Wines in the Press

Here's what the journalists are saying...

Blackpool Gazette, Thursday 25th April 2013
The recipe for Adnams Lighthouse is based on an award winning beer that the brewer used to call ‘Champion Pale Ale’. It’s a traditional pale ale brewed with traditional ingredients which include Pale Ale malted barley and Crystal malted barley. These give it the faintest touch of caramel and toffee but it is quite a delicate flavour with a slight hoppy after palate compared to some of the “twigs and bark “robust real ales in bottles these days. Nevertheless at 3.4per cent ABV it makes for a decent guzzling beer..."

Sam Wylie-Harris, The Plymouth Herald, 22nd March 2013
Also in: Press & Journal (Aberdeen), 23rd March 2013

Now that spring has arrived, it's time to change our drinking habits and gin's refreshing infusions make it the perfect pour for the English season. Distilled to perfection, botanicals, citrus fruits and fragrant herbs give gin its unique flavour profile and the aromatic tasting adventure can swing from classic cocktails to our favourite fixes... Adnams put Southwold on the map and has been brewing beer since 1872. But it wasn't until the Copper House Distillery opened in 2010 that it was able to apply its expertise to produce a portfolio of spirits – using some of the same local ingredients as the brewery. The ocean-blue packaging of Adnams First Rate Gin (£30.99, 70cl, Adnams) is inspired by the beautiful Suffolk coastline and this broad-shouldered gin boasts a blend of 13 botanicals. Fragrant with a citrusy, tropical element, it's best served with a stick of cucumber and tonic water.
 

Neil Sowerby, ManchesterConfidential.com, 4th March 2013

Adnams is another veteran wine merchant, with an innovative online list. Italy's north eastern Trentino region provides it with two contrasting wines from the Teroldego red grape - from Endrizzi, producers based at the foot of the Dolomites, who also have vineyards in Tuscany.

Endrizzi Teroldego Rotaliano 2011 is the product of enthusiastically biodynamic vineyards, a dark structured, deeply fruity warm red, but it is Endrizzi Gran Masetto 2008, which shows what this grape is capable of. Gran Masetto is made with techniques similar to those used in the production of Amarone, so the Teroldego grapes from the best sites are partially dried on mats, fermentation of the rich musts lasts for up to 30 days and the wine is aged in French barriques for 20-24 months. Very limited edition, it won Silver at the Decanter 2012 Wine Awards for its lovely red cherry, herby vanilla notes. Gorgeous stuff.

Alice Lascelles, The Times Magazine, Saturday 23rd Feb. 2013

Adnams Limoncello

Enjoy a taste of Italy via Southwold in the form of this zesty Limoncello from Adnams, the first liqueur from the Suffolk brewer-turned-distiller. It also produces great gin.

 

David Williams, The Observer.co.uk, Sunday 17th Feb. 2013

Planet of the grapes: wine from outside the mainstream
Cramele Recas Paparuda Pinot Noir, Romania 2011

STAR BUY
Given that it's hard to find decent pinot noir for less than a tenner, this bright, light, juicy, Beaujolais-like red has to be a contender for the UK's best-value wine. A complete gem from a country that has the terroir, if not always the infrastructure, to make great wine.

Jamie Magazine, Tim Atkin, Friday 1st February 2013

Drink well for less
Finding good wine for under £10 has never been easy, but with 2012’s poor grape harvest, and higher alcohol taxes on the way, there’s more need than ever for a guide to what’s worth drinking.

2011 Cramele Recas, Paparuda Pinot Noir
Be prepared to travel further afield for good value reds. Romania is not the first place you’d go looking for pinot noir, but this hugely drinkable example is a total bargain. It has a touch of smoky oak, but the fruit really sings: summer pudding and raspberry sweetness.

Independent.co.uk and The independent on Sunday, 27th January 2013, Terry Kirby
It is January sales time among wine retailers as they clear shelves for new vintages.

Bargain Basement!
Marques de la Sierra Blanco, Montilla-Moriles 2010
Sales offer a chance to try unusual wines at low prices, such as this Andalucian white, made using the same techniques as sherry, but without fortification. This blend of the classic sherry grape Pedro Ximénez and Chardonnay produces an intriguingly full-bodied white, fresh on the palate, with a firm, nutty, woody (but not oaky) flavour. Brilliant with almonds, goat's cheese or any fishy tapas.

Jewish Chronicle, Friday 18th Jan 2013
Richard Ehrlich
A Good Case for a January Sale Bargain!

If it’s cheap Fizz you seek, Adnams has the consistently good Ackerman Grande Saumur Brut …

Good wines for under £5
David Williams, The Observer, Friday 18 January 2013

Prices have been edging up, so is it still possible to find decent wine at a budget price?...

Antonio Barbadillo Palomino Fino Tierra de Cadiz, Spain 2010
The Barbadillo firm is a specialist in manzanilla sherry, but this is a (very) dry white wine for seafood or pre-dinner sipping made from the same grape variety in the same part of southern Spain. It's breezily fresh, light and just a touch nutty and salty.

Decanter, 1st January 2013
Panel Tasting, Peter McCombie MW
Marlborough Pinot Noir
This New Zealand region is famed for its Sauvignon Blanc, but Peter McCombie MW says you shouldn’t write off its Pinots, even if it is hard to define a regional style.

Recommended :
Forrest Pinot Noir 2010
Sous bois, marmite and black cherry fruit nose. A very solid, fleshy wine, kept vibrant by fresh acidity and vivid burst of gingery oak spice on the finish.

Yours – 27th November 2012
Less Topple in your Tipple
Steer clear of those diet potholes with our selection of Christmas drinks…
Adnams Ginger Beer 330ml x 12  - Adnams says that its newest low alcohol product
is 'definitely more of a beer than a ginger' so if you're after a citrus beer with a ginger twist, try this.

 

 

The Guardian - Weekend Magazine
Friday 24th November 2012
Fiona Beckett - Pass the Port

Even if you're not a confirmed port drinker, as Christmas nears it pays to know what's good and what's not. I realised the other day that there's one subject I haven't touched on in the two and a bit years I've been writing this column, and that is port. The truth is, I don't drink the stuff except at Christmas: it seems one glass too many at the end of a long meal, and anyway, Iprefer whisky ifI'm going to have anightcap. But then, "It's that time of year again", as the PRs say, so which to buy?

“Try Quinta da Noval's immensely stylish Noval Black  which tastes (deliciously) of macerated cherries without any of the spirity notes you get with cheaper ports. It's brilliant with dark chocolate.”

 

Lancashire Telegraph
Saturday 17^th November 2012
Nick Nunn
Grapevine
Beer Choice

Adnams Spindrift 5% abv, 330ml

A blonde English beer with added wheat to make it sparkle. Dry and crisp taste and at 2% with a kick. 

