The Yorkshire Sommelier Yorkshire Sommelier No 59.pdf · The Yorkshire Sommelier Number 59 November...

The Yorkshire Sommelier

Number 59 November 17

www.yorkshiresommeliers.co.uk

Wine, Wit and Wisdom for Lovers of the Fermented

Fruit of the Vine and Reports from around the Region.

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The Yorkshire Guild of Sommeliers

www.yorkshiresommeliers.co.uk

President Deirdre Buchanan (York)

Chairman Diana Naish (York)

Vice-Chairman Chris Rothery (Caistor)

Representatives of

the Wine Trade Terry Herbert (York)

Martin Bayne (York)

Diana Naish (York)

Full Sommelier Philip Laming (Sheffield)

Friends of Bacchus Fred Brown (York)

Kenneth Ward (Sheffield)

Jack Hesketh (Leeds)

Officers,

Chairman Diana Naish,

56, Main Street, Bishopthorpe,

York, YO23 2RB

Tel: (01904) 709767 Mob. 07850 912203

e-mail: [email protected]

Treasurer Michael Coupland,

6, Sunnybank, Barton on Humber,

North Lincolnshire, DN18 5LJ

Tel: (01652) 632865


Committee Secretary Philip Laming

53, Worksop Road, Thorpe Salvin,

Worksop, S80 3JX

Tel: (01909) 770452


Subscriptions Secretary Martin Bayne,

Harlequin House, Church Balk,

Dunnington, York, YO19 5LH

Tel: (01904) 489217 Mobile 07785 378882


Magazine Editor Ann Johnson,

82, Newland Park,

Hull, HU5 2DS

Tel: (01482) 441229


Webmaster See back page

mailto:[email protected]





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Section Chairmen

Bingley Ben Tierney 3 Royd Place, Cononley,

Keighley, West Yorkshire (01535) 636823


Caistor William Vergette Holly Cottage,

Manor Farm Mews (128 Station Rd),

Stallingborough,

Grimsby,

DN41 8AW


Harrogate Paul Donnelly 3, Goodrick Close,

Harrogate,

HG2 9EX

Tel: (01423) 527757


Hull Nigel Green The Paddock, North End, Goxhill,

Barrow-on-Humber,

North Lincolnshire, DN19 7JX

Tel: (01469) 531293


Leeds Michael Whitaker Tiroran, 11 Turton Vale,

Gildersome, Morley,

LS27 7LJ.

Tel. 0113 253 1542


Scarborough Bob Heaps 67, Newby Farm Road,

Scarborough,

YO12 6UJ

07798564236


Sheffield Michael France 20, Rockley View, Tankersley,

Barnsley, S75 3AN

(01226)744265 07543916


Whitby Christine Stephenson Pergola House, Linden Close,

Briggswath, Whitby, YO21 1TA

Tel: (01947) 811303


York Gordon Gildener West Lea , Main Street, Appleton

Roebuck, York, YO23 7DN.

Tel: (01904) 744308











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Summer has been busy but it has not included Sommelier visits apart from the Hull Section Garden Party. I will attempt to rectify this during the coming year, starting by being the guest of Harrogate in November where the presenter will be the redoubtable James Long. Later that week will find me at our Annual Dinner

Dance, being held at the Novotel, York on Saturday, 18th November. If you would like to join us, make haste and buy your tickets! It promises to be a 'special' evening with an inviting menu, wines chosen and presented by Doctor Stuart Calder, and dancing later on. Before that I will be presenting 'The Ken Buchanan Award' to this year's worthy winner - Andrea Green. She has earned the honour by working tirelessly for Whitby Section over the last 7 years in the role of secretary, which in her case also included organising and liaising with speakers, pouring the wines etc. She has recently retired from her role. Andrea is also a regular attendee and helper at Hull. Our Sub Committee were unanimous in our choice and we hope she will enjoy the contents of the Tantalus she has chosen. Back to July and Hull's Garden Party held in the spacious garden of the Green's home at Goxhill - where the weather was, for the most part, fair. The male members worked hard erecting the marquee the day before and their ladies came laden with delicious food on the day. Michael Coupland was in charge of choosing the wines with Howard (of Scarborough) Hunter helping to pour. There were NINE wines in all, an excellent selection, my favourite being the “Marques de la Concordia Vina Alarde Rioja Gran Reserva 2008”. The Chairman (Nigel) invited us, group by group, to partake of an exceptional bottle from his cellar in his personal tent. Michael, because of his multi-roles, made several visits. Remarkably both he and Nigel remained upright! Altogether a great occasion which went on until well into the gloaming. My final commentary is about my 'French Adventure' with Greta (Henderson) in September. Greta drove (splendidly) the whole way, there and back, covering 1,950 miles in total. We loved staying with my friend Maureen at her Thames-side home on both the outward and the return journeys. Rising before dawn, we drove to Portsmouth and took the ferry to Caen. Thence, in pouring rain to Beaumont Pied de Boeuf where we dined well and drank our first Kir Royal of many. Next afternoon we arrived in Saint-Emilion spending four nights with our group led by Tim Hartley and his wife Jacqueline. We enjoyed excellent tastings at nine Chateaux with two prodigious lunches and a similar dinner before the main event - the Jurade's 'Ban des Vendanges'. This included Mass, the Intronisation Ceremony and then a splendid five course Banquet with nine different Saint-Emilions per table, the final two being Ch. Figeac 2009 and Ch. Valandraud 2006, both being Premier Grand Cru Classe now but

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the Valandraud only since 2012. We drove home calling on Durup in Chablis then Gardet and Carole Noizet in Champagne. Deidre Buchanan

Chairman’s Report

I can hardly believe that 4 months have passed by since the last edition of The Yorkshire Sommelier - where has the summer gone? I do hope you all like the new content of this edition. The President and I have agreed to keep our reports to a maximum of 1 page in order to include more topical and educational wine articles in the magazine. Editor Ann Johnson invites all members to send her any items matching these criteria (maximum 1 page please) they think might be of interest to the readership. She can then build up a bank of articles from which to draw 2 or 3 for inclusion in each edition.

Much of my time in recent months has been spent trying to plan a Sommeliers Wine Trip to The Peloponnese in Greece, hopefully round about the second week in October 2018. This will be for a maximum of 16 people so if anyone is interested please contact me with an "expression of interest" only at this stage and I will let you have more details in due course.

Nigel and I are hoping to squeeze in visits to 1 or 2 more sections before Christmas but, if we do not see you there or at the Annual Dinner Dance in November, I would like to take this opportunity of wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year with wines to match. Diana Naish Chairman

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Notice

The Annual General Meeting of The Yorkshire Guild Of Sommeliers All members are cordially invited to attend the Annual General Meeting of The

Yorkshire Guild Of Sommeliers to be held at the Novotel, York on Tuesday 24th April

2018 at 7:30pm. There will be a Champagne reception hosted by the Chairman

followed by Dinner.

Philip Laming Hon. Secretary

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OAPS - Watch out - did you know that 1 in 4 over 55s in the UK have been victims of investment scams - wine, land and diamonds are the popular vehicles for fraudsters. However, I am sure that our members are too savvy to fall for any of that, but you never know, you may get an unsolicited telephone call!!

