As a bit of fun and to explore different grape varietals from different Countries the Committee was tasked to scoured the four corners of the Globe to discover these wines.

The first wine of the evening was the Chapel Down Bacchus 2013 – England. (The Wine Society £11.95) located in Tenterden Kent and produced from the bacchus grape and produces a crisp refreshing wine with a gooseberry-tinged finish the Bacchus grape is sometimes referred to as the “English Sauvignon Blanc”. A bright fresh crisp wine uncomplicated with little body.

Next was the Dveri Pax Sipon (Furmint) 2012 – Slovenia (The Wine Society £9.95). Furmint is a white Hungarian wine grape variety that is widely grown in the Tokaj-Hegyalja region where it is used to produce single-varietal dry wines as well as being the principal grape in the better known Tokaji dessert wines. In Slovenia where it is known as Šipon it has a typical pale yellow colour with golden hues. A delicate nose of apples and pears and lemons. Bone dry, with cutting acidity.

The third wine was an old “favourite?” with a new modern concept. Retsina Tetramythos – Greece (Marks & Spencer £7.95) from wine maker Panagiotis Papagiannoupoulos a Retsina made exclusively from organically grown Roditis grapes grown on north facing vineyards on the north coast of the Peloponnese near the town of Aegeon. The resin is collected by hand from the pine trees adjacent to the vineyards, adding one kilo of resin for every 1,000 litres of wine. Described as delicate, herby with pine flavours, but fruity and moreish by the use of superior roditis grapes, the wine is fermented in clay jars with wild yeast but without the oxidation familiar to Greek café retsina. An improvement from the retsina I used to drink a few years ago but still an acquired taste.

The last white of the evening was the “Orange wine” Tblvino Quevris 2011 – Georgia (Marks & Spencer £8.99) from the Kakheti Region of Georgia. Described as a dry, gently-textured and quince-flavoured wine, this is an “amphora” wine using an ancient and traditional maturation method unique to the Eastern Georgia. The grape juice and skins are fermented together, then partially matured in large clay jars known as Qvevri that are buried in the earth for several months, developing the wine’s rich, unique style. There were comments of this wine tasting of sherry and even stewed apples. Being fremented on the skins the wine has tannins similar to red wine which is only found in “Orange” white wines.

Now for the Reds…..

To begin we went to Turkey where we tasted the Kalecik Karası from Vinkara 2012 – Turkey (The Wine Society £9.50). The Vinkara winery is based in Kalecik, a town in the mountainous region north-east of Ankara. The Anatolia region, which encompasses most of Turkey, has a wine making tradition dating back to 3000BC, but during the country’s turbulent political journey both the levels of production and the quality diminished. The vineyards are surrounded by mountains, creating an ideal microclimate for viticulture. As well as “European” grape varieties indigenous Turkish varieties such as öküzgözü, bogazkere, emir, narince as well as kalecik karasi are grown. A very pale red wine light and fruity reminiscent of a pinot noir and could possibly be served chilled under the hot Turkish sun.

The second red was an Intenso Teroldego – Brazil (£9.95 Marks & Spencer). Brazil is the largest country in Latin America and considered the fifth largest wine producer in the Southern Hemisphere, and has been making wine since the beginning of its colonization, but it was the arrival of Italian immigrants, starting in 1875, that brought importance to the activity. This wine is a collaboration between M&S winemaker Jeneve Williams and Brazilian winemaker Lucindo Copat to create this wine which is produced in the town of Bento. The winegrowing region of Gonçalves is situated in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brasil roughly 500K north of Uruguay. Teroldego is a red Italian grape variety grown primarily in the northeastern region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy. Hints of spicy red fruits, tar, pine, and almond. Its acidity makes it a versatile food wine. A medium-bodied red wine with intense blackberry aromas, unoaked.

The penultimate wine was the Jewel of Nasik Tempranillo Syrah – India (£6.99 Marks & Spencer). From the Nasik winegrowing area in India M&S winemaker Jeneve Williams’ (she’s busy isn’t she?) led her to the unique region of Nasik, high up in the hills of Maharashtra northeast of Mumbai. At Sula Vineyards, she has teamed up with specialist local winemaker Ajoy Shaw and owner Rajeev Samant to create this red blend. The grapes are sustainably grown and are harvested during the dry season to avoid the monsoon and at night when the warm days give way to chilly hillside evenings. Described as a vibrant red wine that’s ready to drink now, and makes a mouthwatering partner for spicy curries like lamb rogan josh or slow-cooked red meat casseroles with beef or venison with 70% Tempranillo and 30% Shiraz grapes. Not a hit with the Club though!

The final wine of the evening, another red was:

The Stobi Winery, Vranec 2011 – Macedonia (£9.99 Wine Rack) An intense, deep inky purple wine made from the unique local grape Vranec. It has a nose of morello cherry overlaid with roast coffee and liquorice. A tasty and characterful wine with crushed blackberry flavours and easy, rounded tannins. For food pairing it makes a great partner for dishes like roast pork, home-made pies, baked pasta dishes or a plate of mature cheese.

