By Lords on
25 May 2010
 A new listing from Portugal: Quinta Vale D.Maria 2007, Douro, Christiano Van Zeller
This week, we have had a great addition on the Portugal section of the wine list. I came across an unusual wine from the Douro region.
The wine maker Cristiano van Zeller acquired the vineyard of “Quinta do Vale Dona Maria” in 1996 from his wife family. This old-vine vineyard, located in the Rio Torto Valley in the heart of the Douro Demarcated Region, had incredible potential, but also needed a great deal of work before it would begin producing really great wines.
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By Lords on
17 May 2010
 The Head Chef and I came across a good sample of a summer wine this week. A wine that we could clearly imagine drinking chilled on the back terrace of the hotel and on a sunny afternoon…. Just like the Mercurey 1er Cru from the Domaine Michel Juillot which I used for our Saturday wine tasting session, the Rully “Les Thivaud” 2007, is made by the same producer in the Côte Chalonnaise, south of the Burgundy region in France.
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By Lords on
16 May 2010
We were spoiled at Lords of the Manor this weekend. Not only the weather was favourable to relaxation but we also had some very decent wines to taste…We opened the tasting with two white wines, both from the same producer in Waipara - New Zealand: Muddy Water. They were both nicely greeted; the Muddy Water Chardonnay 2007 had an aromatic nose with hints of fig. On the palate it was round with a good structure and balance.
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By Lords on
06 May 2010
There is no better way to choose a wine that really complements your chosen menu than to try it first. Sommelier Fabrice Bouffant offers a wine tasting almost every Saturday evening. Guests gather around the marble table where Fabrice takes them through both old favourites and new and exciting additions to the wine list.
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By Lords on
06 May 2010
“I love this time of year, things start to get exciting in terms of seasonal produce, such as the first of the asparagus from Cox’s farm in Upper Oddington. These small, tender, juicy treats are a certain sign that spring is with us and that summer is not far away, I enjoy creating new and innovative dishes to add to the menu. Dishes such as:
Charlotte of Asparagus with crayfish mousse, crisp Kelmscott farm ham, hazelnuts and poached pheasant egg yolk”
Matt Weedon
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By Lords on
06 May 2010
Sandra Joynes is all set to celebrate 20 years as housekeeper at Lords of the Manor, 20 years may seem like a lifetime but Sandra really does have a lifetime of memories of the building. “I was born in this village. My mother worked for the Witts family who owned the house – so I’ve been here in my pram!”
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By Lords on
26 April 2010
 Despite the fantastic weather outside, a dozen people gathered around the marble table for this unusual wine tasting. I say unusual because I picked three “infamous” white wines.
The first was highly appreciated by everybody, the Three Choirs English Medium Dry 2008 white wine is only made a few miles away from us in Newent, near Gloucester. The winery has been awarded many times in different English wine competitions and I can easily understand why: The nose is very fresh with lots of fruit aromas like melon and candied lemon. On the palate, we found a very light wine in weight but with a precise balance, a pleasant dusty texture, lots of fruit again with an apple & pear play, hints of melon, the finish is short but with a refreshing bitter/zesty touch.
The second wine was maybe a little bit too unusual for the general palate, the Martius 2005 from Agricola Falset-Marçà originate from the district of Priorat in Spain. It is 100% White Grenache with 10% barrel fermented. Although the nose showed some nice grass and citrus note, we were not impressed by the strong petrol & old wet wood aromas. On the palate, it was a little bit disastrous with a very strong alcohol feel, especially on the finish. I found grass again with some apple bitterness. ~
My guess is that the wine has become too old and I will try to get a very young sample for the near future.
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By Lords on
26 April 2010
While the journalists, the buyers and the best palates concentrate their effort in the release of the 2009 Bordeaux, we, at the Lords of the Manor, much prefer to taste wines that are ready to drink! Anyhow, it is obvious to me that this vintage will be amazing. How do I know? I was in Bordeaux last October during the harvest and was thrilled by the colour and taste of the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes freshly picked from the vines. But Bordeaux doesn’t only mean red wine and sweet wine with the ultra famous “Sauternes” is also very much talked about... The white grapes which they blend in this wine are the Sémillon and the Sauvignon Blanc. In the vineyards of Château Suduiraut, I could see that the fungus “Botrytis Cinerea” was all over the grapes, turning their original green colour into light brown. It also crumpled the skin and dried out the inside flesh. This meant a high concentration of sugar in most of the grapes. Easy then for everybody there to predict an abundant and delicious production!
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By Lords on
06 April 2010
 This very special package which includes an overnight accommodation in a Country Double Bedroom and 2 tickets to Batsford Arboretum.
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By Lords on
06 April 2010
 The Lords of the Manor is in the heart of the Cotswolds, a haven of complete privacy and relaxation.
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