********************************************************************* KENT

Following our very successful wine trip to Wales the year before last (last year it was Scotland and distilleries) this year Mary and I looked at the vineyards of Kent, with other sightseeing thrown in - some not planned thanks to the satnav sending us down a cycle track!! Kent produces a lot of sparkling wine because it has almost the same band of lime-stone/soil structure running through it that runs through the Champagne area, coupled with the slight rise in temperature due to climate change it is ideal for that type of wine. It was harvest time when we went in mid September, but despite being the busiest time of the year we managed to see four very different wineries. I won't go into all the details, but one did stand out from the others. Chapel Down was very commercial with a shop and restaurant (quite good - we tried it!) and affordable wines.

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Hush Heath not quite as commercial but very good on a 400 acre site with wines around the £20 mark (both in Tesco). Biddenden was having a charity day when we went, so it was the "bum's rush" round the vineyard, a tasting hardly worth it with lots of cider included, then on your way!

The outstanding visit was to Gusbourne Estate. We were the only ones that had booked that morning, and boy, did they look after us!! We were there well over three hours, a pick up truck took us round the vineyard, we tasted the grapes and met the Rumanian pickers - Chardonnay had been picked and they were picking Pinot Noir. The pickers go every year, they are very experienced, 'picking' their way through Italy and France and ending up at Gusbourne. They do quality control as they pick, discarding any bunches not up to scratch. This alleviates the need for this job at the winery. We followed the trucks to the winery where we saw the grapes processed into the vats and had a taste of the first very gentle pressing of the Chardonnay and then the Pinot Noir, before having a look at the newly arrived French oak barrels, where about 20% of the cuvee is matured, not for the oak but for the creaminess! Gusbourne has set aside a small patch to grow ungrafted vines as a trial run - too early at this stage for any results, but interesting to watch out for. In the tasting room we tried three sparkling and three still, plus a ratafia they make

for themselves. Correct champagne tasting glasses were used, not flutes, but similar with a slight V in the stem for the bubbles. The blend varies depending upon the harvest - the 2013 Rose was 60% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Meuniere, at £45 per bottle had only just come onto the market. The 2014 100% Chardonnay called "Guinevere" is not yet on the

market, only 5,000 bottles were made compared to a similar product from Moet Chandon where 12m bottles were made! I didn't ask what the price would be!! It is all a matter of scale!! It is all vintage, no non-vintage and the cheapest sparkling is £35 per bottle. Needless to say it is in Buckingham Palace, House of Lords, etc. etc. I did get out the plastic to buy some - well it is nearly Christmas!! If you get chance to go to Gusbourne, do take the opportunity, and I hope you get as well treated as we were. No shop, no gimmicks, maybe a restaurant in the future - at a guess it will be an upmarket one!! MG

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Bingley Section Report July We did have a very small but very cosy B.B.Q. last Saturday at the home of Peter and Jane Brunskill. I can only echo Ben’s words about the barbecue - great weather, great wine, great food and great company. Ben Tierney & Peter Brunskill September Mark and Dianne Smith invited us to their home for a wine tasting of Southern Italian Wine on the 26th of September 2017. Le Bon Vin of Sheffield was the supplier of the wines for the evening. Mark had sourced 8 wines from three regions, Campania, Sicily & Puglia and we experienced a warm cosy atmosphere and sampled a good selection of wine from the South of Italy followed by a generous supper served by Mark’s wife Dianne.

I found the first two white wines of three particularly to my taste the ‘Falanghina’ from Campania, and the Verdeca from Puglia. The five Reds that followed, to me, highlighted the great variation of different grape variety used to make the wine from this corner of the world and whilst they were all very drinkable my particular favourite was the Torri d’Oro Primitivo 2015 which was closely rivalled by Barricone Primitivo 2015, both from Puglia. I have always been a fan of the beefy subtle red!!

All the wines fell into the price bracket £8.00 - £17.50 with Mark making a little competition of guessing the most correct prices at the end. All agreed a good night out @ £15.00 inclusive. Our next tasting is the 21st of November 2017 when we hope to arrange someone to present a Christmas Selection and will be held at the home of John and Jean Longthorn who live on the edge of Bradford, unless numbers are such to attend the Keighley Golf Club. Ben Tierney

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Caistor Section Report

July Our summer garden party this year took place on the most perfect day in the most perfect setting of Ferriby Hall on the banks of the Humber, overlooking the Estuary. A day of friends, lovely food and wine all enjoyed in the warm sunshine, quite a novelty for our summer gatherings! Many thanks to our hosts, Dennis and Pat Ecuyer.

August A visit from James Long always represents an entertaining evening and so it was with our journey through Italy with him for our August meeting. We began with a Rose Spumante from Cecilia Beretta. Fear not, this delight was not sweet but soft, medium dryish with tiny bubbles and a delicate coppery pink colour, made in the same way as Prosecco and very drinkable. The following two whites were a very light coloured “twist off” (the up market way to describe a screw top so we were told) Il Carretto Bianco di Puglia. Made with 15% Chardonnay, 85% Malvasia and a grown up Pinot Grigio, La Tunella, Colli Oriental del Friuli. The reds began with a soft, easy drinking BBQ wine, Il Barroccio Rosso Terre Siciliane and then the quality was upped somewhat with Chianti Classic Selezione Riserva di Mona Lisa – Vignamaggio,( the birthplace of Mona Lisa) made from 85% Sangiovese, 15% Merlot and Cab. Sav. The last two reds were Barbera d’Alba Guilia Negri which needed a little time and Soraie Veneto from Cecilia Beretta again with dark fruits and made from grapes partially dried before fermentation. As always, James will pull something out of the bag and our last wine was unusual in that it was only 5.5% alcohol, virtually no colour and similar to elderflower. Moscato d’Asti Fratelli Antonio e Raimondo was just perfect to enjoy with cake and afternoon tea in the sunshine. September That the Greeks have made wine since ancient times is well known. That it is worth drinking is another matter! Richard Goodacre’s presentation on Wines of Greece was certainly not a Greek tragedy! Greek wines changed dramatically when modern Greek winemaking began with the EU supporting the industry with investment in the 1980s. They have tried to stay faithful to traditional grape varieties but made in a more modern way. A surprising introduction was Semeli “Nassiakos” Moschofilero 2016. A delightful, delicate white with soft orchard fruits, a dry edge and good length. I shall be buying this one! Hatzidakis Assyrtiko 2016 followed, oilier, more texture and designed to go with food, enjoyed by some but not all. Onto three contrasting styles of reds, beginning with Thymiopoulos Xinomavro 2015, think Pinot Noir, followed by Moraitis Sillogi 2014. This wine is made from what is normally a white grape but a rare pigmentation has introduced a red colour. A Cabernet Franc style, it had earthy

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black fruit and amazing length. Our fifth wine was in a different league, different price too at £25 compared to between £10 and £14. Skouras “Synoro” 2010 is made from 20% Agiorghitiko, 40% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot. The winemaker trained in Dijon, honed his craft in Bordeaux and Burgundy. This wine was still young but had it all, dark fruit, acidity, complexity, length and integrated tannins. Our final wine, Anthemis Muscat 2010, was gorgeous, full of luxurious fruit, Christmas pud. flavours and to top it off, recommended by The Times wine correspondent. Sadly, we had a smaller turnout than usual for this excellent presentation of six contrasting styles of quality wines. It is unfortunate that the Greeks do not promote their product more and little is exported but they are available at Waitrose and the Wine Society. October A very welcome return of Paul Tate-Smith for this meeting. Paul presented Wines of South Africa which we discovered, due to currency variances, presents incredible value. Predictably, we began with South Africa’s signature white grape Chenin Blanc, a 2016 from Indaba. Part of a co-operative, they plough their profits back into the community for education and similar projects. Producing a very untypical Chenin with honey and pears on the palate but an incredibly long finish, most would be challenged identifying this grape variety. A Sauvignon Blanc 2016 from Bon Courage followed which was a very different style from what we expect from New Zealand and Chile, being much less zingy and very pleasant for that. A lighter style of Chardonnay from Vergelegen who have been making wine for 300 years followed, showing a nice balance between acidity and richness. A lovely glass of wine. Our first red was from

