Red Herring Wine Club News
Trestle Thirty One wines
Nova Cadamatre, Master of Wine, tutored a tasting of Trestle Thirty One wines from her estate in the Finger Lakes district of Upper New York in the elegant Pall Mall setting of auction house, Dreweatts.
Vertical Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Dr Jackie Ang, the newest Master of Wine, tutored a special vertical tasting of seven vintages of the leading St Julien, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou in November
Jackie explained the differences between the 1995-2001 vintages and the background to the famous Bordeaux estate.
Champagne Problems
Netflix has an exciting film about the sale of a fictitious Champagne house with great shots, not only of Avenue de Champagne in Epernay where so many major Champagne houses are located and the historic Domaine Les Crayeres in Reims but the impressive Chateau de Taissy in the Marne Department (which was used for "Chateau Cassell")
Chateau de Taissy
Minka Kelly as Sydney Price
Falcons protect English vines
The East Sussex estate of Rathfinny used falcons, hawks and a Chilean blue eagle to deter crows, pigeons and seagulls in the final weeks before the harvest. This saved having to use 300km of plastic netting to net the vines and for such protection to have to be replaced every five years. This has proved to be an eco-friendly way forward. The vineyard was first planted in 2012 on a former 243ha arable farm with chalky coil at Alfriston by Mark and Sarah Driver.
Austria goes more organic
A quarter of Austria's vineyards are now certified as organic, according to the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture. This is a major development as only 0.7 per cent had such status in 2000. Austria is now a world leader in organic wines as the global average is only 7.8 per cent.
Hypnotised Tastings
To heighten their senses, tasters are trying wines whilst in a light trance. The Cité du Vin, a wine museum in Bordeaux, invited hypnotherapist Dita-Karine Madridto to present a tasting whilst participants were in a trance. The experiment used 2017 Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste (a Pauillac graded 5th Cru in the famous 1855 classification). Using head-phones to hear about the wine to be tasted, some found camphor and others blackberry.
Wines and Spirits for the State banquet
The wines (and two spirits) served by King Charles to US President Donald J Trump at the State banquet in September were splendid:
Winston Estate Cuvée 2016 (from 10.16ha north of Worthing, Sussex)
Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru (Domaine Bonneau de Martray) 2018
Ridge Vineyards, Monte Bello 2000
Pol Roger Extra Cuvée de Reserve Champagne 1998
After dinner:
Warre vintage Port 1945 (to recognise Donald J Trump as the 45th, as well as 47th, President of the USA)
Hennessy Grande Champagne Cognac 1912 (chosen as the President's mother, Mary Anne MacLeod's, birth year)
Bowmore Queen's Cask Islay Malt Scotch whisky 1980 (bottled for her Golden Jubilee in 2002)
Chateau Lafleur leaves appellation
Famous Pomerol estate Chateau Lafleur has announced it will withdraw from the appellation. Pomerol is by far the smallest of the great red wine districts of Bordeaux, measuring just four by three kilometres and covering around 730ha. It is known for producing intense and more tannic wines than neighbouring St Emilion owing largely to its clay whilst both districts have high proportions of the Merlot vine. Unlike either the Medoc or St Emilion, there has never been a classification for Pomerol.
Lafleur is planted equally with Merlot and Cabernet Franc, which is an exceptionally high proportion of the latter, like Ch. Cheval-Blanc. The decision to leave the appellation is from the 2025 harvest. The owning Guinaudeau family says it wishes to move faster than the official rules permit to react to climate change.
Wine goes into metal containers
Vintners have used a variety of materials to store wine, notably clay pots (amphorae), then wooden casks and glass from the 17th century. Now wine is being presented in aluminium, making it more lightweight, easier to recycle and transport. It can also be cooled more quickly. UK supermarkets are now offering wine in metal but any such packaging is only designed for a short shelf life. After two years the lining of the can starts to degrade whilst the oxygen present will oxidise the contents.
Top New Zealand wines tasted
Ryan Morgan presented a stunning range of wines from Craggy Range to members in July. Founded by the Peabody family in 1998, Craggy Range create award-winning wines from its two estates in Hawke's Bay and Martinborough, both on New Zealand's North island. Last year, Craggy Range was recognised by Drinks International as "the world's most admired wine brand."
Leading Californian Tasting
Top Californian wines from Gallo's Luxury Portfolio were presented by Marie Weiss. The range included J Cuveen20 (a stylish Brut created to celebrate the winery's 20th anniversary), Orin Swift's Blank Stare Sauvignon Blanc (from the Russian River Valley) and Rombauer Cameros Chardonnay (from fruit sourced where the San Pablo Bay meets the southern end of Napa and Sonoma valleys). The single vineyard Talbott Sleepy Hollow Pinot Noir, Denner Dirt Worship Syrah (from Paso Robles) and Louis M Martini Cabernet Sauvignon (from the Napa Valley) were among the red wines enjoyed by members
Louis Jadot Tasting
Members enjoyed a special tasting of Louis Jadot white Burgundies in the delightful setting of St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate Hall in May, tutored by Mark O'Bryen, Master of Wine
Algarve tasting at Embassy
The Club visited the Portuguese Chancery for the April tasting - Algarve wines. Sara Silva, Director of Algarve's Vitivinicola Commission, travelled to London to tutor the stunning range of nine wines.
Global Wine Production Falls
The lowest wine volume for 60 years was produced in 2024 owing largely to adverse weather (from early frosts and flooding to droughts) and economic pressures, according to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine. The estimate is 231 million hectolitres, a 2% decline on 2023 and 13% below the ten year average.
In Europe, France experienced the greatest fall with production reduced by 23% to 36.9 million hectolitres.
