News Archive

Year: 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

• 25th Nov 2007Next Tasting

  Just a quick reminder that next Friday, 30th November at 8pm we will be running a tutored tasting of Sauvignon Blancs and Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blends from the New & Old Worlds.

• 25th Nov 2007Christmas at the Flying Corkscrew

  We have tutored tastings of Christmas wines and digestifs, and an open drop in tasting weekend. We have lots of Christmas gift ideas -we make up hampers to order and not just wine we also have beautiful glasses and decanters and ice buckets and even corkscrews.

• 26th Oct 2007Pinot Tasting

  Our next tasting will be on Friday 2nd November. We will be showing Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir from France, Italy, Chile and New Zealand.

• 11th Oct 2007Derek Smedley MW / Warden Abbey

  Derek Smedley MW has had to go into hospital and we have to cancel the Warden Abbey vertical tasting planned for November 9th. We wish Derek a speedy recovery and hope that we can reschedule this tasting in 2008.

• 11th Oct 2007Digestif Master Class

  We are delighted to announce that Bruce Perry of Eaux de Vie has agreed to run a Digestif Master Class for us on December 14th. This should be a good start to the Christmas period. We are also running our traditional free, drop-in tasting that weekend - so make sure you get these dates in your diary.

• 03rd Oct 2007Next Tasting - 12 October 2007

  A reminder that out next tasting will be on Cool Climate Australia - some wine making areas of Australia have the winters and cool evenings that help to make wines with a lot more elegence and refinement than the big brand names.

• 29th Sep 2007Jordan Chardonnay 2006

  They were awarded a Silver Medal for their Syrah; now the Jordan Chardonnay is in the November edition of Decanter's 'Best Affordable Wines to Snap Up and Drink Now'

• 25th Sep 2007Great Port Offer

  We've been given the opportunity to get hold of some of Niepoort's museum stock as a one-off this Christmas. The wines are brilliant, as are the prices. Niepoort Aged Late Bottled Vintage 1996 - given a rare 5 stars by Decanter Magazine - and Petres Vintage Port 1997, Niepoort.

• 25th Sep 2007Medal Winning Wines Tasting

  Don't forget that our first wine tasting for autumn takes place this Friday 28th September at the Flying Corkscrew - 8pm. We're looking forward to seeing you there. If you haven't already booked, there's still some space left so here's a reminder

• 25th Sep 2007Wine maker's Dinner at Bellows Mill

  We now have the Menu and Wines for the next wine maker's dinner, at the beautiful Bellow's Mill in Eaton Bray. It is on Thursday October 18th and will be hosted by Tony Cloke from Plantagenet wines from the Great Southern Region of Western Australia. The cost of the evening will be £55 a head to include 4 courses and wines with each course. Places are limited to 36 so please register your interest as soon as possible.

• 13th Aug 2007Tim Atkin on Spanish Whites

  In the Observer Magazine recently Tim Atkin wrote about the new interest in native Spanish grapes. "...the greatest of these is Albarino, the star of Galicia" Tim says that amongst his current favorourites are the "textured nuanced 2006 Terras Gauda O Rosal"

• 10th Aug 2007Autumn Tastings -Dates for your Diaries.

  We have posted our provisional tasting programme for the Autumn. We are still waiting confirmation on dates from some producers and expect to have the final list available in a few weeks time.

• 06th Jul 2007Henry Marionnet Wines in Wine and Spirit

  Simon Woods, writing in the First Taste section of the July Wine and Spirit picks one of our unusual wines - an ungrafted Sauvignon.

• 26th Jun 2007Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine Juliette Avril

  Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine Juliette Avril 2003 is well reviewed in the 'Tasting Zone' section of June's edition of Wine and Spirit -"... fragrant plum, berry and light orange peel fruit tinged with Provencal herbs and a hint of minerals"

• 30th May 2007Next Tasting

  Our next Friday evening tasting will be on 15th June at 8pm. The subject will be Summer Drinking - crisp whites, rosés and reds to be served chilled- wines for Summer afternoons and evenings in the garden.

• 22nd May 2007Burgundy Tasting

  Our next tasting at the Flying Corkscrew is this Friday May 25th. It will be led by Neil Ruane from Chateau de Corton Andre, Aloxe-Corton, Burgundy. This is great opportunity to taste some superb white and red Burgundy.

