Sorry for the delay in posting this report. Tim has very kindly put together a short report on our first ever Wine Education evening that we held on 21st September 2010 here in the shop. Thank you Tim, this is much appreciated. Jane
Tuesday 21st September - Dunell's Wine Wisdom with Tim Wildman MW
"I laid my cards on the table right at the start. Being one of only 289 Masters of Wine (MW) in the world, I warned that at points during the evenings I might at times become a wine bore, but at least I was an officially licensed wine bore, and had the qualification to prove it. [No Tim, you were fabulous as always and we have the testimonials to prove it - see the bottom of this report]
The aim of the evenings tasting, entitled Wine Wisdom, was threefold:
1. To discuss the seven wines before us, looking at aspects of grape variety, country of origin and style;
2. To discuss how wine tasting differs as an activity to wine drinking, which the group assured me they were all familiar with;
3. To provide some tips and pointers that people might take away to allow them to continue their tasting journey on their own. A tasting tool kit if you like.
We kicked off with a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, but one with a twist, as the company and winemaker are from France. Leading Sancerre producers Domaine Henri Bourgeois (you may remember them from July’s sensational Sancerre evening) bring their ten generations of experience in growing Sauvignon Blanc to their small, organically farmed corner of New Zealand. I explained how having vines planted at twice the density to their neighbours promotes competition amongst the vines and forces the roots to go deep, leading to greater minerality in the wine. They also crop at about half the yield to the average in Marlborough, which significantly increases productions costs but also, more importantly, quality. Stylistically the wine is more aromatically restrained than most Marlborough Sauvignons, with more complexity, weight and texture on the palate, which led to a discussion of the hand of man being the “fifth element” of terroir.
Next up was a riesling, the “Classic Riesling 2008” from Framingham, New Zealand. Winemaker Andrew Hedley (a Yorkshireman) is regarded as New Zealand’s foremost Riesling specialist, and the proof, if needed, was in the glass. Aromatic with vivid lime and citrus flavours, and a whiff of the “summer petrol tank” that hallmarks many New World rieslings with a year or two of bottle age. The wine was off dry, which promoted lively discussion about sugar levels in wine. The correct pronunciation of riesling was touched upon. The “ie” rhymes with the “ie” in field (vines grow in fields) and not the “i” in rising. When you say riesling, (reeesling) you smile.
Then we had a Chardonnay, the delicately oaked Paul Cluver from cool climate Elgin, South Africa. It is often said that South Africa bridges the New and Old World stylistically, and this toasty, elegant Chardonnay was a great example. I explained how there is a chardonnay renaissance in Australia and other parts of the world, and the infamous acronym ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) has been reclaimed by lovers of the grape to stand for Another Brilliant Chardonnay.
Onto the reds. First we had a Pinot Noir from Domaine Drouin in Oregon. Supple, perfumed and fragrant, it was a superb example of this notoriously fickle grape variety. I saddled up my favourite hobby horse and talked at length about the pros and cons of glass swirling, the unconscious - and unthinking- habit of many a wine drinker.
Next up was a Bordeaux, Chateau Belle-Vue a Cru Bourgeois from the Haut Medoc. It showed the generosity of fruit of the warm 2005 vintage, but still had the hallmark structure of acid and digestible tannin that makes claret (the English word for red Bordeaux) such a brilliant food match. We talked about the reasons why Bordeaux is a blend of different grape varieties, both for practical farming purposes and reasons of quality and balance. This expanded into a general explanation on how blending is at the heart of the wine making process the world over, and shouldn’t be seen a a dirty word.
The Sack Shiraz from Magpie Estate in South Australia followed. This had all the hallmarks of the classic Barossa style, rich fruit cake and plum flavours with a baked, almost raisined sweetness. A stonking shiraz to round off the reds!
We finished with Domaine Pouderou, a red, fortified wine from the Maury region of the Cotes de Roussillon in France’s Mediterranean corner. Paired with shavings of dark chocolate, it delighted port drinkers, and made a few converts to the considerable charms of fortified wine.
During the course of the evening I explained my secrets on how to become a STAR taster. We also touched on a range of issues, from carafing and decanting wine, through to screwcaps, corks and what to do when asked to taste wine in a restaurant. And if you would like to know what was said on all these topics, well, you’ll just have to sign up for the next Wine Wisdom course at Dunell's on February 9th 2011.
See you there!"
end _____________________________________________________________
Testimonials:
"Fabulous. Thoroughly enjoyed the insights into a greater enjoyment of wine. Will definitely be signing up for more!"
"Excellent evening, very informative"
"Really enjoyable and informative"
"Really enjoyed this evening. Tim is entertaining and everyone seemed to be taking it all in."
Thanks
Jane
No comments:
Post a Comment