Bon Courage again, this time a 2014 Shiraz. Made from handpicked grapes of which half went into French oak and half were fermented with skins on, producing a very spicy, red berry softly rounded Shiraz. Next was Meerlust Red 2013 coming from a vineyard which has produced wine since 1756, and made from the classic Bordeaux blend. A food wine with intense colour and although young, enjoyed soft tannins and would age for a few years yet. Raka Peit Verdot 2008 was our last red made unusually from 100% PV. This was a cracking good wine with intense flavour, a complex berry composition and a long finish. Heaven On Earth was a wonderful way to finish, made from Muscat d’Alexandre grapes by Stellar

Organics, UK’s leading ethical wine brand. This lovely sweet wine could only be described as Christmas in a glass, full of apricots and honey without being too cloying. The added flavour is due to grapes being dried on a bed of rooibos tea! An interesting tasting which exemplifies the benefits of an independent wine merchant. Kay Rothery

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. Beaujolais - Life after Nouveau??

Do you remember Beaujolais Nouveau? Many of our "vintage" members will! Going into a restaurant or pub on the third Thursday in November, being regaled

with notices announcing "Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrive" - how long ago was it?? In the eighties it became the thing to do; dash to France to be the first to bring the new wine back to England, on the release date of the third Thursday of November. In actual fact if you didn't go to France, you

could still have it on the release date as it had been stored in warehouses waiting for the big razzmatazz that accompanied it - it was even on the TV news! For the uninitiated here is a quick "Dummies Guide" to Beaujolais - Geographically at the bottom of Burgundy and the top of the Rhone! Made from the Gamay grape ( which is a cross between Pinot Noir and an ancient variety called Gouais), known for its thin skin and not much tannin. The grapes were harvested in August/September, fermented for a few days, using the carbonic maceration method i.e. whole bunches of grapes are thrown into tanks, the bottom third gets crushed under the weight and the natural yeast found on the grape skin starts the fermentation. Carbon Dioxide is released and seeps into the remaining grapes and stimulates their fermentation, a few weeks to settle and it is then bottled and released. The wines were meant to be drunk straight away, even keeping for a short time the wine would lose flavour and character. During the eighties its popularity was spurred on by George Duboeuf, well known for his production of Beaujolais. This love affair with Beaujolais lasted roughly 10 years when the novelty wore off, and when buyers were becoming more knowledgeable and discerning - in a competitive market "dross" won't sell! Not that all Beaujolais is dross I hasten to add, but in all probability the Nouveau was!! Producers were left with a wine lake and the authorities compelled them to reduce this by mandatory distillation. In 2001 over 1million cases had to be destroyed or distilled. A side note on George Duboeuf - in 2006 (yes, I know over 10 yrs. ago but the company is still suffering), he was convicted of fraud concerning the quality of his wine. The company had been mixing low grade wine with finer vintages. He was subsequently fined 30,000 Euros (roughly £25,000). Fast forward to the present day and the producers are showing real commitment to making quality Beaujolais, shunning the whole-bunch carbonic maceration in favour of hand harvesting, de-stemming, longer fermentation and barrel ageing. This is particularly true of the 10 Cru Villages (who can name them?). Top growers/producers, in particular Louis Jadot, is salvaging the reputation of Beaujolais and turning the corner to win back the hearts and minds of the consumer with particular emphasis on the younger generation who are more au fait with California, Australia, South Africa etc. Give it a try when next you are in the supermarket - you may be surprised! PS: the 10 Cru Villages are: North to South - St. Amour; Julienas; Chenas; Moulin a Vent; Fleurie; Chiroubles; Morgon; Regnie; Cote de Brouilly; Brouilly. MG

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Harrogate Section Report July Masi is one of those producers many wine lovers are quite well aware of, but whose wines they perhaps rarely try. At least that’s true of most of our members, so a tasting dedicated to this famous Italian house was a great opportunity to find out what we’d been missing. In particular, it was interesting to learn more about the ‘appassimento’ technique the company’s winemakers like to use. As our speaker, Francois Morillon of Berkmann Wines explained, it’s the process of semi-drying the grapes on bamboo racks before vinification to concentrate their aromas and flavours. We’re familiar with this method for producing Amarone, but Masi uses it for a range of wines, both red and white.

For dry whites, such as the 2016 Modello Bianco delle Venezie (made from 85% Pinot Grigio and 15% ‘native grapes’), the result is surprisingly refreshing – a great partner for antipasti, even olives. With the reds, the richness you’d expect is more obvious. We found the 2012 Costasera Amarone della Valpolicella Classico to be predictably intense – but also enjoyably so, with an especially fragrant nose. Also popular was the 2015 Modello Rosso delle Venezie. This is a light-bodied, easy-going blend of Refosco, Raboso and other local grapes. A cherry-scented bargain at £9.05 a bottle.

Tony Gamble August On a cold, rainy August evening, we welcomed a new presenter, Martin Jeffrey of local wine merchant, Ake and Humphris, to our now regular venue, the Masonic Hall. The evening was an introduction to the good value wines from A&H, and the Harrogate members (who not only enjoy a good wine, but also have an eye for a bargain) were not to be disappointed. We opened with a dry Clare Valley Riesling called “Some Young Punks”, which we tasted blind. Bone dry with flavours of honey and lime. Only £9.99. Wonderful! This was tasted alongside a Louis Guntrum Niersteiner Oelberg Riesling Trocken 2015 Rheinhessen, which took less time to drink than it did to read the label. At £17.49 a bottle, it had more depth and class than its Clare Valley upstart cousin, but it was good to able to put the two styles side by side. The reds also proved to be popular. A refreshing and bright Eddystone Pinot Noir from Tasmania was followed by an organic and biodynamic Cotes du Rhone Villages 2013 from Domaine Duseigneur. For most, this was the “wine of the evening” and it had the lovely crunchy fruit you associate with the region. The final wine was a rustic but charming Old Vines Carignan called “Fleur d’Alba”. This was a full-bodied bruiser but the layers of complexity that followed gave it another dimension. If you can imagine the muscle and power of a French prop forward combined with the elegance and style of Carla Bruni, you would be somewhere close. Paul Donnelly

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September No meeting – we always have a break in September. October For our October meeting, we welcomed our old friends John and Andy from HC Wines in York to present their “Wines of Hidden France”. As always, there was just the right blend of humour, information, anecdotes and good value wines to make a great evening. We started in the Malepere region near Carcassonne with a Domaine Girard “La Garriguette” Rose 2016 at £9.25. Made from 100% Cabernet Franc, this delicately pink tinged Rosé has inviting sweetshop aromas, which led to a lovely mouthfeel of cassis and raspberry fruit. All this and lovely refreshing acidity too! We then went on to a Chateau Vessiere, Mas de Vessiere. From the southern Rhone, this is a blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Muscat. Not surprisingly, it has a very floral nose (dare I say peach blossom?) which is followed by a delicate palate with plenty of zing.

