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ORDERING a Squealing Pig at a cheekily monickered bar called Bandit, Mugger and Thief ought to be a hostage to fortune. Not so.
Ripe, dark berry fruit and a certain smokiness from oak make it a real winner.
As it turns out, both Kiwi wines from the SP stable don’t feature some frantic porcine on the label (just a quirky editing of “This Little Piggy Went to Market’) and also offer some of the best quality and value along Canal Street.
As does the rest of a small but carefully chosen list (they even list which wines are vegan), which somehow completes the transformation of No1 Canal Street from Taurus to its new laid-back, stripped-back bare brick manifestation. It responds to the public’s insatiable appetite for Sauvignon Blanc with three examples and the owner’s determination to follow his own taste in reds – there are surprisingly two Pinotage-Shiraz blends from South Africa on board.
The Squealing Pig Sauvignon Blanc (£21 a bottle, N/A by the glass) is unmistakably from Marlborough with a whack of gooseberry on the nose, but also some subtle herbiness, which continues on a quite steely palate. Perhaps, it is just fading a touch; the 2014 must be imminent? They also do a Roundstone Bay NZ Sauvignon Blanc, which I didn’t try, which is £5.75 for 175ml, £6.74 for 250ml and £18 a bottle.
The third Sauvignon is the entry level Chilean Tolva (£4.75/£5.75/£15) from 2014, crisper with tropical, lemony hints about it. Undemanding and quaffable, just the lift-off for a Canal Street crawl.
More serious, as they say, is the Louis Latour Ardeche Chardonnay 2012. From the great Burgundian firm’s west of the Rhone holdings, this has long been one of the perfect introductions to the French way with the grape. It is aged in stainless steel vats, retaining freshness. Its pale green hue belies its roundness on the palate, a distinct almondiness on the notes giving way to restrained peach fruit. Perfect fish wine. Try it with BMT’s queen scallops with bacon and garlic (£6) or, better still, their mixed fish tempura (£5).
The three reds we tasted were equally consistent. At the top of the range the Squealing Pig Pinot Noir 2012 comes from NZ South Island’s Pinot heartland, Central Otago, yet it displays an almost Burgundian farmyard (that’s a compliment) earthiness, but the smooth, rich cherry fruit is very New World. At £24 a bottle this Squeal’s a steal.
We expected more problems appreciating the two South Africans. Pinotage on its own can lack charm and exhibit an odd rubbery aroma. Blended with Shiraz in both bottles here, it worked well, especially in our favourite bottle of the tasting, the Ribshack Red 2015 (£6/£7/£19). Ripe, dark berry fruit and a certain smokiness from oak make it a real winner, especially to accompany meat dishes. Try it with BMT’s rib-eye strips (£8) or Italian meatballs (£5). Did we detect some Cabernet Sauvignon in this dark, dark blend as well? The Fontein Ridge 2014 is not quite as exuberant but there’s blueberry and spice and it’s slightly cheaper.
Bandit, Mugger and Thief, 1 Canal Street, Manchester M1. 0161 244 5282.
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