the yorkshire sommelier yorkshire sommelier no 49.pdf · the yorkshire sommelier number 49 july...
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The Yorkshire Sommelier
Number 49 July 2014
www.yorkshiresommeliers.co.uk
Wine, Wit and Wisdom for Lovers of the Fermented
Fruit of the Vine and Reports from around the Region.
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www.yorkshiresommeliers.co.uk
The Yorkshire Guild of Sommeliers
President Deirdre Buchanan (York) Chairman Peter Ambler (Harrogate) Vice-Chairman Michael France (Sheffield) Representatives of the Wine Trade Terry Herbert (York) Martin Bayne (York) Diana Naish (York) Full Sommelier Philip Laming (Sheffield) Friends of Bacchus Fred Brown (York) Michael Whitaker (Leeds) Kenneth Ward (Sheffield) Officers, Chairman Peter Ambler, Owl Barn, Beckwithshaw, Harrogate, HG3 1QS Tel: (01423) 522436 e-mail: [email protected] Treasurer Michael Coupland, 6, Sunnybank, Barton on Humber, North Lincolnshire, DN18 5LJ Tel: (01652) 632865 e-mail: [email protected] Committee Secretary Richard Burn, 107, Kenwick Road, Louth, Lincolnshire LN11 8NL
Tel: (01507) 604380 07734542111 e-mail: [email protected] Subscriptions Secretary Chris Rothery, Priory Garth, Brigg Road, Wrawby, North Lincolnshire, DN20 8RH Tel: (01652) 653315 e-mail: [email protected] Magazine Editor Ann Johnson, 82, Newland Park, Hull, HU5 2DS Tel: (01482) 441229 e-mail: [email protected] Webmaster See back page
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Section Chairmen Bingley Damian Ward 24 Millbeck Drive, Harden, Bingley, BD16 1TF. e-mail: [email protected] Caistor John Clark 12 Riby Road, Keelby, Grimsby, DN41 8ER Tel: (01469) 560626 +447745787738 e-mail: [email protected] Harrogate Paul Donnelly 3, Goodrick Close, Harrogate, HG2 9EX Tel: (01423) 527757 e-mail: [email protected] Hull Nigel Green The Paddock, North End, Goxhill, Barrow-on-Humber, North Lincolnshire, DN19 7JX Tel: (01469) 531293
e-mail: [email protected] Leeds Michael Whitaker Tiroran, 11 Turton Vale, Gildersome, Morley, LS27 7LJ. Tel. 0113 253 1542 e-mail: [email protected] Scarborough Ian Davis 18,The Green, Newby, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO12 5JA 0 (01723) 369253 07963545159 e-mail: [email protected] Sheffield Michael France 20, Rockley View, Tankersley, Barnsley, S75 3AN e-mail: [email protected] (01226)744265 07543916433 Whitby Christine Stephenson Pergola House, Linden Close, Briggswath, Whitby, YO21 1TA Tel: (01947) 811303 e-mail: [email protected] York Gordon Gildener 6, Wheatley Croft, Appleton Roebuck, York, YO23 7BX Tel: (01904) 744308 e-mail: [email protected]
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Thinking about the tastings I have attended since March, I thought at first that this would be a very short report. However, when I checked my diary, I found that I have been to a number of events that might be of interest to most of my readers so, here goes. In March I went by train to Glasgow to attend the Annual Dinner of The Glasgow Dollar Academy Club, staying overnight at The Western Club (where the dinner was held) and returning the next day to Yorkshire. The wines were not memorable although the dinner and the company was! I mention it because I have been involved with my old school a lot this year and that is why I have not been able to attend my York Section meetings. I feel I owe the Chairman, Gordon and my friends there an explanation and there it is. I have also lost two very good and very different friends
and have travelled to London to the Memorial Service of the extremely talented Royal Milliner, Frederick Fox with whom I had the pleasure of working (mostly in Harrogate but also on one occasion in New York). He asked that all the ladies present wore his hats and so we did and in return we drank quite a lot of the very excellent Laurent Perrier he had selected for us! To say farewell to my other friend, Shirley Clarkson, I drove to Oakham where, in the Castle there we celebrated her life with lots of wonderful stories of the days when she had the factory near Doncaster that made Paddington Bear. The stories were told
mainly by her son, Jeremy. he preferred beverage that day was Veuve Cliquot and it flowed. On reflection, both these friends were fantastic 'stitchers'! Only days later I went to Whitby Sommeliers to a tasting of Chateau Musar given by the present head of the company, Ralph Hochar. Speaking almost flawless English he gave us a most interesting selection of his wines but he did not give us notes! I have spent hours looking for them (to no avail - naturally) and finally called Andrea who, being as efficient as she always is, was able to help. The 'welcome' glass at a packed Sanders Yard venue was Musar Jeune Rose '11 followed by Jeune White '11 & Jeune Red '10. Later we tasted two Musar Whites, the 2006 and the 2000, neither of which did anything for me. Lastly the Chateau Musar Reds - 2007 & 2001 vintages and I enjoyed both of these although they are pretty expensive. I was fortunate enough to stay the night at my friend Joyce's very distinctive home in the town and was introduced to her snuffly, friendly pug, Alfie.
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Towards the end of April came the AGM, very well attended this year and held at the prestigious Merchant Taylor's Hall in York. The business of the evening was over before you could cough and we adjourned to the main body of the lovely old hall to enjoy a glass of champagne, courtesy of our chairman, Peter. Once again we were fortunate to have Richard (Goodacre) to choose the wines to go with dinner and to talk us through them. My preference was for the Cuatro Rayas Verdeja 2013 from Rueda for the White and the Chianti Classico Riserva 2008 DOCG, Tenuta di Campomaggio for the red. The pudding wine from McLaren Vale was a 'lush' mouthful and Barbeito 5yr Boal Reserva went really well with the cheese. The meal could and should have been better but it did not mar the evening thanks to Peter and Richard! Early on in May I went to Bingley Section with my friend Jenny. At Oakwood Hall we were treated to a tasting of Franken Wines by Martin Bayne. We don't often have the chance to taste German Wine these days but Martin showed us six wines, all from one Schmitt or another! Both Jenny and I bought some bottles of Richard Schmitt's Rieslaner Pfulben Spti Kab 2008 - (a typical petrol nose, deep gold colour and a taste of tropical fruits) together with some of Schmitt Kinder CR Rotwein Cuvée Trock 2007 (cherry nose, pale red in colour and a vegetal taste). Bingley are back on the Cheese & Biscuits instead of supper and so we went home hungry! May was a very busy month for me, made more difficult as I suffered a very bad fall the evening before a small lunch party I was hosting the following day. Somehow I managed to make it as my guests included Greta & Brian and Lorraine & David together with an ex-hotelier friend, Chris Bond and it would have been impossible to rearrange. We had champagne from Boulard- Bauquaire followed by wines from our visit to Montjardin in Navarra. I then visited The Lakeside, my favourite hotel in the Lakes, where we were treated to a Meursault 2007 Louis Latour followed by Chateau Talbot 1997 at dinner with the owner, whose surname happens to be Talbot!
In June, I attended Whitby Section's Black Tie Dinner held at Dunsley Hall which is under new ownership. Our presenter was none other than the urbane James Long of Corney & Barrow. The event was very well attended and James was on top form. Our aperitif was Le Coiture Sparkling Rose Brut N V from Treviso, Italy which was a delight and
a steal at £12.50 a bottle. I am sure the meal and the wines will be mentioned elsewhere so I will just say that each course and its wines were excellent and with the addition of the usual amusing banter that goes with Brand Long, we had a splendid evening. Thank you James! I am once again indebted to my friend Joyce (not forgetting Alfie) for my overnight accommodation, especially as Joyce was suffering from a painful broken elbow!
