Our aim is to be different and better than other wine merchants.

We stock a huge range of quality wines for all tastes and budgets. Our wines cover the ancient Chateaux of France, through to the new and exciting boutique [...]]]> As the name suggests, an independent wine merchant situated near Swansea. South Wales.

Our aim is to be different and better than other wine merchants.

We stock a huge range of quality wines for all tastes and budgets. Our wines cover the ancient Chateaux of France, through to the new and exciting boutique wineries in the ‘New World’ such as South Africa and Australia.Our Chateau in the Medoc, Chateau Rousseau de Sipian, which itself produces award winning wines, has enabled us to source many unusual and individual wines from France and over the last few years we have broadened our search and imported some truly exceptional wines from Australia and New Zealand. Put simply, we strive to find the world’s best wines at the best prices for our customers.

An attractive and visual website with online shopping, good tasting notes and information. Proper shop and tastings in-shop most Saturdays.The wines are complemented by a range of French, Spanish and Welsh foods.

Mumbles Fine Wines  524 Mumbles Road, Mumbles, Swansea, SA3 4DH    t:01792 367663

The health police will probably disapprove of an image showing wine rather than [...]]]> A strange but interesting offering from France arrived in my inbox today – a spectacular wine decanter called “Big Heart” Made by a French sculpter named Etienne Meneu from Bordeaux, this artistic piece is offered for a mere $2500 plus shipping.

The health police will probably disapprove of an image showing wine rather than blood coursing through the heart – but at least it should be effective at removing any fatty deposits! However, I can already hear the ladies tut-tutting along the lines of  “all very well, but how do you clean it??” However at that price I doubt if you would really risk using it as a decanter!

This is not Etienne’s first foray into creating some spectacular and unusual carafes – see the-strange-decanter.blogspot.com/

Personally I like to use a decent decanter especially some bigger, more tannic reds – and they can enhance a dining table – and improve the wine up to a point. However, ideally the decanter of choice would have quite a wide neck which allows the wine to aerate (breathe) – although often just the process of decanting a wine into the decanter can have a beneficial effect. A decanter should be regarded as a temporary storage and pouring aide – long-term storage is not really recommended – and evidence suggests that even spirits and port wines are kept too long in an open bottle or decanter.

The connoisseur would claim that the shape and quality of the wine glass can make a big difference to the taste of a wine. The cynic would suggest that this may just be a marketing gimmick – but you most of us would agree that a nice glass with a big bowl changes [...]]]>

The connoisseur would claim that the shape and quality of the wine glass can make a big difference to the taste of a wine. The cynic would suggest that this may just be a marketing gimmick – but you most of us would agree that a nice glass with a big bowl changes the wine drinking experience compared to drinking from a tumbler, Paris goblet or even plastic!!

L'impitoyable

In my wine merchant days I used a special glass called “le Impitoyable” (the unpitying) especially for tasting – this had no stem but a dimple in the base with a narrow opening at the top for your nose – this allowed the aromas (and any faults) to develop and be concentated for sniffing – rather than allowing them to escape into the atmosphere. No good for drinking, but the shape of the glass certainly helped to analyse the wine.

One of the biggest names in specialist fine wine glasses is Riedel, based in Austria who have undertaken a lot of research and produced a wide number of glasses for different purposes – down to glasses for particular varietals or appellations such as Chablis/Chardonnay and Brunello di Montalcino!

The size and shape of the bowl does influence how the aromas of the wine are developed and sensed in the glass – and given that your sense of smell influences and informs your sense of taste – then there can obviously be a difference.

Besides, if you accept that drinking good wine is an experience, then you will appreciate that an elegant glass (and good food/company/environment etc) contributes to the enjoyment.
You can test this for yourself at a special tasting being hosted by Riedel Glass at Vinopolis in  London on 7th and 8th September 2009:-

In his first official visit to the UK, Maximilian Riedel will personally escort you through this unique tasting and each guest will receive a set of four exquisite Riedel Vinum XL wine glasses, worth £90.00, free to take away on the night.

Tickets are £60.00 per person or £300.00 for six people –.

For more info and to book tickets see www.riedel.co.uk/

Its called the SoWine-Bar, and has [...]]]> A new “must have” wine gizmo is now available in France – and presumably in the UK soon – so for the wine buff who is so difficult to find that perfect gift, here’s an idea for Christmas – if you have €340 (about £300 in the UK).

