Wine Tasting Evenings

A comparative tasting of Pinot Noirs from around the world including a classic from Burgundy and leading examples from Australia, California, Chile, Germany, New Zealand, Oregon and South Africa.

Tutor Pippa Hayward with Sandy Leckie.

The southern part of the Rhône valley produces some of the most accessible and best value wines of France. Examples from some of our favourite producers in Tavel, Gigondas, Lirac, Vacqueras, Châteauneuf du Pape and Beaumes de Venise.

Tutor Sandy Leckie.

This tasting focuses on recent changes within this much-loved region. Long prized for its beautiful oak – aged reds, new styles of wine have been developing in Rioja over the last decade. A younger generation of winemakers is putting more emphasis on terroir than mandatory ageing in barrel – and there is renewed interest in white and rosado Rioja. The Consejo itself has been updating the rules of production to encourage the development of new styles and to permit vineyard designations on bottles. Our tasting will bring you right up to date with all these changes.

Tutor Pippa Hayward (Accredited Rioja Wine Educator) with Sandy Leckie.

The Bordeaux ‘Cru Bourgeois’ classification was established in 1932 by owners of Médoc châteaux that had not been included in the 1855 Bordeaux ‘Grand Cru Classé’ system.

Focused, from the outset, on quality, they delegated the job of deciding whether a château merited classification to an elected committee and, unlike their more illustrious counterpart, made periodic reviews of performance part of the system. Given the subjective nature of the committee’s decisions, controversy was inevitable and in 2003, châteaux that had been ‘de-classified’ took their grievances to court and won.

As a consequence, the ‘Cru Bourgeois’ accreditation system had to be re-invented as a seal of quality, administered according to strict criteria by a third party.  15 years on, the grievances of the past appear to have been forgotten.

We will taste wines from eight of our favourite producers in this category.

Tutor: Vivienne Franks with Malcolm Franks

Wines from some of New Zealand’s finest estates.  Our proposed line-up will include Ata Rangi, Cloudy Bay, Felton Road, Matua Valley, Pegasus Bay, and Te Mata.

Tutor: Vivienne Franks with Malcolm Franks.

A first for us – a tasting dedicated to the wines of Bulgaria, the destination of a very successful tour organised by our sister company, Good Wine Tours Limited, in June 2018.

Our planned line-up will include:-

‘Soli’ Pinot Noir, Eduardo Miroglio
‘Bergulé’ Mavrud, Villa Melnik
‘Merul’ Reserve, Estate Selection, Rumelia
‘Enira’ Reserva, Bessa Valley Winery
‘Zagreus’ Vinica

Tutor: Vivienne Franks with Malcolm Franks

Jancis Robinson and Hugh Johnson think that Riesling is the noblest of the white varieties. So, who are we to argue? Classic examples from Alsace, Australia, Austria, Chile, Germany, Italy and New Zealand.

Tutor: Pippa Hayward with Sandy Leckie

£1250 for a bottle of Château Latour 2010 – well yes, that is expensive! But such wild prices are only achieved by a handful of the region’s better known properties. There are literally hundreds of other properties in Bordeaux producing good wine at much more modest prices. And it’s a region that is very much in form at the moment. Standards of viticulture and wine-making have never been higher. We will taste a selection of wines from some of our favourite smaller producers. Bottle prices will be in the £10 to £20 price range and the contents will be ready to drink.

Tutor: Sandy Leckie

A selection of wines from leading South African producers such as Boekenhoutskloof, Bouchard-Finlayson, Meerlust, Kanonkop, Morgenhof, Rustenberg, and Vergelegen.

Tutor: Vivienne Franks with Malcolm Franks (who will just have returned from South Africa and will have all the latest news)

Although this is Italy’s most northerly wine producing region, its mountainous terrain ensures good exposure to the sun’s rays and heat retention. Light, tangy reds and clean, crisp whites and sparkling wines are made. The indigenous varieties Schiava and Lagrein are responsible for most of the reds, but plantings of Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are on the increase. The whites are produced from Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling and Gewurztraminer.

Tutor Pippa Hayward with Sandy Leckie.

A tasting of four peachy whites from Rias Baixas and four distinctive reds from the neighbouring districts of Ribeira, Ribera Sacra and Valdeorras. And to complete your enjoyment…..a selection of cold tapas.

Tutor – Pippa Hayward with Sandy Leckie

In this tasting, we will focus on the wines which many people think are the greatest of the region – complex, dry whites from Savennières, fruity reds from Chinon and Bourgueil and clean, crisply sweet whites from the Coteaux du Layon.

Tutor: Pippa Hayward with Sandy Leckie.