Winter’s Here, Hamper Cheer!

Winter’s Here – I love it!

This time of year is a sort of slowing down and speeding up for us. I always used to like the farm as winter approached (that’s my brother John off to check on the sheep in the picture and I couldn’t resist including the stunning photo of the Welsh ram!)  Everything hunkers down for the colder months and it all changes down a gear in nature. The animals grow their thickest winter coats to protect against the snow.

Hamper Cheer!

It is however our busiest time of the year: ‘You can feel it in the air,’ Terri says – ‘the hamper fever!’ It certainly is like sensing a coming storm, the distant rumble of the shred tempest. We had packed a 100 hampers by the beginning of December! There’s a great selection of hampers online and many more in the shop. Have a look at the new pictures on our website, we’d love to know what you think. We have ditched the picture of the building and put our faces there instead!

New Staff!

I’m also delighted to introduce you to our newest member of staff: Elis, who is looking forward to his wine education! He’s from the area and has a great interest in good whisky and Saki as well as wine. So that’s an excellent start! Pop in to say hello and get some help to choose your favourite wines for Christmas. We have a specially selected case for you. Alternatively, browse with glass in hand either online or in the shop.

Emma’s Farewell Case.  Where do I begin?

Dylanwad, appropriately, has been a considerable ‘influence’ in my life and is partly responsible in shaping the person I am. After some 30 years I am moving on and have such fond memories and built genuine everlasting friendships with many. A huge ‘Diolch’ to all. These are just 6 wines I have selected to be part of ‘Emma’s Farewell Case’ which take you on a journey of some of the vineyards we visited – I hope you enjoy as much as I do.

Domaine Ogereau, Cabernet d’Anjou, Loire Valley, France

2015 was our first adventure abroad to meet the faces behind the bottles. We arrived in Saumur and there was a wonderful music festival. The streets were crammed with people all enjoying the buzz of entertainment. Visiting Emanuel was so good, witnessing first hand the passion he has for the vines and how the winery works. And of course, tasting its end produce… Chenin being another favourite of mine.

On the same trip we visited our lovely sparkling producer in the Loire. Going into the underground cellars at Louis Grenelle with the handsome French guide (no socks was the only ick!) was a highlight! He explained the traditional method of making the sparkling wine and how the French “are good with their ‘ands” due to the riddling!! Oh-la-la!

Dyl and Tez had to start a new guessing game with my ‘Wenglish’ on the way home on the plane as I described whoever sat behind me, constantly kicking me as a ‘Ceffyl Nos’. Don’t worry if you don’t understand, it took the 2 of them the whole flight home to figure out what I was trying to say. I’m sure they will fill you in in the shop.

Provolo, Gino, Italy

2016 Vinitaly is a wine trade fair and it was overwhelming. I have never seen so much wine in my life! (and handsome Italian stallions!) Bortolin is a top prosecco and Gino an all-time fave red of mine and we visited both producers in the fair. We stayed by Lake Garda which was stunning. Tez and I enjoyed our morning walk as Dyl needed a well-deserved break from our constant giggling. Whilst in Verona I, as usual, refused to have my picture taken. However, Dyl got targeted by some Roman Soldiers and ended up having to pay them for the privilege of having his picture taken. If only he knew he was a Prynhawn Da S4C star it should’ve been the other way around!!

Izadi, Rioja, Spain

2017 saw a trip to Rioja with Dyl, Tez & Sandie. Izadi was a bodega we visited and the triangle on the bottle represents the area where the grapes are planted. I remember going out to see the vines and being in awe of the old vines that were some 80 years old. We also had fun returning the hire car – it was honestly better than a Bond movie with super stunt woman Sandie to the rescue as she rolled under a closing roller door!!!!

Montgomery Sparkling White

2018 was my first visit to the vineyard with Caro to join the grape pickers. I loved it. Woody explained how to make sure the sugar levels are the correct scale for picking using the Brix refractometer. It’s really therapeutic work you know! As many are aware I now class myself as a pro picker returning to the harvest most years to pick and it’s my USP for the wine –‘ Em’s magic touch’ in the bottle.

