A Vintage Partnership!

Montgomery Vineyard – Welsh Wines from the highest UK vineyard!

Meeting Woody and his family for the first time is both literally and figuratively a big warm hug! ‘Come ‘ere’ is the non-negotiable command to embrace every time we meet and a hallmark of the warmth and friendliness of this lovely bunch of people at Montgomery Vineyard.

Having bought the land in the 70s his parents used it as a retreat from busy lives until Woody had the vision of producing signature wines of Wales.

As a qualified engineering geologist, he was well placed to assess the land for such a project and they planted the vineyards in 2012, with the first vintage in 2016. They were driven by the desire to produce top quality wines from the start and this is reflected in the stylish labels as well as the excellent quality in the bottle.

Carefully tended to by his father Lenny, they have planted some interesting varieties which do particularly well on this land and in our climate. Rondo, Solaris, Seyval Blanc as well as the more famous Pinot Noir clutch to this sunny south facing slope.

It is especially exciting when they go slightly off piste and have a little experimentation like the ‘Pink’ – a red grape fizz. Mischievous and off dry – I love it either as an aperitif or with barbecues and picnics. I also think this reflects the sense of fun and adventure in this intensively serious wine producer.

The new vintage is now in and it’s as good as ever – you know this when people keep coming back for more. One couple from the U.S. messaged to secure a bottle for their first post Covid visit!

Meanwhile, we can look forward to years of hugs and great wines. Iechyd da Woody & family!

What’s in a wine label?

Llongyfarchiadau i fyfyrwyr Coleg Meirion Dwyfor!

Well, quite a lot actually listening to customers. Time and time again I hear people saying they go for an appealing label and to be honest, faced with a wall of unknown makers in a supermarket there can sometimes be little else to go on as to the quality of some wines. Maybe if they’ve taken care and thought with the label they will have done the same with the content? We can but hope!

We love working with young people so this ties in nicely with an annual competition with the Extended Diploma in Art & Design students from the local college, which is part of the Llandrillo Menai Group. We select a few wines (always one Welsh) and they taste and have a talk about them before being set the challenge of designing a new label. 

What they come up with is always interesting and meaningful. Dylan is the judge so his word is law! However, we all enjoy having a look and thinking about what which one we would choose and the rationale behind the designs. I really loved the White Castle Vineyard label with the castle outline drawn into the wine juice splash. Em and Terri like the representation of the citrus in the Wilde Wilde White Sauvignon Blanc from Austria by Kirnbauer. The winner however was the very pretty label by Glesni Owen who won a bottle for her efforts! 

It’s a tricky one to decide and every year they are interesting and get the idea to convey what is in the bottle. Well done to the talented team.

Llinos

Honda Goldwing in Paris!

An unusual invitation dropped into my inbox a while ago: ‘The British Ambassador Dame Menna Rawlings will have the pleasure to welcome Ms Llinos Rowlands to celebrate the Fifth Anniversary of Les Voisins and the launch of our new GREAT campaign.’

It didn’t take long to book that Eurostar ticket after a 3 year moratorium on foreign travel. I think the excitement went to my head a bit and that’s my explanation for taking a Honda Goldwing taxi through Paris on my arrival. It shocked staff and family – Terri nearly choked on her rice crispies when she received my video but that just added to the fun.

So I had a splendid visit to the Louvre with my dear friend Elin and lounged casually sipping wine in numerous bars before going to the spectacular residence of the British Ambassador – as you do.

The idea behind Les Voisins is to strengthen the relationship between the two countries and build on links. I like that idea. I had written a short piece for them a few years ago about Saint Cels, our lovely producer in St Chinian.

A friendly Frenchman I chatted to was bemused by the event and with a cheeky smile said ‘Is zis to make Britain great again?’ I like a bit of banter and told him that the sparkling he was enjoying was English (I had clocked the cases of Nyetimber behind the curtains). I saw him a few minutes later quizzing the waiter and being shown a bottle. Mon dieu! He needed another drink after that!

It was a fun affair with food, music, lightshows and… oh no. Singing. The Voisins from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales were invited to sing in competition. So I had the dubious honour of singing ’Sex Bomb’ of all songs to choose alongside the Ambassador and the handfuI of Welsh people. I don’t like singing in public but thankfully there was a raucous atmosphere by then and no-one heard hopefully!

So an interesting visit and it was just so good to travel to the continent again. I’m proud of our trading relationships with lots of small wine makers around Europe. During such a sad time on our doorstep I am more than willing to take part in our very small way to cement strong and lasting friendships. Cheers to every Voisin around the world!

Honda Goldwing ym Mharis
Daeth gwahoddiad anarferol iawn trwy e-bost tua mis yn ôl. The British Ambassador Dame Menna Rawlings will have the pleasure to welcome Ms Llinos Rowlands to celebrate the Fifth Anniversary of Les Voisins and the launch of our new GREAT campaign.