For many, the top wine of the evening was from Burgundy, a Domaine de Terres de Chantenay Macon Peronne 2015. Coming from a steep limestone vineyard covered in Jurassic marine fossils, the wine displays lovely mineral flavours and a long, long finish. Then on to the reds. We headed slightly south to a Beaujolais from Morgon: Domaine de Bel Air “Les Charmes”. This is a wine to silence the Beaujolais critics. Very deep in colour, it is powerful and full of strawberry and black cherry fruit. We then headed back down south for a St Chinian, 100% Syrah, from Clos Bagatelle. John and Andy describe this as a “marmite” wine. Most of the members gave it the thumbs up. Full bodied, with flavours of tapenade, blackberries and blackcurrants, this would be a great accompaniment to an

autumn casserole. To finish, we tasted a sweet white from the Cotes de Gascogne, Villa Dria, Petit Manseng 2016. Sweet, with a lovely racing acidity, this was a perfect end to the tasting. Paul Donnelly Harrogate Masonic Hall

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Hull Section Report .July One of the highlights of any summer is our annual Garden party which, this year, was at the home of our illustrious Chair Nigel and his much better half Andrea. The comestibles for the occasion were provided by an assortment of members whose culinary skills never cease to amaze and delight, we are all very thankful for their efforts. Of course, no such event would be complete without a little something to whet one’s whistle and were are indebted as ever to Michael Coupland who had chosen a seemingly oxymoronic “ Variety of Non-Varietals”. The most extreme of these was the Chapel Down Flint Dry 2016 which boasts a combination of eight varieties and it is often said that there must be a place in this world for Huxelrebe and Raichensteiner even if they do sound like a former centre back pairing of Young Boys of Vienna. As ever, a raft of volunteers, in many forms, made the day a success and whilst they are too numerous to mention I feel all those who attended will acknowledge their contributions. Stephen Hussey

August What do Harry Cornbleth, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Nigel Green have in common? Any guesses? No? Well, Harry, who was born in 1895, appeared in several films in the 1930s (Shall We Dance? Swing Time, Top Hat) as a stand-in for Fred Astaire. Ole, who was born in 1973, memorably came off the substitutes' bench to score the winning goal in the UEFA Champions' League final of 1999. 'Football? Bloody hell!' opined his manager after the game. Which brings us to Nigel, whose year of birth is not recorded (or at least won't be here) but who might well have shared the 'Bloody hell!' sentiment with Sir Alex. At 7.30 on the evening of our August meeting, the speaker still hadn't turned up. By 7.35 the 37 fixed smiles on the faces of 37 thirsty tasters were looking more like grimaces. At that point we finally managed to contact the speaker, who had inadvertently entered the wrong date in his diary. Fortunately we meet in a hotel. By about 7.45 we had put together an alternative tasting based on the hotel's wine list and Nigel, who by sheer good luck had with him the notes of a presentation he'd given the previous evening, rose to the occasion magnificently with an impromptu presentation on Australian wines. 'Extraordinary Tuesday wine sales!' gasped the hotel manager in a subsequent email. Sommeliers? Bloody hell! Don Knibb

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September It is always a pleasure to welcome Chris Mooney of Fells not only because they have such a wide repertoire of wonderful wines from around the world but it also provides an opportunity to celebrate/commiserate about the state of Yorkshire cricket (Oh Dizzy, where art thou?). Hugel wines encapsulate the duality which seems pervasive of Alsatian culture, they look very Germanic both in terms of bottle shape and typography but the style of the wine is very French and there is an undoubted house-style. One of the things that stuck me about all the examples we tried was the quality of restraint, these are not “wham bam thank you mam” wines which leave you stunned if a little exhausted, rather they are taut, subtle and reveal a gentle complexity. The definition of this house style seems embodied in the Classic Gentil 2015 which incorporates several varieties which are vinified separately then blended, the aroma reveals the presence of Muscat but the flavour has a greater depth with grape balanced with almonds. My favourites were the Classic Riesling and the Classic Gewürztraminer both 2014, the former has a soft lime aroma with a fresh and vigorous flavour. The latter has a wonderfully aromatic flavour with a hint of pepper and is slightly off dry making it a wonderful companion for Asiatic foods I’m sure. Inter alia, Chris made mention of his possible retirement (surely not in one so young ?) and should that day ever come he will be sorely missed. October When thinking of matters relating to our home nation I am reminded of the late Viv Stanshall’s lines: “English as tuppence, Changing yet changeless as canal water, Nestling in green nowhere, armoured and effete.” However it was apparent from the presentation by Julia Trustram Eve from UK Wine Producers that there is a wind of change blowing in these parts as wine production levels gather apace and quality continues to improve. Earlier this year Julia herself was, she told us, trowel in hand, planting a vine at the winery acquired by Tattinger, no less, in Kent. There was much discussion about what name could be given to “English Sparkling Wine” which as a “brand” is more than a little cumbersome. I would like to suggest a portmanteau of British and Fizz to give “Brizz” and hope fervently that the Japanese never follow suit. The highlights of the night were a trio of sparkling wines which illustrated the diversity of choice in terms of using the traditional Champagne varieties or using including varieties such as Seyal Blanc. Of latter we tried both the bright and crisp Three Choirs Classic Cuvée NV and the Camel Valley “Cornwall” Brut 2013, the second having more heft and richer mouthfeel. More traditional was the Chapel Down Sparkling English Rosé NV which had a softer leading edge a burst of strawberries and cream with a satisfying long finish. For an amusing champagne aside see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5LkDNu8bVU Stephen Hussey

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Leeds Section Report July

A lovely sunny evening in July saw us back at the Manor Golf Club, Drighlington, where the Vice Chair of the Guild, Chris Rothery, gave us a tasting of New Zealand wines. It was great to see his slides of the wine areas, and hear of his first-hand knowledge of the wineries. The white wines were from the Marlborough region, which accounts for 60% of New Zealand’s wines. First off was the Saint Clair Sauvignon Blanc 2016. This site is adjacent to Cloudy Bay and certainly produced a classy wine. This had a fabulous nose, was long on the palate, and very tasty. The Tinpot Hut Pinot Gris 2015, was cool fermented, had a soft and restrained nose, with a good fruit finish. The Tinpot Hut Syrah 2015, from Hawkes Bay, had a mixed response. Some regarded it as too light-weight, others really enjoyed the spice and good concentration of red fruit. Roaring Meg Pinot Noir 2014 from Otago, was, despite an uncharacteristic Pinot nose, a rather nice Pinot on the palate. Grown in the Mount Difficulty vineyard at 1000ft altitude, this was an easy drinking and well balanced wine. To finish we tasted the Te Awa Merlot 2014 from Hawkes Bay. This seemed to be the ‘star of the show’ for many members. It had been in French oak for a secondary fermentation, and then 12 months in barrel. Purple edges were still in evidence, as were the rich, smooth plummy flavours. A real treat, this one. August It was August and so time for our Summer Garden Party, and we were once again very grateful to Gordon & Diane Fawthrop for the use of their wonderful garden and facilities, (Longfield Farm, Halifax.) An extra attraction this year was Gordon’s ‘new-fangled’ robotic lawnmower, which steadily munched its way around the lawns, and provided a great deal of entertainment. (No members were damaged in this activity, although the sleeping dog came dangerously close !! ) The great sommelier in the sky was really kind to us, and even the big yellow orb put in an appearance. The Laurent Perrier went down well, canapes were munched, the wonderful buffet consumed, and eventually the lawn mower took itself into its kennel for a well-earned rest and, literally, to recharge its battery! Extra raffle prizes were kindly donated, (the surplus pork pies being one!! ), which helped us to raise a total of £160 for the local branch of the children’s cancer charity, ‘ Candlelighters’, the charity of Gordon’s choice. Many thanks to our committee

members for all of their efforts: sadly the weather conditions for the valiant souls erecting the gazebo on the Friday seemed to pre-empt the arrival of Hurricane Gert. Maybe next year we shall experience a truly settled spell of weather – then again, we are in Halifax!