K+K, Wilde Wilde White, Austria

2018 we had a trip to Austria. I can’t give too many secrets away about this visit but one thing for certain is that it was an entertaining expedition. There was an incident with a hire car again… but I’m sworn to secrecy. 

After being pulled over and paying a fine to enter Austria from Bratislava we made it to K+K Vineyard. The setting and wines were amazing. Terri’s face was more than a picture when they bought out the breadsticks with the traditional lard and bacon bits spread onto it. We all loved seeing the storks in Rust and enjoyed our cocktails in an Antique American Bar in Bratislava.

Pizzorono Tannat

2022 No trip to Uruguay however plenty of study time for WSET 3. I obviously expanded my wine knowledge and one of my favourite things I learnt (apart from the classification system in Saint Emilion, Traditional Champagne Method and the Solera System) was Carbonic Maceration. Carbonic Maceration is when whole uncrushed bunches are put into vats filled with CO2. What’s called intracellular fermentation begins and the grape skins split and juice is released. This method has been used with this wine and extracts colour but not much tannin giving the wine fruit forward characteristics with notes of kirsch, banana and bubble gum.

Thanks again for everything. I’m sure to see you all out and about, in fact you’ll probably see me more often in Dylanwad sampling anything new and keeping my knowledge topped up by the pros.

Cwtch Mawr,

Ems

Spanish Wine Month

Spanish Wine Month – Get your Friends around!

To celebrate our Spanish wine month we have created a special case of wine with a couple of snacks. To go with this, we are planning another mini virtual tasting series! We shall dedicate 3 Fridays to tasting wines from the case on Facebook Live. Order your case by clicking here and you will receive the wines along with snacks and a short agenda to remind you of the dates.

Spanish Wine Month – Sherry Week

To kick off our Spanish Wine Month we are starting with International Sherry Week from the 7th November. Sherry is a fortified wine which is grown and made in very particular conditions. In the Jerez region, you will find the white albariza soil. This soil bakes hard under the sun and forms a solid cover under the vines. The heat of the sun is reflected back up to the vine and prevents evaporation of water underground. Vines thrive in otherwise arid conditions because they have access to scarce water under the ground.

Spanish Wine Month – Making Sherry

Sherry is made using the solar system which is a series of barrels in which the wine is kept. It is aged under a layer of yeasts called ‘flor’ which prevents contact with the air and affects the biological ageing of the wine. We will explain this further on the 7th November in our live Facebook tasting of sherry! It’s a delicious apéritif but a nice fino goes well with seafood or maybe a Chinese soup.

Spanish Wine Month – Cava

Cava is a popular Spanish fizz and we don’t pay enough attention to it really. It’s made in the traditional method which is the same way that Champagne is made and you can get some really excellent value Cava. Well, now we can put that right because you will be able to drop into the shop during the week of 21st to 25th to taste some Cava. There will also be a bottle in the Virtual Tasting Case to open on the 25th November for our Facebook Live tasting.

So there’s lots going on in November under our Spanish theme, keep in touch and look out for the events. Hasta luego!

Panettone – Christmas Luxury!

Fratelli Sicilia Panettone

We get very excited at this time of the year in Dylanwad when all the beautifully presented Christmas stock arrives. We have a trusted importer for our luxury Fratelli Sicilia Panettone. They range from traditional or caramel to a luxury chocolate & pistachio at the top of their range.

Traditionally Made Panettone

In my opinion, the dry cardboard-like versions that are available aren’t a patch on these.  Fratelli Sicilia panettone are prepared with top quality ingredients. Eggs from free-range hens, Dutch butter, wheat flour and dried fruit. It isn’t made in the artificially speeded up way. They use the traditional method and it is naturally leavened for 36 hours, strictly using mother yeast, which guarantees softness and delicious aromas.

