WINE & SPIRITS September treats

Leicestershire’s new pudding-inspired gin’s perfect pairing

What could be better than the taste of rhubarb and custard? How about the two used in a brand new artisan gin?

It’s made over the Rutland border, true, but we’ll overlook that because The Bond Street Distillery’s Rhubarb & Custard gin is deliciously distilled and combines the flavours of this pudding-course favourite with the tangy zest of fresh rhubarb and the creamy vanilla notes of custard. Invigorating and exciting, this is the ideal gin for both gin lovers and novices alike. n £35 / 70cl / 37.5% ABV, www.thebondstreetdistillery.co.uk

The Wine Cellar

Wine of the Month

Carpe Diem Pinot Noir, California 2017

£34 / 75cl / 12.5% ABV

Seize the day with this autumn superstar. Carpe Diem Pinot Noir is made in Northern California’s Anderson Valley. Over the years, this region has gained the reputation of an ideal terroir to grow Pinot Noir for still wines. Blackberry and plum dominate the aromas with added notes of cherry stem and forest floor. Ripe cherry and rustic flavours of leather and mushroom are broad and mouth-filling on the palate. Texture is balanced, lean and focused with forward tannins. Available from good independent wine merchants. n

THIS MONTH WE’VE A LOCAL ARTISAN GIN IN THE KEY OF JUNIPER, A TRIO OF EXCEPTIONAL ORGANIC WINES PLUS A LIGHT AUTUMN RED THAT’S SURE TO SATISFY...

ORGANIC WINES: With sales rising by 47% year, organic wine is worth a try...!

Elderflower gin for true refreshment...

1. A quintessential Cab Sav wine from Chile that’s both vegan and organic. Lovely blackcurrant richness plus juicy full-bodied glassfuls of beautifully floral tannins, £9.49 / 75cl / 13.5% ABV.

2. A rosé wine from our own shores, using Pinot Noir grapes to yield a deliciously crisp wine with a subtle blush. Produced in Sussex, it features hints of strawberries, redcurrants and raspberries, £16.99 / 75cl / 12% ABV.

3. Vegan, organic and a first class wine enjoying the best terroir that Alsace has to offer. This Pinot Gris has medium dry characteristics with a lime and sherbet minerality, £24.99 / 75cl / 13% ABV. If there’s a fresher taste of late summer and early autumn, we’ve yet to experience it. Local distillery Warners have created this deliciously vibrant and refreshing elderflower gin which features elderflower, orange and lemon peel and myriad other botanicals. It has won a slew of awards in a host of international spirit competitions, and it’s a cracking tipple with mint and a nice Mediterranean tonic. £34 / 75cl / 40% ABV,

warnersdistillery.com.

n Our featured wines are available from the best local independent wine merchants, supermarkets and online, prices are RRP and may vary from those stated.