The Riguors of Wine Tasting

It is difficult to comprehend that, as I write this in what appears to be the dead of winter, that spring is just around the corner and the pleasures of an English summer approach.

One of the advantages of being an independent wine merchant is that we are able to stock many different types of wines from many producers around the world. I try to view the range dispassionately in order to continue to bring in new wines and delist others. Some sadly have been with us for a long time but I feel they have run their course. It is these difficult decisions that I try to make in the early part of each year. As I have written before – it is a very hard job being a wine merchant. All those wines to taste………….

Indeed I have tasted many wines since January, either at Wine Trade exhibitions or samples sent into the shop. Two wines from the Languedoc have stood out; one a superb Viognier which has a wonderful apricot nose and a fresh clean slightly oily palate. The other a salmon pink Rosé with a hint of strawberry and a clean dry finish. These we are shipping and we expect to have them available by the tasting. They will both be about £5 per bottle.

This summer we will continue with our eclectic range of Rosé wines. Such as the soft and light Pinot Grigio Blush (£5.50) that was so popular last year. Also Marques de Cáceres rosé, Valdemar rosé, both from Spain, Groot Constantia rosé from South Africa and the Santa Rita rosé from Chile. We will also be looking for some other new wines in this category. We expect to have a range of between 10 and 12 wines.

At the NEW ZEALAND tasting in January. I found an elegant and flowery Gewürztraminer from Siefried. I also renewed my acquaintance with some lovely wines from the South Island area of Otago. The Hanmer Junction Sauvignon Blanc (£7.95) has a richness not found in Marlborough whilst the Akarua Pinot Noir (£19.95) has a complexity and vivaciousness to compete with best of the regions wines.
Argentina has always produced some interesting and full-bodied wines. We recently started to stock a selection from Terrazas de los Andes grown in the Mendoza region. This consists of a Chardonnay, a Merlot (£6.85) and a Merlot Reserve (£9.90). These will be on taste. From Andean Wineries we have found a Cabernet Sauvignon (£8.10) and a Reserve Cabernet (£13.10). All these wines are full flavoured with a typical Argentinean robust sweet grape flavour. They offer excellent value for money.
It has always been my policy to promote wines, which are interesting, different and offer great value for money. It recent years the wines of Germany have been tainted with the soubriquet of being sweet, thin and tasteless. And not much use. Quite false! There is now a gathering interest in these wines. So much so, that at our tasting we will show five different ones. Most are made from the Riesling grape one of the noblest and oldest of all grapes. One of their great attributes is that they are light in alcohol; as low as 7.50% but usually about 9%. This may imply a lack of complexity and substance but nothing could be further from the truth. The rich concentration of flavours combined with a clean slightly acidic finish adds an extra dimension to a light flowery style of wine. They make lovely drinking on their own and with light summer meals

Neil Bingham