For March, we took a look at some exceptional wines but the principal
focus was on looking at what has changed throughout the years…and when
it comes to wine, the impact of what we are drinking, where we are
getting it from and how it has been made really has changed over the
years! We discussed a lot but a few examples of what we covered from the
evening are below.
Prosecco, as a really good example, was not a drink we may even have
heard of when the wine club started nearly 20 years ago. Back then, in the
UK approximately 200,000 bottles per year were being purchased.
Prosecco, was the name of the grape, not just the region and it could be
made anywhere in Italy. It took a few “suggestive” adverts staring Paris
Hilton and the ever-increasing popularity of the sparkling wine, for the
Italians to name the actual grape, Glera and make the Prosecco region a
DOCG classification (quality controlled region that defines how the wine is
made and restricts it from general production). Net result, over
120,000,000 bottles are sold in the UK today!
When it comes to specific wine styles, some of us will be old enough to
remember having a “Hock” or a Liebfraumilch with our Sunday lunches
back in the 70’s and 80’s. Hock was the brand we gave in the UK for
German sweet tasking wines, typically from the Rhine region, which
typically were Riesling. Back then, we described wines with their bottle or
region….a Claret, Burgundy, Blue Nun etc….often these were generic
blends but now we are much more specific, using wine varietals to define
what we like….. a Viognier, Malbec, Pinot Noir etc! Blue Nun was marketed
as something you can drink “right through the meal”, making it very
versatile and available to us all! We have all become a bit more educated
on the wine varieties over the years, even if we didn’t realise it! No more
“Hock” but Riesling has gone on to become a very popular grape we often
ask for in restaurants.
The fact we are producing as much wine as we do in Europe, is in no small
part down to the vines in the New World region of North America! How?
Well, it’s down to a small insect called Phylloxera. This small insect loves
grape vines and whilst it was first identified in the US back in the early 19th
century, it soon spread due to keen botanists in Victorian England bringing
samples of plants back as they visited North America. The vines from
these offshore regions became resistant to the bug but in Europe it wiped
out the vast majority of vines in a very short period of time. The bug lives
on and nearly all the wine you will get from Europe will have come from
vines grafted on to North American root stock to prevent the bug from
decimating the grapes and literally stopping production!
The Upton Wine Club loves tasting wine but will look for the stories
behind many of the wines we taste. There is no expectation of prior
knowledge of wine to come along to an evening, just the interest in trying
some different styles! For April, we are inviting back Tim North from
Joie de Vin, who has spent over 20 years travelling across France to bring
back some exceptional wines we typically wouldn’t find in our local
outlets. If you are interested in coming along, you will find out all the
details on our website www.uptonwineclub.co.uk I hope to see you
there!
Ian
UWAC Chairman
Wines from North America
Mention wines from North America and you could be forgiven for going
straight to California. After all, over 80% of wines from this continent
come from this area. To be fair, there are some exceptional wines from
California. Ever since the Paris wine tasting (also known as The Judgement
of Paris) happened in 1976, where the “great” wines from some of France’s
finest chateau’s were sampled against those lesser known, “lesser quality”
grape juices from across the pond. The blind tasting by some of the best
wine critics around found Californian wines to be better and the reputation
has stood the test of time!
This evening, we did sample some fine wines from California but also tried
to widen our palates by searching further afield, where we found some
exceptional wines. If you are seeking North American wines, you will most
likely come across American Viticultural Area (AVA’s). This is a little bit
like the Appellation areas we hear about in European wines. They are
areas awarded by the state that define, the area, soil type and some
restrictions on where grapes are grown, so a level of quality control can be
given over the wine produced. Look out for this as it will give you some
level of consistency on the wine you are buying. That said there are 100’s
of AVA’s across America.
