There are Old Wine Countries New Wine Countries, and there is London.

On my way to the Eurostar last weekend, I was very excited thinking that I would soon be eating a real burger, maybe meet aliens and eventually drink some non French wines. Believe it or not, this is a rare thing in Paris. As much as I love my home, I know we can be a little hesitant to reach beyond our borders when it comes to wine. We are so obsessed with our beautiful wine that we easily forget that there is a possibility that some other countries may eventually produce a wine that could come close to our perfect juice. Yes.

My experience in London was more than I had ever expected.

BOROUGH WINES

Under a stunning sun, I walked around Borough market and stopped over at my favourite Borough Wines shop. Muriel welcomed me with her smile and a weekly wine selection on sale. I had a glass…or two, good enough to wish you all to try them soon.

• Her Chardonnay is from the Gamme Esprit from Domaine Grézan in the the Pays d’Oc. It smells like a baked apple syrup and taste like pear drops with a peach soft palate. It is refreshing and well balanced. I really like the fact that even though the smell is sweet and reminds you of a toffee, the taste is not and leave you with a fresh and elegant finish.

• The Fleurie 2005, domaine Monrozier, is one of the best vintage wines from the Beaujolais region. It is fresh, fruity and is my “péché mignon,” one of my vices. I was born drinking it and you should trust my opinion, I know the juice! This is the perfect wine for summer time with nice long evenings with friends. This wine is actually wine and not food, easy to drink, not heavy on the palate or your stomach. It is also certainly complex and gives you a mouth full of red currant flavor. The more you drink it, the more you enjoy it. It is best with goat cheese, red meat and cured meats, but can be drunk on its own at any time. These are a good enough reasons to have a 10% discount on any wine of the domaine wine if you say my name when buying it (maybe not as much as if you go topless, but I never tried so you’ll have to tell me).

• Muriel is French and as a real native of her country, sells French wine. But she also knows the value of the Nectar from Château Kefraya, A delicious wine from Lebanon that was my Borough crush this day. This charm wine is a mistelle, fortified with a spirit and can go up to 18% alcohol content. The bottle and its color reminds you of a Cognac: deep yellow, limpid and brilliant. The nose is fresh with subtle notes of honey and toffee and reminds you of a Porto. On your palate, this is an explosion of walnut flavour. The sweetness is well balanced and the long lasting fi nish makes you understand why one would call it a Charm Wine. 18£ originally but 16£ for Vicky Wine’s charmers.