Gonzales Byass - More than just Sherry

 

I think a lot of people are like me and associate the name Gonzales Byass as being 'the Sherry people'. I found out this was not entirely the case recently when I met some of the very knowledgeable staff at the Wine & Food from Spain show in London.

I had a quick chat with the staff on their table and confirmed that their UK office was literally around the corner from where I live.  I promised to pop in and collect a couple of bottles of wine from their vast collection to try.

They are based in a converted stable block and the offices are so quiet and serene! I was given a selection of wines and a bottle of Tio Pepe sherry.

 

First of all we tried the two offerings from The Widow Hen of the Wirra Wirra Vineyards in Australia. Funny name for a range of wine but the story goes that the Vineyards founder, Robert Wigley didn't like being awakened so early by the cockerel in his yard that he took his head off with an axe!!

The white Widow Hen is a Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon with a pale straw colour and almost a green tint. Its look is clean and fresh just like the taste. I found initial notes of lemon and melon and this wine went perfectly with the lemon chicken I had roasted for Mr R's birthday dinner on Sunday.

 

The red Widow Hen is a 2010 Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon. This has a beautiful deep crimson red colour but is anything but heavy. We drank this bottle of red wine with a fish dish and it was not at all out of place.  I baked hake fillets with a ritz cracker and Hellman's mayo crust and lemony and butter courgettes for dinner.  

 

Both of these wines are available on-line from Ocado. I will certainly be buying both of these!

 

A few of the other bottles I was given but I will write about them at another time.  It's time now to snooze and mull over the lovely glasses of wine we have had over the last couple of days!!