written by team member Maddy
Earlier this month I was invited to London for lunch at the Bluebird Restaurant with Valenciso and Pra. The whole event was a treat with good food, lovely people and lots of wine.
Amps have worked with Valenciso for many years now, their wines have always been fantastic and not only do they make great wine they have always had a clear vison of sustainability. From the start they have followed sustainable practices and use a mix of organic and biodynamic methods. While they are currently in the process of having their vineyards all certified as organic they have used many of
interesting wines but makes them a brand that aligns with our values and beliefs. these practices for a long time. They don’t irrigate their vines, or use herbicides, pesticides or insecticides. In the winery they don’t fine their wines but use traditional concrete tanks to vinify their wines, at a time when so many producers have converted to stainless steel tanks to use traditional techniques is almost seen as a modern revolution. Their innovation and sustainability not only makes for complex
While we may not currently stock any wines from Pra it was a joy to try some of their range, and to learn that they are another producer with a keen interest in sustainability. They create excellent wines which are reflections of their terroir, working with what nature provides each year to produce their wines.
To Start:
We started with Dressed Cornish Crab which was rich and creamy while still being light and refreshing. This was accompanied by Valenciso Blanco 2023 and Pra Monte Grande 2022, both wines were utterly delicious. The Valenciso Blanco is rich and creamy and
perfectly balanced. A blend of Viura and Garnacha Blanca which is fermented and aged in Caucasian oak barrels for several months before bottling. Overall this produces a rich complex wine which is creamy yet soft, and not overpowering. Again Valenciso are subverting traditions with many producers using American or French oak they opt for Caucasian oak which has a tighter grain so is slower to impart flavour into the wine, helping keep the freshness and elegance.
Between the starter and main we tried the Valenciso ‘Cemento’, which is 100% Tempranillo that has been fermented and aged exclusively in concrete tanks for two years. The final result is a dark berry fruited wine which despite its age is lighter and incredibly fresh still.
For Mains:
For the main event we had an Aged Beef Ribeye, 42-day dry aged grass-fed, with peppercorn sauce and seasonal vegetables. This was
served with Valenciso Reserva 2019 and Pra ‘Morandina’ Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore 2021. These were both big bold wines so a steak was perfect, the peppercorn sauce highlighted the peppery character in the Reserva bringing to life the balance of vibrant fruit and spicy earthy notes. The Reserva is a long standing 
favourite of ours at Amps, it is diverse and never fails to disappoint. I know several staff who have had previous vintages on their Christmas tables as well.
To Finish:
Personally I am a big fan of a sweet end to a meal but I’m also never one to say no to cheese. The all British cheese board was the perfect of ending paired with Pra ‘Morandina’ Amarone della Valpolicella 2018 and Valenciso Reserva ’10 Anos Despues’ 2014. Now these were BIG wines, the Amarone has a hefty alcohol of 17%!! Crossing into the realm of fortified wine at this stage. The Valenciso wasn’t light by any means and was 15% itself. These were definitely wines to finish off the meal and as terrible as it is to admit neither of them were finished. While they may have been heavy both were excellent, the 10 Anos 
Despues was a real treat, having spent five years aging in concrete followed by 54 months in Russian oak. It was rich and complex and just kept evolving the more you came back to it, and with the rich tangy blue cheese it worked beautifully. Unfortunately they didn’t tell us what the cheeses were but they were all fantastic.
The whole meal was wonderful and highlighted how fantastic the wines truly are, the difference the right food makes can transform how the wine is shown.
