As winter draws near and the British weather shows its less appealing side, leaving the house to run errands or go shopping becomes an increasingly unattractive prospect. Few of us would rather brave the bitterly cold winds and torrential rain than stay at home by the fire, curled up with our loved one, watching a film with a glass of wine. Thankfully, movies aren’t the only things that can be delivered to your house. Join one of many wine clubs online and you can have a box delivered straight to your door, meaning the postman is the only person getting cold and wet.
Knowing that you can consume a tipple without going into town is a great relief, but you may still be wondering what wine to order. After all, buying through the Internet means there’s no helpful clerk or local connoisseur on hand to explain the flavours of each wine and give advice on which would work particularly well with certain foods.
The fact of the matter is that there are so many wines from which to choose that even narrowing the selection down to red, white or rose doesn’t necessarily make the process any easier. With wines available from seemingly everywhere, it’s difficult to know whether to go with a South African wine or a Chilean one.
Help is at hand, though, as there are a number of key differences between wine varieties that should make the selection process less of a burden. A 2005 Brampton Cabernet Sauvignon Stellenbosch from South Africa is an impeccable red wine that has received multiple awards and trophies. The flavours of this particular wine are exquisite and its trademark tastes, that will excite your taste buds with each sip, include blackcurrants, cherries and a hint of smoky spice.
Perhaps the best feature of this wine, however, is its versatility. While it works wonderfully well as a social drink that will spark conversation among old friends, it also goes well with food. Of course, that it is versatile does not mean it is perfectly suited to everything, as is true of all wine.
Red wine always goes best with dark meat, so it’s worthwhile keeping a bottle stashed away for the Sunday roast. If you prefer white wine over red, South Africa produces some of the very best of that too. Perhaps a bottle of 2007 Waterford Pecan Stream Chenin Blanc will suit you, with its exotic taste running the full gauntlet between juicy melons, tasty pears and delicious apples. Such a sublime combination makes it ideal for relaxing during an evening while the wind howls outside and the rain pounds the windows.
Whatever the occasion, Australian wine is always a fantastic choice. From the exquisite flavour and refreshing taste of a 2009 Moon Harvest Shiraz from South Australia, harvested in the cooler evening air under moonlight, to the crisp 2006 Grenache Turkey Flat Butchers Block Rosé Barossa, Australia produces some of the very best wines available. The Turkey Flat is perhaps one of the finest rosé wines you could ever hope to experience. Its flavour could be described as an orgy of red fruit, from strawberries to redcurrants, and while it looks stunning it retains some added body thanks to the tannins.
For those who like a full-bodied red wine to boost their antioxidant levels while enjoying a nice steak, the Rolf Binder Hales Shiraz Barossa, with its black and blue berries and exquisite mocha undertone, makes an excellent choice. The 2009 White Viognier, on the other hand, will satisfy those lovers of white wine.
Viognier is firmly establishing itself as one Australia’s tastiest wines and it makes the perfect alternative to Chardonnay. With fruity aromas and bursting with flavours, it’s as if the spirit of summer has been caught and bottled for the World to enjoy. This means that even when the British weather is at its worst, opening a bottle of Viognier will bring the sun bursting through your door.
There are countless varieties of wine from countries the World over, each possessing something special and different. While knowing what to choose can prove difficult, there is an abundance of information online just waiting to help you find your perfect choice; if you’re still undecided, you can take advantage of the home delivery and order a nice selection. Put your slippers on, find a good film and order a box of wine to make your winter more tolerable.