December 2018. Wines of Tuscany

This evening we had 8 Tuscan wines presented by our very own Tony Hooper. All available from the supermarkets – Waitrose, Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons. A decent selection of predominantly Reds – as Tuscany is more well known for Red than White wine.

Whites:

Burdizzo Vermentino 2016 (Asda, £6.18)

Rondolino San Gimignano 2017, Vernaccia. (Waitrose, £8.99)

Red

Villa Cafaggio 2014. Chianti Classico (Waitrose, £13.49)

Barone Ricasoli 2014. Chianti Classico Reserva (Sainsbury's, £15)

Nipozzano Frescobaldi 2015. Chianti Classico Reserva (Morrisons, £16.50)

Villa Antinori 2015. (Waitrose, £15.99)

Principesco Brunello Di Montalcino 2012. (Sainsburys £18)

Fortified

Vin Santo Santa Christina 2013 (Waitrose, £16.49, 500ml)

Nov 2018. Duncan Ross, Berkmann WIne Cellars. Australian Wine

We had Duncan Ross of Berkmann Wine Cellars, Presenting wines from Australia

The wines were:

Deakin Estate Brut Chardonnay/Pinot Noir. 12%. NV

Between Five Bells White Blend (Pinot Gris/Riesling/Gewurztraminer/Chardonnay) 13%. 2016

Wattle Brae Eden Valley Riesling 11.5%. 2017

Wilybrub Valley Chardonnay 13%. 2016

Lethbridge Pinot Noir 13%. 2016

Chapel Hill McClaren Vale Grenache 14.5%. 2011

Valley Floor Shiraz 14.5%. 2015

Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 13.5%. 2014

Prices ranging from £11.34 up to £25.55 (Special price on the evening)

Oct 2018. Mexican WIne, Richard Bost

Mexican Wines – Who knew? Well, we did, as we have had Mexican wines before, but many don't. And to be fair a) Mexico is a pretty small producer – not even top 20, and b) The wines are from the very north end of Baja California, hard by the US border near San Diego (so "californian"maybe).

We had 8 wines, presented by Richard Bost. Richard always likes to go a little off piste, which suits us, and always is a mine of information. So a good evening

The wines were all by LA Cetto, Mexico's largest wine maker:

Whites:

Chardonnay Brut NV, Baja California. 12.5% £10.50

Chenin Blanc 2017, Baja California. 12.5% £8.50

Chardonnay 2016, Baja California. 13.0% £8.50

Chardonnay Private Reserve 2016, Valley de Guadalupe. 13.5% £12.95

Reds

Petit Sirah 2015, Baja California. 14.0% £8.50

Zinfandel 2015, Baja California. 14.0% £8.50

Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve 2012, Valley de Guadalupe. 13.9% £12.95

Nebbiolo Private Reserve 2015, Valley de Guadalupe. 14.0% £13.50

All available from Albion Wine Shippers www.albionwineshippers.co.uk

Nearly all excellent wines. The only miss was the standard Chardonnay which was not well liked – a pity.

The Sparkling NV Brut is a charmat method, but nicely balanced, biscuitty type taste, well liked. A good alternative to Prosseco, or Cava, or NZ fizz

Chenin blanc – a good well balanced wine, with hints of Honeysuckle and Mandarin orange

Chardonnay Private reserve. Full of oak. Old school oaky Chardonnay, grows on you (if you like oak!)

Petit Sirah and Zinfandel – both very powerful wines and excellent value. The Zin probaly needs to be drunk with food for best results

Cabernet and Nebbiolo – both superb. Again, great value for money. The Nebbiolo in particular beats Barolo on price by a factor of 2.

I've bought a case of 6 x 2  of the wines.

September 2018 - Californian Fine Wines, E&J Gallo

This month we had Californian Fine Wines from E&J Gallo Winery, presented by Robbie Rugman of E&J Gallo.

The accent was definitely on the “Fine” in Fine Wines – These are all quality wines, with prices to match.

