“If you were a wine what wine would you be?” Is a question I get asked a lot. It’s one that I find as frustrating as those magazine articles annually on repeat “what summer style are you?” “Are you a ponytail girl or down and wavy: what your hair style says about you” as if we all need to be pigeon holed in an irritatingly patronising way. Funnily enough I was told what wine I’d be by fellow wine’o @Winebird – and of all the wines in the world she declared me a Côte Rôtie! If only I could afford it!
Following the recent DWCC (Digital Wine Communication Conference) wine is now firmly on the digital map so I can’t help thinking “if I were a wine website which would I be?” will be next on the list and since a recent online find has graced my browser I will gladly answer it for you now: 31Dover.com
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There is very little other than praise that I can give for this site. It looks good, it’s easy to navigate and just as importantly the wine range is not only eclectic and thoughtful but affordable too. It’s the Whistles of the wine world down to the detail of the monochrome corporate colours. Here’s my edit of their winter collection:
Maison Champy Saint-Aubin 1er Cru les Castets 2010, Burgundy, France. Was £17.99 now £16.49
A white Burgundy 1er Cru for well under £20 is not to be sniffed at, with the exception of this one because it’s worth a good sniff to make the most of all the smoky, minerally, slatey, lemon rind, apricot, lemon & grape fruit tastiness. Difficult to say no to especially at this time of year.
Mas d’Amile old vine Carignan 2010, Languedoc, France. Was £8.99 now £8.09
A sweet, spicy and ripe bouquet, with a southern French air of garrigue herbs. The palate is all black: black berries, cassis and black liquorice, tricky to find a glugger like this that is glugging by nature and glugging by price. Stock up.
Château Grand Tayac, Margaux 2007, Bordeaux, France. Was £14.99 now £13.99
From one of the most seductive and well known of the Bordeaux appellations, 31Dover says this Margaux is a wine to open with your wine friends and they’re right. Open it with them and there’ll be scoffing all round: they’ll scoff the lot, and they’ll scoff at the price too, so don’t tell them that bit. A bargain for this ready to drink and down right delicious red. It’s succulent and fresh, oozing flavours of dried oregano, fresh black berries and red cherries. Sunday roast, Christmas dinner parties or plain old winter treat; there’s very little reason not to get some.
Thanks @MissBouquet for the lovely post on us being the Whistles of the wine world, plus great wine reviews! http://t.co/mVsKVb5hp3 x