Earlier this week Gastro Brum heading to the Crescent Theatre in Brindley Place to sample the delights of Connolly’s annual festive wine tasting.
Connolly’s is one of Birmingham’s longest running wine merchants and still Birmingham’s only Independent wine merchant (a crying shame I must add).
The store is both a hub for wine lovers and for many of the local restaurants whom connollys count as trade customers. The store reflects the owners love of Burgundy and Austria but also offers a plethora of wines from the worlds most renowned wine regions as well as wine from up and coming countries.
Anyway, enough background and onto the tasting……
We started the evening with a glass of the ever reliable Pol Roger champagne, which by many is considered the ‘serious wine drinkers’ champagne and I can’t really argue with that. It’s heavy on Pinot Noir and richer than your standard champagne, but has incredible depth of flavour for a NV.
We then travelled our way through rich sumptuous Chilean Chardonnay, Creamy barrel fermented white Rioja, Off dry Alsace Pinot Blanc and Gewurztraminer, as well as stunners from New Zealand’s Esk Valley estate.
Personally, I felt that the Whites faired a lot better than the reds, but in fairness I’m more inclined to drink white at the moment so I may be biased on that one.
Here’s a list of what we rated highest….
Sparkling
- Pol Roger NV – 92 – £29.95
Whites
- Martinez Lacuesta Blanco Fermentado Barrica – 91 – £11.94
- Percheron Chenin Blanc – 87 + – £5.95
- Esk Valley Sauvignon Blanc – 89 – £9.75
- Soave Classico, Inama – 91 – £11.95
Reds
- Quinta de Garrida Reserva Touriga Nacional – 92 – £14.65
- Percheron Cinsault / Shiraz – 88 – £5.95
For more information on the wines, go and say hello to the team on Livery Street.
