The newest member of our team, Anna, tried a bottle of Mouchao 2016 'Dom Rafael'

Having brought home my spoils from F&C moments earlier, I couldn't wait to open this bottle of Dom Rafeal 2016, from producer Herdade do Mouchao. Unfortunately however, the bottle was still cold from the bitter temperatures outside and I was forced to have some restraint. Initial aromas of black fruits hit me as soon as I opened but (reciting 'patience is a virtue' in my head) I reluctantly put aside, once poured, to warm up. Its deep red colour teasing me from the kitchen counter. I hadn't yet tried this Portuguese red blend of Alicante Bouschet, Trincadeira, Periquita and Aragones grapes and wanted something comforting and duvet-like to wrap round me throughout the long, dark evening...this did not disappoint!

sam pryorJanuary 23, 2021 Comments

Vega Aixala 'Emma' Vilanova de Prades

I opened this bottle from Vega Aixala last night as I had yet to try it and hadn’t got round to it over the Christmas break. A natural red from high altitude vineyards surrounding the small village of Vilanova de Prades in Tarragona.

Once in the glass, a beautiful dark red with violet hues, big aromas of dark fruit, black, ripe and slightly spiced, blackberries and blackcurrant with a savoury, herby touch. Really smooth on the palate with dark berry fruit flavours and again wonderful hints of spice. Definitely had a natural, farmy edge to it and I put it aside while I cooked something to eat alongside it.

sam pryorJanuary 7, 2021Natural Wine, Spanish Wine, MarselanComment

Building flavour: the anatomy of a dish

This new year we have been spending some time developing our plant based options. Our plates aim to be as exciting and engaging without meat and fish as the star. We love getting deliveries of vegetables from local farms providing seasonal inspirations. But flavour can also be built through cooking and preserving techniques. In this blog I explore some of the techniques in our dish, ‘Chickpea panisse, roasted carrots, cultured carrot and lemon, fenugreek’.

sam pryorJanuary 29, 2020Comment

New Wave South Africa

Guest UserOctober 16, 2019 Comment

The Txakoli wines of Getariako Txakolina

sam pryorJuly 24, 2019 Comments

Not so Sunny Spain

sam pryorJuly 5, 2019 Comment

31 Days of Riesling

Guest UserJuly 3, 2019 Comment

Wines without judgement

Guest UserJune 28, 2019 Comment

Domaine Cognettes - What Muscadet Can Be.

What kind of image does Muscadet conjure, if anything, in your head? For me, it’s the beach: seafood, salty air and windswept hair. A wine known for being clean, crisp, refreshing, and affordable, it’s great for those wine drinkers who want to avoid a fruity assault on the senses. Unfortunately due to its popularity in the 70s, producers planted with an indiscriminate mania, producing some pretty bland and boring wines, most of which are responsible for the wines people remember. But recently there has been a move towards quality, craftsmanship and expression of the land. Currently on at Fourth & Church, we have a delicious example of this: Domaine Cognettes Clisson. And to paraphrase a rather well-known supermarket, this isn’t just a Muscadet. It’s a Clisson Muscadet.

Guest UserMarch 1, 2019 Comments

Add some sparkle to your Christmas

December is here, and to me, that means one thing: sparkling wine. I can’t think of anything that says celebration more than the sound of popping a cork. Champagne is absolutely fabulous. For centuries it’s been the drink of the monarchy, the drink of opulence, of occasion - and for good reason. It conjures images of luxury, grandeur and frivolity. Champagne is an amazing wine, it can be a mass-produced commodity or a true vision of love & terroir (French for place, its geographic individuality). But these days there is a stiff competition found a little more locally… Enter English Sparkling.

Guest UserDecember 4, 2018 Comments

The Wines of Jerez, this week Fino and Manzanilla

sam pryorOctober 9, 2018 Comment

October Best Menu

From the 5th - 21st October we have a fantastic opportunity to try some different plates on our menu! As part of Brighton’s Best Restaurants Top 20 we are joining our friends across the city to showcase our deeply flavored dishes. We offer a seasonal aperitif to start and then you can get stuck in to our wine list!

Price: £20 per person

When: Monday-Thursday 12pm – 10pm

To book: call 01273 724709 quoting OctoberBest

sam pryorSeptember 17, 2018 Comment