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Organised once again by Directors Michael Palij MW and Graham Harding, a full line-up of Masters of Wine were on hand to instruct and entertain during another truly memorable day:
- Anthony Barne MW, Wine Director at Bonhams, led us through an in-depth review of cool climate whites such as Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Gruner Veltliner.
- Richard Bampfield MW, Oxford Wine Club favourite, re-ignited the great Pinot Noir debate with a comparative tasting of Pinot Noir from around the world.
- Stephen Brook, author of Liquid Gold and a world expert on dessert wines took us Beyond Sauternes.
- Last – and fittingly for an Oxford-based event – we experienced a forgotten pleasure of university life. Lance Foyster MW, Oxford graduate and Madeira expert showed us the finer points of that indestructible and miraculous elixir.
An extraordinary day of tasting at Wolfson College, Oxford started with a remarkable Viognier from Argentina (extremely good value at only £5). Anthony Barne MW led us through Whites on the Edge which he described as having no oak, high acidity and coming from primary rocky soils with marginal climates - all characteristics that are not generally found in the wines that most of us drink, yet which give rise to some extremely interesting wines. Particular highlights were the Mount Horrocks Riesling and two Smaragd Wachau wines from Franz Hirtzberger: Gruner Veltliner Axpoint and Riesling Singerriedel which was by far the star of the first tasting.
The complete line-up was: 2005 Callia Alta, Viognier, San Juan, Argentina, 14%; 2003 Cantina Terlano, Pinot Bianco ‘Vorberg’, Alto Adige Terlano DOC, 12%; 2004 Azienda Agricola Terredora, Fianod’Avellino ‘Terre di Dora’ DOCG, 13%; 2004 Fred Loimer, Gruner Veltliner Langenlois Trocken, Kamptal, 12%; 2004 Franz Hirtzberger, Gruner Veltliner Axpoint Smaragd, Wachau, 13%; 2005 Mount Horrocks, Riesling, Watervale, Clare Valley, 13%; 2002 Franz Hirtzberger, Riesling Singerriedel Smaragd, Wachau, 13.5%; 2003 Ridgeview, Cuvee Bloomsbury Brut, Sussex, 12%.
Second up was Stephen Brook, author of Liquid Gold and a world expert on dessert wines. He took us Beyond Sauternes by looking at a range of lesser known dessert wines. Particular highlights were the Corte Sant’Alda Recioto and Selbach-Oster Mosel Riesling.
The complete line-up was: 2003 Azienda Agricola Corte Sant’Alda, Recioto della Valpolicella DOC, 14.5%; 1999 Selbach-Oster, Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese QmP, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, 9%; 2003 Bernard Larrieu, Jurancon Petit Manseng ‘La Magendia’ AC, 13.5%; 1996 Domaine Deletang, Montlouis Moelleux AC, 13%; 1996 Rolly Gasmann, Tokay Pinot Gris ‘Rotleibel de Rorschwihr’, Vendanges Tardive, Alsace AC, 12.5%; 2000 Chateau Ancienne Cure, Monbazillac ‘Cuvee Abbaye’ AC, 12.5%; 2000 Crown Estates, Tokay Azsu, Five Puttonyos, 11%; 2004 Weingut Umathum, Scheurebe TBA, Neusiedlersee, 11%.
After a wonderful salmon lunch provided by Sarah McCleery we moved onto Pinot Noir from around the world. Richard Bampfield MW presented two pairs and a triplet of wines:
- 2005 Cono Sur Pinot Noir, Rapel Valley, Chile / 2003 Saintsbury Pinot Noir, Carneros, California.
- 2002 Tamar Ridge Pinot Noir, Tasmania, Australia / 2003 Isabel Estate Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand.
- 2003 Dureuil-Janthial, Rully, Cote Chalonnaise, Burgundy / 1996 Domaine du Comte Senard, Aloxe Corton, Burgundy / 2000 Sylvain Cathiard, Nuits-Saint-Geroges ‘Les Murgers’, Burgundy, France.
The stars of this tasting were the NZ Isabel Estate and NSG Les Murgers.
Lastly, Lance Foyster MW took us on a tour de force of The incredible wines of Madeira. This was the perfect finish to a perfect day and a formidable pairing with the classic seedcake (homemade by Sophie Rudge).
The full line-up: Blandy, Duke of Cumberland (3 year medium style); Lomelino, Sercial 10 year; Lomelino, Verdelho 10 year; Cossart Gordon, Old East India (bottled 1982 by Ellis Son and Vidler); Blandy, Malmsey 1996 Colheita Reserve (bottled in 2001); Jardim Fernandes, Verdelho Extra Reserve (bottled 1994).
K. Hyde.
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