A Majestic Tasting

March 28th 2014

For the tasting this month the club was fortunate in being able to draw on the expertise and experience of the staff of our local Majestic Wine Warehouse in Witney.

So before a resumé of the wines and of the evening a very big thank you is due to Mike and Claire, the manger and assistant manger at the branch.

When discussing the options to taste wines from Majestic it soon becomes apparent that the choice available is very wide indeed. This choice was to our advantage when the suggestion from Mike was to take two of the the most popular and most widely grown grapes and have some comparisons.

So with this in mind a mid range, £10.00 Chardonnay was to be compared with another Chardonay at three times the cost and both New World wines.

This was to be followed by two  Cabernet Sauvignon wines, a mid range again but now with a 'fine wine'. 23.00 bottle for comparison. Again New World wines

So did this pan out?  Of course it and did very well.

But first introduction to our speakers,

Mike                                                                  

and Claire

The first wine was the mystery wine, and guessed by the Spanish wine loving member Adrian a wine with special links to Majestic Wines.  The wine maker welcome members of the company to go to Spain and assist with the harvest and the wine making process. 

A very good wine and very typical of the wines now coming from Spain, its own character and own flavours, good with friends or with food.  

The wine was the Godello.  (£9.99)

Reviewed by The Wine Gang recently thus:

Aromatic style with subtle white flower notes (2012 Vintage)

First came Albariño, now the Godello variety is doing its bit to confirm Galicia as the source of Spain's most arresting whites, produced here in aromatic style with subtle white flower notes amid the lemon curd, white peach and pear, while the palate is fleet of foot with a zesty zip. (The Wine Gang, www.thewinegang.com, June 2013)

This was followed by the first of the evening's wines, a fine Chardonnay from the Clare Valley Australia.  (£11.99)

The lengths  gone into to produce these wines and all the wines are considerable, it seems the at the New World growers are very determined to try to increase quality by good practise. In this case it means picking by hand but never during the day. in this way the grapes should be more consistent that those subjected to varying sunshine and heat during the course of the day.

What a good wine this was, and this was the lower prices of the two.

This was followed by the big hitter from California.  From the Russian River Valley. 2009 (£30.00)

A superb wine to compare and a fine wine to taste. Easy on the palette with great and subtle Chardonnay flavours coming through well.  This was a special occasion wine for sure. The sort of price that is paid in a restaurant for a bottle of House White but infinitely better. Probably the best wine of he evening.



And now the reds

The Cabernet Sauvignon.

The first

Grown under the Californian Sun and a gutsy wine it was as well.  Peppery flavours along with the usual rounded feel of CS. To this taster a wine that needed more time in the bottle.   So to have with  a steak and or beef casserole  a very good wine but not quite as polished as you may want given its pricing at £14.99 per bottle.

And to conclude:

The Two Hands, intriguingly named, Sexy Beast. well a quite memorable film by the same name and would this £23.00 stormer be as memorable?  I think it fair to say the views were mixed, yes a very fine wine and yes with a venison or beef dish a great pairing, but at this price levels there are some very good wines to choose from. On balance most thought, yes it was good, in fact very good.


One bonus of course is the label, if drinking with friends that alone would ensure a good conversation would follow after looking more closely.

To go with the wines some great cheeses.

Its often said that to live near a Waitrose is a great advantage, and 'twas true when it came to the cheeses. All from our local branch and all very well received.

In order of eating:

Dom Vallage triple cream cheese.  What's not like when the cheese maker adds double cream to the unfinished cheese to bolster the fat content, bad for you, well only if you eat too much but gorgeous!

Number 2 The goat, Rosary Goats cheese, as ever many non goat cheese eaters here, but a very fine cheese. Mild and good with Chardonnay.  Not a token cheese  you understand but an artisan cheese from the New Forest, mild, non goat flavour.

Number 3 Gorwydd Caerphilly, just lovely, we are so fortunate in having such a diverse range of cheeses available and this one was as treat.

Number 4 The Cornish Yarg.

Lovely cheese wrapped in nettles, excellent and voted the BEST UK cheese in 2012.

AOB:

Date of the next meeting

May 30th A resumé of the Wine and tour of the Loire

Ladies Choice - and what would that be?