A show of hands at the end of the evening showed the Chapel Down Bacchus and the Dveri Pax Sipon were the favourite whites and the Stobi Winery Vranec the favorite red of the evening.

All in all an interesting evening introducing different grape varieties and blends which may make you want to try them again or want to avoid!

The next meeting is on Wednesday 18^th February in the Village Hall where Lee Isaacs from The Oxford Wine Company will be doing a talk on his specialist wine subject – Argentinian Wines.

Kevin Jacklin

In May James from Majestic Abingdon delivered a witty and informative talk on Wines for Summer; with some lovely examples of wines for the BBQ season.

We started the evening off well with a Bouvet Samur Rose Brut NV (£8.99) which was a perfect light aperitif wine made from the Cabernet Franc grape, a crisp, clean fruity little sparkler.

We then moved on to the Whites with the first White being a Torres Vina Esmeralda, an aromatic blend of Gewurztraminer and Muscat which had aromas of honeysuckle and ripe pears and was quite unusual. The final White was a well balanced complex Sauvignon Blanc (Santa Ema SB Reserva 2013) from the Leyda Valley which tasted of grapefruit and passion fruit with a herby background.

The Red wines started with a light Giles Gelin 2011 Fleurie, which was full of fresh crushed berries and would pair well with pork chops or meat pates. The Majestic BBQ Summer Sizzler for the evening was the Parcel Series Shiraz 2012 at £5.99 after discount which was rich and fruity and went down well with the members.

The final two Red wines of the evening were also very enjoyable and were my personal favourites. The Passimento 2011, Pasqua was a deep, dark wine with concentrated berry fruits and a touch of leather and spice with grippy tannins and a long finish. The Ben Marco Malbec 2012 was another complex wine with ripe red fruits and a hint of vanilla and mocha; this wine would be perfect with a big juicy steak cooked on the BBQ.

And that was the end of another very enjoyable evening at the wine club 🙂

Frankie Jacklin

With an attendance of 45 members we started with the Bronelli Ortrugo 2012 12.5% Italy (2012). Light, crisp, fruity with gentle bubbles – and a great alternative to Prosecco. From the Emilia Romagna region this is made from a local grape found exclusively in the area of Colli Piacentini. Nice and light and at 12.5% would make a nice aperitif or spending an afternoon drinking in the sun. Next up was Gaia Notios White 2012 Greece 12% (£13.50) Greek wines still tend to raise a snigger. But this crisp, aromatic shows just how drinkable they can be. A blend of two local pink-sinned grape varieties from the Peloponnese has produced a wine with floral aromas with grapefruit flavours, a steely core & a dry finish. Gaia, the producer, has two wineries, one on the mainland and one on Santorini. The company is at the forefront of showcasing indigenous Greek grape varieties to wine lovers worldwide. El Supremo Torrontes 2012 13.7% Argentina (£9.50) The grapes for this are grown 650 metres above sea level in the Maipu region of Mendoza. Aromas of wildflowers & honeysuckle, but with a dry, grassy palate & light spicy finish. It avoids the hard and oily texture that overripe Torrontes can suffer from. Lupin Frangy Rousette de Savoie 2012 12.5% France (£13.50) Roussette de Savoie is a French appellation near the Swiss border, where the late-ripening Altesse grape grows. Which is also known as Roussette, just to confuse you. It produces a mellow, soft and rounded wine lifted by a lively acidity. Domaine Lupin is run along organic lines by Bruno Lupin and this wine, is made from grapes grown in one of the best cru in the region, Frangy. Great with Vacherin and baked cheeses, it also works very well with freshwater fish like trout.

The reds began with Eduardo Miroglio Soli Pinot Noir 2011 13% Bulgaria (£10.95). Produced by an Italian Eduardo Miroglio from the village of Elenovo, Thrace, Bulgaria. A medium-bodied Bourgogne Rouge in style, this has red fruit and a fresh finish. Gran Cerdo (Big Pig) Tempranillo 2012 13% (Biodynamic) Rioja Alta, Spain (£8.75). Produced by Gonzalo Gonzalo Grijalba. The Tempranillo grapes are organic and the wine is not fined or filtered and minimal sulphur added. All enjoyed the winemaker’s dedication to Bankers on the back label but the wine was not to everyone’s taste. Could have done with decanting beforehand as there was lots of sediment. Moric Blaufränkisch 2012 12.5% Austria (£21.00). Weingut Moric is considered to be the best producer of Blaufrankisch in Austria. Blaufränkisch (German for blue Frankish) is a dark-skinned variety of grape late-ripening variety, producing red wines which are typically rich in tannin and a spicy character. The majority of members liked the wine but found the price a bit off-putting although a couple of members would pay it. And finally, Chateau Ksara Reserve du Couvent Bekaa Valley, Lebanon 2011 13.5% (£10.50) A blend of Cabernet Franc (25%) Cabernet-Sauvignon (20%) and Syrah (55%).A complex aroma of cloves, vanilla and mulberry. Château Ksara Founded in 1857 by Jesuit Priests has been producing wine in the Bekaa Valley Lebanon for over 150 years. This was more to the member’s price bracket and taste. A nice well balanced Bordeaux/Rhone style.

