We have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the 2007 vintage of Spy Valley Pinot Noir from Malborough, New Zealand and we are pleased to announce that it has now arrived!
Decanter Magazine recently awarded this wine 5 stars describing is as rich with ripe cherry, layered fruit. Full, round, concentrated style, beautiful balance, lifted structure. Sweet, long finish. Delicious. Drink from 2008.
It was also described as a Best Buy and is incredible value at £11.45.
Click here for information and to purchase >>
Tuesday 16 December 2008
Friday 12 December 2008
A very interesting article about New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc...Read on!
Source: Scotland on Sunday (Spectrum) 2nd November 2008
Writer: Will Lyons (Louis Roederer UK Regional Wine Writer of the Year 2008)
Cloudy Bay redefined the taste of sauvignon blanc – but can it weather the storm produced by New Zealand's burgeoning competition?
Please feel free to click on the following link to read this article .... http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/wine/Cloudy-Bay-redefined-the-taste.4650038.jp (please remember to click back to our site though!)
In this article he explains how New Zealand has not only become the new epicentre for premium sauvignon blanc but that recently, plantings of chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot gris and syrah have all shone, producing an elegant, Old World-style sophistication. He goes on to mention that Staete Landt wines (which we have just received!), in particular, are shining through. He writes:
The wines of Staete Landt vineyard have only just found its way to the UK. Situated in Rapaura, it produces a wine of subtlety, purity and complexity.
2007 Sauvignon Blanc, Staete Landt, Marlborough, New Zealand - A real find. The nose has all the hallmarks of New Zealand sauvignon: mango, papaya and passion fruit with a grassy, mineral character. The acidity and balance are superb – a class act.
2006 Chardonnay, Staete Landt, Marlborough, New Zealand - This is one of the best chardonnays from New Zealand. A delightful creamy, almond character on the nose with notes of nectarine. It's bone dry and has an intense, crisp burgundian feel. Outstanding.
As you will have noticed from our last blog post, both these wines are now in the Island and ready for purchase here at Dunell's. We are very proud to have these wines and we are sure you are going to love them.
See you soon....
Writer: Will Lyons (Louis Roederer UK Regional Wine Writer of the Year 2008)
Cloudy Bay redefined the taste of sauvignon blanc – but can it weather the storm produced by New Zealand's burgeoning competition?
Please feel free to click on the following link to read this article .... http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/wine/Cloudy-Bay-redefined-the-taste.4650038.jp (please remember to click back to our site though!)
In this article he explains how New Zealand has not only become the new epicentre for premium sauvignon blanc but that recently, plantings of chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot gris and syrah have all shone, producing an elegant, Old World-style sophistication. He goes on to mention that Staete Landt wines (which we have just received!), in particular, are shining through. He writes:
The wines of Staete Landt vineyard have only just found its way to the UK. Situated in Rapaura, it produces a wine of subtlety, purity and complexity.
2007 Sauvignon Blanc, Staete Landt, Marlborough, New Zealand - A real find. The nose has all the hallmarks of New Zealand sauvignon: mango, papaya and passion fruit with a grassy, mineral character. The acidity and balance are superb – a class act.
2006 Chardonnay, Staete Landt, Marlborough, New Zealand - This is one of the best chardonnays from New Zealand. A delightful creamy, almond character on the nose with notes of nectarine. It's bone dry and has an intense, crisp burgundian feel. Outstanding.
As you will have noticed from our last blog post, both these wines are now in the Island and ready for purchase here at Dunell's. We are very proud to have these wines and we are sure you are going to love them.
See you soon....
Announcing the arrival of a selection of wines from the fantastic STAETE LANDT WINERY in Marlborough, New Zealand.
Ruud and Dorien founded Staete Landt in 1998 with the vision of making intensely flavoured, complex and 100% estate grown wines from their 21 hectare vineyard on the ‘Golden Mile’ in Rapaura, Marlborough. The vineyard produces highly regarded single estate Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Riesling, Viognier, Pinot Noir and Syrah. Ruud’s focus is on winemaking and Dorien’s is on marketing and public relations.
Staete Landt is the old Dutch name given to New Zealand by Abel Tasman when he discovered the island in 1642. It means: "Land discovered in honour of the Governors (Staete) of the Dutch Republic". On his voyage Abel Tasman also discovered Tasmania (Van Diemen Land), Fiji and Tonga. At his return to the Dutch Republic it was decided to change Staete Landt to its present name "New Zealand".
The Staete Landt vineyards were planned according to the styles of wines that Ruud and Dorien wanted to produce. Aiming to make hand-crafted, complex, single vineyard wines, they divided the vineyard into 18 parcels, planting a selection of clones of the chosen varieties on various rootstocks to suit the different soil types. Each parcel is managed and harvested separately. In the vineyard the main focus is on keeping the vines healthy and balanced, in order to produce consistently ripe fruit with distinct Marlborough flavours. Through manual leaf plucking and shoot and bunch thinning they keep yields low and produce intensely flavoured grapes.
The vineyard's close proximity to the Wairau river, the main river in the Marlborough valley, produces a continuous airflow which keeps frosts away at crucial times during the grape growing season from budburst (September/October) through to harvest (March/April). The combination of the location of the vineyard, the stony riverbed soils and the heavier soils on the southern part of the vineyard enables them to produce single vineyard wines with depth and different layers of flavours.
The 2008 Sauvignon Blanc has just been bottled and will be launched after Xmas. The 2007 Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, and Syrah are not yet bottled and will be launched in the New Year. The 2008 Riesling Dry, Riesling Auslese and Viognier will be launched after March 2009.
Staete Landt has an excellent website with technical and tasting notes. http://www.staetelandt.co.nz/
STAETE LANDT Pinot Noir 2006 Bottle £15.95
The 2006 Staete Landt Pinot Noir beautifully expresses the terroir of the clay-layered soils in the Staete Landt vineyard. The wine is elegant and multi-layered, complex with powerful spicy fruit driven tannins. The attractive aromas show strawberries and ripe black cherries with violets and a lovely earthy complexity. On the palate this is a full-bodied Pinot Noir with an elegant tannin structure and a lingering finish of spices like cloves, bay leaves and gamy flavours. This wine will repay cellaring for three to five years.
THE WINE SPECTATOR 90-92 points 'Graceful and fragrant, with a lovely array of raspberry, spice, strawberry and dried herb flavors. Savory mineral and crushed stone accents, cedary oak and a supple structure harmonize in the deft, lingering finish. Drink now through 2010.'
STAETE LANDT Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Bottle £11.95
This is a wine for drinking whilst young but has the substance and concentration to develop well over two to five years once the primary fruit aromas have subsided.
STAETE LANDT Chardonnay 2006 Bottle £13.95
STAETE LANDT Pinot Gris 2006 Bottle £15.95
This is a full-bodied, complex dry wine. It is a lovely example of the varietal. It is full, round and ripe in the mouth with pears, guava and papaya aromas combined with intriguing hazelnut complexity. It has excellent length and structure. This wine is very approachable whilst young but will become more complex over the next five years.
Please call us on 736418 for more details and if you would like to order some of these fantastic wines. Jane will be adding these wines to the website very soon so that you can purchase online too.
Sunday 7 December 2008
It's Official, Taltarni is our best selling wine EVER!
It's official, our best selling wine ever at Dunell's is the Taltarni Brut Taché Rosé Sparkling. This wine has such a following now in Jersey and we sell over 12,000 bottles a year, quite incredible on a small island. It is such great value and it is so good that you will think it is a Champagne. It is made in exactly the way but since it is from Australia, you can not call it Champagne. This wine is very hard to beat and it is £7.95 a bottle on Christmas Special Offer....Click here for more information
Wednesday 3 December 2008
Dunell's Hosts a Champagne Tasting at the Powerhouse Retail Park
Saturday 6th December - Moët & Chandon Champagne Tasting at the Powerhouse Retail Park
Saturday 13th December - Moët & Chandon Champagne Tasting at the Powerhouse Retail Park
Saturday 13th December - Moët & Chandon Champagne Tasting at the Powerhouse Retail Park
The Channel 103 Weekend Prize Giveaway with Dunell's
The Channel 103 Weekend Prize Giveaway 5th/6th December 2008 & 13th/14th December 2008
A fantastic chance to wine some amazing prizes. Stay tuned to Channel 103 for more information.
We will be giving away Magnums of 'Be Fabulous' Moet & Chandon N.V Champagne adorned with Swarovski Crystals, Bottles of Moet N.V. Champagne, Cases of VB Beer, 3 bottle gift boxes and a selection of different mixed cases of wines..... DON'T MISS OUT!
All you will have to do is to answer simple questions, the answers to which can be found on our website and in-store.
A fantastic chance to wine some amazing prizes. Stay tuned to Channel 103 for more information.
We will be giving away Magnums of 'Be Fabulous' Moet & Chandon N.V Champagne adorned with Swarovski Crystals, Bottles of Moet N.V. Champagne, Cases of VB Beer, 3 bottle gift boxes and a selection of different mixed cases of wines..... DON'T MISS OUT!
