Ruth Yates | Stockton Heath
Well, what can I say…. except, if I had a £1 for every time someone asked me what my favourite wine is then I would be a very wealthy woman. All I can say is that I have been incredibly lucky to have tasted thousands of wines during my 18 years in the wine trade and hopefully over the next few months I can share some of those delights with you. I will, however, say that I love fizz, I love white Burgundy and I love Sauvignon Blanc.
Pouilly Vinzelles en Paradis - Burgundy - Click here to buy Ruth’s choice
"Well, as summer fades or rather Spring turns into Autumn I have decided that my October favourite will be a good old fashioned Underrated Burgundy, Pouilly Vinzelles en Paradis. It's very traditional, elegant, a must with food and half the price of Meursault or Chassagne Montrachet at £10.20."
Richard Yates | Stockton Heath
Most of you will know Richard as the Concha y Toro man and after 16 years with them the passion of Corks Out finally got to him so much that he felt this was what was truly in his heart. So, you can be sure that a few of his favourites will be coming from South America as that’s where his expertise lies, however, I do know that he enjoys quality European reds too.
Palazzo della Torre - Italy - Click here to buy Richard's choice
"Imagine yourself basking in the late autumn evening sun in the Palazzo della Torre vineyard, terraced with "marogne", dry stone walls. Before you, a plate of local antipasti and a glass of this smooth, well structured and elegant wine. All the flavours of the real Valpolicella are here, heady wild berry perfume and the flavour of raisins! Magnifico!! "
Richard Depledge | Stockton Heath
Richard joined Corks Out from Wine Cellar a couple of years ago and passed his advanced certificate in wine last year. He knows the Corks Out range very well and you can bet that a few of his favourites will be in Argentina and Chile, then again, he loves a bit of Italian.
Concha y Toro Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc - Chile - Click here to buy Richard's choice
"Delicious clean Sauvignon character in a dessert wine that has complex layers of honey flavours and retains good acidity. If you like a nice mature Cheddar or blue cheese then this is great value from Chile. Larger bottles please!."
Jodie Taylor | Stockton Heath
Jodie, our Aussie member of the team has had a background in wine for a number of years and if you have been into the Stockton Heath store you are sure to have been swayed into purchasing one of her favourites, which is New World Pinot Noir and Riesling as well as some of the older red Burgundy wines.
Ninth Island Sauvignon Blanc - Tasmania - Click here to buy Jodie's choice
"From Northern Tasmania this cool climate Sauvignon Blanc is an elegant dry style. Whilst having an aromatic nose of gooseberry and kiwi fruit, it is almost steely on the palate. Passion fruit and citrus linger with savoury undertones. Good length with a mineral finish which reminds me of a fine Loire Sauvignon Blanc. Great with fish and shellfish - has been enjoyed with Sunday roast chicken also!"
Mervyn Howard | Chester
Mervyn has knowledge of wine that amazes all of us. Although he is very modest about this I don’t think there is a wine, region or country that he couldn’t talk to you about. Not only does he have his Diploma in wine but Mervyn tutored the subject for many years, leaving us all overwhelmed with his knowledge. Therefore, I am not sure what will turn up over the next few months, all I can say is watch this space….
Ramos Pinto 10 Year Old Tawny Port - Portugal - Click here to buy Mervyn's choice
"The perfect way to end a good meal. Not too heavy, and with a beautifully soft, silky character."
Peter Stephen | Chester
Not sure what to say about Peter, maybe you should meet him and decide for yourself, he has an incredible thirst for the knowledge of wine and never stops talking about it. He will amaze you when chatting to him and his time spent in Australia is bound to show up a few delights from down under.
Lustau 'Los Arcos' Dry Amontillado - Spain - Click here to buy Peter's choice
" Its lovely raisin flavours and nutty finish are wonderful. This is a very versatile wine. Serve chilled as an aperitif to warm up the palate and possibly accompany a starter, or at room temperature as an accompaniment to cheese or dessert."
Andrew Pritchard | Chester
Andrew is an enthusiast and although his background is in financial marketing, his liquid assets are now in a bottle rather than in a bank. He has a love of wine and enjoys meeting new and loyal customers. His favourites are a secret and will come to light over the next few months.
Mora Negra Malbec Bonarda - Argentina - Click here to buy Andrew's choice
"Try Mora Negra for something different! A blend of 70% Malbec and 30% Bonarda from Argentina. It has an amazing deep red/purple colour, a concentrated rich flavour of red and black fruits with soft tannins and a velvety texture. This is a very classy wine!"
Ian Sinkinson | Chester
If it’s French wine you are looking for then look no further, Ian frequently travels to France and has an eclectic view on the whole French thing. He will help me to source some really special, exclusive wines from some of the smaller areas he has visited. Therefore, French will definitely be on his list.
Jim Barry Cover Drive Cabernet Sauvignon - Australia - Click here to buy Ian's choice
"The French would be amazed at what the Aussies are doing with this cabernet sauvignon.Bold black fruit,rich mocha,heady and full bodied.A real fruit bomb!A great wine from this classic region."
Marion Bell | Stockton Heath
You may not have seen much of Marion in the store as she helps me out with many of those very important administration jobs that keep the business running and I must admit she is a PA with a difference. When Marion came to Corks Out she announced that wine wasn’t really her thing, however, over the last few months she has developed a real taste for it and has great commercial palate.
Dr Loosen Riesling - Germany - Click here to buy Marion's choice
" I would like to suggest the German Riesling that I tasted on the wine course..It has a lovely floral smell and is dry with a lovely sweet after taste...yum scrum!!!"
Last updated: September 22, 2008