On 16th October, we welcomed the return of Tim and Gill from ‘Joie de Vin’, who have now become an established feature of the Upton Wine Club annual calendar. There was a good turnout of 34 from the village and there was a mood of eager anticipation for the forthcoming wines on offer.
The evening kicked off with a lovely sparkling wine, ‘Domaine Des Pampres d’or Cremant de Bourgogne’, which is from the South Burgundy area. It is made in the traditional method and is complex; it is especially recommended as a pair to canapes. It achieved much approval from the members!
The second bottle of the night was a Sauvignon, ‘Domaine de la chaise’, Touraine Chenoneaux Blanc, AOP 2016 (vegan)’. This was a rich full wine with exotic and citrusy fruit flavours, similar to a Sancerre. This wine particularly works well paired with oily fish or creamy sauces.
The third bottle was ‘L’Orfevre Viognier, IGP Cotes du Lot 2017’. This came with a note of peaches and apricots on the palette and Tim advised that it would go well with chicken and cheese. The latter was in fact confirmed by many on the night, as we were able to sample the delightful tapas on each table, which included some lovely strong cheese.
The fourth bottle, our final white of the evening, was the ‘Domaine Normand Pouilly Fuisse Les Crays 2017, (vegan)’. This wine is produced in the Burgundy area, with a limited production of 2500 bottles a year, as the grapes are handpicked from a small vinyard. The wine exudes rich aromas of exotic fruit, citrus and coconut and is very minerally on the finish.
Onto the reds. First up, the Domaine Pampres d’Or Cuvee Prestige Beaujolais Rouge, 2015 (vegan). This was a complex nose of rich red fruits with a slight hint of vanilla. It is an exceptional Beaujolais made from the estate’s best parcels of Gamay. This red goes very well with meat in sauce, cheese… or simply on it’s own!
The second red wine of the evening was the ‘Chateau Le Plantay, Cotes de Castillon, 2015’. This was a classic right bank Bordeaux, deep in colour and full and smooth on the palate. Again, another particularly appreciated wine of the night.
The next wine was ‘Domaine du Bon Remede Le Grange Delay Ventoux, from the Rhone Valley, 2017’. According to the notes provided by Tim and Gill, “ this is a wonderfully smooth full wine from the Southern Rhone, to the east of Chateauneuf- du- Pape. Awarded 97 points and a platinum medal by Decanter magazine, this is what they had to say about this wine:- A tremendously fruit intensity. Complex and immaculate. Enough to make you sit back and marvel!
The final wine of the evening was the ‘Chateau Montfin Cuvee Margot 2016 AOP Corbieres’ which is certified organic (my personal favourite!). This is a deep dark wine with intense red fruit and vanilla aromas. It is made from Syrah (60%), Grenache (25%) and old Carignan (15%). This wine is excellent with roast beef or mature cheese. This is an exceptional wine and a great wine to end a very enjoyable evening.