All you will have to do is to answer simple questions, the answers to which can be found on our website and in-store.
Monday 1 December 2008
Feast Wine Dinner (Gorey) on Thursday 20th November 2008 - Report
Anne from Feast invited us to host another wine dinner for Feast Wine Club at Feast (our East on Gorey Pier) on Thursday 20th November.
The evening was a Thai style food event and we had to select some wines to compliment the Thai food. It was another fantastic evening and the talented, enthusiastic team at Feast put in so much effort to create an atmospheric cosy Thai feel for the night, with some beautiful colourful window dressing in place, the creative skills of Lorraine were put to very good use indeed..!
It is always a challenge to match Asian style food with wines (and I confess to you now, that as an ex brewer I also sneaked in a bottled beer to show at this event..)
We started the night off with either a glass of Champagne Gallimard Brut Cuvee Reserve 'Les Riceys' N.V. currently on Christmas offer at £15.95 a bottle or a cold Tiger Beer -£24.95 a case.
We also offered these choices again with the starter of Classic Thai nibbles – rare chilli and lime tuna, chicken satay, duck spring roll. When you have a mix of flavours, texture and spices like this the Champagne worked very well, allowing each part of this dish to reveal its self.
Next on the menu was the Tom Yum Soup with Crab & Prawns, and with this dish we showed a Spanish white wine, Albarino A20 from Bodegas Castro Martin at £8.95 and a few people (mostly the boys) stayed with the Tiger beer option. The Albarino drank beautifully, it is clean crisp and fruit driven and I thought it complimented and copied with the Thai flavours very well, but if I am honest I personally thought that the Tiger beer was the better match for me on the night with the spicy Tom Yum soup. This beer brewed in Asia and imported to the UK, is made using German hops famed for their floral aroma and slightly spicy taste and it really does work very well with most Asian style food with its zesty, upfront hoppy crisp flavours. (Just like the hint of Riesling does in the white wine that we served with the Green curry).
We then had King Prawn and Scallop Thai Green curry and we offered two Australian wines, the St. Hallett Semillon/Sauvignon/Riesling ‘Poachers Blend’ 2007 currently on Christmas offer at £5.45 which I loved with this dish. The crisp ripe Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon fruit with the added hint of zesty Riesling fruit coming through on the end, really complimented the Thai green & coconut flavours. We also served St. Hallett's red, the Shiraz/Grenache/ Touriga Nacional ‘Gamekeeper`s Reserve' 2007 (also currently on Christmas offer at £5.45). It did cope well with the heat of the curry (you need a rich, ripe fruit driven red to compete with the heat of the curry) but I personally think the clear winner was the zesty, white wine or indeed the Tiger beer (ok so I admit it that I still really enjoy a cold crisp beer with spicy food, once a brewer, I do appreciate a good cold beer..)
Dessert was the superb Grilled Pineapple with ginger and lime glaze, pineapple fritters and coconut and pineapple ice cream. With this dish we showed the Hollick Botrytised Riesling 'The Nectar' £9.95 a half bottle (made in Coonawarra, Australia) and it was a very successful match, complimenting the tropical fruit and coconut flavours without being too sickly sweet an ending.
Luckily for those attending my throat/voice completely gave up at this point, so I had no choice but to leave everyone in peace for the rest of the evening and I have to thank Anne`s husband, Oliver, for making me a very gratefully received mug of lemsip with lots of honey, the perfect end to my night…
It was another very enjoyable evening at Feast, thank you Anne and Oliver and your fantastic team.
Please contact Anne at Feast on Tel 611118 for more information. http://www.feast.je/
Liz Mitchell
General Manager
The evening was a Thai style food event and we had to select some wines to compliment the Thai food. It was another fantastic evening and the talented, enthusiastic team at Feast put in so much effort to create an atmospheric cosy Thai feel for the night, with some beautiful colourful window dressing in place, the creative skills of Lorraine were put to very good use indeed..!
It is always a challenge to match Asian style food with wines (and I confess to you now, that as an ex brewer I also sneaked in a bottled beer to show at this event..)
We started the night off with either a glass of Champagne Gallimard Brut Cuvee Reserve 'Les Riceys' N.V. currently on Christmas offer at £15.95 a bottle or a cold Tiger Beer -£24.95 a case.
We also offered these choices again with the starter of Classic Thai nibbles – rare chilli and lime tuna, chicken satay, duck spring roll. When you have a mix of flavours, texture and spices like this the Champagne worked very well, allowing each part of this dish to reveal its self.
Next on the menu was the Tom Yum Soup with Crab & Prawns, and with this dish we showed a Spanish white wine, Albarino A20 from Bodegas Castro Martin at £8.95 and a few people (mostly the boys) stayed with the Tiger beer option. The Albarino drank beautifully, it is clean crisp and fruit driven and I thought it complimented and copied with the Thai flavours very well, but if I am honest I personally thought that the Tiger beer was the better match for me on the night with the spicy Tom Yum soup. This beer brewed in Asia and imported to the UK, is made using German hops famed for their floral aroma and slightly spicy taste and it really does work very well with most Asian style food with its zesty, upfront hoppy crisp flavours. (Just like the hint of Riesling does in the white wine that we served with the Green curry).
We then had King Prawn and Scallop Thai Green curry and we offered two Australian wines, the St. Hallett Semillon/Sauvignon/Riesling ‘Poachers Blend’ 2007 currently on Christmas offer at £5.45 which I loved with this dish. The crisp ripe Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon fruit with the added hint of zesty Riesling fruit coming through on the end, really complimented the Thai green & coconut flavours. We also served St. Hallett's red, the Shiraz/Grenache/ Touriga Nacional ‘Gamekeeper`s Reserve' 2007 (also currently on Christmas offer at £5.45). It did cope well with the heat of the curry (you need a rich, ripe fruit driven red to compete with the heat of the curry) but I personally think the clear winner was the zesty, white wine or indeed the Tiger beer (ok so I admit it that I still really enjoy a cold crisp beer with spicy food, once a brewer, I do appreciate a good cold beer..)
Dessert was the superb Grilled Pineapple with ginger and lime glaze, pineapple fritters and coconut and pineapple ice cream. With this dish we showed the Hollick Botrytised Riesling 'The Nectar' £9.95 a half bottle (made in Coonawarra, Australia) and it was a very successful match, complimenting the tropical fruit and coconut flavours without being too sickly sweet an ending.
Luckily for those attending my throat/voice completely gave up at this point, so I had no choice but to leave everyone in peace for the rest of the evening and I have to thank Anne`s husband, Oliver, for making me a very gratefully received mug of lemsip with lots of honey, the perfect end to my night…
It was another very enjoyable evening at Feast, thank you Anne and Oliver and your fantastic team.
Please contact Anne at Feast on Tel 611118 for more information. http://www.feast.je/
Liz Mitchell
General Manager
Atlantic Italian Food & Wine Friday 14th November Report
We enjoyed a another fantastic evening at the Atlantic Hotel & Ocean Restaurant in the Italian room on Friday 14th November 2008.
Bruce Kendrick of Liberty Wines hosted the evening, sharing with us some very interesting info and we all left with an appreciation of just how fantastic 2004 was for Red Italian wines. The food & wines really were superb and as always the team at the Atlantic ensured that we all enjoyed a superb evening and a big thank you to everyone for looking after us so well.
On arrival we all enjoyed the CA' DEI FRATI Brut Sparkling 'Cuvee de Frati' 2004 £14.45 this wine showed very well with lovely balanced ripe fruit, delicious and very drinkable.
The first two wines at the table were the La Giustiniana Gavi di Gavi 'Lugarara' 2007 £11.95 and the Vie Di Romans Sauvignon Blanc 'Vieris'2006 £21.95. The Gavi di Gavi was very popular with everyone, and it showed beautifully, such an elegant wine & fantastic as an aperitif, but my preferred match with the food (Risotto of Jersey Crab , chive beurre blanc) was the Sauvignon Blanc which had incredible length and purity of fruit. The Risotto was absolutely delicious, if only I could make risotto as good as this one!
We then had two show stopping reds served with the Main course of Roast fillet of Irish Beef, sautéed wild mushrooms, creamed salisify. The Isole E Olena Cepparello 2004 £34.95 was my favourite on the night, it was showing very well, superb balance, elegant yet long finish and just so very drinkable.., it was a fantastic food match with the beautifully cooked beef. The Aldo Conterno Barolo ‘Colonello’ 2004 £79.95 is an incredible wine and in my opinion it just needs a bit more time before it will reveal itself in full (one for the cellar for a couple of years or longer.. ) The room was fairly evenly divided on which red they preferred, it was a very hard choice to make as they are both very classy wines.
We then enjoyed the Allegrini Amarone Classico 2004 £36.95 with an Italian cheese selection, this wine also showed exactly why it has such a great reputation, show casing the traditional power and intensity of Amarone with great structure, complexity and elegance.
The Almond Tiramisu, Kahlua syrup was a great match for the Capezzana Vin Santo Reserva 2001 (our last stock of the 2001vintage) a fantastic way to end the dinner.
