Focus on Wine
Ramblings and thoughts on the world of wine – click on the titles to read more.
Winner of Essex Countywide Business Awards 2013
LSPN Editorial, May 2013 The Wine Centre in Gt Horkesley is celebrating its 50th year as an award winning independent wine merchant. In recent years it has been refurbished and its retail offering extended far beyond that of a traditional wine shop. The shop offers the full complement of drinks, it is a regional [...]
Published: May 13, 2013Burgundy Supper 19th April
Supper Evening , 19th April 2013 Guest speaker Jeremy Lithgow – Host Anthony Borges – Chef Tony Bell Wines of Burgundy Menu Petite tourte de saumon, crevettes et crab (baby tort of salmon, crab and prawn) – Dos de cabillaud, fines herbes et concombre etuvée (lightly poached hake, herb sauce with stewed cucumber) – Coq [...]
Published: April 22, 2013Charlie Stocker rocks
Posted 9/3/13 Charlie Stocker rocked last night at The Wine Centre. Michelin-star quality at age 21, this lad is definitely a rising star in the food world…… check out his website to find out about his Essex pop-ups. The Menu: Native Mersea Oyster Mignonette * Local Hake, Pink Fir Potatoes, Seaweed Butter, Mersea Vegetables * Rump [...]
Published: March 9, 2013Charlie Stocker, Masterchef
Masterchef – Charlie Stocker Masterchef – Charlie Stocker Masterchef Charlie Stocker is coming to Great Horkesley – book your tickets now! Charlie`s credentials MasterChef: Professional – Quarter Finalist 2012 Essex Chef of the Year – Runner up 2012 Acorn Scholarship - High Commended 2012 21 years old Holds Fine Dining Tasting Menu Pop Ups Likes to [...]
Published: February 7, 2013Wine with Classic British Food
Wine with Classic British Food British cuisine is not what it used to be: in the last decade it has improved beyond recognition! We have fantastic food served up in pubs, some of the best restaurants in the world and many of us eat better and healthier in our homes as well. Okay yes it`s [...]
Published: January 11, 2013November wine tasting blog
Taste of Moet Hennessy: Host Janet Borges – Speaker Anthony Borges – Chef Tony Bell Tasting Blog on 16th November Supper Tasting It was a terrific evening, such fun, thank you everyone for coming and making the evening a big success. A great way to start the evening with Cloudy Bay`s Pelorus sparkling wine, so lovely, [...]
Published: November 17, 2012Essex Life Retailer of the Year 2012
The Wine Centre The Causeway, Great Horkesley, CO6 4BH Independent Retailer of the Year 2012 The Wine Centre at Great Horkesley is a specialist wine merchant conveniently situated on the A134, with plenty of free parking. A grade II listed building, it has been a wine merchant for 49 years, its last twelve under the [...]
Published: November 2, 2012Guigal
Taste of Guigal Guest speaker Brett Crittenden – host Anthony Borges – Chef Tony Bell Some of us think this was the best tasting yet – fab food – and a truly exceptional range of wines. But also true some of us have said this before! For me, given Rhone is my Desert Island choice [...]
Published: October 22, 2012Fabulous Rhone
Rhone From the Rhone Valley good Cotes du Rhone is warming yet with a lightness and fruitiness ideally suited to the local ratatouille. Here in England try with tasty lamb chop. However, the Syrah grape comes into its own in northern Rhone, notably in Cote Rotie, Hermitage and Cornas, but also St. Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage. [...]
Published: October 15, 2012ABS Supper Wine Tasting
October 5th Wine Tasting Supper Thanks Justin for an excellent presentation, and Tony for another fabulous food experience – the Rieslings were wonderful with the Asian Prawn Salad (the dusting of spice just so – not at all overpowering – perfect), the Ripasso and Amarone sublime with the duck breast (what a delicious Veronese sauce!) and the parmesan [...]
Published: October 6, 2012Ata Rangi tasting blog
27th September Ata Rangi Wine Tasting Supper Guest speaker Helen Masters, Winemaker – host Anthony Borges The platters of smoked fish, charcuterie and cheeses made for a banquet, the myriad of smells and flavours creating havoc with our taste buds as we negotiated our way through, tasting each precious wine in turn; and at every [...]
Published: September 28, 2012September 21st Tasting
Guest speaker Jane Macaulay – host Anthony Borges – Chef Tony Bell Thanks Jane and Tony, excellent tasting – what a lovely aperitif! I`m sure it will be big this festive season (good choice Janet Borges!) and as for best wine-food matches: the Chardonnay with the buttery salmon fillet starter and the Yealands Pinot Noir [...]
Published: September 26, 2012July 20th Wine Tasting
Guest speaker Martin Sheen – host Anthony Borges – Catering by Chimneys Excellent speaker (thanks Martin, really interesting and fun) and first class food and service by Chimneys. Well done Gareth, Alex and Rochelle. The Muscadet made a fabulous aperitif – and was always going to be a hard act to follow. But the Gavi di Gavi [...]
Published: July 21, 2012Guest speaker Martin Sheen – host Anthony Borges – Catering by Chimneys Excellent speaker (thanks Martin, really interesting and fun) and first class food and service by Chimneys. Well done Gareth, Alex and Rochelle. The Muscadet made a fabulous aperitif – and was always going to be a hard act to follow. But the Gavi di Gavi [...]
