For the last couple of years, in the run up to the festive
season, we’ve organised and run a wine tasting evening with a publication and
this year, we had the pleasure of joining the Good Housekeeping team for a
tipple or two - obviously our reasons for organising these event is strictly
professional and our love of nice wine has nothing to do with it!
To help us get into the festive spirit and to share her
wealth of expertise, Waitrose wine buyer, Cat Lomax hosted the evening which
saw us and the Good Housekeeping ladies try a range of wines including fabulous
fizz (our personal fave), beautiful rich red, a classic white but from two
different regions and two delicious, but very different dessert wines.
First on the agenda were two reds; Cave de St Desirat St Joseph
and Waitrose Reserve Shiraz, St Hallett which is ripe with red and black fruit,
hints of spice with a smooth cocoa finish - this is a vibrant and rich red. A
great reflection of the definitive nature of Barossa Valley Shiraz. It may be a
cliché, but these wines are defiantly ones to enjoy with a delicious steak.
Next came the Markus Huber Gruner Veltliner and Tre Fiori
Greco di Tufo, two classic sauvignon blancs, one of which was from New Zealand
and the other from France. While they are both from the same grape, it was easy
to differentiate between the two regions. Cat recommended that if we chose to
serve either of these at a dinner party, it perfectly suits an aromatic Asian
dish which packs a punch.
Then we moved on to fizz, tasting Nyetimber Classic Cuve and
La Gioiosa Prosecco Superiore. The Nyetimber is made in true champagne fashion
using traditional grape varieties. The result is creamy and rich with notes of
brioche complimented with a refreshing citrus twist, we gave it a big thumbs up!
The La Gioiosa Prosecco Superiore was beautifully floral and fruity, a
refreshing, slightly dry prosecco with hints of sweet red apple.
We rounded off the evening with two dessert wines, Gonzales
Byass Noe Pedro Jimenez and Domaine des Forges Coteaux du Layon Premier Cru
Chaume. Both completely different in colour, taste and price.
While it was tempting to sit, chatting and indulging in
delicious wine, the evening quickly came to an end, but our wines of choice for
Christmas were chosen!
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