• 17th May 2007Bird in Hand Tasting

  Unfortunately we`ve had to bring the Bird in Hand tasting forward from Saturday to Friday 18th May. Because of the late change of plans, we`ve decided to make it a free, informal "drop-in" tasting, letting you taste their fantastic wines (the Shiraz was voted Australiasian Wine of the Year in 2006 ) wines and chat with Andrew Nugent from the winery, at your leisure. Andrew will be here from 4pm. All are welcome and remember, it`s FREE! Hope you can make it.

• 15th May 2007Music (and Wine)

  We are supporting a Concert by the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra on Saturday May 19th in aid of the Cancer Treatment and Research Trust Appeal. It starts at 7.30 and is at St Paul's Church, Hatfield Rd, St Albans AL3 5DJ

• 09th May 2007Decanter's Wines of the Month

  Under the headline The Best Affordable Wines to Snap up and Drink Now, the June edition of Decanter picks 4 of our wines including the 'Best Value Red' and the 'Splash Out White'

• 07th May 2007New World Riesling

  The June Decanter reviews New World Riesling. We have selected 4 and offer them separately and as a mixed case.

• 03rd May 2007Stephen Spurrier in Decanter

  In the June 2007 Decanter Stephen Spurrier names the Seresin Sauvignon Blanc 2006 as his Best New World White and Bodega Mustiguillo Finca Terrerazo his Best Old World Red

• 01st May 2007Do you know Bobal?

  Bobal is one of those grapes, like Albarino, Gruner Veltliner, St Laurent, and Lagrein that are capable of making some wonderful and interesting wines but are virtually unknown in the UK. As a result quality wines made from these grapes often present the more adventurous wine lover with very good value

• 27th Apr 2007Real Summer Bargain

  We have managed to obtain some of the excellent Marquis de Prade Sauvignon Blanc at virtually cost price - as a result we are able to offer this wine at £53 for a case of 12 for a wine that normally sells at £6.15 a bottle

• 23rd Apr 2007English Wine for St Georges's Day

  We went to the launch of English Wine Week and tasted about 50 English wines. We have commented before on the excellent quality of English sparkling wines and particularly those made from the 'Champagne grapes'.

• 06th Mar 2007'Tempranillo Proves It Is No Turnip'

  Tim Atkin, writing in the The Observer Magazine on 14th January 2007, thinking of 'plastics' in the Graduate, recalls some advice once to him 'Remember that if you send a turnip around the world, it still comes back a turnip.'

• 01st Mar 2007Next Tasting - The South American Wines of Jacques Lurton

  Our next tasting will be on March 9th - 8pm at the Flying Corkscrew. Cost £10 but this will be credited against purchases on the night.

• 19th Feb 2007Great Reviews for our Torselli Chianti

  Our Chianti Classico from Poggio Torselli has been getting a lot of good press recently.

• 06th Feb 2007Next Tasting - Delheim Wines of South Africa

  For the next tasting of the season we have managed to secure Nora Sperling from the Delheim Winery in South Africa to present her wines. Many of you have enjoyed the Pinotage Rose that we have stocked for the past few years and this will be an opportunity to taste across their excellent range.

• 29th Jan 2007Jacques Lurton named

  The Danish wine magazine Vinbladet has made Jacques Lurton their Winemaker of the Year 2006. We have long been fans and import Jacques wines from his vineyards in Argentina and Chile. The consistent quality across the range is unequalled and are all very good value. His top wines are amongst the finest in South America.

• 26th Jan 2007Taste Awarding Winning Bird in Hand Wines

  Justin Nugent from the Bird in Hand winery in the Adelaide Hills was here on Thursday January 25th showing us his latest wines and he very kindly left bottles for us to show in the shop.

• 19th Jan 2007More Awards for Flying Corkscrew Wines

  The 2007 Gambero Rosso,the prestigious annual guide to Italian Wines has just been published and a number of our wines (listed below) have been awarded the highest 'Tre Bicchieri'ranking.

• 19th Jan 2007Do you ever drink Vin Santo?

  Vin Santo is a dessert wine from Tuscany, made from grapes (mainly Malvasia and Trebianno) that have first been dried slowly under special conditions before vinification. The result is a wonderfully rich wine that is not cloying.

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