Wines of Thrace. Carole Hazlehurst. March 2025

 

Carole Hazlehurst, Wines from Thrace PGI  (Bulgaria)

It was a pleasure to see Carole again so soon, in fact she asked to come. She was approached by Wines of Thrace to show their wines to a UK audience and gather feedback. We’re honoured she chose to come to us. 6 of the 8 wines are from Wines of Thrace, and 2 from The Wine Society – but also from the same region.

Unfortunately Carole had quite a bad cold so wasn’t at the top of her game, and I’d had food poisoning earlier in the week which killed my taste buds.

Whites

• 1.       Minkov Brothers - Cycle Traminer 2022 13%

This is the quite rare Savagnin blanc grape variety also known for the Vin Jaune de Jura. A very particular, sherry like flavour. Definitely not mainstream. Approach with care.

• 2.       Domaine Boyar Sauvignon Blanc, 2022, 12%

A very straightforward S-B. Fine.

• 3.       Burgozone- Cote du Danube Viognier 2022 13.5%

A classic Viognier. Will keep. Well liked.

• 4.       Aya Estate - Colorito, Blend, 2021 12.5%

A blend of Chardonnay with 3 Rhone white grapes. Why? Not a hit.

Reds

• 5.       Edoardo Miroglio Soli Pinot Noir 2021 13%

The Wine Society. Average/OK

• 6.       Villa Melnik, Melnik 2021 14.5%

The Wine Society. This is a goody. Powerful, local grape variety. Some residual sugar. Well liked.

• 7.       Bononia Istar Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Franc 2022 13.5%

A decent enough blend.

• 8.       Katarzyna Estate - Cheval de Katarzyna, Mavrud 2021 14.5%

This is also a goody. Powerful, local grape variety. Some residual sugar. Well liked.

 

All the wines are available in the UK, if you look hard. North/South Wines, Field & Fawcett, Danube Wines.The Wine Society

 One thing that was a touch disappointing is that the wines didn’t feature the local varieties much, which we’d have preferred as a club, but do understand the desire to get the better known varieties in front of a British audience.

Febuary 2025. Jen Connan - Australian Wines

 

This Month we had Jen Connan again, and again a very good evening, with wines from all over Australia.

Australia is the 6^th largest producer of wine >1 billion bottles annually, and the 5^th largest exported. Almost all the bottles are now screw cap. Interestingly we get Australian wine cheaper here than the Aussies can buy it at home – a function of the buying might of the British importers, even with our high excise duty.

As usual, 8 wines, with a Sparkling Red, and a botrytis dessert wine too.

Whites:

The Society's Exhibition Clare Valley Riesling 2024 Clare Valley 12%. £11.50. Wine Society

A very different style of Riesling to the German versions we’re more used to. Flinty, austere even. Worth a try . For a bit of fun, get a bottle of this and a bottle of the Society Saar Riesling and compare them.

Vasse Felix Filius Chardonnay 2023 Margaret River 12.5%. £13.99. Majestic

A fairly classic oaky chardonnay. Good.

 D’Arenberg The Hermit Crab 2022 McClaren Vale (Viognier/Marsanne) 14%. £16.65. Great Wine Company (GWC)

A very powerful white, high alcohol yet still well balanced

Reds

Rob Dolan Pinot Noir 2021 Yarra Valley 13.5%. £19.95. GWC.

               Not the best P-N I’ve ever tasted. Not for me.

Grant Burge Barossa Ink Shiraz 2023 Barossa Valley 14%. £8.95. Waitrose

               Very good, a classic Aussie shiraz and a bargain to boot

Hesketh Coonawara Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Coonawara 14%. £19.99. Cellar Door Wines (CDW)

A bit ordinary to be honest, & at £20?

Paulett Trillians Sparkling Red NV Clare Valley  (Shiraz/Cab Sauv) 13.5%. £18.95. CDW

Not a style you see often, but well liked. I certainly did. I recommend anyone to try a sparkling red.

Dessert

De Bortoli Family Reserve Botrytis Semillon2020 Riverina 9%. £9 per half bottle

Riverina is in the Murray-Darling region, and has a climate perfect for predictable noble rot wine. So they can make lots at a very affordable price. Very good it is too.

For me the star of the evening was the Grant Burge Shiraz, on offer at £8.99. I did dash to Waitrose the following day to buy more. A steal, as they say  

Jan 2025 - New Years Party

 As always, we have a New Years party. 

For the record, the wines were: 

Sparkling

The Society’s Champagne. Brut NV

White Wine

Exhibition Santorini Assyrtiko 2021  - The Wine Society

 

Picpoul de Pinet - Majestic

 

Red Wine

Parcel Series St Esteph – Majestic

Parker Staton Pinot Noir 2019 - The Wine Society

 

Dessert Wine

Grahams Natura Reserve Port - The Wine Society

Samos Anthemis 2018 - The Wine Society