Tanners Wines Blog

Situated close to the West Shore of Llandudno beneath the famous Great Orme headland, Jaya Restaurant offers fine Indian dining, the only truly authentic home cooked Indian food in North Wales.

On Wednesday 5^th June, Executive Chef and owner Sunita Katoch will be presenting a seven course taster menu combining traditional Indian and East African influences to create a unique blend of exciting and exquisite home cooked dishes.

To accompany each course there will be a specially selected wine from Tanners chosen to compliment the plentiful tastes and flavours of each dish.

For the ultimate experience Jaya also offers stylish contemporary five star accommodation in their refurbished Victorian Villa, Space Boutique Bed & Breakfast. With chic bedrooms and a choice of Victorian heritage preserved lounges, what better way to fully indulge yourself?

Here's a snapshot of the Seven Course Taster Menu to whet your taste buds...

 

Chilli and black pepper prawns: spicy and fiery

Tummil Flat Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand 2012
Classic Kiwi Sauvignon, fresh, crisp, full of gooseberry and nettle fruit with great poise and elegance.

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Alu tiki chaat: tangy, zesty and spicy flavours

Kebrilla Grillo, Fina, Sicilia IGP 2012
All blossom and orange peel then a long, dry finish make this a fascinating wine which shows the Grillo grape's full potential.

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Achari lamb chops: infused with garlic and coriander seeds with an added tangy dimension from the achari spices (pickled spices)

Maiden Flight Reserva Gewurztraminer, Valle Casablanca, Chile 2011
First impression on the nose is almonds with a floral edge. This develops into rich, spicy fruit with hints of roses and lychees in the mouth but with a good, fresh feel on the finish.

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Chill garlic squid: a light tempura batter infused with fresh garlic and green chillies

Massaya Rosé, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon 2012
Clean, delicate rosé from Lebanon made with a blend of Syrah and Cinsault. Fermentation in stainless steel vats preserves the light, fresh fruit that is perfect for early drinking.

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Garlic chicken: served with bite size naan bread, fresh garlic, ginger and fresh tomatoes

Château Sainte Eulalie, Plaisir d'Eulalie, Minervois, France 2011
The chalky soil of Minervois produces fruity wines with a characteristic elegance. It's a constantly improving area as shown by this ripe, juicy, crunchy fruited red from a superbly situated property.

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Lamb kofta curry served with pilau rice: a classic north Indian sauce infused with black cardamon for added intense heat (not a chilli heat though more peppery)

Falernia Syrah, Elqui Valley, Chile 2010
Not yet 10 years old, the vines in this hot, arid valley are producing some wonderful fresh, peppery Syrah, reminiscent of good Northern Rhône, from vineyards 350m above sea level. Beautifully balanced.

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Passion fruit cheesecake: the perfect cooling agent after the gastronomic experience . Yet still oozing luxury velvet textures .

Vigna Senza Nome, Moscato d'Asti DOCG, Giacoma Bologna 2011 (Italy)
Quite simply one of the most delicious sparkling wines you can buy. Softly foaming in the mouth, unfashionably sweet, packed with a myriad of fruit flavours with fresh, clean, balancing acidity. Quite delicious!

 

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity of authentic Indian cuisine and accompanying wines.

The fixed price for the Wine Dinner is £55 per person

Wednesday 5^th June
Aperitif 6.30pm
Dinner & Wines 7.00pm

Bed and Breakfast £75 per room

Jaya Restaurant
Space Boutique Bed & Breakfast
36 Church Walks
Llandudno
Conwy
LL30 2HN

01492 818198
dine@jayarestaurant.co.uk
www.jayarestaurant.co.uk

More and more wine producers are turning to environmentally friendly methods, but it is less common for wine makers to apply for full organic or even biodynamic accreditation. Those that do are, however, very passionate about it and one winemaker who typifies this is Sam Weaver of Churton in New Zealand.

Sam has written a short piece for us below and is coming to the UK in a couple of weeks to conduct two tastings - one in Shrewsbury on Wednesday 5th June and one in Bridgnorth on Friday 7th June. He will talk about his techniques and show a selection of top wines from Churton as well as some fine wines from France, which will be very interesting to contrast and compare. The evening will be relaxed and informal and there will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions.

Click here for tickets at £20 each.

 

At Churton we have always aimed to have a minimal impact on the environment. The vineyard was planted in 2000 into the natural and long established pasture and we have never used insecticides or systemic sprays. As our experience and confidence evolve we are progressively converting the vineyard to full organic certification in time for the 2014 vintage. We have continually evolved our biodynamic philosophy and practice.