Well done everyone, and, once again, what a great afternoon.

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October

Our October meeting at the Manor Golf Club commenced with the customary AGM. Our topic for this month was Sicilian wines, being presented by our Chair, Mick Whitaker. The evening started with a Zibbibo, another name for Muscat of Alexandria. This had a muscat aroma and a lovely zingy freshness. ( Corte Ferro 2016,available

from Veeno.) The following white is one of my personal favourites, a 2016 Grillo from Vall Dell’ Acate, the Grillo grape being widely planted in Sicily, as it survives the heat well. We were on more familiar territory with the first red, a 2015 Nero d’Avola from Feudo Maccari ; aromas of dark fruits and, very common amongst the reds, cherry flavours. A 2016 Perricone from Caruso and Minini followed. As was the case with all of the wines this evening, opinions were divided. Some found it too ‘green’, but others enjoyed the upfront fruitiness, The sole wine rated DOCG from Sicily was up next, a Cerasuolo di Vittoria 2015 , a blend of Nero d’Avola and another unusual grape, Frappato. This comes from the Planeta winery, probably one of the Sicilian producers best known in the UK, in wine terms. Most felt this to be the best wine of the evening, a well-structured wine with generous fruit on the nose and black pepper and sweet red cherry flavours. The next wine was extremely interesting, coming from a very small Etna producer, Tenuta di Fessina. Etna reds are often a blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Capuccio. And here we were sampling the latter grape on its own. (Laeneo 2014.) There is only a very small quantity made, around 4000 bottles p.a., and, for some members, even this

number was probably too much!! Finally we just had to end the evening with a Marsala, (Superiore DOC 10yr old), a lovely example from the Marco de Bartoli winery, based just outside Marsala, nuts and figs on the palate, but not at all sweet or cloying. The members enjoyed the power point presentation (in spite of the jokes!), produced by Mick and with technical support from one of the members, John Wyles. Several people felt, however, that the Chair was suffering from a sort of holiday wine

syndrome, where wines taste much better in situ, than in Yorkshire, for example. I can state that , having tasted many of these wines before and after our visit, I do not believe that to necessarily be the case, although, as was pointed out, Italians always make wines to accompany food. All in all, we learnt a great deal about Sicily and had the opportunity to try out many wines from unfamiliar grapes, so a different sort of experience for everyone. Mick Whitaker

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Scarborough Section Report July

We returned to the Royal Hotel for an evening of Greek Wine. Barry Starmore from Starmore Boss Wines of Sheffield introduced it. Unfortunately, he did not bring any tasting notes, so this write-up is not as detailed as I would like. The names and grape varieties were all very new to me.

We were treated to a Mediterranean tartlet on a filo pastry base with a Greek salad and feta cheese with white or red wine. The white was also our first tasting wine. All the wines this evening were of predominantly Greek varieties. A Notios; very pale, and delicious. We were a little taken aback at just how good this entry level wine was. By Gaia who was on a recent Rick Stein programme, and keeps some of his wines underwater! From the Peloponnese. An even more pleasant wine followed. It was voted the wine of the evening. A Moschofilero. They were both very fragrant, almost like a good Riesling. The fermentation process begins with wild yeasts. The third was from Santorini. A Gaia Thalassitis made from Assyriko grapes. The island has a very high status amongst Greeks, however, it was expensive at nearly £25. The first red was like “domestica”. It might have been improved served chilled and was the red version of the Gaia Notios, from the Peloponnese. The next two reds were both excellent, but not as nice as the white wines. Finally, a Melia wine. This is produced by boiling up to 40% of the grape “must” to increase the strength and sweetness. A form of dessert wine new to me A fascinating insight into unusual, quality wines. However, this quality came at quite a cost per bottle. September Our tasting was hosted by our old friends, John and Andy from H C Wines, entitled Vintners’ Choice. Our meal of haddock in a tomato sauce was excellent, and went very well with a

Domaine Gerad Chardonnay. First was a Domaine Girad “La Gariguette” Rose from the Pay d’Oc; meaning strawberry, and it had that colour. Our first white was a Alasia Gavi del Comune di Gavi in Piedmont. From Cortese grapes and was well received. Then Vila Nova Alvarinho from the Vinho Verde region of Portugal. Next was a very unusual wine from the Lebanon; Domaine des Tourelles made from Viognier 65%, Chardonnay 25%, Obeidi 10%. The vinery was founded in 1868 by a French adventurer. It was delicious, my favourite white.

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Our four reds were from France. First a Fontesole “Les Lames du Volcan” AOC Languedoc. Mainly Syrah and Grenache. Grown on volcanic soils, “Tears of the Volcano”; dark and delicious. Next a Domaine Bel-Air Beaujolais Villages “La Granitis Bleus”. There was much discussion about the demise of Beaujolais Nouveux. Less dark, but no less delicious. It is 100% Gamay and is hand-picked on very steep slopes. Then a traditional Pinot Noir. A Domaine Gerad

“Pech Calvel”. A powerful nose, some say of the compost heap, and a marvelous flavour. It went well with cheeses as did our final wine, a Chateau Lamothe-Vincent “Le Grand Rossignol” Merlot. This Bordeaux, although only 12.5%, was dark, almost purple, and full of flavour. Another informative and delicious tasting by H C Wines. October Our meeting was a new venture. Hosted by our regular visitor, Paul Tate-Smith, it was devoted to whisky. With our excellent meal of braised steak we had a very pleasant Los Horoldos , a blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. We tasted 6 whiskys from 5 countries and 3 continents. As you may well know, whisky can be made from malted barley; a one-off distillation; or other grains, usually in a continuous, and hence cheaper, process. First a blend, “The One” from the Lakes Distillery; a fine whisky of its type. It described itself as a blend of British whiskys of various, unspecified ages, 40% APV. Then two Scottish Single Malts. First a lowland malt from Auchentosan, “American Oak”; from casks of various ages. It is unusual among Scottish whisky because it is distilled three times, rather than twice and has no peat. It matures in bourbon barrels, which gives it a rich brown colour. It is sweet and very smooth and is a fine introduction. The second was a 12-year-old Highland Park; the most northerly of Scots whisky. Some peat is used to heat the malted barley which stops germination. The smoke is found in the nose and taste. Some also detect seaweed as the casks are stored close to the sea. Delicious, and voted the best of the evening. It was interesting to compare this with Bushmill’s Irish Malt Whiskey, note the e in Irish whiskey. Very smooth, but lacking the length and complexity of the Highland Park. We moved further afield for our next; a Togouchi Blended Whisky from Japan. I do not know, but it tasted as though it had been stored in sake barrels as it had the most unusual nose and flavour. Very much an acquired taste! Our last tasting took us to Knob Creek in the USA for a 50% bourbon. This must be made with at least 51% corn whisky. It was fiery, but very interesting. Adding a few drops of water released some of the odours and improved the taste. A fascinating insight into a product that is becoming ever more popular across the world. As a Scot myself, I was hugely relieved that my particular favourite was appreciated by all who were lucky enough to be at this informative and unusual tasting. Paul McCabe

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Sheffield Section Report July