Wel, don’t mind if I dw! Dyma archebu fy nhocyn Eurostar yn syth! Sioc gyntaf i staff a theulu oedd fy newis o dacsi trwy Baris pan gyrhaeddais – ie, tacsi beic modur! Roedd Sebastien a’i Honda Goldwing yn ffordd gyffroes a chyflym i deithio mewn Dinas. Bron i Terri dagu ar ei swper pan welodd fy fideo.

Pwrpas yr oll beth o ‘voisines’ (cymdogion’ ydi cryfhau’r berthynas rhwng y DU a Ffrainc. Ysgrifennais erthygl iddynt tua 3 mlynedd yn ôl (trwy’r dalentog Elin Roberts) am y berthynas rhwng Gwin Dylanwad ac un o’r gwinllannoedd o Ffrainc rydym yn mewnforio ganddynt. Felly, dwi’n voisine!

Roedd yn barti llawn hwyl, bwyd a dawnsio yn yr adeilad hanesyddol a hardd yng nghanol y ddinas. Ac roedd voisines o’r Alban, Gogledd Iwerddon a Lloegr yn ogystal â Chymru. Yn anffodus roedd gofyn i bob cenedl DU ganu i gynrychioli eu gwlad. O Gymru mae’r Llys Genhades Menna Rawlings yn wreiddiol. Ond doedd dim ond hanner dwsin o Gymru. Y dewis o gan i ni? ‘Sex Bomb’ a goeliwch! Felly cefais y ‘fraint’ o ganu ‘Sex Bomb’ gyda nhw. Diolch i’r nefoedd roedd cynulleidfa swnllyd erbyn hyn a dwi’n wir obeithio bo dim fideo!!

WSET Level 3 – We’re on it!

The train journey down to London on Sunday night was less than inspiring. Floods on the roads to Welshpool, freezing cold in Wolverhampton. It was nice to arrive to a crisp moonlit night in the city and after a quick meal out, a walk down to the Thames we packed ourselves to bed for an early night before a tutored tasting day in Bermondsey.

Everyone laughs when we say it’s work, but seriously, it’s hard going! Emma, Terri and I have enrolled on the Wset Level 3 Wine course and the exams are in April. This day is to prepare for the blind tasting part of the final assessment. Not a drop is drunk. Well, a little may have slipped down in my weaker moments but on the whole, it was a solid 7 hours of learn, taste, analyse, repeat.

Essentially, we were learning how to analyse wine and make a judgement about its quality and main features. Is it balanced? Is it simple or complex? You are required to judge the sweetness, tannin, flavours etc and there are so many factors to consider. It’s a big step up from Level 2 which we sat a few years ago.

We like to keep developing professionally and it’s a brilliant challenge. It fires you up about the subject even more and keeps the work interesting for everyone. The result, we hope, is a confident team who are able to guide and advise confidently to the wine that suits you and to encourage customers to experiment if they want to. Part of the fun of the shop is to help people discover new styles or grapes.

The wine world is a complex and often tough one for the winemakers with their battle against weather and disease and the myriad of decisions they have to make from the planting of the vine to the bottling: every step affecting the style, quality and price. A course like this educates us but also breeds enormous respect for what they do. Call in and we’ll tell you about it!

Roedd taith lawr i Lundain ar Nos Sul ddim yn ddelfrydol yn ystod y Mis Bach. Ar ôl glaw ar y ffordd i Trallwng a rhewi o oer yn Wolverhampton braf oedd cyrraedd i noson glir a braf yn y ddinas. Dro bach ar ôl cinio i weld Tower Bridge a Thŵr Llundain wedi’u goleuo’n brydferth a gwely cynnar i baratoi am gwrs blasu gwin yn Bermondsey.

Peidiwch â chwerthin pan dwi’n dweud fod hyn yn waith caled! Mae Emma, Terri a fi ar gwrs Lefel 3 Gwin ac angen paratoi at arholiadau ym Mis Ebrill. Er mwyn paratoi at y darn blasu o’r arholiad, mae’r diwrnod yma. Dim tropyn yn cael ei yfed. Wel, efallai lithrodd rhyw ychydig lawr fy ngwddf ambell dro. Ond dim llawer, oherwydd o 9yb tan 5yh roedd angen canolbwyntio’n llwyr. Dysgu, trafod, blasu, dadansoddi. Drosodd a drosodd.

Dysgu sut i feirniadu safon gwin ydi’r amcan. Ydi hwn yn win wedi’u gynhyrchu’n dda? Oes balans rhwng ffrwyth ac asid? Ydi o’n syml neu gymhleth? Mae gymaint o ffactorau i’w hystyried ond wanwyl oedden ni’n tair wedi dysgu gymaint! Mae hwn yn gam mawr o’r Lefel 2 rhai blynyddoedd yn ôl

Dechrau Ebrill byddwn yn ôl lawr yn yr adeilad Wset (Wine & Spirits Education Trust) i sefyll un arholiad blasu ac un ysgrifenedig ar ôl 3 mis o astudio ar lein. Mae’r buddsoddiad yma’n fawr i ni gyd. 10 awr yr wythnos ychwanegol o astudio. Mae Emma a minnau’n cwrdd am 8.30 y bore i geisio dal y blaen!

