My good friends in the BBC (‘bring a bottle club’ and taste them blind) asked me to nominate the theme for the July meeting as it happened to fall on my birthday. They all thought I would chose something Italian (reasonably enough) but I went for my primo amore, Burgundy. As it happened there were
BBC 2: Meursault and the generation game Read More »
Andover Wine Friends’ June tasting focused on the Languedoc in the south of France. For Janet and I this was a continuation of our experience of ‘sunshine in a glass’, having just returned from a wine-tasting holiday in next door Roussillon. The tasting was led by Torquil Jack who, with his wife, Marion, has started
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
Mystery and suspense currently surround the village of Bugarach. Situated 75 kilometres from the Mediterranean and 110 from the Spanish border, it lies at 460m above sea level but is completely overshadowed by the Pic de Bugarach, a mountain in the foothills of the Pyrenees, which rises to 1230m. The first mystery is the weather
Mysterious Bugarach Read More »
In his introduction to a tasting for Andover Wine Friends, Martin Hudson, Master of Wine, summarises the key points about Cabernet Sauvignon with masterly (of course) clarity: Cabernet Sauvignon only became significant in Bordeaux at the end of the eighteen century, i.e., despite its worldwide fame it is a very young variety it is the
Around the world in eight Cabernets Read More »
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
Two Champagne events on a Tuesday – the unveiling of L’Académie de Lanson, an internet-based resource to promote a better understanding of their product and then Moët & Chandon launching a new product, Ice Imperial. The sun joined in too with a glorious bright day, if windy. The highlight of the Lanson event was the
Tuesday is Champagne day Read More »
Blind tasting line-up – with a few interlopers (shop samples) Ah, the monthly challenge of blind tasting … can you tell your Chardonnay from your Chenin, your Syrah from your Sangiovese? This month there were a couple of easy numbers, some real surprises and some that were completely off the wall. It all makes for
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 »
Champagne is the quintessential wine of love, celebration and hedonism. It matches (and fuels) the soaring spirits associated with romantic encounters, business or sporting success and more. In these circumstances, the wine writer can be forgiven for a small indulgence and simply praising a few outstanding bottles. Not that Champagne is uniformly good or enjoyable,
Sheer Champagne indulgence Read More »
