Spitalfields - from its famous Christ Church to the profile of the Spitalfields Woman on display at the British Museum. It is a consistently changing 3-D piece into which visitors can read different images as they circle it. Hornby's work has previously featured at the Hayward Gallery and Tate Britain.

Kenny Hunter's Scapegoat sees a hand-sculpted goat sit atop a stack of packing crates. A symbol of the various waves of migration that have found sanctuary in the area and helped to shape it, the goat also ties in with the various religious symbols of those communities that have made their homes nearby.

Scale models of the sculptures are on display until 7th February at the foyer of Allen & Overy, Bishops Square, Spitalfields, Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm and Saturday & Sunday 10am to 4pm. You can vote for your favourite on-site, or online, at: www.spitalfields.co.uk/vote.

To Your Heart's Content

JANUARY, we firmly believe, is not the month for diets and abstinence. Hearty food and soothing, uplifting drinks are amongst the most satisfying, sociable ways to beat away the solemnity of cool, dark, frosty days and nights.

All our venues stock natural red wines rich in ethanol, polyphenols and resveratrol - the presence of which is health-enhancing in moderation.

The term, 'French Paradox' was coined in 1991 by the US programme, '60 Minutes'. Describing the apparently unlikely link between a healthy heart and consumption of rich fats rinsed with tannic reds like those in South-West France.

Here is the film:

For more on this, see: 'To Your Heart's Content'

Grape Expectations: Palomino

MANY readers will have spent holidays in Spain, lazily sipping a 'copita' or three of chilled Fino or Manzanilla to gently stimulate appetite, or indeed a luscious, mahogany coloured Oloroso to round off a succession of tapas 'platas'.

Sherry takes its name from 'scheriz', the original name of the city of Jerez de la Frontera in Andalucía. The official sherry producing area also incorporates Santa María and Sanlúcar de Barrameda. The best vines are planted in ‘alabariza’ soil which looks like chalk but is actually a mixture of limestone, sand and clay. Palomino vines, which are used for most types of sherry, thrive here, especially when combined with cooling coastal breezes.

Fino and Manzanilla are pale and must be served chilled - otherwise they taste stale - and drunk soon after opening. True Fino produces a protective layer of wild yeast called ‘flor’ which imparts a nutty character. If this breaks up and allows oxygen into the wine, which subsequently darkens, this becomes Amontillado, which is richer, but still dry. Manzanilla is said to have a bracing saltiness gleaned from maturation within proximity of the sea air in Sanlúcar de Barrameda – I believe this, though many critics don’t. Oloroso is the richest style. Though naturally dry (Seco), it seems the majority of companies add a healthy dose of concentrated juice from dried grapes. Other styles include Harvey’s Bristol and Pale Cream, though I am not a fanatic.

Incidentally the traditional way sherry is made is via the 'solera' system. This involves drawing a third of the wine from the oldest barrels, which is then topped up from the next oldest before being replenished from the next, and so on up to youngest, which would be topped up with newly made wine; the idea being a ready supply of maturity and youth benefits and invigorates the blend. Sadly, this labour intensive process is waning these days.

Join us in store for a taste of this fabulously idiosyncratic drink...

Blanc Check

‘Cat’s pee on a gooseberry bush,’ was how Master of Wine Jancis Robinson OBE described the aroma of Sauvignon Blanc.

However, I tried to push this unsanitary thought from my mind when looking at this elegant, sprightly grape, which is ideal as a post Christmas pick-me-up.

Generally Sauvignon has a buoyant, verdant taste similar to cut grass or crushed nettles, flavours best enjoyed when drunk young.

It has been grown for centuries in the upper Loire valley where it is responsible for two of France’s most elegant and refreshing dry whites: Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé (meaning smoky). This success is partly due to the chalky soil known as ‘silex’ that sometimes confers gunsmoke flavours into the wine.

We enjoy the impeccably-made versions from Henri Bourgeois, both of which have ripe passion fruit flavours underpinned by a bracing minerality.

When it is combined with rich variety Sémillon in Bordeaux, Sauvignon is responsible for Sauternes, the world’s greatest dessert wine, where it takes the juice of a whole vine to make just one glass of nectar-like wine.

There are also dry exampled from the region such as the zingy, confident Cháteau Reynier.
Try this with grilled sea bass on a bed of steamed marsh samphire with a squeeze of lime. Samphire is known as the asparagus of the sea, and is a renowned cure for flatulence!

In recent times New World winemakers discovered Sauvignon’s preference for cool climates. It flourishes in Marlborough and north-west in Nelson, at the tip of New Zealand’s South Island. Made by a lady winemaker, Te Mania is a startingly good dry wine with boisterous mango and melon flavours. It complements soft creamy cheeses such as Alsatian Munster.

The grape is also grown in South Africa. The smooth, balanced and mature-tasting Spice Route from the cooler Malmesbury works well with barbecued seafood, especially oily fish such as mackerel or sardines...

