Sir Cliff's red - no congratulations here
WINE lover Cliff Richard was notoriously the victim of a telly prank by Gordon Ramsay and must have been tempted to match him expletive for expletive.
Sir Cliff was guesting on the F-Word and was presented with – in a blind tasting – his own wine, Vida Nova, from his Portuguese estate.
‘’That’s rubbish. I wouldn’t pay for that, it’s tainted, it’s insipid. It tastes like vinaigrette. I’d never buy that,’’ spluttered the singing legend, who had come to his uncomplicated red from tasting a £400 wine.
Vida Nova, launched in 2002, is produced from plantings of Syrah, Aragonez and Alicante Bouschet. at the Adega do Cantor (Cellar of the Singer) estate in Albufeira in the Algarve.
Singer's fan club
While the lion’s share of cases are bought by the singer’s fan club, the wine has fared well with the critics. Decanter described the first vintage as ’high in alcohol with sweet berry and spicy characters, soft tannins and a long finish.’
The latest 2006 vintage of the red and a rose from 2007 are currently on sale at Winos, that wonderful vinous Aladdin’s Cave in Oldham.
Owner Phil Garratt allowed me a sneak preview of both wines, which are priced at £6.95. Now I though the Ramsay ‘set-up’ was cruel and regrettable, but alas the word tainted came to mind when I tasted the red (on three occasions over 24 hours before pouring it away).
I hoped it was an atypical bottle because I got little of the ‘complex spicy aromas of and perfumed cherry’ on the nose and ‘ripe subtle fruit flavours with chocolate notes on the palate’ promised, just a slight fizz and unpleasant dry earthiness.
Blue rinse Cliffophiles
Such is my dedication, I determined to test a further bottle, so trekked last Saturday morning to the packed (with 2,000 different wines) little shop in George Street last Saturday.
The Vida Nova has been flying off the shelves thanks to Oldham’s blue rinse Cliffophiles, who may want to keep the ‘autographed’ cork.
Bottle No 2 was no disaster but it was high on volatile acidity that rasped the throat. Maybe a perfect spicy chorizo accompaniment was the kindest thing to say.
Perfect for spring sipping
The good news is that the Vida Nova Rose is a ripe, crisp, food-friendly pink with a wodge of raspberry and blackcurrant on nose and palate.
Just the thing for a Summer Holiday but perfect for spring sipping, too. Inevitably I was lured by ebullient Phil into sampling more of his winy wares (each Saturday there a few bottles open for tasting).
Prado Rey, from top Spanish reds region Ribera del Duero, is a long-time Winos favourite, deservedly so, and the 2005 Prado Rey Crianza (£9.95) offers oodles of perfumed fruit, spice and vanilla from nicely integrated oak and a long elegant finish.
The Fisherman’s Retreat at Ramsbottom is currently offering cult kiwi white Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc at £15.95, which they claim is the cheapest price in the country. Winos’ deal is a quid more, but it is the superior 2007 vintage.
This Marlborough classic is very pale, so the blast of grass on the nose and the combination of fresh acidic fruit and complex minerality on the palate comes as a surprise. Gorgeous.
Winos 63 George St Oldham, 0161 652 9396).
Published: Tue, 24 March, 2009
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