“BIN ENDS” WINE TASTING GROUP

“OFF-PISTE WHITES”

Tuesday, 18th May 2010
Presented by Clive Platman

In a celebration of “B-Listers”, this was a tasting for those who were fed up with the same old Chardonnays and Sauvignons. Going off-piste, we tried 10 white wines, 5 from regional France and 5 from around Europe, in an attempt to broaden our horizons. All wines were sourced from the Wine Society.

1. Quinta de Azevedo Vinho Verde 2008 Sogrape (£6.50)
70% Loureiro 30% Pederna

Low alcohol, 10.5°. Pale, with a slight spritz, this was green-appley and lemon/lime fresh. The ideal low alcohol summer drinking tipple. (CHP 16+, Bin Ends 4 votes).

2. Cotes de Saint Mont Les Vignes Retrouvees 2008 Producteurs Plaimont Gascony (£7.50) (Gros Manseng, Arufiac & Petit Courbu) 12.5°.
Rich and oily, yet with a biting acidic backbone. Vegetal and passion-fruit flavours, but with a bitter finish. Didn’t quite hang together. (CHP 15, Bin Ends 0 votes)

3. Domaine Felines-Jourdan 2008 Picpoul de Pinet Languedoc (£7.50) (13°)
(Picpoul)
This is Languedoc’s answer to Muscadet. A brilliant seafood wine, it was crisp and steely with just the right amount of weight and texture to give interest. Fully dry, with a touch of bitterness on the finish. (CHP 16, Bin Ends 2 votes)

4. Trimbach Pinot Blanc 2007 Alsace (£8.95) (12.5°) (Pinot Blanc)
Classic Trimbach style. Bone-dry, crisp and unoaked. Clean with a hint of pineapple and a good finish. Delightful. (CHP 17, Bin Ends 4 votes)

5. Brandal Albarino Rias Baixas 2008 (£8.95) 12.5° (Albarino) Galicia, Spain
Again straight and direct, with green-apple and lime fruit, with super structure and length of finish. Yeasty characters and richness evident, indicating lees stirring. A great value seafood and fish wine. (CHP 17, Bin Ends 5 votes).

6. Pieropan Soave 2008 (12.5°) (Veneto, Italy). £13.95 (Garganega)
Entry level, screw-cap bottle. Elegant, with citrus and green-apple fruit, with slight oiliness on texture, to give weight and balance. Crisp, clean and very stylish.
(CHP 17+ Bin Ends 0 votes).

7. Hatzidakis Santorini 2008 (Greece) (13.5°) £10.95
(Assyrtiko blend)
Sweet, honeyed lemon-citrus fruit overlays a bone-dry structure. Richly textured medium length, well-made good wine. (CHP 16+, Bin Ends 1 vote).

8. Domaine Vigneau-Chevreau “Cuvee Silex” 2007 Vouvray (Loire Valley, France) £9.95 (12.5°) (100% Chenin Blanc) . “Silex” means flint indicating chalky soils. Biodynamic producer.
Vouvray can come in any style, from dry to medium-sweet or sparkling. It all depends what mood the winemaker was in!. Good Vouvray is very difficult to source in the UK.

This was really polished, with flavours of lime, pear and cream, with a hint of grilled nuts on the finish. Lovely weight and texture. Excellent, a real discovery!
(CHP 18, Bin Ends 7 votes)

9. The Society’s Exhibition Gruner Veltliner 2008 Willi Brundlemeyer £11.95 (12°)
(100% Gruner Veltliner)
Bouquet of bubble-gum and elderflower (weird!). Lime fruit, flint-dry, yet developing spice and richness. Good example. (CHP 16+, Bin Ends 2 votes)

10. Domaine Maby “La Fermade” 2008 Lirac Blanc (Rhone Valley, France) £8.75)
(Picpoul, Grenache Blanc & Clairette)
White Rhone is another “overlooked” wine style, and in view of its weight can be an excellent alternative to Chardonnay. This was fresh and clean, with lime-fruit, spice and an oily texture. Let down with slight bitterness on the finish, but would be great with seafood (crab), poultry and white meat. (CHP 16, Bin Ends 3 votes).

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In summary, I thought the wines showed well and were enthusiastically received by our group. It only goes to show that there is life after Chardonnay!

COMING UP ....

Tuesday, 29th June 2010

Italian White Wine

These days, Italian white wine is synonymous with the ever-
popular Pinot Grigio – the preferred choice of “ladies who lunch”.
Whilst its past reputation has been poor to patchy, Italy has now got its act together,
and is producing some phenomenal individual whites from unique indigenous varieties.
I promise there won’t be a PG in sight all evening. (£15.00 per head)

Saturday, 10th July 2010

Bin Ends Summer BBQ

All you can eat and drink for £15.00 per head. Too good to miss!
At the home of Kate Booth and Tony Kennedy in Moseley.
To book your tickets, contact either of them on 07929.453442
or e.mail them on: flyingwinger2001@yahoo.com

Tuesday, 17th August (one week earlier than usual)

Wines from the Eastern Bloc

Many of us have fond memories of Bulgarian Cabernet Sauvignon, Lutomer Riesling and Hungarian “Bull’s Blood”, but where are they today?
Tonight we’re going to explore some exciting new finds from the emerging former Soviet satellite states. (£15.00 per head entrance)

Tuesday, 28th September 2010

Chablis with Austen Biss

Celebrated author and Chablis authority Austen Biss will be presenting a selection of Chablis wines from Petit Chablis to Grand Cru. This is a real coup for the group
and not to be missed. (£15 per head).