One of the joys of regular networking is the opportunity to meet local food and drink businesses who might not otherwise drop onto my radar. The perfect example of this comes in the energetic and knowledgable form of Alan Terry and Rebekah Hilton at Liquid Indulgence: a Wheldrake based company who trade carefully sourced wine and spirits largely – though not exclusively – in the wholesale sector.
At a recent encounter myself and Rebekah began chatting about our regular blogging practice (check out the Liquid Indulgence blog for regular updates on events and special offers) and how, when I can, I like to drop in the odd product review for independent food businesses. This discussion led to an opportunity to try one of their favourite wine choices in exchange for an honest and open review on the blog. How could I refuse?
The Vineyard*
Founded by Francisca Undurraga with a selection of European vine cuttings he collected whilst travelling; this Chilean vineyard has a long history of producing good quality wines. Within nineteen years of the first harvest Undurraga received its first international award and was exporting wine to sixty different countries by the 1960’s.
Moving into 2017 Underraga now applies modern technology and expertise to produce the best quality wines they can. But they haven’t forgotten their roots; Underrage Reserva wines are still aged in the 19th century cellars that founder Francisca Underraga utilised.
The wine.
Liquid Indulgence sell a variety of wines from the Undurraga Vineyard. We opted for two popular choices in the Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc.
Light and crisp, the Undurraga Sauvignon Blanc is a young wine that drinks well. My husband and I tasted it on a summer evening with a vegetarian supper and fruit salad for pudding. The slightly grassy notes of the sauvignon blanc matched the savoury course perfectly. A background flavour of apple also worked well with the fruit salad.
Stars awarded – Four out of five ****
Side note from Rebekah – If you like this then we also recommend trying our Turckheim Tradition Pinot Blanc from the Alsace region.
In comparison, the Undurraga Merlot is a soft, velvety wine with a deep flavour but not too heavy on the tannins. We chose to match it with a soft goats cheese and crackers and a friday night in front of the tv. The wine had enough body to stand up to the creamy and distinct flavour of the cheese but would also make a great bottle of wine to drink without food.
Stars awarded – Five out of five*****
Side note from Rebekah – If you like this then we recommend trying our Salena Shiraz/Cabernet from Australia.
The supplier
Founded by Alan Terry and based near York and Selby, Liquid Indulgence Ltd sell wines and spirits sourced from all over the world. Alan prides himself on finding products that are not readily available in the supermarket from family owned vineyards and distilleries. He works hard to make sure that every one of his customers – from the discerning wine drinker to a boutique hotel – can pick up a great drink that never dissapoints.
The team at Liquid Indulgence also arrange regular ticketed events where participants can have an opportunity to taste some of their products along with a great night of entertainment. After attending one of their gin tasting evenings I an recommend getting along to the next one in your area – in fact there is till time to grab tickets for Molvino and Magic in Leeds on the 7th October!
In conclusion
I’m not an expert wine drinker. As someone who likes a glass of wine that is accessible, works well with food and can be shared with friends; Alan and Rebekah picked two popular wine choices that matched my criteria perfectly. On top of this the team provide a friendly service based on lots of knowledge and passion for their product. This makes them ideal for anyone interested in purchasing a great bottle of wine without the snobbery that can sometimes surround the industry. if you like the sound of this and want to take a further look, drop by the website to find out more.
*References – History of Underraga Vineyard taken from http://www.thewinesociety.com growers profile.