We had around 40 members from the village join us this month, which was
great to see. To be fair there were favourite wines from across the
continent but a few worth noting included a great opening wine from North
Washington State, a Chenin Blanc from Kiona winery. With long hot days
ripening the grape, this wine had a lovely sweetness but due to excessive
heat the grapes created an acidy that is unusual in these wines. Seriously
worth trying if you like your hors d’oeuvres or sea food! Equally
favourable was a Pinot Noir from the Skolo Blosser estate in Dundee Hills,
Oregon. Oregon has a reputation for high quality wines, with around 60%
of the region’s wines coming from the Pinot grape. If you like this grape
and want to move away from France or New Zealand, then this is definitely
worth a try.
Last but by no means least, we finished with an ice wine from Pelee island,
Canada. Vidal grapes are left on the vine whilst the temperature drops to
just below -8 degrees C. They are then picked, and gently crushed to
extract a very sweet juice, which is then made into an incredibly rich,
sweet tasting wine. This is an expensive wine but worth every penny. Try
it with some strong blue cheese or any sweet dessert!
For more information on the wines we tried or if you would like to come
along to our next evening (8-10pm on the 20th March), where we will be
trying wines from across the ages, please visit our website:
www.uptonwines.com
Hope to see you there!
Ian (Chairman)
Wine Club – Can or Bottle?
“CAN you tell the difference?”
It was a record January attendance at the Wine Club, with 38 members
signing up to the monthly meeting! This time we took the unprecedented
decision to let our members taste wine packaged in something other than a
bottle. This follows the trend in convenient packaging, well established in
the US and now taking off in the UK.
We are used to seeing cans of beer in the supermarkets and maybe over
Christmas Santa put a can containing a cocktail mix in your stocking? You
may have noticed a lot more wine in boxes and the odd can on the
supermarket shelves as well? From a supplier perspective, cans and boxes
(bag-in-box or BIB) can be produced more cheaply than bottles. As a
consumer you may appreciate the convenience of taking cans to a picnic or
one for the train home? From an environmental aspect, aluminium cans
consume much less energy to produce than glass bottles and are easier to
recycle – and weigh less, so cheaper to transport. And if you need to chill a
wine quickly, it’s easier when you are looking at cans rather than a bottle.
What did our members think….? Well, by no means scientific but no one
was able to identify all six wines we served from cans over those from a
bottle or box. Overall, red wine from a can was slightly better received –
interesting as you might associate the crisp freshness a can offers with
white wine.
So, if you’re taking wine to a festival/picnic or just coming home on the
train and fancy a quick glass of wine, a can may well be the answer!
We also had a look at the new generation of plastic glasses available –
crystal clear, dishwasher-friendly, and virtually unbreakable – made from a
new material called Tritan. A glass with a wide bottom and no stem is less
likely to fall over on the picnic rug or get knocked over on the train!!!
Next month (21st February) we will be looking at wines from various regions
of North America. Hope to see you all there and if you are new to the
wine club and want to come and give it a try, please visit our website and
get in touch! https://uptonwineclub.com/
Ian (Chairman)
November Wine Club – Celebrity Wines
For some time now, members have been asking if we could take a look
at wines endorsed by celebrities. It’s a huge market but is it a gimmick to
make a fast buck or is there actually something in it? There are well over
100 celebrity wines to choose from, we took a look at a few in our
November Wine Club Meeting.
Our first wine was from one Kylie Minogue’s selections, a Pink
Prosecco. Like Kylie herself, this has a great following, with over 7
million bottles sold last year in the UK! Very drinkable and went down
well with most members. Think fresh and frothy raspberries with
pear but not too sickly!
We then moved on to Graham Norton’s Sauvignon Blanc. This is a wine
that was already established in 2008 by two Kiwi wine makers. One day
whilst visiting London they decided to “invite” themselves on to the
Graham Norton Show, with the offer of some free wine…..a few bottles
later and Graham accepted their offer of endorsing the wine! This is well
made and shows all the characteristics of a good New Zealand SB! With
over 2 million bottles sold a year, we would tend to agree.
