On 18 November 2021, OWC member Graham Harding launched his book on the history of champagne – the first for over a hundred years: Champagne in Britain 1800-1914: how the British transformed a French luxury (Bloomsbury Academic).

Thanks to the generosity of Vranken Pommery, Pol Roger and Michael Palij, the well-attended event was well provided with serious champagnes.

This was a double celebration: Mark’s 50 years in the wine trade, and his and our first face to face tasting since the troubles began.

Wine has been made in Austria – mainly in the eastern regions bordering Hungary and Slovenia – since well before Roman times but until recently it was mostly consumed domestically or exported to Germany. The rest of the world took little or no notice until the ‘antifreeze’ scandal of 1985 made Austria briefly notorious when a few merchants (not growers it should be said) were caught using diethylene glycol in the bottling of sweet wines destined for the cheap end of the German market.

Jasper opened with the stark reality that currently mature Burgundy is somewhat of a rarity in-country, stating that even when eating out, 2019 is about the best you can find at the moment on wine lists. All the wines that we tasted this evening are from either 2017 or 2018 current Vintages and are from 6 appellations. Both of these Vintages are considered ‘hot years’ and Jasper’s brief summary of the significant challenges facing producers in this region in the light of climate change have been brought sharply in to focus in the last 3 years - vines have been dying off on some of the more drought-prone Terroirs, healthy trees have died and even beehives have died due to the heat. The age-old debate of irrigation has been brought to the fore once again of course. Classic Burgundian rootstocks just aren't working any more in the context of the more extreme and prolonged droughts and hot weather. The more mature vines have deeper root systems and seem to have survived the recent droughty years of 2018 and 2019-20 however the very rapid/accelerating change in weather patterns and climate taking place here is understandably worrying growers.

What happens when you stop irrigating your vines in the Adelaide Hills? Some varieties die. Those which survive adapt and produce grapes with concentrated flavours, moreish acidity and moderate alcohol, and which reflect the terroir. Brendan and Laura Carter launched Unico Zelo (Unique Zeal or Passion) in 2013 with two aims. The first was to be industry leaders in best practice viticulture and winemaking in the Australian wine industry through lower water use in the vineyard and minimal intervention practices in the winery; the second, to discover the real terroir of Australia. 

The hugely committed, entertaining and energetic Brendan took us through the trials and tribulations of bucking the Australian industry norms to produce some fantastic and unique wines and at the same time continuously working to improve sustainability.

We were delighted to welcome Santo Bains to lead us on an exploration of the wines of the Canary Islands. For many of us a new experience and for those that have already visited the Canary Islands a bit of an eye opener as these high-end wines do not appear to be widely distributed throughout the islands. Even here they are found in niche markets, popular with sommeliers, wanting unusual premium high-end wines on their lists. By all accounts they are exceptionally good value in the Canary Islands and worth seeking out if there on holiday.

The ‘New Wave Burgundy’ tasting led for the Club by Jasper Morris MW on Monday 12^th April was revelatory.

The tasting featured six white wines chosen by Jasper as personal favourites from a range of merchants. These were all less expensive, less well-known wines that “couldn’t be made better”. In other words, made by winemakers who’ve “got the touch”. Top end Burgundy has now passed beyond the budgets of most of us but – came the clear message – all is not lost. Climate change, the greater effort put in by younger generations of winemakers and the increasing market pressure for wines made to be drunk younger have all contributed to these new wave successes. Take note, for here are names to reckon with in the future.

Our Call My Bluff tastings haven’t been running quite as long as I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue but they generate a nearly equivalent charge of wit, ingenuity and fabulous stories (in every sense of the word) from our Three Bluffers: Richard Bampfield MW, Michael Palij MW and Jonathan Pedley MW. Not only that but this occasion was graced with our very own ‘Samantha’ totting up the scores…

Jonathan, unshaven since the start of lockdown sported a remarkable ‘yeard’ that reminded members of a rather mischievous Old Testament prophet. Richard, with Stellenbosch (twinned with Basingstoke – not) as his backdrop was his usual elegantly charming self, while Michael, as always, brought authority, gravitas and far-flung travels to the party.

On Monday 8^th March, the Club held a virtual social event for members. A ‘bring your own wine’ event by necessity featured some tasty tipples (which we won’t specify to avoid jealousy), some dramatic wine (and ‘not wine’) experiences, a quick round of wine and food matching and lots of social chat in the Breakout Rooms.

It was another virtual tasting. Yet the warmth of Katie Jones’ personality shone through a night of old vines, human stories of love and struggle … and some great wines.

Talking to us from her ‘Station winery’ in the village of Tuchan on the Languedoc Roussillon border, Katie started her story with her 926 mile drive from Ashby-de-la-Zouch to Tuchan – think wild boar, hunters’ bullet holes in the road signs, rugby and wine to get the feel for the locality. There she began a fifteen year stint developing the international sales of the dynamic local co-op run by her now-husband Jean-Marc Astruc.

Wink is an educator, writer and (self)-publisher who specialises in the wines of the Jura and the Savoie, where she lives part of the year. In a tour de force of an evening Wink took us through a very knowledgeable and enjoyable tour of the wines of Savoie and Bugey. Thought of as high in altitude, Savoie and Bugey are no higher at 200-500m than nearby French regions such as Alsace (or even the Haut Cotes de Nuit) and, with climate change, there is now no problem of ripening grapes, though frost and hail are still threats. Grown predominantly on glacier soil over limestone, the distinctiveness of these wines is mainly due to the unusual grape varieties which are grown there and which may be a consequence of only joining France from Savoy (Italy) in 1860. The Alps have always been a crossroads and the monasteries established here in the medieval period identified (as they so often did) the best terroirs.