squaremeal.co.uk � 117

WINE

Sommelier stamp of approval

BRILLIANT BUBBLES FOR SUMMER

CANADIAN

Canada might not be the first country

that springs to mind when you think

sparkling, but trust us, the wines from

Nova Scotia producer Benjamin Bridge

are worth seeking out. Made in the

classic method (like Champagne) the

range includes 2008 Brut and 2008

Brut Reserve, but our pick of the

bunch is Benjamin Bridge Méthode

Classique Rosé 2011 (£33,

Friarwood). With pretty rose notes

on both the nose and palate, it's

fresh, elegant and very drinkable.

ITALIAN

Zonin owns the largest Prosecco

vineyards in Italy, so you can be

sure of consistent quality with its

wines. Zonin Prosecco Brut NV

(£11.99, Majestic) is a great value fizz,

with a touch of sweetness, flavours of

apples and pears, plus creamy almond

and floral aromas.

SPANISH

From Italy to Spain, and something a

little diŽerent: Freixenet Ice Cava

(£12, Morrisons) has been designed

specifically to be enjoyed over ice.

Serve it in a wine glass with ice

cubes - and add 50ml St-Germain

Elderflower Liqueur for a

sophisticated summer drink.

For more sparkling suggestions see

What to Drink Now (p.120) and

our Champagne Special (p.173)

�e annual Sommelier Wine Awards

(SWA) competition, organised by Square

Meal's sister publication Imbibe, is a great

indication of which regions to look out

for on restaurant wine lists in the next 12

months. Competition director Chris Losh

said: "�ere were probably three main

trends this year: the strong performance of

France, with all its classic regions

- from Chablis to Bordeaux

to Sancerre - which hasn't

always been the case; the

continued growth of more

niched countries like Turkey,

Portugal and England -

particularly with its sparklers;

and the encouraging return to form

of the New World with its red

wines. After an oˆ-year in

2015, the medal count was up

20 per cent this year."

Keep an eye out for the SWA

logo on bottles and wine lists as

an indication of quality.

2 0 1 6

S O M M E L I E S W I N E A W A R D . C O M

PINOT PERFECTION

Iconic New Zealand producer Cloudy Bay has

launched the 2014 vintage of its Te Wahi Pinot Noir.

Though best known for its Sauvignon Blanc, the

winery has also been making Pinot since 1989. "In

New Zealand we're able to produce good, reliable

Pinot Noir, year in, year out," said senior

winemaker Tim Heath.

Te Wahi (which means 'the place' in Maori)

is made using grapes from the 23-hectare

Northburn Vineyard in Central Otago, which

Heath described as "the most continental

vineyard in New Zealand" as it's the

furthest from the sea. With classic Pinot

raspberry aromas, it's a precisely made

wine, showing good depth of black and red

fruit, plus an elegant hint of spice.

£63.20, Harvey Nichols