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So that brings me up to date except to mention that I have delivered seven bottles of wine to members who have introduced new blood, with three more to go (to Harrogate and Scarborough) very soon. That's a very good start so keep it up and send in your completed forms to Chris Rothery, our Subscriptions Secretary. I look forward to meeting many of you at various Garden Parties and if not at the Annual Dinner Dance, to be held again at The Cairn Hotel, Harrogate on Saturday, 22nd November 2014. It was a terrific evening last year I thought so don't miss this year's extravaganza! Deirdre Buchanan
In Memoriam
It is with regret that I inform members that our oldest member Winifred Tyrrell, a member of the Leeds Section, died on Saturday 14th June. Many of you may remember the pho-tograph of Winifred on her 100th birthday in a previous edition of the magazine. I do hope that we have many more 100 year old members in the future. Ann Johnson
Members and guests enjoying the Whitby Annual Dinner at Dunsley Hall
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Chairman’s notes
For my first AGM as Chairman we returned to the Merchant Taylor’s Hall on Aldgate in York. When I started attending the AGM, after I became Chairman of the Harrogate section in 2006, the AGM was held at the Merchant Taylor’s Hall and I always thought it was an ideal and suitably prestigious venue for our
Society. I realise it had to move for cost reasons but I thought it worthwhile seeing if those that run the Hall could be persuaded to offer us a deal which would mean we could go back. In fact it turned out they were keen to have us again and so we returned this year. The turnout for the evening at 80 members was the best for very many years at the AGM and I hope a good evening was had by all.
At the AGM Mike Harrison resigned as Membership Secretary after 4 years. Many thanks to Mike for all his hard work on the membership records during this time. Fortunately for the Guild, Chris Rothery, previously Chairman of the Caistor section, put himself forward as the new Membership Secretary – thanks again Chris for taking this on. I know that the membership records will continue to be in good hands with Chris in charge. A date for your diary is the 22nd November when the Guild Annual Dinner Dance will again be held in the Cairn hotel after a good evening last year. Terry Herbert will again bring his excellent band and James Long will be doing the wines – a tried and tested combination that I think would be hard to beat. Full details will be sent out as usual in early September. Richard Goodacre
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As I write I am just off to the Hull Garden Party with Nigel and Andrea Green at the home of Clare Giles which I’m sure, once again, will be a great day and no doubt a few glasses f excellent wine will be available – not a bad way to spend a Sunday! Finally I am pleased to say that the Yorkshire Guild of Sommeliers is in rude health with all sections very active and I look forward to promoting its interests wherever possible on your behalf for another year. Peter Ambler
Members attending the AGM Dinner at the Merchant Taylor’ Hall
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WINE OFFER
Summer Drinking! Corney & Barrow’s exclusive offer of wines for summer drinking: These wines will be delicious for barbequing in the sun (or the rain!) as well as at any other time – please enjoy - James Long
White Wine Petit Ballon Blanc, Côtes de Gascogne, Producteurs Plaimont, France, 2013 x 2 bottles
Il Barrocio, Garganega-Chardonnay, Bianco, Veneto, Italy, 2013 x 2 bottles
Puertas Antiguas Viognier, Luis Felipe Edwards, Valle Central, Chile, 2013 x 2 bottles
Red Wine Petit Ballon Rouge, Celliers Jean d’Alibert, France 2012 x 2 bottles
Il Barroccio, Nero d’Avola, Rosso Terre Siciliane, Italy, 2012 x 2 bottles
Casa Felipe Carmenère, Luis Felipe Edwards, Valle Central, Chile, 2013 x 2 bottles
List price for this case of 12 bottles: £89.00 inc VAT and delivery
Members Offer Price: £77.96 inc VAT and delivery
To place your order, please contact:
JAMES LONG (Managing Director) or Tara Goodacre
T: 01638 600000 M: 07836 230432
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Bingley Section Report
Below is a catch-up summary of the activities of Bingley as provided by Ben Tierney at the Committee Meeting on July 3rd The venues were at either St Ives Golf Club or Oakwood Hall March Speaker Terry Herbert Organisation The Wine Club Topic Wines from Languedoc April Speaker Organisation HC Wines Topic Wines that break the rules Andy Clarke John Hattam May
Speaker Martin Bayne Organisation Topic Wines from Franconia
Oakwood Hotel
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June Speaker Organisation Chippendale Wines Topic Wines for the summer and BBQ July Speaker Members and Guests Organisation In house Topic Members choice Their next meeting is scheduled for September 2nd: Call my bluff presented by Martinez of Ilkley.
I do hope that everyone is enjoying the warm weather and drinking wine outside in the sun. Please note that Chris Rothery is now the new Subscriptions secretary so for any changes to membership please inform Chris. Do take advantage of the wine offers in the advertisements in this issue of the magazine. Ann Johnson
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Caistor Section Report
March Another memorable evening with Gareth Morgan who gave us much to contemplate, when he presented Principles of Quality. We were presented with four paired tastings that commenced with an easy drinking, fruity, simple Macon Villages AOC 2011 Vignerons des Grands Vignes paired with Chablis Premier Cru AOC Vaillons 2007 Emile Petit a more serious wine with a bit of age, hence colour and more minerality. Higher quality wines keep for longer and although not comparing equal vintages, was the Chablis worth three times the price? most though not. We then had a pair of reds, Medoc AOC 2005 Pavillion Saint James Y Mau (negociant) an entry level wine felt to be a little flat, beginning to fade and with diminishing fruit flavours. The alternate being Chateau Beaumont 2005 Haut-Medoc AOC Cru Bourgeois a better made wine with stunning nose, great length and tannic complexity. The overwhelming majority would pay the extra for this beautiful Chateau bottled product. Next up, Gareth paired two very different wines, different grapes and regions, Prosecco DOC Frizzante NV Treviso which was light, no depth of flavour, perhaps a summer lunch wine whereas the Sainsbury’s Blanc de Noir Champagne NV was felt well worth an extra £13 per bottle.
There was no comparison between our final pair - Croft Finest Reserve Port NV “Extravagance”, mechanically crushed grapes, smooth and easy drinking , whereas the blockbuster Quinta do Portal Vintage Port 2003, manually crushed grapes but lower production of intensely flavoured fruits, with vintages only being declared in good years was well worth the £32 price tag.
The pairing of wines does sharpen the senses and Gareth once again has educated us by demonstrating why some wines are better quality than others but with the question “are they worth the extra money?” We can’t wait for his next visit. April John Atkinson, travelled from Scarborough section to present “Beaujolais” giving us the chance to taste a selection of this lighter style of 5 cru wines from smaller producers, all priced around 7 Euros. We surprisingly started with 2 whites, first was an easy drinking Beaujolais Blanc 2011 from Domaine Bertrand, 100% chardonnay, quite a cheeky little number at £6.20 Next was Beaujolais Blanc Vielles Vignes 2009 from Loron & Fils which received a very mixed reception, few complimentary! Onto what we expect from this region, Fleurie Cuvee Bel Air 2011 from Domaine De La Chapelle Des Bois described as a feminine wine but a moderate example, Brouilly 2011 again from Domaine Bertrand, richer with more complexity.