Wine halves heart attacks
Scientists at the University of Barcelona have discovered that a glass of wine each evening halves the risk of suffering a heart attack and stroke by comparison with those who do not consume. They report that drinking a bottle of wine a week could be as good as taking statins. Wine - both white and red - has a "much greater protective effect" than formerly thought.
The research - published in the European Heart Journal - involved testing the level of tartaric acid which is naturally found in grapes and detectable for five to six days after consumption. Those who imbibed only one to three glasses a week were at 38% lower risk of heart disease.
Many studies of Mediterranean regions where the population regularly consumes wine and enjoys lower rates of heart disease have pointed to the benefits of antioxidant polyphenol compounds found in wine.
New Premier Cru for White Burgundy
To reflect the finer quality wine which can be achieved on clay-limestone over their peers, two white Burgundy districts have been awarded Premier Cru status commencing with the 2024 harvest.
.The newcomers are Les Mures (7.09ha) for Pouilly-Loche and Les Longeays (7.50ha), Les Petaux (2.76ha) and Les Quarts (12.45ha) for Pouilly-Vinzelles. The overall district is Macon. The new sites will be restricted to 58 hl/ha from the usual 60 hl/ha. All are excusively planted with the Chardonnay vine.
New White for Pichon-Baron
Bordeaux estate Chateau Pichon-Baron (formerly known as Pichon-Longueville-Baron), based in Pauillac in the Medoc district, has created its first dry white wine. Called "Les Griffons de Pichon Baron", the vines originated in Chateau Suduiraut, in Sauternes, which is under the same ownership. The vines were grafted in 2018 onto 20 year old plants.
Pichon-Baron has been owned by the AXA insurance group since 1987 and, like its rival Chateau Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, was awarded coveted Second Growth status in the famous 1855 classification. Its architecture is distinctive for a Bordeaux property with slender turrets and a high-pitched roof which gives a fairy-tale look.
The new white is vinified in one year old barrels without malolactic fermentation and matured for nine months in barrel. The first vintage is 2023.
Brazilian tasting at Embassy
Red Herrings were recently welcomed to the Brazilian Embassy by kind invitation of HE The Ambassador, Mr Antonio Patriota and enjoyed a tasting of Brazilian wines tutored by Nicholas Corfe (of Go Brazil Wines & Spirits).
Top Chilean Tasting at the Chilean Embassy
The Club's tasting of stunning Top Chilean Wines was held at the Chilean Embassy at the invitation of HE Ambassador of Chile, Dr. Ximena Fuentes. Our speaker was TV wine expert, Joe Fattorini who tutored an evening of Don Melchor and The Cellar Collection from Concha y Toro.
Joe Fattorini introducing the tasting
The regions of Chilie described
HE The Ambassador taking an interest in the details of one of the wines tasted.
HE The Ambassador of Chile, Dr. Ximena Fuentes, with The Club Chairman, Conal Gregory, Master of Wine
Argentina recognises Criolla Chica
Argentina's National Viticulture Institute has approved the Criolla Chica vine (also known as Listán Prieto for its wine from the 'table' wine category to 'quality' (Vinos de Calidad). This means that in future the wine can reveal its geographical origin.
It has also been recognised as making red wine as in the past it was restricted to the pink (rosado) category.
Wines of Moldova Tasting
The Club held a unique tasting of wines from Moldova which was held in the appealing City atrium of wealth manager, J.M. Finn. The tasting was tutored by Remus Turcan from Purcari who had flown from Chisinau specially for our event. The range included an orange amphora wine produced from the autochthonous vine Viorica and Nocturne Rara Neagra de Purcari from the Rara Neagra grape. Purcari is the most awarded wine producer in the world!
Donation to Royal Marsden
At the Club's Annual Dinner, members sought the special empty magnums of Perrier-Jouet Belle Epoque Champagne which were modelled on a design by Gallé and contributed to our appeal for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. Others donated funds directly. The appeal was to recognise the treatment given to our former Hon Treasurer, Doug Keating.
Veuve Clicquot under water
Champagne House Veuve Clicquot (part of LVMH) is experimenting with storing bottles in the sea. The idea came from the discovery of Veuve Clicquot which had been in a Baltic Sea shipwreck dating from 1852. Recent tastings of the 19th century Champagne showed the wine to be in a remarkably good condition which is explained by the lack of light, absence of oxygen, high pressure and consistently cold temperature.
Wonders of Alsace - Dopff Au Moulin
The Club returned to St. Mary's Moorgate for an evening of Alsace wines from producer Dopff Au Moulin tutored by Etienne-Arnaud Dopff, 13th generation Head of Dopff Au Moulin.
The evening commenced with two sparkling Crémant wines then progressed through the classic Alsace grape varieties - Pinot Gris, Riesling (including one not yet commercially available) and Gewurztraminer. Etienne thanked the Club for the organisation and the enthusiasm of the Red Herring members attending the event.
Wines of Bohemia
The Club was delighted to visit the Embassy of the Czech Republic for a special tasting of wines of Bohemia which was tutored by Alzbeta 'Betty' Sutera. Betty was born in south-east Moravia and studied viticulture and winemaking before moving to the UK. She is the founder and CEO of Wines of Bohemia, based in Bath.
The wines included a Traditional-made sparkling Riesling/Pinot Blanc (Bohemia Sekt), a crisp 2020 Sylvaner from Svoboda, a late harvest Pinot Blanc 2020 and a wine made from the little known Palava vine (a crossing between Gewurztraminer and Mueller-Thurgau). The nine wines shown concluded with a delicious sweet Gewurztraminer 2019.
Alzbeta (Betty) Sutera
DRESS CODE
The Club asks that members and guests dress smartly when attending tastings as many of our venues are prestigious and have dress codes. Gentlemen are asked to wear a jacket and tie. Please remember to inform your guests in advance of the event.
Print 