December 2017 - UWS, A History

We were presented with 8 wines by Esther, who is a founding member, to showcase the hitory of the UWS. UWS is close to 36 years old (Feb 2018) and has met EVERY month over those 35 3/4 years - never missing a single month.
Esther chose the wines to illustrate some of the history of the society and the world of wine and how it has changed.

Wine 1 - Cremant de Limoux. Used to be Blanquette de Limoux. In the 1980s the only fizz you really came across was Champagne, and this was one of the first ones that Esther could remenber that wasn't.
Wine 2 - Mateus Rose. A part of our history, familiar to pretty well anyone who drank wine in the '80s . At one point it was >50% of our imports of wine from Portugal
Wine 3 - Gruner Veltliner. Part of the story about Austrian Wines and anti-freeze, plus a long story about an UWS treasurer in the 80's who started a wine buying group, and made off with money (about £2 - 3000 in todays money, so not trivial)
Wine 4 - White Rioja. Again, a piece of society  history involving a coach trip down to Sherston to taste cider and Riojas - A morning of Cider, lunch with (plenty of) Rioja, followed by an afternoon of Rioja tasting. Memories are a bit hazy.....
Wine 5 - Fleurie. The Gamay grape, same as Beaujolais Nouveau... If you were there in the 80's you will remember. Enough said
Wine 6 - Bulgarian Merlot. In the 1980's, Bulgaria was the 2nd largest wine producer. Supported by the communist regime for hard currency, it produced a lot of pretty good wine. After 1989 it all fell apart and is only just now clawing its way back.
Wine 7 - Israeli Cabernet Sauvignon. Back in the day, somewhere in Israel, Esther was browsing the wine shelves, and someone else in the shop asked - "you seem very interested, why?" It transpired the other chap was in wine trade, and lived in Hayes. So a tasting was organised.
Wine 8 - PX Sherry. Black, Sticky, Sweet, Gorgeous. We all have memories of Harvey's Bristol Cream and similar (Emva?). Awful, just awful. But good sherry, real sherry in all its varieties is a marvellous thing. We have had several Sherry tastings, and it's undervalued and marvellous. 

An excellent evening.

November 2017: WInes of Argentina

This month we had Berkmann Wine Cellars, presenting Wines of Argentina: 

• Finca la Colonia Torrontes, Mendoza

• Finca Perdriel Sauvignon Blanc, Medoza

• Passo Bianco, Masi Tupungato. Pinot Grigio/Torrontes, Mendoza

• Norton Porteno Malbec, Mendoza

• Finca Decero Remolinos Vineyard, Malbec, Mendoza

• Finca Decero Remolinos Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza

• Finca Decero Remolinos Vineyard, Petit Verdot, Mendoza

• Norton Privada Family Blend, Mendoza.

October 2017 - The World of Sherry - Charles Metcalfe

An evening of Sherry - The Wines were:


Manzanilla La Gitana, Hidalgo La Gitana. £10 -11 Ocado, Majestic, many independents.

FinoTio Pepe, Gonzales Byass. £10 – 10.50 Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Waitrose Cellar, many independents.

Valdespino Tio Diego Single Vineyard Dry Amontillado. £16.95 Lea & Sandeman.

Palo Cortado Solera, Cayetano del Pino. £14.95 The Wine Society / £11.49 per half Waitrose Cellar.

Lustau Don Nuno Dry Oloroso. £14.69 – 15.95 www.thedrinkshop.com & Noel Young Wines,

Oloroso Medium Dry, Barbadillo. £9.95 – 11.50 Halifax Wine Company, Albion Wine Shippers, Davy Wine Merchants.

Lustau Old East India Solera Cream. £17.99 Oxford Wine Company, Many independents

Sandeman Royal Corregidor 20 year old Rich Old Oloroso. Not available in UK (£14 per half bottle).

September 2017 - Wines of Chile, Lindsay Oram

This month we had Lindsay Oram (http://www.wineeducators.com/awe-members-directory/lindsayoram/) a Wine Educator who we know well, living just round the corner as she does. She was presenting Chilean Wines, supported by Wines of Chile (www.winesofchile.org).

Apparently many people believe that Chile only does cheap wine. Well, we know different, and Lindsay presented a number of wines to prove it.

