Borough Wines

2011-05-12T12:55:00.000+01:00

Borough Wines Legend Sebastian Peattie has signed up for the London to Paris 2011.

He'll be cycling 230 miles over 3 days, 90 miles of which will be in one day, and it's all on behalf of The Big Issue Foundation.

The Big Issue Foundation is dedicated to the well being of Big Issue Vendors, working with over 2900 individuals across the UK. Their skilled staff work one to one with vendors, tackling issues ranging from health and accommodation through to money management and aspirations.

The Big Issue Foundation is about taking control, moving forward, gaining independence and rebuilding lives. They exist to enable vendors to continue on their journey away from homelessness.

Did you know that life expectancy on the streets is only 46 years old?

You can help support Sebastian, and The Big Issue Foundation, by making a secure online donation using your credit card. Click on the link:

http://my.artezglobal.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=318946&Lang=en-CA

Good Luck Seb!!!

Guy Porter From Bellbird Spring

2011-02-24T17:50:00.000Z

We've recently added 4 fantastic wines to our list, and had the wine maker himself, Guy Porter down at the stall in Borough Market to introduce them.

Great reaction to all his wines throughout the day.

Here's a little background to what they do and the wines they make.

Guy Porter Chats to a Borough Wines Customer

In 2002 the Porter family returned from the UK to New Zealand after many years away. Coming back to Canterbury in New Zealand's South Island to make their home at Bellbird Spring in the Waipara Valley.

Bellbird Spring, Home Block Vineyard is 5.2 hectares in area. On a terrace above the Waipara river they have planted Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Riesling and Muscat Ottonell on one hectare of this site to make Home Block White - their Vin de Terroir. Sauvignon Blanc is also planted and is used for 'The Pruner's Reward' label.

Two years later and they bought another site. A clay slope to the north of the river which they named Block Eight. Sauvignon Blanc was planted here too, making a fuller old barrel fermented style. Pinot Gris was also planted, once again producing weightier wines than the Home Block terrace site.

Each member their family plays a part. Tom and Sheila Porter have their home there and produce extra virgin olive oil from a grove on the Home Block. Their daughter, Alex, runs the company's office whilst their son Guy, (pictured) a winemaking graduate of Adelaide University, manages the vineyard and makes the wine.

Lying 60 kilometres north of Canterbury in New Zealand’s South Island, the Waipara Valley enjoys a cool climate with low rainfall and long, sunny autumns. This dry, ‘Indian Summer’ allows their fruit to ripen slowly during a long growing season with remarkably similar conditions to those found in Alsace.

On the Home Block - soil is classic alluvial bench and their vines have sunk their roots deep into the Glasnevin gravels of the Waipara Valley terraces. In these poor, free-draining soils vine vigour is naturally restrained, yields are low, and the plant maintains an innate balance between vegetation and fruit. Block Eight is composed of stoney, sandy Domett clay. It is warmer than the Home Block and ripeness comes a little earlier.

Nevertheless, much manual work remains. Leaves are plucked to expose the fruit to the sun, fruit may be thinned to balance yield with concentration. Once each harvest is complete they return again in the winter to prune and then, with spring, the cycle of work and growth begins again.

Winemaking at Bellbird spring is typified by hand harvesting, wholebunch pressing of white varieties or hand plunging reds. Wines are generally naturally fermented or aged in old oak barriques, refecting an artisan style. They craft small lots from individual vineyards alowing the identiy of their site and vintage to express itself.

Elias Khoneizer and Faouzi Issa from Lebanese vineyard Domaine des Tourelles

2010-11-15T14:04:00.003Z

Last week, Lebanese wine maker Faouzi Issa from Domaine des Tourelles dropped in to sample some of his wines with us and our customers! Was a great few hours watching him pass on his passion & knowledge to the customers and staff of Borough wines.

Domaine Des Tourelles are the oldest commercial vineyard in The Lebanon, producing fantastic wines, and we have just secured exclusive rights to distribute his wines in London.

Elias and Faouzi

Checkout some background @ Domaine Des Tourelles History
or buy their wines

Kevin

Argentinean wines + Gigondas

2010-10-29T19:49:00.002+01:00

Rene Moura from
Borough Wines

This weekend we are tasting wines from Mendoza, Argentina and also a top end Gigondas from the Rhone.

