Monthly Archives: May 2011

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Raise a glass to English Wine Week

It’s English Wine Week and patriotic on-trade venues across the country are getting involved in raising awareness and celebrating a growing industry.
Read on for a rundown of some of the highlights still to come.

All week: The Cherwell Boathouse in Oxford will be serving a selection of wines by the glass from Oxfordshire’s Bothy Vineyard for its visitors to enjoy by the river.

The Green House Hotel in Bournemouth has put together tasting menus paired with English wines.

Ashdown Park Hotel in East Sussex is listing several wines from three local vineyards: Nyetimber, Bolney Wine Estate and Denbies Wine Estate. These will be offered in the hotel’s Anderida Restaurant.

Bumpkin Restaurant’s two London branches in Notting Hill and South Kensington are celebrating English wines all month, listing 10 by the glass or bottle, available at a discount.

The Penny Black in Chelsea, London, has put together a special menu of seasonal British food, designed to match its selection of English wines from Biddenden Vineyard, Chapel Down Wines and Nyetimber.

Roast in Borough Market, London, is offering a special food and wine pairing each day. Today’s is the Chapel Down unoaked Chardonnay with English asparagus and fairy ring mushrooms.

Dukes Hotel in St James’s, London, has joined forces with Chapel Down Wines to offer a selection of the producer’s still and sparkling wines by the glass in The Dining Room.

Wednesday, 1 June: Artisan & Vine in Clapham, London, is hosting an “English Wine Open Bottle Session” allowing guests to try each of the English Wines it sells – around 25 wines from 15 producers. The session runs from 7pm-10pm and tickets cost £20. For more information visit http://www.artisanandvine.com

Friday, 3 June: The Arden Hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon is organising a private tour of local vineyard, Welcombe Hills. This will be followed by a three course lunch, paired with Welcombe Hills wines, back at the hotel.
For further details visit http://www.theardenhotelstratford.com

The White Swan on Fetter Lane, London is hosting an “Asparagus and English Wines Evening”. Each of its five courses, created from English ingredients, will be matched to an English wine.

For further details on vineyard visits, special events and other initiatives taking place during the week, visit http://www.englishwineweek.co.uk

Written by : Gabriel Savage, 31.05.2011
From: The Drink Business 2010

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The Second Oldest Dutch Winery

Hoeve Nekum first mention in records was in 1304, and includes a description of the county boundary Vroenhoven. The farm is mentioned here under the name “Hoeff of Nyedekom” , in old Dutch-  farm down the valley. We’re talking about the second oldest winery in The Netherlands, located in Jekerdal Maastricht (Jeker Valley, down south in Limbourg, almost in Belgium).

This can mainly be attributed to the favorable microclimate. The weather in Jekerdal is the warmest and driest of South Limburg. The Soil consists of a thin layer of loess on a base of gravel and marl. The calcareous soil gives the wines a natural tendency to develop carbon dioxide bubbles. The final result is typically fresh and fruity wines character, and some mineral taste.

The grapes are hand picked with a careful selection, only the best are used. The white grapes are transported to the winery in stainless steel tanks, where a modern computer controlled pneumatic gently press it all. No need to say, it also goes under temperature-controlled fermentation in large stainless steel vats. Matured six months in barrels the wines can age, says the producer.

Four grapes varieties are planted, Rivaner, Riesling, Auxerrois and Pinot Noir. The terroir is best showed with Riesling wines, in my short experience, I’d dare say the 1999 vintage.

  • Rivaner is a cross between Riesling and Chasselas, is known in Germany as Muller Thurgau.  It matures relatively early and give it’s wines a gentle floral scented with a delicate nutmeg (muskaat) bouquet. Ideal as an aperitif.
  • Riesling was originated in the Rhine, rediscovered late in the Middle Ages, ripes very slowly and late havest (Oct-Nov). It provides fresh fruity wines with a little residual sweetness, perfect for seafood, and petrol notes. Riesling wine can age well for long time in bottle.
  • Auxerrois is an ancient variety probably from Lorraine, named after Auxerrois region (Auxerre, Chablis), is very suitable for Limbourg soil and climate.  It gives nice full aromatic wines, excellent with asparagus.
  • Pinot Noir, this very famous grape originated in Burgundy, is now cultivated in many wine regions. The quality of the harvest here is usually high. The wine is matured in wooden casks. It can best be compared to a red wine from the Ahr valley and Alsace. This wine goes well with poultry (volaille) such as pheasant (Faisan).

The historic farmhouse dates from around 1600, including a couple of buildings in the courtyard and the monumental gateway to the farm. It has an impressive Medieval Castel style.  All the ancient buildings were destroyed during war, but its foundations.

Hoeve Nekum Winery is in the Bollen Family since 1934. Today, the 60 ha, is run by Math Bollen and Elsa. The first vineyards were planted in 1988 with it’s first havest two years latter. They have a friendly taste room to welcome the visitors, since 1994.

In 2003, Hoeve Nekum was the Best Winery of Limbourg.

I just started to discovery the wines of The Netherlands with no intentions of stop. If you want to contribute anyhow with my learning process, feel free to drop a line.

doe doe!

L.