Seasons Greetings

UNTIL normal service resumes after Christmas, we leave you with some sobering statistics from The Guardian's 'Father Christmas's Eve In Figures':

'The aforementioned 50ml glass of sherry works out at around one unit of alcohol, according to the UK definition. So Santa would be expected to knock back 233,000,000 units over the course of the evening. The daily recommended maximum for a man is four units, meaning that Santa is endangering his health by drinking 58,250,000 times the DoH limits. Worse, he is likely to be in no fit state to drive his sleigh. The legal blood alcohol limit is 80mg per 100mls of blood, or roughly four units (although this of course would be less for a big man). So Santa would also be at least 50 million times the legal driving limit as well, and would probably have his licence revoked...'

Merry Christmas all!

Port

SYNONYNOUS with Christmas, approximately 70p/c of a year's port wine is sold at Christmas. Bedales stocks a wide range throughout the year, including antique renditions.

Here are some facts:

-Port is made from a selection of 80 grape varieties, including 'Touriga Nacional' (deep in colour with blackcurrants on the nose and powerful tannins), 'Touriga Francesa' (aka 'Tempranillo' in Spain - delicate, soft and late-ripening), 'Tinta Roriz' (lends firmness and to the blend. Does better in cooler years. Ripens in mid-season), 'Tinta Barroca' (one of the more thirsty varieties yielding plentiful sugar content), and 'Tintã Cão' (contributes an excellent after taste).

-Grown in the Douro valley - a world heritage sight - the grapes are pressed in wide troughs (or ‘lagares’) to extract the maximum colour.

-The juice is then fortified using a neutral grape spirit, or 'aguardente', stopping fermentation and leaving the sugar in the wine.

-The wine was traditionally named 'Port' in the mid-17th century after the port city of Porto, where much of the wine was brought in and exported.

-The Douro valley has been a protected appellation since 1756, making it the third oldest protected wine region (following Chianti and Tokaj).

-It is divided into three regions:

Baixo Corgo - the westernmost segment and also the coolest and wettest, best suited to ruby and tawny Ports.

Cima Corgo - further upstream and focussed on the town of Pinhão, temperatures are higher and rainfall is less. The grapes are higher quality and suitable for vintage and Late Bottled Vintage Ports.

Douro Superior - the wildest, easternmost part, closest to the Spanish border.

-Beloved by locals, but often forgotten by UK consumers, white port with tonic water and lemon is known as a 'portonic'.

'For a delicious Christmas snack, why not gently hollow out a truckle of Stilton (or the unpasteurised take, 'Stichleton') and add port, scooping cheese and liquid luxuriously...

Christmas Drinking Guide

CHRISTMAS encroaches with tinsel trails and a baubel glow. In preparation, we recommend you stock your cellar with a sensational selection of liquid treats...

I like to augur Christmas morning with sherbert and pear-scented bubbles from Northern Italy - Prosecco by Breganze. The delicately sparkling wine is also ideal with leftover turkey clamped tightly in a toasted sandwich.

The dramatic, fruit forward wines of Argentina suit something more stronger. Picada 15's Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec blend works harmoniously with more fulsome fare, particularly roast beef topside, if that forms your Christmas lunch. Believe it or not, an aromatic blend of Viognier/Chardonnay, such as Reserve de Gassac from the Languedoc, is soothing to goose, however.

To follow any festivities, Spinetta's sparkling Moscato proffers a revitalising sweet finish: grapey, with the flesh of ripe white peaches - all at just 6.5% alcohol. It also sings alongside a blue cheeseboard...

Answers to last time's quiz:
1.A, 2.C, 3.B, 4.A, 5.C, 6.C, 7.C, 8.C, 9.B

Festive Brainteaser...

1). The term 'Blanc de Noirs' refers to wines which are:
a). White
b). Pink
c). Red

2). The famous winemaker Nicolas Catena is:
a). French
b). Portugese
c). Argentina

3). Fermentation converts sugar into:
a). Yeast
b). Alcohol
c). Soot
4). Which wine is from the Loire valley?
a). Pouilly-Fumé
b). Pouilly-Loché
c). Pouilly-Fuissé

5). In which country is Rioja produced?
a). Portugal
b). Greece
c). Spain

6). What is England's most widely-planted grape variety?
a). Bacchus
b). Huxelrebe
c). Chardonnay

7). What is the most southerly wine-growing region?
a). Sweden
b). Kent
c). Central Otago

8). In which country does the grape variety called Mencia grow?
a). Switzerland
b). Germany
c). Spain

9). Which wine can be 'fino' or 'oloroso'?
a). Vin Jaune
b). Sherry
c). Champagne Answers next time!

Re-Generating Tuscany

OUR marketing man, Douglas Blyde, achieved some recognition this week from the Circle of Wine Writers, achieiving 'runner-up' for this year's Young Wine Writer of the Year award for his essay on Tuscan wine.

