So, Saturday was something of an education. We attended Decanter’s Fine Wine Event at the Landmark Hotel, London, for the first time. As well as going to the Grand Tasting, we also attended the Louis Jadot Masterclass, more of which later. The Grand Tasting, for those not already in the know, is an opportunity to visit dozens of wineries from all over the world, taste their offerings and chat with their very knowledgeable representatives (often the vigneron). There were exhibitors from the USA to Australia, Chile to China and South Africa to France, and almost every other wine producing region in between! It was an opportunity to explore wines that we wouldn’t usually be inclined towards, if for no other reason than our own (mis)conceptions. We felt truly enlightened by the end of the day!
We explored the vast range of wines from Bordeaux, many from prestigious Chateaux. From powerful black fruit and earthiness produced by Chateau Beychevelle in Saint Julien to the much lighter, fresher, fruitier wine from Chateau Phelan Segur in Saint Estephe. Our whistle stop tour of Spain was something of a revelation. We normally associate Spanish wines with rather robust (too robust in our opinion) Rioja’s that are heavy and too powerful to really enjoy for our tastes. As we discovered from our super enjoyable chat with a representative from Masaveu Bodegas in Navarra it seems that there are in fact both traditional and modern wine making methods being practised in current Spanish wine production, the latter being more focussed on a purer, lighter fruitiness and heralding something of a departure from the traditional beast of a wine that I have long perceived Rioja to be. We fell in love with wines from Domaine Serene in Oregon and thoroughly enjoyed tasting wines from South Africa and New Zealand, not to mention the famous Napa Valley. All in all, this Grand Tasting Encounter provided a unique opportunity for discovery.
To top off the experience we had booked a Louis Jadot Masterclass, delivered by Frederic Barnier, Winemaker at the Domaine. The Masterclass introduced us to a selection of Clos Vougeot Grand Crus from the following vintages: 2015, 2010, 2009, 2008, 1999, 1991, 1979 and 1969. Tasting wines that are nearly half a century old and still presenting as fruity and fresh was a genuine treat. It was fascinating to compare the various vintages and experience the way in which the wines had matured. The whole experience is one that we will no doubt repeat …