We left Graham and headed over to South Africa, for a Chenin Blanc
called Big Easy – a reference to Earnie Els, once the worlds number one
golfer. He teamed up with Louis Strydom, an infamous wine maker in
South Africa to produce to exceptional wines. Mainly, some would say
because Louis only signed up on the basis that Ernie stuck to his golf and
he took care of the wines! The result is a lovely fresh wine full of early
spring jasmine and topical peaches. Try is as something different to kickstart your dinner party this Christmas.
We next went to James Martin’s Chardonnay Marsanne blend. My Favorite
wine of the evening although it was not to everyone’s taste! 80%
Chardonnay gave the wine both floral and fruity citrus notes but with a
balance of Marsanne, you get some buttery notes. Time has been taken to
allow this wine to ferment in barrels with some aging on the lees (the yeast
and stems that are found with the wine during fermentation), giving it
more complexity and a sophisticated taste.
You can’t have a celebrity wine evening without a wine from Brad and
Angelina’s Miraval estate. This was a Rose, Cotes de Provence. As is well
documented, their split several years ago means neither have too much to
do with the wine but it still gets 89 points in Decanter. This wine is very
good with savory red fruit and peppery spice, accompanied by a pounced
prickly acidity – well what else would you expect!
Next we tried an organic wine by Gary Barlow. He has several in his range.
This wine comes from central Castilla region and is very pleasant,
displaying notes of small hedgerow fruits, herbs and dark cocoa. If you are
having a meat board or tapas then this wine is well worth a try!
We moved on to a wine from Gordon Ramsay, called Intenso Rosso. Like
Gordon, you would expect it to pack a punch and we were not
disappointed! Made by Alberto Antonini, it comes from Tuscany and is a
blend of grapes that produces a dark fruit taste with herbs and spices but a
crisp acidity. Complex and really good value for money, this was well
received by the members.
For our final wine we went back to Erney Els and his Major Series wines
from Stellenbosch. 100% Cab Sauv, this was not a Bordeaux classic but it
stood out in its own right, with aromas of warm blackberry crumble
pudding and sharp ripe cherry, finished with a touch of oak.
This month also saw the sad passing of a hugely loved Wine Club member
and a great supporter of our Village, Simon Powell. We raised a glass to
Simon with a very kind donation by Hilary of some 1966 vintage Taylor
port. Like Simon, this wine was exceptional and will never be forgotten!
We did only try a few celebrity wines over the evening but for some there
was more than just a name behind the wine and with the amount of wine
consumed by the younger population falling, it may well be that this is just
one way of keeping wines going – it would be a shame to loose such variety!
If you would like to come along and try our Wine Club then please go on to
our website for more details www.uptonwineclub.co.uk
Ian (Chairman
‘Wine Club – South African Wines
For October, we welcomed our first external speaker of the season, Preet
Sahota from Edgmond Wine, who talked about wines from South Africa.
When thinking about South African wines, we often think of regions such
as Stellenbosh or Paarl. As an alternative, Preet took us to a Skerfberg, a
region further North, where we tasted some wines, mainly from Villa
Esposto, who make wine from small parcels of vineyards, that some have
compared to those of more famous regions, such as Burgundy.
First we tried a Villa Esposto Sauvignon Blanc 2022. If you are not a “SB”
fan, or even if you are and want to try something very different than the
go to French or NewZeland favourites then this is worth a try. Made from
vines 30 years old, this is drinkable now but also will keep and offers a
very different taste to that of the normal “SB”. A lovely complex wine
that would go still work with white fish or a creamy pasta!
Next we tried a Chenin Blanc from the Olifantsrivier region. Again from
old vines (planted 45 years ago) from several vineyards, that give a
unique taste. A more unusual Chenin Blanc to try, which went down well
with the members.
