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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 6 DECEMBER 2015 34 Food 34 To maintain the unique characteristics of the different lots from varying areas of the vineyard, Chief Winemaker Laurie Hook monitored each of the lots carefully through vinification and aging. Extended maceration created larger tannins to enhance the lush mouthfeel of the blend and extracted a maximum of color, aromas and flavors. The wines were then aged in small French Nevers oak barrels (25% new) for thirteen months and underwent malolactic fermentation for further development of texture and mouthfeel. Laurie blended in a portion of Merlot to add texture and plush tannins, and a touch of Cabernet Franc for length in the finish. The 2012 Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has aromas of dark blue fruits and spices. Notes of cassis, sweet licorice and a juicy core of fruit are balanced by nice acidity and a silky, lingering finish. 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon 'Knights Valley' Beringer, California Exclusively imported by Charles Grech & Co. Ltd, Valley Road, Birkirkara T: 2144 4400 Rachel Agius takes a look at a restaurant and brings a recipe, wine and delicacy of the week. Write to us with your comments on restaurants or submit your own recipes to rzammitcutajar@mediatoday.com.mt Resto of the week IF you were to list the world's greatest nations for culinary effort few people would feature Great Britain anywhere near the top. Though Great Britain is widely known the world over for its bland dishes smothered with Bisto gravy, this is largely due to undiscerning diners and not lack of quality English fare. Thankfully Malta has no lack of dis- cerning diners so the opening of The Londoner gastro pub in Paceville is pret- ty exciting as the pub incorporates all things English – good beer on tap, a se- ries of football matches on the TV, Eng- lish music playing in the background and a great selection of some of England's finest dishes, including Sunday roasts. To get into the pub spirit I headed down to The Londoner nursing a sore head from the night before and low and behold, a prominent part of the menu of- fers a sure cure – a spicy Bloody Mary. For some reason – watery tomato juice – a good Bloody Mary is difficult to come by in Malta, but the one at The Londoner is worth its salt; good consistency, the right amount of spicy and seasoning, and true to its word offers a little comfort. The menu offers a variety of English classics; complete English breakfast with eggs, bacon sausages, baked beans, mushrooms, black pudding and bubble and squeak, or bacon baps if you're in a hurry. If you've skipped breakfast and are coming in straight for lunch, take a look at the great British starters; pork pies, deep-fried cheese or chicken wings with a spicy dip to keep you going till your mains. Mains include some of my all time fa- vourite one-plate meals – steak and Guinness pie, fish and chips, bangers and mash and a selection of stews. And on Sundays roast lamb or beef with all the trimmings, Yorkshire puddings and smothered in gravy (not the Bisto kind, but real home-made stuff). After lunch we stayed for a few pints of bitter, and though I'm not a football fan, stayed to watch a game (two games really – something to do with overall points and staying on top of the league, but it was of vital importance to follow both matches). What putting up with the football does entitle a foodie like myself to is conver- sation with English fans, (they provide way more entertainment than the game itself) and after a few hours of drinking, the Drinker's Favourite platter which included Scotch eggs, with a near runny centre, chunky chips, made from real po- tatoes with Leister melt, pork pies, garlic bread and other yummy bits and bites. All in all it was a fun afternoon out, reminiscent of many pub afternoons in the UK. I will most definitely be back. And one more thing… Happy Hour is from 3:00pm till 7:00pm – that's a whole lot of happiness! The Londoner is open daily from 10:00am till 4:00am. The Londoner Dragonara Road, Paceville Tel: 21376637 Facebook: www.facebook.com/ TheLondonerpub?fref=ts A taste of the London life