Published: July 21, 2012Burgundy Tasting blog
Taste of Burgundy Excellent tasting of burdundy wines, thank you Peter Rowe for guiding us through the evening so skilfully (no broken legs – just a few sore heads in the morning). And Tony Bell, as always, thanks for your great effort in the kitchen. Indeed thanks everyone for coming. My favourite wine of the evening was [...]
Published: June 18, 2012New World Tasting blog (June 12)
Another fabulous evening at The Wine Centre Thank you everyone for a terrific evening of delicious wines, stimulating company and once again excellent food (well done Tony). The Outer Limits aperitif in the garden was for me a winner with the pastry-wrapped asparagus, the Spier Chenin Blanc sublime with the Asian-spiced- lemongrass fish starter, the [...]
Published: May 31, 2012NZ Tasting blog (May 12)
Another excellent NZ evening spent with friends of The Wine Centre, thank you everyone and well done again Tony Bell for excellent culinary workmanship and Peter Rowe for a brave presentation! We had some cracking food-wine matches again, in particular the Riesling with Asian spiced prawn starter. Here are the wines we tasted.
Published: May 3, 2012April Wines of the Month
This is the line up we enjoyed at our last supper evening. I thought the Rabbit Ranch matched the fragrance of the fresh salmon-salad starter superbly (incredible aromas/flavours in the salad, by the way, well done Tony), the Dreadnought a terrific match with the spiced beef and the Aria sweet wine, superb with the cheeses! But best most truly memorable wine on the night for me was the Bel Canto! Amazing.
Published: April 2, 2012Wine Journal, Chile
Official recognition of a job well done – the prize a trip to Chile !!
Only one of us could go – and after much soul searching we decided it should be me! Janet would instead travel to Aldeburgh, Lea to Paris, Merrill to New York: our well-deserved breaks after all the hard work over Christmas.
Published: February 1, 2012My Trip to Alsace
Slightly bruised from the strains of excess foie gras and grand crus, I am nonetheless feeling inspired and happy following a glorious two days in Alsace as a guest of Domaines Schlumberger. Indeed in spite of the urgent need to catch up with my work, I feel compelled to share some of the highlights with you. So here we go.
Published: October 6, 2011British cuisine is not what it used to be: in the last decade it has improved beyond recognition!
We have fantastic food served up in pubs, some of the best restaurants in the world and we eat better and healthier in our homes as well. The changes have been brought about in part because of dynamic individuals who promote good food and healthy eating such as Jamie Oliver. The power of the media has worked to encourage cooking at home and, as a result, a great many more of us are experimenting and eating a good, balanced diet.
Anthony wins trip to Chile!
Wines of Chile voted The Wine Centre one of Britain`s five best independent wine merchants, the prize a trip to Chile in January 2012 for all five merchants, one representative from each company, who will together go on a fact-finding mission travelling the vineyards of Chile. The award was the result of a national campaign promoting Chilean wines. Please scroll down to view our selection of wines. In collaboration with [...]
Published: July 20, 2011Cheese and Wine
Montgomery Cheddar England, Somerset Jamie Montgomery makes a farmhouse Cheddar using milk from his pedigree Jersey herd. The taste is rich and creamy with a tangy note and grassy aromas offset by a fruity mellow rich taste. The mouth slightly puckers as the full flavor registers and then lingers on the tongue, a sign [...]
Published: February 15, 2011Wine and Food Matching
“First thing to consider when choosing a wine is the flavour and weight intensity of the food, including any sauces, spices or herbs which may or may not dominate the dish…” There is no question, the enjoyment of wine can be enhanced by matching wine and food that work together, and equally a good match [...]
Published: February 14, 2011All About Sherry
An introduction, and why we should be drinking more of it. Sherry is one of the treasures of the wine world, but for a while now it has been woefully under appreciated. This “introduction to sherry” explains how the miracle of sherry and its myriad of styles come to fruition. Some of the finest examples [...]
Published: April 6, 2010Gold Medal & Trophy Winners 2010
For your enjoyment we have selected a range of award winning wines from the world`s most prestigious and influential independent wine competitions held this year, primarily from the big two: the International Wine Challenge and Decanter World Wines Competition, but others too. For instance, we are especially delighted to stock the Palacio de Fefinanes Albarino [...]
Published: April 6, 2010Wine Tasting in New Zealand
Anthony & Janet`s NZ Travelogue – For Anyone interested in our explorations, an insight into NZ travel and winegrowing, a look at sustainability, vineyard management, emerging styles, the bumper 2008 vintage sauvignon blanc, icon wines and … well, other stuff along the way. “So we`re off to New Zealand courtesy of New Zealand Winegrowers. Our big [...]
Published: February 24, 201010% off all Riedel Glassware
We are delighted to offer 10% off all Riedel glasses and decanters for collections from The Wine Centre. Riedel glassware : proof the difference a glass can make! We regret no deliveries of glassware.
Published: June 17, 2009Grape varieties
Grape varieties influence a wine’s colour, aroma, flavour and style. The winemaker might shape the wine for his own purpose, and soil and climate will have their influences, but fundamentally the grape is the heart and soul of every wine and in learning about wine you will do well to focus first on the classics. [...]
Published: January 14, 2008My trip to Faiveley in Burgundy
Domaine Faiveley Tasting 28/29 October 2010 2009`s still in barrel Introduction Erwan Faiveley has been in charge since 2005 and his leadership, together with that of CEO Bernard Hervet, has shaped the new look Faiveley wines since 2007. Investment in a new vertical hydraulic press has produced purer fruit, and new oak fermentation vats have [...]
Published: January 14, 2008