If only I could spend every Friday evening eating food as delicious as this for dinner & drinking wines of this standard all evening...
Liz Mitchell
General Manager
Bruce Kendrick of Liberty Wines hosted the evening, sharing with us some very interesting info and we all left with an appreciation of just how fantastic 2004 was for Red Italian wines. The food & wines really were superb and as always the team at the Atlantic ensured that we all enjoyed a superb evening and a big thank you to everyone for looking after us so well.
On arrival we all enjoyed the CA' DEI FRATI Brut Sparkling 'Cuvee de Frati' 2004 £14.45 this wine showed very well with lovely balanced ripe fruit, delicious and very drinkable.
The first two wines at the table were the La Giustiniana Gavi di Gavi 'Lugarara' 2007 £11.95 and the Vie Di Romans Sauvignon Blanc 'Vieris'2006 £21.95. The Gavi di Gavi was very popular with everyone, and it showed beautifully, such an elegant wine & fantastic as an aperitif, but my preferred match with the food (Risotto of Jersey Crab , chive beurre blanc) was the Sauvignon Blanc which had incredible length and purity of fruit. The Risotto was absolutely delicious, if only I could make risotto as good as this one!
We then had two show stopping reds served with the Main course of Roast fillet of Irish Beef, sautéed wild mushrooms, creamed salisify. The Isole E Olena Cepparello 2004 £34.95 was my favourite on the night, it was showing very well, superb balance, elegant yet long finish and just so very drinkable.., it was a fantastic food match with the beautifully cooked beef. The Aldo Conterno Barolo ‘Colonello’ 2004 £79.95 is an incredible wine and in my opinion it just needs a bit more time before it will reveal itself in full (one for the cellar for a couple of years or longer.. ) The room was fairly evenly divided on which red they preferred, it was a very hard choice to make as they are both very classy wines.
We then enjoyed the Allegrini Amarone Classico 2004 £36.95 with an Italian cheese selection, this wine also showed exactly why it has such a great reputation, show casing the traditional power and intensity of Amarone with great structure, complexity and elegance.
The Almond Tiramisu, Kahlua syrup was a great match for the Capezzana Vin Santo Reserva 2001 (our last stock of the 2001vintage) a fantastic way to end the dinner.
If only I could spend every Friday evening eating food as delicious as this for dinner & drinking wines of this standard all evening...
Liz Mitchell
General Manager
Tuesday 25 November 2008
Announcing our Annual ONE DAY SALE...
Announcing our Annual ONE DAY SALE this Saturday 29th November 2008. Doors open 9am. Do not miss out on this opportunity to buy your Christmas Drinks. We have over 150 products at unrepeatable prices. One day sale applies in-store only. Come early....
This is a classic example of where looks can be deceptive…
‘perfect for a winter’s night in’
From Portugal – QUINTA DE MACEDOS Pinga do Torto 2004
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
£11.45 per bottle Click here to purchase >>>
On Tuesday, Jane spotted this wine in our Portuguese section and asked if we
could try it at home, commenting on it’s rather unusual label. The bottle has one of
those labels that, to put it frankly, puts you off from buying it….I’m not ‘labelist’
but many customers wouldn’t give this a second glance. So, we took it home and
opened it and boy were we both surprised and I remembered just why I had chosen to sell it.
This is a beautiful wine, very elegant and perfumed. We both commented that it was very feminine with lovely red fruit, very smooth tannins and it reminded her of a elegant pinot noir that would sell well over the £20 mark. The palate is concentrated and has a dry, slightly spicy finish. Very yummy and attractive. Ideal for drinking with beef or game dishes and will also cope well with full flavoured cheeses. We highly recommend it!
Friday 24 October 2008
An outstanding 1st Food and Wine Feast at Feast, Gorey on Thursday night...
On Thursday night (23rd October) Feast staged their first Food and Wine Feast at its aptly named restaurant in Gorey. The event which could have sold three times over was truly outstanding. Combining food selected from John Meyer and Son Delicatessen at Quennevais Parade and wines from us, the fantastic team at Feast really did themselves proud.
The wines all showed very well with the food & Liz who hosted the wine part of the evening got excellent feed back on all of them, but especially the Etim Spanish Rosat (Retail per bottle £6.95) which 
worked really well with the Spanish & Italian charcuterie and the Domaine Pouderoux Maury Rouge dessert wine (Retail £13.95 per bottle) which is always such a great match with a rich chocolate tart. We all really enjoyed the Bisol Prosecco 'Crede' (Retail £10.95) as our drink on arrival and it showed very well with lovely creamy luscious fruit, a perfect way to start the evening. The two reds served with the main course were the Stonier Reserve Pinot Noir 2006 & Dinastia Vivanco Rioja Reserva 2001 & they both worked well with the Lamb, the room was fairly equally divivded as too which red wine 
they preferred with the saddle of scotch lamb served with some fantastic dauphinoise potatoes (Liz says she could live on dauphinoise potatoes when they are as good as this!)
The cheese selction was fabulous with four award winning British cheeses and the Fonseca Tawny 10yr old port was a great match with the award winning Barkham Blue cheese in particular.
The two mini puddings (if anyone had room left to eat them!) showed off two very different styles of dessert wines, the rich red dessert wine Domaine Pouderoux Maury (100% Grenache Noir from old vines) with the chocolate tart & also a South African Noble Late Harvest Chenin Blanc from Eilandia with the Crème Brulée.
A huge thank you goes to Anne and Oliver and all the great staff at Feast! The ambience was fantastic and attention to detail was great. We look forward to the second Wine and Food Feast!
Tuesday 7 October 2008
Burgundy Fine Wines...
Jane is now starting to add some of our fine Burgundies to the site. Take a look in our new arrivals section to view...
Saturday 20 September 2008
Avondale 'Julia' from South Africa - Unbelievable Value!!
Avondale ‘Julia’ 2004
Unbelievable Value at £6.95 per bottle CLICK HERE TO ORDER
Organic is not just a buzz word at Avondale. It's about promoting life and preserving a living system. It’s about treating our vines like indigenous trees. Pioneered by owner and friend, Johnathan Grieve said “We are returning our soil to its original, vibrant, natural state through Bio-LOGIC, a gentle integration of old practices with new science.” Owned by the Grieve family, Avondale is committed to the creation of fine natural wines.
Tasting Notes:
A stunning South African red with pronounced berry bouquet that has a slight herbaceous undertone, followed by ripe fruit and soft tannins – an approachable yet complex medium-bodied wine. Serve at 16°C. We tried this wine on Thursday night (18th) and thought that it was incredible and easily drinks well above its price. Great concentration of fruit that gives this approachable, easy-drinking wine a hint of seriousness. Ideal to accompany pasta and meat dishes.
The Name ‘Julia’:
When this wine was first made in 1999 as Avondale Dry Red, it scooped up a double gold medal Veritas award. The family felt that “dry red” did not do justice to the wine, so it was renamed after owner John Grieve’s mother, Julia.
Awards: Michelangelo Double Gold (2006)
Grape Varieties: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot
Neil and Jane Pinel
Friday 19 September 2008
Beers, Lagers, Ciders etc now sold individually and chilled!
We have recently installed two large fridges at the entrance to our shop and are pleased to annouce that you can now buy chilled beers, lagers and ciders individually and in smaller packs. No more having to buy full cases when you come down to see us!
See you soon!
See you soon!
Tuesday 16 September 2008
Another great night out planned at The Lighthouse
You are invited to join us at The Lighthouse for a great evening of food and wine. You can telephone us for reservations or you can book online. Follow the link below to book now.
Saturday 4th October 2008
On arrival
JEAN-MARIE PENET Cremant de Loire Chateau de la Presle
***
Local Handpicked Crab Salad
ANDRE DEZAT Pouilly-Fume 'Domaine Thibault'
VINCENT GIRARDIN Bourgone Blanc 'Cuvee Saint-Vincent' 2005
***
Beef and King Prawn Espetada served with Chunky Chips and Vegetables
***
Beef and King Prawn Espetada served with Chunky Chips and Vegetables
KILIKANOON 'Prodigal' Grenache
TANAIL WINERY Silver Selection Red 'Massaya'
***
Chocolate Torte with Raspberries
DOMAINE POUDEROUX Maury Rouge
7.30pm for 8.00pm
Dress: Casual
£55 per head
Click here to book online now!
7.30pm for 8.00pm
Dress: Casual
£55 per head
Click here to book online now!
Monday 15 September 2008
Book Now for an Exceptional Gourmet Food and Wine Dinner
**Announcing our Next Wine Dinner**
Friday 3rd October 2008 at
On arrival
Gallimard Brut Rosé ‘Les Riceys’ n.v.
***
Terrine of salmon and lobster, cucumber confit, lemon dressing
Vincent Girardin Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru 'Les Folatières' 2005
Christian Moreau Chablis Grand Cru 'Les Clos' Clos des Hospices 2005
***
Pot roasted squab pigeon, puy lentil and bacon cassoulet, thyme veal jus
Taupenot Merme Chambolle-Musigny 2003
Michel Gros Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru 'Clos Reas' 2004
***
Cheese t.b.a.
