Carling Drinkers, Look Away Now

Dry January anyone? Knowing my limits, I’ll pass.  Also, like any other fad, my particular individualist nature prevents me from joining in. Furthermore, people doing ‘dry January’ tend to remind me of joggers in the rain. The same look of bitterness and resentment. Nevertheless, I admire anyone with the willpower to do it. Hats off. “Chapeau” as they say in France. I need to build myself up slowly to such an undertaking. As for jogging, well perhaps in another life.

            So, despite my inability to make my body a temple, I’m trying to stick to beer at the moment and there’s such a plethora now that beer has become trendy, that it’s rather fun discovering. I can’t pretend to take it all too seriously, beer will never have the same interest or fascination as say wine does for me. I love beer but the technicalities, well I’ll leave that to the hipsters and beer producers.

            Craft beers are all the rage of course. IPA’s, American Pale Ales, White ones, Dark ones etc. but I’ve noticed some more Pilsners are appearing again too on the high street, perhaps in a need to remind us how good, good Pilsner is. I’ve written about Furstenberg in the past, the Bavarian Black Forest Pilsner. Another is Paulaner, also Bavarian, from Munich. Münchner Hell, they call it. I have no idea what that means, but the unfortunate misnomer shouldn’t put you off. This beer is a close to heaven as you can get. Clearly the principle of good ingredients, passion, knowledge and skill make all the difference. You can taste the “craft”.  Pure, clean and flavoursome to a degree, couldn’t tell you what flavours, I don’t really care, my guess would be citrusy but utterly divine and good value from Majestic too. Drink this and you may never be able to drink a can or bottle of mass produced lager again.

Pilsner is about refreshment, palate cleansing, thirst quenching and/or as an aperitif. The ales are more complex, more intense, more hoppy and more flavoursome. Therefore, more suited to food, if you’re bothered or trying to avoid wine. I still drink them on their own but they’ll complement curries; Indian, Thai, Malaysian etc., Mexican, Tapas, Burgers, lots of various things. But this isn’t a food blog. Good beer doesn’t really need an accompaniment I don’t think.

Two others I discovered are Tribute Cornish Pale Ale and St. Peters Golden Ale from Suffolk. Both superb and both easy to find. Cornwall produces a few decent beers these days. Tribute like many is family owned with the history, the tradition and of course the excellent and local natural ingredients. Get all those in place and you’ve got a superb beer. Plenty of flavour but not too intense or hoppy as some pale ales can be. Highly recommended. Not too alcoholic either only 4.2 % so a more modern style. The high alcohol element of pale ales was traditionally a necessity to keep them fresh on the long sea journey but that’s no longer an issue.

St. Peter’s is more old school in style and in terms of the bottle, a delightful old fashioned type of design and without the hoppyness of the pale ales. A rich amber colour, relatively strong flavour but fresh too on the palate. For me, all beer, needs to have the element of refreshment, otherwise what’s the point, even in Britain in winter. The delicate freshness counterbalances the richness of the flavour. The water is drawn from deep wells in deepest Suffolk and the purity as with the Pilsner comes through. They’ve been doing it for 700 years so they obviously know their onions. A nice traditional feel but with a lightness that suits our modern sensitive palates. Nicely done.

So, if you’re avoiding dry January, check these lads out, you won’t regret it.

Austria-A christmas dark horse.

Got your Christmas wines yet? It may depend on your Christmas lunch but regardless it’s time to think about Austria if you some want some interesting food friendly reds that are just a little different. This article was inspired by one particular red I enjoyed recently but there are plenty of gems to be had. Austria is perhaps better known, certainly among Sommeliers and other dedicated followers for its white wines and for good reason. Riesling and particularly the native Grüner Veltliner- both of which are highly recommended -. Grüner’s inspiration or barometer would seem to be Burgundy but that may be an insult to Austrians. As a comparative region I do think it works in any case; going from more mineral driven whites to richer oakier styles. One general characteristic tends to be a white pepper quality adding to its suitability with food but there are plenty with the freshness to be a good aperitif as well.

         But I’m here to talk about reds as 'tis the season for red wine. Austria shares obvious similarities to Germany but reds in particular tend to be fuller and more intense and in my opinion more interesting than German wines, not to take anything away from them. The wine I tasted recently made from the Blaufrankisch grape was tremendous; a spicy nose with black fruits, a deep intense colour with good tannins, good acidity and smooth on the palate. Perfect with game, or any dark meat really. And most importantly not like anything else you might try. That’s the real fun.  Austria is worth discovering for that reason. Like Portugal it tends to use its own grapes, particularly with reds. They do good Pinot Noir, Spätburgunder as they call it, but the natives should keep you busy. St. Laurent, Zweigelt and Blaufrankisch are a good start. As a general rule, St. Laurent tend to be pretty full bodied, Zweigelt a little more towards the finesse but discover for yourself, if you can, you won’t be disappointed.