To compare, we then tried another Chenin Blanc from a single vineyard
from Villa Esposto. At nearly twice the price of the one just tried, this
would have to be exceptional – and it did not disappoint. Full of tropical
notes, this had depth and length that would allow the wine to be enjoyed
on it’s own but also with food – think of a Sunday roast and something a bit
different – yum!
We then moved on to some reds. Our first was a Malbec from Blake Family
Wine. Fermented in stainless steel tanks and matured in French oak
barrels, this again, gave members something different to try than perhaps
your go to regions of France or Argentina for a Malbec.
The Klawer region of South Africa is in the Western Cape province and has
been compared to Bordeaux in terms of its terroir and climate. This
produces some interesting wines you may wish to compare for a bit of
“fun”. 2021 had perfect climate conditions for grapes in this region and
most wines produced were of very high quality. This was no exception and
with delicious red berry flavours pouring through made for a really
enjoyable wine!
Our next wine was found by mistake….stuck at the back of a stock room
bound for another supplier who had gone out of business, it had remained
there for several years. It was a 2018 Pinotage and the years had been
very kind to the wine. A really good example of what you get when you are
able to leave the wine for a few years, this proved to be the most popular
wine of the evening.
Our last red for the evening was a Cabernet Merlot 2021 from Villa Esposto.
70% Cab Sauv and 30% merlot blend. A wonderful wine that was not
necessarily trying to compete with similar wines from Bordeaux but would
give them a run for their money!
We finished with a dessert wine. These sweet wines are not for everyone
but if you are a fan then this was one is very much worth a try. Villa
Esposto Muscat d’Alexandrie 2021. A sweet wine produced from old vines,
planted in 1969, that have low yields but pure nectar!
The evening was really well received by everyone. Next month, we are
looking at wines that are associated with famous people….Ian “beefy”
Botham, Graham Norton, Kyle, Angelina & Brad….just famous names or does
that add something to the wine…we’ll find out! If you are not a member
and would like to join us on Wednesday 15th November at the village hall,
please take a look at our website for details www.uptonwineclub.co.uk
Ian
Chairman
Supermarket Wines at the Wine Club
September saw the return of the 19th season for the Upton Wine Club.
With 45 residents from our village joining us at the village hall, we had a
brilliant start to our first meeting!
With the AGM formalities out the way, we took some time to look at
Supermarket wines and asked ourselves whether or not there was value
for money in the many wines to choose from. We reminded ourselves
just how much wine we were buying, when taking into consideration the
production, marketing, duty that we have to pay when purchasing wine.
For a £6.50 bottle, as an example, you are actually only paying for about
35 pence of wine!
Our first wine of the evening was a common grape variety from the Rias
Baixas region of Spain, an Albarino from Tesco’s finest range, called
Vinas del Rey. If you like the crisp, citrus notes of lemon and orange
that you get from these grapes grown near the coast then this is really
worth a try. If you love any type of shellfish then do try this or any other
Albarino!
We then went on to a blended wine, Greenache blanc, Vermentino and
Clairette from California. Again sourced from Teso called Le Cigare
Blanc, produced by Bonny Doon. Initially Bonny Doon vineyards tried to
replicate the Burgundy style of wines, which proved a challenge and so
they started looking at replicating Rhone style wines with much greater
success. Full of peach fruit flavours with jasmine fragrance, it had a
mixed reception from our members, especially at £17 per bottle.
We then turned to ALDI for our next wine for another Rhone blend style
wine. This was from Paarl in South Africa called Cambalala. This wine is
made by a female producer called Trizanne who is making a number of
signature wines. This was a dry, medium body wine with classic
Grenache, Roussanne Marsanne blend. A very nice wine with a creamy
nummy depth and citrus flavours. A great alternative to Rhone wines and
well worth a try.
The final wine for the evening was definitely a variety that is known for
it’s strong and varied flavours. We tasted a Gewurztraminer from LIDL
called Camille Meyer. From the Alsace region in France, this was cooperative wine, where grapes were harvested from several vineyards to
produce a fine, well priced bottle. Although this wine was 13% vol, quite
high for a Gewurztraminer, it would go very well with spicy foods such as
a Thai curry. At a price point of just under £8, offered great value for
money.