Overall the wines were well received and everyone had an enjoyable time and there was a lot of positive feedback on the night and lots of enquiries about the evening’s wine supplier – Park & Bridge from Acton. Who knows perhaps “Off the Beaten Track” could become a regular theme at the Club?

Kevin Jacklin

Feb. 2014

Wines for Christmas presented by the Oxford Wine Company.

The original Oxford Wine Company was founded in 1840 and traded from 125 High Street, Oxford until 1914. The name metamorphosed from The Oxford Hamper Company through The Oxford Wine And Hamper Company and finally to The Oxford Wine Company in the spring of 1992.

Our evening began with four whites: a sparkling from California by the Roederer Family (£19.99), a nice alternative to champagne on Christmas morning.

This was followed by white wine from France, a Touraine Sauvignon Blanc (£9.99) and a South African Delheim Gewurzträminer (£13.99).

The reds began with a Morandé Pionero Pinot Noir (£8.99), a lovely Burgundy alternative from Chile. However, this was topped by a full bodied Trapiche Cabernet Franc, a superb red from Argentina. Italy came on the scene next with a Terredora Aglianico (£13.99) from the south, and the evening was completed with a delicious dessert option in the form of Nectar Pedro Ximenez (£14.65).

The next meeting is on the 11th December when our favourite wine presenters Will and Fiona Betts will present Sweet and Sparkling wines for the festive period.

Rob Traynor

This month the wine club had their AGM and election of new officers and chairman. The club thanked Mike Collins for his fantastic contribution as chairman of the club ever since it began and presented him with a gift as he stepped down from the role.  The committee presented wines under £8. Next month we will be asking wine club members to speak about their favourites. If you would like more information please do ask any of the committee members.

Members had a very enjoyable wine club meeting this month with the annual BBQ. Although we sat inside the food was prepared outside with no rain this year. The wine club takes a break for July and August . During August every house will receive a letter and membership application form for next year and details/application for the September meeting.  New members are always welcome and If you are interested in joining but would like more information please contact either the secretary or chairman. ( Secretary Kevin Jacklin 01235 851404, Chairman Mike Collins 01235 850989. )

Ellie Bunston

The Wine Club enjoyed another entertaining evening this month. The theme this time was pairing cheeses with different wines and with all of the Committee members introducing the wines. All nine of the cheeses were purchased at Greys in Pangbourne and particular favourites were the Cerne Abbas which was paired with a Chardonnay (Alamos Catena, Mendoza ) and the Delice des Cremier (a soft cheese paired with a Pinot noir). The Stinking Bishop cheese had very mixed reviews although the dessert wine (Calcaia Muffa Nobile Dolce Orvieto ) with which it was paired was well received. The tawny port which ended the evening seemed a particular hit. On 22 June we will have the annual BBQ and, as places are limited, please book early to avoid disappointment.

Ellie Bunston

In the April Wine Club meeting Dermot Padden talked us through the wines of South Africa. All wines were purchased though Avery’s. My personal favourites were Vondeling Sauvignon Blanc (white) and Pioneer Range Pinotage 2009 (red). We learnt a lot about wine in South Africa including that vines started there from 1655, that SA is the 30th driest country in the world, and that it has 100, 568 hectares for wine production. In 2012 872.2 million litres of wine will be produced there. In recent years 40% of the vineyards have been replanted. There are 20 varieties of white grapes and 21 reds. Next meeting will see us pairing wines with cheeses , and each of the committee members speaking again. In June we hope to have fair weather for our annual BBQ!

Ellie Bunston

This month’s meeting saw each of the Committee members and two members showing their favourite wines. With eight different wines and eight different speakers it was a lively and entertaining evening.

The favourite white of the evening was a Villebois Pouilly Fume 2011 from Naked Wines, which was very popular among the group. This French sauvignon blanc proved to be more popular than the New Zealand sauvignon blanc also shown. The favourite red of the evening was an Argentinian Lunta Malbec 2010 from Majestic Wines.

Next month we are going to be exploring the wines of South Africa with guest speaker Dermot Paddon.

Ellie Blunston

The month of February saw Mike Collins give a tour of eight classic grape varieties – Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. We learnt that whilst a grape variety will be quoted on the label it is that of the dominant variety and can have other, unlisted grapes included; that, by law, the French can’t grow Riesling within 50 kilometres of the German border and that we are not to confuse Petite Syrah with Syrah as this is a name used in California and is not the Syrah grape!

The most popular wines seemed to be Kuentz-Bas Tradition Reisling (£8.95) and J Lohr Sevenoaks Cabernet Sauvignon from California (£12.50)- both available from the Wine Society.

We also found out about the Phylloxera bug that injects a poison to kill grape vines and that no insecticide can kill it. There is still a reward available from the French government on anything found to kill it!! France lost 6.2 million acres to the bug in the late 1800’s (only have about 2.3 million acres now).

Next month sees the committee members and two regular speakers showing some of their favourites wines (within budget!) and with eight speakers in the evening it should be an interesting affair.

New members are always welcome and there is an application form downloadable on the Upton Village website.

Ellie Bunston