Vincent Girardin Pommard 1er Cru Vieilles-Vignes 'Les Grands Epenots' 2005
***
Crispy thin apple tart, black butter ice cream
Rene Michel Viré-Cléssé 'Quintaine' 2004
7.30pm for 8.00pm – carriages at midnight
Dress Smart/Casual
£85.00 per head
Limited spaces
TELEPHONE US ON 736418 FOR RESERVATIONS
Monday 8 September 2008
Incredible Cocktails in just 10 Seconds!
New and Exclusive to Dunell's Speaks MIXOLOGY Cocktail Mixers Pouches
THIS PRODUCT IS PERFECT FOR PARTIES, GIFT IDEAS, CORPORATE FUNCTIONS, TABLE PRESENTS, WEDDINGS AND OTHER SPECIAL OCCASIONS.
Having tried these out at the Mourant's Ooh La La Ball on 5th September 2008 we can assure you these were a real hit!!
Created with the help of World Champion mixologist Jamie Stephenson, using the Speaks Mixology range you can make the perfect cocktail in just ten seconds. Simply open, pour over ice and a double shot of spirit and you’ve got it! It really is that simple. And because they only use all-natural ingredients, they also taste amazing. The range of fabulous cocktails is constantly expanding, so you'll always have the drinks people want.
Speaks Mixology is revitalising the spirits market like no one else. Using only the finest ingredients (including fresh fruit juices and natural cane sugar) they have created mixers that allow you to serve the perfect cocktail again and again.
We currently stock The Classic Mojito, Raspberry Mojito, Cosmopolitan and Pina Colada. They are available to purchase in store and also online. Click here for more information.
Speaks Mixology is a range of 100% all-natural ready to pour cocktail mixers which are simply added to the relevant alcohol base to produce a quick, easy and delicious cocktail.
Speaks Mixology is made using spring water from an organically certified source in the remote Slievenamom mountains of Ireland.
Speaks Mixology contains absolutely no artificial colours, flavours, sweetners or preservatives.
Speaks Mixology cocktails taste better than other mixers due to the crisp and full flavours of the natural ingredients.
Endorsed by World Champion Bar Tender Jamie Stephenson
The product is available in 120ml pouches, ideal size for a single serving cocktail with 50ml of alcohol. It uses a simple, easy to use pouch instead of glass bottles, making it more environmentally friendly. It also means the product is easier and cheaper to dispose of so you are doing your bit to reduce your carbon footprint!
At £1.50 per pouch it also represents excellent value for money!
For further information see their website http://www.speaksmixology.com/
Friday 5 September 2008
South-West France
This article caught my eye on Decanter.com this morning, are we heading for another 'phyloxerra' episode?
A fatal virus that attacks vines is becoming increasingly prevalent across the wine regions of Bordeaux, Gascony and the Charente, it has emerged.The disease, a fungus called Esca (known more commonly as vine measles, or vine cancer), attacks the woody parts of the vine, eventually killing the entire plant. Very little is known about its origin, how it spreads, or its likely progression. Although it affects vines all over the world, this year there has been a sharp rise in reported cases of Esca in southwest France. There are calls for an agricultural emergency to be declared in the area, and demands for state aid to replant the affected vines. 'You can literally see the vines withering before your eyes,' a winemaker in Gascony told a local newspaper. 'We are going to need to pull up and replant vines that are scarcely 15 years old.' Auch, a large town in the area, is due to hold a demonstration on September 15, demanding government assistance. Winegrowers in Bordeaux, Cognac and Champagne have also reported widespread problems, with some estimating the disease is affecting up to 20% of all vines in France. Chris Foss, senior wine lecturer at Plumpton agricultural College in the UK, told decanter.com the disease was almost unstoppable. 'The disease can be treated with sodium arsenite, but the product has been banned since 2001 because of public health concerns,' he said. 'All wood diseases are an absolute nightmare because they are so difficult to treat, and they seem to be getting more prevalent.'
A fatal virus that attacks vines is becoming increasingly prevalent across the wine regions of Bordeaux, Gascony and the Charente, it has emerged.The disease, a fungus called Esca (known more commonly as vine measles, or vine cancer), attacks the woody parts of the vine, eventually killing the entire plant. Very little is known about its origin, how it spreads, or its likely progression. Although it affects vines all over the world, this year there has been a sharp rise in reported cases of Esca in southwest France. There are calls for an agricultural emergency to be declared in the area, and demands for state aid to replant the affected vines. 'You can literally see the vines withering before your eyes,' a winemaker in Gascony told a local newspaper. 'We are going to need to pull up and replant vines that are scarcely 15 years old.' Auch, a large town in the area, is due to hold a demonstration on September 15, demanding government assistance. Winegrowers in Bordeaux, Cognac and Champagne have also reported widespread problems, with some estimating the disease is affecting up to 20% of all vines in France. Chris Foss, senior wine lecturer at Plumpton agricultural College in the UK, told decanter.com the disease was almost unstoppable. 'The disease can be treated with sodium arsenite, but the product has been banned since 2001 because of public health concerns,' he said. 'All wood diseases are an absolute nightmare because they are so difficult to treat, and they seem to be getting more prevalent.'
Wednesday 3 September 2008
A great time at Feast!
Meal out to Feast - Gorey 28.08.08
Neil and I decided that it would be nice to visit new restaurant 'Feast' in Gorey to celebrate our 10th Wedding Anniversary....blimey that seems so long these days!
It was a lovely evening and as we strolled along the pier towards the restaurant, we noticed some of the restaurants were very quiet but not Feast. Word certainly seems to have got around since their opening and the restaurant was full and buzzing. We were greeted warmly and although Anne and her team knew that it was our wedding anniversary and we did not expect the two glasses of bubbly that seamlessly appeared at the table - great start!
We had heard many good things about the restaurant and the tempting menu and specials board did not disappoint. Neil chose the scallop special and I chose the Butternut squash salad. Both dishes were lovely. The scallops were perfectly cooked and my salad was very tasty. In fact, I forgot to say that the glass of bubbly went perfectly with the salad. They never said what it was but we think it was Graham Beck Brut Sparkling from South Africa.
For the main course Neil had chosen one of the wines that Anne imports exclusively for Feast. It was the d'arenberg The Love Grass Shiraz 2004.
(Tasting Notes: The palate is juicy with good weight. Red-fruited Shiraz dominated by plums, rhubarb, cherries, strawberries, mulberry, smoked bacon, white pepper and flower characters then a level of black currants and fragrant spice from the Cabernet and Petit Verdot appear. On the second sip a lovely mulberry tar-like character of Merlot starts to fill the palate with vivid, deep-red cherry flavours mixed with a hint of sage leaf, cloves and turmeric from the Petit Verdot which fans out across the finish with a grippy but polished finish.)
However, I think Neil totally forgot what I was eating for main course as I had chosen the Tuna. Neil had chosen the Ribs and of course the shiraz went really well with this dish but it is quite a chunky wine and was a little too much for the tuna. I still enjoyed it though. Both dishes were excellent and high quality ingredients had clearly been used. The Jersey Royals which arrived in a little bucket were fabulous and probably the best I have had this year. Unfortunately they had run out of chips which caused a bit of a stir amongst the diners but the Royals really were great.
Dessert was great too - a pannacotta for Neil (great gluten free dessert for him) and I had the cheesecake which was delicious and made Neil very jealous!
Great atmosphere, good service and a lovely meal which didn't break the bank either. Well done to Anne and her team and thankyou!
Neil and Jane
Neil and I decided that it would be nice to visit new restaurant 'Feast' in Gorey to celebrate our 10th Wedding Anniversary....blimey that seems so long these days!
It was a lovely evening and as we strolled along the pier towards the restaurant, we noticed some of the restaurants were very quiet but not Feast. Word certainly seems to have got around since their opening and the restaurant was full and buzzing. We were greeted warmly and although Anne and her team knew that it was our wedding anniversary and we did not expect the two glasses of bubbly that seamlessly appeared at the table - great start!
We had heard many good things about the restaurant and the tempting menu and specials board did not disappoint. Neil chose the scallop special and I chose the Butternut squash salad. Both dishes were lovely. The scallops were perfectly cooked and my salad was very tasty. In fact, I forgot to say that the glass of bubbly went perfectly with the salad. They never said what it was but we think it was Graham Beck Brut Sparkling from South Africa.
For the main course Neil had chosen one of the wines that Anne imports exclusively for Feast. It was the d'arenberg The Love Grass Shiraz 2004.
(Tasting Notes: The palate is juicy with good weight. Red-fruited Shiraz dominated by plums, rhubarb, cherries, strawberries, mulberry, smoked bacon, white pepper and flower characters then a level of black currants and fragrant spice from the Cabernet and Petit Verdot appear. On the second sip a lovely mulberry tar-like character of Merlot starts to fill the palate with vivid, deep-red cherry flavours mixed with a hint of sage leaf, cloves and turmeric from the Petit Verdot which fans out across the finish with a grippy but polished finish.)However, I think Neil totally forgot what I was eating for main course as I had chosen the Tuna. Neil had chosen the Ribs and of course the shiraz went really well with this dish but it is quite a chunky wine and was a little too much for the tuna. I still enjoyed it though. Both dishes were excellent and high quality ingredients had clearly been used. The Jersey Royals which arrived in a little bucket were fabulous and probably the best I have had this year. Unfortunately they had run out of chips which caused a bit of a stir amongst the diners but the Royals really were great.