You can read it by following THIS LINK. Incidentally, the wines he mentions, from icons: Mazzei, Cecchi, Poliziano and Fattoria dei Barbi, may be ordered from any Bedales branch.

Sweet Success?

WE HAVE just noticed a fascinating piece of news in Decanter Magazine. It concerns sweet wines from New Zealand (many people, critics and consumers alike probably didn't know this country even made them)...

Due to new legislation by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority which 'relaxes the rules on EU countries importing wines with a natural potential alcohol level of more than 15%, the country's 'sweet wines have been cleared for sale in the UK' writes Stuart Peskett.

Wines singled-out for praise include Seifried Estate's Winemakers Collection 'Sweet Agnes' Riesling Icewine from Nelson.

Bedales will be amongst the first to stock the bottles as soon as they sail over...

Gov't Recommendations

IAN FLEMING famously described the best drink of the day as the one he 'had in his head before the first drink of the day'. Beautifully put. No doubt the 'James Bond' author developed such a thirst through his time with the navy. Right up until 1970, a 'tot' (or pint) of albeit diluted, spiced rum was administered to every sailor.

There is certainly something we find admirable in the spirit of dramatic drinkers. There exists enormous nostalgia for Oliver Read, who died of a heart attack after reportedly downing three bottles of rum and posthumously, almost won an oscar. Ironically it wasn't drink which killed Ernest Hemingway. He was reported to have a portable bar within arm's reach when relaxing and reading, but never when writing. And Winston Churchill not only loved, but also lived on his various vices.

Whilst we have attended numerous buffet style wine tastings from 10am, we tend not to swallow anything with a proof until midday. And drinking without eating is anathema.

You probably know the regularly quoted, governmentally prescribed safe drinking quota: no more than two units of alcohol per day for women and three for men. A unit incidentally equates to a small (125ml) glass of moderately alcoholic wine or half a pint of beer. Wine trade pros find themselves fairly far from these confines on a regular basis, especially working within the wine trade.

Whilst we have not quite reached the epic consumptive heights of Hemingway or the eager anticipation of Flanner, Fleming, at least we can take solace imbibing in the name of research.

Incidentally, drinking too much of anything can be perilous...

We are thinking specifically of a Californian lady who died after taking part in a water-drinking contest. Her kidneys gave way.

Essential to Providence / Waste of Wine?

'...the hallowed custom of the Royal Navy is indeed a splendid example of temperance. The ship takes its first sip of wine and then proceeds on water ever after...' - SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL

THE ritual of launching a ship by smashing a bottle of bubbly across its bow has Viking origins. Easily replaceable slaves were lashed to launch rails and flattened to death as longboats hurtled over them towards the sea. Their blood was then sprinkled over the bow to gratify the Viking fixation that manmade things require sacrifice. As compassionate times ushered in, animals replaced humans.

The launch of Tudor ships went more smoothly. They were fitted with an aft platform holding a silver ‘standing cup’ full of red wine, representing the bloodshed. The wine was sipped by one of the King’s officers, and then sprinkled on deck before the cup was hurled overboard as an offering to Neptune. Some sources say this ceremony ceased when authorities discovered dockyard officials were holding out nets to steal the valuable cup. Others state that the rapid assembly of ships during the height of the British Empire meant production of so many cups became too expensive. For some time after ships were launched without rituals, despite some religious workers holding their own ceremonies to protect their workmanship.

With the invention and ensuing popularity of fizz, sparkling wine became la mode nautical because of the novelty of a noisy and considerably dangerous explosion: the pressure in a 75cl bottle of Champagne being up to 90 lbs. per square inch with an average of 49 million bubbles.

In the early nineteenth century George III established the custom of choosing important ladies to conduct the smashing occasion by getting his daughters to launch warships, a practise guaranteed to accrue public respect. However one princess completely missed the bow instead hitting an innocent bystander on the head. The injured party promptly sued the Admiralty! Despite this mishap, the custom persists.

Today the bottle is usually guided by a specially designed cradle and spring device engineered to bring it directly to the target.

However one August Dame Judi Dench took three attempts to shatter a bottle against Carnival Legend, and in 2000 Zara Phillips failed to break it against P&O’s Aurora. It subsequently broke down on its maiden voyage.

Incidentally, as was customary for the White Star Line, no bottle of champagne was broken across The Titanic’s bow. Nor was there any blessing, or official naming ceremony...

Bytes for Bites...

To take you into the weekend, here are links to four of our favourite food bloggers...

A Lot On Her Plate

Freelance journalist Rosie Birkett was inspired by her late father. 'When he wasn’t hiring Lear jets to pick up roving reporters from his smoke-filled office in Fleet Street, he was lunching with zeal (and a few bottles of wine), or on the vegetable patch cultivating a wide range of cabbages, runner beans, potatoes, carrots, strawberries, raspberries…’

Chef Sandwich

Lennie Nash is another journalist, this time blogging about his failure to make it as a professional chef. His colourful culinary adventures include pressurised stints at Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck restaurant.

