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
The North Hampshire countryside is full of small treasures, the trout rivers, the attractive villages, the cricket pitches (immaculately maintained or suffering from neglect), the ancient trees in the fields. Increasingly the pubs are having to diversify to survive. The Plough at Longparish has gone very successfully down the gastropub route, while retaining a loyal
French dinner at Longparish Read More »
After the excitements of the Lea & Sandeman tasting (see previous post), more of the biggest names in Italian wine were on show at Armit’s ‘Blooming Lovely’ Spring tasting. Certainly, they had the day for it, London being bathed in brilliant northern sunshine with temperatures higher than currently in Tuscany or even Southern Italy –
Sorì Tildìn among the Italian icons Read More »
Some wine tastings are large and very mixed in quality: the fun is keeping your wits about you enough to find the best or the interesting in the midst of the ordinary. Put a lot of wines in a small room and event might buzz – but it’s difficult to concentrate or even reach the
Five top Italians … and a bonus Read More »
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 »
The launch of the 2006 vintage of Brunello has been mildly controversial. This special wine is made from the particular type of Sangiovese grape variety grown on the Montalcino plateau in southern Tuscany; the resulting wine is released for sale after five years, at least two of which have to be in oak. The launch
Frescobaldi’s 2006 Brunello 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 »