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We’ve always got a bottle open for you to taste…

…and in the shop this weekend we have three different wines for you to come in and taste for free.

Nero D'Avola grapes from Sicily

From Italy we are trying two different grapes. Nero D’Avola is the most important red wine grape in Sicily and is one of Italy’s most important indigenous varieties. It is named after Avola in the far south of Sicily and its wines are compared to New World Shirazes, with sweet tannins and plum or peppery flavours. This weekend (Feb17/18/19) we are tasting a Palmento Nero D’Avola 2010, it’s packed with dark fruit and peppery spice. If you’re having Lamb or a spicy pasta dish this weekend, pop in and taste this, this red wine might be right up your street.

Also from Sicily is the Fiano grape. It is a white Italian wine grape variety that is grown primarily in the Campania region of southern Italy and on the island of Sicily. According to Jancis Robinson, Fiano can produce an ageworthy wine that has to potential to develop in the bottle for several years after the vintage date. In its youth Fiano is often intensely flavored and aromatic with honey notes that over time develop more spicy and nutty notes. This weekend we are trying the Palmento Fiano 2011 from Sicily…this is fresh and lively with a long dry finish. Nice with salads. Come in and taste what it’s like.

Bourgogne Rouge, Montvallon 2008

The third wine we have open this weekend is a classic French grape, Pinot Noir, from the Burgundy region. The Bourgogne Rouge Montvallon Pinot Noir 2008 has red fruits, cherry, raspberries and perfumed violets on the nose and dark fruits and plums on the palate. Try this with roast duck. It’s lovely. Come in and sample some this weekend!

Cheers,

The Team at The Whalley Wine Shop.

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The Whalley Wine Shop is INDEPENDENT DRINKS RETAILER OF THE YEAR 2012

On Tuesday Tom was in London for the NATIONAL DRINKS RETAILING AWARDS….. and we are delighted to announce that The Whalley Wine Shop won The Independent Drinks Retailer of The Year 2012.

We went to The Dorchester Hotel in London on Tuesday more in hope than expectation as we were up against some excellent, very established, businesses, and we’re just the new kids on the block. So when they announced that The Whalley Wiine Shop was the winner, Tom was gobsmacked! Here he is in the pic below with Olly Smith and the top man from Budweiser UK, clutching the trophy (which is now on display in the shop!)

Tom with Olly Smith (left), the top man from Budweiser UK (right), and the award for 'Independent Drinks Retailer of the Year 2012'

The Whalley Wine Shop is absolutely delighted to bring back this award to the Ribble Valley….and….“we dedicate this award to all our amazing customers and the fabulous people of the fantastic village of  Whalley! Thank you so much for your unbelievable support”

The awards are organised by national trade magazine Off Licence News, and this is what they say about the Drinks Retailing Awards….

The awards bring together the leading lights in retail to recognise innovation and best practice across the sector. Winning a Drinks Retailing Award really is a huge achievement. Not only is our judging process one of the most rigorous and thorough in the business, but we are also unique in covering the entire breadth of the take-home market and strive to reflect excellence in as many areas of the trade as possible. The awards recognise the most outstanding retailers in the take-home drinks market.

The big winner at the Awards was Waitrose, and it’s great to see us mentioned in the same disptaches as such a prestigious company. Here’s a link to the…  LIST OF AWARDS WINNERS

Tom at The Dorchester Hotel collecting the award.

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Choosing Red Wine by Grape Variety.

The individual grape variety in a wine is the most important factor in determining the taste of that wine. And arguably these four red grape varieties are the four most important in terms of quality and distribution. Getting familiar with individual grape varieties is one of the best ways to appreciate the plethora of styles and flavours of the worlds wines. So here’s our quick guide to the ‘Big Four’….

Cabernet Sauvignon grapes

Cabernet Sauvignon ( Big and Bold )

More quality wines are made from this grape than any other red variety. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes produce full bodied,deep coloured wines with blackcurrant, mint and green pepper flavours, if matured in oak barrels aromas of vanilla and cedar emerge. The grape originated in Bordeaux, and it is in the classic Bordaux wines where ‘Cab Sav’ is at it’s best, often blended with Merlot, Petit Verdot or Cabernet Franc. Try Pauillac, Margaux or Pessac-Leognan. In the ‘new world’ Cab Sav from Napa Valley in California produces wines bursting with ripe fruit with intense fruit flavours. Explore Australian, South African and Chilean Cab Savs too.

