Archive 2010-11

In 2010-11, the Club continued with high attendances including a record attendance for an evening of tasting fine Burgundies with the winemaker. 

The Christmas party this year was a different format to the usual monthly meetings and to previous year's parties.  It was an evening of "Call My Bluff" on wines.  60 members attended and a great fun evening was had.  Much preparatory effort was made by Nigel from Stratford's and Carole Hazlehurst choosing a wide range of interesting wines and preparing the descriptions - true and bluff.

In addition to the monthly meetings, the Club again held an extremely enjoyable and successful Summer Party at Elizabeth and Alistair Elliott's home.

Meeting / Subject / Presenter Wine of the month (Grape variety) / Region Supplier & Price
May 10 / Argentinean wines / Las Bodegas Crios Torrontes 2009 / Cafayate Valley, Salta, Argentina Las Bodegas / argentinewineonline.co.uk, £9.99
June 10 / Umbrian adventure update / Janet Gonzales DOCG Sagrantino Passito Terre dei Capitanei 2004  / Umbria, Italy Not available in UK
July 10 / Wine tasting techniques / Laura Clay Errazuriz Max Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 / Aconcagua Valley, Chile winedirect, £11.95
August 10 / Sauvignon Blanc around the world / Waitrose Direct

Tiefenbrunner Kirchleiten Sauvignon Blanc 2008 / Alto Adige, Italy

 Waitrose Direct, £14.24
September 10 / Spain / Sommelier's Choice Mar de Frades Albarino 2009/ Galicia, Spain Sommelier's Choice, £15.30
October 10 / Is it worth the extra? / Flagship Wines

Yalumba FDR1a Barossa 2004 (Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz) / Barossa Valley, South Australia

 Flagship Wines, £23.99
The Wine Society, £20.00
November 10 / Fine Burgundy wines with the vigneron / Domaine Tupinier-Bautista

Tupinier-Bautista Mercurey Rouge "Cuvée Victoria" 2009 (Pinot Noir) / Burgundy, France

 Domaine Tupinier-Bautista, €20.50
December 10 / Call My Bluff Christmas Party / Stratford's Wine Agencies Cliff Edge Sauvignon Blanc 2009 / Marlborough, New Zealand Old Butcher's Wine Cellar, £8.50
January 11 / Hidden gems of Eastern Europe / Laithwaites Royal Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos Blue Label 2005 (Furmint, Harslevelu, Muscat de Lunel) / Tokaj-Hegyalja, Hungary Laithwaites, £20.00 (50cl)
February 11 / Bordeaux Classics / Paul Mapplebeck N/A N/A
March 11 / Languedoc wines / Sanglier Wines Cuvée Charlotte 2006, Domaine du Sacré Coeur, AOC St Chinian (Carignan, Syrah, Grenache Noir) AND Muscat de St Jean de Minervois 2008, Domaine de Barroubio, AOC St Jean de Minervois (Muscat de Petit Grains) / Languedoc, France Sanglier Wines, £12.00 / £12.34

At the April 2011 meeting, we held the Wine of the Year tasting.  At the end of an excellent tasting of the Wines of the Month, the Mar de Frades Albarino 2009 from Galicia in Spain (available from Sommelier's Choice at £9.40) was voted the white wine of the year and the Yalumba FDR1a Barossa 2004 (available from Flagship Wines at £23.99 and from The Wine Society at £20.00) was voted the red wine of the year.  However, the dessert wine of the year and Wine of the Year 2010-11 is the Royal Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos Blue Label 2005 from Hungary (available from Laithwaites at £20.00 for 50cl).

Newsletters from 2010-11

To see the reports for the 2011 AGM, click here.