November meeting

 WINE TASTING GROUP.

HELD AT PAT’S BY JEAN ON TUESDAY 27^TH NOVEMBER 2018. ONCE AGAIN A LOVELY SELECTION OF CHEESES AND OTHER ACCOMPLIAMENTS WERE PROVIDED.

WINE NO 1.       2017 PINOTAGE, SOUTH AFRICA. 14.5%VOL.  PURCHASED FROM MORRISONS AT £8.50.

A HEALTHY LOOKING WINE, THIS OFFERING HAS A DEEP APPEARANCE ALLIED TO DEEP RUBY COLOURING. A GOOD BOUQUETWITH MEDIUM INTENSITY, AND SOME DARK FRUIT CHARACTER, IT HAD GOOD SWEETNESS AND BALANCED ACIDITY. STRONG TANNINS WITH A MEDIUM BODY, ALLIED TO SLIGHT AFTER TASTE, GAVE THIS WINE A GOOD LASTING FLAVOUR.  THIS WINE ATTRACTED AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 7.5/10. RECOMMENDED.

WINE NO2.    2012  RIOJA GRAND RESERVE MARQUES, SPAIN.  13.5% VOL.  PURCHASED FROM MORRISONS AT £12.

THIS WINE NEEDS TO BE AGED FOR AT LEAST 2 YEARS FROM BOTTLING, AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO CONSIDER THIS 6YEAR OLD WINE, WITH SOME INTEREST. AGED IN FRENCH AND AMERICAN OAK BARRELS, IT IS A BRIGHT HEALTHY LOOKING WINE. INTENSE COLOURING ALLIED TO A RICH RUBY APPEARANCE IT HAS A STRONG PLEASANT BOUQUET.  OUR MEMBERS HAD A NUMBER OF GUESSES AS TO ITS CHARACTER, RANGING FROM CITRUS TO LIQUORICE! SOME SWEETNESS ON THE TONGUE, AND TART ACIDITY ALLIED TO STRONG TANNINS, GAVE IT MEDIUM BODY AND LASTING FRUIT FLAVOURS.  THIS WINE ATTRACTED AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 7/10.

WE QUITE ENJOYED THIS WINE, BUT GIVEN ITS PRICE, WE FELT THAT COMPARED TO THE FIRST WINE, IT WAS NOT GREAT VALUE FOR MONEY.

OUR WINE TASTING GROUP WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY, TO WISH ALL OF OUR U3A MEMBERS A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS, AND A HAPPY HEALTHY 2019.