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Next was Chiroubles 2011 from the same producer as the Fleurie, slightly sweeter, darker colour with red fruit flavours, then Morgon Cuvee Vielles Vignes 2012 from Chateaux De Grand Pre, smoother, flashy, more burgundy style and popular on the night. We finished with a more balanced St. Armour 2011 from Domaine Des Vignes due Paradis with light fruits. All these wines needed food to be fully appreciated. John clearly has a passion for this region and his easy humour enriched his many tales of this region and its producers. May
A visit from James Long guarantees a good night, we were entertained by stories covering several continents and were able to enjoy the South African wines that he produced for us to taste. The first was a well received 2013 Lowry’s Pass, Chenin Blanc from Robertson, light, fresh, plenty of fruit and not challenging! The second white was Chardonnay 2013, from Nelson Estate, one of South Africa’s oldest dating back to 1688, golden colour, fruity nose, great length and perhaps too much acidity for some, not a favourite of this Chardonnay lover! The first red was Bainskloof
Merlot 2012, ripe berry fruit on the nose and full of fresh autumn fruit on the palate. A Pinotage was next, Rhebokslookf Estate, Paarl 2011. Very dark with a vegetal nose aged in oak giving good tannins and length. We then tried a MGS (Mouvedre Grenache Syrah) from the same Estate 2010 rated as outstanding at the 2013 Wine & Spirit Challenge, this was a good wine at a great price and quite a favourite. The final red was Mont de Toit from Wel-lington 2007 made from Cab Sav, Shiraz and Merlot, this was a classy wine retailing at £19.96 with a lovely bouquet, giving way to soft tannin and a dry finish, it should keep for some time yet. We ended with the golden nectar that is Noble Late Harvest Semillon Nelson Estate 2013, a nose with marmalade, orange blossom and honey tinges. We enjoyed seven good wines from the Cape, James educated and entertained us, leaving us looking forward to his next visit.
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June Andy Clarke and John Hattam (HC Wines) made their third visit to Caistor with the topic “What a difference a year makes”, illustrating that although weather is the most important factor for quality, the skill of the winemaker is paramount to overcome climatic variations. The wines tasted were all from small producers and the first was
from Domaine Treloar, One Block Muscat 2010, creamy taste with honey overtones good acidity and length, enjoyed by most of us. Next we tried Domaine Alquier Blanc “Tradition” AOC Cotes de Roussillon 2012, a biodynamic wine (which was doubted by some) fresh with honeysuckle tones balanced by lovely fruit. An older wine followed, Domaine Meyer-Fonne Riesling Reserve 2008 had some faint petrol on the nose with citrus acidity to give a lively and enjoyable wine. The first red was Jean Marc Lafont St Amour, 2011, a
great Beaujolais vintage, this rich dark wine with fruity nose gave an elegant soft taste that was charming and seductive. 2007 saw the production of Domaine Chenu “Haut Jarrons” a wine still in the first flush of youth, light in colour but great concentration and structure from 60 year old vines, the favourite on the night. Next was Clos Bagatelle Veillee d’Automne , 2009, a dark red earthy autumnal complex wine. Finally, we enjoyed Krohn Colheita 2001 port, 10 years in oak, bottled ready to drink with cherry and blackberry notes and a hint of maturity for very easy drinking. An easy going relaxed meeting with some lovely wines delivered in a professional and humorous manner by two great enthusiasts for our delight. Kay Rothery
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Harrogate Section Report March Australia has recovered well from its old tarnished reputation as a source of over-ripe, over-oaked and over-alcoholic wines. To make the point, Mike Perry of Nidderdale Fine Wines in Pateley Bridge showed us some excellent examples of the quality smaller producers are achieving these days. We started with Tooma River Brut Reserve NV, a refreshing, affordable fizz from South Australia, made from 100% Chardonnay. This prepared our palates for a diverse series of reds: a lively 2007 Pinot Noir from Clarity Wines of Adelaide Hills (in a rather ‘bling’ Italian bottle); the deep, dark 2006 Basilisk Cabernet-Balzac (Mourvedre) from Central Victoria; and the 2012 Heartland Shiraz from Langhorne Creek, a very approachable example of the style, with a subtle hint of mint. Mike also threw in a New Zealand Gruner Veltliner – the 2013 Yealands from Awatere Valley in Marlborough – to show how winemakers are experimenting in the land of Sauvignon Blanc. Then we headed back to Australia for a delicious sweetie: 2011 Xanadu ‘Cane Cut’ Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc from the Margaret River. Made with sun-dried grapes, this showed the perfect balance of sugar and acidity; a satisfying end to an interesting evening. April Another local independent merchant provided our April tasting: David Lawson of Chez Vin in Otley. His theme was ‘Unusual Grapes in Unusual Locations’, which gave him the opportunity to present us with a few surprises. These included ‘The Vermentino’ 2013 from Berton Vineyards in South Eastern Australia. With its zingy, citrus aromas and a palate that reminded some of us of green Opal Fruits, this shows how an Italian grape can produce excellent results on the other side of the world. Another old-world grape doing well down under is Petit Verdot: the rich, dark 2010 Deen De Bortoli VAT 4 showed what this varietal is capable of outside of a Bordeaux blend.
Possibly a more natural move is that of Zinfandel from California to Chile. The 2011 Millaman Limited Reserve from the Maipo Valley, with pronounced morello cherry flavours, demonstrated how Zin can succeed in its new home. We finished with a grape most of us had not heard of: Sousao, which hails from the Iberian Peninsula. We tasted the 2009 Casa Santos Lima Sousao, made near Lisbon, a deeply coloured but medium-bodied wine, which we agreed would be perfect with roast lamb.
