March 2017, Italian WInes from Majestic, Ruislip

This month we had Anani, the deputy manager of Majestic, Ruislip presenting Italian wines. I ought to mention, in passing, that Anani is the first black presenter we've ever had. And thats all I'm going to say about that. I just seemed daft to not say something. 

The wines were:

1. Tasca “Regaliali” Bianco di Sicilia 2015.£8.99
2. Falanghina 2015. Terredora. £9.99
3. Pietraticcia Fiano 2015. Surani. £7.49
4. Triplica. Greco di Tufo 2015.
5. Negroamaro 2013. Fuedo Dei Tari. £6.99
6. Dolcetto d'Alba 2015. De Forville. £8.99
7. Aglianico del Vulture 2013. Cantina di Ventosa. £7.99
8. Primitivo di Manduria. Surani Costarossa 2015. £8.99

All prices are the “mix 6” price.

All good wines – none of them stunning, all good. Try any of them, you will not be dissappointed.

On that basis, it seems churlish to chose “the best”, so I wont.

Feburary 2017 - Richard Bost - Wines of Bulgaria

Richard Bost gave us one his excellent evenings, presenting Wines of Bulgaria. I certainly remember those days in the 1980s when Bulgarian Wine was good, and cheap. Unfortunately it all suffered post 1989 and the collapse of communism and is only now starting to pick up again.

We had 8 wines as usual

1. Eduardo Miroglio Brut 2007. 12% £19.85. www.turtonwines.co.uk
2. Soli White 2015 .13.5% £10.50 www.swig.co.uk
3. Bio Viognier/Traminer. 2015. 13.5% £11.50 www.swig.co.uk
4. Soli Pinot Noir 2014. 12.5% £11.95 www.swig.co.uk
5. Eduardo Miroglio. Pinot Nero 2008 13%. £14.95 www.swig.co.uk
6. Eduardo Miroglio. Merlot 2012 14%. £12.50 www.swig.co.uk
7. Villa Melnik Bergule Mavrud 2012. 13.5% £9.95 www.theoldcellar.co.uk
8. Dragomir SARVA, Mavrud/Merlot 2013. 13.5% £14.95 www.theoldcellar.co.uk

Wine 1, compares well with a vintage Champage, but at much the same price. Wine 2 is a curious blend of Riesling/Sauvignon Blanc/Viognier/Gewurtztraminer which, to be honest didn't work. Wine 3 better. Wine 4, not a good example of Pinot Noir, but Wine 5 better.

The last 3 reds were all good, but the best wine of the evening was, for me, the cheapest – the Mavrud.

So, on balance, not one of the best sets of 8, but a few good ones in there.

New Year Party

A good evening, with a good turnout, and excellent selection of food brought along by a great number of society members.

The wines

Sparkling
1. New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc. Split Rock 2014
2. French. Cremant de Limoux, Rose. Roche Lancour 2013

White
3. Peach Stone. Sicily. Grillo/Sauvignon Blanc
4. La Cabalie. French. Viognier blend

Red
5. Porta 6. Portuguese.
6. La Cabalie. French. Grenache Blend

Dessert
7. Lidl Tokay
8. Blandy's Duke of Clarence.

December 2016. World of Wine from the WIne Society

This month we had our very own John Denman presenting wines from around the world from the Wine Society.
For thoe who don't know about the Wine Society, its a non profit members society, dedicated to wine. Its bee  in business since the 1800's. It costs £40 to join, and you get £20 off your first order. They do some great wines and great prices.
Membership would make a great gift to a wine lover.

The wines were:
1) Spain - Cava Conde de Haro Brut. £12.50
2) South Africa - The Society`s South African Chenin Blanc. £6.95
Stellenbosch 2016
3) Germany - Ruppertsberger Honeburg Reisling Kabinett 2015 £6.95
4) New Zealand - The Society`s New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon
Blanc 2016. £9.95
5) Italy - Red Lambrusco. £10.95
6) USA - The Society`s California Old-Vine Zinfandel 2013 £8.95
7) Lebanon - Hochar 2011. £11.95
8) France - Rivesaltes Vin Doux Naturel - Parce Freres 1998 £14.50

Best wines: The Hochar was very good, as were the Chenin Blanc and Riesling, but the steal of the nigh has to be the Zinfandel. Excellent value.