Jewish Chronicle online (Lifestyle section)
Saturday 17^th November 2012
Richard Ehrlich

2nd November 2012
Why is it so hard to find an everyday red, asks Fiona Beckett.
"Affordable red for everyday drinking is increasingly hard to find. It’s easy enough to find a wine for a special occasion, but less so to find a reliable, inexpensive red for midweek drinking. When you do find one of those, it's worth buying in quantity because you always get a discount for an unsplit case.

Eastern Europe used to be a good source of bargain drinking that hasn’t featured much on the shelves lately, but at a recent … tasting I came across two Romanian wines with which I recommend you fill your boots… the unbelievably cheap Paparuda Pinot Noir 2011  (£5.70)
which puts most sub-£12 burgundy to shame and which you could happily drink with
salmon or tuna as well as meat…"

 

Great British Food Magazine
1st November 2012
What’s the Alternative?
Kirsch , a German-produced cherry brandy made from morello cherries, is often called for in sweet and savoury recipes as well as cocktails, but Adnams rich, ruby red Morello Cherry Liqueur is a great British-made alternative.

 

Decanter – Weekday Wines
1st November 2012
Best Value Wine of the Month: Gaba do Xil , Godello, Telmo Rodriguez, Valdeorras, Spain
A hugely appealing white from this producer’s Galician property. The nose begins a bright attack of citrus, before revealing a saline air and undertones of vanilla custard. Textured and balanced on the palate, with sweet fruit and a hint of melon. A savoury quality suggests fine food-matching potential.

 

Decanter - Panel Tasting
1st November 2012
Roger Jones/ Anthony Rose/ Pierre Mansour
Juniper Estate, Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
Lovely, seductive cola-spice aromas lead to a generous palate of succulent cassis and blackberry fruit that’s etched with liquorice and spice with well crafted background oak. Substantial style. Drink 2012 -2020

Daily Mail (Weekend)
13th October  2012 – Matthew Jukes
‘Wine List’
2009 Paparuda, Pinot Noir, Cramele Recas, Romania
Pinot Noir simply cannot be this good this cheap! There is a perfect, red fruit bouquet, slippery palate and spine tingling finish on this Romanian superstar and the price is definitely not a mistake.

 

Independent.co.uk
13th October 2012 – Anthony Rose
The Joy of Six 
Last year's decision by the Bunch's six independent merchants to show an under- £10 selection was repeated this autumn to good effect. Adnams' 2010 Selection White Burgundy, £9.99, was a model of a well-made, buttery chardonnay with a nutty aftertaste. From Mathieu Cosse, the 2010 Château la Coste Pentes Douces, Côteaux d'Aix en Provence, £14.99, was zestily grapefruity, with barrel fermentation adding a textured creaminess.

Imbibe (UK)
Monday 1st October 2012
A+ for Absinthe
This green (and red) fairy hails not from France or Switzerland, but from Southwold. Adnams has turned the attention of its Copper House Distillery to wormwood drinks with the launch of a Rouge and a Verte. The former gets its colour from the addition of hibiscus flowers, which are evident in the flavour too, along with cherry and eucalyptus notes, as well as anise sweets and more enduring herbal flavours.
The green is the more traditional of the two, opening with sweet liquorice notes, ending with lean, herbal flavours.

Great British Food Magazine
1st October 2012
Rule Britannia – Discover new British Products
The demand for high quality, low alcohol drinks is on the rise , and Adnams is setting the bar high with Sole Star , a pale amber ale and its new Ginger Beer, full-flavoured and with a low ABV, the sumptuous Ginger Beer is based on the brewery’s Broadside ale. It’s packed with ginger, citrus notes , a touch of spice and has a malty sweetness, resulting in a delicious tipple that’s full of flavour. The Sole Star has a light floral and citrus aroma with gentle caramel notes and a good level of bitterness. The Ginger Beer is just 2.5% and the Sole Star is 2.7% making the ideal choice for a lunchtime pint or early evening beer for the responsible drinker.

Observer.co.uk  and The Observer Magazine
30th September 2012 
David Williams - Wines of the Week.
Paparuda Pinot Noir, Romania 2011
The Bunch, an informal group of six of the UK's best independent wine merchants, were in London showing off their wares earlier this month, and as usual the hit rate was exceptionally high at a tasting full of bold
and interesting choices. Here's a real bargain: a fragrant, berry-scented, Beaujolais-style red from a country where the wines are emerging from the doldrums.

Jane Macquitty – The Times
22nd September 2012
My Class of 2011
Given that wine merchants have to work a lot harder for their crust, look out for some great-value 2011s from odd places - Adnams stocks the really rather good 2011 Paparuda Pinot Noir from Cramele Recas in Romania, whose exotic, perfumed, spice-box finish and beefy fruit is, frankly, given away for the price.

 

The Independent – Friday 21st September 2012 –
The Ten Best Autumn Whites , chosen by Kate Hilpern
The Adnams Selection Pinot Grigio , ‘La Corte’, Italy 
A Clean, fresh and lively palate an d finishes on a twist of citrus, A treat with mushroom risotto.

Fiona Beckett – What Britain’s Top Wine Merchants think you should drink
14th September 2012
Pinot Noir, Paparuda Cramele Recas, Romania 2011
Romanian pinot used to be pretty rough stuff but this is the best pinot under £10 I’ve tasted this year – much less sweet than comparable pinots from Chile. Pair with duck and game.

Great British Food Magazine
Saturday 1st September 2012
3 of the best – British Spirits
Adnams Copper House Barley Vodka
Made in small batches using the best East Anglian malted barley, this vodka is  true artisan stuff. The flavour is rich and creamy with a subtle note of butterscotch. Serve with ice, tonic and a slice of lemon, or with tomato juice, ice, celery and spice.

     


Saturday 1st September 2012,
Jancis Robinson /FT
What I drank on my holiday.
Hegarty Chamans, Cuvée No:2 2009 Minervois
“70% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 10% Cinsault. Here's a rich, intense, succulently sweet baby.  Round as you like but with lots of substance and pleasure. Not for the faint hearted but full of luscious fruit. And overall not a trace of overripeness. Bravo!”

The Independent (independent.co.uk)  – Terry Kirby – Wines of the Week
(and The Independent on Sunday (The New Review)
26th August

Sunday Lunch
Chateau La Coste Rosé d'Une Nuit 2011
It is already August Bank Holiday weekend, so it might be one of the last opportunities this summer for enjoying light and refreshing wines, such as these three, in the garden. An elegant, smartly bottled, pale pink Provençal rosé, full of fresh berry fruits and a tang of herbs, this is a delightful accompaniment to crustacea and fishy starters, as well as main-course salads and fruit puddings. Chill really thoroughly.

