Foodie breaks: Orford

Time is flying by and, amazingly, it's now almost October. Anyway, early last month, in August, Nathan and I had a memorable micro-break on the Suffolk coast. It was the middle weekend of the Olympics and we – very fortunately indeed – had evening tickets for Sunday 5th. Nathan had celebrated his 50th a few weeks earlier and we wanted to squeeze in a little treat à deux. This weekend was our only free slot, so we decided to go away for Friday night and have a relaxing day out on Saturday, before returning in the evening. We didn't want to risk staying away a second night when we needed to be in Stratford in good time on the Sunday afternoon. The men's 100m final was at the forefront of our minds.

We settled on The Crown and Castle in Orford run by Ruth Watson (she of The Hotel Inspector and Country House Rescue), so I felt we'd be in good hands and it's only a couple of hours or so from London. Their restaurant, The Trinity, also sounded a safe bet, offering locally sourced food in a relaxed environment.

After a scenic, sun-dappled drive we checked into our Best House Double with far reaching views of the Orford Ness (see above), had a quick cup of tea and freshened up before heading down for dinner. As a good proportion of diners stay overnight, the well stocked bar offers a tempting selection of sherries and cocktails, as well as a decent selection wines by the glass. The main wine list is clearly annotated wine list (which includes 40 wines under £25 flagged up in blue type; red indicates the owners' personal favourites). We were recommended the Lugana Ca' dei Frati 2010 from The Italian Mob section which was deliciously creamy, yet fresh – particularly good with my dressed crab starter and main course, Orford-landed skate, sautéed grapes, almonds and black butter. It also worked well with my husband's Suffolk-landed cod, saffron'd cauliflower, barberries and pinenuts. Beautiful food – and the caramel-like black butter, here served in a little jug, with the super-fresh, meaty skate was a stunning reminder of why this dish is such a classic.

After a comfortable night's sleep and hearty breakfast we strolled out around Orford, firstly heading down to the quay via Pinney's and then back up to the village centre to the Pump Street Bakery and Butley Orford Oysterage. We stocked up on some smoked delicacies and bread, but the oysters will have to wait for another visit when we'll take a big cold box as there's so much local fish available, too. I'll need to clear some space in the freezer first.

I've always been a fan of Suffolk – big skies and watery landscape – and, after this short visit, Orford is high on my list for a longer family stay, as I love idea of it as a self-catering base with all those goodies on the doorstep. We left Orford and drove southwest towards Woodbridge, stopping off at Madelene Bonvini-Hamel and Ross Pike's The British Larder for some late lunch.

I was keen to try one of their signature dishes – Dingley Dell Pork Tasting: cheek croquette, smoked ham scotch egg, sausage roll, ham hock terrine, black pudding cake, rillettes, pea soup and home-made piccalilli. With a glass of Beaujolais-Villages, it made a show-stopping (and probably heart-stopping) lunch. This picture doesn't do it justice, but it gives a good idea. A big platter of porky heaven.

We carried on to Woodbridge for a blustery stroll and a cup of tea at The Waterfront Café by the magnificent Tide Mill overlooking the River Deben.

Woodbridge also boasts a treasure trove for foodies, the Woodbridge Kitchen Company: an impressively comprehensive cookware shop, beating John Lewis hands down. Yet another reason to start planning another visit.

Dinner, bed and breakfast (excluding drinks) at The Crown and Castle costs from £199 for two people sharing.

Fruit wine and friends

Until recently I had very little experience of home-made wine or wine made from fruits other than grapes. That is until a local mum friend approached me about tasting a selection of fruit wine made by her late mother. The idea was to serve this wine in a fundraising event for our children's school – if I deemed it palatable – along with a selection of equally homely food.

To be honest, I really didn't know what to expect. I have dim memories of sipping some of my grandmother's home-made tea wine which was like a light sweetish sherry – and in a perfectly good way. A nice little late afternoon tipple. However, tasting through Leonie's mother's wines was quite a revelation, particularly as they were made several years ago. It must be said that the contents of a few demi-johns ended up down the drain, but others were unexpectedly good. Here are some notes used to describe the wines at the event and, as expected, the raspberry and redcurrant was fabulous with gooey, chocolate brownies.