Often, biodynamics is regarded at the crazy end of organic production. What could be dafter than stirring cow dung matured in buried cow’s horn in water for 60 minutes then throwing it about on the farm, and then what relevance do lunar cycles have to farming practices. Yes, we really do this! Are we lunatics or what?

At Churton, I have a strong belief that our biodynamic farming approach is rational and makes complete sense. Above all, it helps us produce better wines that have more individuality and really demonstrate the farm (terroir) where they come from.

As a microbiologist I believe biodynamics works from the ground up. We work hard to improve our microbiology by using composts and various biodynamic preparations (such as the matured dung or an oak shaving mixture buried in a sheep’s skull in a swamp). We run a system that is a polyculture, and actively encourage biodiversity by increasing our plant and animal species. We plant companion species of flora between the rows in the vineyard, raise our own cattle and keep bees. And yes, we do take note of lunar cycles, after all didn’t our grandfathers plant by the moon?

Wine making is an art as much as a science. Growing the best grapes to make the best wine combines both of these disciplines too. Biodynamic philosophy gives us a structure to help understand these disparate approaches and in the end really make our wine sing.

If I have whetted your appetite for finding out more about biodynamic practices and the beneficial effect on the resulting wines, I am coming to the UK in June and will be conducting two tutored tastings at Tanners Wines – one in Shrewsbury on Wednesday 5th June and one in Bridgnorth on Friday 7th June. I will talk about our techniques and show you selection of wines from our vineyards at Churton as well as some wines from France, which will be very interesting to contrast and compare. It will be relaxed and informal and there will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions.

Look forward to seeing you then,

Sam

Click here for tickets at £20 each.

**Please note revised course dates below**

Tanners customers often ask us if we run wine courses. We have the ‘masterclasses’ of course, which are open to all and normally explore specific wine regions. However, taking a formal Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) accredited course is a great way to improve your appreciation of wine and can help anyone embarking on a wine career too.

We are delighted that Antoinette Milne from ‘Wine For Life Learning’ is about to run two WSET courses at Tanners’ premises in Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury. They are suitable for anyone who wishes to learn about wine – whether for fun, personal interest or to gain an officially accredited qualification. Although these courses are run independently from Tanners, we do hope they will be useful to those of you who would like a more formal approach to learning about wine.

 

The Level 2 Award in Wines & Spirits
(£329 which includes wines, study pack, lunch and exam fee)

 

Saturdays 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd June + Exam on 29th June
11am to 4pm

or

Mondays 20th May and 3rd June + Exam on 10th June
8am to 5.45pm

These courses would appeal to wine enthusiasts who wish to acquire more in-depth knowledge of wines and spirits and to people employed in the drinks and hospitality industries. The Saturday courses will have slightly more relevance to regular customers and the Monday course is better suited to those in the trade but everyone is welcome.

The course covers:

• how wine is made
• key grape varieties
• wine producing regions
• spirits and liqueurs
• label terminology
• food and wine pairing
• how to taste wine.

To achieve the internationally recognised wine qualification, you will need to pass a multiple-choice paper of 50 questions.

To enrol, please contact Antoinette Milne on 07814 138065 or e-mail Antoinette@wineforlifelearning.co.uk.
Alternatively visit her website www.wineforlifelearning.co.uk.

 

The Level 1 Award in Wines
(£129 which includes wines, study pack, lunch and exam fee)

 

Saturday 18th May
9am to 5.45pm 

This is a one day course, the aim of which is to give a basic introduction to wine, followed by some basic food & wine matching. It is ideal for beginners as well as boosting the confidence of new or inexperienced front line staff in the hospitality or retail sectors.

The course covers:

• the main styles of wine
• how to taste
• common grape varieties
• how to serve wine
• how to pair wine with food.

To gain the qualification you will need to complete a range of tasting notes and answer a simple multiple-choice paper of 30 questions.

To enrol, please contact Antoinette Milne on 07814 138065 or e-mail Antoinette@wineforlifelearning.co.uk.
Alternatively visit her website www.wineforlifelearning.co.uk.

Please see www.wsetglobal.com for more details about the courses.

Antoinette Milne* from Wine For Life Learning has worked in many areas of the wine trade over 20 years, from wine sales & marketing manager at one of the largest independent wine agencies in Canada, through to wine marketing and wine wholesale in Wales.  This is paired up with wine teaching and training over the same amount of time and gaining the WSET Diploma with an award for highest regional (Bristol) mark for woman in the trade.

*Associate of the Institute of Wines & Spirits (AIWS) *Certified WSET Educator *WSET Level 3 Assessor *WSET Diploma with highest regional mark for woman in the trade *Bachelor of Applied Arts Hospitality and Tourism Management (Toronto, Canada)