Posh Chinese and Provence Rosé

This doesn't sound the most obvious combination, but a recent dinner at Hakkasan in Mayfair stylishly demonstrated how well Provence Rosé go with seriously good Chinese cuisine. A series of superb Cantonese dishes served with an elegant selection of delicate, bone dry rosés on a cold winter evening was a memorable experience. Crisp, gently aromatic wines with the most subtle pink hue were especially happy with hot fresh chillies and spring onions and cut a swathe through deep fried dishes. More predictably they were also great with delicately flavoured dim sum.

I particularly liked Stephen Cronk's flavoursome Mirabeau Côtes de Provence 2013 (available from Waitrose at £8.99, but do take a look at his entertaining website). It had a good depth of colour and refreshing structure making it a versatile partner to all the dishes. My other favourite was the paler more delicate and firm Domaine Houchart Côtes de Provence Sainte-Victoire 2013 (The Wine Society have stocked this at £8.50, but, checking their website, it seems to have sold out). This was equally versatile, but with a cool minerality – delicious, especially with the steamed brill. Both great value wines for under a tenner, although perhaps worryingly quaffable!

At this time of year, when your palate feels a little jaded or if you need a refreshing treat after a dry January, a light dry rosé could be much more energising and satisfying than a hefty red. Surprise yourself. You might not make it to Hakkasan, but bear Provence Rosé in mind for Chinese New Year in February or even for a decent takeaway.

I attended the dinner as a guest of Provence Wines.

Rosé de Provence: a glamorous taste of summer

I've been waiting too long to write this piece. After an endlessly cold, damp, dreary spring, we are now basking in bright sunshine and temperatures in the high 20s. Back in April, on a cool evening, I braved it through heavy rain to the Bistro du Vin in Soho to taste some Provence rosé. These offer a chic and refreshing contrast to the deep coloured, powerfully flavoured rosés that dominate supermarket shelves. I've always been drawn to delicately hued, restrained Provence rosé, while visualising lavender fields, olive groves and yachts bobbing up and down on glinting water (without a noisy jet-ski in sight). There aren't many wines more perfectly suited to summer.

At the Bistro du Vin we heard about the work of the Provence-based Rosé Research Centre (apparently the only organisation in the world dedicated to this style of wine). The emphasis is on careful, controlled winemaking to produce such pale, clean, fresh wines and to preserve the fresh acidity. Three wines were presented that reflected this approach (and all of which I really liked):

Côtes de Provence Tradition 2011 from Domaine Sainte Marie (Baume les Mimosas, near Saint Tropez): a blend of Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Cabernet and Mourvèdre. Creamy strawberry fruit, aromatic and fragrant, with a whiff of minerality. Refreshing and stylish. (8 Euros ex cellars. Not available in the UK.)

Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence, Cuvée Aix Rosé 2011 from Domaine de la Grande Séouve. This Grenache dominated blend (Grenache 60%, Cinsault 20%, Syrah/Counoise 20%) has a tasty savoury complexity and aromatic fragrant fruit – a great food wine. (Majestic Wine £12; also available in magnums.)

Coteaux Varois en Provence, Perle de Margüi Rosé 2011 from Château Margüi. A Cinsault/Grenache blend, very pale (from 90 minutes' skin contact), dry, crisp, aromatic, with a particularly fragrant finish. Subtle and chic. (11.50 Euros ex cellars. Not available in the UK.)

We enjoyed these three wines with canapés and more Provence rosés were served with dinner. Although rosé is a versatile option, I selected lighter dishes at dinner for these subtle wines: firstly Cornish crab with toasted sourdough (although there was a lot of dark meat, so quite an intense flavour to take on), followed by fillet of bream, crab potato (an inspired idea) and parsley velouté.

