Monday 21 January 2013

Your New Bernard's Wine Route Website! www.frenchwines-direct.co.uk

It’s sexy, it’s exciting, it has just launched and we wanted you to be one of the first to know...

The new Bernard's Wine Route website www.frenchwines-direct.co.uk has just launched into cyberspace! We’ve tweaked a few things, added some new shiny buttons and all sorts of features we know you wanted to see. Feedback on our current site has been fantastic and we’ve really appreciated your suggestions to make the site an even better place to shop.
The top features customers asked us to include are:

Register with Bernard's Wine Route to take part in the various services we have to offer1. Improved Account Options

Registering with us it’s easy! With your account, you can take part in the various services we have to offer:
• Order History - View the details of orders you have completed with us.
• Permanent Cart - Any products added to your online cart remain there until you remove them, or check them out.
• Products Reviews - Share your opinions on our products with other customers.
• Address Book - We can deliver your products to an address other than yours! This is perfect to send birthday gifts direct to the birthday-person themselves.

Commended Wines


2. Commended Wine Section

Don’t know where to start? We’ve added a “Commended Wine” section where we list all the wines we highly recommend for their price Vs quality ratio. These wines are also our very own favourites and would feature on our table for various occasions.

3. Better Stock Availability Information

The system will automatically adjust the stock information on our website, so you always know what wine quantity we have available. You can also set up products notification to get updates on your favourite wines.


4. Easy Product Search Box

Finding your favourite wines is even easier thanks to our simple Search Box feature. 


Want to know more?

The best way to find out the full details is to go to www.frenchwines-direct.co.uk and take a look around... 
Bernard's Wine Route - New Website!



Saturday 6 October 2012

New Wine - 58 Guineas Bordeaux Rouge (Awards Winner)

Wine: 
58 Guineas Claret, 2010, Bordeaux Rouge. A delightful and excellent expression of true Bordeaux wine...

Find it on our website: www.frenchwines-direct.co.uk/Bordeaux 

Judges comments:
Sommelier Wine Awards 2012 Competition:- Judges comments below...
A breath of fresh air to find cheery Bordeaux at this price. 'While Kofler & Kompanie's Nigel Lister liked the 'red crunchy fruit and well managed tannin', Fionnuala Synnott, Pollen Street Social said, 'Soft, supple and fresh.' Hakkasan's Christine Parkinson said 'Earthy, quite fruity, juicy, light and grippy. Amazing value.' In fact, ideal for our Perfect Pub Pair in the By the Glass section.
Sommelier Wine Award 2012 - Results:
58 Guineas Claret, 2010, Bordeaux, France
WINNER GOLD & BY THE GLASS






Sunday 9 September 2012

Champagne Lallier Trophy Award..


Champagne-LallierCongratulations to Champagne Lallier for their outstanding Champagnes and fantastic win at the International Wine Challenge competition 2012.



Non Vintage Champagne Trophy – Champagne Lallier Grande Reserve International Wine Challenge 2012 

Find it on our website: www.frenchwines-direct.co.uk



Award winning wine, our judges said:

"Bright pale straw colour with bead. Fine, toasts, biscuitly nose. The palate has vivacious, fresh, nutty, toasty flavoury with good balancy acidity"  International Wine Challenge 2012

Other Awards

  • NV: IWC Trophy Winners 2012 - Non Vintage Champagne Trophy
  • NV: International Wine Challenge 2012 - Gold
  • NV: International Wine & Spirit Competition 2012 - Silver
  • NV: Decanter 2012 - Bronze
  • NV: International Wine & Spirit Competition 2011 - Silver
  • NV: Sommelier Wine Awards 2011 - Silver
  • NV: Sommelier Wine Awards 2010 - Gold list & By the Glass Award
  • NV: Decanter World Wine Awards 2010 - Bronze

Press Quotes

  • NV: "Bright pale straw colour with bead. Fine, toasts, biscuitly nose. The palate has vivacious, fresh, nutty, toasty flavoury with good balancy acidity." International Wine Challenge 2012
  • NV: "Attractively yeasty and bready on the nose, this has a complex palate of white, green and citrus fruits. Susanna Forbes, Team Leader, felt the 'depth added to the food potential.'" Sommelier Wine Awards 2011, Judges Comments
  • NV: "Round and spicy with less fruit and more finesse. Classy and complex, balanced, with nice acidity. Drinking well now." Judges Comments, Decanter World Wine Awards 2010
  • NV: "Pale gold, not too fruity with some savoury yeast notes and good minerality that make it particularly food-friendly. 'Try it with a mushroom risotto' said Tom Forrest." "'The soft, fruity style would be good with fish in hollandaise sauce, but it's a very vinous wine with a lovely mouthfeel, too.' Hamish Anderson, Tate Group - paired with poached white fish." "The Lallier's roundness and richness gave it great versatility - and allows you to run the aperitif wine through the starter, too."Sommelier Wine Awards 2010, Judges comments
  • NV: "Good brioche nose, honey citrus and apple well balanced with some toasty complexity. Rich and full, with good weight." Sommelier Wine Awards 2009, Judges Comments

Meet the producer

Champagne LallierChampagne Lallier are a small family concern crafting Pinot Noir blends from their own  (and some specially selected other) 'Grand Cru' vineyards in Ay - also home to Bollinger but Lallier's cellars are older,  Avize, and Cramant.  