Friday January 25th, and another year in the life of the Wine Club ticks by. Yes its hard to imagine but there it is, we now enter our third year and what better way to announce it than to have the wines based on a 'Ladies Choice'.

Ironically, what better way than to have, for our birthday, midwives in charge!  So the '14 season starts with a very good selection of wines, the choice of a team of members, as it happens, or so I am told, that the team including midwives, our own masters of wine.

From the left >  Ita, Julie, Nikki, Sarah and Hazel.


The wines may have been chosen on the basis of a Ladies Choice, but the wines went down more than just well,  they were exceptional and enjoyed by all member of the Wine Club irrespective of gender.

The Roll Call

 

#1  Crement de Bourgogne Brut Intense 'Billy Lapierre'

What a good starter, a fresh and vibrant fizz, yes we cannot call this Champagne but made from the same grapes and vines gown on similar soils and produced using the same methods of production.  A very good and good value alternative perhaps.  Gown in Burgundy, for many the premier wine area of France and from the Pinot Noir grape.

#2 Finca Flichman's Sparkling Extra Brut.

Another fizz but to follow the Pinot Noir was never going to be an easy act to follow.  A very good comparison, not so much of a Rosé but more a blush wine, not at all bad but not able to show the strength of character of the previous wine.

#3 Esk Valley

This was just the very best NZ Sauvignon Blanc, a superb wine with strong aromas, a wonderful and lingering taste and showing all the SB characteristics that has made this grape  such a favourite and why it has become the 'signature wine' of New Zealand.  Most members felt the wine was worthy of the title  Highly Recommended.

#4 Vianazza gPG, Garganega/Piot Grigio.

And now to Northern Italy, the Venito area for our second still white.  Italy, such a great wine nation and Veneto a huge producer of wines for Italy.  I guess we all are aware of the unique position Italy finds itself in with its huge array of grape varieties, and here we have a variety that may not be too well known, we have the Garganega blended with the ever popular Piont Grigio make for an easy drinking wine.

#5 Los Boldos

To Chile for the first red, a rather fine Pinot Noir, aged for 6 months in oak to add some depth. A good wine, perhaps a better wine when taken with food.

#6 Fleurie

The French do produce some very exceptional wines and here was just such an example, a soft, mellow and full flavoured wine from a vineyard still in the same family since 1754.  The area of France is the same area that produces the famous Beaujolais wines with the Flurie coming from the same grape types but have a reputation (and price)  elevating them to star status.  Highly Recommended.

#7 LA Mascaronne  -  Cote de Provence

For anyone that has visited the Var in Provence the wine that immediately returns you to the warmth, sights and smells of the area is such a wine. Almost all wine produced in the Cote de Provence is Rosé, in addition the area has produced wines since the Romans ran the show. So it comes as no surprise that these wines are memorable and good.  The matching of this wine is warmth, eating good food with friends. So not at all unlike Friday

The cheese selection was varied, good and based on local artisan cheeses as far as possible as well as a French Reblochon.  The cheese came via the cheese store based in the Covered Market in Oxford.

Notable were the two cheeses 'made' for the colleges, Oxford Blue and Isis White. Both very special.

This blog would be very remiss if it did not report on the mid meeting break, yes the quiz.  The definite slant was that of the way the wine producers and imbibers have treated women in relation to wine over the years.  A very good quiz with demanding questions based loosely on the format of University Challenge and with our very own  Jeremy Paxman in the form of Mat Coburn, and very good job done as well.

The raffle was won by Adrian who was able to take home a bottle of wine with the intriguing label, Chocolate Box, so we await to hear of this wine in due course.

To use the jargon of the day, my understanding that the 'team leader' for the evening was Ita Moore,  she and her team did did a great job but there now is more. Ita is taking part on the Blenheim Triathlon.

For those who are not that familiar the event it entails three demanding  elements, for Ita this will mean swimming in the lake a distance of 750 mtrs, followed by cycling 19.8 kms and finally running another 5.7 kms.     This is an event that is quite definitely not for softies.