            In fact, you could match your entire Christmas dinner with Austrian wines as they also do fantastic sweet wines in Austria. Look for ones from Burgenland, excellent sticky and golden, very much in the mould of a Sauterne but with their own character, just like the whites and reds. In these days of generic blandness that’s no bad thing.

“Fröhliche Weinachten” as they say in Vienna!

Some Christmas beer suggestions...

Beer, I wonder who invented beer?

          I’ve always liked beer but when younger I think I always liked the idea of a beer as much if not more than the reality. Particularly American beer. They always made it look more glamourous; well to me at least in the late 80’s. This was before the days of hipsters and craft beers. The craft beer movement in Britain is young, having been started off by brewers in the USA in the 1970’s who I guess were a bit fed up of the mass production and blandification of beer,  it eventually found its way over here. The US like Britain has a strong brewing culture and thankfully someone decided to re-ignite that culture. The consequence is that in Britain the options and quality and excitement of beer have been completely revolutionized in the last ten years.

            Twenty years ago, it was American/New world bottled beers that dominated, well for people like me anyway; maybe not for farmers in Cumbria. This was not craft beer of course; this was still mass produced but bottled beer was all the rage. Bland beer in cool bottles. Michelob, Rolling Rock, Bud etc. The epitome of bland but they worked for non-discerning posers like me. Real Ale drinkers were different. Hairy gits who took it all far too seriously and looked down at people who drank lager. Now that the new hairy gits, the hipsters have taken over, I’m not sure what became of the Real Ale crowd. I suspect they all live in deepest Suffolk now or Herefordshire, hoping to avoid the wave of trendiness that is sweeping the country.

            I think it’s great, actually, but I’m not that fussed about it all, I just like a quality beer that pleases my palate, fresh and balanced; not bland, not insipid not too intense a flavour of ‘triple hop’s' etc. Anyway…

            Traditionally i.e. since I discovered it in 2000, my favourite beer or lager was German Pilsner and probably still is in many ways. Of the four beers I’m going to mention, the first is called Furstenberg, from Bavaria. German beer laws were and are very strict, unlike in Britain, ensuring a universal quality wherever one goes but over here most people associate German beer with Becks which doesn’t say much for our taste. On a recent trip to Glasgow I went past a shop that had a sign for Furstenberg. I’d never tried it but I remember my uncle extolling its virtues when I was a kid. So I got some. It’s old school and it's a thing of wonder; lovely, clean yet complex, fresh, not gassy, just perfect lager in many ways. If you see some, get it. Superlative stuff, like a different planet from Carling and the like.

            No.2, Brew Dog, from Aberdeen I think or up that way are amongst the pioneers of the craft beer movement, certainly amongst the richest. They even have their own pubs. How is clever is that. As always with those who are commercially successful the quality may be questioned, but I can safely say, as a non-expert, their Punk IPA is magnificent. Not intensely hoppy but that unmistakable hoppy flavour that IPA’s have. Clean almost zesty, clearly made with love, like Furstenberg, the only difference is, these guys like to tell you all about it. And why not. With Furstenberg you’d probably have to write them an email in German to get any information. What they share is quality and knowhow, you can tell that from the first sip.

            Italian beers are struggling a bit, I think. Really a bit dull, not keeping up with the improvements of standards etc so it was a pleasant surprise to try one I hadn’t seen before recently that was really rather nice. A premium lager, Angelo Poretti, it sounds like an Italian beer. I had the number 4, the Originale - they have a whole list of styles- from Marks and Spencer’s. This one has quite a rich flavour particularly in comparison to the more generic Italian beers out there.  Delicious and well made. A good winter beer.

            Last but certainly not least. Scarborough Fair, from Wold Top brewery in Yorkshire. A big muscly IPA. IPA or Indian Pale Ale originated in the 18^th century in a style that guaranteed it surviving the 6 months trip to India; namely alcohol and hops.  Scarborough Fair is faithful to that style.  Sometimes they can be a bit too much for me, but this stuff is absolutely sensational. A family business, originally farmers, with an emphasis on quality raw materials and an environmentally friendly approach to farming and biodiversity, this beer is as holistic as it gets. 

      

And that is the theme I’ve realized amongst these beers, it’s quality raw materials, know-how and passion. That’s what makes a great beer, regardless of the style!

