May 2017 - Desert Island WInes

As usual, we had 8 wines, this time presented by members of the society. Wines which had some meaning for the individual member, or just highly recommended, or had a story behind it

We had

Tio Pepe Sherry, £10 - £12 – Tim

Muscadet Sur Lie, Aldi - £4.99 – Sue

Marques de los Rios Rioja blanca reserva – Esther

Gewurztraminer, £7, Leclerc, Boulogne – Tim

Ramon Reserva £7.49, Majestic – Tim

Valpolicella Ripasso – La Cassetta £13.99, Majestic – Tim

Mas de Daumas Gassac Red - £15+ - Keith

Kommandaria St John, Cyprus. £14, Winesupermarket.com - Phil

The stories:

Sue brought along the the Muscadet because its a wine she (and the rest of us) remember with affection from the 1980's. It then disappeared from view for maybe 15 – 20 years, but in the last 5 years the French producers have picked up there game and now its back and as good as it should be. This ones's a steal at £4.99 from Aldi 

Esthers Rioja brought back memories for her of some excellent early UWS meetings at the late lamented La Giralda Spanish restaurant in Pinner.

Keith's Mas de Daumas Gassac is a special wine which he saves for best – buys a case per year (or something like that) en-primeur from the vineyard, being the only way he dares to afford it – at retail it can be easily north of of £30. He very kindly shared 2 bottles with us.

Phils Kommadaria St John has childhood memories in south Wales in the 1950s/60s of a well loved cousin who travelled to Cyprus regularly and brought this Dessert wine back. ' the oldest named wine in the world apparently – a fortified dessert wine. 

Tim, the ex-chairman presented 4 wines – 1.Tio Pepe, as probably the best Fino you can buy, and a must have in anyone's fridge. 2. Gewurtztraminer, his long time favourite white, best bought in France as you get much better choice and price. 3. Ramos Reserva Portuguese red, one of his brothers (in the wine trade) best wines, excellent VFM, and someone has to drink the family into profit! 4. Valpollicella has a similar story in this country as the muscadet. We all remember the alcoholic Ribena, easy drinking wine from the 1980's, which also disappeared. Again, it's back , and the Ripasso variant has much more body and substance. Worth paying a little extra for.