The Wine Appreciation Group

Leader:  Annie Scotney - wine@ashbyu3a.co.uk -

WINE APPRECIATION GROUP

The objective of the group is to widen the members’ experience of wines and all matters pertaining to wines. Annie Scotney is the leader of the group and coordinates meetings. We are currently tasting a choice of wines bought by a different member each month, usually with some theme to connect them. Those present at the tasting share the cost.

If you are interested in joining us please contact Annie at wine@ashbyu3a.co.uk.

We currently meet on the third Wednesday of the month at 7pm.

21st January

Ken had brought along a selection of reds this time for us to compare.

We started with a Georgian wine from M&S – Saperavi 2023 13% and £11. Saperavi is a grape native to Georgia and unknown elsewhere. It was dark, thick, smooth and plummy. A slightly unusual taste but very nice. A heavy suitable for winter casseroles. Everyone enjoyed it but as it was the first wine of the evening many were reluctant to score it too highly, not knowing what was to follow. However it scored 8/10 from everyone. A good start.

We then compared 2 Chilean Merlots, one a Sainsburys Taste the Difference Valle de Maipa 13.5% ££9.50, the other from Tesco, Diablo Velvet 2024 13.5% £10.50 from Valle de Maupe. The first was medium heavy, smooth, tasting of redcurrants with a woody aftertaste so it had seen some new oak. The second was very smooth, absolutely no tannin but smelling of wood shavings suggesting it too had seen some oak. At just over a year old it would not have been aged in oak, more likely oak chippings had been used to add flavour. Slightly sweeter than the Sainsbury one tasting of blackcurrants and plums. Strangely they both scored exactly the sane at 7.5/10 but half of us preferred one, half the other. But only by small degrees.

Fourth was an Italian blended wine which many of us had tried before called Piccini Memoro. It is non vintage and 13%. Tesco have it at £9.50. This is made from grapes around Italy, Merlot from Veneto, Montepulciano from Abruzzo near Rome, Primitivo from down south and Nero d’Avola from Sicily. It is supposed to remind one of all of Italy. It has a nice balance of dryness and sweetness and no tannin. Whilst it is quite rich is it somehow lighter than the other wines. Again we all enjoyed it and it scored exactly the same 7.5/10 as the previous 2 wines.

So the Georgian wine was the winner, but not by much. We don’t think you’d be disappointed with any of them.

It just happened to be Annie’s birthday that day so after much toasting of ‘Happy Birthday’, (we were not allowed to sing it!) Annie broke open not one but two bottles of Port for tasting! We didn’t finish them, honestly! The first was an escapee from Brasenose College, Oxford, their house Ruby Port with a very raisiny taste whilst the other was Taylors LBV (late bottled vintage) 2012 which tasted much more of black cherries. The sort that come in syrup in a jar at Christmas. Both were delicious although the first was definitely a cheese wine, Stilton comes to mind, whilst the other was a dessert wine. Great with Christmas pudding or chocolate gateau.

Thank you Annie for allowing us to taste these lovely wines with you, and Happy Birthday.