Ode to a wine jar, a jar of Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir. The Jewel of Burgundy. As I often like to start with some facts, here we are. Burgundy is an easy one for those of you who are interested in the grapes. White Burgundy is Chardonnay, Red is Pinot Noir. Now, there is a tiny amount of Sauvignon Blanc made under the St. Bris appellation but it’s so small as to be almost not worth mentioning but it does exist (there’s also Aligoté but that’s definitely not worth mentioning). A little like the Indian Lion. Yes, it’s true there is a single population of lions that live in India. Did you know that?  St. Bris is the Indian lion of the wine world. Anyway this article isn’t about Burgundy or lions.

It’s about Pinot Noir.  What about it?  What is it about it? It just seems to have something, just ask that guy from the film, Sideways, he knows. Now of course there are other places. There’s New Zealand, Chile, California and even Australia. I say even, as much of Australia is too hot for Pinot. It’s a sensitive soul, thin skinned and delicate. But closer to home, it’s also doing rather well. I recently drank a Pinot Noir from Germany which inspired this article. Germany isn’t really known for red at all as a general rule, such is the power of association and reputation. When we think of Germany we think of Riesling or worse Black Tower and Liebfraumilch but it’s worth exploring beyond these. And this was a delightful example. The wine I drank, Rarus Noir, discovered at the Chelsea Wine Fair in London, is made in a place called Baden in SW Germany bordering France and Switzerland and it certainly has a Burgundian feel but its own character too -And its own name. Spätburgunder as they also call in Austria where they too, make splendid Pinot Noir -. This is the thing. Pinot varies like all grapes according to where it’s made. But for me, the Pinot I enjoy the most adheres to the Burgundian style or model if you like. Soft earthy tannins, a velvety et delicate palate, a perfumed nose of sour black cherries. It’s perhaps no surprise that being so close to Burgundy and with not dissimilar climate it had similar style; perhaps a little more fruit but reassuringly Pinot Noir-esque.  

A lot of the new world Pinots that I’ve tried are just a bit too intense for me, a bit too beefy. Well made, but perhaps lacking in subtlety which for me is Pinot’s trump card. It’s a wine that requires consideration, concentration and the right moment. Like Barbaresco and Barolo from Piedmont, when drinking it you can’t help but think of the terroir i.e. the place the wine comes from; the vines, the morning mist. This might not be what you’re looking for. Sometimes I’m not.  If you’re in the mood for a big punchy red, probably best to look elsewhere. If you just want a glass of red to help your lasagne go down, no sweat but if the mood takes you there’s nothing better. And the good news is, some of these lesser known places mean better value. Not cheap of course, Pinot is rarely cheap but this wine, for example, which recently won a Gold Medal in a blind tasting at The Drinks Business Awards is more than a match for a Burgundy of similar price, around twenty pounds, though I’ve no idea where you can buy it. The point is, exploration. Wine is about exploration and discovery. I think that’s the thing that excites me most of all about wine. Other than just sitting and drinking a glass of an evening, that is. 

A reflection on Bordeaux, the red wine, that is...

What is it about Bordeaux? Who drinks Bordeaux anyway? Bankers and stock brokers in wine bars? Pretentious wine students? Wine Experts? But let’s not let them have all the fun. I think it’s amongst the most interesting wine regions on the planet but I think people can be put-off by Bordeaux. Why interesting? Well, the subtle and sometimes not so subtle variations from region to region, chateau to chateau, year to year. The fact that the cépage, i.e. the blend of grape varieties used, vary often very subtly too (though always with a base of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot for you wine trainspotters). The knowing when you find one that is right, it's perfect, somehow. But it is tricky. Why tricky? Well there’s so much of it. How do you pick?  It’s inconsistent, sometimes insipid, often pricey. Sometimes it just needs a bit of time. It’s a bit of a minefield. So why bother? Bordeaux can be very disappointing whether it’s a reasonably priced mid-range or a very expensive one. However, persistence pays off and developing a taste and a knowledge if you already have the taste is highly rewarding. Bit like watching Andy Murray, you don’t always get what you want, but it’s always interesting.