WWS recommends…

Old World: Les Charmes de Kirwan, Margaux, France 2007 – £33.95

New World: Vergelegen Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 from Stellenbosch in South Africa – £14.95

Merlot ( Soft and Juicy )

Merlot grapes produce medium bodied, soft tasting wine with flavours of plum and blackberries. The Merlot grape also originates from Bordeaux, where it is in the wines of St Emilion and Pomerol where Merlot achieves its greatest triumph. In the new world, Chile and North America has adopted this grape as their own producing wines in a light easy drinking style.

Old World: Chateau Teyssier St Emillion Grand Cru 2008 – £22.95

New World: Napa Cellars Merlot, Napa Valley, California, 2008 – £14.95

Napa Valley Vineyards

Syrah/Shiraz ( Powerful and Spicy)

In France, this grape is known as Syrah and produces deep coloured, full bodied, perfumed and ageworthy wines with flavours of black fruits, pepper and spice. The grape is predominantly found in The Rhone Valley in Cote-Rotie, Hemitage and Cornas. In the ‘new world’ the grape is called Shiraz, and is responsible for some of the most desirable wines in Australia, particularly from the Barossa and Hunter Valleys and Maclaren Vale.

Old World: Domaine de Champal – Eric Rocher St Joseph – Champal, Rhone, France 2005 – £11.95

New World: Ben Glaetzer Heartland Shiraz, Langhorne Creek, Limestone Coast, Australia 2009 – £12.45

Pinot Noir (Soft and Silky )

Pinot Noir grapes make some of the worlds greatest wines, soft, medium bodied reds with perfumed aromas. It’s spiritual home is Burgundy, but it is also successfully grown in New Zealand. The wines display summer fruit flavours when young, if matured in oak there’s a creamy vanilla dimension. With age aromas of game and truffles develop. Try Gevrey-Chambertin, Volnay and Beaune from Burgundy, or a Pinot Noir from Central Otago, Martinborough or Marlborough in New Zealand. Pinot Noir is also used in Champagnes and other Sparkling Wines

Old World: Bouchard Pere & Fils Beaune Premier Cru, France 2007 – £23.95

New World: Mahi Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand 2008 – £17.45

Mahi Pinot Noir

Plenty more recommendations in-store, do pop in and have a chat.

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In January we have these wines available to buy ‘by the glass’

You can purchase a GLASS of wine and enjoy it in the shop!


By The Glass. Thanks to all our customers who bought or gave ‘By The Glass’ vouchers as a gift for Christmas. We know that many of you like to just pop in and enjoy a glass of really nice wine in the shop. If you’ve received one of the vouchers you may be interested to know that we currently have 8 fabulous wines to sample by the glass and, briefly, here they are…

Domaines Schlumberger, Princes Abbes Pinot Gris, Alsace, France, 2007
Klein Constantia, ‘Vin De Constance’ Sweet Wine, South Africa, 2005
Lawsons Dry Hills, Gewurztraminer, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2008
Shawsgate Pandora, a White Wine from Suffolk, England, 2009

Lezcano-Lacalle Reserva, Cigales, Tempranillo/Merlot, Spain, 2003
Chateau Cesseras Minervois, delicious blend of Syrah, Carignan, Grenache and Mourvedre, France 2006
Carmel Winery Old Vines, Carignan, Shomron, Israel, 2006
Peter Lehmann Stonewell, Shiraz, Barossa, Australia, 2006

All the wines are priced between £12 and £30 a bottle, but you can sample them from just 50p a time. An excellent way of trying different fine wines without having to buy a bottle!

We have a selection of fine wines for you to enjoy 'by the glass'

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Watch Come Dine With Me Tonight and you’ll see The Whalley Wine Shop!

The competitive cooking show Come Dine With Me is back for a new series of dinner party action. Every week, five strangers take it in turns to throw a dinner party – and the best host wins a cash prize! This week the competitors are from East Lancashire and feature some of our customers!

If you watch the programme tonight (Weds) you’ll see it’s Chris’s turn to throw a dinner party, and during filming they shot some sequences at The Whalley Wine Shop. It’s on Channel 4 at 5.30pm. Or you can watch it later on Channel 4′s website 4OD playback facility. Here are some pics of the filming back in September.

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Happy New Year from The Whalley Wine Shop

EVERYBODY AT THE WHALLEY WINE SHOP WOULD LIKE TO WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR.

2011 has been an amazing year for the shop and we have loved every minute of it! We are looking forward to enjoying a fantastic 2012.

We are open until 10pm on New Years Eve, we are closed on New Years Day, then we are open every single day until 10pm every day of the year until next Christmas!!

