Out & About Autumn 2018

FOOD & DRINK – JAMES ALLEN

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As well as featuring some great wine suggestions from local merchants, JAMES ALLEN meets the sommelier at The Vineyard, Romain Bourger, and finds out how he makes his selections

Romain’s selection: 2017 Entre-Deux-Mers, Château Vignol, Bordeaux, France £26 Sauvignon Blanc is a very trendy varietal, if you want to experiment another style other than New Zealand or Sancerre, this is the perfect wine to go for. Bordeaux has put a lot of emphasis on their white wines, although it can get a bit confusing when it comes to styles and grape varieties. The Entre-Deux- Mers region lies east of Bordeaux and is bordered by the Dordogne to the north and Garonne to the south. This wine has a fresh nose of lemon and white flowers with refreshing flavours of ripe Granny Smith apple and white peach. 2014 Lapostolle, Sémillon, Grand Selection, Valle de Colchagua, Chile £29 You can find a wide panel of different wines and varietals being grown in Chile. Sémillon is primarily grown in Bordeaux, but also gives fantastic results in Hunter Valley, Australia. This wine is round, with delicious notes of ripe lime, melon and mango. It is dry and mouthwatering, but offers a light, oily texture on the palate.

Romain Bourger, sommelier at The Vineyard R omain grew up in a small village in eastern France. Initially his interest was with food as he was always helping his father with the cooking and his real passion with wine didn’t start until he attended catering school. During his studies he travelled around Europe, with wine featuring ever more strongly, and he ended up in the Hotel du Vin, Winchester – to where he returned to work full-time after graduating. From there Romain has progressed through some impressive resturants to become head sommelier at The Vineyard. Choosing house wines is not easy. Well- known names tend to sell themselves, but are expensive. Choosing good wines which are affordable is a great challenge. Romain explains: “When it comes to house wines, the selection is often limited. But being a wine hotel, we pride ourselves on an extensive selection of wines under £30. “The list is quite eclectic with a range of traditional wines and some lesser-known varietals or countries. We try to bring some new discovery wines that are still great value for money, these are my little coup de coeur .

“When it comes to house wines, the selection is often limited. But being a wine hotel, we pride ourselves on an extensive selection of wines under £30.”

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