Crab struck me as an ideal match for Provence rosé and some shone: Château du Galoupet Côtes de Provence Cru Classé 2010 (£13.08 for 50cl from London Wine Shippers) and Domaine Ott, Clos Mireille Coeur de Grain 2010 (£27.95 from Roberson Wine). I've always regarded Ott as a bit blingy, but here it was very dry and deliciously savoury. It tasted serious, as it should for the price. With the cheese, Vignelaure rosé (£11.95 Wine Society) did a good job, especially with the creamy, slightly tangy cabécou. Perhaps demonstrating rosé's versatility, further along the table, it was enjoyed with steak. With dessert we had another smart dry rosé Côtes de Provence (Château d'Esclans 2011 from Sacha Lichine £21.50 Bibendum Wine). This was not flattered by the redberry sorbets, shortbread and cream which made it taste bitter. For me, the fish and seafood and canapés were the best matches.

I attended the event as a guest of Provence Wines.

Top pic: courtesy of Provence Rosé/Hachette.

Château Tooting 2011: an unexpectedly good taste of London

I have a personal preference for lean, fresh, moderately alcoholic wines. These tend to come from quite cool wine regions – the Loire Valley, Germany, Austria, Northern Italy and, indeed, England, whose fizz now ranks favourably with Champagne. Consequently, when my friends at the Urban Wine Company get in touch, I take note.

Last week, on a beautiful early Spring evening, I opened my sample bottle of the latest release from this London-based grape collective. It had been a glorious day in the city, so it seemed an appropriate thing to do. I was immediately taken by the delicate petal pink colour and by the clean, fresh nose, tinged with aromatic soft red fruit. Whereas previous examples have had a tartness, the 2011 is more gentle and rounded and surprisingly refined. I sensed more residual sugar which helped balance the almost raspingly high acidity. It tasted as though the winemaker is now getting into their stride and working well with the unusual and unpredictable selection of grapes that find their way into this unique wine.

To be frank, I'd sooner drink this than many of the deeply coloured, big, sickly rosés on the market. The 2011's style and flavour characterised England: restrained and cool, yet quietly charming. It even reminded me of strawberries and cream. If you're looking for something patriotic for the Diamond Jubilee and London Olympics, here you are.

Urban Wine: no urban myth

I just love this. This is a project that you simply could not make up. For people living in the London area with grape vines growing in their gardens or allotments, a growers' collective now exists that produces an 'Urban Wine' from these grapes.

What’s more, the wine is surprisingly palatable. I have now tasted this delicately hued rosé twice and, admittedly, first time around the acidity was a bit too harsh and green (malic) and I was tempted to transform it into kir with a splash of cassis at the earliest opportunity. A couple of months later, I tried it again and it tasted so much more balanced and enjoyable. I even served it on a warm spring evening as a refreshing and pretty apéritif to friends who had come round for a barbeque. And what a great talking point! We polished off the bottle in no time. It’s fascinating seeing how quickly a young wine can settle down and harmonise as this wine came from the recent 2009 vintage.

The Urban Wine Company was founded in the summer of 2007 by Tooting-based Richard Sharp who was wondering what to do with the glut of grapes growing in his and neighbouring gardens. That year saw the first vintage of Château Tooting made from an assortment of garden grapes. By 2009 almost 100 members contributed to the harvest of 1.5 tonnes, producing about 1000 bottles. Membership continues to grow; some 60 new vines (Solaris and Rondo varieties) were planted this spring and Sharp is hoping for 2.5 tonnes in 2010. The wine is professionally made from this eclectic blend of varieties at Bookers Vineyard in Sussex.

Producer Members pay £85 a year to bring grapes to harvest and receive a share of the wine (currently six bespoke-labelled bottles), with additional bottles available at £7.99. Non-members pay £9.99. The minimum contribution of grapes is 3kg (about a bucket full). There is also the chance of joining as a Developer Member (£65) and receiving a vine to plant in your garden to contribute grapes to the scheme in two to three years’ time, once the vine is sufficiently established. The Urban Wine Company organises a number of events for members and could end up being quite a fun community.

Who knows, in a few years’ time I might be sipping some Tufnell Park Premier Crew (sorry!) while waiting for the coals on the barbie to heat up…

(Image courtesy of Urban Wine Company)

http://www.urbanwineco.com