Simon Woods

Drinking Outside The Box

Teacher: “And what does your daddy do?”

Alex (aged 6): “He spits out wine.”

He also judges at wine competitions, writes books about wine and owns Manchester Wine School

And he does occasionally swallow some of that wine…

mrwoodswine

Have you ever tipped over a bottle and a lot of it

Have you ever tipped over a bottle and a lot of it went on the floor?

A choice was made here…

A choice was made here...

Mmm… and in more senses than one. This blend fro

Mmm... and in more senses than one. This blend from #Valencia has 5 local grapes, all beginning with 'M' - #Macabeo, #Marisancho, #Malvasía, #Merseguera and #Moscatel. There's lots going on here, like in a #Friuli blend. Sometimes, there's a steely side, then there's a plusher, peachier side, then something akin to Sylvaner, then...

Tasty and interesting stuff whatever comes through

Not sure what the Spanish for 'vin de soif' is, bu

Not sure what the Spanish for 'vin de soif' is, but this gentle, spicy, sour-cherry-ish red (just) fits the bill. As for the #Forcallat grape, head to Dr Google for the low down of what it is and isn't. But before you do that, top up my glass and bring me some sausages

Cool wine for a hot day #rueda #verdejo

Cool wine for a hot day
#rueda #verdejo

Lovely fresh and spicy #navarra #garnacha to lubri

Lovely fresh and spicy #navarra #garnacha to lubricate Sausage and Mash, sub-£10 at @coopuk, even more attractively priced at @mercadona for anyone on the Costa Blanca

"You're too shy shy, hush-hush, eye to eye…"

"You're too shy shy, hush-hush, eye to eye..."

It’s #internationalviognierday, a perfect excuse

It’s #internationalviognierday, a perfect excuse to dig into this quasi-Condrieu – yum, and still with bags of life

#rhone #viognier #frenchwine #whitewine

#wine #manchesterwine #winetasting #wineschool #instawine #wineonline #manchesterdrinks #manchesterfoodie #winesofinstagram #winestagram #manchesterwineschool

I’ll be honest. At the end of our @manchesterwin

I’ll be honest. At the end of our @manchesterwineschool evenings, I don’t always agree with the public vote for wine of the night. But at last night’s South American tasting, this gem came out on top, and I was right there beside it, cheering it on.

Juicy but never overripe, with its generous blackcurrant, dark berry and damson skin flesh balanced by a cool, spicy earthy freshness, it’s a wine that tastes great now but which I’d be happy to hang onto for another five years at least.

#mendoza #argentinawine #redwine #malbec

#wine #manchesterwine #winetasting #wineschool #instawine #wineonline #manchesterdrinks #manchesterfoodie #winesofinstagram #winestagram #manchesterwineschool

Happy #internationalrieslingday, hope you’re dri

Happy #internationalrieslingday, hope you’re drinking something suitable. Now we love Riesling, for its gentleness, for how it glides gracefully across the palate, for how it achieves such depth of flavour at low levels of alcohol, for – HANG ON HANG ON, 15.5%?!?!?

Yet this gem of a wine carries it extremely well, offering classic Riesling citrus freshness (mandarain and orange peel especially) with honeyed spice, hints of blossom and the oomph of peachy, apricot-kernel-y botrytis. ‘Dry’? Ish. But tasty? Abso-blinkin-lutely

#newzealandwine #riesling #canterburywine #whitewine #rieslingday

#wine #manchesterwine #winetasting #wineschool #instawine #wineonline #manchesterdrinks #manchesterfoodie #winesofinstagram #winestagram #manchesterwineschool

Another lovely 2022 Rhône white, but quite differ

Another lovely 2022 Rhône white, but quite different from the Sibu of yesterday. In St Joseph, Marsanne is the main grape – am I the only one who thinks of Ray Winstone when saying ‘Marsanne’? 'Go on Marsanne, you're family etc etc'. However, this is 100% Roussanne from Catherine & Pascal Jamet (no relation of the Jamets of Côte Rôtie). It isn’t afraid to show off its oaky overcoat, but beneath the vanilla sheen, there’s this rich, exotic fruit character – like custard apple, like childhood banana chews – alongside the more familiar jasmine tea and apricot quality of Roussanne.

And the Jamets sound very enterprising – not only do they have some Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, they also produce a few bottles of Dureza, one of the parent grapes of Syrah

#rhone #cotesdurhone #stjoseph #frenchwine #whitewine #roussanne

#wine #manchesterwine #winetasting #wineschool #instawine #wineonline #manchesterdrinks #manchesterfoodie #winesofinstagram #winestagram #manchesterwineschool

Lovely brisk Rhône white, mainly Clairette with 3

Lovely brisk Rhône white, mainly Clairette with 30% Grenache Blanc which manages to be both crisp, citrussy and herby – a very pleasant surprise given the heat of 2022 – but also with a richer honeyed peachy pear character. It went down very well at our Rhône masterclass last night – where were you?

