One very chilly and sunny Sunday I and some other lovely local bloggers got invited to a Wine Tasting at The Decanter in Leeds. The Decanter is a very cosy and sophisticated wine bar nestled on the Headrow. Their decor is beautiful, classic and timeless and the atmosphere of the bar is really intimate.
In the last few years, it seems that my taste buds have matured and now I really do enjoy a good glass of red or white wine, however I'm by no means an expert.
It was really exciting to learn more about the process of wine making, a little history about each bottle we sampled and how to smell and taste it properly (yes there is a method!). It was also really good to try some wines that otherwise I might have not ordered simply because I had never heard of them before the wine tasting.
Here's a full list of wine tasting notes that was kindly passed on to me
Palmer & Co. Brut Reserve ChampagneA rich and wide aromatic palate of white fruits, pear, baked apple, apricot, subtle notes of honey, hazelnuts, dried currants and brioche.
The finish is long, harmonious and structured, with a beautiful freshness.
1st Wine
Made by Agricola
Straw yellow
This wine comes from north western Spain (Rueda) and is made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes. It is slightly fuller bodied than a standard Sauvignon, with aromas of grapefruit, lemon, peach and some tropical fruit
2nd Wine
Best’s Great Western Riesling 2012 vintage.
A winery steeped in Australian winemaking history, Best’s has been creating wines in the Great Western region of Victoria for over 140 years. The winery is one of the country’s oldest continuously family owned and operated wineries, and owns some of the oldest vines in the world.
Very bright pale straw
Made from the Riesling grape variety that originates in Germany, this wine is an Australian twist on the original. It has aromas of citrus, exotic fruits and white blossom.
3rd Wine
Based in Thauveney-en-Sancerrois in the Loire valley, Eric Louis produces textbook Pinot Noir from both Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume. The family’s winemaking history dates back to 1860 and is still family owned.
Eric Louis is not only a producer, but a grower committed to organic and biodynamic viticulture in the Sancerre appellation of the Loire Valley. A firm that believes in minimal intervention in the cellar: no altering of natural sugar and acid levels, no coloring added, little to no filtering and in this example no oak is added.
Ruby
Strong aromas of red fruits. There is a perceptible soft roundness on the palate with the red fruit
4th Wine
La Bastide St Dominique Chateauneuf du Pape 2011 vintage
Eric Bonnet has recently taken over from his parents at this 16th Century estate in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Eric continues his parent’s philosophy of using 100% Grenache and traditional winemaking techniques, including the absence of new oak. Many of the estate’s vines are planted on sandy soils of Pignan near the famous Chateau Rayas, one of the best
This wine comes from one of the oldest regions in the Rhône Valley called Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It is made from predominantly Grenache grapes along with some Syrah.
La Bastide Saint Dominique Chateauneuf-du-Pape has a very intense nose of
Did I mention that there was also CHEESE?
A lot of really, really nice cheese. The best thing is that if you have a black card (which is only £10 from Independent Leeds) you get a free cheese board with each bottle of wine that you order. I know what you're thinking and no there isn't a limit on how many cheeseboards you can get so you could drink wine and eat free cheese to your heart's content!Add |
Until next time,
You can also find me in all of these places, come say hi!
I'm not a massive drinker but I reckon this would be a great thing to do with your girlfriends! Looks like you had a lovely time xx
ReplyDeleteSam // Samantha Betteridge
What I would give for some more of that cheese and chutney right now... It was such a lovely venue and I lovely afternoon! Not sure I should drink so much wine on a sunday afternoon though in future...
ReplyDeleteSarah xxx www.whatsasssays.com
Wine and cheese, you're killing me! Crazy cravings right now. Looked like a lovely afternoon, hope you didnt have too much of a hangover Monday morning!
ReplyDeleteLots of love, Meg xox
www.megaventurous.com/
I like wine but I LOVE cheese - will have to put this place on my 'must do' list :) x
ReplyDelete