The Times (Weekend and thetimes.co.uk) –
Jane Macquitty: Cheers! It’s Beers
25th August 2012
Drink your way round the world this weekend with a run of beautiful, bitter, hoppy, flavoursome beers. Despite wine snobs’ protestations, beers can be every bit as complex, characterful and uniquely flavoured as wine. Not so long ago, the big beer companies had the field to themselves, but the rise of Britain’s microbreweries and the Campaign for Real Ale in the Seventies started to change all that. Discerning beer drinkers began to seek out and demand the same flavoursome brews they found in
pubs to drink at home. Now every good outlet offers not just a clutch of tasty, own-label British beers, but usually a range of the world’s best, too. Getting the best out of the beer revolution does depend on serving a pint properly. It may seem obvious, but cooling your glass first and remembering to pour carefully down the side of a tilted glass is the way to go. Another mistake lots of beer drinkers make is to serve a good beer at the wrong temperature. Decent top-fermented beer made with flavour-enhancing yeasts needs to be served at cellar temperature, around 55F, or 12C, to display all of its rich, fruity, hoppy flavours at their best. Served too cold, fine beers taste spineless and wishy-washy. The reverse is true of bottom-fermented beers, those rafts of fizzy, mostly achingly dull lagers made with yeasts that ferment at colder temperatures. Serve these flavourless brews as cold as you want; it won’t make a jot of difference.
One common beer misconception is that this fermented malty brew flavoured with aromatic hops is indestructible. It ain’t. Old, past its sell-by date, oxidised beer tastes flat and cardboardy. Ditto beer that has been stored incorrectly. Beer left to linger on hot supermarket shelves tastes thin, sour and occasionally downright vegetal. Keep all beer, like wine, somewhere cool and dark.

For me, one of the most thirst-quenching aspects of the beer revolution is the arrival each year of a new wave of easy-swigging, lower-alcohol summer beers. Adnams deserves a medal for its fine, floral, malty, 2.7 per cent alcohol Sole Star and zingy but subtly green ginger-spiced Ginger Beer, lower still at 2.5 per cent alcohol

The Independent
Saturday 11th August 2012
The 50 Best Summer Beers - The Independent
Adnams Explorer
“A fine example of a blonde ale using US hops in a restrained fashion,” says Melissa. “Full of herbal, citrus notes, it reminds me of a sea walk.”
Melissa Cole is the author of Let Me Tell You About Beer, the perfect beginner’s guide to the world of great brews.

The Observer Magazine
Sunday 5th August 2012
By David Williams
Mountain Moscatel  Secco, Malaga, Telmo Rodriguez
With aubergine fritters, try Telmo Rodriguez Mountain Blanco Dry Moscatel, Malaga, Spain 2010. It’s an aromatic, floral and nervy dry white by one of Spain’s best winemakers.

Fine Food Digest
Wednesday 1st August 2012
Chef’s Selection, Clare Hargreaves
Madalene Bonvini-Hamel, Chef patron, The British Larder, Woodbridge, Suffolk
Adnams First Rate Gin (48%abv)
This silky smooth award-winning gin, made by Suffolk distiller and brewer Adnams, is distilled from three locally grown grains and infused with a blend of 13 botanicals. We put it in cocktails such as our rhubarb & gin spritzer. We also use it to cure rainbow trout as the spices in the gin work perfectly with the earthiness of the fish. The hibiscus and juniper tones are also good with mulberries, so we put the gin in our mulberry & gin Bakewell tart. I buy direct from the Woodbridge Adnams Shop. It's expensive, but I believe in buying for quality rather than quantity.

Harrods Magazine
Wednesday 1st August 2012
Spirit of the Times
Curous ad it sounds, the famed Suffolk Brewery has taken up distilling. And judging by the company's first foray into gin, the distillers at Copper house Distillery have mastered their craft unfathomably quickly. Even more impressive is that Adnams are bona fide exponents of the grain-to-glass philosophy. Adnams Distiller John McCarthy makes a pure malted barley spirit from beer wash then redistills the spirit with six botanicals in a copper pot still. The end product? An aromatic gin with notes of juniper alongside sweet orange and hibiscus flowers. Try it in a high-ball glass with tonic, ice and a slice of lime.

     


The Times
28th July 2012
50 Best red wines for summer - Jane Macquitty
2010 Ventoux, Rhône Selection, Gonnet, France
The Gonnets’ vine roots in the Rhône valley stretch back to the 1600s. This romping red, made from mostly bought-in grenache grown on limestone-rich soil and topped with syrah, is no longer a Côtes du Ventoux appellation wine. But who cares when it is thick with silky, violet-scented fruit?

Decanter
1st July 2012
Les Heritiers du Comte Lafin, Clos de la Crochette, Mâcon 2010
Fresh apple nose. Tart, tangy, strident palate with white pepper tones. Elegant and long with racy acidity.

=

Decanter
1st July 2012
Jean-Marc Brocard, Montmains, Chablis Premier Cru 2010
Not aromatic, but rich and full-bodies, powerful and robust, with ample grip and extract. Packs a punch, with a long stony finish. Currently stocking 2007 vintage.

The Independent - The 10 Best summer rosés, Kate Hilpern
29th June 2012
Les Bastions Rosé, Saint Mont 2011
Full of strawberries, cherry and redcurrant flavours, this rosé has a pleasantly dryfinish.

Telegraph - Victoria Moore
29th June 2012
Dr L Riesling 2011 Germany
An ice-cold mouthful of not-dry riesling feels good in the same way it feels good to bite into a chilled chunk of melon, dripping with sweet juice. I say not-dry because the idea of sweetness seems to put people off, and this has 46.3g per litre of residualsugar. Think apple snow with mouth-tingling acidity that fences with the sweetness.

The Doctor’s Sauvignon Blanc 2011 Marlborough, New Zealand
This intense, off-dry wine is the result of Dr John Forrest’s project to make a tasty sub-10% sauvignon blanc. He discovered cool, late-ripening vineyard sites whose grapes were coaxed into making this naturally low in alcohol wine. Result.

The Independent - Terry Kirby
25th June 2012
Les Bastions 2009 Saint Mont
Given the weather we have been having, it's nice to have a decent, full-bodied red to hand for a cool summer's evening and this one fits the bill, while also being a perfectly good barbecue wine. A gem from the Plaimont co-operative in the south-west of France, this is a blend of the local Tannat and Pinenc grapes, with a
dash of Cab Sauv to add some structure. Robust, rustic, spicy, with lots of black fruits, dark chocolate and leathery flavours, it's perfect with Middle Eastern food such as grilled lamb kebabs.

Money Week - Matthew Dukes
22nd June 2012
2009 Hegarty Chamans no. 2 Minervois
- a mystical grenache, mourvedre, cinsault blend. This fragrant, elemental, resonant wine is the embodiment of the biodynamic regime at the property. Alive in the glass, this swirling vortex of magical fruit notes and forest scents never lets you rest. Once decanted, the aromas come into their own, constantly evolving.

Olive Magazine
8th March 2012
Quick Bites
We recommend pairing scotch eggs with Adnams Brewery brown sauce.

Delicious Mag
3rd March 2012
Ask Suzy
Paparuda Pinot Noir 2011
For the Tradional Roast - if you're cooking traditional roast lamb choose Great Value - This unsusal red is soft, moreish and inexpensive. Serve with pink tender lamb.