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May It’s always interesting to listen to talks from regional specialists, and Ben Robson of Bat and Bottle really knows his Italian wines. His tasting on ‘B-Side Tuscany’ was as informative as it was entertaining, exploring some of the latest developments in the region while avoiding Chianti, Brunello and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Highlights included the lively, refreshing 2012 Sinopie Chardonnay, with aromas of apple and pineapple, and the 2012 Val di Toro Alfa Tauri, a dry Sangiovese rosé with light cherry fruit. Not surprisingly, Sangiovese was the grape of our first red, the 2010 Il Poggiolo Sasso Nero from Montalcino, a spicy, fragrant wine at a fraction of the price of Brunello. Then we discovered another – much rarer – red Tuscan grape: Pugnitello, in the 2009 Santa Vittoria Leopoldo. As Ben says, this wine has more in common with Syrah than Sangiovese, with a complex, herby nose and deep damson fruit. Santa Vittoria also produces a lovely Vin Santo, and we concluded the tasting with the 2006, which is deep-coloured, honeyed and extremely moreish! June A venue change for our June meeting – from our local golf club to the cricket club – provided a highly appropriate setting for a tasting of English wines, presented by Julia Trustram Eve of English Wine Producers. Julia is the highly knowledgeable Marketing Director of the official body that promotes the English (and Welsh) wine industry, and by the end of the evening, she had inspired us to try more of our country’s wine. We began with a shining example of the sparkling wines that are becoming renowned around the world: the award-winning 2009 Nyetimber Classic Cuvée from Sussex. Enjoying its rich, yeasty nose, fine mousse and apricot, melon and floral flavours, we could understand why it’s posing such a challenge to Champagne. Our second fizz was the 2009 Ridgeview Victoria Rosé from the South Downs – very pale, yet with plenty of red-berry fruit and satisfying length. Then we moved very close to home, with the 2011 Leventhorpe Madeleine Ange-vine, made just outside Leeds. In spite of the high acidity, which you would expect this far north, we found the wine very approachable, with a delicate peachy nose and grapefruit flavours. Another ‘better than we expected’ experience was the 2011 Bolney Wine Estate Pinot Noir, from Sussex. While its light fruit wasn’t to everyone’s taste, it was yet another example of how English wine is developing rapidly – and to prove this even more emphatically, Julia then treated us to the 2011 Astley Late Harvest. Made in Worcestershire, this 100% Siegerrebe would be the perfect partner for light desserts or rich cheeses – and shows how we can now match English wines with a complete menu! Tony Gamble Future programme 8th July Mel Jones MW of Quaffers’ Offers 12 August Marta Mateus of Marta Vine (No meeting in September) 14 October John Hattam and Andy Clarke of HC Wines 11 November James Long of Corney & Barrow
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Hull Section Report
March It is always a pleasure to welcome the estimable Richard Goodacre and in March he arrived at our door bearing a selection of wines from eastern Europe. With tongue-tying grape varieties like Hárslevelű and Busuioacă de Bohotin, or appellations like Hvar or Crişana-Maramureş, this may in part explain why imports from these regions have been limited in volume, as the evidence of the evening was that neither quality or value justify this negligence. Particular highlight’s were the Versu Renski Rizling 2008, gently oaked and with an apple/ floral nose with lime and peach flavours and the tremendous vale ( under £7 a bottle) or the Plantaze Vranac 2010 dark and robust but an easy drinking wine for any occasion. Tokaji was famously described by Louis XV as “the king of wines and the wine of kings,” and the Crown Estates Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos 2007 didn’t disappoint. Yellow gold in colour with an exuberant nose of Seville orange and the flavour of a Christmas pudding, a real treat and a fabulous finish to an interesting tasting enhanced, as ever, by Richards objectivity and tremendous knowledge. April In Melton’s Industrial area did John Townend /A tin shed pleasure dome decree/ Where wine in sacred rivers ran / Through racks measureless to man / Down to a sunless Rive Humber The House of Townend outlet “The Cellar Door” is not in the most glamorous of locations, being in a sea of industrial sheds whose outstanding feature is their anonymity. However, the brave adventurer into the hinterlands of Hull is well rewarded by the munificence of the wares on offer. For the sake of scientific accuracy, I must point out that there does not appear to be an actual cellar (there is a door however). For our visit in April we were guided by store manager Stuart Shenton, ably assisted by Michael Rowe , through an old world- new world comparison of 6 varieties or styles. My guessing ability was at its usual standard i.e. somewhere approaching random chance, but in my defence I feel Stuart was a tad naughty in making some selections which were intended to confound expectations, well that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it. A good example of this wickedness was the comparison of the Ghost Corner Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa, a grassy and asparagus flavour with a crisp vegetal edge, compared to the Chateau Tracy Puilly Fume which, in comparison, was more tropical in the nose and the flavour was less fruity and sharper. Our prejudices would suggest the former would be old world and the latter new world but this was clearly not the case. With two dinner wines and a total of 14 tastings this was too much for my
delicate palate and shows the virtue of less is more. The highlights of the evening for me were, whites: Domaine Michelot Mersault 2010 which manages the rare
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balancing act between tropical fruitiness and oaky creaminess, reds: the Concha y Toro Terrunyo Carmenere 2009 , elegant and complex with abundant damson and plums. With many thanks to Stuart for a challenging but fascinating evening, as a final word may I say Cellar Door: (c’est l’adorable). May
David Lawson Wines of South America
In contrast to the House of Townsend, ChezVin in Otley is something of a tardis, whereby a seemingly small shop is crammed to the gunnels with an amazing selection under the careful eye of proprietor, and our guest speaker for May, David Lawson, who brought a selection of wines from South America. David’s selection ranged from £9 (or to be correct £8.99: it makes a difference you know) to just over £20 and I have to say the consensus of comments on value showed that he had made a great selection with most guessing a higher price than the actual. I am a sucker for a good Torrentes and the Michel Torino Clachaqui Valley didn’t disappoint, the nose has a floral, almost Turkish Delight, quality with a crisp taste of lime and lychees. Not a favourite of mine but very well received in the room was the Colonia Las Liebres Bonarda whose flavour could never be accused of hiding it’s light under a bushel, a lot of wine for under a tenner. The showcase wine of the night was the Allegrini & Renacer Enamore 2011 whose anagrammatic name shouldn’t be too challenging in revealing Italian origins, it is truly stunning and was a suitable finale for a great evening. June In recent years Australian imports seem to have suffered from the strength of the Ozzie Dollar against South American and African competitors and we were remind-ed by Paul Tate Smith of Derventio Wines in Malton, that there are still good value wines to be found here. Just room for a couple of highlights: the truly stunning
value of the Mountbridge Merlot 2011 ( £6.50 a bottle) which is eminently quaffable and the De Bortoli McLaren Valley Shiraz 2007 ( £9 a bottle) suitably peppery but with rich fruit, I can’t wait for my order to come ( by the time you read this it will be all gone sadly). The evening was personally somewhat traumatic as our usual (and very, very fine) pourers were unavailable and yours truly was obliged to step up to the plate alongside our speaker. Don’t worry Paul I won’t tell anyone that it was you who over-estimated. The members seemed happy with the choices and Paul seemed happy with his order book, so, fair dinkum all round. Stephen Hussey Don Paul Stephen
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Leeds Section Report March
For the merry month of March we had one of our member’s nights, but one with a different twist. The theme for the night was suggested by one of our group and entitled ‘Desert Island Wines’. We had our own celebrity, Jack Hesketh, who talked us through the wines that he would love to have washed up on the shore, if he were to be stranded on a Desert island. Under the guidance of John
Wyles, our ‘expert interviewer’, Jack fondly remembered the ‘good old days’ of Blue Nun, Mateus Rose, and Bulls Blood ( cost 11/6p apparently). Gosh, did we really used to drink that stuff ? !! Our voyage commenced with a ‘nice’n’fresh’ Comte De Brismand, great value Champagne from Lidl. We moved onto the 2013 Jim Barry Lodge Hill Dry Riesling. This was nicely rounded with a good citrus finish. After some interesting tales, including ‘running for the woodbines!’, we enjoyed the 2009 Charnay Les Macon White Burgundy. Other highlights included the excellent Maycas Del Limari Syrah Reserva (2009). This had great strength and power. Finally, the 2008 Christina Van Loveren from Robertson was a terrific ‘honey and marmalade’ dessert wine. While these wines were in the styles that Jack enjoyed, for the sake of our budget, they were scaled down in price. It would be interesting to speculate, if Jack were to put a ‘message in a bottle’, would it say “Please don’t rescue me, just send more champagne !! “ April We welcomed back our old friends, John and Andy from H.C. Wines, for our April event. The theme for the night was “What a difference a year makes”. In a nut-shell, the intention was to identify the conditions leading up to a vintage, explain to us why it was a particularly easy or difficult vintage, and then taste the wines to demonstrate this. The weather, as we all know ,is a key factor leading to a good vintage. ‘The lads’ explained that the ideal is plenty of rain in March & April (Northern hemisphere), followed by a long, warm summer with occasional show-ers. This then allows the grapes the opportunity to ripen fully, and to develop a balance between the levels of acid and sugar. The rest is then up to the winemaker ! John had become a grandfather for the first time the previous day, and to mark the occasion he very kindly provided us with an additional ‘sparkler’, with which to celebrate the event. Even though 2007 was a difficult vintage in France, the Domaine de Nerleux Les Loups Blanc ,(Saumur) was a rich and honeyed Chenin Blanc. 2008 was a challenging year, but still produced a nicely concentrated Domaine Lauriga Cadet Rouge (Rousillon.) 2006 was a ‘hot’ vintage, which produced the silky smooth Syrah/Grenache/Mouvedre, Domaine Treloar Three Peaks ( Rousillon.) Finally we concluded the evening with the lovely 2001 Krohn Colheita vintage Port.