Hoffwn feddwl am waith yn Dylanwad fel proffesiwn. Felly mae datblygiad proffesiynol yn hanfodol. I gadw aelodau staff gwerthfawr rhaid buddsoddi a chadw’r gwaith yn ddiddorol – a heriol! Y canlyniad gobeithio yw tîm sy’n hyderus i arwain cwsmeriaid i brynu beth maent yn hoffi ac i fentro i arbrofi gyda gwin.

Mae’n fyd cymhleth a chaled i’r cynhyrchwyr. Un peth oedden ni’n tair yn gytûn arno, y mwyaf ni’n dysgu’r mwyaf mae’n barch yn tyfu at y gwinwyr a’r myrdd o ddewisiadau rhaid gwneud yn pob cam o’r winllan i’r botel. A’r dewisiadau yma sy’n dylanwadu ar y steil, safon a’r pris.

Galwch heibio i holi cwestiwn a rhoi sialens i Terri ac Emma!

Detholiad Ionawr Emma – Emma’s January Selection

Emma’s Light Alcohol January Selection

During January most of us are trying to cut down on alcohol. I have chosen this selection of lower alcohol wines but never lower quality. I hope you enjoy the variety as much as I do.

Our Vineyard Visits

Ogereau was one of the first vineyards Terri and I visited with Dyl. See the photos below – how young do we look there?!  Emmanuel & family are lovely and so are the wines. This rosé is demi-sec so has a touch of sweetness but is perfectly balanced with good acidity. Don’t reach for the chocs – make this your Saturday sip instead.

What’s in a Name?

You’ll notice the name of the Llabustes red and may wonder about the significance. Ull de Llebre means ‘hare’s eye’ because they are small and dark just like the tempranillo grape used to make this wine. A beautiful red from Catalunya.

Emma’s Selection of Welsh Wines

I am particularly fond of all Montgomery wines. If you haven’t heard already, I have helped several times to pick the grapes! This is a delicious fruity red with good acidity and low tannins.

Back to the Loire

Douce Folie is from another small family vineyard in the Loire.  We visited this one too –  it’s situated closer to the coast. This is a delicious sweet wine that I love.

Emma

What are you drinking NYE?

Our Christmas

We had a pretty good Christmas after a hectic run up to the big day thanks to you, our lovely customers. Dylan nearly set the dining room on fire with a blazing Christmas pudding. My son’s branding of it a ‘skin graft dessert’ best creates the image of Dyl’s entrance, with a pan and pudding inferno that stunned our normally chatty 3-year-old granddaughter. No-one was hurt in the process but I admit to feeling rising panic at the time. Sandie, who was filming the event, reeled backwards when the second slosh of burning brandy shot up towards the ceiling in her camera lens. Never again will I tell him that last year’s flaming was ‘a bit lame’.

I hope you like our sparkling window? It was created by the talented Gwernan John who runs a small business locally called Cwtsh Clyd. It cheers me up every time I look at it.

Try a New Party Game!

We shall be at home NYE for the second time. However, we are planning a bit of an early doors sparkling tasting with the family before retiring to a cosy dinner. It’s a chance to have a bit of fun if there is a group of you. Buy 3 or 4 bottles depending on the numbers and open them all to have a comparative tasting – blind is even more fun! That means covering the bottles not everyone’s eyes – that could be messy.

I would suggest a popular and reliable brand for one of your bottles. I love our Palmer Champagne or a Piper-Heidsieck. Then throw in a curve ball with a Welsh or English sparkler – I think your guests may be surprised. Welsh vineyards, Montgomery, White Castle or Ancre Hill produce good sparkling wine that will provide interesting comparisons.

What About a Cremant?

I would then go for a really good quality Cremant. We have some delicious examples: Louis de Grenelle from the Loire or Jean Claude Raspail who has organic fizz from Die. If you’re ever heading south for the sun in France, take a quick left when you reach the Rhone. As you head for the Alps you’ll find this intriguing little area. Another surprisingly southerly region for quality fizz is Limoux, supposedly where the first sparkling wine was created (even before Champagne). This is home to our very popular and reasonably priced Salasar. These are all very good value and made using the traditional method. Finally, grab the cheapest Champagne deal you can find at a supermarket. See what conclusions you arrive at and let me know!

What Will I Be Drinking?

So, the fun of the tasting is over and dinner has been enjoyed with a good bottle of wine. I am inclined to agree with David Williams from the Observer that something a little richer is in order. And to be honest, there is probably no chance on earth that we will last until midnight.

So, a glass of something fortified with some cheese will be our final drink of 2021. Port would be the obvious choice, Dylan tends to go for a Tawny with its dried fruits and nuttiness but over the years, he has fallen for the wines of the Portuguese island of Madeira. For complexity and length, they’re hard to beat – wines that can almost last forever or at least a lifetime. I’m pretty sure he’ll be reaching for a bottle of one of the fine wines from Barbeito. Whatever it is, as we ponder on what this next year will bring, may it be a happy and healthy 2022 for all of you. Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!

Llinos, Dylan & Team