The 7 Word Wine Review is going from strength to strength. Every time I log onto and look through the tweets, there are more and more, with last month seeing our first dinner in South Africa.
But back to us. Manchester’s dinner has just seen it’s latest dinner, at Livebait no less – a restaurant I’ve been lucky enough to review in the past.
The restaurant has seen it’s fair share of ups and downs, but having visited since it changed hands and became independent again, I’ve been pleased to see it back to its old self – good fresh food, locally sourced and good service.
Livebait even went the extra mile for us, creating a four course dinner for just over our usual £20 budget. Having visions of us needing to stick to whites for the whole evening, the addition of a cheeseboard meant we could let go and bring out some reds too.
Arriving flustered (my bag broke in front of a moving tram with the wine inside – luckily no damage, except to my dignity), I was pleased to see that my own contribution of a sneaky two bottles was in very good company.
Kicking off with an assiette of shellfish from our hosts, I was thrilled to see that Manchester Foodies had brought something fruit and fizzy with them. The Cremant de Bourgogne absolutely begged for shellfish and this platter delivered succulent prawns, mussels and cockles.
As ever with the 7WWR dinners, we have to rocket through our wines, and were soon racking up bottles of whites, as we headed into our main, sea bream with fondant potato. Sea bream is a very underrated fish, people often opting for sea bass instead. I personally prefer bream for it’s more meaty texture and I find it’s flavour slightly stronger, it was a lovely foil for the wild mushrooms and buttered spinach served with it.
As we ate, chatted and tasted, we came to my next special mention of the night, brought by friend and Chardonnay lover Katharine. This absolutely blew us away.
With elements of mushroom, saltiness, even a touch of smoke and still maintaining a touch of honey, the Les Mas des Masques Les Silex Chardonnay had everyone talking – and I mean everyone. I’ve never drunk anything like it, and it’s going on my shopping list having become one of the evening’s stars.
Heading into our amuse dessert of a lovely and light orange sorbet, we came to one of my own offerings. My earlier wine, a standard Gavi di Gavi, was in truth nothing special, but I had also picked up this dry Tokaji wine whilst on my travels in London from Bedales.
The MA’D Dry Furmint 2011 proved to be a real ‘Marmite’ wine. I rather liked it – it was delicate light and without the heavy sweetness associated with Tokaji, it still offered honey, but also orange blossom and elderflower, I loved it. Others felt it lacked strength and body that the sweetness normally gives it. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever taken something so controversial.
Onto the cheeseboard and out came the reds. Pinot Noirs fought with a stunning Marques de Valencia Grand Reserva (2005), but then we had the offering from Chris. And well. Yes.
The Azienda Agricola Cos Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico DOCG
I have never come across a wine that smells so pungent and intense – sulphurous, reminding me of compost and farmyard scents mingling with liquorice and blackberries and that tastes so beautifully balanced, velvety and smooth. I suspect a little longer in a decanter for and I’d have been able to pick out more flavours, but the finish was just lovely.
So for our third dinner with myself as lead, we had (for me at least) three stand out wines. Three that amazed, challenged and teased. We also had our first Slovenian wine (a rather nice Sauvignon Blanc) and another addition from Greece, the Assyrtiko by Gaia Wild Ferment.
It’s going to be a challenge, but roll on number four….