Meeting 310 - Members' Summer Discoveries
Held at Waltham St Lawrence Friday 18thJanuary 2008 Presented by Chris Graham
There isn't a formal report on this evening's tasting, but it was generally agreed by everyone that the members had provided an interesting and diverse range of wines. The quality of the the selection (or perhaps the alcohol therein!), prompted Chris Graham to wax lyrical in his 'thought for the day':
"New Discoveries are acquired through various senses and are usually assimiliated with preexisting knowledge and actions. Discovery is the observation of new phenomena, new actions, or new events and providing new reasoning to explain the knowledge gathered through such observations with previously acquired knowledge from abstract thought and everyday experience."
Aperitif:
Monte Seco, Henriques & Henriques, 3yr old (TN)
Cepage: 90% Tinta Negra Mole, 10% Sercial, Alc 19%
Price & Availability in UK: approx £10 from Everywine or order direct from H&H
(Selected by Johanna Raffan)
White Wines:
1. Alsace Grand Cru Ollwiller Riesling, Cave Vinicole du Vieil Armand, 2000(TN)
Cepage: 100% Reisling Alc: 12.5%
Price & Availability in UK: N/A in UK (Doug Miles)
2. Saint-Bris, Domaine Saint Prix, Bersan et Fils, 2005 (TN)
Cepage: Sauvignon Blanc et Sauvignon Gris. Alc 13%
Price & Availability in UK : Barrels & Bottles, Sheffield at £7.23 (Chris Graham)
Red/Rosé Wines:
3. Bandol Rosé, Domaine Ray-Jane, 2006. (TN)
Cepage: 40 % Grenache, 20 % Consault, 20 % Mouvedre. Alc 14%
Price & Availability in UK: n/a UK. In France approx £7 per bottle (Eric Cox)
4. Beaujolais– Fleurie, Christian Bernard (known for Domaine) des Grands Fers, 2005(TN)
Cepage: 100% Gamay. Alc 13%
Price & Availability in UK: Avery’s at £8.99(Gerry Fowles)
5. Pfaltz Spätburgunder Trocken , Hahnen, Weingut Rings, Freinsheim, 2005 (TN)
Cepage: Spätburgunder. Alc 13.5%
Price & Availability in the UK: n/a UK, bought at €7.5/£5.36 (Colin Mair)
6. Zarephath Pinot Noir, Zarephath, Porongurup, Western Australia, 2004 (TN)
Cepage:Pinot Noir. Alc 13.5%
Availablity in the UK:
purchased from Sporting Wines, Cheadle Hulme for £9.19 per bottle (actually cheaper than cellar door price)(Brian Slark)
7.John X Merriman, Rustenberg, Stellenbosch, SA, 2005(TN)
Cepage: 54% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec. Alc 14.3% (Pat Curtis)
Pudding Wine:
Maury Vin Doux Naturel, Vineyard Mas Amiel(TN)
Year: no year stated but described as aged for 6 years,
one in glass demijohn followed by 5 years in oak.
Cepage:virtually 100% grenache noir Alc: 16% Vol
Price & Available in UK from: Bought in France at 11 Euros each
(approx £7.50) but the “aged 10 years” version is available from Bancroft and
Everywine at £11- £12 bottle (Jack Mansell)
Supper Wine:
Albera Barbera, Araldica, Barbera D’Asti, 2005(TN)
Cepage:<100% Barbera Alc 13.5%
Price & Availability in UK: Waitrose, £4. 99 down to £3.99<
Note: Tasting notes can be downloaded in pdf format by clicking on (TN) for each wine.