Decanter
1 March 2012
Centre Loire - the home of Sauvignon Blanc
Jean-Pierre Vacher, Sancerre 2010
A very classic Sauvignon nose of gooseberry, flint and grassiness. Bright, racy and linear on the palate, but perhaps lacking a bit of weight and concentration. Ultra-traditional style.

Decanter
1 March 2012, Peter Richards
Casa Rivas Gran Reserva Maipo Valley 2010
Eucalyptus, redcurrant, earth, leaf, cream, plum and cassis on the nose. Fresh and fruity with fresh acidity, integrated alcohol and length. Angular, needs decanting.

The Sunday Telegraph Stella Magazine
29 January 2012
Susy Atkins

The Doctors' Riesling 2010, Marlborough, New Zealand
At just 8.5 per cent, this juicy, succulent riesling is naturally low in alcohol, but packed with tangy green apples, grapefruit and mango. Medium-sweet and made for fruit salad.

El Transistor Verdejo 2009, Rueda, Spain (£15.99)
One of the best Spanish whites around, richly textured and ripe, but dry, with lemon peel and lime, and a whiff of smoke. A serious treat with pan-fried white fish or luxury seafood.

The World of wine… with Charles Hardcastle
Hunts Post, 25 January 2012 / Ely Standard, 26th January 2012
Domaine Saint Eugenie, Corbieres Rouge 2009.
A generous and silky blend of Carignan, Syrah and Grenache to accompany any hearty casserole.

Decanter
Sunday 1st January 2012
Margaret Rand
2009 Domaine Michel Sarrazin et Fils
Pure, bright and mineral fruit on an aromatic and linear palate.

Daily Mail (weekend)
Saturday 17th December 2011
Matthew Jukes' Wine List
2009 Crasto, Douro Red, Portugal
This wine is made from Port grapes, giving it a dark brooding core and great power, but without the alcohol levels of a fortified wine. Divine with both cheese and dark chocolate after dinner.

Noval Black Port, Portugal
This, for me, is the most attractive and desirable of all ports - and it's available at a superbly competitive price. 'Black' is a work of modern art and is packed to the rafters with dense black cherries, velvety prunes and intense dark chocolate.

The Blackpool Gazette
Saturday 17th December 2011
Jacqui Morley
L'Empreinte de Saint Mont white 2009 is one for the top table, translated as 'fingerprint', the premium white will make it mark with seafood, or a lighter curry, combining layers of full-on fruitiness, peach, apple, twist of citrus, with fennel notes.

Eastern Daily Press
Friday 16th December 2011
…"Cole's Traditional Foods, has a created a special treat for Adnams of Southwold, Suffolk, to give the typical festive dessert a bit of a kick. The Broadside Chrismtas pudding contains Adnams Broadside beer and has citrus fruit flavour. Coles Traditional Foods are suppliers to the Royal Family and founder Chris Cole has used a Christmas pudding recipe which was passed down from his great-great grandmother. The 900g pudding costs £12.99 and the smaller 450g pudding is £7.99.Not content with that, if you want an extra treat this year an accompaniment for the Christmas pudding has also been created. De Klok Original Advokaat, a Dutch alcoholic custard, comes in 50cl jars and costs £11.99.

     

The London Evening Standard
Thursday 15th December 2011
Andrew Neather
Juniper Estate Shiraz 2005, Margaret River is a Western Australian take on the same grape (as Crozes hermitage): rich and smooth but with better acidity than most Barossa shirazes.

The Telegraph
13th December 2011
Susy Atkins
I'm a big fan of the Copper House Distillery spirits from Adnams in Suffolk, not least its sweetish, clove-scented Winter Spiced Liqueur, made with ruby-red pimenta berries (from which allspice is derived) and vanilla pods. One to savour in shot glasses by the fire after a walk, it also works well if warmed gently.

Sunday Express, S Mazine
Sunday 11th December 2011
Jamie Goode's Top 30 White Wines

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Marlborough, New Zealand
This helped put New Zealand sauvignon blanc on the map and is back on form with superb grapefruit, white peach and elderflower flavours. Currently selling 2010 vintage.

Forrest Estate Semillon 2010, Marlborough, New Zealand
Semillon isn't usually found in New Zealand, but this is a brilliant, fresh wine with smooth peach and green pepper notes.

The Times
The 50 Best Red Wines for Christmas
Jane McQuitty
Saturday 10th December 2011
2008 Télégramme Châteauneuf-du-Pape, H. Brunier & Fils, France
Le Vieux Tél´graphe is one of Chateauneuf-du-Pape's most revered estates and renowned for its long-lived wines. Télégramme is their second wine made from 25-year-old vines, mostly grenache and mourvèdre. Although 2008 was not a great year in southern Rhône, this spicy, fat elegant chateauneuf with lots of cinnamon, leather and sandalwood spice, is a winner.

The Surrey Advertiser
Friday 9th December 2011
Heather Dougherty
Le Faite 2007
Arrufiac, Petit Courbu, Petit and Gros Manseng - you don't need to have heard of the grape varieties to enjoy this unique white wine: big bold fruit, big-boned, but with refreshing acidity.

 

Seattleweekly.com
Tuesday 6th December 2011
Cocktail maven Wendy Miller spills (about) what's in her glass
"I have a fondness for things my husband and I bring back while travelling. Currently I'm a bit obsessed with the amazing gins we had in London and a few that made it home with us. One in particular is Adnams' Copper House Distilled Gin."

The Spectator
Christmas Drinks
Saturday 3rd December 2011
Pete Brown
… and possibly the perfect fireside beer, Adnams' Broadside (6.3% abv) also really some into their own when the nights are longest, with maybe a bit of cheese on the side.

Sunday Telegraph, Stella
Susy Atkins
Sunday 4th December
I’m a big fan of the Copper House Distillery spirits from Adnams in Suffolk, not least its sweetish, clove-scented WINTER SPICED LIQUEUR (adnams.co.uk, £13.99 for 35cl), made with ruby-red pimenta berries (from which allspice is derived) and vanilla pods. One to savour in shot glasses by the fire after a walk, it also works well if warmed gently.

Jancisrobinson.com
Saturday 3rd December 2011
Top 60+ reds
René Rostaing 2007 Côte Rôtie
Very fresh, sumptuous, lacy nose and silky texture. North Rhône classic before the prices went up. 13%

The Guardian Weekend Magazine
Saturday 3rd December
Fiona Beckett
…how about a bottle of Adnams' new Copper House Sloe Gin with a great hunk of stichelton (the unpasteurised version of stilton, available from Neal's Yard)?

Foodies
Thursday 1st December 2011
Xmas Cheers - Oz Clarke
2008 Primitivo, Polvanera 14, Gioia del Colle, Puglia, Italy
Thick with the richness of dates and raisins, the sticky taste of plum jam baked on the edge of a jam tart, and the glowering intensity of black treacle.

