WINE TASTING GROUP.       HOSTED AT JOHN & SHEILA’S      15^TH MARCH 2016.

WE HAD A GOOD ENJOYABLE AFTERNOON AT OUR HOUSE WITH THE USUAL FARE.

WINE NO. 1 .      2014 GRENACHE MOURVEDRE TANNAT.   WESTERN CAPE SOUTH AFRICA. 14% VOL. PURCHASED FROM LIDL AT £8. 

THIS DEEP RUBY WINE HAD A GOOD HEALTHY APPEARANCE,WITH A PLEASANT BOUQUET, A MEDIUM NOSE WITH A BLACKCURRENT CHARACTER. THERE WS A LITTLE SWEETNESS WITH TART ACIDITY. TANNINS WERE EVIDENT AND THERE WAS A GOOD FRUIT TASTE IN THE MOUTH. THE FLAVOUR LASTED, AND THIS WINE A BLEND FROM THE VINYARDS OF FRENCH SETTLERS WHO ARRIVED IN THE 17^TH CENTURY, ATTRACTED AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 7/10.

WINE NO. 2.   2015 HAWKES BAY SYRAH  NEW ZEALAND.  13% VOL.  PURCHASED FROM LIDL AT £6.

WITH A HEALTHY APPEARANCE AND PALE INTENSITY, THIA WINE HAD A PLEASANT NOSE WITH QUITE A WEAK SMELL. SOME RED CURRENT CHARACTER SHOWED UP AND WE DETECTED A SWEETNESS ON THE TONGUE. VERY LITTLE ACIDITY AND A LIGHT BODY. THERE WAS A GOOD FRUIT TASTE BUT THE FLAVOUR DID NOT LAST LONG IN THE MOUTH. THIS WINE ATTRACTED AN AVERAGE SCORE OF  7.5/10.

                                                                   JOHN BENFIELD. 

WINE TASTING GROUP.         HELD AT BRIAN & PATS ON 16^TH FEBRUARY 2016.

ANOTHER EXCELLENT AFTERNOON WITH LOTS OF ANIMATED CONVERSATION, AND OF COURSE CHEESE,BISCUITS,FRUIT AND OTHER GOOD ACCOMPANIMENTS.

WINE NO. 1.            2013  ESTELA, ARMANDO BONARDA.  MENDOZA ARGENTINA.   13.5% VOL.      PURCHASED FROM MORRISONS AT £9.

THIS WINE PROVED TO BE AN INTERESTING PUZZLE TO US ALL WITH NOBODY GUESSING EITHER THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, OR THE GRAPE VARIETY. A CLEAR DEEP RED SIGHT, PRODUCED A PLEASANT BOUQUET, PLENTY OF ACIDITY, WITH A PLEASANT INTENSITY,A LOT OF SWEETNESS ON THE TONGUE, AND SOME TANNINS. MEDIUM BODIED, IT HAD GOOD FRUIT TASTE, AND A GOOD LONG LASTING FLAVOUR. THERE WAS A MIXED REACTION TO THIS WINE, BUT IT DID ATTRACT A GOOD AVERAGE SCORE OF 8.5. WE WOULD RECOMMEND THIS WINE.

WINE NO 2.     2015    INCA  CABERNET SAUVIGNON  VALLE CENTRAL CHILE.          13.5% VOL.          PURCHASED FROM MORRISONS AT £4.

A BRIGHT LOOKING WINE WITH A RUBY RED DEEPLY INTENSE APPEARANCE, THIS SAMPLE HAD A PLEASANT BOUQUET WITH A FRUITY FINISH. GOOD SWEETNESS , WITH BALANCED ACIDITY, AND SOME TANNINS, A MEDIUM BODY WITH A GOOD LASTING FLAVOUR, WE ALSO ENJOYED THIS OFFERING, WHICH ATTRACTED AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 7. A GOOD VALUE WINE AT THIS PRICE.

                                                                                                                            JOHN BENFIELD.

WINE TASTING GROUP.                  HOSTED AT DAVE AND MOLLY’S     19^TH JANUARY 2016.

WE ENJOYED AN EXCELLENT AFTERNOON, WITH A LOVELY SELECTION OF CHEESES, PATE, FRUIT AND BISCUITS, PROVIDED BY OUR HOSTS.

WINE NO. 1   2014  CHAPEL HILL  PINOT NOIR.                HUNGARY              12% VOL.                                                         PURCHASED FROM  WAITROSE AT  £7.49.

