Welcome to the March 2009 edition of
Quaff Drops
You may have wondered why I chose the name Quaff Drops for our newsletter. Well ‘Quaff’ I think is self explanatory but why the ‘drops’ you may ask? It may seem a little obscure but I envisaged ‘drops’ to indicate drops of wine knowledge. I also liked the way it sounds like a play on cough drops and I wanted the name to be a little quirky, fun and hopefully memorable. But have I succeeded? Do you like the name or would you prefer something different? How about ‘Raisin d’Etre’ (bit of a play on raisin there – means grape in French) or Grapevine, but perhaps that’s a little too obvious? I would really appreciate some feedback from you if you have a little time to spare.
This months edition of our newsletter is packed with information including my monthly Languedoc Master class which this month is all about the Saint-Chinian region of the Languedoc. I love this area, it is very beautiful, the town of Saint-Chinian is also a great place to visit and the wines are memorable too. Wine tastings, courses and vineyard tours have never been so popular and this month’s edition of Quaff Drops brings news of some of the events on offer. Wendy Gedney AIWS
Forth coming Courses & Events
Birmingham
In April and May we are offering 2 interesting courses, Spanish Wines and South American Wines. Sarah Long will be running both of them and is the perfect person to do so. She is a fluent Spanish speaker with a passion for the wines from both Spain and South America. She has lived and worked amongst the vines in Rioja and Argentina and her knowledge of these countries and their wines is amazing. Places are limited to 12 on both courses so please book now to avoid disappointment.
South American Wines – 14th May
Leicester
The next course taking place in Leicester is Sweet Wines on September 26th. When we start to learn more about wine we begin to realise the superb quality of the sweet wines of the world and also appreciate how to enjoy them. For those of you who have fallen in love with sweeties and for those of you who doubt them this is the course for you. We will taste 8 stunning wines accompanied by food and I am sure the versatility of these wines will surprise and delight you. This course may seem like a long way off but as places are limited to 12 we advise you to book as soon as possible. We are also offering a Burgundy course in November where you will have the chance to taste some of thwe onderful Permier and Grand Cru wines as well as Chablis and Pouilly Fuisse.
Sweet Wines Course - September 26th
Burgundy Wines - November 14th
Warwick
In October we will be running a new course in Warwick called European Wines. This 6 week course is an ideal follow on from the 6 week wine appreciation course we have ran previously and will also take place at Underwood Wines. Equally it is an ideal beginning to wine tasting. Over the 6 weeks we will discover the wines of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Germany, Italy and Spain, enjoy the experience of food & wine matching and an introduction to fortified wines.
France
Wine Growing and Making Course This course is proving very popular and places have been snapped up with only 4 remaining. The 4 day course is taking place in the Languedoc in southern France commencing 22nd May and also September 4th. The course includes visits to various vineyards and wineries where you will meet wine makers in the Minervois, Cabardès and Corbières regions. The price of the course is fully inclusive of your accommodation, all your meals, transport throughout and of course the vineyard visits so it is excellent value at £595 per person. All you need to do is arrange your flight with Ryanair. This course will be fun, relaxing and very informative and includes some free time to enjoy some sightseeing. If you are interested in joining the course either book on-line using Paypal or if you would rather discuss the course and book by telephone please contact Wendy on 07880 796786
Hotels in the Languedoc
We have sought out some lovely hotels and guest houses in the Languedoc region for our vineyard tours and courses. If you are considering an independent visit to the region why not take a look at the carefully selected choice on our web site. Hotel Partners
Just a Sip
As I already mentioned in my previous “Sips” my love for dessert wines is deep and passionate. I am always on the look-out for different sweet wine styles wherever I go. Even in the early days of my sweet love affair I was intrigued with subtle or sometimes not so subtle differences in how the high sugar concentration was obtained. I decided that I will definitely benefit from wine education to help me to answer the questions raised and learn about wine in general. I wanted to enhance pleasure of drinking a wine by some knowledge of the range of aromas and flavours, be able to compare with others from the same grape variety, from different vineyards in the same region or from the same producer in different years!
The Wine Appreciation Course I joined in Warwick, run by Wendy, was my first step towards deeper knowledge of wine and tasting. The venue, Underwood’s Wine Warehouse, full of charm and quirkiness, made ideal learning grounds for a novice like me. 6 weeks of informative fun together with socialising and sampling a great variety of wines gave me an ideal stepping stone to continue my vino education. HQXAXtBZhdEMStXpXtBasdsDFfnbsp;
Not long ago at the dinner table with a glass of wine in my hand, I was explaining the four stages to the systematic approach to tasting I had learned to a friend. She asked if I thought knowledge about wine in general helps you enjoy wine more or even makes the wine taste better. That was an interesting debate opening up. The question never occurred to me en route to gaining the wine knowledge. I simply wanted answers to my questions and the only way to get them was to learn more - which I did by embarking on WSET Intermediate Certificate in Wines and Spirits. It is an opportunity to taste a wide variety of contrasting wines led by an experienced and enthusiastic tutor, who helps you to absorb the wine wisdom packed course material in enjoyable and light-hearted way.
The debate stays open until I complete my course and get back to you all with my verdict on whether learning about wine enhances its enjoyment!
Article by Lena Reynolds
Languedoc Masterclass – Saint-Chinian
The town and the area of Saint-Chinian are named after a 9th century monk called Anian who settled here and worked tirelessly to clear the area and plant the vines. He was canonised in the 11th century and the region got its name due to the way the word Saint is pronounced in the local language which is ‘Sainch’. The Saint-Chinian appellation extends from the adjoining area of Faugeres westward to Minervois. It is an arid, mountainous area in the foothills of the Cévennes and the AC is for reds and rosé wines only. There are two areas producing two distinct styles of wine. In the north around the villages of Berlou and Rochbrun the vines are grown at around 200m on arid schist soils that produce sharply etched wines with a delicate bouquet, minerality and good acidity. The tannins in the wines soften early and the wine is often silky smooth within a few years of the vintage. The wines from the southern area around the town of Saint-Chinian are grown at around 100m and the soils are clay limestone and produce softer, rounder wines with flavours of blackcurrants, raspberries and cherries. They have a wonderful deep colour and are often age worthy. The appellation law is encouraging the gradual replacement of the Carignan vine but many producers are holding on to it and place a high value on its use. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre must account of a minimum of 60% in the blend. These wines have been highly regarded since the late 1800’s so much so that patients were prescribed them in the hospitals of Paris!
Article by Wendy Gedney AIWS