Hand-wrapped

They also look really beautiful, hand-wrapped by skilled workers who make the product an exclusive confectionery jewel that makes a beautiful gift or a treat for your family this year. A soft light dessert wine suits panettone perfectly or I might even choose the delicious sweet sparkling Cerrino Asti to go with it.

Panforte

I’m also a great fan of Panforte which are also hugely popular in the shop. This is a traditional Italian cake made of dried fruits, nuts and spices. It is dense, sweet and sticky! I love it with a glass of Madeira. Many enjoy it with cheese or it is a perfect sweet treat for a walk. Emma, Terri and Ceri have been busy re-arranging the shop so pop in for a browse or check out online by clicking below for the lovely Christmas treats. 

Coffee in Dylanwad

By Emma

UK Coffee Week

It was UK coffee week this week. Let me tell you about coffee we use and sell here in Dylanwad. We love coffee in Dylanwad and in our cafe we use Segafredo Extra Strong coffee beans. This is a blend of the finest coffee beans grown at high altitudes in South America which contains a high percentage of Arabica beans, with medium acidity and an earthy flavour. 

How to make good coffee in Dylanwad

To keep our coffee consistently tasting of the best quality it is essential to look after our machine. Like you service your car our coffee machine needs a regular service. A well-maintained machine will last longer but will also do justice to top quality beans. Dyl and Llin happily test the coffee is up to standard with their morning cappuccino!

Keeping the Coffee Machine Clean

We thoroughly clean our machine every day before closing. Did you know that coffee is actually oily? If the residual grounds aren’t properly cleaned from the machine every day you will eventually get the bitter flavour of old grounds and your machine will clog up.

Coffee in Dylanwad – our Cosy Upstairs Rooms

Have you been in recently for coffee? We had our Bossotti room redecorated not long ago and it’s a beautiful space to relax and enjoy a flat white – my favourite (if not drinking wine) or a coffee of your choice. Why not call in and give yourself some ‘Me-time’!

Poblado Coffee in Dylanwad

We sell Poblado coffee in the shop for you to take home. They roast their beans in Nantlle. ‘Pobl’ means ‘People’ in Welsh. Poblado means town, community, humanity in Spanish. Poblado coffee comes in different varieties: from Cartref (house blend) to Rwanda, Peru and more. They are all bagged in fully compostable packaging, and they build sustainable partnerships with their producers. Something we are proud to have on our shelves.

So next time you pass why not call in and have a coffee in Dylanwad or buy a bag to enjoy at home.

Emma

A Taste of the Rhone

Crozes-Hermitage

Domaine les Chenêts, Crozes Hermitage

Let’s have a bottle of wine! This is a frequent refrain and of course we are lucky enough to have a good selection from which we can choose. We usually play the blind tasting game and concluding it was a northern Rhone wine was fairly easy in this instance. We visited the Crozes-Hermitage appellation a few years ago during a blasting hot season. Monique of Domaine les Chenêts supplied us with some bottles to take but wouldn’t conduct a tasting, it was too hot!

Black Pepper and Dark Fruit

It’s a hefty 13.5% alcohol and has the characteristic black pepper and some lovely bramble fruit flavours. A few years in the bottle has softened the tannins beautifully and soft background spice warms the palate and a bit of smokiness.

What to Eat with it?

We had been mushrooming that day and the woodland was dotted with chanterelle, ceps and birch boletus – rest assured I only pick what I am totally confident is safe. Dylan fried these up with some onion and added white wine and cream with lemon and tarragon to flavour. Served with roast pork these pungent flavours are a challenge for a delicate wine. The Syrah stood its ground and I enjoyed the combination.

Try the Marsanne/Roussanne

Domaine les Chenêts also makes a lovely white which is a Marsanne/Roussanne combination. These two grapes are permitted in the reds in small quantities in Crozes-Hermitage but this domaine’s red is 100% Syrah. The nights are closing in and it’s time for heartier fodder in my book so this wine fits the bill. It’s rich and round and very satisfying. I think I’m going to try this with a creamy chicken dish. Iechyd da! Get to: Crozes-Hermitage Blanc – Crozes-Hermitage

New Vineyard – Our first proper trip!

