VinoVis, Kosti (2025)

18/03/2025

Diving deep into Verdelho Madeira for my WSET Diploma studies, and I'm falling in love with this overlooked gem! 🍷

This golden elixir starts medium-sweet when young, evolving to drier and fuller with age. Expect a symphony of caramel, caramelized orange, crème brûlée, and dried fruits, with a long, citrusy finish that keeps you coming back for more.

Did you know Verdelho vines are often grown in a unique pergola style? It protects the grapes from Madeira's strong winds and temperature swings. Plus, this wine's ability to withstand long sea voyages played a crucial role in its history!

Price-wise, you can find young Verdelhos for under £50, while rare aged bottles can soar above £100. Perfect for pairing with oceanic flavours or as a versatile aperitif.

Have you tried Verdelho Madeira? What's your favorite food pairing? 🍽️

08/03/2025

Happy international women's Day! I have been thinking about the wines I have had in the last year that have some excellent women working on them and driving them forward.

There are thankfully many to choose from these days, but the fact that we still have to acknowledge it as a good thing implies that there is more to do in making this entirely normalized.

One wine sticks out in my mind, however. I got to try the new wines a little while back at the Rhône en primeur tasting, and I was blown away by them. They are powerful, juicy, fun and not over done or over complicated. In short they were wonderful.

But I was particularly struck by the story of the wine as well. A Vineyard that had mainly only been a grower in the past, selling their grapes to the local cooperative winery. But since being taken over by the young, enterprising Elodie, the grapes have stayed in their own hands, and she now makes some of the most fun wine I have tasted coming out of the region.

The winery is now gaining an awful lot of recognition and respect and it is in huge part thanks to this drive to succeed. It's an impressive story, that comes from an impressive terroir, and results in an impressive wine!
If you are looking to support women in wine, this producer is not a bad place to start!

Have fun with it

04/03/2025

Cloudy Bay - Pelorus NV

So with my mock exam tomorrow for my D4 Sparkling wine unit, it's only fair I continue my journey around the variety of sparkling wines made on this fair planet. With our next stop, New Zealand!

is already a famous and well respected brand making incredible versions of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. But did you know they make sparkling wines too?

This NV traditional method wine is made with a combination of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that is picked by hand and whole bunch pressed to retain the freshness of the free run juice.
The wine is then aged for 24 months on lees (the yeast cells that have settled in the wine during second fermentation). For those less in the know, this process of ageing a wine with the dead yeast is what will give wine it's bready, biscuit like aromas and flavours, of which Champagne, as an example, is very famous for.

The wine itself has a slightly fruitier and more stone fruit flavour than its European counterpart. Though subtly so. The profile was still one dominated by lovely green apple notes, some lemon curd acidity, peaches, pastry and bread, and almonds as well that hint at that small bit of ageing.

Personally I am really hoping something like this doesn't come up in an exam. The flavour of the wine is similar enough to other traditional method sparkling that it would be hard to place it. I would be curious to see if other people have ever noticed if there is something distinctive about New Zealand sparkling that sets it apart from say, a Champagne.

Though as is also drummed into us early on. These tasting exams are not about identifying the wines they are about writing accurate tasting notes. So wish me luck for tomorrow! 🤞
And of course, enjoy your pancakes! 🥞 (Sugar and Lemon is my choice - ((and the only choice)) obviously).

01/03/2025

Zero Alcohol wine tasting.

Sometimes when I see something like this I have to give it a go to satisfy my curiosity and try something new. I haven't had many zero Alcohol wines before and often they have been underwhelming. This was by far the best of the bunch, and represents something I would genuinely be quite happy drinking.

Is it wine?
Yes, it is. The wine is made just like normal and then to de-alcoholise it they pass it through something called spinning cone technology. The wine is spun (as the name suggests) at very high speeds which causes the wine to split, allowing the alcohol to be vaporized at lower temperatures. This helps preserve the fruit forward profile of the wine.

The taste?
So obviously quite a big component of the wine is missing. The alcohol naturally contributes a touch of sweetness and extra viscosity to the wine which gives it that luscious mouth feel. I get the feeling as well that this process removes much of the tannins from the wine. So what is left is quite light and almost juice-like.
However, over several sips I did pick up a lot of nuanced flavours in the background, a few of which I was expecting. Some vanilla and spice from oak, lots of plum, lots of damsons, and a hint even of pepper spice.