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May
We were at a new venue this month, The Hungry Bear at Meanwood, Leeds, where we had a truly memorable two course meal, thanks to James. Our theme for the evening was ‘Torres From three Continents’, the wines being presented by Chris Mooney, Regional Sales Manager for J.E. Fells . So we were to be treated to Torres wines from Spain, California, and Chile. (So I make that two continents strictly speaking !) It turned out that Chris was a ‘local lad’ who went to school just down the road from where we were sitting. We opened the evening with the light and fresh Santa Digna Rose from Chile. Chris mentioned that all of the Torres wines from Chile are now both Fairtrade and organic. We moved onto the Marimar Torres (California) Acero Chardonnay 2009. This turned out to be the ‘marmite’ wine of the evening, being loved and disliked in equal parts by our members. We enjoyed the 2011 Santa Digna Gewurztraminer (Chile) before moving on to the reds. The 2010 Santa Digna Cabernet Sauvignon (Chile) turned out to be a really good value wine. More up market was the Salmos 2010, (Priorat Spain) This was made from Carignan, Grenache, and Syrah grapes, and was a big, well structured wine, rich and mature. The evening concluded with the sound 2009 Nectaria late harvest Riesling. June
Our guest speaker this month was David Lawson from Chez Vin in Otley, which is just down the road from our venue. David had a wealth of local knowledge of the wines and the growers from Central and Southern Italy, which was our theme for the evening. Our first wine was organic, the Cantine Farro Campi Flegrei Falanghina 2012 from Campania. David informed us that the volcanic soils of Campania prevented the spread of phylloxera into the region, so we still find ungrafted vines there. This was rich and rounded with good minerality and fruit. Moving onto the reds, the Cantine Farro Piedirosso 2012, also from Campania, was made from the unusual Uva di Troia grape . This was quite a light wine, with smoky cherries on the nose, and good red fruit. Produced by a co-operative of 85 farmers, the Cantina Sampietrana Salice Salentino Riserva 2010, had a nose with a ‘gosh’ factor ! This was well balanced, rich, and had masses of fruit. We concluded the evening with the two best reds of the night. The Cantine Carpentiere Pietra dei Lupi 2005 (Puglia) was both a terrific and mature wine and good for another 5 years David informed us. Finally we tasted the Verbena Rosso di Montacino 2011 from Tuscany. Dark and dense, and a terrific food wine, this was made from the ‘surplus’ Brunello grapes and is still far from being fully mature. Mick Whitaker
July – Aboard the Kirkstall Flyboat – Members Choice. August 10th – Garden Party at Gordon & Diane Fawthrop. September – No regular meeting. October – Austrian Wines – Richard Goodacre November – A Christmas Selection – James Long (Corney & Barrow) December – The Christmas Party – Members Choice.
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Scarborough Section Report April Our wines this evening were provided by HC Wines, with Andy Clarke and John Hattam. We were told that this was perhaps their seventh visit, but that this was the best weather!
We had fish for dinner and we were provided with a fine La Madeleine Chardonnay. We were told that in the course of a normal wine tasting, you might expect to drink 2/3rds of a bottle, even more this evening due to the plentiful supply of supper wine. Our first of eight tasting wine was Clos Bagatelle “Quatre Vents”, which is a blend of six grape varieties. The vineyard is ‘almost’ bio-dynamic, and has a pneumatic press This method of cultivation does seem to be becoming more and more popular. The wine was very interesting, with a smell of aniseed.
The second wine was Domaine La Madeleine St Jean Viognier, which had a little more depth than the supper wine. It was followed by the palest wine I have ever had. In fact I drank it later thinking it was water. This was Domaine Alquier Côtes du Roussilon. This is 50% Maccabeu. The last of our whites was, for me, the highlight of the evening. A white Bordeaux, Chateau Puychance Blanc Côtes du Francs. Truly delightful. Our first red was a Primitivo, “A Mano” from Puglia. We were reminded that this is the same grape variety as zinfandel. It gets its Italian name from it being the first grape to ripen It was followed by Domaine Lauriga Cadet Rouge Côtes du Rousillion. These were both good, but were surpassed by our final two reds One was a Jean Marc Lafont St Amour “Domaine de Bel Air”, a classic Bordeaux. Our final wine was a Nieto Don Nicador Malbec which went down a treat with the fine selection of cheeses provided by our hotel. Altogether, an informative and enjoyable evening with two or three quite exceptional wines. May Our expert for the evening was Paul Tate-Smith; this time talking about Babich wines from New Zealand. As usual we started with a meal; a very nice pork loin with cider gravy and vegetables. To accompany this we had a choice of either Bon Courage Chardonnay, from South Africa, or Los Vinateros Crianza Rioja. Your correspondent nobly tried both. The chardonnay had had some time in oak, and for me this almost old-fashioned taste was a pleasant surprise. The Rioja was very fine and well priced. Paul then gave us a short history of wine making in New Zealand. Joseph Babich left Dalmatia in 1895 to join his brothers in the North Island. They initially had orchards, but gradually changed to vineyards. They bought land in the Hawke’s Bay area of North Island and only later bought land in Marlborough.
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On a recent tour o the islands I was told that this is a common story among early grape growers. Our first tasting wine was Marlborough Pinot Gris. We were reminded that this is the same variety as pinot grigio. Some thought that this wine was deeper and more sophisticated than most pinot grigios. Again, some of the wine had spent time in refilled French oak barrels. As an aside Paul told us that a great deal of wine is now imported into Europe in very large wine bags. In fact so large that one fills a whole container for a container ship. He also told us that it is possible to book the exact location within the ship so that the wine can be kept cool and dark. As it happened I had a bottle of wine from Chile over the weekend and noticed that it gave a post code as place of bottling. A sure sign of being bottled in this country. It tasted none the worse for it. Paul told us of a bottling plant in Germany that gets through 4 million litres a year! Our next wine was also from Marlborough, a Black Label Sauvignon Blanc. This had also spent some time in refilled barrels. It had been especially created to go with food.
The last white certainly divided opinion on my table. It was a Cowslip Valley Riesling 2011. On my travels around New Zealand I didn’t find any Riesling or Gewurztraminer for that matter, which approached the aromatic heights of Alsace. This wine came close, and as a result half the table loved it and the other half poured it away! Our reds began with a Marlborough Pinot Noir. We were told that this wine could be drank slightly chilled. It was quite dry, but, for me, didn’t have the ‘nose’ of rotting vegetables that attracts me to Pinot Noir. However, it was very reasonably priced compared to some to the Otaga wines I drank in New Zealand. One of the most favoured areas of wine growing for New Zealanders is the
Gimbett Gravels area near Hawkes Bay. Our next wine was a Merlot Cabernet from this area. I am afraid it was not as special as I had hoped. The area was redeemed by a Syrah 2008. This was very deep, but without the over-powering alcohol levels of some Australian reds. A very pleasant accompaniment to the fine cheese board that ended our evening. June This was also our belated AGM. The meeting proper was wine introduced by Guy Cliffe with wines available from Tate Smith and Roberts and Speight. We dined on beer battered cod and chips, which was accompanied by Tommasi Lugana Le Fornaci. The grape was Trebbiano di Lugana which I have never had. A clean crisp flavour. Our first tasting wine was a Domaine Schlumberger Pinot Blanc from Alsace. The vineyard is organic, but like others it has not applied for certification. It seems that 2012 is a good year for Pinot Blanc.
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We progressed to anther Tommasi wine, this time a prosecco. We were told the difference between frizanti and spumante prosecco. It was generally felt that although prosecco is becoming very popular, mainly due to price, it does not usually match up to champagne. I have to say that I bought what I thought was a better prosecco from Aldi the next evening!