We would like to thank all our ‘auld acquaintances’, our fantastic customers for all your loyal support over the year! And we welcome all the ‘new acquaintances’ we are going to meet in the coming year!

Whatever you are doing over the New Year, enjoy!

Cheers,

Tom.

Looking forward to seeing you in 2012

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Some Recommended Reds and Whites for Christmas

If you’re not quite sure yet what to buy for Christmas, or if you want to try something a little different, then here’s a selection of reds and whites from different grapes that might just tickle your fancy…..

Some recommended Wines for Christmas.

Billi Billi - The most 'searched for' wine on our website!

RED

Shiraz – It has to be Billi Billi, 2008…the most searched for wine on this website! A full on Aussie Shiraz with bags of punchy fruit and spice and a belting price. Was £9.45 Now £7.95  (but be quick we’ve no more than a few cases left)

Bordeaux – Chateau Tire Pe, La Cote 2007 – A traditional Bordeaux at an amazing price. Cassis, green pepper, liquorice, and spice, mellowed with a touch of oak. Perfect for the dinner table. Was £10.95 Now £7.95

Merlot – Napa Cellars, California, 2007 – Aromas of red cherry and dark chocolate with hints of black tea, green olive and cinnamon vanilla spice. Was £14.95 Now £11.45

Malbec – Winner of an IWC Gold, the Tapiz Malbec, Argentina, 2010. So approachable and easy to drink, rich mouthfilling fruit and soft tannins. Was £9 95 Now £7.95

Rioja – The Marques De Riscal Reserva, 2006. Classic Rioja style, raisiny fruit on the nose, leads to ripe fruit and soft tannins on the palate. Was £16.95 Now £14.95

Bonarda – Relatively new on the scene, Bonarda is an old Italian grape thriving in Argentina.The Santa Ana Reserve from Mendoza gives a voluptuous round mouthful of  wine with rich fruit and juicy soft tannins. £9.45

A Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc with £3.30 off! Now Only £7.95.

WHITE

Sauvignon Blanc – This is a fantastic offer. The Lawsons Dry Hills Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough in New Zealand….with £3.30 off! Clean, fresh, racy, a classic Marlborough. Was £11.25 Now £7.95

Chardonnay – The Lutzville unwooded Chardonnay from the Olifants River Valley in South Africa. Rich green and gold, a nutty dried peach nose with ripe citrus on the palate. Really nice! Only £6.75

Chablis – William Fevre Petit Chablis, 2009. A classic wine from a classic producer, light, fresh, fruity, floral and crisp. A top Chablis for under a tenner. Was £13.95 Now Only £9.95, a saving of  £4!!!

Viognier – If you’ve not tried this increasingly popular grape, try the Anakena Single Vineyard Viognier from Chile. Intense apricot, pear and floral aromas, crisp and elegant. Lovely. Was £7.95 Now £6.95

 Semillon – A superb example of this underrated grape, The Peter Lehmann Margaret Semillon, 2005, from the Barossa Valley in Australia, shows a racy vibrancy of fruit but with a delicious rich textured palate of beeswax, lemon sherbet and toasty honey. £11.95 and absolutely superb!

Chenin Blanc –  One of the best examples of Chenin Blanc in the World….the iconic FMC Chenin Blanc from Ken Forrester. Barrel fermented to ingrain a lovely rich streak of vanilla oak. A work of art! £22.95 and worth every penny!

For more recommendations please pop into The Whalley Wine Shop, we are open until 10pm every evening.

Tom.

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Christmas Week at The Whalley Wine Shop – some tips!!

Today (Monday) we just started the busiest week of our year! We love it when it’s busy, the buzz in the shop is great, and it’s a real pleasure to put in some of the hardest working but most enjoyable days of the year!

Some tips that might help you out this week! Late Night Opening. We are open till 10am every night of the week, and the quietest time in the shop is between 9pm and 10pm. If you’re looking for that nice leisurely stroll around the shop, glass in hand, to relax and choose your wines for Christmas, then the evenings are a good time.

The evenings are a good time to browse at The Whalley Wine Shop with glass in hand!

Free Delivery. We have been out and about making deliveries today, and this will continue every day right up to Christmas Eve….so no need to go to the supermarket and fill your trolley with heavy items, humping them into the trolley, onto the checkout, back into the trolley, into the car, out of the car into your house. Just come to the shop, we’ll help you choose your wine, and we’ll deliver it to your door too….and if you don’t live too far away, we’ll deliver it for free too.

The only pic I can find of our van! If you look closely enough you can see it through the window!!!