Suffolk and Norfolk Life
Thursday 1st December 2011
Alex layton
Madiran Plénitude
Madiran is an appellation in the south west of France that is responsible for producing some of France's most hearty reds. The key to this region is the tannat grape variety, which due to its thick skin, produces richly flavoured wines with hefty tannins.
This particular example from one of France's (if not the world's ) best co-operatives, Plaimont, embraces both the traditional and the modern by using traditional and local grape varieties and vinifying them using modern methods. The result is a wine of great depth and vigour, but with lovely accessible black fruit charm. DO as the local gascons do and drink this with cassoulet, or failing that, hearty (foods) which will certainly keep the winter chills at bay.

Living South
Thursday 1st December 2011
Drink Me
Tom Forrest
Another healthy trend is the move to produce lower alcohol wines, based on the interesting concept of having a glass of wine at lunch at still working in the afternoon. The Doctors' range of wines are certainly no 'skinny latte' option; they are full-fat flavour, with a light note.

Good Housekeeping
Thursday 1st December 2011, Meike Beck
Fabulous Finds for Foodies
Pralus Large Chocolate Pyramid, 500g
This stack of dark, single-origin chocolates from around the world is fabulously packaged and tastes sublime.


Adnams First Rate Gin, 50cl
Distilled in hand-made copper stills, 13 botanicals go into making this 48% proof tipple. It's good stuff.

The Daily Express
Saturday 26th November 2011
Wine of the Week
For a good winter warmer try Adnams' Copper House Distillery Winter Spiced Liqueur.

 

The Observer
Friday 25th November 2011
David Williams
.COM Branco. Tiago Cabaço, Estremoz, Portugal 2009
One of the most characterful sub-£10 wines I've tasted in a long time, this idiosyncratic blend of local varieties such as roupeiro and anton vaz from Estremoz in the warm Alentejo region of Portugal has the right blend of richness and crispness for the Christmas turkey, both on the big day itself or as leftover cold cuts.

 

Cambridge First
Thursday 24th November 2011
The World of Wine with Charles Hardcastle
If there's still room for the Christmas Pudding, then a red 'sweetie' is called for. Adnams' Antonio Barbadillo Pedro Ximenez Sherry is a heady, luscious PX that can also be poured liberally over vanilla ice cream!

 

Discerning Drinker: Carignan
The London Evening Standard
Thursday 24th November 2011
Andrrew Neather
Domaine Réveille Carignan Le Franc Tireur 2009, Côtes du Roussillon
Some of France Crispeel's vines in Roussillon's wild Agly Valley are 100 years old, and it shows: with bags of rich, sweet fruit, this is big and long.

Available only in our Cellar & Kitchen Stores
 

The Observer
13th November 2011
David Williams in the Observer reviewed his 50 best wines for Christmas. In the White section under £10 he quotes
2009 .COM Branco, Tiago Cabaco, Estremoz, Portugal  £7.50
"One of the most characterful sub £10 wines I’ve tasted in a long time, this idiosyncratic blend of local varieties such as roupeiro and anton vaz from Estremoz in the warm Alentejo region, has the right blend of richness and crispness for the Christmas turkey, both on the big day itself or as left-over cold cuts.”

Decanter Magazine
Thursday 1st November 2011
Vintage Champagne
Adnams The Cellar Selection 2003
Ripe pineapple, biscuit, coffee, apricot, spice and toast. Rich and yeasty with a long fresh finish. Drink 2011 - 2016

Great British Food Magazine
Thursday 1st November 2011
All the Trimmings…
Adnams Christmas Pudding
This boozy delight has a surprisingly light texture - most likely down to the addition of Adnams Broadside ale instead of the usual brandy. The beer imparts a richness and really brings out the spicy gingerbread flavour of the fruit and zest.

     

Your Home
Thursday 1st November 2011
Food & Entertaining
Pick a pudding with a difference this year with Adnams Christmas pudding made with Broadside beer. The bitterness of the beer cuts through the sweet fruit whilst its fruitcake aroma adds to the richness.

     

BBC Good Food Magazine
Thursday 1st November 2011
Sarah Jane Evans
Stock up for Christmas
De Klok original Advokaat, 22%
Abandon the brandy butter for this show stopper. it's advocaat but no the ordinary kind. Thick, like lemon curd, and very alcoholic (22%), it's the perfect adults-only topping for Christmas pud or mince pie.

Bar Magazine
Thursday 1st November 2011
Mark Ludmon
Suffolk brewer Adnams has come up with the seasonal Winter Spiced Liqueur to complement the range of vodkas and gins from tis new Copper House Distillery. Distiller John McCarthy says, "The Winter Spiced Liqueur has a rich, warming spice and subtle vanilla flavour, using a mix of pimenta berries, vanilla pods  and sugar, left to soak in Adnams Copper House Barley Vodka. I'm particularly fond of the Spiced Liqueur as it makes a perfect winter aperitif or digestif."

Imbibe
Tuesday 1 November 2011
Kate Pass
Following on from the launch of Adnams Limoncello just in time for summer, the next two products to be released have a decidedly Christmassy feel. Adnams Sloe Gin (26% abv) and Winter Spiced Liqueur (28% abv), with the latter a blend of pimento berries, vanilla pods, sugar and Adnams Copper House Barley Vodka. Great for punches, aperitifs and digestifs, the duo act as great winter warmers.

 

Ely Standar
Thursday 27th October 2011
The World of Wine with Charles Hardcastle
Cabernet Sauvignon is always a winner with a hearty Sunday roast. Try Adnam's Château Falfas 2006 from Bordeaux's Côtes de Bourg region, a substantial and concentrated red with restrained tannins and a lengthy finish.

The Daily Echo (Bournemouth)
Monday 24th October
Madiran Plénitude 2008
Madiran is an appellation in the south west of France that is responsible for producing some of France's most hearty reds. This particular example embraces both the traditional and the modern by using traditional and local grape varieties and vinifying them using modern methods. The result is a wine of great depth and vigour, but with lovely accessible black fruit charm. Do as the local Gascons do and drink this with cassoulet, or failing that, oxtail soup which will certainly keep the autumnal chills at bay. Please note: we are currently selling the 2006 vintage.

The Independent
Saturday 15th October 2011
Anthony Rose
2009 Le Faite, Plaimont
…richly concentrated apricoty flagship white. Please note: we are currently selling the 2008 vintage

The Morning Advertiser
13 October 2011
Roger Protz
Bitburger Pils (4.8% abv)
Enormous care is devoted to selecting the finest raw materials for the beer: four varieties of barley and five hops. The beer is lagered for two months and has a toasted aroma balanced by floral hops and light citrus fruit. Juicy malt and tangy hops fill the mouth while the finish has a delicious bittersweet note of biscuity malt, piny hops and light fruit.

The Observer
Sunday 9th October
Wines of the Week
David Williams
.COM Branco, Tiago Cabaço, Estremoz, Portugal 2009
While the name is straining a little hard to suggest modernity (branco means white, incidentally) the wine itself is effortlessly unforced. From the warmth of the Alentejo, it's a full-flavoured, rich and fruity blend of the local roupeiro and anton vaz varieties; mouthfilling, idiosyncratic and with enough bite to mop up a buttery roast chicken.