Dessert was great too - a pannacotta for Neil (great gluten free dessert for him) and I had the cheesecake which was delicious and made Neil very jealous!
Great atmosphere, good service and a lovely meal which didn't break the bank either. Well done to Anne and her team and thankyou!
Neil and Jane
P.S. We recommend booking as it is very popular! Tel: 611118 or email: anne@feast.je
New Zealand Pinot Noirs are shining!
This month's (September) Decanter Magazine featured the results of the New Zealand Pinot Noir Awards and we stock some of the main award winners. They are all available to purchase online and their links are listed below:
SPY VALLEY Pinot Noir 2007 - Awarded ***** 5 Stars and listed as being the BEST VALUE 'Rich, ripe cherry, layered fruit. Full, round, concentrated style, beautiful balance, lifted structure. Sweet, long finish. Delicious.' We currently have the 2006 in stock which was also superb and we have been informed by our supplier that the 2007 vintage will arrive in the UK in December. If you are interested in reserving any quantities of this wine, please contact us - neil@dunells.com
Please click here for more information on the 2006 Vintage and to order
Felton Road Pinot Noir 2007 - Awarded **** 4 Stars HIGHLY RECOMMENED 'Open, highly scented nose, youthful, wonderfully pure. Fresh, bright palate, juicy fruit, pretty style with charm'
Please click here for more information on this wine and to order
Ata Rangi Pinot Noir 2006 - Awarded *** 3 Stars RECOMMENDED 'Full bodied style, extracted, spicy and oaky. Well balanced overall, not for the faint hearted. Long, raspberry and spicy finish'.
Please click here for more information on this wine and to order
Kim Crawford Pinot Noir 2007 - Awarded *** 3 Stars RECOMMENDED 'Dark berry aromas, tight silky tannins, promising concentration and elegance. Beautiful freshness. Perfumed finish.'
Please click here for more information on this wine and to order
Wither Hills Pinot Noir 2006 - Awarded *** 3 Stars RECOMMENDED 'Very solid, big, deep-coloured wine. Good length and balance, oak well-done and plenty here to savour.'
Please click here for more information on this wine and to order
Neil
SPY VALLEY Pinot Noir 2007 - Awarded ***** 5 Stars and listed as being the BEST VALUE 'Rich, ripe cherry, layered fruit. Full, round, concentrated style, beautiful balance, lifted structure. Sweet, long finish. Delicious.' We currently have the 2006 in stock which was also superb and we have been informed by our supplier that the 2007 vintage will arrive in the UK in December. If you are interested in reserving any quantities of this wine, please contact us - neil@dunells.com
Please click here for more information on the 2006 Vintage and to order
Felton Road Pinot Noir 2007 - Awarded **** 4 Stars HIGHLY RECOMMENED 'Open, highly scented nose, youthful, wonderfully pure. Fresh, bright palate, juicy fruit, pretty style with charm'
Please click here for more information on this wine and to order
Ata Rangi Pinot Noir 2006 - Awarded *** 3 Stars RECOMMENDED 'Full bodied style, extracted, spicy and oaky. Well balanced overall, not for the faint hearted. Long, raspberry and spicy finish'.
Please click here for more information on this wine and to order
Kim Crawford Pinot Noir 2007 - Awarded *** 3 Stars RECOMMENDED 'Dark berry aromas, tight silky tannins, promising concentration and elegance. Beautiful freshness. Perfumed finish.'
Please click here for more information on this wine and to order
Wither Hills Pinot Noir 2006 - Awarded *** 3 Stars RECOMMENDED 'Very solid, big, deep-coloured wine. Good length and balance, oak well-done and plenty here to savour.'
Please click here for more information on this wine and to order
Neil
Friday 29 August 2008
Working late....
Just finishing up before heading home to celebrate our wedding anniversary with Jane and slurping on a really good Argentinean Malbec from Nicolas Catena. It has excellent ripe, chunky, black and red fruits (mainly raspberry and blackcurrant) and dusky, oaky tannins. Very nice!
Friday 22 August 2008
Chinese in Jersey - The Mandarin Room
There are too many good (and great) restaurants in Jersey to mention in a single blog so Jane and I thought we would share our experiences (good or bad) with you as and when we eat out. Although I am sure many of you will have tried and tested most if not all of the 'eateries' yourselves.
Last night after spending a few hours (and quite a few pounds on all the rides) at the Gorey Fete with the boys and my parents we were looking for somewhere to eat on our way home (it's a long way from La Moye you know...).
Out of the blue I mentioned the Mandarin Room in Gloucester Street so we headed there. They were very busy but after ten minutes found us a table, we chose a bottle of wine and four 'Menu B's'. All I can say is that the food was excellent and plentiful and we all came away extolling the virtues of eating chinese in a restaurant instead of by take-away as the quality was so much better.
The service was professional and courteous and the bill didn't make me fall off my chair. An altogether great family evening out showing Jersey at its best!
Neil
PS The Massaya Classic Red from the Lebanon is great with Chinese food.
Last night after spending a few hours (and quite a few pounds on all the rides) at the Gorey Fete with the boys and my parents we were looking for somewhere to eat on our way home (it's a long way from La Moye you know...).
Out of the blue I mentioned the Mandarin Room in Gloucester Street so we headed there. They were very busy but after ten minutes found us a table, we chose a bottle of wine and four 'Menu B's'. All I can say is that the food was excellent and plentiful and we all came away extolling the virtues of eating chinese in a restaurant instead of by take-away as the quality was so much better.
The service was professional and courteous and the bill didn't make me fall off my chair. An altogether great family evening out showing Jersey at its best!
Neil
PS The Massaya Classic Red from the Lebanon is great with Chinese food.
Wednesday 6 August 2008
Hola from sunny Spain
We have been tasting (well drinking) some really cracking Spanish rosados over the past few evenings and will post our tasting notes as soon as we get a chance. We are also going to visit Bodegas Castano (Yecla), Bodegas Sierra Salinas (Alicante) and Bodegas Mustiguillo (Utiel-Requena) next Tuesday and will post these notes as well.
Hope you're enjoying the summer in Jersey, hear its been a little damp!
Hasta Lavista
Neil and Jane
We have been tasting (well drinking) some really cracking Spanish rosados over the past few evenings and will post our tasting notes as soon as we get a chance. We are also going to visit Bodegas Castano (Yecla), Bodegas Sierra Salinas (Alicante) and Bodegas Mustiguillo (Utiel-Requena) next Tuesday and will post these notes as well.
Hope you're enjoying the summer in Jersey, hear its been a little damp!
Hasta Lavista
Neil and Jane
Thursday 31 July 2008
Seghesio Zinfandel - Receives Wine of the Month in Decanter Magazine
Seghesio Zinfandel 2006 from Sonoma County, California has been selected as one of Decanter Magazines Wines of the Month. It has been noted as one of the best affordable wines to snap up and drink now. Seghesio is one of the finest producers of Zinfandel and this boasts succulent, chocolate-dipped dark fruit. Drink 2008-2009. We think this wine is a real stunner and really special. Follow the link below to view further information and buy! £15.40 per bottle.
Wednesday 30 July 2008
Tomorrow is the last day for our Lenoble Champagne Deal
It is not often I like giving things away but this really is the most amazing deal. At just over £14 a bottle (average price) for this quality of champagne (the Rose is a vintage!) you would be mad to miss out. The offer has to end tomorrow night.
Neil
Neil
Sunday 20 July 2008
More wines available to purchase online...
Jane has been very busy adding more wines to the site....We have almost 450 available to purchase now. If there are any wines you wish to purchase that are not on the site, please do let us know and Jane will prioritise them.
Also, we would love to hear your comments and suggestions, so please keep that feedback coming.
Thank you
Also, we would love to hear your comments and suggestions, so please keep that feedback coming.
Thank you
Monday 7 July 2008
L'Horizon Themed BBQ 24th August 2008 - BOOK NOW!!
Sunday, 24th August, from 2pm to 4:30pm
Middle Eastern & Australian Themed BBQ
at L'Horizon Hotel & Spa
Join us on The Terrace for this special themed barbecue and buffet. Learn how to cook the themed barbecue dishes and how to select which wines are the best to accompany the dishes with the help of Dunell’s Premier Wines.
Barbecue Buffet menu - £29.50 per person
Reservations and Enquiries - 01534 743101
Thursday 3 July 2008
Meet the Winemaker - Saturday 5th July 11am - 4pm
Meet Sami Ghosn, 2nd Generation Owner of Tanaïl Winery, Lebanon on Saturday 5th July from 11am to 4pm.
Take this opportunity to taste their beautiful wines. Please see below for details of the wines that will be available to taste.