Hawthorn blossom
Sweet fragrant fruit and refreshingly balanced used here as a base for a summery punch mixed with soda water, citrus fruit and mint.

Elderflower
This is lovely – lots of perfumed Muscat-like fruit. It’s a really charming example of a home-made wine and surprisingly fresh and fragrant after more than five years. It’s not dissimilar to a southern French vin doux naturel such as Rivesaltes or Beaumes de Venise.

Nettle
This is light, gently fruity, medium-sweet and quite summery. It reminded me of Liebfraumilch or Hock, so quite retro and easy-drinking.

Elderberry 
This reminded me of a light ruby port – pale red in colour with slightly jammy berry fruit. There is some alcoholic warmth, but not the firey kick you’d find in port. One batch was fresher and fruitier, the other more evolved and sherried (so more like tawny port).

Gooseberry
This is tasting quite mature and sherried (oxidised), but has an interesting medium-sweet nutty fruity character like white port (which is deliciously appetising served chilled as an aperitif).

Elderberry (dry)
This is quite a muscular dry red. Rustic, hearty and a contrast to the other wines which are more sweetly fruity. It should be interesting to serve with charcuterie and farmhouse cheeses as, unlike the other wines, it tastes properly suited to food.

Raspberry & redcurrant
Great stuff – lush ripe red berry fruit, smooth and sweet and, to my mind, begging for chocolate. Like the elderflower wine, it demonstrates what successful results you can have with home-made wines.

There were also some unidentified wines served for fun which included plum (I think that's what it was) which turned out to be gorgeous – lush and sweet.

If you fancy having a go at making them yourself, Susy Atkins' book, How To Make Your Own Drinks includes some delicious recipes and useful practical advice. Following the event I am now in possession of a few demi-johns and I'll certainly be using them...

Chocolate brownies and Lustau Moscatel Emilín

The picture says it all really: chocolate brownies and luscious sweet sherry. I've often sipped treacly sweet PX with chocolate which works well, but can be too much of a good thing (and dangerously calorific). Lustau's Moscatel Emilín is a little less sweet with 195g sugar per litre (Pedro Ximénez contains as much as 500g per litre) and worked fabulously with the brownies. The wine's complex caramelised orange and dried fig aromas, rich, yet fresh and tangy, melded seamlessly with the brownies with their bitter dark chocolate and touch of salt. They truly flattered and enhanced each other. You don't need much – just a few mouthfuls to round off your evening. A decadent little treat.

Available from Berry Bros and Rudd for £9.75 (37.5cl) and Slurp for £16.35 (75cl).

Beaujolais: a neglected French classic

It's not so long ago that every year in late November we were awash with Beaujolais Nouveau, whether it was the local offie, restaurant or wine bar. If you worked in wine retail Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé campaign involved grumpy, bleary-eyed early mornings. One year at Oddbins in Camden, once the cases were off the lorry and a bottle uncorked, we each devoured two Big Breakfasts from McDonald's across the road – surprisingly good with the fruity young wine. (Talking of food, charcuterie is the obvious choice for Beaujolais which is why I've included this lovely picture of saucisson instead of anything from McDonald's; a sausage McMuffin just isn't the same.)

Anyway, I digress. Despite its popularity back in the 1970s and '80s and the fact that, along with wines like Muscadet, Beaujolais helped introduce many Brits to French wine, it has lost its appeal here. Younger drinkers may not be that aware of it and older consumers perhaps view it as a bit retro (and sadly not in a cool way). I've heard people admit to disliking Beaujolais (and the Gamay grape generally) because of the sweet bubblegum flavours – often the result of whole bunch fermentation/carbonic maceration and heavy-handed use of sugar by winemakers. This is a shame. There is so much more to Beaujolais, especially from individually named villages or 'crus' in the northern part of the region (granite based in contrast to the clay in the south). Here you find more concentrated, age-worthy wines with distinct personalities, ranging from light, fragrant and youthful to dense and brooding that become earthy, gamey and burgundian with age. Low-yielding old bush vines (maybe 70 years old) generally produce the best results.