Drinks International - drinksint.com
Sunday 9th October 2011
English brewery and distillery, Adnams, has added the limited edition Sloe Gin and Winter Spiced Liqueur to its range of spirits and liqueurs. The Suffolk-based distillery opened last November, distilling vodka and gin from its copper pot still.
The new line follows a Limoncello liqueur, released in May this year for the summer period. Adnams Sloe Gin is available in 50cl bottles priced at £18.49, while Winter Spiced Liqueur comes in 35cl bottles, with an RRP of £13.99.
Billed as "the perfect seasonal winter warmers", the new liqueurs are available until Easter 2012. John McCarthy, Adnams' distiller, said, "We've used traditional methods to produce our own interpretations of these festive favourites. With the Sloe Gin, we have added sloes and almonds to Adnams Copper House Gin, which were left to mature together for two months.
"The Winter Spiced Liqueur has a rich, warming spice and subtle vanilla flavour, using a mix of pimenta berries, vanilla pods and sugar, left to soak in Adnams Copper House Barley Vodka."

The Market
Saturday 1st October 2011
Amontillado AB
A complex dry wine packed with aromas from caramel and olives, dried fruit and nuts, to butter. The flavour lingers on and on.

The Times Weekend
Saturday 1st October 2011
Jane MacQuitty
Take this grape seriously 'Oddball' carignan.
Don't miss Adnams glorious raspberry-scented Domaine Réveille 2009 Carignan, Franc-Tireur.

Available only in our Cellar & Kitchen Stores

At Home Magazine
Saturday 1st October
A-Z of Ales
Adnams
Stocked at Marco Pierre White's Steak & Ale House, this is one of the chef's favourite ales. The team at Adnams prides itself on brewing authentic beers, each with its own fresh, unique and vibrant character. You can visit the Southwold brewery to see for yourself how they make Adnams Lighthouse (3.4% abv), Tally Ho (7% abv) and Spindrift (4% abv). The brewery's newly revamped system is one of the most modern in the UK. Making more efficient use of raw materials, it uses 30% less gas, cleans itself - and the team claim they're trying to programme it to make tea too! A tour of the Adnams brewery costs £10 per person, which includes the tour, tastings and a bottle of beer to take home.

Ham & High
Thursday 29th September 2011
Liz Sagues
A second intriguing and very unusual Alentejo wine appeared in the same under-£10 line-up. .Com branco 2009 blends two other native grapes, anton vas and roupeiro, and the result is almost savoury, with generous developing flavours - a perfect match for grilled sardines.

Bodegas Tempore Garnacha Joven 2010 from Aragon with intensive fruit and some complexity.

… the marvellous mixing of elegance and rusticity in René Rostaing Côte Rôtie 2011. Currently we are offering the 2004 vintage.

The Independent on Sunday
Terry Kirby
25th September 2011
Valley Escondido Torrontes 2010
An enticingly fresh, floral nature and a crisp, dry finish excite the palate in this excellent example of Argentina’s native grape made by the highly reputable Gouguenheim Winery, which also produces terrific Malbec, near Mendoza in the foothills of the Andes. This is a fabulous wine to accompany autumn puddings involving pears, plums or blackberries. £6.99

The Jewish Chronicle
Friday 16 September 2011
Anthea Gerrie
Austrian Zweigelt is an easy-drinking red with good fruit - try Little J from Adnams at £9.99. Special cakes and celebration meals deserve a dedicated dessert wine, and Rutherglen Muscat (half bottle £10.99, Adnams), is delectably toffee-ish, a fine complement to the apple and almond cake.

Jancis Robinson.com
Friday 16 September 2011
Tiago Cabaço, .COM Branco 2009 Estremoz (Wines of the week) £7.50
Congratulations to Adnams buyer Alastair Marshall for sniffing out this bargain when he went to the wine conference in Oporto, Portugal, last December. It is made by a young producer in the Alentejo, Tiago Cabaço, who specialises in his own native region of Estremoz, advised by oenologist Susana Estéban. (The wine's official designation of origin is Vinho Regional Alentejano.) I loved its massively fruity, interesting impact on the palate. Being from such a plump vintage, I wouldn't expect it to last particularly long but why wait?
It tastes as though many varieties go into this smartly packaged blend and indeed the producer's website confirms that it contains Portugal's admirably nervy Arinto as well as Roupeiro, Antão Vaz, Verdelho and even imported Viognier. It's fruity, really round and complex, unlike anything else I can think of, and fun.

Alastair Marshall writes that when he saw that this producer's wine ranges were called .COM and .BEB, he assumed a high level of techiness but claims that when he first met Tiago, he didn't even have a website. The key apparently is that if you add an E to the end of these two suffixes, you get respectively 'eat' and 'drink' in Portuguese. Of course! I'd just suggest that you take advantage of this evidence of Portugal's singularity when it comes to wine production, and enjoy the evidence that its white wines can be every bit as interesting as its reds. For the moment, Adnams seems to be the sole stockist known to wine-searcher.com. Let's hope that changes soon, as I do think this wine should be drunk this year, ideally.

Guardian.co.uk
Friday 9th September 2011
Fiona Beckett
Adnams Cellar & Kitchen shops stock the fragrant Chateau du Pin Bordeaux 2009 (£7.99; 14% abv), which you might be able to kid less knowledgable (or sozzled) friends is the iconic Le Pin. They also have an "Affordable Bordeaux" offer on at the moment – £99 for a 12-bottle case – which you might fancy if you want to explore what bordeaux at this price has to offer.

Off Licence News
Friday 2nd September 2011
Sarah Jane Evans MW
Adnams which has long had a relationship with Forrest Wines, has an offer originally intended for visitors to the winery in New Zealand who want to ship a case home, but it's also for UK customers. There's a 'Conversion' six-pack for £60 and a 'Touchdown' 12-bottle case for £139. It is also selling a pale ale with Nelson Sauvin hops, which apparently give a 'fantastic gooseberry flavour'.

Bar Magazine
Thursday 1st September 2011
Suffolk Brewer Adnams has introduced a programme of seasonal liqueurs alongside the gins and vodkas coming out of its new Copper House Distillery. After the success of its limited release of 2,500 bites of limoncello over the summer, this month sees the release of a sloe gin with a light almond sweetness. In advance of Christmas, head distiller John McCarthy has also created Winter Spiced, a liqueur made with pimento berries and vanilla. More seasonal products are planned for 2012. "I have always used natural ingredients which is a little bit more work in terms of filtering but you get a real product," John explains.

Hunts Post
24th August 2011
Charles Hardcastle
Berton Farms Chardonnay / Viognier 'Dust Farm' 2009.
A rich and spicy Aussie white packed with tropical fruit flavours.