Massaya, “Twilight” is the brainchild of two dynamic Lebanese brothers who have harnessed the potential of their fabulous terroir to the know-how of two French wine-making dynasties. Since Biblical times, Lebanon has been acclaimed for its prized Bekaa Valley wines.
Today, this bijou winery, with its clay-limestone vineyards, nestled between the mountains and the Mediterranean at more than a thousand meters, produce a range of unique wines that captures the spirit of the Levant.The story of Tanaïl Property goes back to the early 70's as the Ghosn family acquired an Estate planted with table vines. At First, they made homemade Arak from the grapes grown on the property.
Sami and Ramzi Ghosn, the second generation owners, learned to love nature and its greatest produce - wine - during their childhood; in 1975, the civil war raged in Lebanon forcing the Ghosn’s to leave their Estate, nevertheless they always knew a day will come where they would return.
Seventeen years later Sami Ghosn, by then an architect working in Los Angeles, returned to Lebanon and revisited the war-ravaged family estate. The land worked its magic and he decided to give up everything in order to devote himself to bringing the domain back to life. He revived the distillation of homemade arak and entrusted marketing to his brother Ramzi, who was at that time settled in France, managing his own restaurant company. The famous blue bottles of Arak turned into an instant success.
Tanail was reborn from its ashes but Sami Ghosn had still greater ambitions. As far as he is concerned it is no coincidence that the Romans chose the Bekaa Valley as the site to build the temple of Bacchus in homage to their God of wine and grapes.
We will be tasting:
TANAIL WINERY Classic White 'Massaya' 2006
TANAIL WINERY Classic Rose 'Massaya' 2006
TANAIL WINERY Silver Selection Red 2004
TANAIL WINERY Gold Reserve Red 'Massaya' 2003/04
EL MASSAYA Arak
TANAIL WINERY Silver Selection Red 2004
TANAIL WINERY Gold Reserve Red 'Massaya' 2003/04
EL MASSAYA Arak
DON'T MISS OUT ON THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET SAMI AND TRY THESE FANTASTIC WINES AND THERE WILL BE SPECIAL PRICES TOO FOR THIS DAY ONLY!!
Tuesday 24 June 2008
dunells.com is now bigger and better!
24.06.08
Our new updated is now up and running. We hope you enjoy its new features. Please feel free to send us your comments.
Thank you
Our new updated is now up and running. We hope you enjoy its new features. Please feel free to send us your comments.
Thank you
Saturday 21 June 2008
NEW VERSION OF SITE LAUNCHING NEXT WEEK!
21.06.08
We are now ready to launch the new version of our site so that you will be able to purchase all you beers, lagers, ciders, waters, soft drinks, spirits, liqueurs, gifts, wine accessories and more online. It is going to be so easy to purchase these heavy items and have them delivered to your home up to 8pm Monday to Friday!! How convenient is that!!??!!
We have also added many other features and you will now be able to order your wines by the bottle so you can order exactly what you want!! We can't wait, can you???
We are now ready to launch the new version of our site so that you will be able to purchase all you beers, lagers, ciders, waters, soft drinks, spirits, liqueurs, gifts, wine accessories and more online. It is going to be so easy to purchase these heavy items and have them delivered to your home up to 8pm Monday to Friday!! How convenient is that!!??!!
We have also added many other features and you will now be able to order your wines by the bottle so you can order exactly what you want!! We can't wait, can you???
Friday 30 May 2008
Our June Deal of the Month case is now available!
30.05.08
We have just released our June Deal of the Month mixed Case online. A great deal this month with a saving of 21% on the retail price. The wines are perfect for summer drinking. All we need now is for the sun to keep shining! Enjoy!
We have just released our June Deal of the Month mixed Case online. A great deal this month with a saving of 21% on the retail price. The wines are perfect for summer drinking. All we need now is for the sun to keep shining! Enjoy!
Thursday 29 May 2008
Our latest Newsletter is now ready to view!
29.05.08
Our June/July 2008 Newsletter is now available to view. Just click on 'Our Latest Newsletter' in the left hand navigation box on the home page. This will open up a PDF document. Enjoy!
Our June/July 2008 Newsletter is now available to view. Just click on 'Our Latest Newsletter' in the left hand navigation box on the home page. This will open up a PDF document. Enjoy!
Wednesday 28 May 2008
Father's Day Gifts now available...
28.05.08
With father's Day around the corner, we have made buying a gift for your Dad so much easier this year! We have put together a selection of gift ideas that are sure to go down a treat!! There is no need to look any further...a gift from Dunell's is perfect!
With father's Day around the corner, we have made buying a gift for your Dad so much easier this year! We have put together a selection of gift ideas that are sure to go down a treat!! There is no need to look any further...a gift from Dunell's is perfect!
Tuesday 27 May 2008
Keep the feedback coming!!!
27.05.08
We are really grateful to everyone who has taken the trouble to give us some feedback on the site so far. A number of people have given us some great ideas, many of which will be implemented in the next couple of weeks. We are very excited about the new changes and we are sure that you will be too! Thanks once again and if you have any more comments please send them via the customer comments tab on the home page.
We are really grateful to everyone who has taken the trouble to give us some feedback on the site so far. A number of people have given us some great ideas, many of which will be implemented in the next couple of weeks. We are very excited about the new changes and we are sure that you will be too! Thanks once again and if you have any more comments please send them via the customer comments tab on the home page.
Sunday 25 May 2008
A stunning wine dinner at Tassili...
Written by Liz 24.05.08
The evening started with a glass of Perrier Jouët Grand Brut in the elegant surroundings of the Champagne Bar at the Grand before moving into Tassili.
Fans of the wines from Katnook Estate in Australia's Coonawarra region may already be familiar with the name of Wayne Stehbens, who has been at the helm of winemaking duties since 1980, and is one of the most respected figures in the Australian wine industry.
Wayne who is the senior winemaker at Katnook was an entertaining & educational speaker & also really enjoyed table hopping & chatting at length to everyone who attended. It was Wayne`s second visit to Jersey but we did still have to tell him where Jersey actually was on the map of Europe!
I loved the amuse bouche which was a green pea soup with coconut foam and I thought the Katnook Sauvignon Blanc complimented this beautifully.
I do really enjoy the Katnook Estate Sauvignon Blanc (which Wayne describes as being quite Sancerre like in fruit flavour & structure) but as we started eating the Jersey Bay Mackerel & Oyster Veloute, Caviar & land cress (and as the Katnook Estate Chardonnay opened up in the glass) I then thought that the Chardonnay was the better food match of this pair of wines. It was interesting to note that the Chardonnay really shone after warming up a little in the wine glass, so this is one wine that really shows its class & range of flavours if it is served lightly chilled but definitely not too cold.
We had the Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon & the Katnook Cabernet Sauvignon Odyssey with the main course of Milk fed Lamb loin, confit shoulder & potato with Pan Juices. Both wines drank really well with this dish & the Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon really showed that hint on mint on the fruit flavour that is unique to Coonawarra Cabernets.
While chatting with Wayne during the evening we had a long discussion about how important the ‘drinkability quality’ is of wine & he mentioned that he was always told you know you have made a great wine if it is a ‘second bottle wine’ meaning if people are offered the choice of a second bottle of wine & they choose to have the same again (a second bottle of your wine) then as a wine maker you have succeeded it creating a good wine. It is something I also feel strongly about as during my time as a brewer I had to always consider the drinkability of a product, as it is actually considered when assessing beer in competitions. Wayne`s Katnook wines all have great fruit, but they also have balance & therefore elegance, which in turn means they have that elusive drinkibility quality. I enjoyed both wines with the main course - yes the Odyssey is a more complex wine but the Katnook Estate Cabernet showed very well beside its big brother.
The Katnook Shiraz Prodigy was very good with the cheese course and the apple jelly that was served with the Devonshire blue & ford farm cheddar cheese was simply delicious! It helped to add a little bit of sweetness that in turn helped the shiraz work with these cheeses. We all wanted to know how Chef Richard Allen made the Apple Jelly…but the secret has not been revealed to me yet..
We then had the Deakin Estate Moscato 5%alc with the delicious dessert of white Peach Trifle, Thyme Flower Ice Cream. The Ice cream was fantastic and the moscato was a nice light way to end the meal.
A really enjoyable evening with delicious food & great wines, that really showed how good Coonawarra is as a wine region & Katnook Estate as a producer.
Jersey Bay Mackerel, Oyster Veloute, Caviar And Land Cress
KATNOOK Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Bottle £11.95
KATNOOK Chardonnay 2004 Bottle £11.95
Milk Fed Lamb Loin, Confit Shoulder And Potato, Pan Juices
KATNOOK Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Bottle £14.95
KATNOOK Cabernet Sauvignon 'Odyssey' 2002 Bottle £34.95
Devonshire Blue and Ford Farm Cheddar, Walnut Bread, Apple Jelly
KATNOOK Shiraz 'Prodigy' 2003 Bottle £34.95
White Peach Trifle, Thyme Flower Ice Cream
DEAKIN ESTATE Moscato 5%alc 2007 £4.95
Liz attended the 'Katnook Estate' wine dinner at the Grand Hotel Tassili Restaurant on
23rd May 2008.