Members Favourites, Blind Tasting Back in July Chairman Michael France recruited 8 members to present a favourite wine of their choice but the wines descriptions were disguised. The Sheffield sections task was to guess the wine! A fabulous evening with such a variety of wines from old world favourites to Portuguese wines fermented in clay pots! Thank you to all those members who plucked up the courage to present a wine and to the members for having a go

at guessing. Well done to Dean, one of the newest members, on guessing the most right! August James Grant, Berkmann Wine Cellars – Italian Wine

Italian wine is a firm favourite of the Sheffield Sommeliers, so when James Grant of Berkmann Wine Cellars offered to give us a tasting of these - we jumped at the chance. Wines of all 3 colours were included in James’ selection and so to the wines and first a wine that has cropped up a few times in the last few tastings we’ve had and still continues to be good but rarely seen in wine shops and supermarkets. A delicious 2016 Fiano made by Visconti della Rocca from Puglia. Bright and buttery,

elderflower notes and plenty of fruit on the palate, zingy and mouth-watering an absolute gem of a wine for £6.72. Next to the 2016 rose made from the Lagrein grape by Castel Firmian in Trentino. I often feel that blush wines can be flabby but not here, excellent length, brushed copper in colour and very fresh on palate and nose with fruity, strawberry notes giving a sweet edge. A nice rose for £8.53. And so to the reds and the runaway favourite wine for me of the night was the 2015 Santa Critstina Le Maestrelle from Tuscany. This winemaker apparently blended the first super Tuscan...and it shows. 60% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot and 20% Syrah give this wine a rich, spicy character. Deep garnet in colour and on the palate, meaty mouthfuls of well-developed fruit and a speck of spice, very well balanced and velvety – lip smackingly good, especially at £10.43. An absolute gem of a tasting from James, testing our palates and challenging us with some different and undiscovered grape varieties. Same again next year? For more information about Berkmann Wines see the website www.berkmann.co.uk Thomas Darby September Richard Goodacre – Wines from Portugal. Richards aim in this tasting was to present Sheffield with good, well made, well-structured wines from excellent winemakers who have used the indigenous grapes to produce interesting vintages. All in all the wines lived up to expectations. Portugal has at least 250 indigenous varieties, more than any other country and this is what make these wines so wonderfully different and interesting. So to the wines, and first a citrusy, fruity number made from the Antao Vaz grape by Pato Frio. Very pale in colour, fresh and very drinkable. The fresh flavours developing immediately with the fruit opening up after the bottle had been opened a while. Excellent with or without food. Sticking with the whites, the 2014 Crasto Superior from the Douro proved to be an interesting selection. Golden in colour with and oaky nose with hints of grapefruit. A combination of American and European oak aging made this a complex mouthful of wine. Finally to a delicious glass of pudding wine, the

http://www.berkmann.co.uk

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Adega de Pegoes Moscatel from the Setubal region. Apricot in colour and fruit, fruit, fruit on the nose……peaches and apricots in particular. On the palate, soft, sweet and fruity – summer in a glass, especially when chilled as an aperitif. A fab tasting from Richard, as always. Pat Lindley October Charlotte Hugel – Alsace

Every now and again a tasting comes along that reminds you why it’s such a great idea to join the sommeliers. This tasting in one of them, the world renowned wines from the Hugel estate sit in the cellars of all the best restaurants in France and around the world. Grapes have been grown in Alsace for thousands of years and the history of the Hugel family can be traced back to the 15th century. The wine makers pride themselves of using traditional

methods and picking only highest quality grapes to go into the wine. Even the newest generation are proud to carry on these traditions. Here is a summary of the 8 wines tasted on

the night. A fabulous tasting with some excellent wines.

Keith Harrison

Gentil 2015 Made from hand harvested grapes grown on limestone and clay soils. The cool and long growing season give this dry wine its unique quality and drinkability

£14.60

Muscat Classic 2013 A very dry wine with pronounced “grapiness” excellent as an aperitif. The grapes selected for this wine have good natural levels of acidity.

£17.80

Pinot Noir Classic 2012 This agreeable red wine presents a distinctive Alsace character. Supple, with intense fruit, it can be drunk with charcuterie, red meat and cheese.

£17.60

Gewurztraminer Estate 2012

The unique clay soils of Riquewihr give a characteristic richness and density to this wine.

£24.00

Riesling Estate 2012 The soils where the grapes are grown provide a rich minerality to this estate wine from the vineyards most prestigious cru.

£26.00

Riesling Grossi Laüe 2011 Grand Cru

A beautiful and clean wine with honey and floral notes. Medium body, bright acidity and mineral undertones with hints of clove and aniseed.

£57.20

Pinot Gris Grossi Laüe 2010 Grand Cru

Lovely aromas of peach, pear and apple. The palate is rich and concentrated with the spices in the wine lasting the longest. A very expressive and serious Pinot Gris.

£50.80

Gewurztraminer Vendange

Tardive 2007

Plenty of fruit, perfume and aromas of lychee, mango, passion fruit, of flowers like rose, jasmine and some oriental spices, all soberly gathered together with great refinement. Sweet yet not cloying, irresistible, luscious and juicy yet not heavy.

£59.40

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The Loire Valley – A 2017 Update

Many of us with an interest in wine tend to think we know the Loire Valley quite well. The Loire is our closest conventional wine region outside the UK (if we exclude Champagne where almost all the wine is sparkling). Many people visit the Loire on holidays from the UK, and whilst its wines are widely appreciated, they rarely achieve the stratospheric prices of Burgundy and Bordeaux. So it is easy to assume that Loire wines may be somewhat ‘ordinary’. But in recent years the ‘Val de Loire’ has undergone a new renaissance, with a number of new appellations reflecting the increases in quality in very specific locations. I recently visited the region on a professional trip with several other members of the Association of Wine Educators. Despite baking hot temperature which are quite unusual in the Loire (38C in June) we learned a great deal. I also hosted a special Loire valley table at two recent open tastings organised by Virgin Wines in Leeds and Manchester. The strength of the Loire is partly in its diversity. Its wines include dry whites, sweet whites, rosés, reds, and sparkling – so there is something for everyone. Principal grapes include Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Melon de Bourgogne for the whites, with Cabernet Franc as the leading grape from the reds, but also some use of Côt (Malbec) and some Gamay. The Loire is the longest river in France, with vineyards running from Sancerre in the Upper Loire (not that far from Burgundy) down to the town of Nantes on the Atlantic coast, the home of the Muscadet appellation. Muscadet now has an enormous focus on quality, with many producers releasing single vineyard wines, and new appellations for the sub-areas. However, the focus of our trip was the Central Loire, with visits in the appellations of Anjou, Saumur, Bourgeuil and Touraine. The southern part of Anjou is home to the famous Côteaux de Layon appellation – exquisite dessert wines made from the Chenin Blanc grape. But whilst the best Côteaux de Layon is outstanding, some have lacked the intensity of top dessert wines from other region. However, on a similar pattern to the appellation systems of

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Burgundy, wines from the top seven villages in the area can use the appellation Côteaux de Layon Villages: these generally have much more structure and intensity. Within this area, the top two vineyards of Chaume and Quarts de Chaume are now classified as Premier Cru and Grand Cru respectively – the first time these terms have been formally permitted in the Loire. We tasted an outstanding Côteaux de Layon Premier Cru Chaume 2014 from Château de Bellevue – a traditional estate with fabulous views and now a fabulous commitment to quality. Like top dessert wines from around the world, it is made using multiple ‘tries’ (passes) though the vineyard, each time collecting individual berries with just the right amount of noble rot. Saumur is the home of many of leading producers of sparkling wines under its own appellation, but in recent years the Crémant de Loire appellation – with its stricter rules – is used for most of the top sparklers. As in other parts of France, a “Crémant” has to be made by the traditional method using an extended period of secondary fermentation with the bottles resting ‘sur lattes’ in dark underground caves. Saumur has a vast network of limestone caves which are perfect for this. At