Country Life
Wednesday 31 August 2011
Rupert Ponsonby
Adnams Distilled Gin (40% above) from Suffolk is made from malted barley, and uses a beer base distilled with six botanicals.

BBC Good Food Magazine
Saturday 1st October 2011
Sarah Jane Evans
Salers Gentiane, France, 25%, £22.50 / 100cl
If you prefer your drinks with a savoury rather than a sweet note, and have a taste for Campari or a dash of Angostura bitters, then try Gentiane - a French speciality. Made from the root of the pretty purple gentian flower, it makes a complex herbal, bitter drink that is very refreshing over ice. Recommended as a digestif.

Waitrose Weekend
Thursday 25 August 2011
Bitburger 330ml bottles
Bitburg is just on the western border of Germany near Luxenbourg and Bitburger has been brewed there since 1817. Its unusual, distinct but eminently appealing pilsner style has gained it a cult status and it also happens to be one of my favourites. The winning combination of crisp, citrus freshness with the bitter, savoury, hoppy tang is not only palate-cleansing, but blanches rich, spicy chicken marinades such as Heston's Coronation Chicken and the sweet and savoury notes in a traditional hot dog recipe.

Decanter
1st September 2011
Juniper Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (four stars 17.5) £19.50 (2005) Adnams
Rich and concentrated aroma. Full and succulent palate with firm but ripe tannins. Long and balanced with complexity. power and finesse combined. Drink 2012 - 2025. Alc 14.5%. We are currently offering the 2005 vintage.

Decanter
1 September 2011
Panel Tasting - Four stars
Mitchell Wines, Watervale, Clare Valley, South Australia 2010
Lovely aromas of ripe fruit, delicate herbs, minerals and wild flowers. Amazing mouthful of lovely ripe orchard fruit and acacia. Soft, exotic and pure with an intense, lingering finish. Top notch. Drink 2011- 2017/ Alc 13%. We are currently offering the 2008 vintage.

BBC Good Food Magazine
Thursday 1 September 2011
What to drink - Sarah Jane Evans
Open Now 2008, Hegarty Chamans, Minervois, France, £7.99
Why buy? Floral, smoky, brambly, this is a Syrah-Mourvedre red for Autumn drinking. The man behind the unforgettable name and the striking label is advertising guru Sir John Hegarty, one of a growing number of Engish people with vineyards in France - in this case near Carcassonne. He bought the estate in 2002 and has since introduced organic and biodynamic practices. Great with: Lighter dishes, such as lamb chops, and girdled aubergines, peppers and mushrooms.

 

France Magazine
1 August 2011
Wines of the month
Producteurs Plaimont, L'Empreinte Blanc 2009, Saint Mont
A delicious wine from a little-known appellation in Gascony. This has perfumed peachy and allspice-infused cream aromas. It's rich and fleshy, within a well-crafted, substantial body, with exotic and tropical fruit and a glimmer of vanilla spice, held together with a fresh pink grapefruit acidity. It's made from 75% gros manseng, 15% petit curb and 10% petit manseng off a five-hectare plot by one of the region's most forward-thinking co-operatives.

Decanter Magazine
1st August 2011
Vintage Report Chianti Classico 2008 & 2009
Kerin O'Keefe
Castello di Volpaia, Volpaia
Lovely earthy aromas of lychee, violet and hint of leather. Wild cherry palate with tobacco and mineral. supple tannins and very good length. Drink 2011-2014. Alc 13.5%




The Guardian Weekend Magazine
Saturday 23rd July 2011
Fiona Beckett's end of term report on the big supermarkets
And for those of you who would rather jump in front of a bus than enter the doors of a supermarket? Try Hegarty Chamans' Open Now Minervois (13.5% abv), a terrific, spicy blend of syrah and mourvedre for £7.99, or £7.19 if you buy an unsplit case, from Adnams Cellar & Kitchen. Now that is a bargain.



The Leader (Chester)
Friday 22nd July 2011
Sam Wylie-Harris
Best Buy:
Eco-friendly Languedoc lovely… winemaker JeanJean en Languedoc has launched Bivouac organic wines, a range of premium organic Vins de Pays d'Oc, which come in a two-bottle environmentally friendly wine pouch. A great gadget with no drips. Bivouac wines are available in red, white and Rosé… and will last 6 weeks after opening.

www.jancisrobinson.com
Jancis reviews some of the good value wines required for the Royal Household:
Chateau du Pin 2009 Bordeaux 16+ Drink 2011-2014
Mild and easy but not too sweet. Good for drinking without food. Lots of fruit and no excess of anything. 14%

The Independent
Terry Kirby selects the best bottles to buy
Sunday, 10 July 2011
Open now, Domaine Hegarty Chamans 2008
Made by award-winning wine-maker Samuel Berger on an organic vineyard owned by British advertising mogul John Hegarty near Carcassonne, this Syrah-Mouvèdre blend is full of bold, dark fruit, but also rich, spicy and savoury – everything a good Minervois should be. Ideal with anything meaty and grilled on the barbecue.

Imbibe
Friday 1, July 2011
Home on the Range: Our favourite line-ups
Forrest, New Zealand
Drs John and Brigid Forrest run a small winery in Marlborough, and also produce wine from vineyards elsewhere in New Zealand. The John Forrest Collection Noble Riesling 2006, however, is all Marlborough. THis sweet wine has bright aromas of raisins, marmalade and apricots, followed by luscious flavours of Seville Oranges and honeycomb on the palate, cut with taut lime acidity. The 2006 Syrah from the same John Forrest Collection features a spicy nose of cloves and blackcurrant with hints of pepper. The palate has a soft savoury attack with a burst of red and black currants, as well as lots of smoky leather and gravel. The Forrest Tattybogler Pinot Noir 2008 grown in Otago, offers a rich nose of blackberry and some malted biscuits. Cherry fruit and hints of chocolate on the palate are followed by a smoky, clove finish.

Great British Food Magazine
Friday 1, July 2011
Adnams Finest Cut Gin
Despite being best knownfor its beers,Suffolk-based brewery Adnams is using its expert skills to produce a delicious British gin. Created with a blend of East Anglian wheat, barley and rye, the spirit has a subtle,yet complex,flavour, and is made using a blend of 13 botanicals,including juniper berries, coriander seed, cardamon pods, sweet orange peel and liquorice root.
Adnams is said to be the first brewery and distillery in England to undertake the whole production process in-house, from grain to glass. The distillery is based in the old Adnams Brewery Copper House, which has been refurbished and fitted with hand made copper equipment. A vodka is also available,and a whiskey is set to follow once it has matured in specially-made oak casks for three years.

Jane MacQuitty, The TImes
Top 50 Summer Whites, 19 June 2011

2010 Lorca Fantasia Torrontes
…I was bowled over by this seductive, mouthwatering musk, peach, jasmine and hawthorn scented torrontes.

2009 Macon-Montbellet
The year 2009 was good in burgundy – just as it was almost everywhere in France – so make certain that you scoop up enough of this really rather delicious Macon, which is bursting with characterful, rich, floral, sappy fruit.