I recently had the opportunity to assist at a tasting for the Cru Bourgeois 2014 vintage in a posh place near Pall Mall. Sounds fancy doesn’t it. What is Cru Bourgeois anyway, why make it sound so elitist? It’s just the way they do it in Bordeaux.  Don’t let it put you off. The fact is, a Bordeaux tasting is always worth it for anyone with an interest in wine that goes beyond simply drinking it. It isn’t always easy, especially for a tasting like this with around 160 red wines. This isn’t Chilean merlot. Within half an hour the look is not good. Black teeth and soon after a slightly red face. Don’t go on a date after a Bordeaux tasting. The tannins are the chief culprits. Tannins get a bad rap I think. Just because they make your teeth go black, they shouldn’t be disparaged. Found in the skins, they give wines balance, they blend well with the fruit, hopefully and they even make us hungry as if to remind us that certain wines just need food, well that’s my theory anyway. Fruit extraction from the grapes has traditionally been an issue in Bordeaux but improved technology and techniques have improved consistency and a nice glass of Bordeaux is about as good as it gets (red wines from Burgundy and Piedmonte in Italy aside, such as Barolo and Barbaresco, to my mind at least) if you looking for plummy yet dry, smooth and supple, elegant wines with good tannic structure and complexity. And you don’t have to spend a fortune. Cru Bourgeois are not the cheapest, probably averaging around the fifteen pounds mark. Bordeaux Superior can be a bit less expensive and a good bet if you don’t want to spend quite so much. They’re wines to sip, to savour, to think about and to have with lamb or beef or cheese but only if they work and by that I mean have the right balance between tannin and fruit. If too dry, tannic or conversely too fruity and new-world in style as sometimes happens these days, just say fair fight and move on to the next one.  A slightly decadent approach perhaps but sometimes, we have to be.

Turkish Beer, you say?

What of it? They're not known for it and probably for good reason. Until recently the only one I knew was  Efes, the San Miguel of Turkey. Fairly bland and easy but perfectly pleasant enough when ice cold and a great aperitif on a hot day prior to some tasty Turkish tucker.  Come to mention it, until I discovered Stoke Newington around ten years ago, I hadn't even eaten Turkish food. My deprived childhood in Glasgow was limited to Indian, Chinese, Greek, Russian and wherever kebabs come from when it comes to exotic foreign food. I realize they may be Turkish, but you get the point.

Anyway, a while back I used to get my haircut in a barbers near Bond street as I worked nearby.  For the exorbitant price, the only extras were singeing of one's ears with a flame to remove hairs and a "free" drink.  I noticed in the fridge an Efes, but not as I knew it. It was a different shape, a different colour. Now as always, context can affect our judgment and very possibly our taste buds and given that the hairdressers compares only slightly more favourably to me than the horror of the dentist perhaps I was getting carried away. But it was lovely. So, determined to enjoy myself for once, whilst a hairy man with sharp instruments breathed in my ear, I quizzed him. Off put, I suspect, by my unusual questioning he babbled away and told me that my only chance of finding it might be in a restaurant somewhere. And I never saw it again though I don't eat Turkish that often these days, living at altitude in Muswell Hill where such cuisine is in short supply. 

Now, recently, needing to kill some time, I wandered into a big Turkish supermarket near Wood Green. I like them, they have fresh bread, giant containers of olives, Taramasalata and huge bags of cheap basmati rice which I always say I'll buy but never do. And what do I see...? Well the picture, will reveal. I only bought one bottle, but now I've found a supplier, I may just buy some more. 

The moral of the story, never trust a hairdresser when it comes to beer advice.

And go to north-east London and have some Turkish grub!

White hot heat, cool wine.

When you think of Spanish wine, what comes to mind? Rioja, presumably, Cava perhaps? Maybe even Sherry if you're very sophisticated. What is sure is that people in general are far less likely to associate Spain with regular white wine. In fact, such is the power of association and reputation that some people still think of Rioja as purely red wine though they don't get out much. They make white in Rioja and good wine too, rich oaky styles in general but I'm going to talk about a different wine, made from a grape called Verdejo. Some of the nicest white wines in Spain are made in a place called Rueda, near Portugal. Look out for them: fruity, fresh and nice minerality. I recently received a bottle of wine made with verdejo but made in Toledo in central Spain by a small boutique producer, Finca Constancia. It has all the buzzwords on the label; 'single vineyard', 'parcel', they even put the geographical coordinates of the vineyards on there. In other words, you can pretty much pinpoint the grapes. Visibility and provenance have become big things in the food and wine trade and it's no bad thing. It's no guarantee of quality but it does smooth the path. Verdejo is rarely oaked, like Sauvignon blanc is rarely oaked so when it is, like this one, alarm bells ring-Pouilly Fumé asides- but it worked, giving a nice smokiness to the wine that integrated well with the significant fruit that is a characteristic of verdejo. It's very hot in Toledo which guarantees lots of fruit but the skill of the winemaking and modern technology allows them to keep the wines fresh too. We had this with smoked haddock and cod fishcakes and spinach and ricotta ravioli. The smokiness of the haddock combining well with the toasty oak. Delicious partners overall as the richness of the dish's flavours were well matched by the wines nice complexity of rich fruit and fresh zesty feel.

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 Look out for them but if you can't find this particular wine, have a look out for Rueda in general!

Salud!