Gastronomy Domine

Describing herself as ‘part Malaysian, part Grimsby’, writer and editor Liz Upton documents her own enticing recipes with a contagious enthusiasm, as well as travel adventures.

The Epicurean

Globetrotting gastronome, ‘Dino’ spent his formative years in Europe, the Middle East and Latin America.’ Noted as one of the capital’s keenest eaters, his site must not be read on an empty stomach.

Le Beaujolais Nouveau Est (Pas) Arrive!

Poor old Gamay, it really has suffered a bad press. In fact only five years ago, a small French magazine, ‘Lyon Mag’, was sued by a consortium of Beaujolais producers (red Beaujolais is 100p/c Gamay) for echoing a critic who described it as ‘Vin de Merde’.

Whilst Gamay is unlikely to rival ‘serious’ Pinot Noirs, what it offers, especially lightly chilled, is a delicate, drinkable blend of juicy fruits, often without blasting the drinker with high alcohol or lofty prices.

It is this joviality that inspired the famous annual ‘Beaujolais Nouveau Race’, brainchild of Robert Drouhin, media-savvy Beaune shipper, to celebrate the release of the wine on the third Thursday of November. Originally available at local cafes and restaurants, often served from barrels, grandiose Drouhin thought-up an extended race to excite British wine merchants. In fact, such was the hype that one year Tower Bridge was raised to allow an early shipment of Beaujolais to sail through.

However new wine often tastes odd when opened just after bottling, leading to 'bottle sickness', not to mention the general automotive chaos an unofficial race causes French gendarmes and British police!

At Bedales, we prefer to give the juvenile Nouveau a wide berth, but stock plenty of more sturdy Gamays all year-round - from vineyards as far afield as Australia and California...

More than Red, White and Pink

IF you ever felt there weren't enough words to describe a wine's colour, think again. Check out this glossary:

aeneous: shining bronze colour
albicant: whitish; becoming white
amaranthine: deep purple-red colour
aurulent: gold-coloured
badious: chestnut-coloured
castaneous: " "
castory: brown colour; brown dye derived from beaver pelts
chlorochrous: green-coloured
citreous lemon-coloured; lemony
filemot: dead-leaf colour; dull brown
ibis: a pale apricot colour
icterine: yellowish or marked with yellow
icteritious: jaundiced; yellow
jacinthe: orange colour
jessamy: yellow like a jasmine
kermes: brilliant red colour; a red dye derived from insects
luteolous: yellowish
luteous: golden-yellow
lutescent: yellowish
madder: a reddish or red-orange colour
melanic: black; very dark
melichrous: having a honey-like colour
nigricant: of a blackish colour
ochroleucous: yellowish white
olivaceous: olive-coloured
puccoon: dark red colour
pyrrhous: reddish; ruddy
rubiginous: rusty-coloured
rubious: ruby red; rusty
rufous: reddish or brownish-red
russet: reddish brown
sorrel: reddish-brown; light chestnut
spadiceous: chestnut-coloured
titian: red-gold or reddish-brown
umber: brownish red
vinaceous: wine-coloured
violaceous: violet-coloured
vitellary: bright yellow
anthic: yellow; yellowish
zinnober: chrome green

Can you think of any more?

Customer Testimonial

HERE are what three valued customers thought of our service - we would also value your opinion of us...

______________________________

'Listen to me very carefully. Drop everything you're doing right now and go wine tasting at Bedales in Borough Market. I've sipped Cabernets in St. Emillion, guzzled Grigios in the Napa and kwaffed Syrahs in Stellenbosch, but none of these compared to the awesomeness of the private tasting at Bedales!'

[Andrew]
______________________________
'Super night wine tasting at Bedales with the perfect balance of entertainment / learning / having a smashing time. Gone are the days of pompous experts and the feeling of panic if you're charged with ordering for a table of guests. Tackle it as an adventure for everyone to partake in, and accept that even by grape one can differ greatly from the next so just give it a go and learn what tickles your palate. Apart from the education, the setting is marvellous, nestled in the heart of Borough Market , with outside-ish tables where you can smoke. Cost of wine varies by glass from £4.75 and you can get a decent bottle to takeaway for £15, with corkage if you wish to drink it in-house. They offer platters of authentic French cheeses, charcuterie and pickles, too. Great date spot and for groups if you can book a tasting session.'

[Urbanite]

_____________________________________

'Well what can you say about a place the serves a great selection of wines from around the world - even Australia; wines you would never select because you have never heard of them, or because you are a scared little hermit will not try something new. So what do you say about Bedales.... "F@>king amazing!" - I will be back...'

