29 July 2009

Lisa Higginson

Wine lists often daunt many a diner. Pages encrypted with foreign names, dates and often eye-watering prices – it is no wonder that many people home in on the house varieties when making a selection. But wine, I am learning, need not be so scary and a well-balanced, affordable list can be as exciting to read in a restaurant as the menu.

With that in mind, I took myself along to the launch of the new Heathcotes Wine Club at acclaimed Spanish eatery Grado. The club has been launched to give those who share an interest in food and wine an opportunity to discover more about wine from a trained sommelier in a relaxed way. For £30pp, diners can enjoy a menu of dishes that have been carefully matched with selected wines along with all the knowledge they can swallow!

From the offset I knew I was in good hands at Grado – given that it scooped Manchester Food and Drink Festival’s Best Wine List Award last year. Upon arrival at the contemporary New York Street restaurant, we were greeted with a cool glass of Italian Primo Prosecco. I am a huge fan of Prosecco and believe that a good variety is far tastier alone than when used as the sparkle in cocktail concoctions. The Primo was delicious; delicate bubbles and a smooth finish made it a perfect aperitif.

From one of my favourite white wines to another, the second drop of the evening was a stunning Sauvignon Blanc called False Bay, which hailed from South Africa. As we observed the pale colour of the wine in our glasses, our expert explained that it was a young wine – in fact it was not even a year old. With subtle hints of gooseberry, a slightly grassy edge and a lovely soft finish, this wine blew all of my favourite New Zealand Sauvignons out of the water. It was teamed with a beautifully fresh Mont Bru salad, where crunchy broad beans, peas and mint leaves were bound with cubes of the creamy goats cheese.

Fluffy Salt cod fritters arrived alongside the third wine of the evening – Soldiers Block Chardonnay, Australia. While my palate of late has developed a dislike to most Chardonnays, I found this light, peachy variety very enjoyable. We learnt more of its age and origin before being given expert tips on tasting, for example, how to swirl the liquid around your mouth while drawing in air to get the full flavour – not as easy as it sounds! The crumbed pouches of salty fish and creamy potato were superb alongside the Chardonnay and did their job in bringing out the fruity tones of the wine.

For the fourth wine we moved onto red – San Vigillo Merlot, Italy. The sommelier continued to whiz around with wrought enthusiasm asking diners to identify the flavours and aromas of the wine. Whispers of redcurrants, berries and even toffee echoed around the room, while I put forward the suggestion it tasted quite creamy. This delicate drop was joined on the table by a summery offering of Lamb with broad beans. While it was the second appearance of fresh broad beans on the menu, they were good enough to eat again when sharing the fork with the tender lamb and meaty jus.

As the glasses were filled with Sarria No 9 Cabernet Sauvignon, Spain, we all seemed to be getting the hang of the tasting lark. A slightly heavier red with definite damson notes, this wine was married well with the selected dish of velvety Calves liver, its robust flavour standing up well to the wine. The final tipple of the night was one of the oldest dessert wines in the world – Moscato Passito – which we were told had been traced back to Egyptian times.

The wine was served alongside two desserts – a slice of blue cheese with quince jelly and Santiago tart – to demonstrate how it could compliment both. Its sumptuous saccharine flavour cut through the saltiness of the cheese, while it also accelerated the sweetness of the almond tart.

By the end of the evening, I went away feeling smug about my newfound wine knowledge and feeling confident that what I had learnt would serve me well when I was next faced with a wine list. Fun and informal with a great selection of food and wine, this was definitely my kind of club.

Grado, New York Street, Piccadilly, Manchester, M1 4BD
T: 0161 238 9790
W: www.heathcotes.co.uk