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Our intrepid wine-expert Pete Grogan sacrificed several evenings
to sample the wines available in some of the local pubs. Here are his musings.
The White Hart is a fine boozer in most respects, but more for the black-and-white Irish
wine. Nonetheless, lurking almost shamefaced at the back of the bar there's a respectable
showing of stand-bys. Jacob's Creek Chardonnay and Hardy's Stamp from Australia, Blossom
Hill Rose from the USA, you know the stuff, all well-made, pleasant if somewhat innocuous
wines, and certainly nothing to give offence, especially at £1.80 for a 175ml glass.
The buying power of the J.D. Wetherspoon Organisation enables them to offer some decent
wines at extraordinarily low prices. The Rochester Castle has three at £1.99 for a 250ml
glass - that's a third of a bottle to you (£ 1.70/175ml; £4.99 btl). The Mosel Bereich
Bernkastel from Josef Brader nonchalantly walks the tightrope without falling into either
cloying fruit or excessive acidity. Coldwater Creek White from California is itself
somewhat Germanic, nicely rounded with high floral notes and a slight spritz. It's toffee
and raisin- flavoured brother red has an identity crisis on the palate, as well it might,
given it's made from Carignan, Zinfandel and Cabernets both Sauvignon and Ruby. Both the
white and red from Oxford Landing (Yalumba, Australia; £ 1.95; £2.50; £6.99) are very
good - the Chardonnay has smooth, smoky oak and even a dab of butter while the big
Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz is a good example of this blend with some spice and pepper to
set against the black fruits.
Barry at Sarah's Bar is either a big fan ofItalian wine or very lazy, as he buys most of
their wine next door from the wonderful Gallo Nero deli. There were only three available
when I popped in, including a pleasant, slightly toasty and cherryish Montepulciano
d'Abruzzo 1998 from SEPE at £2.00/175ml. Of the two classy whites (£2.20/175ml), the
Trebbiano di Puglia from Nocco is fresh, fruity and very slightly frizzante while the
Piernonte Cortese from Cantine Aurora is well-balanced and has lively pink-grapefruit
flavours. They hope to widen the selection as they develop the business. 'I've barred 84
people since we took over' said Barry. 'I don't think any of them were wine drinkers.
'
Nor, for that matter, is Karl at The Tup but he's recently gone to considerable lengths to
upgrade the wines on offer. If you want to know what raw, untamed Sauvignon Blanc smells
like (all that stuff about cat's pee and gooseberries), try the Chilean house white from
Tierra Arena at £2.50/175 rnl (£9.50/bd). The lovely sherbetty aroma might, I suppose,
be offensive on your soft furnishings but it works very well in a glass. This makes it
even more surprising that, despite my comments in the last issue, there are numbers of you
- and you know who you are - who persist in drinking Semillon-Chardonnay. In this sad case
it is the flabby and characterless Opal from Australia (£2.80/£10.50). '1 think it's for
people who don't really like wine very much', said Karl. He should know.
New on the block are two 1999 Argentinians from Michel Torino. The Torrontes de Cafayete
from the Salta region (£3.25/£12.90 and worth nearly every penny) has excellent body, a
lovely pinkygold colour and is packed with peach and apricot flavours balanced by good
acidity. The red, at the same price, is made from that other great Argentinian invention,
Malbec - big, smooth and inky-dark, it has good tannins to balance the plummy fruit and
add some complexity. The other reds by-the-glass are Opal Shiraz-Cabernet (S.E. Australia;
£2.80/£10.50) which is a big, smooth alcoholic blackcurrant juice and a dull Sicilian
wine which is best avoided.
Mabel Hill at the Rose and Crown sells a lot of Lot 11 red from Australia (£2.75/175ml;
£9.95/btl). It's soft, generous and fruity but with a serious edge. At the same price,
the Spanish Madero from Murcia has a slightly burnt, prune-like character. 1 fancied its
sister, however, a flighty little flibbertigibbet of a white which tastes a bit of tinned
peaches (£2.45/£7.95). According to Mabel more people get drunker, faster on the
Lindemanns Cawarra Colombard Chardonnay than anything else, so at least it has a purpose
in life. Another 'easy-drinker is the refreshing Rose Syrah d'Oc from Metairie du Bois
(£2.75/£9.95).
If the mere thought of a glass of wine in a pub brings to mind the horrors of the 1970s
like Stowells of Chelsea you could go to the Coach and Horses and begin your
rehabilitation. There you can try one of their little bottles of Stowells Chilean
Cabemetvlerlot (Central Valley; £2.50/250mI there's also a Sauvignon Blanc). And you now
what? Apart from a slightly disconcerting afterburn, you'll find it's really not all that
bad.
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