Langlois-Château, which is owned by the Champagne Bollinger group, we saw the vineyards and tasted outstanding white and rosé Crémants made from local Loire-grown grapes but with great complexity and delicious yeasty notes showing ample evidence of the Bollinger expertise. However, it was in the new sub-appellation of Touraine-Chenonceaux that we met some of the most passionate and dynamic young winemakers of the Loire, who had

worked for 20 years to get this new designation agreed. The appellation Touraine covers a huge area east of the City of Tours (beyond Vouvray) covering around 200km by 80km, making dry whites and reds but the quality varies. Although some sub-appellations such as Touraine-Amboise have existed for many years, it is only in the last two years that the Touraine-Chenonceaux designation was approved. It covers a small number of key slopes leading to the river Cher (one of the main tributaries of the Loire) with the much-visited Château de Chenonceaux as a central landmark. So far, there are only 42 producers of Touraine-Chenonceaux – we met four of them including the President of the appellation. The whites of Touraine-Chenonceaux (100% Sauvignon Blanc) and the reds (a minimum of 50% Malbec, with the rest from Cabernet Franc) are now starting to appear in the UK and are well worth buying for their structure and elegance. So, don’t overlook our closest neighbouring wine region. Passionate wine-makers of the Loire are producing superb wines, and the appellation rules under EU law are rightly being developed with new categories to recognise the very best. Gareth Morgan – Oinoudidasko Wine Education, York

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The Hull Summer

Party has been my

highlight of the year

so far. We do have,

however, James Long

for our next meeting

and this is always fun!

You can usually spot

the meetings that I

have attended

as there are

photographs in

the magazine

that I have

taken.

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I would like to thank the Leeds Section for sending me some photographs

for this edition and all the other sections for photographs received in

the past. Please send me some if you can as they do brighten up the

reports.

I would like to thank Marjorie Gabbitas and Gareth Morgan for their

educational articles included in this edition.

To continue with this aim of the Sommeliers to educate, please may I ask

any member to forward to me any article that they write or come across

in the press as I would like to build a stock of them to use in the future.

I do hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas and I wish all of you a

very Happy 2018. Long may you enjoy your section’s meetings and

remember that you can attend another section’s meeting as long as you

check that there is room for you and book yourself in. It is a great way

to make new friends. The future meetings are in this magazine but do

have a look at the web page of www.yorkshiresommeliers.co.uk where

come the new year all the future meetings for the sections will be there.

Ann Johnson

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Whitby Section Report July At the last moment Nigel Green stood in for our presenter who had to cancel. As usual Nigel found some interesting wines which he called " Australian Surprises" He explained why they were known as New World wines and how the vines all came from Europe as their were no native Australian vines. This is a climate ideally suited to growing grapes for wine and the country has taken full advantage of this.

Nigel as usual presented in his witty style and kept us all entertained. The favourite wine of the evening was a Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz 2001 from the big producer Penfolds. This was a beautiful wine, ripe robust full of dark fruits and much appreciated served with a piece of beef with a dark jus. The other star of the evening was the dessert wine an 8 year old Show Liquer Muscat from De Bortoli which we all thought A lovely fortified wine full of the taste of raisins. As ever the lively meeting enjoyed both Nigel's wine choice and his amusing presentation full of stories and anecdotes of his many

exploits. Our thanks to Nigel. Janet Peake August It was a definite case of deja vu when our very own "in house" presenter, and indubitable wine connoisseur, Nigel Green, treated us to his "Australian Surprises Part 2". As you would expect with Nigel, his selection was indeed full of lovely surprises - as was his Part 1 version at an earlier meeting. Before tackling our delicious meal at the (smartly refurbished) Lythe Village Hall we enjoyed a superb sparking wine from Wolf Blass followed by a 2003 oak aged Old Vine Shiraz. Our starter was complimented by two fine wines - a Chardonnay and a Pinot Grigio. To accompany our main course, Nigel presented two excellent reds. Firstly, a Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia's fabulous 1996 vintage and secondly a 1999 Shiraz from the Barossa Valley - the clear showstopper of the evening and only some £50 a bottle! To round off our evening (and meal) we indulged ourselves with an estate grown Botrytis Semillon. Our thanks to Nigel for giving us (in his humorous and inimitable style) not only an enjoyable wine tasting but also a veritable potted history of Australia's wine industry during which we learned (amongst many other facts) that Australia was born on fortified wines and, of course, they invented (in 1964) the screw cap! The final and most welcome surprise of the evening (at least for me) was winning the raffle - a splendid 2004 Rockbare Barossa Babe Shiraz - complete with cork! Fred Richardson

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September The meeting in September for the Whitby group was on the 18th of September two days after my 60th birthday so another excuse to continue celebrating!!

We were due to be entertained by Martin Bayne of Harlequin wines of Tadcaster at Sanders Yard Bistro, always one of my favourite places we visit with the Sommeliers and which was last years September meeting venue also. Unfortunately he was ill and once again our hero Nigel Green had to step in at very short notice. I hear Nigel is getting a name for this on the Sommelier circuit !! So our thanks must go to both Nigel and Andrea Green who both had to fetch the wine from York and then conduct the very enjoyable evening. It felt like a dinner party tonight as we only had 12 people, so we were all

seated on the one large table. The wine this evening was sourced from one estate that being the Loberger Estate in Alsace and of course ranged from the starter fizz to the pudding wine. The starter this evening was an onion tart served with a lovely celeriac remoulade after our appetiser of Tapenade toasts. The main course was a very welcome Coq au vin with dauphinoise potatoes and green beans on this cold feeling night. Our pudding was a chocolate sponge served with a mousse au chocolate. It was very good of Sanders Yard to continue with our evening due to the low numbers. Nigel was very informative on the wines having quickly researched them at such short notice. We definitely enjoyed each wine perhaps due to the fact of the low numbers we had practically a bottle each !! Must have heard it had been my birthday !! Sue Canty

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York Section Report July Masonic Hall Castlegate House

Paul Tate Smith, “New Wines from around the World”, at a time when multiples are reducing their offer and concentrating on volume the independents are increasingly important in refreshing the market and offering variety whilst still being competitive. Conte Di Campiano Brut, northern Italy sparkling Garganega, off dry sherbet lemon spritz, 11.5%alc. £7.00