• Cono Sur Sparkling Rose – Pinot Noir. £10.75 Tesco
• Vina Tabali. Encantado Gran Reserva Cande single vinyard 2015. Viognier £9.99 Waitrose
• Close des Fous Locura. Terroir de Los Andes 2014. Chardonnay £15.99 Waitrose
• Undurruga Cauguenes Estate 2016. Viognier/Roussanne/Marsanne. £7.50 Wine Society
• Vina Maycas de Limari 2016. Pinot Noir £8.50 Wine Society
• Undurraga Cabernet Franc 2013. Cabernet Franc. £14.95 Wine Society
• Koyle Cerro Basalto 2014. Carignan/Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre. £17.00 Wine Society.
• Concha Y Toro Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc. £7.50 half. Tesco

The Sparkling was a good standard fizz, standig up there with New Zealand fizz, Prosecco etc. at the same sort of price. Worth trying

Of the whites my view was that the Viognier blend was the best – the other grapes taking the edge off the “oily” nature of the neat Viognier, while the Chardonnay was a lot of money for what it was.

The reds were all good, and I'd certainly be tempted by either of the 2 more expensive wines – I personally thought the Cabernet Franc was the better, but its a personal view. And for me at £15 the bottle, that's saying something.

The final wine, the Late Harvest dessert is a very good alternative to other and worth the money.

August 2017 - Peter Freeman, Wines from the Loire

This Month we had Peter Freeman, presenting Wines from the Loire.

We had 40 members turn up – a good attendance

The Wines Were:

Cremant Rose              Majestic               £13.99

Muscadet                     Tesco                   £6.50

Sancerre                       Tesco                   £13.00

Vouvray                        Majestic              £11.99

Gamay Rose                 Sainsbury            £5.50

Malbec                         Majestic              £7.99

Chinon                          Mill Hill Wines    £13.99

Coteaux de Layon        Spirited Wines     £17.50

July 2017, South African Wine, Phil Miles

Phil, our current chairman, travels a lot to South Africa, and has a great love for the country, and its wines. South African wines are often, incorrectly called “New World” - which isn't really correct, as wines have been grown there since the 1600's – that's well over 300 years, so not so new!

We had

Graham Beck, Robertson Valley. Sparkling Brut Chardonnay/Pinot Noir. 12.5%, £14

Zalze Estate, Stellenbosch. Bush Vine Chenin Blanc 2016. 13%, £7

Springfield Estate, Robertson Valley. Special Cuvee. Sauvignon Blanc 2016. £12.50

Diemersdal Estate, Durbanville Hills. Gruner Veltliner 2016. 14%, £12

Paul Cluver Estate, Elgin Valley. Pinot Noir 2015. 13.5%, £12

Morgenhof Estate, Simonsberg. Merlot 2012 £14% £14

Beyerskloof Estate, Bottelary Hills/Papegaaberg Pinotage Reserve Selection 2015. 13.5%, £9

Journey's End Estate. Hottentots Holland. Cabernet Sauvignon 2015. 14.5%, £15

All these wines are available in the UK – Majestic, Waitrose, M&S, Morrisons

June 2017 - Laithwaites

This month we had a wine quiz, presented by Dan Guyte of Laithwaites, who is the Beaconsfield store manager.

It took the form of a blind tasting, combined with call my bluff – so each wine was served blind, and then 3 members of the audience opened an envelope which described the wine. 2 of the 3 descriptions were bluffs (false) and one correct.

Dan had chosen the wines to be untypical of their grape variety, so it was quite a challenge. I can certainly remember saying of one wine - “If this is a Gamay, it's unlike any Gamay I have ever tasted before.” Of course, it was a Gamay.

The wines were:

Insight Gewurztraminer, NZ, 2014 - £15.99

Lobo e Falcao Brance, Portugal, 2016 £9.99

Groote Kaap Viognier, SA, 2016 - £9.49

Sata Rita Chardonnay Reserve, Chile, 2016 - £9.99

Tomahawk Sprkling Red NV, Australia, NV £13.99

Domaine Pardon Veilles Vignes, Gamay, Fleurie - £13.99

La Braccesca, Monepulciano, Italy 2014 - £18.99

Ascension Malbec Reserve, Argentina, 2014 - £19.99