A sparkling wine from central Spain? Where it’s so hot? Almost as hot as the U.K. today! Unlikely you think. But here is Valiosa and whilst, with my fizz-producing family, I am obliged to say that nothing comes close to English sparkling, this is really remarkable value for money and in very high summer it’s extremely useful and economical for cooling – not cooking – purposes.
Cava quality but much less expensive. It’s only £6.99. Add a tiny drop of cassis or a slug of fresh orange, plus a deckchair in the shade…(I can’t do wine taken in full sun) …
Which reminds me of a tip I got from Hugh Johnson OBE celebrated wine author and also rather good gardens author. How to keep your wine cellar cold in the garden on a hot day? Forget refrigeration or faffing around with ice cubes. Close to where you sit, dig a hole just large enough for one bottle of wine to stand up in and cover it with a small flagstone or anything similar you have to hand. Friends will think you so clever when you appear to magic a chilled bottle from the ground. It really works. Doesn’t work so well in the rain but then you’re not going to need it then are you?
Interesting, less-well-known wines, from strange places, (this is #4, you can read about the first here) and offer you all six as a mixed case. Come with me…Fly By Wine. No airport chaos.