Domaine de Miselle

July in Agen, the prune capital of France and I’m waiting for Dylan on the roadside. I feel pretty conspicuous with my rucksack, hoping the pinned position I have sent works. He flies past in the tiniest rental car and halts 100 meters up the road. ‘I didn’t expect you to be here’. All the way from Bergerac and he only accidentally finds me, so much for meticulous planning.

South to Gascony

Minutes later we were on the road to our newest wine discovery in Domaine de Miselle in Pays de Gascogne. A brief stop in Fourcès, I highly recommend a visit to this tiny circular village. We’re both feeling the buzz of freedom after the pandemic and this is our first vineyard visit in a few years.  Julien and his wife Audrey are producing lovely quality wines here and I’m struggling to find the words to convey his obsession with every single detail. What do we like to see? Well-tended vines with a well-organised and clean winery is a good starting point. We got it.

Looking After the Vines

Every vine was netted. Let’s play the guessing game – birds, animals maybe? No, Audrey informed us, it’s to prevent freak summer hailstone storms from destroying the crops. Julien confirms that the vines were devastated two consecutive years about a decade ago. He decided that would be the last time. It’s extreme, and you probably won’t see another like it in France but that’s one less thing to keep him awake at night, and he does suffer sleepless nights worrying.

A Solution for Everything!

Other pests include deer and wild boar. An interesting solution to keep the deer at bay is a mixture that includes pig fat, sprayed around the periphery. It works apparently, as does human hair if you can get the quantity from a friendly hairdresser.

Low Alcohol Wine in Demand

So how can they produce such low-alcohol wines in this heat. Pointing south he tells us the Pyrenees are about an hour as the crow flies, then west and the Atlantic is a similar distance that way. These have a cooling effect on the vines and enable them to produce a fresh, citrusy wine with excellent acidity at about 11.5% alcohol. As he talked, I felt that there was a little coolness cutting through the heat to my cheeks. Probably my imagination.

An Immaculate Winery

Walking around the immaculate winery, everything he says is all about precision. Staggering grape varieties in order to ensure an orderly picking and production. Some varieties ripen earlier or later than others and this means that all 30 hectares aren’t harvested the same time. Things I don’t think about.

Domaine de Miselle Armagnac

We bought a small quantity of his Armagnac, a real niche made from the Ugni Blanc grape. They produce only a few hundred bottles a year and use barrels made from the trees that fell on their land in the 1999 storm. I love touches like this.

HEV Certification

Their respect for the land and the environment is woven through their practices. To this end, they have been certified “High Environmental Value Level 3” since November 2020. This highlights their commitment to ensuring that elements of biodiversity such as: hedges, grass strips, trees, flowers, insects etc are very widely present on the vineyard and that the impact of their agricultural practices on the environment is reduced to a minimum.

We’re Back on the Road Again and a Great First Visit

There’s so much that I could ramble on about: the age of the building, a lovely old dovecote in the roof space (an 18^th century version of the Royal Mail) or the horse trotting side of the family. Maybe better if you come and try some of these delicious wines from the Petit Manseng (an off dry with about 65g of sugar per litre that partners nicely with watermelon Audrey tells me) to the crisp, zippy Colombard. Maybe even venture to buy one of the rare and delicious bottles of Armagnac. Have a look at this lovely couple’s collection online Miselle Mixed Case , French Wine Selection – Dylanwad or pop in to see us for a taster and let us know your opinion.

Llinos

Celebrating Prosecco

Vinitaly was something I had never experienced before. It is colossal!!!

A scary car trip (nothing to do wth Dyl’s driving…this time) from beautiful Lake Garda into Verona. A crammed bus full of other wine enthusiasts eagerly entering this 4 day show of around 2000 producers spread over dozens of pavilions. Thank goodness for Dyl and his map. “Right then genod. Unit 21”.