Finca Classica Viognier 2015 Argentina, aromatic violets, exotic guava, oily but oddly acidic, pineapple in the mouth, bulk shipped for cost, just £5.50. Robalino Albarino 2016, Rias Baixas N.W. Spain, greengage nose, white grapefruit palate, good balanced minerality and acidity, 12.5%alc. £9.00. Los Haroldos Chacabuco Malbec Rosado 2016, Argentina, Uco Valley, salmon pink, strawberry nose, confectionery hint balanced by raspberry acidity, accomplished, great summer tipple, 11.5% £7.50. Pasqua Famiglia Passimento Rosso 2014, Veneto, Northern Italy, trays of air dried Merlot, Corvina, Croatina, matured 3 months in American Oak, plum, cherry, smoke, wet leaf, 14%, £8.00, amazing value! Bon Courage Shiraz 2014, Robertson Valley S. Africa, bursting ripe fruit, long satisfying finish, blackberry, pepper, spice, 14%, £8.50. Deen Vat 4 Petit Verdot 2012, Bortoli, NSW Australia, fruity, rose-petal, earthy, prickly acidity, soft dark cocoa, vanilla, ripe tannins, 13.5% £8.50. Chateau Saint Roch Chardonnay 85% (15 Chenin) 2015, Limoux, S. France, 8 months in oak barrel, soft round, vanilla, apple, light acidic finish. 14% £8.50. Chateau Saint Roch Red 2015, Merlot, Malbec, 10% Cab. Franc, 8 months French Oak, sadly out of condition, overly phenolic, black olive, cabbage rather than the aromatic soft plum promised, 14% £8.50. September Pike Hills Golf Club Languedoc Wines, Personal favourites, Mike Holt from Majestic. Reception, Prima Perla Grande Reserve Brut NV, Limoux (the original French sparklers?) 12%, Chardonnay, light, elegant fruit rather than citrus, classy. £10.99 Domaine St. Ferreol Viognier (D’Oc) 2015, 13%, bread, apricot aromas,

peaches and cream finish from oak finishing.£11.99. Domaine Begude Etoile 2015,13.5%, organic Limoux Chardonnay, award winning British wine-making couple; unfortunately, but understandably, sold out. 80% barrel ferment, 20% in new oak, baked, buttery, apples, long, bal-anced finish. Very accomplished, great value £13.99.

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Chateau La Sauvageonne Rose 2016, 12.5%, property once bought by one of our own York Sommeliers, now part of the wine empire of French Rugby star Gerard Bertrand. Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah, biodynamic and organic, rich strawberry nose; mouth watering strawberry and watermelon. £11.99 Domaine Begude Esprit (L’Aude) 2015,13.5%, Pinot Noir, red berry fruit, gamey aromatics, soft tannic hit, teasing acidity, lingering red berry. £15.99 Les Granges des Combes (St-Chinian-Roquebrun) 2015, 14%, Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, cherry, bubble gum, coffee, complex nose; big cherry moves to herbs, chocolate, tongue tickling acidity, needs food. Real value, £9.99. L’Esprit de Pennautier (Cabardes) 2013, 13.5%, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet, Grenache, 18 months American Oak, black fruit and herb, silky, blackcurrant hit, mouth filling, quickly softening to big dark fruit, garrigue, coffee, tobacco. Complex and fruity, powerful but will soften and develop further. £21.99. All prices based on “Mix6” at time of tasting. October Austrian Wines by Richard Goodacre Was it the presenter, theme or the venue that attracted our largest ever attendance, 58? Once again food and service were outstanding. Reception, Huber Gruner Veitliner “Berg” 2014, 12.5%, Sekt, golden, apple spritz, short mousse, quaffable but pricey, Oddbins £19.49. Pfaff “Wien 1”, blend of Grüner Veitliner, Riesling and Pinot Blanc, 12%, refreshing minerality with light pineapple acidity, Field and Fawcett, £13.50. Two from Wachau, Machherndl organic Riesling 2012 “Mitz und Mutz”, 12.5%, under the petrol nose zingy lime acidity, touch of greengage, needs food, Enotria £15.65. Machherndl Gruner Veltliner 2015, 13.5%, typical white pepper, creamy spice, Enotria £16.50. Schauer, rose, 2016, 12.5%, 50% Zweigelt, 30% Merlot and 20% Pinot Noir, a rarity, bubblegum pink, fruits of forest nose, very dry, barely ripe strawberry, interesting. Oddbins £14. Representing reds, Reinisch Sankt-Laurent 2014, 13%, Thermenregion, microclimate from hot springs, raspberry acidity, Pinot style. Field and Fawcett £16.65. Carnuntum Blaufrankisch 2011 from the house of Muhr-Van der Niepoort, dark woodland fruits and tannins, complex woody finish. Addams £19.99. Muenzenrieder “Samling 88” 2012, classic dessert wine, barley sugar, marmalade, balance, good acidity, sweet but not cloying at £14.50 for a half bottle. Austrian wines were certainly of interest and undoubted quality, still unfairly dogged in the public perception by past scandals; better with food, but a hard sell at these prices. Larry Murray

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Statistics

Boring, I know, but browsing through the newsagents at the airport recently I noticed a Decanter magazine, and not having read one for some months, I bought it. It came with a supplement - a 306 page supplement! Those of you who get the Decanter on a regular basis will

already have seen it, but for those who don't......... The supplement gave details of the Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze winners of the World Wide Wine Awards 2017 organised on similar lines to the International Wine Challenge. A total of 68 countries and regions entered with each producer supplying 4 bottles per entry. On arrival at the Decanter warehouse, the wines are logged, categorised and coded, according to country, region, colour, grape, style, vintage and price. The wines are tasted blind within the context of their style/category and price and scored out of 100. The top wines are re-assessed for confirmation and the Gold medal winners go forward to the Platinum category for consideration for the ultimate top awards. There are 35 Regional Chairmen and 219 Judges, all highly qualified wine buffs from around the world. This year 17,263 wines were submitted for consideration.

The results were: 34 Platinum Best in Show; 175 Platinum Best in Category; 456 Gold; 3,348 Silver and 7,044 Bronze. 64% of the wines submitted won a prize. Scoring: 100-95 Gold - Excellent Wine of great complexity

94 - 90 Silver - Accomplished Wine with complexity 89 - 86 Bronze - Straightforward, enjoyable wine 85 - 83 Commended - Acceptable, simple wine. From Wine to Water: The spare bottles of wine are auctioned off by Christie's with the proceeds going to Water Aid. Since 2004 Christie's have raised almost £600,000 for the international charity Water Aid bringing clean water and sanitation to some of the more remote areas of the world. The producers are asked for 4 bottles in each category in case of breakages, corkage etc. and it these unused bottles that go for auction. This article is a precis of the Decanter supplement August 2017. MG

There is not a problem in life that cannot be smoothed out with a large

glass of wine, preferably red.

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Future Programmes Bingley 21st November David Lawson presenting ‘Wine for Christmas’ at Keighley Golf Club. Caistor 13th November H C Wines Seasonal wines for Christmas. Stallingborough Grange. 9th December Saturday Christmas Dinner Kenwick Park Golf Club. 15th January AGM Stallingborough Grange. Harrogate 14th November James Long of Corney & Barrow Christmas Wine Masonic Hall. 5th December Festive Christmas Supper Masonic Hall. Hull 13th November James Long of Corney & Barrow James Christmas Selection Kingston Theatre Hotel. 11th December H C Wines Wines for Celebrating Kingston Theatre Hotel. Leeds 6th November James Long of Corney & Barrow The Toast of France. 11th December Janet Guest Old World Classics The Christmas Party. Scarborough 6th November Martin Slater Italian Wines 4th December Paul Tate Smith Champagne Tasting. Sheffield 27th November Janet Guest Haywood Brothers Beaujolais. Whitby 20th November Chris Mooney White Horse & Griffin. 18th December Nigel Green Black Tie Event Saxonville Hotel York 6th November Andrew Bennett 3D Wines Fulford Golf Club. 4th December Gareth Morgan Vertical tasting of Bordeaux Wines.

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Text in Calibri is attributed to various authors

All Text in Comic Sans MS is by the Editor.

The magazine is also available on the Guilds Website.

The webmaster is David Robinson,

98a Tadcaster Road,

YORK, YO24 1LT Tel: 01904 702808



The Yorkshire Sommelier Yorkshire Sommelier No 59.pdf · The Yorkshire Sommelier Number 59 November...

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