[Tony]

______________________________

E-Mail your feedback to: arnaud@bedalestreet.com

Gift Ideas

Every Christmas we aim for the best, the fantastic, the relaxing.
The following selection is a miracle - simply delicious goodies from another world…

A). Simply Delicious (£70 including free UK delivery)
Prosecco Breganze, Italy (w)
The winner, the prince, happy, smiley, sparkling…
Mecella Verdicchio, Italy ’07 (w)
Quince paste, white almond, fresh and zingy, love its beauty. Will make the turkey blush…
Petit Chablis Brocard, France ’04 (w)
Chardonnay, full of character. Loves Comte…
Schinosa Laghiglione, Italy ’07 (r)
Shocking, exciting, guilty(!), red of the year, from Puglia. My Wine. My style…
Casa Geretto Refosco IGT, Italy ’04 (r)
Another Italian grape from the north. Vibrant, plumy, smooth...
Casa Marguery Malbec, Argentina ’05 (r)
It is always the same with the French grape varietals. Somewhere, somehow, someone is getting the best of them, although not always in France. Dark forces, controlled power, beautiful. Blue cheese friendly…


B). Wow! (£130 including free UK delivery)
Renardat-Fache Cerdon de Bugey, France (p)
When I was young, we always passed Bugey, between Lake Geneva and Lyon, on our way to my grandfather’s, although I never climbed the vineyards until two years ago. Alain makes this naturally sparkling wine as his great-grandfather used to in the 1870’s. Alain should be given the Legion d’Honneur for resuscitating such an inspring drink from ‘true’ grape varieties, Poulsard, Gamay, and Mondeuse. The taste: sous bois strawberries, jam on cinnamon. Hyms a la joie!
Chalis Brocard, France ’04 (w)
Imagine the best grand-father who tells stories like no one else… This wine weaves a subtle, compelling tale on the palate.
Berthiers Dagueneau Pouilly Fumé, France ‘07 France (w)
From the Dagueneau dynasty comes Sauvignon Blanc sewn on flint. Pure, like drinking magic mineral water…
Lomazzi & Sarli Susumaniello, Italy ’05 (r)
You’ll never believe it. I bought this wine entirely because is an exceptional beverage with very classic structure and perfect fruit. No, I admit it, I got excited by the rhythms of the name of grape variety, ‘Susumaniello’. What a wonderful name - one of the 2,999 other grapes from Italy…
Rioja, Urbina Gran Reserva, Spain ’96 (r)
La Classe!! This is the reason why I am a great supporter of Bodegas Urbina. They lie on an elevated location of Rioja. Because of this, tannins are firm when young, but soften with age. The mystery of a great classic is not fruits or spices, but truly the quality of the tannin. This is what the English understood long ago...
Château Lanessan, Bordeaux, France ‘97 (r)
I always smile when I come across Lanessan. In 1853, Napoleon III asked for a classment to be organised in the left bank of the Bordeaux vineyard. The best wines were be crowned with the recognition of Grand Cru Classé. Ranking from 5th to 1st, 1st being the best. Bar one change, the ranking is still the same today and those who managed to gain Grand Cru Classe have made not only great wine but mountains of money! Lanessan was to be one of them. Dossier was perfect to be a 5th and why not a 4th... but the person in charge of admin. at Lanessan sent the final dossier too late and they never managed to claim their fame… It makes it the most underrated almost grand cru classé on the market.

C). Christmas Chest (£80 including free UK delivery)

-Beautiful picnic Hamper
-Mecella Verdicchio ‘07
-Casa Marguery Malbec ‘05 Argentina
-Classic Christmas pud wrapped in cloth and dried on a hook in order to enhance the flavour
-Belgian Chocolate pralines
-Wild boar pâté with fine crackers
-Terrine de Canard (Duck)
Rillettes d’Oie (Goose)
-Terrine Campagnarde (Pork)

D). French Passion Hamper (£100 including free UK delivery)
-Beautiful picnic Hamper
-Truffes d’ete Brossees, 1er Choix (summer truffles)
-Breton Biscuits
-Confit d’Oignon au Monbazillac
-Confit de Figues au Monbazillac
-Filet No 4: Delices
-Bloc de Foie Gras d’Oie
-½ Monbazillac,Belengard
-Luxurious chocolate truffle selection

To place your order, please telephone 020 7403 8853 / e-mail: arnaud@bedalestreet.com.

Intoxicating Festive Offers

‘Christmas at my house is always at least six or seven times more pleasant than anywhere else. We start drinking early. And while everyone else is seeing only one Santa Claus, we'll be seeing six or seven...’
[W. C. Fields]

CHRISTMAS is our favourite season, when everyone seems filled with generous spirit. And Christmas at Bedales is spectacular. To enrich the festivities, Arnaud and his dedicated team have sipped-out a magnificent selection to help you fulfill your wildest wine dreams!

Think frosty winter nights spent with silky Clarets, strapping Central Otago Pinot Noirs, herbacious Argentine Malbecs and sleek super-Tuscans.

