Bordeaux Place de la Bourse Master Class & Tasting
Monday 27th April, 7pm to 9pm
Tickets £40 per person
The "hidden hands" of the Bordeaux masters
To the world, Bordeaux is a list of famous names on a map, however to those that know, its true magic is found in the "hidden hands" of the legendary masters who show off their versatility.
We’re delighted to welcome Guillaume Kaczmar of Compagnie Médocaine des Grands Crus, who will guide you through six outstanding Bordeaux wines, each showcasing the depth, character and versatility of this legendary region. The tasting will be paired with classic Comté cheese to complement the wines beautifully.
Featured Wines Include:
Clos du Marquis
The rare, single vineyard of Clos du Marquis has undisputable quality. Although it is unclassified, it’s neither a classed growth nor a cru bourgeois, it is as sought after as many of its more expensive peers. Sitting in Saint-Julien’s most northernmost point, right next to Château Latour, it holds prime Médoc terroir. Plus, it is made and owned by the same team behind super-second Léoville-Las-Cases, the Delon family. Made with a higher Merlot content than its “big brother”, the esteemed Château Léoville-Las-Cases, Clos du Marquis has a great sense of richness. Fragrant raspberry characters come through on the nose, leading on to almost chocolatey dark berry fruit on the palate.
Château Giscours Margaux
Third Growth Château Giscours Margaux is an estate on the rise. A historic powerhouse and recent Wine Spectator “Wine of the Year” It is the ultimate expression of Margaux elegance- perfumed, silky and refined, yet with a surprising fleshy depth. From 2000, Giscours has been going from strength to strength thanks to the impeccable management of Alexander van Beek. He has overseen significant vineyard replanting, including increasing the amount of Cabernet Sauvignon, switching to hand-harvesting and expanding the use of biodynamic farming methods. Dense, black fruit, and intense concentration but with no sense of over-extraction. Remarkably fine tannins that cover its pure core with elegance and ease.
Call Avie on 07831 637 298 to find out more.
Book tickets here online, or call the store on 020 3795 4550.
La Rioja Alta Master Class & Tasting
Tuesday 14th April, 7pm to 9pm
** This event is SOLD OUT **
Tickets £40 per person
Master class exploring and tasting wines from Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Galicia, with cheeses
“2019 is a very good year for them (La Rioja Alta), a small crop of powerful and concentrated wines when they produced all their brands, an exception.” - Luis Gutiérrez
“I believe this is the Viña Ardanza that will improve the most over the coming years – a wine to both enjoy and treasure, without a doubt.” - Julio Saénz (winemaker)
What to expect on the night
Join us for an evening dedicated to the prestigious portfolio of La Rioja Alta, S.A., featuring a guided tasting of six premium wines. We’ll explore the diversity of Northern Spain through two crisp whites and four refined reds, spanning the unique terroirs of Galicia, Ribeiro, and Rioja. We are delighted to welcome the winemaker, Olga, who will lead the session with firsthand insights into the craft and heritage behind these world-class labels.
The evening is designed to be informative yet informal, offering a deep dive into the regions' winemaking philosophy without the stiff atmosphere. The wines will be accompanied by a selection of artisan cheeses to highlight the complexity of the pours. Whether you're looking to expand your cellar knowledge or simply enjoy incredible quality, this is a rare opportunity to taste with one of Spain’s most iconic producers.
About La Rioja Alta S.A.
Located in the Barrio de la Estación area in Haro, La Rioja Alta S.A. is one of the most iconic, historic wineries in the region. It was founded in 1890 by five families including the Aranas, Ardanzas and Alberdis, whose names are celebrated in their wines today. The company expanded over time, and in 1996 build a new state of the art winery, which enabled them to focus on improving all aspects of winemaking to reinforce their position as one of the most respected wineries in the world.
They own over 550 hectares of vineyards across the region and also boast their own in house artisanal cooperage using oak imported from the USA which is air-dried on site in Haro for at least three years. All of this gives them complete control over every aspect of the winemaking process, ensuring a combination of the greatest traditions alongside state of the art technology.
2019 Vintage
The 2019 vintage is the most recent one classified as “Excellent” in the D.O.Ca. Rioja, with the previous “Excellent” vintage dating back to 2011. From a thermal perspective, the year can be described as “cool,” with slightly below-average temperatures. A mild winter and spring led to an early budburst in the vineyard. During flowering (first half of June), cooler-than-usual temperatures and rainfall hindered the normal process of pollination and fertilization of the flowers, causing poor fruit set (known as “shatter”). This resulted in very loose clusters with fewer berries than usual, which is always a positive factor for quality.
