The evening was split up into two linked events - a tasting of over 80 wines at The Mill St Restaurant and three themed Wine Dinners at The Old Bakery. The timings were very tight for the three dinners and we were a little concerned that they would over-run and chaos would ensue! As it happened, thanks to the hard work of the staff at the Old Bakery, Mill St and Red & White's team, and of course the goodwill and good humour of our lovely customers, things ran very smoothly and a good time was had by all.
Among the approximately 100 brilliant wines on taste these were some of my personal favourites.
Reds:
Boom Boom Syrah from Charles Smith Wines, Washington State. £16
Managing rock bands in Europe for a decade is not the usual background for a Washington State winemaker (a good degree from the University of California Davis is more the norm) but Charles Smith is not your usual winemaker. Extroverted and media-savvy, Smith's exuberance is only matched by his skill in the cellar and his passion for wine. The Boom Boom Syrah is perfectly named because it's a real fruit bomb! Charles Smith's words really do sum up this wine well: "Everything you want in a syrah....smooth, firm, fresh & dark...super dense purple with meaty dark fruit, Asain five spice & sweet tobacco. Intense yet plush texture...it will KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF!" It certainly did mine!
Huerta De Albala, Taberner, Southern Spain. £21.95
This cracking wine from Cadiz, produced by the same Bodega as our perennial best seller, Barbazul, is a blend of Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It's deeply coloured, with intense and complex aromas of cassis, smoke and spices, alongside some herbaceous notes of mint and green peppers with a hint of zesty orange peel. Rich and dense on the palate with a fresh acidity and a long finish. Definitely one of my absolute favourites from our range and will be a Christmas treat for myself this year!.
Whites:
Terras Gauda, Albarino 'Abadia de San Campo' Galicia. £14
If you've never tried an Albarino from Spain's wet and wild North West Coast I urge you to give this one a try. It's quite simply one of the most pleasing crisp, dry white wines in our range and went down a storm at the tasting. Galicia is Spain's main fishing area and this wine evolved to match the region's cuisine perfectly. Intense, refreshing and sherbety.
Billaud-Simon, Chablis 1er Cru 'Vaillons' Burgundy, £25.50
Purity and elegance are the aim of this family owned domaine, so no oak and temperature controlled fermentation are the order of the day. This is truly brilliant Premier Crus Chablis, rich and pure with a taut, seashell-minerality, finely balanced acidity and a long, clean persistent finish. My favourite wine of the night.
All in all it was a fantastic evening with some really lovely wines and I can't wait 'till the next event. Watch this space!
Dominic
