Duffbeer HBS

[Pyrosfx]

My first order arrived safe and sound in sunny Buckinghamshire this Tuesday morning. Ordered very late on Friday night.

Thanks Karl

[Duffbeer]

New stock arrives tomorrow, check out the site, have some new "country" wine kits & flavourings.
Will also be doing some 1 gal and 5 gal starter kits at discounted prices.

[Duffbeer]

Extra stock uploaded today, brewbelts, acid kits, straining bags, dried fruit and flowers...

[danpug]

Just want to report the fantastic service i recieved. I made an online purchase yesterday and recieved my delivery today!! You can't better that. Thanks very much.

[Duffbeer]

Winexpert Limited Edition Kit's

Soon available are Winexperts limited edition kits.
These are less 5% for WAH members and will all qualify for free shipping.
There is a 14 day wait on most kit's, longer with some that are not yet released, but you need to order if your interested as they are limited and I won't stock any not ordered.
These include....

New Zealand Merlot: £69.95
THE REGION - Located on the countrys most easterly tip and closest to the international dateline, Gisborne boasts the world s most easterly vineyards and the first vines to see the sun each day. The region receives high sunshine hours on coastal plains that are sheltered from the west by a range of mountains. Well-drained alluvial loams over sandy or volcanic subsoils help moderate fertility, and produce grapes of intense character and aroma. THE WINE - Dry and medium bodied with a soft, supple fruity palate of boysenberry, plums, redcurrant and ripe black cherries, this Merlot has a wonderful spicy aroma, accentuated with light warm oak and a rich, round mouthfeel, leading to a long, elegant finish. THE FOOD - This Merlot is an excellent choice to pair with poultry, grilled meats and especially rare prime rib. Other foods, such as tomato-based pasta sauces or lamb chops also complement the tannins in this wine. With its initial palate of soft, moderate tannins and bright fruit, its tempting to drink this Merlot immediately, to savour the rich, concentrated plummy flavours. However, the tiers of red currant, raspberry and black cherry notes wont show until six months and theyll eventually evolve into a deeply flavoured and majestic wine, building in depth for two to four more years of age, and holding for several more, gaining a lithe character of melded fruit and lushness from the soft tannins. SWEETNESS CODE - 0 (Dry)

New Zealand Gewurztraminer: £66.95
THE REGION - When the first Marlborough vines were planted in 1973 few people predicted that the region would become New Zealands largest and best known winegrowing area in little more than 20 years. Abundant sunshine, cool nights and a long growing season helps to build and maintain the vibrant fruit flavours for which Marlborough is now famous. THE WINE - The 2008 Limited Edition Gewurztraminer grapes came from the internationally renowned Allan Scott Wines and Estates. An early harvest protected the grapes from the extreme heat of the Marlborough summer allowing them to develop the intense aromatic spiciness typical of this variety, named from the German word for perfumed, Gewurz. The berries range in colour from amber-gold to rose to purple-tinged, and produce a gently golden-coloured wine, unmistakable in its heady, aromatic intensity, with a pungent fragrance of lychee, tropical fruit and rose petals. Its flavours are ample, lusciously fruity and spicy rather than complex. THE FOOD - The sweetness of Gewurztraminer draws out strong fruit characteristics and has good acidity to stand up to spicy food such as Thai or Szechuan cuisine, strong cheeses and fresh fruits. It also does well with more savoury dishes likes herbed grilled chicken and barbecued salmon. The intense purity of the fruit character will be apparent immediately in this rich wine, and the hint of sweetness that balances it makes it a tempting sipper right away, but the deeper floral characters of rose petal and lichee will become much more apparent after six months to a year. SWEETNESS CODE - 1 (Off-dry)

South African Cabernet Sauvignon: £66.95
THE REGION - North of Cape town, Swartland is one of the newest growing regions in South Africa. Swartland vines are dry-farmed and trained as bushvines. Without irrigation the grapes pick up all their character from local conditions, strongly focusing the effects of regional terroir. Bushvine training reduces vigour and moderates the intense heat of the South African sun, giving the grapes time to mature slowly and fully. THE WINE - Cabernet from this region is dense, heavy and concentrated with deep blackberry notes, pepper spiciness, delicate mint and herbal aromas, along with abundant tannins that blend wonderfully with many different cuisines. THE FOOD - Grilled steaks, roasts and other hearty meat-based dishes which can balance the robust character-but try it with dark chocolate for an astonishing taste sensation. Typical of South African Cabernet, the bold, densely layered tannins will dominate for the first six months, overshadowing the blackcurrant and blackberry aromas. After this the herbal/mint character will being to emerge, and will evolve into a deeply complex red wine, with dark cherry and cedar notes. With a year (or more) of ageing, the peppery character of the grapes will emerge, counterpointing the concentration and power of the wine, and it will continue to improve for three years-or even longer. SWEETNESS CODE - 0 (Dry)