To avoid any disappointments at this busy time, please don’t hesitate to book your tailor-made wine tasting or wine and food matching event, or reserve your luxurious cases and hampers.

Bedales is your recipe for the perfect festive season - stay-tuned for our appetising offers!

'Family Styles'

IF YOU (ideally positively) review either of our venues at Borough Market, Leadenhall Market or Spitalfields Market, please let us know and we will gladly pour you a glass of wine. The latest commentary comes from blog, 'Family Styles', motto of which is: 'a lazy susan of recipes, food porn, thoughts on sustainable eating, and other tasty tidbits of information revolving between sisters.' See it HERE.

'...one happy new find is the Bedales Wine Bar, tucked into a tiny storefront in Spitalfields Market. It’s easy to overlook with the sprawling chains like Wagamama, Giraffe, and Leon taking up massive real estate, but we ducked into this charming little spot to get out of the rain and were happily surprised by excellent glasses of wine, a bowl of fresh bread from St. John and a board teeming with multiple varieties of cheese, pickles, olives, and a piquant little bowl of ratatouille.
'Apparently you can purchase a bottle of wine and drink it there without the hefty restaurant markup…I’ll certainly return to prove that hypothesis (and eat more cheese…yum)....'

Unique Opportunity on Fine Wines

We are able to offer the following special parcels of very fine French wine on a first come, first served basis. E-mail: arnaud@bedalestreet.com to place your order...

• Côte-Rôtie J. Vidal-Fleury, Côte Blonde La Chatillonne 1987 (2) £75
• Hermitage Desmeures (Domaines des Remizieres) 2000 (3) £68
• Château Cissac Cru Bourgeois Superieur 2000 (3) £38
• Château la Couronne Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2004 (6) £36
• Château la Couronne Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2000 (3) £36
• Château Les Jonqueyres 1998 (5) £25
• Château Magondeau Cuvée Passion, Fronsac 2000 (2) £30
• Château les Dames de la Renardière Entre-Deux-Mers 2000 (3) £25
• Château Fontis Médoc 2000 (3) £25
• Château Guerry Côtes de Bourg 2004 (3) £25
• Château La Tour Carnet, Les Douves de Carnet 2000 (3) £28
• Château Magondeau Beau Site Fronsac 2000 (3) £30
• Reflets de Château Cissac 2000 (6) £27
• Château de Carolus Fronsac 2000 (6) £28
• Domaine Ferran Blanc, Pessac-Léognan 1998 (2) £25
• Le Haut Médoc de Giscours 2000 (2) £35
• Château Haut-Ballet, Canon-Fronsac 1999 (6) £35
• Domaine du Calvaire Fronsac 1997 (12) £25
• Château de Cruzeau, Pessac-Léognan 1998 (2) £45
• Château Petit-Village, Pomerol 1994 (2) £64
• Château Saint Georges St Emilion 1999 (2) £38
• Château du Glana, St. Julien 1999 (1) £55
• Château Baron Berin 2000 (4) £25
• Château le Tertre de Canon Fronsac 2000 (3) £29
• Château Lanette, Graves 2000 (3) £29
• Château du Retout, Haut-Médoc 1999 (3) £29
• Château Barateau, Haut-Médoc 1999 (3) £35
• Château Gazin, Graves 1998 (6) £45
• Le Croisé de Croizet-Bages, Pauillac 2000 (1) £33
• Château d'Armailhac, Mouton Baronne Philippe 1970 (1) £75
• Les Hauts de Pontet-Canet 1990 (3) £55
• Château La Tour Capet, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 1998 (2) £45
• Château Gassies du Vieux Bourg, Margaux 1998 (2) £45
• Château Tour Grand Faurie 1998, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru (2) £42
• Magnum Clos Toumilon 1997 (1) £88

Prices are per bottle. Figure in brackets indicates numbers available.

Hearty Fare

In time for the cool spell, join us throughout the week at our Leadenhall Market vaults bar for succulent, rolled, roasted topside garnished with baby potatoes and mesclun...

This lithograph, dating from 1881 and depicting the market's main entrance, comes from the Illustrated London News

Grand Cru of the Languedoc

'There are no lugubrious, noisy grape picking machines here to swallow the leaves - or the inevitable snails and caterpillars that share the vines with the grapes...'
[MdDG. web site]

MAS de Daumas Gassac is billeted under Vin de Pays status in name alone. You may have heard the legend behind this cult, almost agressively artisinal estate, originally purchased by a Parisian glove manufacturer as a holiday retreat some three decades ago. Its fine, vine friendly, deep red glacial soils, cooling altitude and tempering breezes soon captured the imagination of a 'passing' Bordeaux Geography Professor. Nurtured by 'genius' oenologist Émile Peynaud, purposely removed from retirement, the resulting vinous output from the former farm soon attracted serious critical celebration. Perhaps most notably, British Bacchus and tree expert Hugh Johnson (pictured) termed it the 'Grand Cru of the Midi'.