Saturday 8 September 2012

90 points! ‘Smart buy’ for our Cotes du Rhone Villages Les Coteaux

A sneak preview of Wine Spectator’s September 2012 edition brought great news for the  recognition of our wine: Les Coteaux Côtes du Rhône Villages 2009:


This broad, gutsy red delivers lots of mouthfilling plum, blackberry, roasted fig, bramble, smouldering tobacco and warm stone notes. Dark and dense through the finish, but well-delineated. Drink now through 2016. 90 points” James Molesworth.

To be included as a ‘Smart Buy’ in the Buying Guide, 30th September 2012 issue.


Find it on our website

Click here: www.frenchwines-direct.co.uk







Other Awards

  • 2009 Vintage: 90 Points in The Wine Spectator: “This broad, gutsy red delivers lots of mouthfilling plum, blackberry, roasted fig, bramble, smoldering tobacco and warm stone notes. Dark and dense through the finish, but well-delineated. Drink now through 2016. 3,000 cases imported.—J.M.” James Molesworth writing for The Wine Spectator. September 2012.
  • 2009 Vintage:  Sommelier Wine Awards 2012 - Gold
  • 2009 Vintage: International Wine & Spirit Competition 2012 - Silver
  • 2009 Vintage: China Best Value Wine Awards 2012: Gold Award
  • 2009 Vintage: Decanter 2012 - Bronze
  • 2007 Vintage: China Wine Challenge 2011 - Bronze 2007 Vintage: IWSC 2011 - Silver
  • 2006 Vintage: Sommelier Wine Awards 2010 - Gold & Critic's Choice Award
  • 2006 Vintage: IWSC 2009 - Bronze

Press Quotes

  • 2009 Vintage: "Unfussy and flavoursome – and excellent value left our panel in no doubt, this was Gold material. Black fruit flavours with hints of spice and a medicinal note to the nose. On the palate, consultant Sarah Jane Evans MW said: 'Very juicy, with a mocha note. Very fun - good House Wine,' while consultant Peter McCombie MW simply said 'Gutsy!' Food matches range from pub classic shepherds pie to plum crumble." Sommelier Wine Awards 2012 2006 Vintage: "A medium-ruby wine that has plenty of light, savoury, earthy notes and some tannins supporting the finish. 'Dark fruits and spicy, slightly meaty richness' said an approving Tom Forrest." In a competition where only 5 Golds were awarded to Rhone wines, 4 were supplied by Boutinot, with 2 actually being made by Boutinot. "...we must also pass special congratulations to Boutinot. Its two cheaper reds were excellent value for money and ought to be must-stocks for any venue." "Quite how the winemakers have managed to produce a Gold list-winning Rhone red at this price, I have no idea. Ridiculously good value, with approachable fruit but also a real sense of place, this wine deserves to be the workhorse red on lists up and down the country." Sommelier Wine Awards 2010, Judges Comments

Wednesday 15 August 2012

New Wine Stock Arrival

Make sure you come back to visit our wine store soon! www.frenchwines-direct.co.uk, we will have more stock available as from Wednesday 5 September 2012

Is your favourite wine out of stock? 

Feel free to contact us with any request or feedback you may have to make sure we bring in your favourite French Wines.
Email: sales@bernadswineroute.co.uk

 Et Pour Finir! 

And finally we would like to take this opportunity to thank you all, for your continued business and your appreciation for our selection of exclusive and affordable wines.

Sunday 20 May 2012


Bernard's Wine Route - SWA Award List 2012


The Sommelier Wine Awards is a wine competition with a difference, since it started in 2007 it has grown to become the key competition for wines trying to increase their presence in hotels, pubs, bars and restaurants, as well as the first point of reference for the UK's on-trade wine buyers.  Not only are wines that sell in the High Street supermarkets not permitted to enter*, but all of the judges are members of the on-trade, too. Visit our online shop: www.frenchwines-direct.co.uk 
Gold  

Wine
Vintage
Region
Find it on our website
2010
Burgundy
2009
Rhône

Silver 
Wine
Vintage
Region
 Find it on our website
2010
Gascony
 
2006
Cotes de Provence
 
2009
Bordeaux
 
2007
Alsace
 
Bronze 
Wine
Vintage
Region
 Find it on our website
2010
Rhône
 
2010
Languedoc
 
2011
Languedoc
 
2010
Gascony
 
2010
Rhône
 





Monday 12 March 2012

UK still top of Champagne list!

The UK remains the biggest importer of Champagne in spite of a 2.7% fall in volumes in 2011, the Champagne Bureau has reported.
More than 34.5 million bottles of Champagne were shipped to the UK last year, compared to a little over 19 million to the US, 14 million to Germany and less than 10 million to Belgium.
But other countries showed big increases in exports, with the US up 14.4% and Germany and Belgium both up 8.5%.
Champagne Bureau director Francoise Peretti said: “Champagne shipments for 2011 closed within a whisker of the volume for 2010. In the current economic climate, that’s both remarkable and testimony to the longstanding love story between UK consumers and Champagne.” “With big festive events to come this year including the Olympics, Paralympics and Diamond Jubilee, the prospects for 2012 look even better.”

Published:  09 March, 2012
By Christine Boggis
www.offlicencenews.co.uk