Our first red was a Grenache/Garnacha blend from the Rhone region in
France. Called Vacqueyras and sourced from LIDL. Priced at just under
£10, this offered really good value for what was a full bodied wine full of
black berry and bramble notes. If you want as nice wine to go with
perhaps your first beef stew of the year, then this is well worth a try!
We then tried a wine from the well know wine producer, Margaux. This
was a fifth-grown estate wine, so technically not Margaux’s finest grapes
but still allowed us to understand why wines from this Chateaux are so well
known for their quality. Sold by M&S under their Collection range, this was
definitely a level above other reds but at a price of £22, was it value for
money? Decanter gave it 92 points and Jancis Robinson gave it 93, so it
got their vote! If you would like to try a Margaux, then this is worth a try,
with classic flavours of blackcurrant, plum and spice from the Cabernet
Sauvignon Merlot blend.
Next, we tried a grape variety they many did not recognise by may would
have tried. The Touriga Nacional grape from Portugal is used in many ports
to give it some structure and recently has been used to produce wine on
it’s own. From ALDI, called Mimo Moutinho, this was arguably the stand
out value for money wine of the evening. A lovely dry wine with notes of
liquorice and blackberries, full of structure and a great wine to go with
cold meats, mild cheeses or your chicken roast on a Sunday! Priced at
under £7, this was very well received by our members.
For our final wine, we went back to Tesco and their Finest range. They
have teamed up with Nicolas Cantena, who has become famous for bringing
the Malbec grape back from near extinction by making in one of his main
grape varieties planted in his Argentinian vineyards of Mendoza. Cantena
wines demand a high price so being able to try his wines at £13, this again
was felt to be very good value. Most people who like Malbec, will be
familiar flavours of Damson and blackberry fruit with a touch of black
pepper finish. This did not disappoint and again was well worth a try!
Next month, on the 18th October we have invited Edmonson Wines to come
and present wines from South Africa. If you are not a member but wanted
to try our wine club, then please go to our website for all the details you
need to come along! www.uptonwineclub.co.uk
Ian
Chairman
May Wine Club – Quality Wines
Have you ever wondered why some wines can be purchased for a perhaps
£10 but others cost considerably more? What’s the difference and are they
“worth the price”? In May, we looked at some wines that were in the region
of £30 per bottle and asked ourselves this very question.
We started the evening by sampling two Rieslings. The first was from
Austria by a wine producer called Johann Donabaum. This was a very dry
wine, fresh and with tones of lime and white pepper. The second was
called The Florita and was from Clare Valley, Australia. Not perhaps where
you might first expect to find a Riesling but made by Jim Barry, known for
his excellent quality wines. Another dry wine full of lemon and lime zest.
Rieslings are great wines for spicy foods as their alcoholic content is lower,
allowing you to enjoy the flavours in the food even more.
Our next two wines were made from the Chardonnay grape. The first was a
Burgandy wine from Poully-Fuisse, famous for quality Chardonnay wine,
called Domaine Ferrand. The rich complex aromas of exotic fruit and
vanilla were created in part by aging some of the wine in French oak casks
“on lees” – or with some of the stems, pipes etc. still in contact with the
juice to create a unique flavour. In contrast the second wine was from a
well known vineyard called Sleepy Hollow, Santa Lucia Highlands in
California. Carefully selected, hand-harvested grapes that again were aged
in 100% French oak barrels, which gave a wonderful taste of pink lady
apples, pineapple and caramelised brown sugar.
Our next two wines came from the Rhone region in France. The first was
from the Gigondas region by the wine producer, Domaine St Damien. This
was a full-bodied wine, rich with intense flavours of warm fig and dark
chocolate. Our second wine came from the well known region of
Chateauneuf-du-Pape and was called Chateau Fortia. A brilliant example of
a wine from this region that produced a flavour of black fruit jam and
spice, having been matured in oak barrels for 24 months.