THIS WINE FROM THE HUNGARIAN BALATONBOGLAR VINYARD, WAS GIVEN A DEFINITE “THUMBS DOWN” BY OUR MEMBERS, BUT AS IT CAME FROM A RELATIVELY UNKNOWN WINE COUNTRY, IT HAD A CERTAIN CURIOSITY INTEREST. WITH A MEDIUM GARNET RED APPEARANCE, AND A MEDIUM BODY WITH RASPBERRY AND CHERRY AROMAS, IT HAD A WEAK INTENSITY. THERE WAS LITTLE LASTING LENGTH OF FLAVOUR, AND WOULD NOT BE RECOMMENDED. IT RECEIVED AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 5/10.

WINE NO. 2.     2013  SANT ILIA  CABERNET SAUVIGNON & MELNIK BLEND.  BULGARIA,     13% VOL.                     PURCHASED FROM  WAITROSE AT £8.79.

A FAR BETTER WINE THAN NO 1., THIS OFFERING FROM THE BULGARIAN VINEYARDS, IS PRODUCED IN THE SOILS OF THE THRACIAN REGION OF SOUTHERN BULGARIA. BLACK AND BERRY AROMAS, WITH A GOOD OAK FINISH, MADE IT A REFRESHING TASTE. WITH A DEEP RUBY APPEARANCE AND PLEASANT AROMA, IT HAD GOOD SWEETNESS ON THE TONGUE, AND A LASTING FLAVOUR. RECOMMENDED, THIS WINE ATTRACTED AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 8/10.

                                                                                                                                                            JOHN BENFIELD.  

WINE TASTING GROUP                    HOSTED AT JACK & JOAN’S WHERE WE ENJOYED WARM HOSPITALITY WITH CHEESE, BISCUITS , FRUIT, AND OLIVES.            TUESDAY 17^TH NOV. 2015.

WINE NO 1.    2013    LA CHASSE  COTE DU RHONE  RESERVE    FRANCE     13%  VOL.   PURCHASED FROM ASDA AT  £5.

ONE OF THE FAMOUS FRENCH APPELATION WINES, THE LA CHASSE WINE IS SOURCED FROM FINE COTES DU RHONE VINEYARDS.  THIS OFFERING HAD A VERY HEALTHY APPEARANCE WITH A DEEP INTENSITY AND PURPLE APPEARANCE WITH A  DARK BERRY BOUQUET, WITH A MEDIUM INTENSITY, SOME TASTE ON THE FRONT OF THE TONGUE, IT HAD A GOOD LASTING FLAVOUR. WE QUITE ENJOYED THIS WINE WHICH ATTRACTED AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 7.5.

WINE NO. 2.      2013   GRANDE RESERVE CHATEANEUF DU PAPE .  FRANCE.   13.5 VOL.  PURCHASED FROM ASDA AT £9.

ANOTHER FAMOUS APPELLATION THIS WINE HAS AN INTENSE NOSE WITH AROMAS OF DARK BERRIES, CHERRYS AND SPICE. THE WINE IS SOFT AND RICH WITTH A BRIGHT APPEARANCE, AND GOOD TASTE ON THE FRONT OF THE TONGUE. WITH TART ACIDITY IT HAD GOOD FRUIT TASTE, AND LASTING FLAVOUR.  WE ALSO  ENJOYED THIS OFFERING, AND IT ATTRACTED AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 7.6.

                                   JOHN BENFIELD

WINE TASTING GROUP.              HOSTED AT JOHN & SHEILA’S             

13^TH OCTOBER 2O15.

HELD AT OUR HOUSE, WE HOPE THAT EVERYONE ENJOYED THE AFTERNOON!

WINE NO. 1.         2OI4 RED MENDOZA  MALBEC  ARGENTINA.   13% VOL.  PURCHASED FROM LIDL AT £5.99.

GROWN IN THE LARGEST WINE MAKING REGION OF ARGENTINA, MALBEC GRAPES THRIVE IN THE OPTIMAL CLIMATIC CODITIONS IN THIS AREA, PRODUCING FULL BODIED, AROMATIC WINES. WE FOUND THIS TO BE A BRIGHT HEALTHY LOOKING DRINK, WITH QUITE A PALE RED APPEARANCE. WITH A PLEASANT SMELL AND WEAK INTENSITY, IT HAD SOME TASTE ON THE FRONT OF THE TONGUE, AND A TART ACIDITY. THE BODY WAS LIGHT, WITH VERY LITTLE TANNINS. THE FLAVOUR DID LAST, BUT THIS WINE WAS NOT REALLY VERY POPULAR WITH US AND ONLY ATTRACTED AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 6.5. NOT REALLY RECOMMENDED.  

