November Wine Tasting

Our last meeting meeting was all about Christmas preparations, specifically the drinks, with a fantastic wine tasting evening. We enjoyed 9 wines: sparkling, white, red and alcohol free. A great fun and very well attended evening. We all went away with some great priced as well as great tasting recommendations to pair with the nut roast and pud!

If you missed the meeting or need your memory refreshing here are the wines we tasted, all available at Majestic Wine at time of writing.

Wine One

BOUVET SAMUR LOIRE BRUT £13.99

The Loire Balley's Samur Brut is the go-to appellation if you like Champagne - but not the high price tag. And this one is hands down our most popular bottle. Over its rich history, Bouret Laduabay has been endorsed by Napoleon III and chosen as official supplier to the House of Lords. They specialise in bringing our the floral notes of Chenin Blanc, and it certainly shows in this lively, zesty fizz. Expect notes of honeysuckle, apple and lime, with a crisp, fresh finish.

Wine Two

DEFINITION CAVA £9.99

The Definition range brings the world's greatest wine styles to Majestic customers. Cava is Spain's signature sparkling wine. It's made in the same way as Champagne, but usually from Macabeu, Parellada and Xarel.lo grapes. The Definition is crafted from all three by one of the biggest names in Cava. Each of their 150 years of experience shows in every sip. It has aromas of apple, citrus, almond and blossom and flavours of honey and toast. Great with a savoury Tart.

Wine Three

MONTAGNY VIELLES VIGNES BUXY £14.99

Montagny is an appellation in the Cote Chalonnaise. It is a real enclave of quality, specialising in Chardonnay. In fact, it's the only grape that's grown in the whole region - so Montagny-based Cave de Duxy really know their Chardonnay inside-out. Montagny's limestone soils mean the wines are fresh, with a fuller body than other /Chalonnaise wines. The fruit flavours are really pronounced - a factor amped up by the fact tht it's 'Vielles Vignes'. It is made using grapes from thirty-year old vines. Because they are old they only yield small amounts of grapes - so all the flavour is exceptionally concentrated. Think ripe apple, citrus and white blossom. The ripeness is balanced by a serious crispness, and it's left unoaked so the fruit flavours can really shine through.

Wine Four

POUILLY-FUME J VINCENT £21.99

Pouilly Fume is known all over the world for its perfumed, flinty mineral and distinctly smoky character. Some believe that the region's unique soils are behind this phenomenon. Father and son team Jean and Vincent Chatelain are the 11th and 12th generations of an illustrious winemaking family here - and you can really taste their expertise. It's gooseberry and gentle spice flavours and fresh acidity make it a perfect complement for smoked salmon.

Wine Five

COTES DU RHONE GUIGAL £13.99

The Rhone Valley is one of the most ancient wine regions in the whole world. The Guigal family are third-generation winemakers that have made a massive impression here. Their name is now synonymous with excellent quality Rhone wines. And it's all down to their meticulous approach. They pay growers three times the market rate to get the best grapes and even make their own barrels to ensure the ageing process is spot on. This has a higher proportion of Syrah than the usual Southern Rhone blend, making it extra fruity and warmly spicy. It's a fantastically versatile wine, ideal for buffets with Lyonnaise-style cold meats.

Wine Six

OLIVIER DUBOIS VDF PINOT NOIR £9.99

With prices of red Burgundy increasing, we challenged our buyers to find French Pinot Noir which was great quality and great value. They looked to the Loire. For Pinot lovers, this region is a real insider secret. It's best known for its whites, but it's also a great source of incredible value Pinot Noir. Here, the Pinots tend to boast vibrant fruit flavours. We're lucky enough to have the UK exclusive on this. It's seriously juicy and fruity - think redcurrants and cherries with a sweetly spiced edge. A Pinot Noir as vibrant as this benefits from being ever so slightly chilled before you drink it - which makes it the ideal partner for salads and charcuterie.

We also tasted some non-alcoholic fizzes: a popular little number called Nozeco plus a white and rosé Freixenet.

Unsurprisingly the no alcohol wines were not as popular as those with, but Nozeco was the best of the bunch.

Check out the gallery of pictures of us below, all enjoying sampling the above.