Whites:

Mac Murray Pinot Gris, Russian River. 2015/16. £17.95

Frei Brothers Sonoma Reserve, Chardonnay. 2015/16 £17.99

Edna Valley Chardonnay, Central Coast. 2015. £15.99

Reds

MacMurray Pinot Noir, Central Coast. 2015. £21.50

MacMurray Pinot Noir, Russian River. 2015. £27.50

Rancho Zapaco Zinfandel, Dry Creek. 2014. £15.25

Frei Brothers Sonoma, Cabernet Sauvignon. 2015 £17.99

Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley. 2015. £19.95

All available in the UK from Great Western Wine.

August 2018. Lindsay Oram, Alsace WInes

Lindsay Oram presented Wines of Alsace. The wines were

Chateau de Riquewihr, Doppf & Irin. NV. Pinot Noir (Sparkling). £13.99 from House of Townsend

Vin d'Alsace, Hugel. 2016. Blend of 5 grapes. £9.50 from the Wine Society

Muscat Reserve, Trimbach. 2015. Muscat. £14.95 from the Wine Society.

Kuentz-Bas Trois Chateau. 2014. Pinot Gris. Not available in the UK

Cave Vinicole de Hunawihr, Stone Heart. 2015. Riesling. Not available in the UK

Domaine Weinbach, Grand Cru Schlossberg. 2015. Riesling. £32 ex-bond from Justerini & Brooks

Domaine Zind-Humbrecht, Clos Windsbuhl, 2015. Gewurztraminer. £12.99 from Majestic

Domaine Bott Geyl Alsace Grand Cru Sonnenglanz. 2010. Gewurztraminer.. £17.68 ex bond from JN Wines

July 2018. Languedoc and Piedmont. Bill & Keith

This evening was presented by our very own Bill & Keith. Keith presented wines from Languedoc, where he visits every year, all wines bought in France. Bill presented wines from the other side of the Alps, from Piedmont in Italy.

The wines were:

Whites

Chateau Rives Blanques. Blanquette de Limoux (Mauzac), 2016. €10.80

Araldica Vini Piemontese. (Cortese) 2017. Wine Society £5.95

Chateau Rives Blanques. Dedicace 2017 (Chenin Blanc) €10.20

Cantina Del Nebbiolo. Langhe Nascetta 2016 (Nascetta) Wine Society £11.50

Reds

Ciabot Berton. Barbera d'Alba Fisetta (Barbera) Wine Society £10.95

Domaine Lorgeril. Chateau de Pennautier Cabardes 2015 (6 grape blend). Majestic £11.99/9.99

Luigi Einaudi. Dogliani 2016 (Dolcetto) Wine Society £11.50

Dessert

Chateau Rives Blanques..Lagremas D'Aur 2016 (Chenin Blanc) €13.50

All excellent wines and a good evening with over 40 people showing up

June 2018. Wines of Brazil. Nick Corfe

Nicholas Corfe – Go Brazil Wines www.gobrazilwines.com

Don Guerino Brut Chardonnay – Sparkling (Charmat method) - £15

Sinais Sauvignon Blanc 2017 - £11.50

Sinais Italico Riesling (AKA Welsch Riesling) - £11.50

Campo de Cima Viognier - £12.00

Aurora Varietal Pinot Noir 2015 - £7

Sinais Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 - £11.50

Don Guerino Reserva Telodego 2016 - £16

Pizzato Reserva Tannat 2012 - £18

Nick presented 8 wines from Brazil, all available direct from the website. He did say that Brazil is an expensive country, so the wines are all a touch more pricey than their competition, but not madly so.

Pretty well all of Brazils wines come from the very south of the country, close by Uruguay and Argentina – there are also some grown in the centre close by the equator.

The fizz was a well balanced, biscuitty style, which many liked, and at £15 compares well with many other decent sparkling wines.

The 2 Sinais whites, were yet another example of clean, fresh, well made whites – no complaints there, while the Viognier was a good example of the rich and oily Viogniers that I personally really like.

The Pinot Noir is, as Nick admitted, getting close to past its best, but many liked it, and if PN is your thing, its a steal at £7.

The Teroldego is an unusual grape variety from Northern Italy, and a good wine with hints of cherry & smokiness in there.

Finally, the Tannat, which at 6 years old, was still quite tannic – will it soften with age? Time will tell.