Held at Jack & Joan’s on 24^th Aug 2021, where we had a lovely afternoon being entertained by our excellent hosts. 

Wine no. 1.  2019 Cassillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon Valle Central, Chile. 13.5%vol. purchased from Asda at £6.

This wine has a healthy deep clarity, with a strong ruby appearance, and medium intensity with a pleasant bouquet, it has quite  a number of complex characterisations. There was some sweetness evident in the taste, and it had quite tart acidity. A fairly light body with good fruit taste, the flavour lasted very well.  We all appreciated this offering and it attracted an average score of 7/10. 

Wine no.2.  2020 Hardy’s Crest Shiraz South Eastern Australia. 14%vol. purchased from Asda at £6.

With a bright deep intensity this ruby coloured wine had a good bouquet with plenty of sweetness.  There was balanced acidity and lots of tannins.  It had a medium body, and good fruit taste.  The flavour lasted very well.  With the exception of one of our members who didn’t like it, this wine was generally appreciated and attracted an average score of 8.5/10. 

John Benfield.

  

Our first group meeting for 17 months was held at Ray & June’s where we had a fantastic afternoon catching up on our Covid affected lives. Our hosts laid on a lovely spread for us.

Wine no. 1 -  2019 Les Dauphines Cotes du Rhone Villages Rouge, Fance. 14% vol. purchased from Waitrose at £7.                        

An excellent offering enjoyed by us all attracting an average score of 8.2/10.  Highly recommended.

Wine no 2 - 2018 Trivento Malbec Mendoza Argentina.  14%vol.

This strange wine had a very mixed reaction with one member giving it a score of 0/10!

This offering was not recommended and attracted an average score of 5.5/10.

John Benfield

Jan meeting

WINE TASTING GROUP.

HELD AT PAT’S AND HOSTED BY JEAN ON 28^TH JANUARY 2020, WHERE WE WERE ENTERTAINED REALLY WELL, FOR A VERY PLEASANT AFTERNOON.

WINE NO 1.  2018 HARDY’S CREST BLEND OF CABERNET,SHIRAZ, & MERLOT, SOUTH EASTERN AUSTRALIA.                       14%VOL. PURCHASED FROM MORRISONS AT £7.

WITH A BRIGHT RUBY APPEARANCE, AND DEEP INTENSITY, THIS OFFERING COMES FROM THE FAMOUS HARDY’S,  AWARD WINNING VINYARDS. IT HAS A VERY PLEASANT BOUQUET OF MEDIUM INTENSITY AND MIXED CHARACTER. THERE IS A SLIGHT SWEETNESS ON THE TONGUE,BALANCED ACIDITY, AND TANNINS ARE EVIDENT AS WELL.THERE WERE MIXED VIEWS ON THE BODY OF THIS WINE BUT WE ALL FELT THAT THE FLAVOUR LASTED. THIS OFFERING ATTRACTED AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 7.8/10 AND IS RECOMMENDED.

WINE NO 2.   2018 J.P.CHENET CABERNET SAVIGNON, FRANCE, 13%VOL. PURCHASED FROM MORRISONS AT £6.75.

THIS HEALTHY LOOKING WINE IS PRODUCED IN FRANCE BY THE WELL KNOWN CHENET VINYARDS AND HAS A MEDIUM RUBY/RED APPEARANCE. A SLIGHTLY MUSTY BOUQUET, WITH QUITE STRONG INTENSITYIT WAS DIFFICULT TO DISCOVER ITS CHARACTER. THERE WAS A LITTLE SWEETNSESS ON THE TONGUE,WITH TART ACIDITY AND GOOD TANNINS. IT HAD A MEDIUM TASTE AND GOOD FRUIT

TASTE WITH LASTING FLAVOUR. THE WINE ATTRACTED AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 7/10.

                                                            JOHN BENFIELD.

...

February's meeting

November at John's

                                                                                                        WINE TASTING GROUP

HELD AT JOHN AND SHEILA’S ON 26^TH NOVEMBER 2019, WHERE WE HOPE THAT OUR GUESTS ENJOYED THE HOSPITALITY.

WINE NO 1.     2018  HACHON ROBLE TEMPRANILLO  SPAIN. 13.5% VOL.  PURCHASED FROM LIDL AT £6.99.

THIS HEALTHY LOOKING WINE HAD A DEEP INTENSITY AND RED/RUBY APPEARANCE. WITH A PLEASANT BOUQUET , IT HAD A MEDIUM INTENSITY AND CHARACTER. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE NOTICEABLE SWEETNESS, BUT HAD VERY TART ACIDITY, PLENTY OF TANNINS AND GOOD FRUIT TASTE IN THE MOUTH.THE FLAVOUR DID LAST, AND THIS OFFERING ATTRACTED AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 7.5/10. 