Bedales are delighted to advise you of a spectacular dinner hosted by Samuel Gilbert of the estate, taking place at the majestic Inner Temple on Thursday (22nd). To book your place, please click HERE.

CANAPES
Mas de Daumas Gassac Frizant NV
* * *
New Haven Line Caught Sea Bass with Crab Crushed Potatoes, Tomato Petals and Basil Vinaigrette
Reserve de Gassac Blanc 2008
* * *
Roe Venison from the Knepp Castle Estate, Shipley, West Sussex Parsnip Drop Scones, Spiced Red Cabbage and Baby Carrots
Mas de Gassac Rouge 2006
* * *
The Montgomery 18 Month Mature Unpasteurised Cheddar made from the milk of Friesian Cows Allowed to Roam on South Cadbury (Camelot)
Magnum Mas de Gassac Rouge 1989
Magnum Mas de Gassac Rouge 1988
* * *
Mark Eastwood of Eastwood Farm, Grovehurst, Kent’s Bramley Apples, Topped with a Cobnut Crumble
Vin de Laurence 1998
* * *
Coffee and Pegasus Chocolates

Top 20 Wine Producing Countries

FOLLOWING on from the trivia last time, you may be surprised by the importance of some of what might be considered lesser-known wine-producing countries on this list. Annual production is in metric tonnes.

1. Italy(8,519,418)
2. France (6,500,000)
3. Spain (6,013,000)
4. United States (6,105,000)
5. Argentina (2,900,000)
6. China (6,250,000)
7. Australia (1,530,439)
8. South Africa (1,600,000)
9. Germany (1,300,000)
10. Chile (2,350,000)
11. Portugal (1,050,000)
12. Greece (950,000)
13. Russia (328,810)
14. Hungary (543,400)
15. Romania (821,306)
16. Brazil (1,341,806)
17. Austria (329,825)
18. Ukraine (415,000)
19. Moldova (598,000)
20. Bulgaria (200,000)

Source: United Nations 'Food and Agriculture Organisation'

STOP PRESS!!!

Taking place at our Borough Market venue tomorrow (Friday) at 4:10pm and again at 5:10pm, Saturday, please join representatives from Buonguosto to sample a very special brace of Tuscan wines. Telephone Greg (020 7403 8853) for more information.

Wine Trivia

'Everything about Florence seems to be colored with a mild violet, like diluted wine...'

[Henry James]

• Wine has been 'applied' for thousands of years as a medicine/antiseptic;
• The Greeks were considerable wine snobs, defining 'barbarity' as drinking beer or undiluted wine;
• The managers of Venice's huge shipyards built a wine fountain (it spouted red wine) in the 1600s so that their workers could irrigate themselves to their hearts content during the workday;
• Peru produced so much wine in the 18th century that, if its output were the same today, it would be amongst the ten largest wine producers;
• The California wine industry took off in the 1850s when the Gold Rush died and many ruined prospectors decided to seew their land in grapes;
• The Russian Revolution nearly ruined some Champagne houses because it meant the end of exports to the bubble-loving Tsar and his Imperial court;
• Wine consumption in Italy fell by nearly half between 1950s-1990s.

More facts: HERE.

England Set for Bumper Crop

AS the pickers pluck, things are looking very exciting for vintage '09 in the UK. Despite a wet July, a warm June, reasonable August and the latest, unexpected 'Indian summer' boded well for this year's crop.
Antipated to be particularly successful are our sparkling wines.
Bedales stocks a Decanter magazine commended Kentish fizz from Meopham Valley Vineyard (produced to the traditional recipe, as with Champagne, from Chardonnay and - our most planted grape -Pinot Noir).
For more information about UK wine, including harvest 'snippets', click HERE.

IF you haven't seen it yet, despite the sugar, it is, we think, worth the effort if you love gastronomy as much as us...

Festive Predictions...

DID you know, there are only 86 days until Christmas? According to Master of Wine, Julia Harding, it might not be worth marking it with as much gusto as last year, however Writing on Jancis Robinson's prestigious 'Purple Pages' site, Harding states:

'Christmas 2009 is a time to avoid drinking or at least to avoid sacrificing your best bottles, and if you want to celebrate the new year, you'd better taste your best bottles before 3pm on 31 Dec or between midnight on 31 Dec and 8am on 1 Jan, which does not sound terribly convenient.'

What is this attributed to? -The increasingly visible philosophy of biodynamism (or the practice of producing earth and people-friendly, positively 'dirty' wine). To find out more, we recommend delving into the pages of winemaker and author Nicolas Joly's 'What is Biodynamic Wine?: The Quality, the Taste, the Terroir'.

The strapline is more happy-sounding than the calendar would suggest: "A passion for wine is spreading like wildfire through the world, like a quest for something to give life greater sense and joy..."

And to taste 'real' wine, join us in-store. Just not on Christmas day...

