March 2024. Wines of Moldova

 

PRESENTERS: Aliona Bejan and Sergiu Hriplivii,  Novus BH Magister Ltd - www.moldovawine.co.uk

Moldova has a long wine history (5000 years) and used to supply a significant proportion of the wine to the Soviet Union, but after independence in 1991 everything changed. Wine is still an important part of the Moldovan economy and is its 5^th largest export.

There are quite a few unusual/local grape varieties, although several of them are recent crosses from post war. Several of the grapes on show here, are Georgian – Sapravi and Rkatiteli. Georgia was one of the other big wine growing regions of the Soviet Union, with a history going back even further.

Aliona and Sergiu set up the company with Aliona’s sister relatively recently to bring Moldovan wine to the UK. They do come from a winemaking family.

The Wines Were:

Whites

1)      Cricova Winery 100% Feteasca Alba. 2022. 12% £16

2)      Timbrus Winery . 100% Viorica. 2021 12.5% £16

3)      Novac Winery 50% Floricica/50% Alb de Onitcani. 2021. 14% £23

4)      Novak WInery 60% Alb de Onitcani/40% Rkatiteli. 2019 13%

Reds

5)      Timbrus Winery 100% Sapravi. 2020. 13% £17

6)      Timbrus Winery Polyphonia Note#2 Malbec, Shiraz, Rara Neagra. 2020. 13% £17

7)      Atu Winery 70% Codrinskii/30% Saperavi. 2020. 13.5% £27

8)      Cricova Winery 100% Feteasca Neagra. 2020.£14% £17

 

Some points of note:

The Florica/Alb de Onitcani blend is matured in Acacia Wood barrel due to plentiful supplies of Acacia in Moldova. Both grapes are 1960s crosses.

Saperavi, better known as a Georgian variety, is reckoned to be the worlds oldest variety.

The Codrinskii is a very rare cross – Cab Sauvignon x Rara Neagra. Only grown in one vineyard in Moldova.

Feb 2024. Wines of the Loire, Peter Freeman

 

An excellent Evening from Peter, who most definitely knows his stuff. He decided to bring along some rarities rather than just going for the Loire standards. He apologised at the start for the wines being a little on the expensive side, but to be honest, given that a decent bottle at Majestic or Waitrose is now getting to £10, I thought these weren’t excessive.

The rarities: A red Sancerre, A Remorantin and Rose Pineau d’Aunis – 2 very rare Loire grapes, plus also a Loire Malbec (Cot), also pretty uncommon.

Sadly one of the 3 bottles of the Cour Cheverny was off, which I got (awful) so I and some others only got a miniscule taste. This is very much a rarity  nowadays, we see maybe 1 bottle a year which is off (if that) – that’s out of 12 x 24 = 288 bottles, or less than 0.5%.

All of these wines except the last are readily available in the UK.

The Wines were:

White

Cour-Cheverny,  Le Petit Chambord 2020. Remorantin. The Wine Society. 14.5% (?) £12.95.

A very rare grape variety, historically much more common. Early ripening. Supposedly 14.5% but nobody believed it.

Muscadet, Comte Leloup du Château de Chasseloir. 2018. Melon De Bourgogne. The Wine Society. 12%, £11.50.

A Sur Lie Muscadet , pretty decent.

Reilly, Nathalie. 2022. Sauvignon Blanc. Majestic, 13.5%. £14.99

Very decent. Well balanced, full bodied. Atypical for a Loire SB more typical of a Bordeaux white.

Rose

Touraine,  2020. Domaine Merieau La Rosée. Pineau D’Aunis. Slurp. 12.5% £14.95

Another very rare grape. Basically a Rose D’Anjou. Supposedly an acquired taste. Most of us didn’t want to acquire it any further.

Red. 

 

Sancerre,  Domaine Francois Millet 2019. Pinot Noir. Slurp. 13.5% £16.95.

A red Sancerre – another rarity. PN is the only red grape allowed in Sancerre. This was a good wine. Well made, good body to it.

Touraine, Domaine Guenault 1885. 2022. Côt (Malbec). The WIne Society. 13%. £10.50

Malbec is another rarity, needs more time. This is not at all like an Argentinian Malbec. Rich Dark Spicy. A steal at the price.

St Nicolas De Bourgueil,  2022. Cabernet Franc. Majestic. 13%. £15.99. 

Cabernet Franc makes the best Loire reds, and this is a good one.

Dessert

Coteaux Du Layon 1er Cru Chaume,  2015. Chenin Blank. Peters own stock. €24.50 in France  

 

The star of the evening was the last wine – this is superb. We all noted that Peter did pour himself an extra large glass of this. He knew……

New Years Party Jan 2024

The Annual new years party. 7 wines. 1 fizz, 2 white, 2 red, Port, Madiera.

What else to say? 

The Fizz - Cremant de Jura. Marcel Cabelier 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chilean Gewurztraminer

 

 

 

 

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. The Ned - Marlbrough

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Portuguese Red  - Porta 6                                                                      

 

 French - Lussac St Emilion

 

 

 

 

 

 

Port - Taylors  LBV 2018

Madeira - Blandys Duke of Clarence

December 2023. South African Wine - Belinda McLaughlin and Phil Miles

 I wasn't there - on holiday so can only report what the wines were;

• Lady Alice cap classique mcc rosé. 100% pinot noir
• Melck’s sauvignon blanc 100% sauvignon blanc
• Isabella chardonnay. 100% chardonnay
• Alberta Annemarie merlot. 100% merlot
• Ronnie Melck shiraz. 100% shiraz
• Martin Melck cabernet sauvignon. 100% cabernet sauvignon
• Melck’s blended red. 45% shiraz, 35% merlot, 14% cabernet sauvignon, 6% cabernet franc
• Ben Prins cape vintage. Blend of: tinta barocca, tinta roriz, tinta francesca, souzao