The Zolo Cabernet Sauvignon and Zolo Chardonnay are produced by Bodega Tapiz. Their wines come from carefully selected vineyards located in the terroir of Agrelo and Valle de Uco, both in Mendoza. Flanked by the imposing Andes, these vineyards are subjected to unique bio-climatic characteristics, thus making it a unique terroir for winemaking. The grapes harvested there reflect the perfect, alluvial enriched soil combined with an ideal exposure to sunlight and an incredible temperature range which persists throughout the summer.

Zolo Reserve Chardonnay 2007
The Reserve Chardonnay has a soft golden colour with green flashes. The nose is complex and intense, with notes of pear, apple and a hint of mineral. Good integration with vanilla provided by the French oak with a final intense and persistent.

Zolo Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Jam pecked with ripe cherry and boysenberry fruit. Notes of spice and dark chocolate. It has good length and good balance between oak and fruit.

Le Brut du Foudre Gigondas 2005

Top wine from La Cave Gigondas, this big and powerful Syrah and Grenache has an incredible complexity. Plenty of black fruits aromas. Nose of a great aromatic richness, strawberries, tobacco and pepper. The entry is elegant, delicate and racy. A long maturing can smooth and melt the tannins. The palate is rich and well balanced. Ends with a lingering finish. Prune and cherries retro-olfaction.

Come to taste them!

sources: http://www.bodega-tapiz.com.ar/ . http://www.cave-gigondas.fr/

Brazilian Wines Tasting

2010-10-20T16:23:00.000+01:00

René Moura from
Borough Wines

This week we are tasting three Brazilian wines. They all come from Rio Grande do Sul, the Southern state of the country. Miolo (www.miolo.com.br/en) is an Italian origin family producer that has been making wine there for more than 100 years.

Miolo Family Vineyards Pinot Grigio
Wine from Vale dos Vinhedos - the first wine region in Brazil to obtain an Indication of Origin (I.O.). This Pinot Grigio proves the quality of Brazilian white wines. Light colour intensity, with greenish hues. Aromas with traces of fruit, white flowers and seeds. It shows a balanced structure in the mouth, with a pleasant aftertaste. Aroma descriptors of wild roses, orange blossoms, almond, pear and peach

Miolo Fortaleza do Seival Pinot Noir
Wine from the Campanha - one of the newest wine regions of Brazil and probably the best for cultivation of red wine grapes. This Pinot Noir displays average intensity of colour with shades of red ruby and violet. Good intensity aromas, very fine and delicate. The taste comprises a mix of raspberry, blackberry, strawberry, plum drought, spices and chocolate. Wine of medium body and sweet and velvety sensation in the mouth, with balanced tannins.

Miolo Quinta do Seival Castas Portuguesas
Also from Campanha, this amazing wine made of Portuguese grapes (Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro and Tinta Roriz) confirms the suitability of this terroir. Good colour intensity, with tones ranging from ruby red to purple. Typical aroma of Portuguese varieties, with good intensity and persistence of raisin, fig, strawberry, chocolate, prune and fruit preserve. Balanced in the palate, with expressive body and soft rounded tannins with a lingering pleasant finish.

Come to Borough Wines and check it out!

Easter treats. Barolo 2004, South Africa Sauvignon Blanc 1996

2010-04-02T20:18:00.000+01:00

To celebrate Easter, we decided to open special wines, for special occasions

Barolo Rochette vino DOCG 2004 ,
Barolo is such a "serious" and "powerful" wine that it's hard to make time for it- let alone an appropriate meal for it. There is a good chance that you remember the last time you had some, as it is the type to leave an impression with the wine drinker. Barolo Rochette 2004 is a classic Barolo, made in an outstanding vintage. Gorgeous aromas of roses, truffles and orange peal underneath all the Barolo firmness. Medium bodied with a lengthy finish of tea, chocolate and Oaky tones. Ideal with spring lamb!

Chamonix Vineyard 1996 Sauvignon Blanc
Unless you had in the past purchased a bottle of Chamonix's Sauvignon Blanc from us, it is very unlikely that you ever came across South African white with so much age. Not that New World wines don't keep, it is just that the world is not yet interested in aging them. I can assure you, and please come and see for yourself, the result is incredible, after 14 years, there is still plenty of ripe tropical fruits in the bottle, pineapple, grapefruit, quince, they are all there, creamy and lightly buttery, well integrated oak, with undertones of vanilla and a long, long finish...

Spanish Wines this weekend - Ole!

2010-03-26T13:26:00.000Z

Speak of Spanish wines and the wines of Rioja are what first come to mind but Spain has plenty of other offerings. They are famous for their reds but they also make some excellent whites and not just albarino.