Alsatian Riesling: £66.95
THE REGION - Nestled between Switzerland, France and Germany, Alsace has a complex history, but can always count on being rooted in excellent food and wine. It has a semi-continental climate with cold and dry winters and hot summers, with little rain because of the rain shadow of the Vosges mountains in the west. This ideal climate makes for some of the most impressive and powerful white wines in the world. THE WINE - Alsatian Riesling has a finesse and a bracing vividness that most wines cant match. Medium bodied, crisp and steely, it has coy aromas of white fruits, juicy apple and the perfume of May blossoms. Wonderfully drinkable, it shows an amazing depth of flavour with minerals, acidity and structure. THE FOOD - Alsatian Riesling can hold its own in food pairing like no other white wine, especially with savoury dishes or with fruit-roast pork loin stuffed with apricots or classic Duck à loran are delightful pairings. The sweet flesh of shellfish like crab, shrimp and lobster is echoed and enhanced by the balanced sweetness. Salty, smoky foods like salmon or smoked, grilled quail are wonderfully accentuated by the crisp, ripe fruit. While crisply fresh and bright when young, it will develop more of its floral/mineral aromas after six months, and after a year will begin to show honey and citrus notes, and continue to deepen in flavour two years or more-if you can wait that long! SWEETNESS CODE - 0 (Dry)

Italian Dolcetto: £69.95
THE REGION - Piedmont is the most outstanding and distinctive wine region in Italy. Situated in the northwest corner of Italy, next to Switzerland and France, distinctive chalky soils show the best growing areas on the hillsides running down from the Alps (Piedmont means foot of the mountain) where the climate produces enough summer heat to ripen Italys most delightful grape, Dolcetto. THE WINE - Winexpert Limited Edition Italian Piedmont Dolcetto has black cherry and licorice flavours with some prunes and a characteristic hint of bitter almond, a perception enhanced by the completely dry finish. The dense, inky purple hue belies its easy drinking character and smooth tannins. THE FOOD - Dolcetto is a light and easy to drink wine that pairs wonderfully with dishes like pasta, pizza, grilled Portobello mushrooms and is particularly splendid with a tomato and mozzarella salad. Medium-bodied, the unique tannin profile of the Dolcetto grape produces a wine that is best described as lush, rather than gripping or powerful, which enchances the reputation of Dolcetto for gulpability. It is often served lightly chilled, in the manner of Beaujolais Nouveau, 13-18°C, 55-65°F. Served cool this way it shows crisper and more fruity than when warm, and is excellent with lighter dishes, much like a rosé. Tempting to drink immediately when it will show some bright red fruit characters, it opens up to more intense flavours of black cherry and licorice after three months, and will evolve steadily for several years. SWEETNESS CODE - 0 (Dry)

[Her Lushness]

Are they worth doing? I'd be interested in the SA Cab Sauv

[Duffbeer]

Yes they are, these are top quality, hence the limited availability, Bob, Richard S and I have made these without dissapointment and taken many prizes too.
I have had the pleasure of tasting too with which I have been very satisfied, 2007 versions of course.
Apparently, according to my supplier the Italian Dolcetto is the one that most are ordering at the moment.

[Rich]

I'm interested in the Dolcettoo Duff please

I've got a NZ Gurty that I ordered from H&G before you were in busines, it's clearing now.

Lush, they are worth doing imo. I did a few ltds last year, pacific quartet, and the brunello both are bery good even when young. The Brunello will be super in a year or 2!!

[lockwood1956]

I have aged a few bottles of these to three years old.....and they were spectacular.(ask Martina Duff or Richard_s)

In my opinion equivalent to (if not better than) £20 commercial stuff


i have two of the reisling ordered and may order others

[lockwood1956]

Are they worth doing? I'd be interested in the SA Cab Sauv

if you are only doing one....go for the Dolcetto instead......(superior juice IMHO)

[Duffbeer]

I'm interested in the Dolcettoo Duff please

, !!

Want one putting on order Rich ?

[lockwood1956]

in fact.......having thought on it for a few moments.....

please could you add a dolcetto to my order please Karl

many thanks
Bob

[ms67]

i'll be looking at ordering some kits from you sometime, probably not til winter tho when the freebie foraging wines are all done, so don't hold your breath! Gives me time to get active in this forum too!

[spritzer]

i'll be looking at ordering some kits from you sometime, probably not til winter tho when the freebie foraging wines are all done, so don't hold your breath! Gives me time to get active in this forum too!

You wont be sorry MS67...
A very helpful service

[Her Lushness]

Go on then.... I'll have a Dolcetto please, and if I don't like it, I'll beat up Bob (coz I'm a yob)