We finished the evening with two wines from Bordeaux. Our first wine was
from an AOC region in Medoc called St Estephe and a vineyard called
Chateau Le Haye. A well blended Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and
Merlot. The wine had good length with flavours of Cassis and blackcurrant.
Our final wine was another real treat. A Chateau Violet Sauternes desert
wine. A wonderful sweet wine that would go with sweet desserts or cheese
to finish an evening. Made from grapes that are only harvested when a
special fungi called botrytis has grown on the grapes, making them small
but very rich in flavour, with notes of candied fruit and a beautiful rich
taste of apricots and peach fruit.
So, were they worth the price? As always, that’s down to the individual but
if you consider that these bottles would set you back between £80-£100
typically in a restaurant, then the option to buy some and enjoy a very nice
meal in with friends becomes very attractive! If you wanted to try any of
the wines, they came from Strictly wine and Grape minds, both local wine
merchants.
The next wine meeting is on the 21st June and will mark the end of season
for this year. We would love to see you there for some fun, food and the
odd glass or two!!!
Ian Langley
Chairman Upton Wine Club
For further information, please see our website: www.uptonwineclub.com
April – Wines of Bohemia
It was really good to see such a large number of members and some new to
the Upton Wine Club come along to the village hall for a presentation on
wines across the Czech Republic. Known perhaps more for its consumption
of beer, it was good to hear Alzbeta (Betty) Sutera from Wines of Bohemia
take us all through a fascinating tour of some excellent wines that we may
not have thought of trying.
We started the evening, as we sometimes do, with a sparkling wine called
Chateau Radyne. Made with Welshriesling and Gruner Veltliner grapes,
using the traditional method (second fermentation in the bottle – just like
champagne), this wonderful wine was a great opener for the evening. Dry
and crisp, it is a great alternative from perhaps your normal go to sparkling
wines.
Our first white, from the Cech Winery, was called Veltlinske Zelene. Made
from 100% Gruner Veltniner, a grape variety mostly grown in Austria. It
came with some wonderful fresh green apple, peppery flavours that would
make it a great summer wine.
The next wine was a white from a winery called Svoboda. They had
produced a wine from a variety called Welshriesling, not to be confused
with the more common Riesling grown worldwide. The same grape as used
in the sparkling wine produced a lovely wine tasting of gooseberry and
clean minerality, created by the chalk soils where the vines are grown.
Our last white divided the audience, which was great! Some thought it was
the best wine of the evening, whilst others found it a little too powerful!
The Castle Winery and vineyards have produced a wine from the Palava
variety grape called Herbium. The result was a complex wine with hints of
rose petal and lychee. A great wine to try for your next curry, rather than
perhaps the usual Riesling?
Our first red of the evening was called Rulandske Modre and came again
from the Castle Winery and Vineyards producer (ZVB). As soon as it was
poured, it looked and smelt like a Pinot Noir. We were not disappointed,
with very familiar flavours of strawberry and cherry jam. It was a light
Pinot Noir and those wanting the more complex deeper flavours of a
Burgundy may be disappointed. However, for the price, it could not be
beaten and was a firm favourite across all members.
Our next red was a Neronet grape from the Cech Winery. It was great to
try some different grapes and again this one did not disappoint. Neronet is
a cross-bred grape from several dark grapes, producing a rich dark red fruit
wine, rich in sour cherries and cassis flavours. Definitely worth a try if you
want to have something different.
Our next red was produced by the Horak Winery and named
Svatovavrinecke. The grape, St Laurent, is the most popular grape grown
across the Czech and is from the Pinot family. The wine was a lovely deep
red, which had been aged in oak barrels for 24 months.