This weekend we will be featuring the white wine of theSpanish organic producer Garmendia in the Castillo y Leon region of Spain and a lovely malvasia from the producer Arribes.

Garmendia has been producing organic wine for the past 10 years and although a young producer the wines coming out of their vineyards are top quality. Their Garmendia 2007 white is a careful blend of verdejo and viura. A full and lively wine, it has plenty of citrus character to it with a smooth mouthfeel and a limey finish. This is the perfect wine to have with believe it or not sushi or teriyaki. I had it the other night with dinner and it was the perfect companion. £10 at the market stall.

Another tasty white from Salamanca, the Arribes 100% malvasia is a fine, rounded example of this varietal. On the nose it is full of citrus, very fresh, grapefruit driven, clean and crisp. Great with chicken, creamy dishes, paella and for the price of £6.50, it really delivers.

We've also got a rose from the Cotes du Luberon and a lovely, jubbly Beaujolais cru, the Fleurie from Domaine Monrozier.

Springtime- Which means it's time for light and crisp Sauvignon blanc

2010-03-19T12:51:00.000Z

Spring has finally sprung! After a long dark winter, the sun has finally decided to shine, the daffodils are blooming and it's time to forgo those heavy winter reds for some light springtime drinking and what better way to greet Spring then with a fresh and crisp Loire Valley Sauvignon blanc.

The Loire is famous for it's Sauvignon blancs but it also produces roses and reds.This weekend we've got Levin Vineyard sauvignon blanc as well as their rose on tasting. Levin wines are produced by David Levin, owner of the Capital Hotel in London. David spent considerable time in Australia and there he met French winemaker Theirry Merlet who shared his winemaking vision of combining traditional organic viticulture with innovative, state of the art winemaking.

David was committed to producing a wine to his exact specifications and he went so far as to build and then ship a winery from Australia to France where he plunked it down in the middle of the Loire Valley. Levin's sauvignon blanc is fresh and crisp with plenty of grapefruit and a touch of mango on the nose and palate.
Working towards a very fruit driven style he combines New World techniques with the best of Loire grapes and produces a wine that falls somewhere between a good Kiwi sauvignon blanc and a traditional Sancerre.

The Loire valley was once more famously known for it's reds and roses. Pre-phyloxera, the region was known for it's pinot noirs and gamays. After the phyloxera debacle, the gamay was ripped out but the pinot was replanted although not extensively and to this day, pinot noir is still produced in the Loire. Domaine de Vieux Preche unlike Levin has been producing Sancerre since the reign of Louis XIV and produce a slightly spicy, clean and light but with a deep black cherry, damson/plum character.

We'll be featuring both wines on tasting this weekend as well as a traditional white, red and rose Sancerre from the Domaine de Vieux Preche.So pop down Saturday, 20 March for some great spring drinks!

Nyetimber 2001 and 2003 with dinner

2010-03-15T16:21:00.000Z

smoked salmon

People often come into the stall with the ingredients for their evening meal and ask us for our wine recommendations. We have plenty of great red and white wines but I just love a sparkler with dinner. We have some lovely champagnes but let's not forget the sparkling wines that come from our own backyard.

A few months ago we began stocking Nyetimber English Sparkling wine which was recently voted the best sparkling wine in the world. We put both the Nyetimber 2003 Cuvee and the 2001 Blanc de blanc on tasting and both were smash hits with our customers.

I love food and wine matching and I was recently invited to partake of a Nyetimber dinner at Chapter One in Kent. The chef had matched each vintage of Nyetimber with a particular course. Since we sell the '03 and '01, I'll give you an idea of what the chef thinks would work best with those two wines.

The Nyetimber 2003 Cuvee was served as an aperitif and was great with the spicy peanuts and chili papadoms. It worked really well with the spicy flavours. The wine washed away all the spiciness and it was great to sit in the cool bar of Chapter One and enjoy the wine. We easily polished off that bottle between the two of us while we were waiting for our table. The 2003 Cuvee is a classic champagne blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot muenier.

After spending a delightful half hour in the bar we moved onto the dining room where we started with a first course of smoked salmon on a fennel salad with a honey mustard dressing and poached quail egg. The chef had paired this with the 2001 blanc de blanc. The blanc de blanc is made from 100% chardonnay. The salmon had been lightly smoked for only 12 hours so that it would match perfectly with the '01. The salmon was soft and silky, almost sashimi-like, it pratically melted on my tongue. The '01 was a refreshing match. Nutty notes at first followed by lemon and apple flavours coming through. The miniscule bubbles were a great palate cleanser, washing away the smoky salmon. It was an uncomplicated dish but so well done, an absolute pleasure to eat. I would have ordered another plate if I could have but we had 3 more courses to go.

