The Wine Club's October meeting saw 20 members being guided by their very knowledgeable fellow member, Francis Dickinson, in the tasting of a varied range of wines.
Francis had selected pairs of similar wines, of similar age, from the Old World and the New, which made for some interesting comparisons. For example, a Sauvignon Blanc from France (Pouilly Fumé 2012 Jean Vincent) was generally preferred to one from New Zealand (Brancott Estate, 2013, Awatere Valley), while a New Zealand Pinot Noir (Saint Clair Estate 2012, Marlborough) was preferred to the Burgundy version (Chateau du Cray 2011, Cote Chalonnaise). Other comparisons were made between a Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot from France (Chateau de Sainte Gemme 2008, Haut Médoc), and one from South Africa (Jordan, 2011, from the Stellenbosch Estate) the latter being preferred, and between a French (Domaine Chapelle de Calamiac Syrah 2007) and an Australian (McGuigan Signature Shiraz 2005), scoring about equal points.
We were also provided with menu suggestions for each of these wines. For example, should you fancy grilled oysters, the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is recommended. Or, more down to earth, the South African Stellenbosch is suggested to accompany a meaty lasagne.
Our thanks to Francis for such an enlightening and enjoyable evening.
Tuesday 4th November is the Club's AGM, 8.00 pm at the Christchurch Centre. If you can't attend, the Committee would appreciate hearing if you have any suggestions or preferences for next year's programme.
The club was founded in 1977 and meets once a month (except August), usually with a guest speaker or wine expert. Please use the following pages, to enjoy this great club, including many special events and tasting. Everyone is welcome, so just check out the Events page for the next meeting and venue.