WINE NO2.     2018  CHENAS COLLIN-BOURISSET BEAUJOLAIS  FRANCE.  13.5%VOL.  PURCHASED FROM LIDL AT £7.99.

THIS SEASONAL WINE HAS A BRIGHT HEALTHY APPEARANCE WITH STRONG RUBY COLOURS. A PLEASANT OAKY BOUQUET WITH STRONG INTENSITY, IT HAS GOOD SWEETNESS TASTING, AND BALANCED ACIDITY. STRONG TANNINS AND MEDIUM BODY ALLIED TO A GOOD FRUIT TASTE IN THE MOUTH,GAVE IT A LASTING FLAVOUR. WE FOUND IT DIFFICULT IDENTIFYING THIS WINE WHICH ATTRACTED AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 7/10.  

THE WINE GROUP WOULD LIKE TO WISH ALL OF OUR READERS A GOOD, HEALTHY NEW YEAR.

                                                                               JOHN BENFIELD.

...

October

HELD AT DAVE & MOLLY’S ON 29^TH OCTOBER 2019, WHERE WE WERE MADE VERY WELCOME. WE ALSO HAD, ALONG WITH THE EXCELLENT FOOD,  A SPECIAL OFFERING OF AN EXTRA UNIQUE WINE, WHICH WHEN REVIEWED RESULTED IN SOME AMUSEMENT!

WINE NO1.   2018 VALLE DE ACONCAGUA PINOT NOIR CHILE.  13.5%VOL.   PURCHASED FROM ASDA  AT £6.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            WITH A RATHER WEEK INTENSITY NIGHTS GIVE IDEAL GROWING CONDITIONS, THIS WINE HAS A BRIGHT HEALTHY APPEARANCE, AND PALE INTENSITY AND RED/RUBY COLOUR.  A GOOD BOUQUET  ALLIED TO WEAK INTENSITY AND VARIED CHARACTER, IT HAD SOME SWEETNESS AND BALANCED ACIDITY.  THERE WERE  TANNINS AND IT HAD A LIGHT BODY. A LITTLE FRUIT TASTE IN THE MOUTH AND SOME LASTING FLAVOUR MADE THIS AN INTERESTING DRINK. IT ATTRACTED AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 8.5/10. RECOMMENDED.

WINE NO2.  2018 TRIVENTO RESERVE MALBEC, MENDOZA WINDS, ARGENTINA. 14%VOL.  PURCHASED FROM ASDA AT £6.

NAMED AFTER THE THREE WINDS, THE POLAR,ZONDA AND SUDESWELL THIS WINE HAS BALANCED TANNINS NOTES. THIS IS A BRIGHT CRIMSON COLOUR AND HAS PLEASANT PLUM AND RASPBERRY AROMAS. IT HAS A VELVETY FINISH WITH GOOD LASTING FLAVOUR.  WE GAVE THIS WINE AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 7.3/10. WE THOUGHT THAT IT WAS GOOD VALUE.

                                                                                                                         JOHN BENFIELD.

September meeting

HELD AT JACK & JOANS ON 24^TH SEPT. 2019, WHERE WE WERE MADE VERY WELCOME, AND ENJOYED THEIR HOSPITALITY.

WINE NO1.   2018 OYSTER BAY MERLOT HAWKES BAY NEW ZEALAND. 13%VOL. PURCHASED FROM MORRISONS AT £8.

THIS OFFERING HAD A VERY HEALTHY APPEARANCE WITH A RUBY TONES. THE BOUQUETWITH BALANCED ACIDITY AND LITTLE TANNINS. WAS CLEAN WITH MEDIUM INTENSITY AND A VARIED CHARACTER. A LITTLE SWEETNESS WAS EVIDENT. IT HAD A MEDIUM BODY, AND FRUIT TASTE IN THE MOUT, WITH A GOOD LASTING FLAVOUR. IT SCORED AN AVERAGE 7/10 AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS A PLEASANT OFFERING.

 WINE NO2. 2014 MONTELCIEGO RIOJA SPAIN. 13.5%.  PURCHASED FROM MORRISONS AT £8.

WITH A BRIGHT RUBY APPEARANCE OF DEEP INTENSITY, THIS POPULAR WINE FROM SPAIN HAS GOOD DEEP AROMAS OF MEDIUM INTENSITY, AND BALANCED ACIDITY.THERE WERE TANNINS EVIDENT WITH SOME SWEETNESS.WITH A MEDIUM BODY AND GOOD FRUIT TASTE, THIS WINE HAD GOOD LASTING FLAVOURS. IT  ATTRACTED THE SAME AVERAGE SCORE AS THE FIRST OFFERING OF 7/10, AND WE ALSO THOUGHT IT A GOOD BUY.

                                                                    JOHN BENFIELD.