I won't go into detail but we did try the Nyetimber '96 Blanc de blanc, the 1995 Classic Cuvee and their very first vintage 1992 Blanc de blanc. All in all a wonderful showcase of how well Nyetimber can be paired with food. If you have any ideal food and wine pairings, I'd love to hear from you.

Chateau Grezan range on tasting this weekend

2010-03-10T16:31:00.000Z

This Saturday we will have the wines of Chateau Grezan open for tasting. Not only will we have the wines available but we'll also have Lionel Razimbaut from the chateau to give you a vinous tour of their wines.

Chateau Grezan's wines are made in the shadow of a Knight Templar's castle. The castle now serves as a backdrop to the vineyards and their cellars are used for their very own winetastings. I can't promise that we will have any ghosts of Knights Templars roaming about the market but you will be able to enjoy Ch. Grezan's wines.

The chateau is situated in the Faugeres appellation, north of Beziers in the Herault department and has a well earned reputation for their red wines. Within the appellation, they are allowed to grow syrah and grenache as well as carignan, cinsault and mouvedre. They also grow chardonnay and pinot in the region but as it is not part of the AOC classification, they cannot sell it under the Faugeres appellation.

Whatever the appellation or lack thereof, we will be tasting their entry level chardonnay and pinot noir.

We will have on tasting their flagship wine, the Cuvee Arnaud, 2005. A rich and spicy blend of syrah and grenache, the 2005 is tasting mighty fine at the moment and would be a perfect partner to rich, gamey dishes as well as hearty cheeses.

We're also going to be featuring the Les Schistes Dores, one of their premium wines, again a blend of mostly syrah with a bit of grenache, a smooth powerhouse of a wine with a lovely nose of black fruit, spices and chocolate. You won't want to miss that one.

The wines will be on tasting all day on Saturday from 11 - 5 pm. We hope to see you soon!

Claret with age - Chateau Beaumont 1995

2010-03-02T19:30:00.000Z

I have a friend who refers to herself as a "wine cougar". I'm sure you've all heard of the term "cougar" used to describe older women who prefer younger consorts. Well, my friend likes her wines young, the younger the better as far as she's concerned. Although, she's no cradle robber!

I, on the other hand, would probably refer to myself as 'Anna Nicole'. The older the better as far as I'm concerned. Luckily, Borough Wines agrees with me and we have managed to get our hands on some lovely clarets from the mid 1990's. Now, many of you may like your wines young but good claret always needs time to mature, much like one half of the human race.

The majority are Haut Medoc but we also had a few St. Emilions in the mix. My favourite was the 1995 Ch. Beaumont. The chateau has been around since 1824 and they produce the quintessential claret. The '95 is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc and spends between 12 - 18 months in oak.

When I opened this one, red licorice and blackberry fruit on the nose at first then lovely lifted notes of fruit, followed by tobacco and leather notes. I had this wine with a dinner of steak and chips and it was delicious. After decanting, fabulous blackcurrant flavours came to the fore with plenty of soft silky tannins. The wine finished off with a long black plum finish. Delicious. I could have savoured this one all night long but this oldie would only last so long and before I knew it, the bottle had given up the ghost. Ah, well, on to the next....

The Chateau Beaumont 1995 is a steal at £30 in the marketstall.

Ch. St. Esteve de Neri on tasting this week, Feb 26-27

2010-02-26T13:38:00.000Z

Ch. St. Esteve de Neri

We've got some new wines in stock just waiting to be tasted. This time, we've gone to the Cotes du Luberon for their rich, well defined reds, a lovely appley dry white and a rose that could be mistaken for hailing from Provence.

The Ch. St. Esteve de Neri is situated near the foot of the village of Ansouis with the beautiful mountains of Luberon looming off in the distance. The area has been producing wines since Roman times with perfect grape growing weather and even a bit of the Mistral winds coming from the East, which are fortunately tempered by the Luberon mountains.

At the chateau, they take their vineyard management seriously but at the same time believe in minimal intervention, using no chemicals or pesticides with their top wines harvested by hand.

