The Wine Society Tasting

At the end of February The Wine Society hosted a wine evening to discover more about their wines. The event was in Leicester so just a short train ride away and the opportunity for dinner before heading to The City Rooms, a beautiful location for sipping wine. 

Beginning with sparkling wine I was very taken with Pierre Jourdan Cap Classique Blanc de Blanc Franschhoek 2018 in their Society staff desert island picks. made with 100% Chardonnay with 40% being barrel fermented this glass of bubbles had plenty of yeasty notes with flavours of apple and lime, a good start to the evening. 

Moving along and up in the world of bubbles my glass was next filled with Champagne Alfred Gratien Brut 2015. This wine was voted a 2024 Wine Champion and it is easy to taste why with such toasty flavours, hints of minerality and long lasting fruitiness.

Not always favouring oaked wines I was pleasantly surprised by three of the wines from the Knock on Wood selection.  beginning in California 50% of Bogle Vineyard Chardonnay 2022 has been aged in American oak with the remainder in steel giving it a lovely complexity of freshness and vanilla. A top choice which will be available this month, it was a delight to have tasted this wine. 

It's two neighbours on the tasting table were Gigondas Petite Gardette, Moulin de la Gardette 2022 and Gigondas Le Souiras, Clos des Cazaux 2019. Both superb wines from the names Cotes du Rhone village reminding me of holidays spend in the warm French countryside. Age and aging being the difference in these wines they were both full of fruit with hints of spice, the first having a fre3sh edge whilst the latter gave more complexity.

Moving west to the Bordeaux region of France Chateau Laroze, Saint-Emillion 2015 was as expected a deep wine having spent nearly ten years maturing. Plenty of dark fruit, cigars and wood aromas filled this glass, all of which were followed through in flavour. A wine to sip, sigh, sip again and let yourself sink into a leather sofa with glass in hand. 

Staying in South Western France The Society's Reserve Claret Cotes de Bordeaux 2021 had a great weight to it body with an abundance of dark fruit followed by light tannins and peppery spice, one of the Society's best reds.

Two of the Society's white wines that caught my tastes were The Society's Alvarinho Vinho Verde 2023 and The Society's White Burgundy 2023. Although from different locations both wines were fresh and full of flavour, the Alvarinho had plenty of stone fruit flavours whereas the Burgundy was plentiful in its appleness.

Travelling much further afield The society's Exhibition Clare Valley Riesling 2024 was full of zest with flavours of lemon and lime. A very crisp wine that was less oily that other Rieslings which helped bring its minerality forward. 

As well as wine this tasting also included a selection of beers: all under The Society's brand ranging from English Lager,  IPA, Pale Ale to Smooth Bitter. As not everyone drinks wine it is always good to have alternatives, a similar though towards the non-alcoholic drinks also presented; The Society's Alcohol Free Lager, Lysegron Sparkling Tea, Gratien & Meyer Festillant Sparkling Sans Alcool and Botivo bittersweet non-alcoholic aperitif. 

Ending the evening with three full strength spirits is always preferred. The Society's Gin High Strength was just that but so smooth, full of botanicals and was most delicious, this would be very much enjoyed over ice. 

The Society's Exhibition Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 12 Years Old had lovely aromas of vanilla and butterscotch with a smooth length to its finish. The Society's Exhibition Grande Champagne Cognac XO also had a smooth finish leaving flavours of soft fruits and nuts. 

Another evening of discovery, trying wines and spirits new to my palate. There was also a blind tasting which had me wondering until I stopped trying too hard and realised all three wines were the same grape, German Spatburgunder, New Zealand Pinot Noir and Chilean Pinot Noir.

The Wine Society do have a vast range of wines and their tastings do give the opportunity to taste some of their range. Whilst the provided booklet has details of each wine I do find I miss not having the wines served by wine people. At this event the servers were very good waiter and waitresses but had no wine or spirit knowledge making it difficult to engage in conversation and does not give an opportunity to ask more, maybe this will change.