Christopher Piper Wines
1 Silver Street, Ottery St Mary EX11 1DB, Devon
Tel: (01404) 814139
Fax: (01404) 812100
[Email us]
Eco-Friendly - White
Below is a selection of some Eco-Friendly white wines. There are many other examples throughout our range.
Slowine Chenin/Sauvignon 2008 £6.42 - Elgin, South Africa |
 Made from 70% Chenin and 25% Sauvignon and just a tiny bit of Semillion (5%), this is a big, dry white with aromas of guava, gooseberry and ripe tropical fruit. The palate is rich and exotic, with a titillating acidity which comes from the Sauvignon content.Good food pairings would be roasted vegetables (especially butternut, grilled line fish, thyme-roasted chicken and soft cheeses). Fabulous on its own as well! When Andries Burger, wine maker at Paul Cluver Estates, came to visit us in Devon a couple of months ago, he brought with him some sample bottles of the first release of a new project that he and Paul Cluver had started over a year ago. The principals behind slowine, as Andries explained, are very much the same as those enshrined in the mission statement of Slow Food. Founded by Carlo Petrini in Italy in 1986, Slow Food is an international association that promotes food and wine culture, but also defends food and agricultural biodiversity worldwide. It opposes the standardisation of taste, defends the need for consumer information, protects cultural identities tied to food and gastronomic traditions, safeguards foods and cultivation and processing techniques inherited from tradition and defends domestic and wild animal and vegetable species. Andries and Paul wanted to create a small range of wines that reflected all this but, at the same time were affordable, even though, by definition, they could not be produced on a large-scale basis. As a result, the grapes have been sourced from growers, situated around the Overberg Mountain in Elgin, whose grapes are farmed eco-sensitively and who are involved in the maintenance of the Kogelberg Biosphere. This is a marine and floral reserve where the terrestrial and coastal environments are of international conservation importance and are fully protected. They are, however, unique categories of protected areas combining both conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. You will find a picture of a Parrot Beaked Tortoise on the wine's label. This rare tortoise is also known as the "padloper" and is mainly found in renosterveld patches in the Kogelberg. The males develop bright red / orange noses during the breeding season which makes them look like "boozy" old men! The tortoise emblem, of course, further accentuates the whole concept of 'slowness'! APERITIF/SHELLFISH/FISH/CHICKEN/VEGETARIAN |
Gewurztraminer, Cuvée l'Ambroisie, 2005 Domaine Henry Fuchs - £11.49 per bottle |
 Very aromatic with exotic fruit. Lovely mouthfeel with good acidity and a touch of honey on the palate. Hints of Earl Grey and Roses on the nose. Delicious, gulpable and up front. Henry and Catherine Fuchs are in their mid-forties and the third generation of the family to run this splendid 10 hectare domaine situated in the quality heartland of Alsace at Ribeauvillé, a village renowned for its rich and opulent dry white wines. Established in 1922, the Fuchs’ family estate was one of the first to start bottling their own wines in 1945. Their vineyards are mainly situated in excellent sites throughout the commune of Ribeauvillé, with a further 20% to be found in the neighbouring communes of Hunawihr and Bergheim. The Fuchs use no weed-killers or man-made fertilisers on their vineyards which goes a long way to restricting yields, but they also prune very ‘tightly’ so that their final ‘rendement’ (yield) is at least 20% below the village average. In the winery, Henry avoids the use of pumps, preferring to rely on gravity to move his wine around, thereby reducing its contact with air. Sulphur Dioxide is avoided during the fermentation and is only added in minimal quantities following racking and filtration. The overall effect of all this are wines of great freshness and character with excellent keeping potential and they are not normally released until they are showing at their best and ready for drinking. APERITIF/QUICHE/ONION TART/SMOKED FISH/SMOKED MEATS |
| On-Trade Offer |
 |
| Award Winning Château de Raousset Chiroubles from the stunning 2009 Vintage £7.93 ex.VAT Available to On-Trade Only Find out more |
| FOLLOW US |
   |
| NEWSLETTER SIGNUPS |
| If you would like to be sent a newsletter, please put your email address below [Newsletter Archive] |
| LATEST NEWS |
 |
| Newsflash ! Shortlisted for 2 Harpers Wine & Spirit Awards: Digital Strategy (Website) Top Merchant Customer Service Results 22nd May Watch this space ! View the latest news > |
| FEATURED RECIPE |
 |
| Apple, Cider and Cinnamon Fritters, serve with Honey Ice Cream and Château St Hélène View this recipe > |
| NEW ARRIVALS |
 |
| Lopez de Haro White Rioja Fresh and silky smooth Visit our new arrival > |
| © 2011 CPW | Actinic website designed by www.bitpod.co.uk |
You must ensure that the details provided by you on ordering or at any time are correct and complete. Registered Company 1509601 Christopher Piper Wines Ltd, 1 Silver Street, Ottery St Mary, Devon, EX11 1DB. All rights reserved. You must be 18 or over to order. |