The evening started with a glass of Perrier Jouët Grand Brut in the elegant surroundings of the Champagne Bar at the Grand before moving into Tassili.
Fans of the wines from Katnook Estate in Australia's Coonawarra region may already be familiar with the name of Wayne Stehbens, who has been at the helm of winemaking duties since 1980, and is one of the most respected figures in the Australian wine industry.
Wayne who is the senior winemaker at Katnook was an entertaining & educational speaker & also really enjoyed table hopping & chatting at length to everyone who attended. It was Wayne`s second visit to Jersey but we did still have to tell him where Jersey actually was on the map of Europe!
I loved the amuse bouche which was a green pea soup with coconut foam and I thought the Katnook Sauvignon Blanc complimented this beautifully.
I do really enjoy the Katnook Estate Sauvignon Blanc (which Wayne describes as being quite Sancerre like in fruit flavour & structure) but as we started eating the Jersey Bay Mackerel & Oyster Veloute, Caviar & land cress (and as the Katnook Estate Chardonnay opened up in the glass) I then thought that the Chardonnay was the better food match of this pair of wines. It was interesting to note that the Chardonnay really shone after warming up a little in the wine glass, so this is one wine that really shows its class & range of flavours if it is served lightly chilled but definitely not too cold.
We had the Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon & the Katnook Cabernet Sauvignon Odyssey with the main course of Milk fed Lamb loin, confit shoulder & potato with Pan Juices. Both wines drank really well with this dish & the Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon really showed that hint on mint on the fruit flavour that is unique to Coonawarra Cabernets.
While chatting with Wayne during the evening we had a long discussion about how important the ‘drinkability quality’ is of wine & he mentioned that he was always told you know you have made a great wine if it is a ‘second bottle wine’ meaning if people are offered the choice of a second bottle of wine & they choose to have the same again (a second bottle of your wine) then as a wine maker you have succeeded it creating a good wine. It is something I also feel strongly about as during my time as a brewer I had to always consider the drinkability of a product, as it is actually considered when assessing beer in competitions. Wayne`s Katnook wines all have great fruit, but they also have balance & therefore elegance, which in turn means they have that elusive drinkibility quality. I enjoyed both wines with the main course - yes the Odyssey is a more complex wine but the Katnook Estate Cabernet showed very well beside its big brother.
The Katnook Shiraz Prodigy was very good with the cheese course and the apple jelly that was served with the Devonshire blue & ford farm cheddar cheese was simply delicious! It helped to add a little bit of sweetness that in turn helped the shiraz work with these cheeses. We all wanted to know how Chef Richard Allen made the Apple Jelly…but the secret has not been revealed to me yet..
We then had the Deakin Estate Moscato 5%alc with the delicious dessert of white Peach Trifle, Thyme Flower Ice Cream. The Ice cream was fantastic and the moscato was a nice light way to end the meal.
A really enjoyable evening with delicious food & great wines, that really showed how good Coonawarra is as a wine region & Katnook Estate as a producer.
Jersey Bay Mackerel, Oyster Veloute, Caviar And Land Cress
KATNOOK Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Bottle £11.95
KATNOOK Chardonnay 2004 Bottle £11.95
Milk Fed Lamb Loin, Confit Shoulder And Potato, Pan Juices
KATNOOK Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Bottle £14.95
KATNOOK Cabernet Sauvignon 'Odyssey' 2002 Bottle £34.95
Devonshire Blue and Ford Farm Cheddar, Walnut Bread, Apple Jelly
KATNOOK Shiraz 'Prodigy' 2003 Bottle £34.95
White Peach Trifle, Thyme Flower Ice Cream
DEAKIN ESTATE Moscato 5%alc 2007 £4.95
Thursday 22 May 2008
Happy Birthday Neil!!
22.05.08
It's Neil's birthday today........Happy Birthday from all the team at Dunell's....only one more year to the BIG one....just you wait!!
It's Neil's birthday today........Happy Birthday from all the team at Dunell's....only one more year to the BIG one....just you wait!!
Sunday 18 May 2008
Coming Soon from EuroCave....
Coming Soon to Dunell's from EuroCave is the Sowine system - The First Home Wine Bar. We have a limited number of Sowine systems on their way to us now. Totally new and unique, the system offers two major benefits:
1. Two bottles served at the ideal serving temperature
In order for wine to fully develop and reveal all of its flavours, it must be served at the correct temperature. Therefore, red wine needs to be served at about 18°C and white or rosé wine at about 8°C. The exclusive Sowine system offers:
• Two independent compartments
• Temperature control which is as simple as it is ergonomic
• A temperature indicator light for each compartment
2. Flavour qualities retained several days after opening your wine
Once opened, your bottles can be put back in a Sowine compartment. The innovative oxygen extraction system ensures that your wine is protected from any risk of oxidation up to 10 days after it has been opened:
• 2 independent oxygen extraction devices
• Oxygen is extracted by simply pushing down the plunger
• An indicator light lets you know that the oxygen extraction process is underway.
Please call us on 736418 for further details.
Coming Soon....
18.05.08
Having successfully launched Phase 1 of our website, we are currently working on Phase 2 to bring you even more.
COMING SOON
Watch this space!!!
Having successfully launched Phase 1 of our website, we are currently working on Phase 2 to bring you even more.
COMING SOON
- Dedicated Fine Wines Section
- Ports, Sherries, Spirits and Liqueurs
- Decanters, Funnels and Specialist Corkscrews
- Magnums, Double Magnums, Jeroboams and more
Watch this space!!!
Saturday 17 May 2008
Join us at Tassili Restaurant at The Grand Hotel for a fabulous dinner on 23rd May 2008.....
17.05.08
Friday 23rd May 2008
Join us in the Champagne Lounge at the Grand Hotel for a glass of Perrier Jouët and Canapés from 7.30pm and a fabulous four course dinner awaits in the Tassili Restaurant at 8pm. Each will be accompanied with a different wine from the highly acclaimed Katnook Wine Estate from South Australia. Simon Hill, European Manager from Katnook will be joining us for what is sure to be a fantastic night!
Katnook Estate wines take their name from the domain where they are grown and made. They are limited release wines of great intensity of flavour, made with fastidious attention to detail.
Fruit for these single varietal wines is specially selected from older, distinguished sites in the company's extensive vineyards.
Katnook Estate wines have an enviable record of awards. They will be found on some of the best wine lists, and in some of the finest cellars, in the world, (often with several vintages of the same variety), representing the best from Australia's renowned Coonawarra wine district.
Friday 23rd May 2008
Join us in the Champagne Lounge at the Grand Hotel for a glass of Perrier Jouët and Canapés from 7.30pm and a fabulous four course dinner awaits in the Tassili Restaurant at 8pm. Each will be accompanied with a different wine from the highly acclaimed Katnook Wine Estate from South Australia. Simon Hill, European Manager from Katnook will be joining us for what is sure to be a fantastic night!
Katnook Estate wines take their name from the domain where they are grown and made. They are limited release wines of great intensity of flavour, made with fastidious attention to detail.
Fruit for these single varietal wines is specially selected from older, distinguished sites in the company's extensive vineyards.
Katnook Estate wines have an enviable record of awards. They will be found on some of the best wine lists, and in some of the finest cellars, in the world, (often with several vintages of the same variety), representing the best from Australia's renowned Coonawarra wine district.
£75 per person to include Champagne, Canapés,
Four Course Dinner and Wines.
Please call Anna or Laura at The Grand Hotel on 722301 for make your reservation.
Please call Anna or Laura at The Grand Hotel on 722301 for make your reservation.
Enter 'Katnook' into our quick search facility on the home page to see the wines and purchase!
Friday 16 May 2008
Thank you for all the great comments so far!!
16.05.08
Just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who has left comments on the site and for all the telephone calls and emails complementing us on the website. Your comments are really appreciated. Keep them coming, we love to hear your thoughts!! Have a great weekend! Neil
Just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who has left comments on the site and for all the telephone calls and emails complementing us on the website. Your comments are really appreciated. Keep them coming, we love to hear your thoughts!! Have a great weekend! Neil
You have got to buy some of this!.....
Jane 16.05.08
Our 2005 En Primeurs have been arriving at the warehouse over the last few weeks and Neil has been spending very long hours together with our fantastic warehouse staff trying to unpack over 3000....yes 3000 cases from this outstanding vintage as well as a massive amount of other stock. A couple of nights ago, Neil brought home a bottle of Château Cos Labory Saint Estèphe Grand Cru Classé 2005 for us to try out. I now understand why this was one of his favourites when he went down to taste it 3 years ago. It is truly beautiful. Lovely warmth depth with gorgeous fruit and a very long finish that makes you go back for more. I will be putting this wine onto the website next week but take a tip from us and BUY BUY BUY!! Fantastic value for money too at £24.95. We would be quite happy to drink this now but it has tons of life in it and the expected maturity is 2015 to 2030!! Click on the link above to see more information and purchase!