2008 El Transistor
El Transistor comes from old bush vine verdejo grown in the vineyard of El Monte, near the town of La Seca. Ripe verdejo grapes are irresistible to the area's wild boars, so Telmo Rodriguez left transistor radios playing loudly throughout the vineyard and picked a pristine crop. The result is a terrific, zesty, pink grapefruit-styled white that makes a fine summer aperitif and fishy first-course white.

Glasses at the ready: The best wines to buy this summer
By Terry Kirby, The Independent
Sunday, 19 June 2011
Franc Tireur, Domaine Reveille 2009
In the South of France, the Carignan grape used here is normally found in blends. But this terrific single-varietal, made from 100-year-old vines, has all the hallmarks of a big Languedoc red: intense, rich, with fresh flavours of dark fruits and the herby "garrigue" of the hillsides. Perfect with a butterfly leg of lamb spiked with rosemary. £12.50, Adnams

Olly Smith, Mail Online, Jan 1st 2011
The Doctors' 9.5% Sauvignon Blanc

Normally I loathe wines that are deliberately made to be low in alcohol, as they seem to me utterly rancid. This is different. This is the first one I've tasted to make me think twice. Thanks to early picking, the wine is crisp and fruity yet punchy too. Clever stuff.

Olly Smith, Mail online, 2nd October 2010
El Transistor, Rueda, Telmo Rodriguez, Spain £17.99
This white wine is awesome. The grape is 100% Verdejo sourced from old bush vines, and the wine got its name thanks to a radio placed strategically in the vineyard to ward off local wild boar from eating the delicious fruit. Peachy, creamy, zingy and long-lasting, this is purity in a bottle and a must for all fans of classy dry whites.

Anthony Rose: 'Independent wine merchants can provide a service that supermarkets can only dream of'
Saturday, 2 October 2010
Adnams of Southwold, always innovative, often quirky, came up with an exotically rich gooseberry and guava-like 2009 El Transistor, Rueda, £17.99, from Telmo Rodriguez, and a distinctively full-flavoured, sweet-and-sour, cherryish 2008 Valpolicella Classico Corte del Pozzo, Fasoli Gino, £10.99.

The Mail on Sunday, 4th April 2010
Olly Smith
Saint-Mont Le Faite Blanc, Producteurs Plaimont
"A vibrant and stunning white blend of Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng and Arrufiac, this wine will bring a grin to the face of anyone who has ever loved Sauvignon Blanc. It has a real grapefruit tang to it - dazzingly fresh with a joyful sense of verve."

The Weekend Australian, February 13 / 14 2010
James Halliday

2008 Forrest Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
"A mini-vertical tasting of Forrest Sauvignon Blancs back to '06 (and '01 as a back-marker) showed some sauvignons can age well. Screwcaps have, of course, moved the goalposts. Still very pale and no less fresh, with light floral / passionfruit elements, this is a wine of extreme elegance built on a minerally, citrus-nuanced framework. 13% alc/ vel; screwcap. Rating: 95 points. Drink to 2013."

The Telegraph, Friday 19th February 2010
Jonathan Ray
Jonathan Ray's Top 10 Kiwi wines
"New Zealand's wines may not be cheap, but they get better every year.

2005 John Forrest Collection Noble Riesling, 9%vol (£19.99 per 37.5cl; Adnams 01502 727222).
Wine lovers are in for a real treat now that the European Union's bizarre embargo on New Zealand's sweet wines has been lifted. This absolute peach from Marlborough is on the high seas as I write and will be available from March. Richly sweet, but with fresh, fine riesling acidity and complex whiffs of petrol and marmalade, it's wonderful on its own or with tarte tatin. Definitely a wine worth waiting for."

Wall Street Journal, Weekend Journal, Friday - Sunday, February 19-21, 2010
Drinking Now
Madiran Plenitude 2005, Producteurs Plaimont, Gascony, Southwest France

"The wines from the Madiran are big, full-bodied and rustic. I love them, but be warned they are best with food. This example has slightly softer fruit, with a notable hint of oak and is reminiscent of hearty plum jam."

Times Online December 4, 2009
Top 10 Christmas gifts under £20, Michael Moran
"3: Adnams Champion beer box £10
Got an uncle or brother-in-law that you barely know and so is impossible to buy for? Well, impossible to buy for inside your ten pound budget at least? Enter the Adnams Champion Beer Box. Six different connoisseur beers in a very handsome box. He’ll love the beer, and afterwards he can probably use the box for cufflinks or something. If he wears cufflinks."

Source: Oz Clarke's 250 Best Wines Wine Buying Guide 2010

2005 Rioja Crianza, Monte Acuro, The Adnams Selection
When I taste real Rioja, carefully, traditionally made, without any grand pretensions, I can look back almost as long as I've been drinking wine, because in the dark days when reds were thin and sour, Rioja was the opposite. Creamy, gentle, soft, squashy strawberry fruit swathed in vanilla, perhaps the bitter-sweet crack of cherry stones to provide just a hint of toughness. Well, here it is again: living memories of Rioja.

(Please note we now have a different vintage)

NV Pelorus, Cloudy Bay, New Zealand
Cloudy Bay is part of the Louis Vuitton luxury luggage group, which also owns the Champagne House of Veuve Clicquot. So you could think of Pelorus as Veuve Clicquot from the Land of the Long White Cloud (ie New Zealand). This is outstanding fizz; I wish Veuve Clicquot was a) this price, and b) so consistently delicious, but it fails on both counts. So enjoy this Kiwi version instead - beautifully creamy, smelling of macaroons and hazelnuts, fresh and foaming, but with the soft reassurance of baked rice pudding.

In the Keeping it Light section:
'Here are my suggestions for drinks with fab flavours that won't leave you fuzzy-headed the next morning'
2006 Riesling, The Doctor's, Forrest Estate, Marlborough, 9.5%

2008 Riesling, Dr L, Loosen, Mosel

Tom Parker Bowles, The Mail on Sunday
"Dinner is poured".
Tom Parker Bowles explores cooking with beer. Read the complete article here:  http://tiny.cc/GSjm8
"A cottage pie is given instant extra depth with a good glug of London porter or stout (again, Meantime does a great porter), while an Adnams Broadside is the perfect partner to beef in a steak-and-ale pie."

Simon Woods Blog:

http://www.simonwoods.com

Castle Rock Central Coast Pinot Noir 2008, California
Soft spice, gentle ripe raspberry red cherry, a hint of Mivvi lollies (vanilla and strawberry if you don’t know them), juicy and friendly wine, hint of leather, not too complex but very tasty. S-

Castle Rock Petite Sirah 2006, Russian River Valley, California
Quite big blue fruit and chocolate character, exuberant, almost tar and ash character, some vanilla from the oak aging, but it’s not as clunky as in the Syrah – maybe due to the extra year on bottle? Still plenty of tannin, nicely rustic, and with its best still to come. B(+)