This weekend we're featuring the Ch. St Esteve de Neri Grande Expression 2008 Rose. A lovely mouthful, light and dry with loads of red summer fruits on the palate. A perfect wine to get you in the mood for spring and (even better) summer! (£8)

Next up is a delightful white made from blend of chardonnay and white grenache, the Ch. St. Esteve de Neri Grande Reserve 2008 is classified as a Vin de Pays de Vaucluse because of that chardonnay which is not a varietal that is classically allowed in the Cotes du Luberon. However, that chardonnay does contribute some juicy ripe apple flavours and aromas to a quite lush wine, I can see this going down to easily on a Saturday afternoon.

The chateau does two reds, one made from a blend of grenache/carignan and the other a blend of syrah and grenache. The 2006 Expression de Terroir won a silver medal at the 2008 Paris wine show and it's a rip roaring wine, plenty of tannins in there to keep you on your toes with loads of blackberries on the palate. (£8)

Meanwhile the Grande Expression 2007, hand picked, hand sorted and aged in oak it has an intense core of blackberry fruits surrounded by hearty licorice and spice, a real blockbuster guaranteed to knock out any piece of meat that comes its way. (£15)

All wines will be available to taste this weekend, Feb 26-27th. See you in the market!

Wine Tasting with Miss Vicky Wine, Thursday, March 4th

2010-02-24T14:36:00.000Z

Miss Vicky Wines will be coming to London direct from Paris and hosting a winetasting at La Maison du Languedoc in Cavendish Sq on Thursday, 4th March.

Miss Vicky will be featuring not only the wines of the Languedoc but also including a various French cheeses and charcuterie matched with the wines.

Chateau Grezan, a Borough Wines favourite will be the featured wines of the evening. Ch. Grezan, from the Faugeres appellation is well known for their powerfully smooth wines. The chateau uses only the grapes of Faugeres- syrah, grenach, mouvedre, carignan and cinsault for their wines.

The winetasting starts at 7 pm and will run til 11pm or when the wine runs out (whichever comes first!) Tickets are £12.50 if you buy them through our website or £14 pounds at the door. Ticket price includes 3 glasses of wine and a cheese and charcuterie plate. What better way to get ready for the weekend then to kick it off with some fabulous wines from the Languedoc.

Where: La Maison du Languedoc
            6 Cavendish Sq
            LondonW1G 0PD

When: Thursday, March 4th, 7pm - 11pm

Cost: £12.50 in advance
   £14 at the door

English Wines on tasting this weekend

2010-02-20T10:14:00.000Z

This weekend we've got the wines of Bolney Estate from West Sussex open for tasting. Bookers Vineyard is the label for Bolney's still table wines and we've picked what we think are the best they've got just for you.

Bolney is situated in the heart of rural Sussex and started back in 1972 with just 3acres of vines. Today they've expanded to 22 acres and in 2005 opened a state of the art winery where they produce their red, white, rose and sparkling wines.

We are pleased to be offering the Bookers Vineyard Bolney Blush, Autumn Spice and Pinot Noir. The Bolney Blush (£12) is a refreshingly dry rose that conjures up images of English strawberry season. Loads of strawberry and rose petal flavours and aromas, the Blush is made from 100% cool climate varietal dornfelder.

Autumn Spice (£14), despite it's name is a white wine and is fresh and dry with delicious spicy notes and a nice citric touch to it all. Made from Muller Thurgau, Schonburger and Wurzer, it's a wine that will guaranatee to please.

Red wine is not so easy to make here on this particular island but Bolney have produced a lovely Pinot Noir($14) from their vinyeyards. Plenty of red cherry goodness on the palate followed by exceptional cedar notes on the finish make this a fabulous example of not only cool climate pinot noir but also English wine at its best.

All 3 wines are available to taste this weekend and of course are for sale every weekend in our market stall.

Nyetimber this past weekend at the market

2010-02-16T12:13:00.000Z

This past weekend Charlie Mount from Nyetimber was at the market to pour the Nyetimber 2003 Classic Cuvee and 2001 Blanc de blanc for all of our eager customers.

People were queueing to sample the award winning English sparkler, and with good reason. Nyetimber's 2003 Classic Cuvee was recently crowned "Champion of Worldwine Sparkling Wines" in a competition run by Bollicini del Mondo. Nyetimber beat such competition as Louis Roederer, Pommery and Joseph Perrier to get top honors.

The Cuvee 2003 was a big hit, crisp and fresh with lovely yeasty bready notes on the nose and palate. Many people were surprised at the quality of the wine, not sure what to expect from English sparkling wine. Nyetimber proved to them that the English can and do make excellent sparkling wines.