Verdict?
Honestly, pretty good. It doesn't do the same thing as wine, but as things go, if I didn't want to get drunk, this would be an alternative I would consider.

27/02/2025

Imposter syndrome in the wine industry!

It exists in any industry for sure. Especially if you are like me and have made quite a big career transition to be there. But despite it being felt, here is a nice little post to remind you that there is more at play than just your own expectations.

Swipe to find out more ⏩

25/02/2025

Bodegas Chandon Brut sparkling.

This is a fun one, how often have you tried a sparkling wine from Argentina. Whilst studying for my DipWset I was made aware of these wines and immediately had to go out and find one. Unsurprisingly, here in the UK, they are not as easy to find. But luckily my local had some.

This wine from is a delightful blend of Chardonnay (60%) and Pinot Noir (40%), that captures a real vibrancy from its terroir.

The Bodega and its vineyards are based in the Uco Valley in Mendoza, famous usually for its Malbec. 1000+ meters above sea level, the high altitude that helps keep Malbec refreshing and with great acidity, does exactly the same for these sparkling wine grapes that are generally picked a bit earlier to maintain that zippy refreshing style.

The wine is a traditional method style, with a second fermentation taking place in the bottle where it ages for a further 3 months before release.

As such the flavours represent some of those lovely autolysis notes we all know and love. In particular fresh pastry. Accompanying that note is a spectrum of stone and tropical fruit flavours such as pineapple and white peach. Held together by a racy citrus character.

Despite not being as aware of these sparkling wines, this particular winery has existed since 1959!

So if you are looking for something a bit different and that is a bit more affordable than say Champagne or an English Sparkling. This is an excellent way to go!

Love ❤️

22/02/2025

Can you taste the difference between a DOC prosecco, and a DOCG prosecco?

First let's clarify what this even means. So in Italy, they have this system of wine law that will label certain areas of the country as either a DOC or a DOCG region. This means Denominazione di Origine Controllata or Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita. Essentially it is a way to try and define which areas of Italy grow the best grapes, with DOCG being the uppermost qualification.

In Prosecco the region has both. The least hilly areas and plains are DOC and the more hilly areas in some of the villages are DOCG.

Typically hillside sites tend to produce better grapes because of the extra exposure they get to sunlight, and the way the aspect of the hill helps to concentrate that sunlight. They also tend to have better drainage, and less risk of frost or mildew.
The downside to this of course is that you might have to handpick your grapes, because no tractor is getting up there! (This definitely contributes to the price of the wine).

But importantly, how does this affect the flavours? Well not all wines are made equally, but to generalize, DOCG grapes will make for a more nuanced wine. Better grapes, slower ripening, less disease, and harvested more carefully.
The general bouquet of a prosecco - apple, pear, white peach - can grow in the DOCG versions to have more floral flavours as well. More ripe stone fruit flavour such as nectarines and apricots. More pronounced and zesty acidity to keep it extra refreshing.

In the example of these two wines from Il Follo, the difference in this respect is noticeable. They are both very dry, with great acidity and freshness. But the DOCG also has layers and layers of elderflower, chalk, lemon, apricot, and a nice stoney finish.
Don't get me wrong, both are delicious. But it is an excellent way to really understand what a difference all these little incremental changes in a vineyard and in the winery can make to the flavours. And to do it at a relatively affordable price. (Generally between £10-20).

So if you are curious to see whether an extra pound or two can give you a more tasty experience. Give prosecco a go and see.

❤️

20/02/2025

The sparkling journey continues, this time with a lesser known red sparkling wine from Emilio Romagna in Italia!

Lambrusco has an interesting history, it is deeply interwoven with the culinary traditions of the area. As someone who has been to Regio Emilia a few times, near Modena, i can attest to the fact that lambrusco Is top and center of every local wine list. As crucial to the region's identity as its famous Balsamic Vinegar and delicious cuisine.

Unfortunately in the UK its reputation was not so appreciated for a long while. In the 80s it quickly became associated with mass produced semi sweet sparkling red and as such fell out of favour. But that is changing, and producers such as the one who made this, (Cleto Chiarli), are leading the way with more nuanced, savoury, and dry to off dry wines that have much more maturity.