WINE NO. 2.        2009 FORTEZZA DEI  COLLI CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA FROM ITALY.  13.5% VOL. PURCHASED FROM LIDL AT £8.99.

THIS 6 YEAR OLD , WINE, PRODUCED FROM THE SANGIOVESE GRAPE IS MATURED FOR 2 YEARS AND BOTTLED FOR 3 MONTHS TO BRING OUT THE RUBY RED COLOUR. IT HAS A BRIGHT APPEARANCE WITH A PALE INTENSITY WHICH WAS AT ODDS WITH THE PRODUCER CLAIMING THAT BOTTLING IT FOR 3 MONTHS BROUGHT OUT THE  INTENSITY IN APPEARANCE.  THE AROMA WAS WEAK, BUT IT DID HAVE SOME TASTE ON THE  FRONT OF THE TONGUE.THE  BODY WAS LIGHT AND THE FLAVOUR DID LAST.  GIVEN THE AGE AND PRICE OF THIS WINE, IT WAS NOT ENJOYED AND ONLY ATTRACTED AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 5.5. DEFINITELY NOT RECOMMENDED.

                                                                                                               

JOHN BENFIELD.     

September meeting

                                 WINE TASTING GROUP.                          HOSTED BY JENNY, AT JUNE & RAY’S,                 15^TH  SEPTEMBER 2015.

JENNY LAID ON, WITH JUNE AND RAY’S HELP, A LOVELY COUPLE OF WINES,EXCELLENT CHEESE, PATE, BISCUITS, & FRUIT,  A VERY GOOD AFTERNOON.

WINE NO. 1.        2014 RED CASTILLO ALBAI  RIOJA FROM PACOS DEL REY,  SPAIN.   13% VOL.  PURCHASED FROM SAINSBURYS AT £5.50.

This good looking wine, with a medium intensity, had a pleasant nose with a medium, dark, fruit highlights. With a long lasting flavour, and balanced acidity, this light bodied wine was enjoyed by us all and attracted an average score  7.9.  Recommended.

WINE NO 2.         2014 RED MONDELLI MONTEPULCIANO  FROM FORLI,  ITALY.   12.5VOL.  PURCHASED FROM SAINSBURYS AT  £6.

Grown in the rustic Central Italian region of Abruzzo, nestling between the Apennine mountains and the Adriatic Sea, this soft fruity wine has a good healthy appearance, a medium nose, and a good plum and blackberry taste in the  mouth.  A tart acidity, and lasting flavour was popular with us all and was given average score of 7.5. Also recommended.

                                                                              John Benfield.       

August meeting

  WINE TASTING GROUP.                   HELD AT PAT & BRIAN’S     ON  18^TH. AUGUST 2015.

An excellent afternoon, with a very pleasant change.  2 white wines, followed by a bottle of German Reisling presented to us by the founder of our group Mike Cahill.

WINE NO. 1.            WHITE   2014  FREEMANS BAY VINEYARDS  PINOT GRIS.  NEW ZEALAND.   13% VOL. PURCHASED FROM ALDI’S AT £5.99.

With a very healthy appearance, this golden Pinot had a pleasant smell, a good strong intensity, balanced acidity, a lasting flavour. It has rich aromas of honeysuckle and mango, with ripe flavours of melons and pears, with a spicy twist. A very enjoyable drink, this wine attracted an average score 8.5.

WINE NO. 2.          WHITE   2014  FREEMANS BAY VINEYARDS  SAUVIGNON BLANC.  NEW ZEALAND.  12.5% VOL. PURCHASED FROM ALDI’S AT £5.89.

Another wine from Freemans Bay Vineyards, this Sauvignon Blanc was another good strong flavoured offering. With a bright appearance it had a pale intensity and pleasant bouquet. Flavours of gooseberry, lime and passion fruit produced a strong lasting flavour. This wine was a hit with us all (except one!) and attracted a score of 8.2.

The gift from Mike was very much appreciated. Such a different experience to the NZ wines, this offering had a strong zesty bouquet with a really fresh aftertaste. The flavour lasted and was enjoyed by us all. We didn’t mark it in our usual way, but had we done so, I’m sure it would have been awarded a solid 8. Many thanks Mike, not only for the wine, but for your initiative in setting up what has been a delightful group. Best wishes to you and Elisabeth, from us all  at Totton U3A.