The Winchester wine gurus share 3 wine recommendations for 2015 and a few top tips.
Susie and Peter’s top tips
• Know your own taste. Don’t try and learn it all – understanding what you like is what pays dividends.
• Enjoy that first sip – don’t get distracted, give yourself time to really savour it.
• Treat yourself to something a little more expensive once in a while – spend just £2 more and have a lovely meal with it.
• Think about where you buy your wine. Don’t just pop to the supermarket for a bottle, try your local wine shop too. You might find that they offer something different that’s in your budget that the supermarkets aren’t selling.
• Don’t just go for the wine that’s on offer – you’d be better off buying when all the wine is 25% off or a deal on buying 6 or more bottles.
• Make sure you’re serving your wine at the right temperature. Take a white out of the fridge half an hour before you drink it. With reds, don’t drink them too warm – the perfect temperature for red wines is usually slightly cooler than room temperature, between 16 and 18 degrees. You could always stick a bottle of red in the fridge for ten minutes. It’s about chilling the red a bit and warming up the white from fridge cold.
Susie and Peter’s 2015 recommendations
• Something white for the fridge: Borovitza Bella Rada 2011, Danube Valley (£13.50, Berry Bros. & Rudd) - this winning Bulgarian white walks on the wild side; waxy, rich and beguiling.
• A racy red: Château Barrejat Madiran Vieux Ceps 2011 (£12.75, Stone, Vine & Sun) - knocks the socks off claret at the price; smoky, savoury and intense, it’s perfect with lamb.
• Sweet little number: Rustenberg Straw Wine 2011 (£12.99 or £8.66 each when you buy 2, Majestic Wine) - lush but balanced, a beautiful sweet wine.
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