The wines of Alsace
Wine drinkers are on the whole a pretty conservative lot. We know what we like and we generally stick to it. This applies equally whether we are supermarket shoppers or have developed specialised palates. But one of the joys of the world of wine is its huge diversity, a product of its deeply entrenched localism
Buried treasure in the South West Read More »
The June meeting of the Overton-based blind tasting group was the usual mix of fine bottles, some disappointments and perhaps the least good wine we have ever had (is that sufficiently polite?). And it was a large tasting – 17 bottles. While it is difficult to concentrate for that long (even for those of us
The May meeting of the blind tasting group was a great evening out … if more chaotic than usual. It wasn’t obvious why. We had the same format: everyone brings a good/interesting bottle, we taste them blind, we get the wrong answer (mainly), we have a fine meal courtesy of the Red Lion, Overton, everyone
Andover Wine Friends’ March monthly tasting was ably introduced by a member, Lefty Wright, with knowledge and a light touch. The tasting was arranged around the characteristic grape varieties of this northerly region, and Lefty’s commentary interspersed with local detail and reminiscence. Here’s the lineup, nearly all sourced from the Wine Society. Pinot Blanc, Cave
The grapes of Alsace Read More »
Some wine occasions really stand out. Obviously you need top quality wines or, at least, wines of exceptional interest. Hopefully, there is really good food to go with it. And you certainly want congenial, knowledgeable and appreciative company. Saturday night’s dinner more than met all these criteria. People had clearly searched their cellars for precious
Corked bottles continue to be a real problem. Some years ago I visited a fine new winery in Campania, Southern Italy, and over lunch in the spectacular winery restaurant had a corked bottle. I didn’t think about it anymore until at dinner we ordered the same wine in a local Naples trattoria and it was
To cork or not to cork … Read More »
Being an orderly sort of soul, in general, I much prefer to go to a themed tasting, rather than a broad sweep across regions. Comparison is a very powerful tool but I would rather limit the field and try to learn a bit more about an area or grower in depth. Occasionally you get the
Zind-Humbrecht at Coe Vintners Read More »
After the anticipation, the tasting. Ten members of Andover Wine Friends gathered to try two of Alsace’s great white grape varieties followed by a simple supper. We settled quickly to the task after a taste of Aureus, Cremant de Loire, a bottle-aged single vintage Chardonnay, 2002. Toasty, decent acidity if slightly milder than much Champagne,
Particularly Alsace Read More »
Half the fun of putting a tasting together is in the search. We will all have our favourite places to start – in your own cellar (under the stairs), your local supermarket, on the web or in a local shop. I had already put together a tasting of Gewurztraminer and Riesling from Alsace and could draw
Searching for older Alsace bottles Read More »