Food and Drink

The Vineyard Guys

Tis the season to be pruning!

by Rob Brimfield and Steve McMahon

We had a very mild few months after harvest which added to the work load with additional grass cutting and soil turning. As December comes to the vineyard, all energy turns to pruning the vines once we get a cold snap that will encourage the sap to withdraw into the roots which means we can prune without fear of the cut ends bleeding and causing risk of disease. We prune using the Double Guyot method, this is where you cut away everything from the head of the vine except for two strong branches from this seasons growth, one on either side of the plant. Each of these retained branches are left with 4 or 5 buds and we retain another short stub with a bud or two on the head of the plant for encouraged growth for next years strong leads for next year pruning. After pruning the vine all the pruned branches are laid to the ground and we go over them with the shredder and they are mulched and breakdown to return to the soil. In the time of everyone trying to be ECO, this is the preferred choice for vineyards. However, people do still collect vine pruning’s or “sarments” as the French say, they store them and use them for barbequing, we always keep a few bins full for when our guests barbeque as this adds an authentic vineyard flavour to the proceedings. Our first year on the vineyard we had someone come to collect the pruning from the between the vines to bundle it and sell it for barbequing but more and more people use charcoal or gas fuelled barbeques. Some old style vineyards, until recently, would often make piles at the end of the rows of vines every four or five rows for example, and have fires to burn the pruning or use a mobile steel drum burner as they moved around the vineyard. This process is obviously not very ecological and, now, very much frowned upon. Once we have completed the pruning we will be continuing with the repairs to wires and replacing old and broken posts over the winter before the madness of the spring begins again and everything starts growing faster than we can work and the season starts again. With Christmas fast approaching thoughts go to the festive treats we all adore and of course the wine to go with them. We generally have our big meal on Christmas Eve and it’s not generally turkey for us but if you plan a traditional Christmas Feast here is our perspective of your best choice for the day. Our Christmas Day starts with Crepe Suzette and Bucks Fizz, champagne or crémant is the perfect start to the day and you should consider a demi-sec if you are adding orange juice as it will work better on the digestion. There is always a glass or two remaining in the bottle to keep you

going until lunch, or crack open a second one if not.

If you are having a fish based starter, a crisp white with citrus notes will make that prawn cocktail or smoked salmon taste even better. Turkey with all the trimmings works great with an easy drinking red, a softer Bordeaux is a great accompaniment, our Clos Vieux Rochers Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux is the perfect match. Turkey always tastes better with a red rather than a white, the fuller fruit flavours, soft woody tones and good mouth retention makes the match in heaven. Finding the balance is not always easy and too big a wine will take a lot of the best flavours away from the food.

Whether you have your cheese before or after your dessert is up to you, obviously the French tradition is between your main and dessert but many of us were probably brought up with the cheese after dessert. Traditionally, if you are eating Stilton, a nice port might be your first thought and why not, they go together well but if you have more traditional soft French cheeses leave the port out of it and either continue with the red wine for harder stronger cheeses or for cheese

another December job, bottling our Rosé Ready to start aging our 2022 red mulled wine

like the brie or goat cheese, try a glass of the white left over from the fish course - you may be surprised. When it comes to dessert the idea that a sweet white is required can be a mistake. For sweet creamy desserts a sweet white will work well, very chocolaty you may again stick with the red. Christmas pudding on the other hand it not only sweet but rich, full of dry fruit and brandy and believe it or not balances well with a glass or sherry like an Oloroso or a Marsala. To finish with your coffee just treat yourself to your favourite digestive. Mulled wine is a festive drink that always comes to mind but what is the history of this seasonal beverage. As with so much when it comes to wine, it originated with the Romans and was called Conditum Paradoxum. The Romans would heat honey in wine and add spice like pepper, laurel, saffron and dates. This mixture was then blended with better wine to soften it, often reheated by plunging hot coals into it. Not exactly mulled wine as we think of it today but the start. In the 12th century it was adapted slightly and was called Spiced Wine, this was very similar to the Roman recipe but with the opening of the spice route around the 13th century, in France we had the spice port of Latte, located next to Montpellier, the more aromatic mulled wine developed and the drinking of it became more widespread. The fame of mulled wine was such that even the King of England at the time, Henry III, drank it at his table. The mulled wine became popular in Germany, via Count John IV in the 1400s and also spread into Sweden, where King Gustav I was said to be fond of it. In the 1890s it found its way onto the Christmas market stalls in Germany and this was why it became a popular Christmas beverage. The recipe has changed a little from country to country with their own additions but here is one you may find easy to prepare and fills you with Christmas Cheer.

