The Wye Valley has always been one of my very favourite places on the planet and I have visited there a butt load (technical term) of times. Of course I haven't been there for many years, but the memories I have of roaming around Tintern Abbey, (trying) to fish in the River Wye and just generally enjoying the bucolic landscape are simply magical. And now wine is grown there. Perfect.
Tintern is a village in the Wye Valley famous for its 12th century Cistercian abbey. It is thought that the Romans may have practised viticulture at Tintern during the period that Blighty was under the governance of Rome. Hmmm. It seems more likely that the monks at Tintern Abbey farmed grapevines for the purpose of sacramental wine, but I suppose the Roman connection makes for a good tale. Tintern Parva (parva, the opposite of magna, means small or little) is a small hamlet where Parva Farm's vineyard, a mix of several grape varieties, is planted on a south facing slope.
And the wine? I have had wines made from the Bacchus grape, a hybrid, before and usually find them to be a little lacking in the acid-department. However, this wine was perfectly palatable, the acidity good enough for pairing with food and the bottle was soon emptied. I probably wouldn't buy this wine again, I've tried it now, but it was rather nice. Neis iawn.
3 comments:
Not great value but very decent nonetheless
VG: Now you've been there, done that! I doubt many Cali wine tasters can say that, besides, it's patriotic!
I've tried a number of NH wines, and the experience was always worth the less than satisfying comparisons to the great wines of Napa, Bordeaux, or Tuscany, to name a few.
So glad your feeling well enough to report on the wines your finally tasting! :-)
Thud: Yes, I agree, very drinkable.
NHW: Thud wanted to buy a Xinomavro instead...but that would have been more about your heritage. tee, hee.
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