Its called the SoWine-Bar, and has been created by EuroCave, the people who make those very nice wine fridges we’d all love to own.

With two compartments, one for red wine and one for white, the device enables you to keep the bottles in perfect drinking condition for up to 10 days by using a vacuum system – its a smaller home version of the fancy machines you find in some of the better wine bars. So you can pull off a glass at perfect temperature and with no loss of quality due to oxidation. Not really much use for most supermarket plonk, but for some better, vintage wines it could be a good way to spread a special bottle or two over a longer period, rather than have to consume it all at one sitting. You could show off to more of your friends and other wine buffs.

For more details see http://www.aroundwine.co.uk/acatalog/sowine-bar.html

Another online wine (or rather drinks) merchant – with an amusing strapline of “Drinks on the Mouse” offers an interesting mix of alcoholic beverages (including wine, cocktails, beers and spirits) plus drinks accessories and a lot of information. There is also a video diary of English winemaker, Simon Coulshaw at his Domaine des [...]]]>

Another online wine (or rather drinks) merchant – with an amusing strapline of “Drinks on the Mouse” offers an interesting mix of alcoholic beverages (including wine, cocktails, beers and spirits) plus drinks accessories and a lot of information. There is also a video diary of English winemaker, Simon Coulshaw at his Domaine des Trinites in the French Languedoc – his wines (Faugeres AC, Coteaux du Languedoc AC and a Viognier Vin de Pays d’Oc) are available to purchase on www.thedrinkshop.com

This is a great site for anyone who is looking for something alcoholic and wants to learn how to mix that extra special cocktail or buy spirits and stock up with the best known brand names and highest quality, specialty distillers around the world. Every spirit and cocktail mixer you can think of is here with a very simple and intuitive website that the Drink Shop has created.

But according to one wine [...]]]> For years the traditional wine business has frowned upon the idea of screw tops as only suitable for bulk wines and those made for drinking young. However, the Telegraph (8 July 2008) reports that even die-hard top French vineyards are now looking at the option of abandoning the cork.

But according to one wine expert, two of the world’s top names – Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in Burgundy, whose bottles can sell for tens of thousands of pounds, and Bordeaux’s legendary Chateau Margaux – are now looking into screw tops.

Although the “romance” and reassuring sound of a cork being pulled would be lost (and it would be a major blow to Portugals’ economy where most corks come from), the real reason is that too many bottles are spoiled by cork taint which has proved to be difficult to eradicate. Some industry figues suggest that up to 10% of bottles are affected in some way, which is a sobering figure!

For consumers there is undoubtedly a convenience factor – no more corkscrews to find, no difficult corks to shift – and quicker transit from cellar or fridge (or shopping basket) to glass. And with luck the wine will be more in line with what the winemaker intended.

We’re an Independent Wine Merchant based in Eastbourne supplying quality wines from boutique producers around the world. We have a comprehensive selection of whisky, spirits, Champagne, [...]]]> From their Eastbourne base the Sussex Wine Company are rather active on the tasting/gourmet dinner front. Their calendar brims with delights, that quickly sell out by all accounts.

We’re an Independent Wine Merchant based in Eastbourne supplying quality wines from boutique producers around the world. We have a comprehensive selection of whisky, spirits, Champagne, organic wines, and luxury goods such as caviar, foie gras and handmade East Sussex organic chocolates. We deliver to the UK and now the EU, offer free (UK) delivery over £100 and feature many discounted mixed cases. We also produce a monthly newsletter with further subscriber offers.

The range is strong on France, Italy and Australia. Other areas are a bit light but offer ‘selected quality’ – Millton Opu Riesling an organic wine from New Zealand or Quinta da Boavista Espiga Tinto from Portugal for example.

For the gourmet the deli section holds many, mostly French, delicacies plus a wide range of caviar for those with deep pockets. Glasses, gift packs and gift certificates complete a good, broad range. Nothing wrong with the website either – easily navigable, clear and with just the right level of details on the products.

UK Delivery = £9.95

Tastings offered

The Sussex Wine Company 47 South Street,Little Chelsea, Eastbourne BN21 4UT    t:01323 431143