Take a bottle of red, ours will work well, heat it in a pan with the peeled rind from an orange and lemon, a cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves and brown sugar. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 mins. Strain it and its ready to drink, unless you are like us and like to add splash of cognac, but make sure the mulled wine is warm and not hot as you will lose the alcohol from the cognac. Have a great Christmas and to make it even better why not take advantage of our reader offer and order a case of Clos Vieux Rochers.

For more information on Rob & Steve, their wine, vineyard tours and accommodation ... www.closvieuxrochers.com

For readers of The Deux-Sèvres Monthly Magazine who would like to try our Clos Vieux Rochers – Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux or our Rosé, we have an offer for delivery to France. Carton of 6 use DSM6 and get €5 discount on deliveries to France only. Carton of 12 use DSM12 get €10 discount on deliveries to France only.

CHRISTMAS TREATS

Tutti Frutti Cake

INGREDIENTS

150g margarine 100g soft brown sugar 150g self-raising flour 2 eggs whisked 160g mixed dried fruit/nuts/cherries of choice Juice and rind of 1 Clementine 1-2tsp mixed spice

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 30 x 19cm baking tray. In a medium saucepan mix together the margarine and sugar on a low heat stirring until it forms a smooth syrup then remove from heat. Slowly add the sieved flour and mixed spice, stirring until it is entirely mixed and a creamy caramel colour. Add the clementine juice and rind checking it is well incorporated. Add the whisked eggs again stirring well. Finally mix in the chosen combination of dried fruit making sure it is evenly distributed. Pour into baking tray and gently spread evenly. Bake for approx.. 15 mins until golden. Leave to cool then cut into squares.

Cranberry and Clementine Cake

INGREDIENTS

185g self-raising flour sieved 185g caster sugar 185g butter softened 3 eggs beaten 60g cranberries chopped

For frosting

For Glaze

1 clementine 2 tbsp boiling water 185g icing sugar 1 tbsp caster sugar 90g butter softened 8 cranberries 1tbsp caster sugar

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 165C/150C fan/gas 3. Grease and line two 20cm round sandwich tins. Mix together sugar, eggs, butter and flour, then beat for 1-2 minutes until glossy and smooth. Gently stir in cranberries until evenly distributed. Divide the mixture between the two cake tins smoothing the top and bake for 35-40mins until cake springs back when lightly pressed in centre. Turn out onto a wire cooling rack and leave until cold. To make the frosting, make several thin strips of clementine peel and set aside. Grate remaining peel and using a hand juicer squeeze the fruit to obtain at least 1 tbsp of juice. Add icing sugar, butter and juice to a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Add 4 tbsp of frosting to a piping bag with a small star nozzle to decorate the top tier. Using half the remaining frosting, sandwich together the cake halves and then spread the rest on the top layer. Pipe a lattice and border on top of frosting to decorate the top of the cake. Heat the water and sugar in a small saucepan to make a syrup. Cut diamond shapes from the reserved peel, add to the water and simmer for 30 seconds then remove from the water. Add cranberries to the syrup for 30 seconds, remove and leave until cold. Add the candied peel diamonds and cranberries to the lattice piping to finish the decoration on top of the cake.

MEGAN’S KITCHEN

Gluten Free Recipes

A couple of easy additions for the big day. Serves eight.

OATY STUFFING BALLS

Ingredients:

500g pure pork sausagemeat 90g medium ground oatmeal 1 onion, finely chopped 2tsp dried sage Salt and pepper to taste 2-3 drops Worchester Sauce (optional)

Method:

Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Mix together sausagemeat, onion, salt, pepper and Worchester sauce (if using) until well combined. Blend together the oatmeal, herbs and a little more seasoning and spread out on a dinner plate. Shape the stuffing into 16 small balls and roll into oatmeal mixture trying to cover evenly. Place stuffing balls into a pre-greased ovenproof dish and bake for 20 -25 minutes.

APRICOT AND ORANGE RELISH

Ingredients:

185g dried apricots 1 tbsp clear honey 2tbsp white wine vinegar 320ml unsweetened orange juice 1tsp cornflour Salt and pepper to taste Pinch ginger

Method:

Place apricots, orange juice, vinegar and honey in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Allow the mixture to gently simmer for about 5 mins until it is soft and pulpy. Blend the apricot mixture until smooth. Transfer to a small pan and stir in the cornflour. Gently reheat, stirring continuously until it thickens. Season to taste, add ginger and stir. This relish can be used hot or cold and is delicious with ham or pork.