The event is to raise money for leukaemia and lymphoma Research.  Ita hopes to add £500.00 to their funds and asks anyone who would like donate and sponsor her to do so via this link: >virginmoneygiving.com/itamoore













Dates for the diary are

Date of the next meeting:

March 28th, with wines presented by Majestic Wine Warehouse (Witney)

A weekend in France.

Please also pop in your diaries the dates of the Wine Club Long weekend Wine tasting excursion to the Nantaise region of France :- Friday 9th - Sunday 11th may 2014.    More details will follow as the full programme is worked out -  but some intend to drive over and others fly into Nantes and either share vehicles or Hire cars to allow 2 x vineyards on Friday 9th, 2 x vineyards on Saturday 10th, Sunday Morning 'Pot Luck'/Picnic with wine.

Finally possible chance to present the wines you care for, at the May meeting, May 30 (TBC).  Please email me with your thoughts....brucehammersley@gmail.com

November 29th 2013 - Sherry and wines for Turkey

As guests arrived the welcoming drink for November wine club was a Tio Pepe Gonzalez Byass Fino Sherry accompanied by table nibbles to get the evening into full swing.

Adrian Baughan then made a presentation on Sherry and the three main styles which we tasted all accompanied by olives, almonds and walnuts.  The research for the talk is below:

Tio Pepe Fino En Rama - Gonzalez Byass – This is a clear, straw-colored sherry that is dry, light and fragrant. It is aged with yeasts called flor.  It contains 15 to 18% alcohol. En Rama is limited production, 15% alcohol, unfiltered and bottled during spring when flor (yeast) growth is thickest.  Fino is an aperitif but is also recently marketed as a dry wine to be consumed with food.

Williams and Humbert aged Oloroso – The color of Oloroso sherry can range from amber to dark mahogany color. As the name indicates, this sherry is “fragrant.” It contains 17 to 22% alcohol. This aged example is 19% alcohol and is the classic aperitif to be served with nuts and olives.  It is also served after meals.

Nectar Pedro Ximenez Gonzalez Byass - This naturally sweet sherry is made from grapes of the same name. It is very dark and aromatic, having a bouquet of raisins. It has a high alcohol content.  15% alcohol Rich sweet and velvety smooth is served as a dessert wine as well as an aperitif.

All Sherry should be served chilled and consumed quickly just like normal wine.

Sherry History and Background

Sherry is the Spanish fortified wine from the southern region of Cádiz, and is enjoyed all over Andalucia originally as an aperitif to accompany tapas. Officially, all Sherry is produced near the town of Jerez de la Frontera, founded nearly 3,000 years ago it was mentioned in Greek texts as far back as the 4th century B.C.!  Sherry is named after the Moorish name “Sherish” but is commonly thought to be the English translation of Jerez.

 Cool winters, hot and dry summers, chalky soil and more than 300 days of sunshine per year produce the 3 grape varieties that make sherry.

Sherry is particularly popular with the English and has been for centuries. In fact, in Shakespeare’s play King Henry IV, Part II, Falstaff speaks in detail about the virtues of sherry or “sack,” as it was called. He ends his speech on the subject by swearing, “If I had a thousand sons, the first human principle I would teach them should be, to forswear thin potations and to addict themselves to sack.”

It may be a surprise to learn that many sherry companies are joint ventures with the British and are part owned, this is why many brands of Sherry and the bodegas have British sounding names.

The demand for sherry rose steeply and the English decided to obtain it by fair means or foul!! In 1625 Lord Wimbledon attempted a second attack on Cádiz, this time unsuccessful. It was the usual trading channels by establishing their own businesses in the Region. The 17th and 18th Centuries saw the arrival of wine merchants such as Fitz-Gerald, O'Neal, Gordon, Garvey or Mackenzie. Later they were followed by Wisdom, Warter, Williams, Humbert or Sandeman

Types of sherry

There are actually a number of official types that range from very dry with pale straw-like yellow, to sweet with a dark mahogany color.

Dry Sherries

The following sherries are dry. This is due to the fact that their musts or grape juices have been through a complete fermentation process.

Fino – This is a clear, straw-colored sherry that is dry, light and fragrant. It is aged with yeasts called flor. It contains 15 to 18% alcohol.

Amontillado – It has an amber color and it a light and smooth sherry with a certain hazelnut bouquet. It contains 16 to 22% alcohol.