Both Tempranillo and Garnacha were affected by poor fruit set, but Garnacha was much more impacted due to its natural sensitivity to this phenomenon, leading to significantly lower grape yields per hectare. In terms of rainfall, the year was dry, with below-average precipitation distributed evenly throughout the year. This allowed the vineyard to develop in a very balanced way, with only moderate water stress, which encouraged smaller berry sizes at harvest. Smaller berries, in turn, result in more concentrated musts and wines – a hallmark of quality for reds. The lack of rainfall also ensured the grapes ripened in perfect health, allowing us to harvest them at their optimal ripeness for each parcel.
Read more about La Rioja Alta
Call Avie on 07831 637 298 to find out more.
Book tickets here online, or call the store on 020 3795 4550.
Rooted in Change: The Stories Behind Sustainable Wine
by Jane Masters MW & Andrew Neather
Special price: £17.99 (RRP £19.99)
An ideal Christmas present for the discerning wine enthusiast!
Here's what people are saying about Rooted in Change: The Stories Behind Sustainable Wine:
"If you make wine - or simply drink it - read ‘Rooted in Change: The Stories Behind Sustainable Wine’. Jane Masters MW and Andrew Neather calmly analyse how climate change is impacting the wine world, before spotlighting practical ideas on how to tackle it. Harvesting real life anecdotes from across the globe, they macerate them to extract best practice, ferment the pros and cons (spoiler alert: sometimes there is no perfect solution) and barrel through the successful achievements of others, before decanting inspirational ideas for the vineyard, winery, supply chain and society. I defy any winemaker not to learn something. I certainly did. Even a casual wine drinker will now know what to ask, and next time they choose a bottle of wine."– Wendy Outhwaite (wonderfully talented winemaker)
"Jane Masters (a wine buyer) and Andrew Neather (formerly wine columnist and journalist on the Evening Standard) hardly knew each other when they embarked on this book project, but they’ve pulled it off brilliantly. It’s a breezy trawl through the varied issues relating to sustainability in wine, with the authors taking the stance of neutral observer rather than advocates. As a result, this is readable and informative. As you might expect when a professional journalist is involved, there are lots of quotes and concrete examples of the issues being discussed. And it’s bang up to date."
A super, Super Tuscan! The best of sangiovese with a sprinkling of bordeaux varietals to balance out this stunning blend. The favourite wine of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
Considered Château d’Esclans’ finest wine, Garrus was at the heart to Sacha Lichine’s vision in 2006 to make rosé grand. Today Garrus is firmly established as a world class, iconic luxury rosé.
Juicy and Rich Cabernet from the oldest planting of Cabernet Sauvignon in th Stags Leap District. One of the best vintages of the decade! Drink now or cellar for up to 15 years.
Rich and opulent but with great elegance and charm.
S.L.V., also known as Stag’s Leap Vineyards, Stunned the wine word when three year- old vines from the 1973 harvest produced a wine that bested some of France’s greatest wines in a 1976 blind tasting known as the “Judgment of Paris.”
Château Beychevelle 2008 is deeply-coloured and very fruity. The 2008 vintage has turned out to be a very pleasant surprise after the challenges encountered during the growing season.
Rich, structured and bold best describes this fabulous red from the southern rhone. Additional bottle age brings and added complexity and softens the wine in all the right areas.
Rich and bold Pinot Noir comes from the famous appellation of Mercurey in the Cote Chalonnaise region of Burgundy. Ripe fruit and earthy undertones on the palate.
Probably the most serious "Bourgogne Rouge" you'll ever taste. Maybe because this producer is known for its outstanding Gevrey-Chambertin! Very impressive wine.
Cabernet Sauvignon is the star of this stunning left bank blend. This Chateau neighbours the historic town of Margaux famous for its first growth wines!
Second wine from the world renowned and highly regarded Château Calon Ségur. Beautifully round and elegant, Saint-Estèphe offers some of the best wines in Bordeaux.
Superb "everyday" wine from the renowned Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe when compared to their more prestigious neighbours. Outstanding quality combined with value for money.
Rich, structured and bold best describes this fabulous red from the southern rhone. A favorite of many. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the top dog of all cote du rhone.
The lesser known cru from the southern rhone but certainly not a lesser wine! Fantastic value for money when compared to CNDP but delivers in all the same areas.