This was followed by a very interesting Marques de Murrieta Capellania. This is a white Rioja, and is aged in oak for 20 months. We were told that it used to be aged in oak for 4 years, but 20 months seemed enough. It was very pleasant, and unusual. Our red wines began with a Castiglion del Bosca, Rosso di Montalcino, a sangiovese from Tuscany. It was very pleasant with a lovely nose. It was followed by another Italian wines, this time a Zisola, a Nero d’Avola from Sicily. It was a very deep red, and very nice indded. The vineyard is near Noro in south-eastern Sicily, but the family come from Tuscany, and the wine is bottled there.
Our final red was a Meerlust red from South Africa. It is a Bordeaux blend. The family is best known for its Rubicon wine, This was very deep and delicious. The best wine of the evening, in my opinion. I saved some for the cheese which was to follow. They went very well together. We had our palette cleansed by another sparkling Italian white, a Muscato d’Asti. It has a low alcohol content and we were told it was a superb lunch wine. I would have to say it tasted like bicarbonate of soda, and I poured mine away; but many others seemed to enjoy it. We finished with a lovely white port, Ramos Pinto Adriano. A fitting end to a marvellous evening of wine. Paul McCabe
Sheffield Section Report March Into the new year and the return of Barry Staremore, long standing friend of the Sheffield section. He presented us with a new collection of wines on offer in his newly opened wine shop. We kicked off with a picpoul de pinet from chateau petit roubié, 2013 from the Languedoc. Peachy nose and pale straw in colour. This wine is dry yet fresh, with slight saltiness and a hint of green apple. Lovely with seafood; 13% and £8.95. Next to Gérad Bertrands, 6 éme Sens Rosé, 2012. Not much to nose but a beautiful salmon pink colour coming from the blend of Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault grapes. The nose is deceiving as the wine is very summery, fruity with slight sweetness. Delicious on its own but again good with seafood or a barbeque. Now to a Riesling from Milton Vineyards in Tasmania. This 2012 release has the characteristic oily metallic nose you would expect and a lovely pale gold colour. On the palate it releases sweetness and a slight spritz. Rounded, quaffable and zesty and definitely “acidulicious!” A very, very interesting wine at £14.50 and 10%. To Portugal for the last of the whites and the Reserva Branco from Terra D’alter, 2010.
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A blend of Viognier, Arinto and Verdelho grapes give this very pale golden wine a lovely fresh melon nose with hints of vanilla and summer fruit. On the palate a lovely citrusy feel and mouth-watering freshness, delicious at £10.50 and 13.5% Now to the reds and firstly to Spain and the Sierra Norte winery. The bobal variety in this 2011 Pasión de bobal is traditional to Valencia. Deep cherry in colour this wine has vanilla on the nose leading to spices and soft fruits on the palate, long in length with some tannin. Great with tapas and cheese. A lovely wine at £10 and 13.5%. The second red from Duas Pedras in Alentejo, Portugal. This 2011 tinto red has deep plum colour, a vegetal nose and savoury herbs, spices, pepper and fruit on the nose. Just like soft fruit dipped in chocolate! Gorgeous at £10 and 13%.Now over to the Yarra Valley in Australia and La Bohéme Act 4, 2012, a blend of syrah and gamay grapes. Plum in colour and typical sweet gamay nose. Soft, fruity, luscious and elegant at £14.95. Finally a hop over to Chile for a 2011 Carmenere from In Situ in the Aconcagua valley. Very deep red – almost black! Very fruity and some intensity on the nose, juicy and full of cherries on the palate. A bargain at £9.95Great to have Barry back again – with some great wines, best of luck with the new shop! Find out more from the shop website www.starmoreboss.com April April and time for the call my bluff. A few months earlier Sheffield were invited to compete against Caistor and so this was the return fixture and Sheffield were hoping to do the double! The committee were charged with selecting the wines and writing truths and bluffs – a tough task! Sommeliers from both Castor and Sheffield struggled at first being tricked by my choices, a deliciously fresh Sauvignon Blanc from Chile disguised as a Spanish Sauvignon and a Semillon-Sauvignon blend from Australia. Then to a classic Italian
Pinot Grigio from Trentino, our panel cleverly bluffing their way through descriptions of a Hungarian Pinot-Sauvignon blend and a Pinot Gris from Marlborough, New Zealand. Another two tricky whites to follow from Mr Beatson, firstly a Montagny Premier Cru Chardonnay. A lovely golden wine with luscious butteryness. Many failed to spot this amongst witty descriptions of a Californian Chardonnay and a Pouilly-Fuissé. Next to a real challenge and an excellent Riesling from McGui-gan of Australia. Although distinctive on the palate this wine
was well disguised between descriptions of a classic German and New Zealand Riesling. Onto the reds and firstly Mr Symonds’ choices. A lovely 2006 Gran Reserva from Bodegas Lagunilla, Tempranillo and Grenache blend. Ripe fruits, hint of yellowing on the rim and some oak – delicious. Next a real wild card at less than £4 a bottle! – a ruby red, fruity Vin de pays d’Oc by Grand Sud in Southern France made from 100%
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Finally to Mrs Whale’s choices and some excellent wine picked here. Firstly The Joshua, Shiraz Viognier from South Africa. A really delicious red packed with plums, berries and dark chocolate. Cleverly bluffed by our panel with descriptions of a Grenache syrah from the Rhone and a Spanish Reserva. The final wine of the night was a real show stopper – an excellent old vine zinfandel from California by Bold Vine Lodi. Beautifully smooth and plenty of fruit. Delicious. So to the result and it was a close run contest but Sheffield made it 2-0 victory by a slim margin and received a prize bottle. Commiserations to Caistor, who took home the Black Tower booby prize! But a big thank you for joining us on what we hope was an enjoyable evening! May
Independent wine merchant Paul Tate-Smith presented the Sheffield section with wines from the Bon Courage estate in South Africa. It benefits from excellent weather and sits on the junction of 3 rivers leading to various soil compositions and therefore allows winery to grow a wide range of grape varieties. Some fizz to start – the Cap Classique Jacques Bruére Cuvée Rosé Brut. A blend of pinot noir and chardonnay grapes give this rich copper wine a lightly yeasted and fresh nose with red berries and mineral undertones on the palate – excellent at £11.50.
To the 2013 Sauvignon Blanc, this unoaked light gold wine has fleshy fruits on the nose but has good acid on the palate with lime and gooseberry flavours – a delicious marrying of traditional French new world New Zealand styles. Lovely at £7. Now to the 2013 unwooded chardonnay. A very refreshing wine brightly golden in colour, melons on the nose and a soft orangey taste – very tropical and £7!Moving to the upper end of Bon Courage next with the Chardonnay Prestige 2013. Matured in French oak this wine is more traditional. Truly golden, buttery nose and some vanilla. A big wine on the palate with nice acid and fruit balance. A very nice wine for £8.On-to the reds and first to the 2012 Pinotage. Plum in colour and vegetal on the nose. Tannins on the palate yet well balanced with sweet fruit and banana. A well rounded, soft wine – lovely at £8.Next to the 2012 Shiraz. Deep plum in colour this wine was packed with ripe summer fruits on the nose, same on the palate but add a touch of pepper, a great wine at £8.Next to the 2011 Inkara Cabernet Sauvignon. Again deep purple in colour, this wine has a vegetal nose which leads to some complexity on the palate, rich yet soft and elegant , this wine is well balanced and has pronounced tannins, a big wine for just £14. A treat to finish and a late harvest Gewurztraminer from 2013. Straw gold in colour, delicious botrytis sweetness and honey on the nose – further reflected in the palate, sweet and soft but not cloying, would go great with cheese. Delicious, and a bargain at £8.A fabulous tasting from Paul with some excellent South African wines, a real eye opener!
