Red Herring Wine Club News

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 stunnig range of nine wines.

The Tasting

A new film entitled The Tasting has been released.  Set in the Medieval town of Troyes populated by wine-quaffers, it is a middle-aged romance.  The Times says this is a film that appeciates wine "with an intensity bordering on propoganda" including a piece on the origins of wine and how it signifies a civilised society.  Writer-director Ivan Calbera's. film is rated 15 and runs for 92 minutes.

Global Wine Production Falls

The lowest wine volume for 60 yeaars 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 glasss 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 consumptoin.  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 enjoy lower rates of heart disease have pointed to the benefits of antioxidant polyphenol compunds found in wine.

Label Revealed for Mouton-Rothschild

Each vintagge released by Chateau Mouton-Rothschild (first growth Pauillac) has a new label.  The eatate revealed that the 2022 label is a tribute to Baron Philippe de Rothschild who arrived at the property a century ago.  It was designed by French artist Gerard Garouste.

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.

Brazilian tasting at Embassy

Red Herrings were recently welcomed to the Brazilian Embassy by kind invitation of HE The Ambassador, Mr Antonio Patriota, for the January event 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 November 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 for the evening was TV wine expert, Joe Fattorini who tutored an evening of Don Melchor and The Cellar Collection from Concha y Toro.

Journey down the Rhone Tasting

Martin Champagne from Chapoutier presented an exciting "Journey down the Rhone" tasting to members in October.  The range included a biodynamically-made St Peray 2021 from Marsanne vines, organically-made St Joseph Les Granilities 2021 and magnums of Hermitage Minier de la Sizeranne 2014.

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.

Oldenburg Tasting 

For our March tasting, Adrain Vanderspuy presented a range of wines from South Africa's famous boutique winery, Oldenburg Vineyards, based in Stellenbosch.

Wine News

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 19^th 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.

Star of the Douro - Quinta da Pedra Alta

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, 13^th 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.

Sassicaia - The Icon Wine of  Italy

The Club visited the London Welsh Centre to taste a stunning white wine, Broglia Gavi di Gavi, and then no less than 8 vintages of the Italian Iconic wine - Sassicaia.  The Sassicaias shown were from eight successive vintages from 1999 to 2006 and would cost around £15,500 to replace!

 Master of Wine, Andy Howard (who runs his own wine consultancy Vinetrades and contributes to both Decanter Magazine and the website JancisRobinson.com) returned to the Club to tutor the tasting following the Chateau Mouton-Rothschild tasting of a couple of years ago.

English & Welsh Fizz v Champagne

The English and Welsh sparkling wines and Champagne tasted at the September tasting.

The Enchanting Loire Valley

Chris Hardy, Managing Director of Charles Sydney Wines (left) discussing the Loire Valley wines with Club member, Simon English (right).

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.

Famous estate Chateâu d'Issan - rated Third Grand Cru in the 1855 classification - has released a new 2024 white wine which it calls "experimental".  It uses four vine varieties currently banned in Bordeaux: Marsanne, Roussanne, Vermentino and Viognier; all but Vermentino are usually grown in the Rhône.  The wine is to be simply labelled "Vin de France".

The vineyard lies in Cantenac and its wine was served at the wedding of Henry Plantagenet and Eleanor of Aquitaine in 1152.

Whilst several properties known for their red wines have introduced Sauvignon and Semillon, d'Issan has planted quite different varieties on a 1.7ha clay and limestone site.  Emmanuel Cruise of Vignobles Cruse-Loranzetti (which owns the estate along with Chateau Lafon-Rochet) says that as the estate lies on the same 45^th parallel as the northern Rhone and Piedmont.