The 2001 Blanc de blanc was another delightful surprise. A totally different creature, the blanc de blanc is comprised of 100% chardonnay unlike the '03 which is a blend of the three classic sparkling wine grapes, chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. The '01 was winning over converts with it's fresh green apple character on the nose and palate followed by the classic chardonnay profile of lemons and a perfect minerality to drive it all forward.

We are now stocking both the Classic Cuvee 2003 (£30) and the Blanc de blanc '2001 (£32). You can find us in the market on Thursday and Friday from 10:30 to 6pm and Saturdays all day from 8:30 - 5pm.

Don't know what to have with that lovely meal you're cooking on Valentine's Day? Easy - Bordeaux

2010-02-12T17:17:00.000Z

Valentine's Day is almost here. Are you ready? We are here in Bourough Market. We've just taken delivery of some rather good value Bordeaux from the mid '90's.

What could be better then a home cooked meal and Haut Medoc? We've got some little known gems from there as well as the Medoc and all from 1995 - 1997.

To list them all would make this a very long post but I'd like to point out a few standouts: The Clos des Menuts 1997 St. Emilion Grand Cru, drinking wonderfully, close you're eyes and you could be walking into a saddle shop when smelling this wine. More tobacco, leather, cloves and spices on the palate, finishing off with some lovely black fruits. Lovely way to celebrate St. Valentine's Day. £25

On the other hand, we've also got a delicious 1996 Haut Medoc, Les Brulieres de Beychevelle. Much fruitied profile hanging off an licorice and tar backbone. This wine really opened up after decanting and is a pleasure, great with a warming stew or perhaps a hunk of meat! £18

Here are a few others we've got on from the Haut Medoc - Ch Beaumont 1997 (£22) and 1995 (£30) and a 1996 La Roque de By from the Medoc. All leathery and tobacco but still showing nice fruits. These wines were just built for food and better yet a romantic dinner for two. The best part, most are clocking in at 12 - 12.5% alcohol so you'll be feeling ok the next day at the office.

We've also got many more fantastic wines on as well as some English sparkling - Hello, Nyetimber! So pop on down if you're wandering around Borough Market this weekend, we'd love to see you!

Gosset - 2 new champagnes and Bolney English wine added to the range this weekend

2010-02-10T16:54:00.000Z

Not only are we going to be stocking a new English sparkling but we will also be expanding our Champagne section. This weekend we are adding the renowned champagne house Gosset to our selection of champagnes.

Gosset is one of the oldest Champagne houses in France. Founded in 1584, the grapes used come from only the best villages in the Grand Cru and Premier Cru regions. Gosset has also been using the same 60 villages for every vintage since, well since forever! They wines are produced from only the first press juice and they don't go through malolactic fermentation to ensure the freshness and vitality of the champagne.

We are introducing the Gosset Grande Reserve and the Gosset Grande Rose. The Grand Reserve is made from the 3 great varietals of Champagne, chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. A lively, effervescent champagne with an intense and complex nose, aromas reminiscent of an early spring bouquet of spring flowers. Generous and full on the palate, fruity and smooth with flavours of figs and candied cherries followed by a lovely toasty almondy note. A long finish with remarkable crispness. A fabulous libation to enjoy with poulty or pork.

The Gosset Grande Rose is composed of chardonnay and pinot noir with the addition of still pinot noir to the blend to give it a lovely rose complexion. Fresh summer fruits on the nose, raspberries, wild strawberries and redcurrants. An opulent, full bodied rose, on the palate it shows plenty of red fruit jam and morello cherry. A lipsmackingly good rose which pairs well with seafish, small game or even a fruit tart.

We're also featuring 3 wines from Bolney Estate which produces Bookers Vineyard wines. Bolney is located in Sussex and has been awarded many accolades in the International Wine Challenge and the Decanter World Wine Awards. We are pleased to be carrying the Bookers Vineyard 2007 Pinot noir, the Bookers Vineyard 2009 Autumn spice, a lovely well balanced white wine with plenty of crisp acidity and a spicy character. We are also featuring the Bookers Vineyard 2009 Bolney Blush rose, a fragrant wine with a lovely coral blush hue, it's made from pinot noir and is the perfect accompaniment for a lazy lunch or light dinner.

Please come along to see what other new wines we have in stock.

Valentine's Day and Nyetimber in Borough Market this weekend, 13 Feb

2010-02-09T14:40:00.000Z

It seems like Christmas was just yesterday but Valentine's Day is coming up quick! We here at Borough Wines would like to help you out. What's better then a lovely, jubbly bottle of English sparkling wine? That's right, English sparkling wine is coming to the market.

