Italy North v South Tasting
Thanks to everybody who came along to the February tasting. The group’s favourite white was the Vernaccia di San Gimignano (south / central) and the preferred red was the Barbaresco (north). The wines tasted were as follows: 1. Ferghettina, Franciacorta Brut NV Region: Lombardy, ItalyGrapes: 85% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot NoirABV: 12.5%‘Lively exotic fruit and biscuity…
Wines of the Islands – January 2024
For this event we selected wines from eight different islands, accompanied by various snacks including cheeses, crackers, olives and assorted nuts. Customers voted as their wine of the evening the Finca Biniagual ‘Negre’, Binissalem DO, 2018 from Mallorca. 1. Mystery rosé! Adgestone Vineyards Blush, England 2022Island: Isle of Wight, EnglandGrapes: 80% Pinot Noir, 20% SchönburgerABV:…
Winter Warmer Wines – December 2023
For this tasting we selected wines appropriate to Christmas and/or Winter drinking. Details of the wines we presented are as follows: 1. Nyetimber Brut Classic Cuvée NVRegion: West Sussex, EnglandGrapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot MeunierABV: 12%The Wine Society £30.81Nyetimber’s multi-vintage wine is a full-flavoured, savoury standard-bearer. Predominantly chardonnay alongside Pinots Noir and Meunier, the blend…
Rugby World Cup Tasting – October 2023
For this tasting we presented two wines from each of the countries that had reached the semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup. The wines tasted were: A lower alcohol sparkling wine made by classic bottle fermentation. This is a light joyous drink with a hint of strawberries and raspberries, delicate and tangy with a soft…
Wines of Greece – September 2023
Recently I have become something of a fan of Greek wines, particularly the whites. The flagship Santorini Assyrtiko is generally excellent; however its reputation has meant that prices are now getting rather high for regular drinking. It is worth trying some of the many lesser known grape varieties as there are a few gems that…
Canned Wines
I met up with the Canned Wine Company at the London Wine Fair and introduced a few of their wines to a tasting group. I have to confess to being cynical as my previous experience with canned wine has not been great; however I enjoyed several of these, as did the group. The 250ml size…
Encounter South Africa – July 2023
This was an excellent event organised by WoSA on London’s South Bank. It was a great opportunity to meet so many winemakers and importers. There were so many wines to try but among my personal favourites were: Jordan Inspector Peringuey Chenin Blanc 2022 Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Chenin Blanc 2020 and Vineyard Selection Chenin Blanc…
The Big Fortified Tasting 2023
I have to say this is one of my favourite tastings of the year. It is very well organised and covers Sherry, Port, Madeira and Moscatel. The overall quality was extremely high; however among my personal highlights were: I’m running a fortified tasting next month which is already fully booked so it looks hopeful that…
Wines of New Zealand tasting – April 2023
New Zealand is only the 15th highest wine producing country in the world; however they do put an emphasis on quality. In the UK on average we spend more per bottle on New Zealand wine than any other country. In this tasting my aim was to go beyond Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc to try wines from…
Wines of North America Tasting – March 2023
Thank you to everybody who came along to the tasting of Wines of North America – the wines we tasted were as follows: Peller Estates, Signature Series Ice Cuvée Classic NV (Courtesy of Barry Gibbon) Region: Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, CanadaGrapes: 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir12% ABVThis wine is made in the Traditional Method from hand-picked Chardonnay…