Jonathan Foweraker N.V. Diamantina Brut, Brazil (Pinot
Noir/Chardonnay), Waitrose £6.95 Many thought it was New World fizz,
nobody guessed Brazil, nearly everyone was impressed with the sharp, dry
palate.
Mike Duggan and Anne Duggan-Mills, 1992 Fondant de Valais,
Pierrafea, Switzerland (Chasselas) 11 Swiss fr. Lots commented on the
smell and taste of sesame seeds and other nuts, other less charitable souls
complained of a whiff of Jeyes fluid!
Tim Pope and Katy Gould 1992 Tim Knappstein Rhine Riesling,
Clare Valley Australia, Oddbins £4.99 tenuous connection of Germany via
Riesling !! Not many close guesses here for this very ripe fruity wine.
Karen Roberts 1992 Chardonnay, Slovenia, Koprski region
Sainsburys £3.50 (difficult to justify with the theme!) People thought
it lacked complexity and was probably Easter European. An aroma of soggy
cardboard led some to guess at Chenin Blanc.
George Wickham 1(You mean there are more than ONE George? Heaven
forbid!) 1993 La Coumme de Peyne, Ugni Blanc, Vin de Pays de Cotes de
Gascogne, France Safeway £3.50 Once the Country and classification of
this had been worked out the connection to the theme was easy! This was
enjoyed by most although the variety gave the guessers something to work at.
Chris Edmead and Ed Kay 1992 Joseph Phelps Vin de Mistral,
Viognier, Napa Valley, California. Reid Wines £20 This was a favourite
with most who enjoyed heady mix of vanilla/pineapple and butterscotch
flavours.
Tim Robinson 1983 Hess Bergstrasse, Heppenheimer
Centgericht Riesling Spatlese, Germany (not available) Old Riesling
fans loved this, with a powerful taste of honey, green apples and diesel, most
worked out it was a good, ripe year.
Bath 94. The Red Wines
Philippa Coates 1989 Sorgenhobel, Wurttemberger Lemberger,
Germany £6.95 Folks thought this was a light raspberry and chocolates
Beaujolais type and some guessed Germany, but next to nobody had heard of the
grape variety
Orville Gardener 1991 Drouhin Bourgogne Pinot Noir, France
Sainsbury Bros. £7.95 Most people guessed at Burgundy but thought it a
little overpriced, but that's Burgundy!
Andy Howard 1989 Berberana Carta de Oro, Rioja Alta, Spain
(bought in France for approx £4) Few correctly identified Spain, but
most enjoyed the robust blackcurrent fruit flavours.
George Wickham 2 1992 Dornfelder Trocken, Rheinhessen,
Germany, Safeway £6 Ed guessed the grape and country of a wine that had
a nice fruity/floral aroma and a surprisingly ripe and spicy taste
Nick Stevens 1989 Gevrey-Chambertin, Clos des Varoilles
Vielle Vignes, Burgundy Sainsbury Bros. £18 (no theme connection
here) The guesses were for Burgundy, people thought it had quality because
of the tannin level but where had the fruit gone to? Some were very
disappointed when it was revealed (and a few went into shock thinking of their
own cellars!)
Quentin Lambert 1992 Penfolds Bin 35 Cabernet/Shiraz, South
Australia. Threshers £4.79 (no connection here) The powerful
minty/blackcurrent fruit was widely enjoyed and it was thought that another
year in bottle would improve this still further. There were Bordeaux guesses
but most guesses were for Aussie blends.
Catharine Shafto 1990, Ronco della Tome, Colli Orientali
del Friuli Cabernet Sauvignon, Italy. Oddbins £6.99 This was another
rich, ripe fruity wine this time with a powerful but pleasant smell and taste
of crushed black pepper.
Ed Moya 1990 Pesquera Cabernet Sauvignon, Ribero del Duero,
Spain Oddbins £9.99 This was ripe, delicious Cabernet through and
through, lots of guesses for Australia a few for Northern Spain.
Gary Hunt 1989 Avignonesi Grifi, Vino da Tavola di Toscano,
Montepulciano, Italy (Prugnello Gentile/Cabernet Sauvignon) Waitrose
£8.50 This was rich liquorice and blackcurrenty enjoyed by nearly
everyone and some were still coherent enough to guess at a super-Tuscan.
Sam Espig 1991 Vavasour, Cabernet Sauvignon, Marlborough,
New Zealand. Oddbins £9.99. (No World Cup connection) This was fresh,
leafy blackcurrent and green pepper smell typical of Kiwi CS Of those who
still cared spotted it and knew it wasn't Cooks or Montana.
Anja Dietel 1983 Zonnebloem Pinotage, Stellenbosch South
Africa Sainsbury Bros £8.15 (No World Cup connection) This wine smelled
of roast coffee beans and rubber! Definitely a hot country wine. Mike Duggan
correctly spotted it as South African.
Tim Pope Domaine Andre Brunel, Chateauneuf du Pape, Rhone,
France Sainburys £8.95 1. How many states are there in the USA? 2.
How many years between each world cup? 3. Divide first answer by second
answer. 4. Result is number of grape varieties permitted in this
wine. This wine was dark and rich with plummy fruit and peppery tannins,
lots of those people who were still in control of their faculties spotted a
quality wine from the Rhone.
Barbara Hutton 1989 Firestone Cabernet Sauvignon,
California, USA Bottoms Up £9.49 This powerful fruity wine was well
balanced with soft tannins, the guesses were mostly for the West Coast and
were right.
Keith Hutton 1985 Conde de Valdemar, Gran Reserva Rioja,
Spain. Bottoms Up £10.49 This complex well-aged wine was still fruity
(raspberries and prunes being most peoples perceptions) but had soft leathery
tannins too. The biggest debate was whether it was reserva or G.R. and a quick
peek at the label sorted that out!
Jacqui Cutts 1988 Val de Cabrera, Carinena, Aragon, Spain.
Sunday Times W.C £7 This too had people mentioning prunes and syrup of
figs most were impressed by its weight and complexity but few got close to its
provenance!.
Jonathan Foweraker NV Muscat, Samos Greece. Oddbins
£5 This righ golden wine smelling of honey, raisins and orange and
tasting likewise had many of the old hand saying "Ahhh Samos Muscat!
Stuart and Katie Ruffle In a fit of over-optimistic
co-ordination at this late stage this pair had to be tasted in pairs! The clue
of "Do I not speak proper English" allowed some of those enjoying cryptic
crosswords to work it out!
1986 Late Bottled Vintage Grahams port Sainsburys £9.49
1986 Late Bottled Vintage Taylors port Sainsburys #10.49
The
Grahams had a soft, slightly oily style and tasted mature. The Taylors is a
slightly harder, very fruity and slightly more tannic style. Both had about
equal support as their favourite.