November 2016 - Wirra Wirra wines from Gonzalez Byass, Ben Wyse

An excellent evening, presented by Ben Wyse of Gonzales Byass, who don't just do sherrry – these are from Wirra Wirra in Australia

The wines were:

Wirra Wirra Scrubby Rise White 2015: RSP £9.99 Ocado, Amazon.co.uk

Wirra Wirra Adelaide Chardonnay 2014: RSP £12 Cheers Wine Merchants, Divine Wines, Hennings Fine Wines

Wirra Wirra 12^th Man Chardonnay 2015: RSP £19 The Wine Society, Hennings Fine Wines, Cheers Wine Merchants, Bin 21, Harper Wells, The Wine Chambers, Winos (Oldham)

Wirra Wirra Mrs Wigley Moscato 2015: RSP £9.99 Ocado, Cheers Wine Merchants, Bin 21, Hennings Wine Merchants, The Wine Chambers, The Vineyard (Dorking), The Whalley Wine Shop, Mmm & Glug (Newcastle), The Oxford Wine Company

Wirra Wirra Scrubby Rise Red 2014: RSP £9.99 Ocado, Amazon.co.uk

Wirra Wirra Adelaide Shiraz 2014: RSP £12 Hennings Fine Wines, Divine Wines

Wirra Wirra Church Block 2013: RSP £13.50 Waitrose, Ocado, Tesco.com ‘wine by the case’, Morrisons Cellar, The Wine Society

Wirra Wirra Woodhenge Shiraz 2013: RSP £19 thedrinkshop.com, Cheers Wine Merchants, Divine Wines

Wirra Wirra Dead Ringer Cabernet Sauvignon 2009: RSP £40 Cambridge Wine Merchants, Vagabond Wines, Abbey Fine Wines, H2Vin, The Wine Chambers, Cheers Wine Merchants, Vinea (Liverpool)

All good wines, I rather liked the first 2 whites – but the last wine is truly a great wine. Yes, it is £40, yes, i'm not going to drink it as an everyday wine, but it could well be the best wine you've ever tasted.

October 2016 - Austrian Wines by Sam Owens, Le Verre Gourmand

This month we had Sam Owens of La Verre Gourmand, who also has a Wine bar called "Thirsty" on the Chesterton Road in Cambridge presenting Austrian Wine

We had 

1. Gruner Veltliner - £12.30
2. Artisan Sauvignon Blanc - £12.10
3. Allram Riesling - £25.60
4. Artisan Halbturn (Chardonnay) - £25.30
5. Artisan Zweigelt - £12.60
6. Artisan St laurent Pure - £12.60
7. Artisan Neusiedlersee Zweigelt - £17.60
8. Artisan St Laurent Reserve. - £17.60

Now, Austrian wines are a bit niche, and a couple of them were a touch on the pricy side, but the lower priced ones were very good. For me the 2 stars were the Artisan Zweigelt and St Laurent Pure. Both reds, both of a lighter style - comparable to the best Beaujolais and Valpolicella Ripassos. 

A very good evening with a full house of 45 people - including 5 new members (we must be doing something right) we even had to crack open the 3rd bottle of each wine.

Century Wine Club – September

Its getting more difficult now – with >75 varieties down I'm moving into the edges of my knowledge.

In the last month I've had:

White

An Italian Wines from Campania made from Fiano/Falnghina/Greco grapes

A Tesco Sicilian Fiano

A Greco Di Tufa – Triplica

A Pinot Blanc (easy one this) Alsace. Kuhlmann-Platz. Caves de Hunawihr

Red

An Aglianico - Lava, Terre del vulcano. Beneventano region

A Negroamaro - Feudo Dei Tari, 2013

A Primitivo - Natale Verga,, Puglia 2014.

So thats 7 new varieties this month, and I still have a bottle of Furmint in the fridge. Next week I'm off to Madeira, so hopefully a couple of new varieties there, and in October we have Austrian wines at the Society – 2 or 3 more there I hope.

Total right now – 27/9 – 79 varieties.