Oloroso – The color of Oloroso sherry can range from amber to dark mahogany color. As the name indicates, this sherry is “fragrant.” It contains 17 to 22% alcohol.

Raya - This is part of the Oloroso group, but it is less delicate and does not have as much aroma.

Palo Cortado - This mahogany-colored sherry falls between Amontillado and Oloroso. It is dry and has a hazelnut bouquet. It contains 17 to 22% alcohol.

Sweet Natural Sherries

These types of sherries are primarily made from two varieties of grapes – Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel. After harvest, they are put through a process called soleo or “over-maturing” that results in a high concentration of sugar in the grape. This makes a very sweet, dense must. Once it is made into wine, it is aged through oxidation and put in the soleras. Solera is the name for both the special process that this sherry goes through as well as the barrels. In the solera process, sherry is put into a series of barrels for aging. A portion of sherry from the last barrel is poured out and the barrel is then filled with sherry from the next-to-last barrel, until the first barrel is filled with new sherry.

Pedro Ximenez - This sweet sherry is made from grapes of the same name. It is very dark and aromatic, having a bouquet of raisins. It has a high alcohol content.

Moscatel – Muscat is the English name for this sweet raisin wine from the moscatel variety of grapes. It is produced in the province of Málaga and is warm and sweet, and has a dark color.

Blended Sherries

Dry varieties of sherry are blended with sweet ones to make somewhat sweet sherries.

Pale Cream and Cream – Both are sweet wines. The Pale Cream variety is light-colored and only slightly sweet, where the Cream sherry is sweet, dark and has a very intense aroma. Cream sherry is actually made from the Oloroso variety of sherry. These are good dessert wines and contain between 15.5 and 22% alcohol.

Manzanilla - This type of sherry is produced only in the coastal town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda where the bodegas actually have a special micro climate. This wine has its own Denomination of Origin and can only be produced in the town. It is very pale and dry and contains 15 to 17% alcohol. 

  How Sherry is made

Harvesting

Use Palomino, Pedro Ximenez or Moscatel grapes, harvested just as they ripen. Sweet Sherry grapes are dried prior to pressing.

Pressing

Press grapes (like Palomino) that will make dry or light fino immediately.   Grapes that will make sweet or darker wine are first dried in the sun to allow the fructose to fully develop before pressing. Grapes are crushed to form a mash and the must is drained, this is the clear to amber-coloured liquid that contains the sugars and proteins from the underside of the skins. Traditionally, only the first pressing of grapes ("mosto de yema") is used to make sherry.  Subsequent pressings are then used in sherry vinegars or cooking, or table wines.

Fermentation

Must is put in a covered stainless-steel vat and the grapes ferment for about two months. Test for alcohol content beginning at about 45 days until the batch reaches an alcohol content of 11 to 12.5 percent. Premixed sherry flor yeast is added to jump-start fermentation

Fortification

The wine is "Fortified" by adding brandy to "shock" it, stopping the fermentation process. Enough alcohol is added to light, dry wines to raise the alcohol content to 15 % and fortify darker, sweeter wines to 17% percent. 

Aging (for fino)

Light or dry wines  are transfered to oak barrels (botas) for aging. Botas are filled to within "two fists" of the top of the cask--about five-sixths of the way--before sealing. A layer of yeast ("flor") will grow on the surface, keeping the air away from the wine. The flor also imparts tastes and aromas that distinguish Fino and Manzanilla sherries. These sherries are aged in this manner for two to three years.

Further Solera Aging (for Oloroso)

 Wine can be allowed to continue to age in botas or separated from the flor and transferred to "solera" casks. Bottling the wine will not stop the aging process, but it will halt the development of taste and aroma created by the wood barrels. 

Heavier sherries that cannot produce flor due to their higher alcohol content are aged using a rotation called a "solera" system. A cask of aged sherry is half-emptied to make way for a new batch. As batches are made, halves of wine casks are moved along to the next barrel, making the last barrel a blend of the oldest wine in the cellar. Since sherry is often aged for decades, the sherry in the last cask may contain grapes from dozens of vintages. 

