Saturday 7th May 2022: "What do you get for £22? An International Wine Society Selection" - with Lindsay & Bill in Worthing

Lindsay hosted her first SWAS Tasting at her home in Worthing (just across the road from Bill). Bill was in charge of, and presented, the wines which were all sourced from The Wine Society.

List of wines tasted

The Whites:

1. 2019 The Society's Exhibition Pouilly-Fuisse

A powerful wine from southern Burgundy which is firm and muscular. It was matured in barrel for a year until smooth and round. [WS]

2. 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, Château Mont-Redon

This famous Rhône Valley estate produces one of the best whites in Châteauneuf, in a style that owes nothing to oak. Dry, full-flavoured, herby and long. Try it with linguini with clams. [WS]

The Reds:

3. 2011 Weinert Cavas de Weinert Mendoza

Lovely traditional-style wine, a blend of 40% malbec, 40% cabernet sauvignon and 20% merlot, aged in large oak vats for nine and a half years until soft and mellow. With a soothing mature register of flavours - tobacco, cedar and leather, this has some similarities with Musar and Rioja reservas but with its own Argentine twist. [WS]

4. 2009 Pittnauer Ungerberg Blaufränkisch, Burgenland

Fully mature blaufränkisch from Gerhard and Brigitte Pittnauer in Austria. The nose shows a wide variety of aromas of dark plummy fruit, forest floor, pepper and leather, with a "wild" note. The palate is a joy; it is medium-bodied with savoury flavours, coffee, tobacco and sweet black-cherry. One for lovers of mature funky Rhône wines. [WS]

5. 2015 Altamana Constanza Maule Malbec; Chile

From a vineyard planted in 1923 in the Maule region this Chilean malbec offers lovely natural concentration from the old vines, giving a velvety texture. Matured for 18 months in new 600 litre barrels to round out the tannins and suffuse the wine with a light oakiness. It is also unfiltered, so has thrown a sediment, and decanting just before serving is advised. [WS]

6. 2017 Saint-Joseph Silice, Domaine Coursodon

A lovely dark, fruity Rhône syrah made from younger Saint-Joseph vines. Ripe tasting with some richness in the sunny 2017 vintage. [WS]

7. 2019 Earth and Sky Naoussa, Thymiopoulos

Grown on 45-year-old vines, 70% from the warmer Trilofos region, and 30% from cooler Fytia, this is Apostolos' most ethereal red wine with remarkable focus and charm. Not dissimilar to fine red burgundy, this Greek red has aromas of black slate and red fruit, with silky tannins and intense acidity that will reward patience. [WS]

8. 2011 Bohorquez Reserva Ribera del Deuro

An excellent, classically styled Spanish red from this leading fine wine region and a small property that members have followed eagerly for several years. Round and rich with smoky, tobacco flavour and wonderful harmony. It was so enjoyed by member Michael M. that he reviewed it as follows on 22 March 2022: 'At the treat end of my own pricing scale, but well worth it. Lovely fruit flavours and tobacco, plus maybe some eucalyptus…’ [WS]

9. 2015 Familia Deicas, Gran Bodegón; Uruguay

Fernando Deicas owns Juanicó, Uruguay’s biggest wine company, and reserves his best wines for sale under the Familia Deicas labels. Gran Bodegón is a superb assembly of varieties showing how fine Uruguay’s top wines can be. A mature blend, now smooth and round after 22 months in barrel, this is 40% tannat with 25% cabernet sauvignon, 19% merlot, 10% cabernet franc, 4% petit verdot, and 1% each of marselan and shiraz.