One event to report this month, a delightful lunch for London Branch members at a one-star Michelin French restaurant just east of the City of London, Galvin La Chapelle. The weather was very warm outside, the sun beating down. But we were comfortably cool in an exceptional setting from the ground floor upwards, past the mezzanine floor where we were …
IWFS LONDON WINE BLOG August 2021
Two tastings to tell you about, both good for our tasting skills in different ways. A rare opportunity for us to try Russian Wines, for those of us curious about wines that we do not usually encounter. These wines – not even available to buy in the UK – were made for Russian tastes. Some were from local grapes, others …
IWFS LONDON WINE BLOG July 2021
It’s a while since I’ve been able to tell you about more than one wine tasting in one blog. Happily we’re beginning to resume normal service, with London Branch’s second face-to-face event this year – and what an event that was – as well as a Zoom tasting. Our 9th event by Zoom was on Cabernet Sauvignon from the New …
LUNCH AT GALVIN LA CHAPELLE
On the hottest day in summer for a while, we happily convened for a delightful real lunch round a rectangular table in the private dining room, in Galvin La Chapelle restaurant near Liverpool Street, east of the City. Its suitably cool interior for such weather has high stone double-height ceilings from the ground floor upwards past the mezzanine floor where …
LONDON WINE TASTING – ENGLISH SPARKLING ROSÉ – June 2021
Our first live tasting since lockdowns was held in the garden of Christopher Davenport Jones who led it – and to whom many thanks. We were warned to wear appropriate clothing lest the weather proved inclement. In the event, the forecast rain held off, and it was a fine evening for us to compare English sparkling rosés (and one Welsh). …
LONDON WINE TASTING – GREEK WINES – May 2021
No IWFS Zoom tastings this month to talk about, so I’m going to write about two contrasting Greek white wines I’ve tasted both made from the Assyrtiko grape. Many exciting wines are being produced in Greece from indigenous grapes, both red and white, by independent wine makers, using careful wine making techniques, with quality at their forefront. These wines are …
ITALIAN WINES by Zoom – April 2021
ANOTHER ZOOM WINE TASTING WITH LONDON IWFS Our latest foray by Zoom was to taste contrasting Italian wines: A white from a native grape grown in North West Italy Wine from a native red grape grown in Sicily A red wine from North East Italy, made by the ‘ripasso’ technique. We sourced the wines from our local Majestic branch. Prices …
ITALIAN REDS – SANGIOVESE FROM TUSCANY – by Zoom
ZOOM WINE TASTING WITH LONDON IWFS March 2021 Three types of red wines from Tuscany, made from the Sangiovese grape, were the subject of this Zoom tasting, and very enjoyable they were, too. Sangiovese is responsible for the best red wines of Tuscany. It has numerous clones of various sub-varieties, in different localities. It is extremely sensitive to where it …
FINE CHOCOLATE AND ALCOHOL TASTING – by Zoom
February 2021 We paired fine chocolate and different kinds of alcoholic drinks at this exceptional tasting via Zoom. A pack of six types of chocolates, separately identified only by number, was posted to each of us beforehand. Groups of generic types of alcoholic drinks were specified in advance, for us to select and provide for ourselves. Chantal Coady OBE, an internationally …
EVERYDAY CLARETS – a Zoom Wine Tasting with IWFS London
We tasted wines to illustrate “lunchtime clarets” – affordable workaday red Bordeaux – from three excellent vintages. I wanted to show that we don’t have to drink famous wines at high prices to enjoy a glass of claret. Vintage is important for Bordeaux wines. The weather can vary from year to year, and throughout the growing season and harvest. The …