But maybe it's time for a reappraisal. Beaujolais is enjoying a run of good vintages and there are a number of great value, delicious wines available in the UK. The recent Beaujolais trade tasting in London offered great examples from 2011 and 2010 as well as interesting older wines (especially beautifully mellow Moulin à Vent Grand Clos de Rochegrès 2000 and 1999 from Jadot). What's more, with Bastille Day coming up at the weekend, I can't think of anything more suitable. Here are few favourites:

Beaujolais-Villages, Combe aux Jacques, Louis Jadot 2011
Juicy, aromatic, fresh and tasty. Lovely summer drinking, especially served cool.
(£9.99 Waitrose, Tesco, Budgens, Spar, Booths) 

Chiroubles, Domaine de la Chapelle des Bois 2011
Pretty name, pretty wine: juicy, fresh and fragrant. A charming example of lighter style Beaujolais, yet with plenty of personality.
(£11.25 Stone, Vine and Sun) 

Brouilly, Henry Fessy 2011
Lively fragrant fruit with satisfying depth and stern dry finish. A great choice for charcuterie.
(£9.99 Waitrose)

Chénas, Les Carrières, Paul-Henri Thillardon 2011
Complex and concentrated, appetising and juicy with an interesting savoury finish.
(£14.25 Christopher Piper Wines)

Moulin à Vent, Cave du Château de Chénas 2010 (enjoyed recently at home)
Tasty, succulent and quite sturdy – fabulous with our sausages, mash and caramelised onions.
(£10.99 Waitrose)

Moulin à Vent, Clos de Rochegrès, Château des Jacques 2011
Lots going on here: juicy, perfumed, deliciously satisfying and complex. Seriously good (and the price reflects this). Another great Beaujolais from Jadot.
(£23 The Wine Society)

Morgon, Côte du Py, Jean Foillard 2010
Lots happening here as well: fresh and pretty, yet slightly rustic and farmyardy and with an elegant mineral finish. Beautifully crafted, completely enjoyable wine from one of the region's leading producers and best sites.
(£22 Les Caves de Pyrène, The Sampler)

Visiting Beaujolais
If you're travelling to France this summer, it's worth noting that the Beaujolais region takes some beating for its relaxing bucolic charm. Densely vined rolling hills are punctuated by pretty villages and, if you're a city-dwelling Francophile, it'll tick a lot of boxes. There is also a clearly sign-posted Route des Vins and many producers welcome visitors. A helpful Guide de l'oenotourism is published by the generic promotional body Inter Beaujolais.

Saucisson image copyright bbc.co.uk and many thanks to Inter Beaujolais for supplying the other three images.

J Lohr Wildflower: a summery red from California

I used to have quite a soft-spot for this wine and recently had the chance of tasting it for the first time in nearly two decades. In May I was representing some Californians at the London Wine Fair and just along from us was the J Lohr stand. It was great to have a chat and be reacquainted with a wine I'd enjoyed selling at Oddbins in the early 1990s. Back then it was called Wildflower Gamay and was a Californian alternative to decent quality or 'cru' Beaujolais.

It's a distinctively juicy wine with soft gentle tannins, but it's not made from the Gamay we know from Beaujolais, but a grape called Valdiguié or Gros Auxerrois (originally from southwest France) that used to be referred to as Napa Gamay. To avoid any confusion (it's not made from Gamay and it doesn't come from Napa) the wine is now labelled Wildflower Monterey County Valdiguié.

Anyway, I was thrilled to see it again and last week we enjoyed the bottle I was given at the fair with some sausages, mash and sauce diable from Rachel Khoo's Little Paris Kitchen cookery book (more about which another time). The wine's generous ripe aromatic fruit was delicious with the hot cayenne pepper in the sauce. Chilled briefly, with its refreshing acidity and fairly moderate alcohol (12.5 abv), it turned out to be an ideal choice on a warm summer evening. Time does fly, however, I look forward to enjoying Wildflower again soon.

Enotria is the UK importer and it is available for about £11.50 from Great Western Wine and various other independent merchants.

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.