WINE TASTING GROUP. TUESDAY 28TH MAY 2013.

THE GROUP MET AT DAVE & MOLLY’S WHERE WE HAD AN EXCELLENT AFTERNOON WITH GREAT HOSPITALITY FROM OUR HOSTS.

WINE NO.1.

 THIS WINE WAS A 2011 PINOT NOIR FROM THE BRANCOTT ESTATE MARLBOROUGH NEW ZEALAND, PURCHASED AT ASDA AT AN OFFER PRICE OF £6.98. THE WINE IS FROM SOUTH ISLAND WHICH AT ONE TIME WAS THOUGHT TO BE TOO COLD TO GROW WINE GRAPES. THE WINE HAS SOFT VELVETY TANNINS WITH RIPE BERRY FRUIT FLAVOURS. WE ALL ENJOYED THIS TART, LIGHT BODIED WINE WHICH HAD A GOOD LASTING FLAVOUR. THIS RED WINE GRAPE IS GROWN EXTENSIVELY IN FRANCE AND IS BEST DRUNK YOUNG. WE GAVE IT AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 7.

WINE NO. 2.

THIS WINE WAS A 2011 MALBEC FROM THE LA PIEDRA LEON VINYARD IN THE VALLE CENTRAL AREA OF CHILE. PUCHASED FROM MORRISONS AT £7.49. THIS GRAPE ORIGINATED FROM THE FRENCH BORDEAUX REGION, AND PRODUCES A WINE WITH FRUITY FLAVOURS AND SLIGHTLY PEPPERY UNDERTONES. IT HAS VIBRANT AROMAS OF BLACK FRUIT, SUCH AS PLUMS. WE ALL FELT THAT THIS WAS A HEALTHY WINE WITH A DEEP INTENSITY, MEDIUM BODIED, WITH A LONG LASTING FLAVOUR. OUR GROUP ALSO ENJOYED THIS WINE AND GAVE IT AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 7.4.

THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE HOSTED BY JENNY AT PAT AND BRIAN’S, ON TUESDAY 18^TH JUNE 2013.   

WINE TASTING GROUP. TUESDAY 30TH APRIL’

WINE TASTING GROUP. TUESDAY 30^TH APRIL’

WE MET AT RAY AND JUNE’S HOUSE WHERE WE HAD A VERY PLEASANT AFTERNOON OF TASTING ALONG WITH AN EXCELLENT SELECTION OF CHEESE AND BISCUITS TO ACCOMPANY THE WINE.

THE FIRST WINE SERVED WAS A 2010 CALIFORNIAN SHIRAZ FROM WAITROSE COSTING £6.99. THIS WINE RECEIVED HIGH PRAISE, AND RECEIVED AN AVERAGE MARK OF 8.5, POSSIBLY THE HIGHEST OF ANY WINES THAT WE HAVE TRIED OVER THE LAST 2 YEARS. IT HAD A HEALTHY, BRIGHT APPEARANCE WITH PLEASANT SMELL. A LIGHT TASTE WAS SUPPLEMENTED WITH A LONG AFTERTASTE WITH THE FLAVOUR  LASTING. THE WINE IS PRODUCED BY ROBERT MONDAVI AT THE WOODBRIGE WINERY ACAMPO CALIFORNIA AND PRODUCES A VELVETY SHIRAZ LACED WITH DARK BERRY AND PLUM CHARACTER, WITH GOOD OAK AGING.  WE ALL THOUGHT THIS TO BE AN EXCELLENT WINE.

OUR SECOND WINE WAS ALSO A SHIRAZ, BUT FROM  AUSTRALIA. THIS WAS A 2009 FROM THE BUCKINGHAM ESTATE IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA, WHICH WAS PURCHASED FROM MORRISONS AT £8.99. THE VINYARD IS IN AN AREA OF AUSTRALIA WITH A SLIGHTLY COOLER CLIMATE, WHICH HELPS TO PRODUCE THIS GOOD WINE WHICH HAS DEEP PLUM COLOURING WITH COMPLEX AROMAS ENCOMPASSING BLACKBERRY, DARK CHOCOLATE, BLACK OLIVE AND CINNAMON. THIS WINE WAS AGAIN APPRECIATED BY ALL OF US AND WHILST NOT REACHING THE SAME APPROVAL AS THE FIRST WINE STILL RECEIVED A VERY RESPECTABLE AVERAGE SCORE OF 8. VERY DRINKABLE.

SHIRAZ  IS THE MOST POPULAR WINE GRAPE IN AUSTRALIA, AND IS GROWN EXTENSIVELY IN FRANCE AND CALIFORNIA, AND IS BEST DRUNK FAIRLY YOUNG.

THE  NEXT MEETING OF OUR GROUP WILL BE HELD AT DAVE AND MOLLY’S ON TUES 28^TH MAY.

JOHN BENFIELD