Bortolin Angelo

Bortolin Prosecco, I had seen the bottles before – we have them in the shop, but never the face behind them. The bottles are unique and have won the prestigious gold label. I believe it’s quite genius, not only do they care about the quality of wine but also how aesthetically pleasing it is with a story behind it.

Did you know the twist of the bottle shape is how the Glera grape vine shoot grows and the colours used are inspired by the land of Valdobbiadenne?

“Ciao amico mio” – a gentleman with the biggest smile greeted us as if we were long lost friends, we had the warmest welcome. Ricardo really appreciated we had travelled to visit him and it assured me of the good working relationship he has with Dylan.

Valdobbiadenne DOCG

Situated in Guia, Valdobbiadenne is one of the highest quality areas on the steep limestone hills north-west of Venice. So, if you see it on the label of your prosecco you know it’s one of the best. This family business pick the grapes by hand and prosecco is made using the tank method. The grapes will be put into steel tanks where the first fermentation takes place, here is the base still wine. This is put into another tank that can withstand high pressure – and the second fermentation begins and the CO2 dissolves and creates bubbles. It is filtered to remove yeast lees and bottled under pressure. This keeps the primary fruit flavours.

It is made in dry, extra dry & brut styles – this is a labelling term to indicate the sugar levels.

Prosecco is such an enjoyable drink, suitable for many occasions please pop in the shop, either in person or online and see what selection we have. Bortolin is definitely a favourite of mine and I am hoping to visit the vineyard one day.

Emma

A Brand-New Welsh Wine

Vale Vineyard

I am in awe of anyone who decides they’re going into the wine production game. It’s a long hard slog in any country with a huge financial outlay and years to wait for any returns on your money. In Wales, I would say that it’s an even greater risk considering our climate. However, an increasing number of oeno-entrepreneurs are not put off their vision and what’s more, they are producing really good wine.

Rhys and Gwen of Gwinllan Y Dyffryn (Vale Vineyard) planted in 2019 and have produced their debut vintage this year. Situated in Denbighshire, it is one of Wales’s latest vineyards. They planted over 7,500 vines including Solaris, Seyval Blanc, Rondo and, interestingly, Divico. Now this is one point of attraction that I find generally with Welsh wines: you have some interesting new grapes to sample, and I had never heard of Divico. It is hoped that this can provide some more structure and body to the red wines.

Another appeal of Welsh wines is that they are lower in alcohol being produced in a cooler climate – 11-12% is about where they sit.  It’s becoming a bit of a challenge to find wines under 13% and many of our customers are asking for lighter alcohol so another win for our home-grown produce.

We have the Solaris and the rosé in the shop, and everyone thinks it’s great. If you like a crisp dry white with hints of tropical fruit and floral aromas you’ll love it. The ideal wine for a summer celebration.

World Albariño Day 01/08/22

Fancy a nice crisp dry white with your barbequed fish? Well, I would plump for a good Albariño (Alvarinho in Portugal and used in the famous Vinho Verde) any day. This grape is becoming increasingly popular and if you enjoy a Sauvignon, you will be quite likely to enjoy this zippy grape variety from Galicia in Spain.

An interesting (and maybe alarming) fact about Albarino is that it is one of the six new grape varieties chosen to help Bordeaux wine producers adapt to climate change. France’s national appellation body, INAO have approved this and the first plantings should be happening any time now.

You know there’s a real and imminent problem when the largest wine growing area in France and possibly the most famous in the world makes such changes – the French don’t mess with their vines for fun. They are looking to preserve the integrity of Bordeaux white wines along with resistance to specific vine diseases.

Albariño is capable of producing bone-dry white wines with good acidity. It isn’t very susceptible to grey rot, which is important for Bordeaux’s maritime climate.  It has strong aromatic qualities which ‘make it possible to compensate [for] the loss of aromas that global warming usually causes’, said the Bordeaux Supérieur union.

If you haven’t tried one before, make this the day to expand your grape horizons! We have it in cans and bottles!