Grape Stats

A STUDY on British consumer’s favourite wine purchases by web site Twenga reveals that we are the most avid wine enthusiasts in Europe. Wine accounts for 31% of all online searches across food and drink products. Our passion for French wine above everything else is clear with 64% of all wine searches being for French wine. Bedales’ range happens to be built that way - with two thirds French, and the rest comprising varieties from a bounty of other grape growing destinations (from Arneis to Zinfandel).

Think of us as supplying the globe on a shelf...

Grape Expectations: Pinot Noir

...wild strawberries, raspberries and cherries...

IF you have £25,000 burning a hole in your pocket and fancy a tipple of a particularly well-made Pinot Noir from Burgundy, you might consider spending it on a magnum of “the scarcest, most expensive and frequently the best wine in the world” – ‘Romanée-Conti 1990’. (The price includes VAT and quite possibly special delivery too).

Such a lofty price tag is indicative of just how sought after a really well-made red Burgundy can become. With the exception of Beaujolais-Passetoutgrains and some rare Mâcon, Pinot Noir is the only permitted red variety grown in this region. This is often referred to as ‘the stomach of France’ because of the gastronomic richness and variety of locally produced dishes from locally cultivated ingredients.

In its youth, Pinot Noir proffers aromas of little wild strawberries, raspberries and cherries. However when mature, expect to encounter a rather different personality, especially in old Burgundies Look for - but don’t be put off by - aromas of well-hung game, even farmyard smells, including fresh manure!

Pinot Noir also grows in another exclusive region – Champagne. There it is often blended with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier grapes to produce a deep golden wine. In fact bottles labelled blanc de noirs are entirely made of Pinot Noir. Only the juice, which is white in nearly all grapes, is used. Indeed the red in red wines comes from the soaked skins. So Pinot Noir, which is thin-skinned, generally produces a pale wine.

Without almost loving care, it fails to produce truly credible wines outside France. However, when very carefully planted in a moderate climate, and with lashings of skill and dedication, it can give Burgundy a run for its money.

We have several milky versions from New Zealand, more hearty Australians, various Pinot-dominated fizzes and of course the classic gamut of Burgundies for your delectation in-store now...

Celebrating Our Nuances

AT Bedales, we strive to celebrate the diversity of our staff's palates. If you walk into any of our venues, it is most likely that you will get approached with a little ISO glass of something original to taste.
Here is the current selection of Staff Favourites at Borough Market, compiled by Greg and Edyta:

Unison Rosé ‘07 Hawkes Bay, N.Z.
A classic, European-style dry pink made from Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Fresh and fruity yet complex, with an enticing red berry and spice packed palate, it is perfect for lunch or as an aperitif.
Mulderbosch ‘08 Sauvignon Blanc, Stellenbosch, S.A
Clear, light, lime green with a lush, tropical nose packed with guava, green fig, granadilla and freshly cut grass. The wine scream ‘pour more!’
Giacomo Borgogno ‘07 Freisa d’Asti, Piedmont, Italy
Benefitting from the concentrating effects of 30-minutes in the fridge, this violet scented cherry and plum wine has a hint of dryish tannin which prevents it from being simple and obvious. Juicy acidity completes the picture.

Something to take into the Weekend...

We are Open!

PLEASE do not be put off by the rather serious-looking hoardings which have appeared next to our Borough Market patio. This is scheduled work, representing part of a three year project by Network Rail to enhance the commuter services hurtling above. To quote their website:

'the market will remain open throughout, although some traders will move temporarily to the new Jubilee Market, a space within the current market grounds...'

We are also keen to point out that 5 Bedale Street is not due for demolition.

Sparkling, but Not By Design...

PICTURED: my tribute to the Dom who worked tirelessly to remove bubbles. I am recently returned from Champagne, where I managed to peregrine to Hautviller in order to pay tribute to Benedictine monk, Dom Pierre Pérignon. Whilst he worked tirelessly and successfully to improve the quality of the still wines of what has become the world's most alluring wine region, he did not actually invent sparkling wine. In fact bubbles were considered a serious fault, likely to explode French glass bottles, which were considerably more fragile than more robust British which were fired at a higher temperature. My best wine enjoyed this weekend? -Truffle scented, zero dosage Billecart-Salmon in magnum - one of the few houses to remain family owned.

Effervescent Facts:

• There are 49 million bubbles in a standard-sized Champagne bottle
• The Nebuchadnezzar is the largest version, equivalent to 20 standard bottles and weighs 38 kgs
• The pressure in a Champagne bottle is equivalent to the tyre pressure of a double-decker bus
• There are approximately only about 90 calories per flute

Ladybird Labels

LOOK out for our custom made, Ladybird labels, gracing Bedales' bottles certified as 'biodyamic' – the holistic approach to farming outlined over seven lectures by philosopher, scientist and playwright, Rudolf Steiner. You can find out more about this very intriguing character HERE.