We are going to be showcasing and tasting Nyetimber's sparkling wine this weekend. Nyetimber has won numerous awards in the international arena and we are extremely pleased to be able to offer their sparklers.

Nyetimber's 2003 vintage was recently crowned the 'Champion of Worldwine Sparkling Wines' in a competition sponsored by the Italian magazine, Euposia. According to Eric Heerema, the owner of Nyetimber in West Chiltington, Sussex,"... the success of the wine was due to the hot summer of 2003, which produced the winning grapes. He (also) said: “It really has been an extremely exciting year for all of us. This is a significant win on the international stage and to win against champagnes is extremely rewarding.”

So come down and try for yourself what all the fuss is about and while you're at it, pick up a bottle or two for your sweetheart!

Ch du Daley Gama Nera to try and chat with the winemaker, Sat 6 Feb

2010-02-05T14:36:00.000Z

This morning I went on a sales call with the winemaker of Ch. du Daley, Cyril Severin. Cyril walked me and our prospective clients through his wines and the one I absolutely adored (although all the others are fantastic as well) was the Gama Nera.

A blend of 2 Swiss varietals, gamanet and garanoir, Cyril believes in planting and making wines that are best suited to each locale. So none of this syrah from Switzerland or merlot from his lakeside. Cyril wants to produce only the best Swiss wines made from Swiss grapes.

The Gama Nera 2008 had a very powerful nose, aromas of spice, cedar and full on red fruits followed onto an elegant body with a plenty of structure. Cyril uses oak barriques to give his wines a bit of struture. Tasting of more woody spiciness and dark cherries this was not your usual run of the mill wine, a wine with an excellent and long finish. It was a shame I had to spit it out but we had other appointments to attend.

You, however, can come down to Borough Market and visit us and Cyril in the stall tomorrow, Sat. 6th Feb where Cyril will be chatting about and pouring the Gama Nera as well as his other wines from 10am to 5pm. See you then!

Swiss Wines on tasting this weekend,Saturday 6 Feb

2010-02-02T12:54:00.000Z

Don't forget that we will be featuring Domaine du Daley wines on tasting this weekend, Saturday 6 Feb in the market stall. Not only are we going to be tasting the wines but the winemaker Cyril Severin will be around to answer any and all questions you might have about his wines. If you mention you saw this blog post, we'll give you 20% off your purchase that day.

We will be tasting 4 wines this weekend. The Blanc de Noir Grand Cru 2007-08, a lively white wine made from 100% pinot noir. A fantastic elegant example to drink on it's own or with a meal. £25

The Chasselas Selection is made from the little known chasselas varietal which is showing beautifully from the shores of the Swiss lake Leman. A fine wine with excellent minerality. £22

For the reds we have the Pinot Noir Tradition, full of black cherries and blackcurrants with a fine streak of minerality running throughout the wine. £22

And lastly a fascinating blend of two little known varietals, the gamaret and garanoir come together to form the Gama Nera wine (£25). A rich, robust red with loads of berry aromas and flavours. To find out more about these varietals and to taste, come visit us in the market.

The wines of Cahors and Madiran on tasting, Jan 21-23, '10

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We've got some cracking wines on tasting this weekend. Focusing on the wines of South West France, most specifically Cahors, Madiran and Jurancon sec and Jurancon Moelleux.

Mention malbec and you're more then likely to think of Argentina but malbec's true home is Cahors, close to the town of Toulouse. They have been growing malbec in Cahors for ages but not until recent new technologies and exciting new winemakers have entered the area, has the region been recognized for producing fantastic, well made wines. This weekend we are featuring Ch. les Croisille's wines made by the well known winemaker Pascal Veraghe.

We are also showcasing another varietal that has long been overlooked, the tannat grape from the Madiran. 2 wines from the Ch. Perron will be on tasting, one a blend of tannat and cabernet sauvignon (oaked) the Grand Perron 2006, the other Ch. Perron 2006, a blend of tannat, cabernet sauv. and cab. franc

As for the whites, we've got some wines from the Jurancon in the Pyrenees made from indigenous varietals. One is a dry table white wine, the Ch. du Jurque featuring crisp, savoury flavours with striking minerality. And the sweetie, a Jurancon moelleux made from indigenous varietals and which is perfect with foie gras!

So do come and visit we're looking forward to sharing the wine....