Any negatives? Only that the Sibu website is one of those that starts playing music when you land on it. Please stop such nonsense

#rhone #cotesdurhone #sablet #frenchwine #whitewine #clairette #grenacheblanc

#wine #manchesterwine #winetasting #wineschool #instawine #wineonline #manchesterdrinks #manchesterfoodie #winesofinstagram #winestagram #manchesterwineschool

Think I would have struggled to put this as an Aus

Think I would have struggled to put this as an Aussie wine, excellent wine

#wine #australianwine #sangiovese

For those in search of inspiration for Christmas p

For those in search of inspiration for Christmas presents, here's a little poem for guidance

While it's aimed at those in/around Manchester, those not in the North West can still buy our vouchers which can then be used at any of the @localwineschool outlets around the country

#wine #manchesterwine #winetasting #wineschool #instawine #wineonline #manchesterdrinks #manchesterfoodie #winesofinstagram #winestagram #manchesterwineschool

A thoroughly lovely pair of wines from Grabenwerks

A thoroughly lovely pair of wines from Grabenwerkstatt in Austria’s Wachau. The domaine is in the “Spitzer Graben”, a cooler, wetter part of the region, with some of the highest vineyards in Lower Austria – south-facing terraces are very much the order of the day. No surprise then to find wonderfully taut and tangy flavours in this pair of single-site wines from 2022. The Brandstatt (Grüner Veltliner) has a smoky citrus note alongside the riper pear and nectarine flavours, plus a classic hint of white pepper. The Trenning (Riesling) sees tender ripe apple, lemon zest and blossom flavours wrapped around a steely backbone, and there’s an almost salty, stony tang to the finish. Both have that thrilling combo of intensity and precision that keeps you coming back for another sniff and sip, and should age brilliantly.

#wachau #austrianwine #whitewine #grunerveltliner #riesling

#wine #manchesterwine #winetasting #wineschool #instawine #wineonline #manchesterdrinks #manchesterfoodie #winesofinstagram #winestagram #manchesterwineschool

A rather proud stork to grace a rather proud bottl

A rather proud stork to grace a rather proud bottle of wine. The Thaya winery in Havraníky in the south of the Czech Republic is only 5km from the Austrian border, so it’s no surprise to see both Grüner Veltliner and Neuburské – Neuburger – in the range. And it was the latter that stood out at a recent tasting, thanks to the lovely balance between its fleshy nectarine and pear flavours, and its citrussy tang. With such a description, can anyone who’s ever eaten a stork say whether it would be a suitable accompaniment?

Very new to the UK, from @rediscover_wines - get in touch with Noel to find out more...

#czechwine #whitewine #grunerveltliner #neuburger

#wine #manchesterwine #winetasting #wineschool #instawine #wineonline #manchesterdrinks #manchesterfoodie #winesofinstagram #winestagram #manchesterwineschool

Another day, another Lirac Blanc. This is mostly G

Another day, another Lirac Blanc. This is mostly Grenache with a very healthy dollop of Viognier aged in new oak. Is it Grenache Gris or Blanc? It’s not clear from the @domainemaby website, which separates wines into three categories, "Historic wines", "The Grandes Cuvées" and "The rare vintages" – how is anyone supposed to know which this is? Never mind, the wine’s very good. And while that new oak is a bit front and centre to begin with, it soon retreats into the background, leaving a toasty shadow, but allowing the herbal, floral aromas to emerge alongside the peach, pear and almond flavours. Alarmingly fresh and vital for a white at 14.5% alcohol, it’s a few years from its peak, but give it time to breathe, and it would be no crime to drink it now – it has me longing for something decidedly retro like a creamed chicken and mushroom vol-au-vent

#frenchwine #whitewine #grenacheblanc #viognier #rhone

#wine #manchesterwine #winetasting #wineschool #instawine #wineonline #manchesterdrinks #manchesterfoodie #winesofinstagram #winestagram #manchesterwineschool

No idea of the proportions of the cocktail of the

No idea of the proportions of the cocktail of the 4/5 grapes found in this fascinating Rhône white – the winery’s website has two versions – but isn’t that part of the charm of blends, the total being greater than the sum of the parts? It’s one of those wines that shouldn’t be served too cold. Overchill it and, while the waxy texture and peachy pearskin flavours will probably persist, those heady, honeyed honeysuckle and sinewy metallic edges that only emerge with time would have ended up in the back of the fridge rather than in the glass. Lovely now, but probably lovelier two years from now. And possibly at its loveliest beyond that…

#frenchwine #whitewine #grenacheblanc #clairette #roussanne #bourboulenc #viognier #rhone

#wine #manchesterwine #winetasting #wineschool #instawine #wineonline #manchesterdrinks #manchesterfoodie #winesofinstagram #winestagram #manchesterwineschool

Despite a line-up of Pinots from Martinborough, Ma

Despite a line-up of Pinots from Martinborough, Marlborough and Central Otago, it was this Hawke’s Bay blend, the younger brother of Esk Valley’s iconic "The Terraces", that emerged as the favourite red at the recent @manchesterwineschool New Zealand Masterclass. Although in its 7th year, it’s still a pup, but the wealthy of plush Merlot, earthy violet-strewn Malbec and smoky leafy Cab Franc flavours augur well for the future. And there’s one bottle still in the cellar…

#newzealandwine #redwine #cabernetfranc #merlot #malbec #hawkesbay

#wine #manchesterwine #manchesterwineschool #winetasting #wineschool #instawine #wineonline #manchesterdrinks #manchesterfoodie #winesofinstagram #winestagram

It’s not a wine that Cloudy Bay is famous for, n

It’s not a wine that Cloudy Bay is famous for, nor is it now their top Pinot Noir – that’s the Te Wahi from Central Otago. But at 9½ years old, this 2014 is in a very attractive place, plush and plummy, mellowing into truffley middle-age, and with a savoury edge to the finish. Bought from Winos in Oldham for less than the current vintage sells for – have a quiet word with them (or at sister shop @saddleworthwinevault) and they may even have a couple of bottles left…

#newzealandwine #redwine #pinotnoir #marlborough

#wine #manchesterwine #winetasting #wineschool #instawine #wineonline #manchesterdrinks #manchesterfoodie #winesofinstagram #winestagram

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