Issue #92 - Christmas at The Vinorium

 

A Taste of 
The Vinorium

Issue: 92 / Sunday 1 December, 2019

December has arrived all too quickly and for many, it is time to plan for Christmas. December must be one of the finest months for in-season foods. Goose, guinea fowl, rabbit and venison are at their peak for eating and best served along with some amazing accompaniments including beetroot, brussels sprouts, the roots; parsnips, swede, turnips and one of my favourites, celeriac, which makes the perfect gratin served with venison… I also love the sweet, nutty flavour of Jerusalem artichoke, but one must be mindful of its ‘windy’ and often uncomfortable reputation which could be rather embarrassing around the Christmas table!

I hear a great way to alleviate the problem is to cook them slow (up to 12 hours) and around 90C. The inulin (a carbohydrate similar to fructose, which humans lack the enzymes to digest) will be converted to fructose resulting in a disarmed artichoke. I make a cracking gratin with a crunchy, mixed topping of breadcrumbs, porridge oats, hazelnuts, strong cheddar and a little melted butter. It’s a sensational dish, great for vegetarians and outstanding served with thick cuts of cold ham. 

Chestnuts are also in their seasonal abundance and I have two whopping trees in my garden, which have been shedding their winter bounty for the past month.

I have filled a wooden wine case to the brim and left the majority for the squirrels, which in itself causes problems with their incessant habit of digging up my lawn and burying them everywhere. I bet the buggers forget them and I’ll end up with a forest!

Given December the first has arrived, we will return next week with Shiraz part II as today we unveil our forty-four-page Christmas brochure, which has been beautifully prepared by our in-house designer James. It’s packed with some great gifting ideas and a selection of some of our favourites including the utterly sensational wines from Josh Cooper and Cobaw Ridge which are booked to arrive at our HQ next Wednesday. This is also my opportunity to unashamedly promote The Vinorium as a great source for corporate gifts. No order is too small or large and our global delivery network will make light work of your requests – Drop Magda an email as she will happily assist. I would like to highlight the footer of our weekend read – The delivery schedules and their respective cut-offs. This week, mainland Europe is included with a with a deadline of 3:00pm, Monday 16th December.

Happy browsing, cooking & shopping,

Stu

 

Introducing our carefully curated
exclusive gift sets

Tasting notes included, and a personalised gift message from you.

Bordeaux Gift Sets from great vintages

Beautifully boxed Bordeaux wines made especially for The Vinorium make a great gift for a wine lover and this range offer incredible value.

 

Including Vinorium exclusive Champagne Salmon made with 100% Pinot Meunier

 
 
 
 
 

Large Formats Perfect for Sharing

Christmas with friends and family is a time to celebrate and indulge, and our larger bottles of wine will ensure your guests never have an empty glass. We believe that larger bottles bring a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ to any occasion. Whether that is a cosy night in on Christmas Eve, sharing a bottle (or 3) around the Christmas dinner table, or the magical countdown to Midnight on New Year’s Eve. If you are looking for a gift that goes that extra mile, our large formats are sure to brighten someone’s Christmas morning.

 
 

Celebrating its 10th Anniversary

 

Many years have passed since we teamed up with Hubert de Bouärd; co-owner of Château Angelus, and the famed Kentish artist Graham Clarke to create our first own-labelled Bordeaux wine. Individually sourced, using carefully selected grapes, resulting in a fabulous table Claret. How does it taste after a decade? We put our own wine to the acid test this week…

 

Château Tour de Sarrail 2009

Stuart McCloskey tasted 27.11.2019 “A lovely nose of redberries, mulberry, liquorice, clove and a whiff of new oak and graphite unfurl in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied and surprisingly seductive. Merlot is in the driving seat with a lovely spicy and sweet fruit entry. Mid-palate offers more savoury / earthy notes. I detect a Burgundian forest floor intermixed with dried herbs, cedar and sandalwood. The tannins are fine and polished beautifully. A touch of dryness on the finish indicating this should be consumed over the next 2-3 years. Overall, this is a cracking Claret (serve it blind as I am sure most would consider this a £20 / £25 bottle). Decanted for 1-2 hours and served in Zalto’s Bordeaux glassware

£12.50 per bottle

 
 

Our Wine of the Week

 
 

Lanson Champagne
Noble Cuvee Brut 2000

Presented in its own beautiful gift box

 

98 Points - Stuart McCloskey "Fully mature as one would expect and all the better for it. The nose is incredibly inviting with lemon peel, orchard fruits, brioche, poached pear and finishes with deep honey notes with touches of caramel and Fino Sherry. Despite being practically 20-years of age, the palate is razor sharp, full of energy, broad and textural which are the hallmarks of great Grand Cru vineyards (Avize and Cramant). The wine offers an indescribable sense of completeness – Imagine spiced, poached pears melded with a brioche richness, paired with candied fruits and a killer thread of acidity. A Michelin Star pudding if this could be translated into a bowl… Dazzling and a highly addictive Champagne. Truly exceptional. Possibly disgorged November 2012 but that is not clear on the bottle. Served at warehouse temperature and using Zalto Universal Glassware."

£58.50 per bottle

 
 
 

Your Corporate requirements taken care of by The Vinorium

 

We are proud to offer an eclectic range of products and first-class customer service.

Why not let us take care of your corporate requirements? As the leading specialist wine merchant in the UK, you can rest assured that your staff, clients and all those you wish to thank this Christmas, will receive a unique gift of vinous discovery.

The choice is vast – from our carefully curated gift sets, to the finest handblown glassware, along with the freedom of selecting individual wines.  We are able to provide a helping hand as we tailor and customise gift choices to each and every request.

 
 

Let us take care of your requirements this year
in a few simple steps:

1. Tell us what you have in mind…

The number of gifts

The preference of the wine style

The budget you wish to dedicate

 

2. We will revert with tailored gift solutions for your consideration.

 

3. Your chosen gifts will be carefully packed and sent directly to all those you wish to thank and present a gift of appreciation…

Our team will ensure all logistics are taken care of

We ship with express next-day delivery as standard

We will always include your personalised gift messages

 

4. No order is to small or too large…

We deliver anywhere in the UK, Europe and further afield. 
Express next-day delivery available for Mainland UK and 48 hours delivery 
to Scottish Highlands & Islands, Ireland and Europe.

 
 
 

Online Orders:

With delivery certainty in mind, please place your order(s)
by 3:00pm Thursday 19 December.

Emergency online orders: 12:00 noon Friday 20 December.

Weekend Shop &
Christmas Opening Hours

Saturday December 7 & 14 - 10:00am to 4:00pm
Saturday December 21 - 9:00am to 5:00pm
December 23 - 9:00am to 5:00pm
Christmas Eve - from 9:00am to 2:00pm

HQ Christmas Hours
(These differ from our shop opening hours)

Our HQ will close from 5:00pm Friday 20 December returning 2 January 2020 (*Telephones & emails will not be staffed during this period).

 

European Deliveries

•  Cut off across Europe for a pre-Christmas delivery is Monday 16th December at 3pm. Your order must be received by 3pm for same day shipping.

•  We will continue shipping orders placed after 3pm on Monday 16th December however, these are NOT guaranteed to arrive pre-Christmas.