Order by Phone. If you can’t make it into Whalley before Christmas, or you are happy doing your shopping in front of the fire,  then we are very happy to take your order over the phone!! Just ring 01254 822581. You can see all our Christmas offers in our ‘flipping’ Christmas brochure….here…. http://dmtrk.net/DZS-M96R-2J8HXO-8JWGK-1/c.aspx

A Fine Malt Whisky and a Fine Cuban make a fine gift!

The Whalley  Wine Shop is a great source of gift ideas. Gifts, yes, we all have to buy them and, yes, we can help!! Wine makes a great gift, and we are only too happy to recommend to you a wine that’s a little bit special. For the gentlemen (or ladies) we could also suggest a lovely Malt Whisky or a delicious Port and some gentlemen are partial to a cigar too and we have a good selection of fine Cuban cigars. For the ladies (who may also be partial to a fine Cuban!!) we have some sooooo cool vodkas and gins, and some of the best bubbly ever made!! As well as a whole host of gift packaged items that make fantastic stocking fillers. If you need some ideas, come on in and we’ll show you what we’ve got…as well as offering you a taste of  something while you’re browsing.

Champagne daaaaarling!

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Put the fizz into your Corporate Gifts this year…!

With just over a week to go there is still time to treat your customers to a sparkling Christmas! We have three suggestions for corporate gifts, to suit different budgets, all of which will add a bit of fizz to the relationship you have with your clients!

A case of Anna Codorniu is a great corporate gift at Christmas

A CASE OF 6 BOTTLES OF SPARKLING CAVA FOR £37.50 ex vat

Our excellent Anna de Codorniu Brut Cava and Rose sparkling wines normally retail at £9.95 each. You can now buy a case of 6 bottles for £37.50 ex vat (£6.25 per bottle ex vat).  And if you buy 4 or more cases the price comes down even further!!

Giving a case of Deutz says something really classy about your Company

A CASE OF 6 BOTTLES OF THE FABULOUS DEUTZ BRUT CLASSIC CHAMPAGNE FOR £125  ex vat.

Our ‘house’ champagne widely used by most of the Michelin starred restaurants in France, the fabulous Deutz Brut Classic Champagne, normally retails at £32.95 per bottle. You can now buy a case of 6 in an elegant wooden presentation box for just £125 ex vat (£20.83 per bottle ex vat). A classy gift for those customers you really want to thank.

The iconic Pink Champagne - wonderful to give, wonderful to receive.

A CASE OF 6 BOTTLES OF THE ICONIC LAURENT PERRIER ROSE PINK CHAMPAGNE FOR £199.75 ex vat

What a superb corporate gift this is. Laurent Perrier Rose which normally retails at £49.95 a bottle, you can now give a case of 6 bottles in a  beautiful presentation box for only £199.75 ex vat (only 33.29 a bottle ex vat). Not only a great gift but great value too, the ideal way to say “Thanks for the Business.”

We will supply full invoices with VAT details, we will deliver locally for free right up to Friday 23rd December, and we can post to your clients anywhere in mainland UK for just £8 a case right up to Thursday 22nd December.

RING ME NOW ON 01254 822581  OR EMAIL tom@thewhalleywineshop.com

Tom.

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What an excellent gift idea! A ‘By The Glass’ gift voucher…

Our brand new 'By The Glass' gift voucher.

Our ‘By The Glass’ service is unique in Lancashire. As far as we know there is not another wine merchant in the County with a ‘By The Glass’ wine dispenser.

This makes a ‘By The Glass’ Gift Voucher a pretty unique gift…and the chances are the person you are giving it to will be delighted to receive something completely different!

If you’re not familiar with By The Glass, it’s the ultimate fine wine sampling experience!

With the card you’ll be able to sample some of the finest wines in the world at The Whalley Wine Shop. In a whole new concept in the world of wine tasting, with the card, you can buy a full glass, a half glass, or a tasting measure, from a constantly changing selection of quality wines, at the touch of a button.

Now, you can buy a gift voucher and ‘load’ the card with the indicated amount of credit you wish to give.  The recipient simply visits the shop, peruses the selection of wines in our ‘By The Glass’ dispenser, places their ‘By The Glass’ card on the card reader, and helps themselves to the desired amount of their chosen wines. Finally they take a pew and enjoy sampling quality fine wine in The Whalley Wine Shop. Lovely! 

‘By The Glass’ is indeed a lovely way of enjoying a glass of wine when you’re out and about in Whalley, and a great ‘try before you buy’ way of choosing your wines to enjoy at home.

Rebecca and Dave from the excellent Pucker and Blush in Whalley enjoying a glass of Rioja on their way home from work...