The Notte di Galileo Colli Euganei and the rich, full-bodied Marques de Caceres, Crianza 2001 with lamb (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

We're going to be enjoying lots more wine for 2006, so follow us every three months as we uncork you in the right direction.

Allow us to introduce you to our critically hand-picked team of wine consultants: Marilyn Bennett of J Wray & Nephew Ltd, Tom Finnegan of Thomas Finnegan Wine & Merchant, Paul Hanworth of 1-876 wines, Chris Reckord of De-Vine Wine Services (wine consultant to Lascelles Wines & Spirits), and Nikki Feanny of Rum, Roast & Royals.

Ribs with (from left) J Moreau & Fils, Vouvray Demi-sec, 2001, Candela Malbec and Clay Station Old Vine Zinfandel

Thursday Food asked each to meet at Norma's on the Terrace with a wine that would, in their opinion, excite our palates for the next couple of months (our second wine meeting is scheduled for just before Easter).

The brief further instructed that the wine of choice should sit easily on the table of the average Jamaican consumer (interpret this to mean complementing oxtail, ackee and saltfish, a Tastee patty as well as spicy shrimp, ribs and lamb) . This was for our wine lovers a 'no-brainer'.

Chris Reckord came armed with lessons gleaned from the popular Frenchmen New Year's Day party and a bottle of J Moreau & Fils, Vouvray Demi-sec, 2001.

And how about spicy shrimps with a pick of the Californian Bogle Chenin Blanc.

"I chose this bottle for several reasons," he shared. "First and foremost it's a wine that's easy to pick up (interpret this to mean readily available), it works well with our love of spicy foods like crab backs and curry goat, and is sufficiently medium-dry to satisfy that sweet edge our people so often crave." The cost - $770 (plus tax).

Nikki Feanny of Rum, Roast & Royals gave the nod to the Spanish Marques de Caceres, Crianza 2001. "Like us Jamaicans, the Spanish are boisterous, party-loving individuals, and with the new buzz around tapas and their love of pork and hearty dishes, this wine would fit perfectly into our lifestyle," he said.

The rich, full-bodied wine with an opulent velvety finish was in fact excellent with both the lamb and salad.

Try a salad with this New Zealand Waipara Hills, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, 2004, a crisp Delicato Zinfandel or the perfectly smooth Californian Bogle

Feanny's second pick of New Zealand's Waipara Hills, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, 2004, provides enough of a fruity edge to complement many of our dishes. Both wines are priced in the range of $1,200-$1,300 (plus tax).

Marilyn Bennett's pick of the $955 (plus tax) Delicato's "Discovery" varietal brand, Clay Station Old Vine Zinfandel in the beautifully tapered Clay Station bottle would, she explained, "be a refreshing wine to pour with most of our favourites". This Zinfandel with its dark, jammy fruits, full-bodied mouth-feel and spicy finish, found favour with Rib Kage's ribs, as well as Norma's excellent lamb and shrimp.

As the New Zealanders have made their name over the last five years with the Sauvignon Blanc, so have the Argentines developed a world-beating reputation with the robust Malbec. The Candela winery of Argentina's Mendoza region, provided for us courtesy of Paul Hanworth, has more of a cachet than most: they were not only the first to bottle a single varietal Malbec, but their Reserve blend caught the palate of the Argentine president, and is in fact named for him.

But one can't, so to speak, drink a reputation - the proof is in the taste - and this Malbec holds up the emerging New World tradition very well: oaky, yet exceedingly well-rounded and with a powerful finish.

"The beauty of this wine," Hanworth explained, "is that it holds up very well on its own, but it also goes very well with your grilled dishes and your heavier pastas." This wine as well as others are available at members' rates at 1-876 wines.

Delightful as it was, the Malbec played second fiddle to an Old World blend, Tom Finnegan's contribution, the $900 (plus tax) Notte di Galileo Colli Euganei. This Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon combo produced myriad impressions on the palate (for that matter from the bouquet) which, seemingly disparate on the top, came together perfectly on the finish. Great for a Sunday brunch or for a more personal, individualised chill-out session. Finnegan's meat recommendation is a hearty plate of oxtail.

There was, however, no stopping Hanworth's pick of the Californian Bogle Chenin Blanc, a dry, but not overly so, light to medium-body pale straw wine with hints of melon, peaches, apricots and pineapples. Enjoy this with anything you feel like eating, from spicy Asian to fish, creamy cheeses or pasta, and when it's over, spoon sweet potato pudding and sip even more Bogle Chenin Blanc.

On the score of individuality, Bennett raised the issues of half-sizes for convenience as well as the now trendy replaceable-top packages ("bottle taste in a box"); the consensus on the former is that it's not as good a value as the full-sized bottle; we're yet to try any of the new packages, but the idea certainly has potential. Bennett also raised the need to alert consumers to closures that aren't the traditional cork variety. "There's confusion as to the worthiness of the wine without a cork," she explained.

Restaurateur Gary Ferguson would have no problem with patrons bringing their own wines into establishments. "We're in the food business," he shared, "and are not for the most part wine experts." This idea was naturally welcomed by the majority of our wine consultants. Norma Shirley too, would want a wine expert to work alongside her for Valentine's night. "Our stress is enough with the plates of food to come out of the kitchen," she explained. Wray & Nephew's Bennett was more than willing to take on the role.

Whatever your personal taste, it's simply impossible to go wrong with the selections of our wine panel; put pressure on your local supermarket/retailer to improve their stocks and to have wine consultants on hand regularly (once a month or once a quarter), and begin your own fine wine journey for 2006. Put pressure, too, on wine consultants to speak in a language that doesn't exclude the wine novice.

Our promise is to be with you every step of the way.
Watch this space!

- whyten@jamaicaobserver.com

(Photos: Garfield Robinson)

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