Bodega Gonzalez Byass in Jerez de la Frontera – Tio Pepe the world’s most popular fino

THE WINES

Following the Sherries, Chris Onslow toasted the end of the second year of Wine Club with a glass of award winning Louis Brochet Champagne

 and the two forthcoming meetings were discussed -  the next Wine Club on Friday 24th January which will be hosted by Ita Woodnorth and female friends -  the theme being 'Ladies' Selection'.

The second event is a wine tasting long weekend break to the Sevre et Maine region of the Loire which is now booked for Friday 9th - Sunday 11th of May.  Fly into Nantes or drive and meet Bruce, Chris et al. for 4 vineyard visits and a Sunday picnic lunch with wines before returning home.

We now tucked in to an excellent spread of finger buffet food brought along by members.  It was almost as if the whole group had planned the meal as there was little duplication of items!!

Continuing to eat the concoction of tastes from the table together with 5 more still wines to be tasted -  all chosen to be suitable companions to your festive turkey dinner.  The tasting notes are below:

Pouilly-Fuisse 2012, Domaine Cordier

Origin: From the Domaine Cordier estate with vines grown in Fulsse village and Vergisson, yields of 40 hectolitres per hectare and 15% new oak this is a modern, sumptuous Interpretation of the full-bodied style of Pouilly Fuisse,

Grape: Chardonnay

Taste: Very forward with ripe tropical peach and a rich (but not overpowering) use of toasty oak make this a wonderfully full style of Fuisse. Length on the finish is long and harmonious.

Enjoy: Slightly more upfront oak and fruit than some of Cordier's other wines, a creamy dish like stroganoff would complement a wine like this.

Brouilly 2012, Domaine des Maison Neuves

Origin: Brouilly is the southernmost and largest of the Beaujolais crus and as such is often described as "typical" in regards to Beaujolais. Domaine des Maison Neuves are a quality conscious grower that eschews the use of herbicides to give healthier vines.

Grape: Camay

Taste: A deep coloured wine, showing great finesse and fruit intensity. The nose gives powerful aromas of ripe berry and currant notes. The palate shows soft tannins and a balanced acidity on the finish.

Enjoy: Enjoy with white meat dishes. 

Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2012, Margaret River

Origin: The most noted region of Western Australia, Margaret River, has a cool maritime climate similar to Bordeaux. The pioneering Cape Mentelle winery takes a minimal approach to this blend, allowing the regional character to shine through.

Grape; Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon

Taste: Sauvignon Blanc provides herbaceous, green fruit flavours, perfectly complemented by the heady lemon blossom aromas of Semillon.

Enjoy: A great match to lightly spiced, Asian-style seafood.

Oeii de Perdrix Rose NV

Origin: Meaning 'eye of the partridge', this pale salmon pink rose Champagne exhibits enticing complexity. Delicate in style, but with a perfect weight of fruit. A fantastic aperitif,

Grape: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir - VEGETARIAN

Roaring Meg Pinot Noir 2012, iVIt Difficulty, Central Otago

Origin: Mount Difficulty is a boutique winery located in Bannockburn in Central Otago, The Bannockburn area isinternationally recognized as one of the few places in the world where the petulant Pinot Noir variety has found a home outside Burgundy.

Grape: Pinot Noir - VEGETARIAN

Taste: This wine exhibits a lovely mix of red and black berry fruits with further complexity gained from oak spice. These characters are balanced by soft tannins, balanced acidity and a fruit-driven finish.

Enjoy: This is a cracking, complex wine to be enjoyed over the next five years. Enjoy with pork loin and peach chutney or rabbit casserole.

Errazuriz Wild Ferment Pinot Noir 2011, Casablanca Valley

Origin: The grapes used for this wine come from the north west of the Casablanca region, where the cool seabreezes provide perfect growing conditions for Pinot Noir. Unlike most wines, naturally occuring yeasts on the grape-skins begin the fermentation, usually yeast is added.

Grape: Pinot Noir

Taste: Highly aromatic yet very subtle in style, the fruit aromas show violets and spice, which are backed up on the palate by great concentration and soft ripe tannins.

Enjoy: This amazing Pinot Noir is drinking beautifully now, and will age gracefully over the next 4 years. Try with roasted lamb.