Flavours typically can include anything from light red fruits to dark black cherries, often with a hint of Violet petals, and Balsamic. This is often affected by which Lambrusco grape is used. There are many of them with varied characters. This one, (Grasparossa) is a darker richer varietal with more tannin and depth. Perhaps more intense and a great pairing with richer dishes and sultry evenings!

After having tried a few lambrusco wines recently I think it's time we absolutely gave it another chance. Its combination of refreshing sparkle and intriguing flavours is a total winner. Just imagine yourself on the sunny balcony of a fine restaurant in the hills near the appenines. Vineyards beneath you on rolling hills. Fresh unsalted bread dipped in thick gooey thirty year old balsamic.

Delicious!

18/02/2025

The Cava trend continues!

Is it obvious yet that I'm studying sparkling wine?

Anyways, on to this wine. I came across this in my shop the other day and felt it might be useful to taste some of the Cava grapes as single varietal still wines, to really hone in on what is what.

This is a 100% Xarel-Lo (which I am never sure if I pronounce it correctly). Taste wise it is absolutely delicious! Made in Catalunya, just south of Barcelona. It has lovely lemon, peach and blossom flavours that remind me of chamomile and citrus peel. This grape clearly has great acidity that is subtly softened by some good ageing in concrete eggs and sometimes old oak.

The name autòcton hints at the projects motivation which is to showcase indigenous and small vineyard grapes in the local area of Mas Vilella.

Overall, I really love this wine, it combines a pleasant softness that belies it's powerful structure. It feels both intense and gentle at the same time. A credit to the winemaker Albert Jané.

Next time I go back to a Cava I will be looking out for some of the flavour notes I found in this to see if they ring true with the inclusion of bubbles and secondary bottle fermentation. I suspect they might as it did feel very familiar.

In the meantime.

Have a lovely evening

16/02/2025

This is the Codorníu Non Plus Ultra Reserva 2020! This wine is a taste of Spanish history. During my sparkling studies I came across this name as an example of an extremely famous cava Bodega. Sadly, until now I hadn't heard of it. That has fortunately changed.

Codorníu, the family behind this magic, has been making wine since the 16th century leaving quite the legacy. But the real game-changer? They created the FIRST Cava in Spain back in 1872! The Non Plus Ultra is the oldest Cava Brut in the entire country, dating back to 1897! So, yeah, it's kind of a big deal.

This 2020 vintage is a blend of Macabeu, Xarel·lo, and Parellada grapes, aged for 36 months. Think crisp green apple, zesty citrus, and a hint of those delicious pastry notes. It's basically sunshine meets a delicious apple pastry, all stuffed into a glass

Intrigued? I definitely think you should be, people often forget about Cava and it's incredible history, especially in the light of the fanaticism that exists around Champagne! This is a drink that tells stories. A story of family, tradition, and some seriously delicious bubbles. Go grab a bottle and taste history for yourself! You won't regret it.

04/12/2024

What wine should I use to make Mulled wine?

There are a number of different answers to this if you want to get specific, some people for example suggest Riojas for that Feliz Navidad Spirit. Others prefer a hearty Australian Shiraz for a glimpse of that winter sun.

They are not bad picks, but if you want some more general guidelines and a bit more creative freedom, pay attention.

- choose a wine that is medium to full bodied. You ideally want some good rich flavours, and structure to be able to stand up to the flavours you will be adding. A lighter wine such as a Pinot noir would be completely overwhelmed by the spices, fruits and fortifying spirits used and would just lose all of its wine character. Tldr; no light wines.

- choose a wine with a bit of alcohol in it, maybe 14% or even more. When you make mulled wine the alcohol will naturally burn off a bit in the cooking process lowering the overall abv. So to make sure you still get a wine that is balanced, choose a higher abv to start.

- find flavours that naturally compliment the spices and fruits. Zinfandel/Primitivo for example has a lovely dried fruit flavour that is quite reminiscent of Christmas. Syrah often has a hint of pepper which compliments the spices.

With these simple tips to hand, you should be able to find a good wine to mull and enjoy to warm the cockles of your heart and get this festive season well on its way!

VinoVis

18/03/2025

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