Mulled Wine isn't just for Christmas anymore...

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photo courtesy Eatlikeagirl.com

Although Christmas is long past, it's still freezing cold outside so what better way to warm up then with some delicious, nutritious (wishful thinking?) mulled wine. We here at Borough Wines brew up delicious batches of mulled wine every weekend. A tasty way to ward off the chill that comes from wandering around Borough Market while doing your shopping for the next day's Sunday lunch.

Eatlikeagirl recently did up a post on her perfect recipe for mulled wine. So, not to be outdone, here is our patented Borough Wines Mulled Wine recipe, made with our secret blend of 14 mulled wine spices that we obtain from the resident spice master of Borough Market, HerbSpice

If you're far too busy to make your own mulled wine (and really, we don't blame you, people are busy,busy, busy) then pop by Borough Wines stall, Thursday and Friday 10:30 - 6pm or Saturday, 8:30 - 5pm for the best mulled wine in Borough Market.

Borough Wines Mulled Wine

2 btls of red wine

1/2 litre of water

2 cinnamon sticks

1 Borough Wines 14 spice mulled wine packet

1 cup sugar

the juice of 2 freshly squeezed oranges

Put all ingredients except orange juice together in a big pot and simmer for 20 minutes. After simmering, add the orange juice and then serve. Enjoy!

Swiss Wines at Borough Market-Saturday 5th of November

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A story of families and tradition since 1392

Wine tasting with Cyril Severin, wine maker on the banks of the Leman Lake

A nose for wine..maker Cyril Severin, certainly has got one! Since taking over the family vineyard in 2003, Cyril has been blending his wines the way a perfumer create fragrances. Using all of the 11 grape-varieties available to him ( Chasselas, Chardonnay, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Gamaret, Garanoir, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Syrah.) as base material to produce
wines greater than the sum of their parts. The wines are produced on the Estate and have won many prizes at regional and international competitions!
More than ten hectares are combined under the Lutry, Villette, Epesses and St. Saphorin appelation, so as to be able to extract the best grapes possible, all with their unique earthy flavour.

White wines

From £20.00 per bottle

Chasselas Sélection – Grand Cru 2007 -2008 75cl

Collection Grand Cru 2007 – 2008 75cl

Blanc de Noir – Grand Cru 2007 – 2008 75cl

Chardonnay Grande Réserve – Grand Cru 2007 – 2008 75cl

Viognier Grande Réserve – Grand Cru 2007 75cl

Red wines
From £20.00 per bottle

Pinot Noir Grand Cru 2008 70cl

Pinot Noir Grande Réserve 2008 75cl

Gama Nera Grand Cru 2008 75cl

Wine-making
The whites (Chasselas and Chardonnay) are made in 9 oak barrels, each containing from 3800 to 6000 litres; a small quantity is produced in stainless-steel tanks. The speciality whites (some of the Chardonnay, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Blanc de Noir, as well as our Chasselas Collection) are made in 250-300/l barrels. The red wines are made in metal tanks with mechanical sparging of the cap, then in oak barrels, according to the specialities.
The Pinot Noir Tradition is finished in the last two oak barrels, containing 4000-5000 l, and in stainless-steel tanks. All of the other specialities are finished in the 250-300/l barrels (Merlot, Cabernet, Syrah, Plant Robert, Gamaret and Garanoir).

www.daley.ch

Perfect for the chill: Winter Reds

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Winter's creeping in, and we have the perfect reds to ease the chill

Chateau Grezan- Faugeres- Cuvee Arnaud 2005

£72.00 a case of- save £12.00

Chateau Croisille-Cahors Tradition

£60.00 a case of 6- save £12.00

Chateau Perron-Madiran

£54.00 a case of six- save £12.00

Special Offer: House Wine from Pays d'Oc

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We bought fantastic Vin de Pays d’Oc from Chateau Grezan and convinced them to let us go minimalist with the packaging!

VDP white- Chardonnay, Viognier

Bright clear gold in colour. This wine tantalises the nose with pear and tropical fruits.

The palate is fresh with a delicious lingering richness

VDP red- Merlot, Syrah

True wine of the South of France. Deep purple robe, powerful nose with aromas of

liquorice, with a predominant aroma of red fruits. Aromatic, medium bodied, with a hint

of spice in the finish.

£60.00 a case of 12- save £12.00!

Welcome to the Borough Wines blog!

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We'll be posting upcoming wine tasting events so keep checking by, or add us to you favorite RSS feed.

See you soon!

Borough Wines