Mark's Blog

03 August 2006

It was great to be back hosting a tasting at Casa Valle last Tuesday.  I have known the Valle family for about eight years, back in the day when they used to own the sandwich shop on Park Street in Leamington Spa.  In fact, they’re possibly responsible for the hardening of my arteries and an extra inch on my waist, as we used to indulge in Mr. V’s famous deep-fried bacon butties.  It is great to see that the restaurant goes from strength to strength because they work so hard and are such a nice bunch of guys and girls.

The tasting itself was held in the charming conservatory and I think it was probably the first tasting I have ever done under a grape vine.  The temperature was very hot but everyone who attended was rewarded with great food and wines to match.  When people arrived they were served a chilled glass of frizzante Prosecco, which is always a crowd pleaser whenever we put it on to taste.  With the first course we served a couple of wines from Sicily; the white was an Inzolia and the red a Nero d’Avola - both native grape varieties and both from Villa Tonino.  For wines to match the main courses we served a Pinot Grigio from Corte Giara and an Aglianico from Vesevo.  The Aglianico, a grape variety that no-one had come across before, was met with great enthusiasm and was probably most peoples’ favourite wine on the night.  We finished with a light and spritzy Moscato d’Asti which was the perfect dessert wine to serve on a balmy July evening.

We are returning to Casa Valle in October which also promises to be a great evening.

Moving on to things Whisky related.  Diageo release this week their ‘distillers’ edition of Caol Ila which has been finished in Moscatel casks; I am very much looking forward to tasting it and can see myself owning a bottle.  I only pray that it works with this great Islay malt and doesn’t, as in the case of the Lagavulin distillers edition, which was aged in PX casks, completely ruin a perfectly good malt and make you pay more for the privilege.

Distillers should realise that PX casks need to be handled with care as it is so rich and sweet.  However, the guys at Auchentoshan still produce their Three Woods, which is completely over-powered by the sherry and creates a truly awful whisky.

If you want a good wood finished Auchentoshan, look no further than Murray McDavid's 13 year old bottling that has been “enhanced” in Viognier casks from Guigal in the Northern Rhone; a truly superb malt which has taken up some fruity notes from the cask and suits the delicate style of Auchentoshan very well.  10 out of 10 Mr. McEwan.

Working on Henley Street we are exposed to buskers of varying talent.  Today, however, we were serenaded by a guy who couldn’t even be bothered with English.  He did his whole two hour set in Polish.

Cheers.