The start of a new season for the Upton Wine Appreciation Club and proof that no matter how long you have been enjoying your wine, it’s never too late to remind yourself about which grape is your favourite!
For September we tried some single grape variety wines to remind all members of the wide variety of tastes and to give everyone a steer on which wines to select when next buying a bottle. It is more unusual to get a single grape of wine these days, more common is a blend however, the opportunity to pick up that single flavour as a base marker, really helps for perhaps more complex wines to come later in the year!
Following a routine AGM where last year’s committee and Chairman were elected back in for a further year we took a look at our first wine, a typical French Sauvignon Blanc. Like many grapes it depends on where it is grown and how it is made that influences the taste. Looking at the colour, smell and of course taste we judged this wine against other whites made from the Chardonnay and Riesling grape. For the reds we looked at Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.
The beauty of a wine is that there are so many flavours which creates many opinions. All the wines tasted can be found on the Upton Wine Club’s website https://uptonwineclub.com/ . If you would like to try just two then we would recommend The Society’s Saar Riesling 2015 (£10.50), a classic taste for Riesling and something that would go well with any spicy dish due to it’s naturally low alcohol volume. For the red we recommend the Society’s Red Burgundy 2017 (£9.95). For a Pinot Noir, this is great value and will go well with a warming sausage casserole or some lamb! Both wines can be purchased from the Wine Society.
Next month we have invited Joie de Vin back to talk about some real gems from France that you will not find in any supermarket. These proved a real hit last year! If you would like to join the wine club or just come along and try it for an evening then please drop an email to our Chairman: ian.langley@yahoo.co.uk The October meeting is on the 17th between 8pm – 10pm, we hope to see you there!
Ian Langley (Chairman)