Wine Tastings

Shiraz and Riesling Tasting 2^nd August 2003

Riesling

Schloss Saarstein	Schloss Saarstein Riesling Auslese	1990	Unknown	Donation
Dr. Loosen	Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese	2002	£12	Tesco
Kendermans	Dry Riesling	2002	£4.50	Oddbins
Ferngrove	Kossack Riesling	2002	£7.50	Oddbins
St. Hallett	Eden Valley Riesling	2001	£8	Cambridge Wine Merchants

Shiraz

St. Hallett	Old Block Shiraz	1999	£15	Tesco
St. Hallett	Faith Shiraz	2001	£9	Tesco
St. Hallett	Shiraz	2001	£7	Tesco
D'Arenberg	D'Arry's Original Shiraz-Moudevre	2001	£8	Oddbins
Hardys	Shiraz-Mataro	2001	£4.50	Widely Available
Chateau Beaucastel	Coudoulet de Beaucastel	1999	£11.50	Oddbins

Other Details

Apertifs were Montana Lindauer NV and Tesco Cava 1998. Prize was Penfold Koonunga Hill Shiraz-Cabernet 2001.

Personal Notes

The Old Block and Schloss Saarstein were picked unanimously as top wines. For me it was interesting that all the German wines knocked the Aussie's into a cocked hat. In hindsight it was a mistake to pick the Beaucastel as France's contribution to reds as it's not got a lot of a Syrah in it, a reasonable Crozes-Hermitage would have been a better choice (within the budget).

Pinot Noir and Chardonnay Tasting, 20^th September 2003

Chardonnay

Hardys	Varietal Range Chardonnay	2002	£5	Tesco
Blason de Bourgogne	Montagny Vielles Vignes	2000	£10	Tesco
Penfolds	Adelaide Hills Trial Bin	1996	Unknown	Oddbins
Domaine Vincent Girardin	Santenay Le St. Jean	1998	£15	Veritas
Domaine Michaut Robin	Chablis 1er Cru Vau Ligneau	2002	£15	Tesco
Steele Wines	Steele Cuvee	1998	Unknown	Donation

Pinot Noir

Cave des Vignerons de Buxy	Bourgogne Passetoutgrains	2001	£4.50	Majestic
Blason de Bourgogne	Mercurey	2001	£10	Tesco
Nepenthe	Pinot Noir	2001	£14	Oddbins
Isabel Estate	Pinot Noir	2001	£17	Noel Young
Domaine Laleure-Piot	Savigny-Les-Beaune	2000	£20	Veritas

Other Details

Apertifs were P. Desroches and Cie Champagne Brut NV and Cave de Lugny Cremant de Bourgogne Brut NV. Prize was Cantena Zapeta Alamos Chardonnay 2001.

Personal Notes

Wines of the night for me were the Steele Chardonnay and Domaine Laleure-Piot.

Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc Tasting 6^th December 2003

Sauvignon Blanc

Domaine de la Commanderie	Quincy	2002	£8.99	Veritas
Antinori	Conte della Vipera	2000	£15.99	Veritas
Chateau Goumin	Blanc	2000	£6	Veritas
Hilltop	Riverview Sauvignon Blanc	2001	£3.99	Safeway
Cloudy Bay	Sauvignon Blanc	2002	£13.99	Cambridge Wine Merchants
Morton Estate	Colefield Sauvignon Blanc	2002	£8.99	Veritas

Merlot

Jean Leon	Merlot	1999	£12.99	Veritas
Morton Estate	The Mecure	2000	£8.99	Veritas
Les Perles de Mediterranee	Merlot	1999	£6.99	Veritas
Chateau Moulin Caresse	Cuvee Prestige	2000	£12.99	Veritas
Cono Sur	Vision Merlot	2001	£8.99	Safeway
Valdivieso	Merlot	2002	£5.02	Tesco

Other Details

Apertifs were Seaview Brut 2001 and Deinhard Lila Riesling Sekt Trocken NV. Prize was Forge Mill Bush Vine Chenin Blanc 2003.

Personal Notes

The two wines of the night were by general accumulation the Cloudy Bay and Chateau Moulin Caresse. Once you got to second choices there was rather more debate. Personally I'd plump for the Antinori Sauvignon and the Morton Estate Merlot (though I misidentified both blind).

Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Gris Tasting, 11^th September 2004

Pinot Gris

Hugel	Tokay Pinot Gris Vendage Tardive	1989	£30	The Wine Society
Cave de Turckheim	Tokay Pinot Gris Reserve	2001	£7.68	Bacchanalia
Matakana Estate	Pinot Gris	2003	£12	Veritas
Villa Wolf	Pinot Gris	2002	£6	Sainsburys
Mezza Corona	Pinot Grigio	2001	£9	Veritas

Cabernet Sauvignon

Chateau Caronne Ste Gemme		1988	£20	Veritas
Chateau Caronne Ste Gemme		2000	£10	Majestic
Burrton	Napa Cabernet Sauvignon	1998	£15	Oddbins
Palandri	Cabernet Sauvignon	2001	£9	Veritas
Taltarni	Cabernet Sauvignon	1997	£10	Majestic