Since launching Woodshire Wines we’ve been really keen to continue to expand our experience of tasting and to meet new producers and importers. We can’t lie, this is great fun and we really enjoy doing it!
Tasting events are also a great way for us to find new and exciting wines and producers to add to the Woodshire Wines collection and we wanted to share our recent experiences of three very different types of event with you.
As always, we would love to hear your thoughts on wines you would like to see us add to our range in the future.
Nebbiolo Day, London
This event was said to be the UK’s first ever tasting event devoted entirely to the wonderful Nebbiolo grape. More than 85 producers were represented, presenting a wide range of styles reflecting the various terroirs of the region’s growing sites. These included Langhe Nebbiolos, Barbarescos and, of course, the most famous of them all, the mighty Barolo. A brilliant event where we tasted great wines and learned so much about about the range of styles available. Sampling different vintages of Barolo at the event really highlighted the versatility of the wine and it’s ability to be ready for drinking relatively early or aged for a special occasion in the future and we were able to explore the changing flavour nuances of Barolo as it ages.
If you are a Nebbiolo fan, check out our own 2013 Cossetti Barolo, ready for drinking now but also capable of aging. For something a little more unusual try our highly rated Adelina Nebbiolo, produced in Adelaide Hills, Australia and soundly contradicting the “Nebbiolo doesn’t travel well” mantra.
Three Wine Men, London
Hosted by three of the wine industry’s most venerable and charismatic experts, Olly Smith, Tim Atkin MW and Oz Clarke, this was a very different kind of event. Open to the public and featuring a very wide range of producers, importers, wholesalers and retailers, presenting a vast range of wine styles from all over the world. We discovered and tasted some excellent wines which has given us inspiration for expanding our own range of wines in the New Year.
We were also enthused by the buzz in the room and how hugely popular the event was. A diverse and energetic audience, with the 25-35 age group particularly well represented, can only be good news for the future of the market.
Burgundy Cru tasting, London Wine School (WSET)
Another very different kind of event, run by the WSET at their home location near London Bridge and hosted by wine educator Nina Cerullo, this was a tutored tasting of eight top quality Premier and Grand Cru Burgundy Wines.
Nina provided some fascinating insight to some of the key locations, villages and crus of Burgundy and described the impact that geology, soil, aspect and weather of each site has on the style and quality of the renowned Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines of the region. The excellent wines presented side by side for tasting allowed us to experience these regional variations for ourselves, a rare treat! One of the key lessons of the evening for us was the importance of not only selecting the right locations in Burgundy to buy the best wines from, but also the best producers in that location. Quality can and does vary noticeably not only between producers but also between different vineyards in very close proximity to each other.
So all in all, three excellent events....useful, informative and fun!
As you know, here at Woodshire Wines we are passionate about our wines and the great winemakers that make it possible for us all to enjoy them. Please feel free to leave a comment on the blog. Indeed if there is a topic you’d like us to blog about or a particular wine you’d like us to consider adding to our range just let us know.