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June Martyn, a retired dentist and now partner in Harlequin Wines, made his return to the Sheffield Section after 4 years. This time bringing wines from the Languedoc. We started with a Vin de Pay des Cotes de Thau Density, 2010 from Domaine Bourdic. This golden wine had a pleasant stewed apple nose yet was drying and oily on the palate. A blend of Vermentino and typical
Rosanne grapes go into this £8.95 wine. Now to three wines from Château Grezan. First the 2013 Chardonnay Antique IG d'Oc. This pale yellow wine has aromas of pears and citrus fruit, in the mouth it is rounded and slightly acidic. Definitely feels like its from warmer climbs! £11.50. The expression Faugères 2010 rose, a lovely copper colour and slight red fruit aroma. A delicate, quaffable wine for £8.50. Finally the 2010 Pinot Rouge , 100% Pinot Noir goes into this ruby coloured wine. Ammonia and earth on the nose lead to a fruity young palate. Nice at £10.95. Back to Domaine Bourdic for a 2005 Vin de Pay des Cotes de Thau La Sentinelle, made up of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Grenache. Almost brick red, this wine has plenty of wood on the nose but not much vanilla. Tannic on the palate and seemed to be lacking some fruit, £9.45. Two different Minervois from Château Coupe Roses. First the Granaxa 2011. Deep purple in colour, hints of cabbage and farmyard on the nose leading to a rough red feel on the palate – an acquired taste I think for £14.95! Maybe down to the 100% organic processing. Secondly the Orience 2011, this deep purple wine had fruit and spice and was well rounded, nice! £16.95 To finish, back to Château Grezan for the Schistes Dores Faugères 2011, The Schistes suggesting the terroir of the wine. The crimson wine is packed full of cherries and reveals chocolate and spice on the palate – a nice wine and £16.95. Yet again Martyn provided a very interesting tasting and equally interesting wines. To find out more about the wines Martyn supplies or to order any of the wines visit the Harlequin Wines website. www.harlequinwines.co.uk. Thomas Darby
Whitby Section Report April A top class evening at Sanders Yard in Whitby tasting the wines of Chateau Musar in Lebanon, presented by Ralph Hochar, whose grandfather Gaston Hochar founded the winery in 1930. We were honoured to welcome the Guild President, the current Chairman of the Guild and no less than three of the past Chairpersons. Sanders Yard had prepared a delectable middle eastern menu to complement the wines. A Musar Jeune Rosé 2011 - 100% Cinsault - opened the evening, in contrast to some very young and heady roses this is a relatively dark and dry wine with some age, which would go well with cured meats and shellfish. Next Musar Jeune White 2011, a blend of Viognier, Chardonnay and Vermentino. Crisp and with a good length. To compare we tasted Ch. Musar Blanc 2006, a blend of the indigenous Lebanese varieties Obaideh and Merweh. More length and depth than the “Jeune”, perhaps more Burgundian in character.
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The reds opened with a Musar Jeune 2010, a blend of C. Sauvignon, Cinsault and Syrah. Quite spicy and young but well-balanced; it would be great with Mediterranean food. Next arrived a Ch. Musar Rouge 2001 from C.S., Cinsault and Carignan the vines being between 20 and 75 years of age. The “Chateau” wines, released 7 years after harvest, are unfiltered and unrefined. Yields are low, around 30-35hl./Hectare. A classic which always satisfies and no wonder they are held in such high esteem! Finally we tasted two contrasting wines, The Ch. Musar Blanc from 2000 which had a small addition of Semillon and the 2007 Ch. Musar Rouge which was still young and tannic but would be a very good match for Charcuterie. The 2000 white tasted as a typical aged Muar white with a hint of sherry notes on the palate. Fabulous with hard cheeses but to some people an acquired taste. A most interesting and informative presentation by Ralph Hochar and an all-round excellent evening much enjoyed by members. Richard Evans May May heralded the arrival of Mel Marshall from Calder Wine Appreciation. I believe most sections have had presentations from Mel before and, from comments that I have received over the years, possibly he should be re-named “Marmite Mel”. You either find him knowledgeable, entertaining and with top quality bin ends or possibly a little predictable with wines lacking any wow factor. At Whitby he has never failed and neither did he this time. Mel is quite at home juggling his presentation around the three course meal which forms part of the Whitby programme. Being an Italian theme, we were welcomed with a Mionetto Proseco Superiore Extra Dry, combining a crisp palate and a nose of summer fruits. A Rocco del Dragone Falanghina from Campania provided us with an aromatic, heady wine to quench our thirst whilst Mel described the welcome wine and the two first course wines, namely a Castella della Rosa Pinot Grigio and a Paolo Leo Numen. Both of these wines came in at less than £10.00 a bottle and, whilst the Pinot Grigio blended well with the Caramella Seafood, the Chardonnay from Puglia at 14.5 ABV would have better suited a richer tasting dish. The two reds, a Vigneti di Dolomiti and a Negroamaro di Puglia Orfeo from the ’09 and ’08 vintages respectively complimented the pork saltimbocca admirably. An interloper for the tiramisu appeared, a Spanish Vino de Licor from Bodegas Camilo Castilla. It was appearing a second time by popular demand and, although at over £20.00 a bottle, all spare bottles were snapped up swiftly to be taken home and enjoyed at leisure. The venue, No 4 The Parade, looked after us superbly. Thank you Hugh and Maureen. Andrea Green June
On Monday 16th the Whitby branch had their Annual Dinner at Dunsley Hall. The wine presentation was by our friend James Long of Corney & Barrow who gave us an aperitif made by prestigious Le Colture estate, a hand made sparkling chardonnay. With our starter of Hay Smoked Duck
and King Scallops we were treated to a Bourgogne Andrea Christine Ann Green Stephenson Johnson
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Blanc Les Setilles 2012, a classic Olivier Leflaive which displayed all the hallmarks of the house– creamy and fresh, ripe and minerally. Also a concentrated, silky Pinot Noir from boutique Californian winery Carmel Road We cleansed our palette with a sorbet of crystallised Ginger and Lime and then on to our main course of Rump of Lamb ably accompanied by a Chateau Barrail du Blanc, St Emillion Grand Cru 2011 from a tiny three hectare estate in St Sulpice de Faleyrens and a Poggio Al Moro, Enrico Santini Bolgheri 2010 which is produced by a bio dynamic system, entirely natural with a blend of 30% sangiovese, 30% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot and 10% syrah. Our Shortbread Soufflé de Rothschild was serves with a Sauterne from Chateau Briatte with its blend of flowers, rich ripe fruit and citrus vitality and a varied Cheese selection was rounded off with a classic Ruby Wood Port– specially selected by Corney and Barrow and produced by Barao de Vila. Hugh Rayner
