Autumn Wine Tasting - Reviewed

We had another packed tasting last Thursday, this time hosted by Niall from 3rd floor wines.
No theme as such but rather staff faves and new lines.
Niall expertly took us through the following: -

Ferghettina Franciacorta Brut NV - £24.95
Italian fizz from Chardonnay & Pinot Noir. A huge step up from Prosecco. A palate of green apple, citrus and yeasty character from extended aging on its lees.

Papagiannakos Assyrtiko - £19.95
Masterful modern Greek winemaking. Assyrtiko is indigenous to the island of Santorini, but this example is from coastal Attika on the mainland.
Floral, lime, nectarine, mineral & saline notes. A character it gets from the vineyards proximity to the sea.

Kardos Dry Furmint - £15.95
Furmint from the village of Mád, Tokaj' a region renowned for the finesse of its wines.
Pear, lime, pineapple, grapefruit. Dry, crisp with an elegant minerality. Definitely a staff favourite.

Valenciso Rioja Blanco - £25.95
Sourced from 80 year old vines on clay, stone soil in the North of the Rioja Alta area. The vineyards are of outstanding quality which is reflected in the class of this wine.
A fine balance of pear, peach, tropical and citrus fruit with nutty, mineral, smoky and creamy notes.

Domaine Henry Pellé Menetou-Salon le Carroir Rouge - £32.95
Menetou-Salon has a wine history going back to around 1050. It neighbours the more famous Sancerre. The Pellé family have been cultivating vines and making wine since the early 1900’s and are known for their meticulous attention to viticulture and winemaking.
That shines through in this bright, cherry, soft red berry fruit Pinot. Juicy acidity brings balance. It punches way above its price. You would expect to pay double and upwards if this was from another French region renowned for its Pinots!

CV-05 Cabernet Sauvignon - £19.95
A brooding cabernet from Valencia, Spain. It oozes blackberry, black cherry and plum, the tannins are dusty and well-integrated. It screams for a place at your dinner table on a Sunday afternoon.

Els Vil Lusionistes Unanim DO Priorat - £27.95
And one more from Spain. 100% Grenache made in a hands-off, sustainable way. The vines are 60 years old, and a proportion of the wine is aged in amphora. At 15.5% you’d expect it to whack you in the gob, but it is surprisingly gentle, fresh, silky. With bramble, black cherry, raspberry fruit. Lush with soft tannins and come to bed with me eyes ……but I digress……..

A big thanks to Niall and the great people who attended.

We have another wine tasting on the 30th November. Tickets currently available in store or call us on 020 8959 6754