Our final wine for the evening, was Frankovka, produced by Tanzberg
winery. A wonderful deep red with notes of forest fruit and plenty of
depth. Definitely one that goes better with food and a great wine for a
special with friends.
There was plenty of interest and on this occasion, orders, from our
members. If you are interested in any of the above wines, check out Betty
on www.bohemiawine.com.
For May, we will be bringing some high-end wines for our members to try
and asking – “are they worth the extra ££££?”
For further information, please see our website: www.uptonwineclub.com
Greek Wines at the Wine Club
Our March meeting was an evening sampling Greek wines, presented by
members of the club – occasionally interrupted by bouzouki music.
Having been making wine for several thousand years, Greece is home to
some 300 varieties of indigenous grape. Most of these varieties are unheard
of outside the wine producers, and probably only one (Assyrtiko) has made
it to other countries. The evening was an opportunity to taste and learn
about 8 indigenous varieties, albeit ones not easy to find in this country.
Debra Paul opened the evening with a Savatiano from Central Greece,
made by a lady winemaker Vasiliki Akriotou. A gold medal winner, this dry and
creamy white has caught the attention of Julia Harding MW on Jancis
Robinson’s web site, who described it as outstanding and very good value.
Natalie Morgan followed with a Robola from Cephalonia of Captain Corelli
fame, a fresh and aromatic wine. From vines grown at an altitude of 600m
on Mount Ainos, this mineral and acidic white has also been praised by the
critics, James Suckling awarding it a high 92 points.
Mike Collins presented an Assyrtiko made by Karavitakis in western Crete.
Santorini is the home of assyrtiko, a mineral almost saline white. However
the desperately difficult growing conditions there – on volcanic rock with
very little rainfall and strong winds – mean that yields there are low,
although quality is superb. This, coupled with demand for land to build
holiday homes, has led to ever-increasing prices for Santorini Assyrtiko,
making it comparable to Chablis. Fortunately, the grape is now grown
elsewhere in Greece, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa,
California, Italy, and even in trials in Champagne. This is a grape to watch
for the future.
The final white of the evening was shown by Dermot Paddon, a Malagousia
from Vourvokeli in Thrace, northern Greece. Alongside some other Greek
varieties, this grape was rescued from extinction by a couple of
winemakers. This aromatic wine featured spice and floral flavours with a
tropical fruit backbone.
Brian Rippon showed the first red of the evening, an Agiorgitiko from
Domaine Skouras in the Peloponnese. This grape, allegedly pronounced AYE
-yor-YEE-tee-ko, is probably the Greek red that you’re most likely to find in
this country – should you be lucky enough to find one at all in a wine
merchants or on a restaurant list (most supermarkets are yet to discover
them…). Delicious and easy drinking but sweetly fruited and aromatic, this
could probably be enjoyed slightly chilled in a hot Greek taverna! Another
one that has drawn praise with 92 points from James Suckling.
Fiona Poole entertained everyone with her showing of a Liatiko from
Douloufakis in Crete. This early-ripening grape, named after Iouliatiko,
meaning ‘of July’, is up-and-coming, following its earlier decline in favour.
This was a wine that has benefitted from 12 months in oak, making it silky
but not at all oaky.
The evening concluded with a couple of stunning reds. Derek Whitmell
showed a Xinomavro from Alpha Estate, named ‘Hedgehog’ because of the
nesting site of these inhabitants in the single vineyard in which the grapes
are grown. Jancis Robinson described it as a very individual wine that
shows Xinomavro’s distinction well. Dermot Paddon followed with a
Moschomavro from Magoutes – another rare variety rescued from extinction
by the producer, and yet again one which Jancis Robinson raved about:
‘utterly captivating’ and ‘charmingly fragrant’.
The wines were sourced from Maltby & Greek, Strictly Wine, and The Wine
Society.
Members enjoyed a selection of Greek snacks produced by Natalie Morgan
and Giulia Rippon, and the wines mostly impressed and probably surprised
those present.