York Section Report February A return to Fulford Golf Club, with Graham Coverdale from House of Townend. On reception a rose Prosecco, Villa Sandi, zesty, light, fresh with a hint of red berry character and just £8.50. Graham then introduced us to the prodigious wine maker Telmo Rodriguez of Spain, mad man or genius? Certainly a rich one dedicated to regenerating ancient vines in inaccessible areas, native to Rioja, educated in Bordeaux with wines from all around Spain Basa Rueda 2012, 13% alcohol, formerly the house white at El Bulli, a blend of Verdelho, Viura and Sauvignon, fresh citrus, vanilla and liquorice herb at a very attractive £8.50.Mountain Blanco 2010 Sierras de Malaga 13.5%, Muscat for Seville orange flavour but unusually steely dry with a hint of smoke, reflecting its slate soils.£12.95 Verdejo El Transistor 2010 12.5%, buttery, rich vanilla and brioche, 100% Verdejo hand picked from sixty year old vines matured in oak, an excellent and extraordinary wine at £15.10. Al Muvedre 2012 Alicante 13.5%,Monastrell, with sage and lavender, meaty mushroom on the nose and soft spicy metallic hint on the finish. £7.99. Gabo do Xil 2011 Valdeorras, 13.5%, Galician Mencia, terrific value £9.99, on the nose violets and rose petals, light easy tannins giving a whisper of graphite on the palate. Gago 2008 Toro, this emerging regions Tempranillo spends 14 months in French oak giving the ripe fruit a softly drying long finish£17.50. Finally with dessert Molino Real Moscatel £14.95 for 50cl, air dried Muscat full of figs and sticky raisins. March Is James Long from Corney and Barrow the Ronnie Corbett of presenting? Amusing anecdotes, often completely at a tangent to the subject delivered in the always impressive Middlethorpe Hall. The theme was Old world/New world interpretations on the same grape variety. So we began instead with Biddenden’s Gribble Bridge 2009, a Kentish sparkler, off dry with a real orchard fruit character, great alternative to champagne and just £19.96. A classy Pouilly Fume, Les Chaumiennes A&E Figeat, 2012, gooseberry fresh acidity combined with clean minerality, a clear favourite,
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£13.96. New Zealand Sauvignon from Eradus showed intense kiwi fruit and herbaceous notes, almost overwhelming after the restraint of the Loire and at £12.50 left many reflecting France represented the best value. Riesling, Beblenheim, Domaine Trapet, Alsace, 2009. Bio-dynamic, organic, £16.75 rich, creamy lime with paraffin notes, followed by James Hardwick’s New Zealand Muddy Water, 2011 £15.95, smoky, baked apple and Vaseline, a more approachable style for many. St. Emilion, Ets J-P Moueix, 2010, 90% merlot, 9 months in oak created a vanilla, rose and violet perfumed wine, soft rippling tannins, £15.50; contrasted with Australian Merlot, Pyramid Hill, Hunter Valley 2009 £15.95, soft, ripe plummy fruit, but lacking in character. Finally Pinot Noirs, Domaine Les Salices, Pays d’Oc 2012 from Francois Lurton, a balance of farmyard and violets with lingering acidity softened by oak, £9.95, very acceptable. However the Chilean Vina Mar Reserva 2012 showed real quality and depth with meaty, smoky notes, dark lingering baked ripe fruit . April Mama Mia Italian Restaurant Paul Tate-Smith from Malton presented Australia and New Zealand in his usual relaxed and down to earth style. First a sparkling blast of intense passion fruit and lime from Toi Toi, a sparkling Sauvignon Blanc with a novel re-sealable plastic cork, pure summertime fun and just £12. Mud House Pinot Gris 2012 gave nectarine and citrus with complex smoke and minerality that disguised the 13.5% alcohol, at £10 this gives Alsace a run for its money. Yalumba Unwooded Chardonnay 2012, from one of Australia’s oldest family wineries, tongue tickling acidity, Burgundy like with minerality, sweet pea and talcum, but finds itself in a hard market to crack at £10. Devils Corner Pinot Noir 2011 from Tasmania, smoke and rose petal nose with a meaty, dark chocolate finish, good value at £11.50. Next 2 very different wines from producer De Bortoli Mountbridge Merlot 2012 was round and soft with bubble-gum sweetness developing into a black fruit and coffee finish, a bargain £6.25. Deen Vat 1 Durif 2010, Durif or Petit Syrah is seldom seen, intense blackberry and spiced plum nose, inky black with clove and cardamom, 35% of the blend is oaked for a final smooth chocolate finish, very impressive and just £8.50. Babich Syrah 2008 £10.50 from the gravel soils of Hawkes Bay NZ, a hint of Viognier to smooth the clove spice and acidity of Shiraz. Bethany Cabernet Merlot 2003, £13.00, throwing a light sediment, ripe and full, menthol and fig, but a little lacking in complexity for an aged Barossa. May DEAN COURT HOTEL
Stuart Calder presented the first half of “Tour de France” wines, and the food, venue, wines and presenter combined in a Tour de Force evening. For the “depart” a modern English classic, Nyetimber Cuvee 2009, £33 widely available, a Dutch owner, a Canadian winemaker, delicious baked apple and vanilla notes from West Sussex. Then Pierre Paillard Grand Cru Brut Champagne, Wine Society £25, Chardonnay, Pinot and Petit Meunier, 8 months in barrel and 3 1/2 years in bottle gave brioche, pear and bruised apple notes, an amazing price.
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Domaine Nicolas Potel Pouilly Fuisse 2012, Waitrose £16, green, vegetal, buttery hazelnuts cut with sharp acidity, a long finish, a class Macon Chardonnay. Domaine Hughes-Beguet Ploussard 2009, Wine Society £11.95, organic, bio-dynamic, pale, lightly tannic red from the obscure ploussard grape in the Jura, a wine to challenge preconceptions, a rustic nose with cherry tunes and pomegranate on the palate. Beaujolais, Morgon, Domaine Lafont Cote du Py 2011, £10.95, sweet spiced plum on the nose, gum prickling acidity smooth ripe cherry in the mouth. Alsace provided the last two wines, Trimbach Pinot Noir Reserve 2011, Wine Society £18.50, organic, ripe, sweet dark strawberries on the nose, soft long tannins complex and rich, port like overripe blackberries on the tongue. Finally Paul Blanck Gewurztraminer 2012, Waitrose £15, an organic white to finish, so rich it was almost Jersey Yellow, rose and lychee, intensely aromatic with a dark edge, like Turkish delight in a glass. Larry Murray June
The June event took us on a long overdue return to Bedern Hall with our very own Terry Herbert picking up the baton from Stuart Calder to take us on the deuxième étage of Le Tour de France Sommeliers-style taking in eight interesting and less well-known wines en route through the mountains of the south and west of France. Terry got off to a sparkling start in Languedoc-Roussillon with an elegant 2011 Crémant de Limoux AOC ‘Clos des Demoiselles’,
Domaine J.Laurens followed by a classy 2012 AOC Saint-Chinian 'Le Clos de ma Mère’, Clos Bagatelle. On we rode towards Nîmes for the first of three reds full of character: a typical black fruit 2011 Cabernet Franc, Domaine Mas Barrau, IGP Pays du Gard representing excellent value at under £6.00. Next we found ourselves deep in the Basque Country at one of its founding estates tasting a quirky 2009 AOC Irouléguy, Domaine Brana predominately featuring the Cabernet Franc grape rather than the more widely planted Tannat. The latter grape was shown as we headed north for a full, elegant food wine: a 2007 AOC Madiran, Château Montus.
Terry then thrilled us all with two sweet wines: first a sprint back to the Pyrenees for well balanced 2012 Jurançon AOC, ‘Ballet d'Octobre', Domaine Cauhapé followed by a fabulous 2009 Monbazillac, ‘Château Pech la Calévie’. To round off a fine evening, Roger Lee produced some gorgeous Toulouse sausages which were gleefully washed down with the remaining mouthfuls of the reds left in our tasting glasses! And so we had completed the Tour de France in viniferous fashion with the yellow jersey dutifully presented to Terry for safekeeping until the
next Grand Départ! Jason Valentine
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