NEIL PINEL 8/10 - Our Saint-Estephe of the vintage, quality and value for money wise. Excellent ripe, black wine gums and cassis aromas and flavours, Clean, creamy with good depth and length. Very, very good !
ROBERT PARKER ( 2008) 89 points 'One of the finest wines I have tasted from this estate, the 2005 Cos Labory exhibits a deep ruby/purple hue, aromas of road tar, blackberries, creme de cassis, forest floor, smoke, and graphite, medium to full body, and abundant tannin. It is a complete, dense effort with high tannins in the finish. Once the tannins melt away, it should represent an outstanding example of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030.'
Our 2005 En Primeurs have been arriving at the warehouse over the last few weeks and Neil has been spending very long hours together with our fantastic warehouse staff trying to unpack over 3000....yes 3000 cases from this outstanding vintage as well as a massive amount of other stock. A couple of nights ago, Neil brought home a bottle of Château Cos Labory Saint Estèphe Grand Cru Classé 2005 for us to try out. I now understand why this was one of his favourites when he went down to taste it 3 years ago. It is truly beautiful. Lovely warmth depth with gorgeous fruit and a very long finish that makes you go back for more. I will be putting this wine onto the website next week but take a tip from us and BUY BUY BUY!! Fantastic value for money too at £24.95. We would be quite happy to drink this now but it has tons of life in it and the expected maturity is 2015 to 2030!! Click on the link above to see more information and purchase!
NEIL PINEL 8/10 - Our Saint-Estephe of the vintage, quality and value for money wise. Excellent ripe, black wine gums and cassis aromas and flavours, Clean, creamy with good depth and length. Very, very good !
ROBERT PARKER ( 2008) 89 points 'One of the finest wines I have tasted from this estate, the 2005 Cos Labory exhibits a deep ruby/purple hue, aromas of road tar, blackberries, creme de cassis, forest floor, smoke, and graphite, medium to full body, and abundant tannin. It is a complete, dense effort with high tannins in the finish. Once the tannins melt away, it should represent an outstanding example of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030.'
Tuesday 13 May 2008
Peter Ling joins our team
13.05.08
We are delighted to announce that Peter Ling has joined our team at Dunell's as one of our dedicated in-store Sales Advisors (12.05.08).
Peter entered the wine trade as a holiday job with G.Orange & Co in 1986. Following University he joined City Vintagers in London – as a management trainee – where he successfully sat the WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) Certificate, Higher Certificate and Diploma. His career continued with Victor Hugo Wines before taking up a half share in Leslie Rankin Trading Ltd, a small local agency company. Leslie Rankin was sold to G. Orange & Co in 1998 and he worked for the latter for a further two years.
Having seen all sides of the wine trade he feels very fortunate to work in an area he enjoys so much. Peter wrote: 'I am is looking forward to working at Dunell’s Premier Wines with its vast and varied selection of wines and spirits because it represents all I most value in the trade – traditional standards of service coupled with an innovative and exciting outlook.'
We are delighted to announce that Peter Ling has joined our team at Dunell's as one of our dedicated in-store Sales Advisors (12.05.08).
Peter entered the wine trade as a holiday job with G.Orange & Co in 1986. Following University he joined City Vintagers in London – as a management trainee – where he successfully sat the WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) Certificate, Higher Certificate and Diploma. His career continued with Victor Hugo Wines before taking up a half share in Leslie Rankin Trading Ltd, a small local agency company. Leslie Rankin was sold to G. Orange & Co in 1998 and he worked for the latter for a further two years.
Having seen all sides of the wine trade he feels very fortunate to work in an area he enjoys so much. Peter wrote: 'I am is looking forward to working at Dunell’s Premier Wines with its vast and varied selection of wines and spirits because it represents all I most value in the trade – traditional standards of service coupled with an innovative and exciting outlook.'
We are adding new wines everyday..
13.05.08
A number of people have been asking us when our full portfolio will be available to purchase online. We are adding new wines everyday so hopefully it won't be too long. Eventually it is hoped that you will be able to purchase waters, soft drinks and beers too. They're coming.......
A number of people have been asking us when our full portfolio will be available to purchase online. We are adding new wines everyday so hopefully it won't be too long. Eventually it is hoped that you will be able to purchase waters, soft drinks and beers too. They're coming.......
New Mixed Cases now available!
13.05.08
Jane has been busily adding more mixed cases to the site that are ideal for al fresco drinking. Now that the warmer weather is here and hopefully here to stay, these cases will certainly appeal to those who love being outside and enjoying a glass of wine! The BBQ cases will be live tomorrow (14.05.08). Click here to take you to the cases and sort by 'New Cases'.
Jane has been busily adding more mixed cases to the site that are ideal for al fresco drinking. Now that the warmer weather is here and hopefully here to stay, these cases will certainly appeal to those who love being outside and enjoying a glass of wine! The BBQ cases will be live tomorrow (14.05.08). Click here to take you to the cases and sort by 'New Cases'.
Friday 2 May 2008
Bordeaux 2005's - Robert Parker Report Just In!!
Neil Pinel - 02.05.08
Robert Parker has finally come out with his in bottle scores of the 2005 Bordeaux late last night, and he confirms that the vintage is the greatest he has ever tasted in 30 years of tasting Bordeaux. There are 66 wines with over 95 points, a huge amount, and a key comment from Parker is that he believes a lot of these ratings to be conservative!
“Tasting the 2005 red wines from the bottle, many of them three or four times, confirmed that this is the greatest vintage produced during my 30-year career. Some of my earlier reservations concerning the tannin levels in the northern Médocs were completely resolved by the tastings I conducted between March 22 and April 1, 2008. A great majority of the wines are far superior from bottle than they were from cask, confirming the quality of this remarkable vintage….Perhaps the most amazing revelation in my tastings was how sweet the tannins have become. Combined with the wines’ concentration levels, remarkable precision as well as freshness, it augers well for wines that will last for an incredibly long time. Yet I believe many wines will be drinkable earlier than my barrel tastings suggested….Believe it or not, most of the ratings that follow are on the conservative side, and I look forward to revisiting many of these 2005s in 5-10 years. I would not be surprised if they are even better then than the following laudatory comments suggest.” – Robert Parker, May 1st 2008
Please take a look at our En Primeur section on the site for more information and wines we currently have available.
Robert Parker has finally come out with his in bottle scores of the 2005 Bordeaux late last night, and he confirms that the vintage is the greatest he has ever tasted in 30 years of tasting Bordeaux. There are 66 wines with over 95 points, a huge amount, and a key comment from Parker is that he believes a lot of these ratings to be conservative!
“Tasting the 2005 red wines from the bottle, many of them three or four times, confirmed that this is the greatest vintage produced during my 30-year career. Some of my earlier reservations concerning the tannin levels in the northern Médocs were completely resolved by the tastings I conducted between March 22 and April 1, 2008. A great majority of the wines are far superior from bottle than they were from cask, confirming the quality of this remarkable vintage….Perhaps the most amazing revelation in my tastings was how sweet the tannins have become. Combined with the wines’ concentration levels, remarkable precision as well as freshness, it augers well for wines that will last for an incredibly long time. Yet I believe many wines will be drinkable earlier than my barrel tastings suggested….Believe it or not, most of the ratings that follow are on the conservative side, and I look forward to revisiting many of these 2005s in 5-10 years. I would not be surprised if they are even better then than the following laudatory comments suggest.” – Robert Parker, May 1st 2008
Please take a look at our En Primeur section on the site for more information and wines we currently have available.
Wednesday 23 April 2008
Your Wine Adventure Starts Here!!.....
Neil Pinel - 02.05.08
Well this has been a challenge. From many years of thinking about offering online sales to a conversation at a Chamber of Commerce lunch with my old school friend Matthew Robins (of Webreality) to many hours of painstaking research, data input, photography and meetings...we are there.
Our launch was planned to coincide with the dreaded introduction of GST so that prices would remain fixed for as long as possible and we have launched with a fantastic selection of quality mixed cases with the wines chosen from our existing portfolio of over 1600 different wines. We have also got two cracking deals available. Our Deal of the Month case has a great saving of 22% on the usual price and we have an unbelieveable offer on Champagne from A. R. Lenoble. Buy a case of Brut (6 bottles) and a case of their vintage Rosé (6 bottles) and get a massive 33% off the usual price. Combine this with the ability to get £20 off your first online order and this is a deal not to be missed!!
Well this has been a challenge. From many years of thinking about offering online sales to a conversation at a Chamber of Commerce lunch with my old school friend Matthew Robins (of Webreality) to many hours of painstaking research, data input, photography and meetings...we are there.
Our launch was planned to coincide with the dreaded introduction of GST so that prices would remain fixed for as long as possible and we have launched with a fantastic selection of quality mixed cases with the wines chosen from our existing portfolio of over 1600 different wines. We have also got two cracking deals available. Our Deal of the Month case has a great saving of 22% on the usual price and we have an unbelieveable offer on Champagne from A. R. Lenoble. Buy a case of Brut (6 bottles) and a case of their vintage Rosé (6 bottles) and get a massive 33% off the usual price. Combine this with the ability to get £20 off your first online order and this is a deal not to be missed!!
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