For those of you who couldn't attend, click here for a recording of the tasting (access Passcode: 3hDq18&i).
It is hard to believe that we have been living with Covid-19 for two years. However, it is just possible that the all-clear sirens will be sounding soon and that Society members will be emerging from their cellars with favourite bottles in hand. With this in mind, your committee has approached Jonathan Pedley MW, a long-standing friend of the Society, to lead a tasting that aims to revitalise our palates and brains in readiness for the vinous extravaganzas to come. Here is what Jonathan plans…
“Doubtless many of you spent the seemingly endless lockdowns doing wonderfully creative and constructive things. By contrast I wasted my time: growing a beard, reading Sartre and attending Zoom meetings in my underpants. No gallivanting off to fancy vineyards and wineries – the furthest I have been in the last twelve months is Telford.
However, I have done a lot of wine tasting at home as part of my day job as wine consultant to Carlsberg UK. Following its merger with Marstons in Spring 2020, I was tasked with consolidating the two existing wine ranges, with several major bottlers tendering for the combined business. Hence every morning a procession of vans from DHL, FedEx and UPS (plus a bloke from Aldershot in a battered Ford Transit) would arrive to drop off hundreds of sample bottles. Nothing glamorous I hasten to add: Prosecco, Pinot Grigio, Chilean Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot were the main contenders. Afterwards it took six months to clear the garage of empties.
‘Why is this of any interest to me?’ I hear you say. Well, veteran members of the SWS will know that I have always been interested in trying to understand the relationship between the quality of wine and what we pay for it. You may recall that five years ago we investigated this subject in a tasting masterclass. Slurping my way through all those basic wines last year brought back to me the importance of probing this crucial question of value for money. In brutal terms, what does a £12 Pinot Grigio give us that we do not get from a £6 Pinot Grigio?”.
So, scrolling through the Ocado wine range Jonathan has come up with a pair of Proseccos, a trio of Pinot Grigios and three Merlots that will allow us to confront this endlessly fascinating topic.
Prosecco
M&S La Vita Prosecco DOC £7
M&S Colle del Principe Valdobbiadene DOCG £13
Pinot Grigio
M&S Auretta Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC £6.50
La Cantina Pizzolato Pinot Grigio Piave DOC £12
Opawa Marlborough Pinot Gris £13.95
Merlot
Viña Maipo Merlot £4.75
Veramonte Organic Merlot £11.50
Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Te Kahu £26
All these wines are available on the Ocado website - https://www.ocado.com/webshop/getWines.do
Logistics
The tasting will be held by way of a Zoom meeting and will be free to attend. We expect the tasting to run for approximately one hour. We hope that you will pass along the details to friends and colleagues. To join, please click on https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83815650438 a few minutes before the tasting is due to start.
Or iPhone one-tap:
United Kingdom: +442034815237,,83815650438# or +442034815240,,83815650438#
Or Telephone:
United Kingdom: +44 203 481 5237 or +44 203 481 5240 or +44 203 901 7895
Webinar ID: 838 1565 0438
International numbers available: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/k60rM6gwA
Members and guests who attend the tasting do not have to purchase the wines in order to participate and could opt to taste similar wines during the tasting.
You are encouraged to use the ‘chat’ and Q&A’ functions of Zoom to raise questions for the speaker as you enjoy the wines.
We are very much looking forward to members and guests joining what should be a fantastic tasting.
If you have any questions, please contact the organiser, Duncan Holden, on 07770 803 384 or at duncanandliz@btinternet.com.