Chateau Musar is a wine with which we have had a very long relationship. The wine was created with the passion of Gaston Hochar in 1930. His love of French wine and his studies in Bordeaux were brought over to the unique terroir of his homeland of Lebanon.

Being a great lover of Kasteel Cru (we used to buy it by the pallet load) I was surprised to have only just found out about the rose beer.

Brought into the bar a couple of years back, the beer gave me a new found interest in beer. With its wine credentials, the beer fitted Gales like a glove.

Although using champagne yeast and being from Alsace sounds like it going to be a gimmick, the beer is still a serious drink and its production methods and sensibility can easily be tasted as a real point of interest. Light, with fine bubbles, you would hardly guess it is as alcoholic as it is. The perfect beer to start the evening and a great drink to accompany a light fish starter.

A new wine from the long heritage of Riesling from Pewsey Vale. An early harvest wine, the grapes are picked 4 weeks before the rest of the vineyard when the sugar levels are just right. The wine created can be described as semi dry. An interesting “chalky” acid is balanced off with left over fruit sugars to make an fascinating, refreshing drink.

The first vineyard planted in Eden Valley, Pewsey Vale, is situated above the Barrosa in a cooler climate, ideal for a greater ripening. Planted in 1841 it truly was ahead of its time, many a grape was tried out there with the experimental Joseph Gilbert at the helm. His research helped the Australian wine industry become what it is today. Sadly, Australia’s Great Depression made the vineyard fall into disrepair.