Every Lidl Helps

Deep Discounter Festive Wine Bargains - part 1!

Popping into Lidl to stock up on some essentials and maybe purchase a couple of Deluxe items I found myself leaving the place with 4 bottles of wine! This is something I have never done before. I have in the past been slightly underwhelmed by their offerings, but lo and Christmas behold the selection was tantilising and before I knew it I was the proud owner of not 1, but 3 sweet wines and a very decent Ribera del Duero, Altos de Tamarón Reserva 2010. Here is my vivino review.








The sweet wines I bought I am very excited about! The first that caught my eye was a 2009 Royal Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos (there are 7 sweetness levels, so 5 is pretty sweet!). Popped that in the basket. Next to enter was an Icewine (Eiswein in Germany). Pretty much only 2 places in the world do Icewine; Canada and Germany. In Germany they can produce the most outstanding and eyewateringly expensive Riesling Eiswein but in Canada they also produce fab Icewine. This would be my second try. This Canadian wine uses a hybrid grape Vidal, only ever used in this context so that the grape can cope with the extreme freezing temperatures. Finally, having only just been introduced to this region through a fabulous dry wine, I picked up a sweet Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh.

Really looking forward to trying it. To find out more about these wines and their very good value prices click here.

Merry Vivino Christmas Holiday Guide

I was asked at the beginning of the month to submit some words about my favourite holiday wines for Vivino the "no1 wine app, trusted by over 11 million wine drinkers worldwide". So, keen to share the festive delights I submitted five recommendations. I found out this morning that 2 had been chosen. I am very happy to hear that my recommendations were chosen and I hope that the users find the recommendations useful and are inspired to buy some of these fantastic wines. I am certainly tempted by others' reviews. The Minervois featured is actually the Cuvée Cantilène but is unfortunately currently out of stock. However their other ranges of wine are also great. You can find them here at the Vivino website, be sure to click on the UK snow globe!

I do also have 3 other recommendations which weren't published with links for where to buy, and I am going to share them here:


Bodegas Hidalgo, La Gitana Manzanilla
The perfect pairing wine. This white dry fino style sherry has flavours and aromas of bruised apple, soy, almonds and dough with a salty tang. A lovely complexity due to the lengthy aging under a layer of yeast. This wine has a light yet lingering finish. A perfect companion to toasted almonds for an aperitif, crusty bread turkey & leftover sandwiches yet also fab with festive canapés like smoked salmon blinis!

Apogee Brut Tasmanian Sparkling
A stunning vintage dry sparkling. A gift that is a great talking point too! Who knew that Tasmania produced some of the best sparkling white wines in the world? A blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay matching the best efforts of Champagne and made in the same traditional way. Wonderful brioche and fruity notes with a delicate mousse and beautiful refreshing crispness. A wine that will definitely ensure that  the holiday celebrations start with a bang! Currently out of stock, but here is a good and similar alternative.


Coteaux du Layon
A naturally sweet wine made from Chenin Blanc in the Loire Valley. The grapes undergo botrytis (noble rot) which gives the wine an intense concentrated sweetness which delivers phenomenal multi-layered flavours of apricot, acacia honey, preserved lime and tropical fruits. This wine has a lingering, almost never ending length with a surprising freshness. Superb with blue cheese and liver pates but also great with any fruity dessert. A stylish wine for a stylish occasion.  Any on the site would be fantastic!

I shall be posting soon some of the deep discounter great value festive wines I have found so please check back soon. Cheers!

London, Paris, New Blog

It has been some time since the last post on the Château Canard Blog but lots has happened and is happening and my forays in wine just keep getting bigger and better and definitely more doumentable.  I am therefore starting afresh with a new blog which will be more regular with some long posts and probably many short ones with tips on what to buy and where and exciting pairings that I have come across and other stuff! Château Canard still exists but it is more focused on the events whereas this blog will be more general. To see previous blog posts please click here.

As you may or may not know I am currently studying the WSET Diploma every Thursday night in Bermondsey Street. The diligent student that I am decided that it was very important to go again to the Vignerons Independents exposition in Paris at the end of November. This was a trip that had been booked and planned for before the attacks and it was important to me to still go. As an ex inhabitant of the city I have great fondness and love for it and the people there and it was great to see how it is a city that stands tall and proud. Passing the tributes at La Republique was immensely moving.  

The expo was again enormous - see below (each circle sign is a stand!)

Fave sample of the day was, surprisingly for me, a Champagne, the Cap Jaune by Ariston however I did have some lovely Pomerol, an area of Bordeaux I'd like to explore more, did seem particularly good value.

A highlight was also the meal at Brasserie Flo, an institution by all accounts. Foie Gras with Gerwurtztraminer late harvest was a great pairing and an Alsace glass is always a wonder to behold, and who doesn't like that sort of a wine list!
 

So a great trip with a couple of cool wine bars thrown in to the mix. Oh and a meal at a restaurant with cuisine from La Réunion, La Marmite Lontan, a totally new experience and the rums were insane!


On the way back on the Eurostar I read an article about what amazing chefs' fridges looked like. I have to say that it was awe inspiring and left me feeling a bit rubbish as this is what my fridge looks like (basically four bottles of wine and a beer and milk). My freezer on the other hand..! Terrible fridge picture comments are welcome to make me feel better please.