Ending Dry January : it's time to reconnect with wine

Описание: In this week's episode of The Wine Down, Rosamund Hall, wine columnist at ‪@theindependent‬ talks about why, as dry January is over, you should reconnect with wine.
Follow Rosamund on instagram @rosamundhall_

Simpsons White Cliffs Sparkling, Blanc de Blancs, England, 2019, 11.5 percent £45 (available nationwide and through Simpsons)
England really is the definition of a marginal climate for winemaking, with inclement weather, and precarious sunshine hours – it is a tough place for vines to grow. However, we also have outstanding soils and suitable geography to make some great wines of which Simpsons White Cliffs is a fine example. Nestled in the North Downs of Kent, Simpsons have discovered a unique site that leads to wines with great character and precision. This one-hundred per cent sparkling vintage chardonnay has a bright nose that is redolent of the fresh apples of Kent, and the baked brioche of its nearby French neighbours. It has great precision thanks to its bracing lemon-zest acidity, and is lean, elegant and develops wonderfully the next day. Yes, you don’t have to drink sparkling wine all in one go, just invest in a good stopper and enjoy it over two days.


Bonkers Chardonnay: Bonkers Zombie Robot Alien Monsters from the Future Ate My Brain (Sur Lie), Sugrue, England, MV, 12.5 percent, £28.50
(available nationwide in Independents including Wanderlust Wine)
If you have never tried a still English wine, please, I urge you, treat yourself to a bottle of this. Made by the dynamic winemaking partnership of Dermot and Ana Sugrue, they are amongst the best winemakers in the UK (and arguably, the world). Whilst the name might not exactly trip off the tongue, the wine certainly does – it is outstanding. As with many things in life, it came about by a happy accident, a half filled barrel of chardonnay from the stand-out 2022 vintage, left, to gently oxidise for six months. The resulting wine was then blended with wines from 2023 to craft something that is one of the tastiest chardonnay’s I have tried recently (and I taste a lot). It combines so many of my favourite elements of chardonnay – there is a rich kick of lemon-cream filled buttery pastry, alongside sea-mist-in-your-face refreshing acidity, a pillow of spring blossom and a hint of roasted hazelnuts too. Bottles like this capture perfectly the essence of what makes wine so exciting and glorious.

Seleccion Rioja, Bodegas Benito Urbina, 2000, 13 percent, £22.75
(available nationwide in Independents including The Good Wine Shop)
Whilst many wines are best enjoyed in their youthful, upfront prime, there are others that are destined for a life of refined ageing, something that I always find magical. Urbina is a producer who focuses their attention on creating wines to last, and only releases wines from their cellars, many years after the harvest, when they are ready to drink. This Rioja from 2000 is certainly a stately wine with savoury aromas of woodsmoke, leather and cinnamon spice dominating over the undercurrent of dark berries, and black plums all wrapped up with super smooth velvet tannins.

Chateau Musar Levantine Red Wine, Lebanon, 2022, 14 percent, £22.99
(available nationwide through Majestic)
The dedication of winemakers is staggering, working tirelessly throughout the year – pruning in deep cold winters through to harvesting in searing summers. But for some winemakers, meteorological pressures are just one small element of the pressures they face. Chateau Musar in Lebanon is one of the most stoic and impressive wine operations in the world – throughout the turbulent history of the beautiful country of Lebanon, they have never missed a vintage and consistently produce exceptional wines – now that is commitment to your vines, workers and customers worldwide. Levantine is part of the range of Musar, (though if you have an opportunity to taste the first wine, take it). This blend of cinsault and tempranillo is deep, full bodied with bright red cherries, concentrated ripe plums, a whiff of pipe tobacco and sweet sticky date pudding. It’s still relatively young, and would develop over two to five years.