At our next meeting on 19th April we look forward to a presentation of
Czech wines, shown by Betty Novotna from Wines of Bohemia Ltd. Whether
you are an existing member or would like to come along as a guest, we
hope to see you there! You really don’t need to know anything about wine
to be able to enjoy the evening…
All the details can be found at
Brian (mail@uptonwineclub.com)
Wine Club – Value for money.
February is the month to celebrate your love! And so, not to be left out, we celebrated our love of wine this month by sampling some very special bottles of wine…..or did we? If you did want to buy a slightly (or a lot) more expensive wine to celebrate Valentines Day, then you may have looked for a well known grape variety…a Chardonnay or Pinot Noir for example. You may also have looked for a well known region…a Rioja or Sancerre? There is a price to pay for these wines but is it worth it? We decided to put it to the test and “tasted” eight quality wines that were in the region of £30 per bottle….in reality only four of the wines presented were genuine! The other four were still good wines but at least half the price of what we said they were….could anyone tell the difference?
The first wine was a Sancerre called La Demoiselle (£34.99 from Majestic). Sancerre wines have a particular price tag because of the chalky, flinty soils giving the sauvignon blanc grape a particular flavour. If you like it, then it does tase different from other wines made by the same grape and is worth trying!
The second wine was presented a high end quality Chablis Premier Cru at £35 per bottle. In reality, it was the Exhibition Chablis from the Wine Society at half the price. Due to the vulnerability of the seasons in this region, the wine will reflect the quantity produced….so, whilst a great wine, you may also be paying for it’s rarity for that year!
Our third wine came from the Rioja region and was presented as a £25 bottle of Conde Valdemar – a very fine white Rioja. In reality, members were trying a £11.49 Nivarius (Strictly wine). Again a wonderful Rioja but at a fraction of the price. Rioja is well know for it’s red wines but don’t overlook some white wines, they can be exceptional!
Our last white of the evening was presented as a quality £40 viognier called Condrieu. In reality it was a £14.99 viognier called Saint Clair (Waitrose). This wine has had a bit of a resurgence of late, nearly going into extinction several years ago due to lack of popularity. If you like the intense tropical flavours of apricot and peach then do try this grape!
Our first red of the evening was a pinot noir. If you are looking for a classic, then look no further than Burgundy and the well known region of Nuits-Saint-Georges. We tasted a Domaine Jean Chauvenet wine at £30. A really good example of wine from this region.
Our second red was a zinfandel grape and was presented as a £24.99 bottle called Decoy (clue in the name there!). In reality, we tasted a 7.49 Definition wine from Majestic (who do a range of Definition wines showing off a very good baseline for many grapes).
When thinking of well known quality wines, it is difficult not to include a wine from Chateauneuf-du-pape. We tasted a £29.95 Domaine de la Solitude from Strictly wine. Climate change has had an effect on this area, with more sun, increasing the sugar content in the grapes. Net result is that the alcohol content has increase by 2% over the past 30 years. The wine is changing but as it can be produced by blending over thirteen different grape varieties, producers are still creating some high quality wines!
The final wine of the evening was a wonderful deep Merlot form Bordeaux, near Saint-Emilion called Chateau Puy Guilhem Fronsac (Strictly Wine, £25.99). A great example of fine wine from this region and probably the best received wine of the evening.
So what was the conclusion? Hard to say, in reality all the wines were quality and without knowing any different, the general consensus was that they were all enjoyed! So is there value in spending a bit more for a bottle of wine? For me, part of the enjoyment of a wine is knowing the love and care that goes in to the making of it. Usually produced from small parcels of land with huge amounts of love and care put in to the production of the wine, which will make it taste just that little bit more special…and who doesn’t like sharing something a little special for what you love!
On the 15th March, we will be looking at wines from Greece. If you would like to come along, all the details can be found on www.uptonwineclub.com Hope to see you there!
Ian – Chairman