4th December 2021: The SWAS Christmas AGM/Quiz/Tasting

"Austria"

The SWAS AGM/Quiz and Tasting was very kindly hosted this year by Sioned & Peter in East Preston.

The SWAS 2021 Annual General Meeting

The AGM this year was hosted by Sally, Peter Holmes took the Chair. The business was swiftly concluded by 7.45pm.

(Minutes of the SWAS 2021 AGM)

The SWAS Christmas Quiz

(Set this year by the 2019 winner Peter Holmes)

Peter's Christmas Quiz was at last able to take place, much delayed due to Covid. The Quiz was duly won by Christopher who will now have the onerous duty of setting and running the 2022 AGM Quiz. The prestigeous 'Daphne Hunt Memorial Trophy' was duly presented to Christopher 'midst many Congratulations.

Sioned & Peter's 2021 SWAS Christmas Tasting on the theme of 'Austria'

The Whites:

1. Szigeti Sparkling; Grüner Veitliner; Bought from the Winery; £13.00

Burgenland. Pale lemon in colour with moderate intensity. Yellow apple, lemon zest, grapefruit and a hint of saltiness. Medium plus acid, medium body and moderate finish length. A good alternative to prosecco (not available in UK).

2. Domäne Wachau Collection, Federspiel Riesling 2020; Riesling; 12.5% abv; Bought from the Wine Society for £9.25

Austria's Wachau region is famous for producing some of the country's most predigious rieslings with price tags to match. This, however, is a delicious entry point into the region's style; a vibrant, young and fresh dry riesling with apricot, nectarine and citrus flavours.

3. Familie Mantler Roter Veitliner, Niederösterreich 2020; Roter Veitliner; 11.5% abv; Bought from the Wine Society for £8.50

A delicious rarity, roter veitliner is a very old Austrian grape and not believed to be linked to grüner veltliner. It is a perfect lunchtime wine which is dry and effortlessly refreshinh with flavours of fresh pears, apricot and elderflower. Aparticularly unsung hero in the delicious 2020 vintage and a must-try.

4. Rainer Wess Gruner Veltliner, Kremstal DAC 2020; Gruner Veltliner; 12.5% abv; Bought from the Wine Society for £9.95

The father and daughter duo of Rainer and Christina Wess have really raised the bar with the 2020 vintage of this consistently excellent dry white wine. Along with the ever present juicy stone fruit, lemon and spice aromas there is an added complexity of delicious struck-match, flint and vanilla pod. The palate is rounded but brilliantly fresh, with notes of lemon curd, gingerbread and peaches. A wine that offers something for everyone.

5. Wohlmuth, Kitzech-Sausal 2020; Sauvignon Blanc; Bought from the Winery for £16.95

Wohlmuth is another top producer in Südsteiermark, further north than Tement. Also produces excellent Riesling and Gelber Muskateller. "White, green and flinty". Südsteiermark DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus - regionally typical quality wine)

6. Tement 2018 Ried Sulz; Morillon (aka Chardonnay); Bought from the Winery for £25.00

Located right on the border with Slovenia Tement is one of the top procuders in Sudsteiermark, a beautiful area with steep, high slopes. Reid Sulz is characterised by cool clayey marl soil in combination with a warm microclimate. The vines grow in a closed SW facing mountain basin.

Deep, juicy aromas paired with silky elegance are the impressive result after a 24-month aging in neutral barrels. Elegant aromas of apricot and quince create a bouquet with wild herbs and fresh coarsely ground wheat. "Reid" wines are single vinyard at the top of the classification tree.

The Red:

7. Pittnauer Pitti Red, Burgenland 2019; Blend including Blaufrankisch, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Zweigelt; 12.5% abv; Bought from the Wine Society for £9.95

A red which really brings a smile. This is an energetic, lifted wine which shows Austria's hallmark freshness, along with chery and raspberry notes and a lovely underlaying note of sweet spice. This is a connoisseur's party red.

Dinner:

Sioned served a dinner of Austrian Goulash with Spätzle, Rice and Green Salad followed by Dessert and Cheese

Dinner Wines:

8. Stift Klosterneuburg St Laurent 2028; St Laurent; 13% abv; Bought from the Wine Society for £9.95

From Austria's oldest winery, founded in 1114, the native St Laurent grape has here beeeen made into a beautiful juicy and sour-cherry laden wine with up-front fruit, medium body and notes of tobacco leaf.

9. The Society's Blaufränkisch 2019; Blaufränkisch; 13.0% abv; Bought from the Wine Society for £9.75

2019 was a superb vintage for Austria and is reflected in the quality of the Wine Society's own label red in this particularly tasty release. Blaufränkisch is an Austrian grape and this example demonstrates its ripe, full core of redcurrant and blackberry fruit and deliciously fresh and succulent acidity.