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Monday 17 March – Great Riesling tasting
On 17 March the second great Riesling tasting is being organised by a group of importers of top-quality Rieslings from Germany, Austria, Australia, Alsace, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile and the US (in declining order of the number of different wineries exhibiting). This is an initiative designed to stir up interest in the world's greatest white wine grape. As last year, the trade bit of it during the day is wildly over-subscribed. Unlike last year, the tasting is being thrown open to the public in the evening. Exhibitors include Dr Loosen, Dönnhoff, Karthäserhofberg, Josef Leitz, Gunderloch, Bründlmayer, F X Pichler, Mt Horrocks, Petaluma, Bott-Geyl, Rolly Gassmann and Josmeyer. What are you waiting for?
The tasting will be held 5.30-8pm at the Royal United Services League, Whitehall, London SW1.
Tickets are a snip at £10 each from jenny@montrachetwine.com. For an application form, see rstatse.rtf (10Kb).
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Thursday 24 April – a Mouton vertical
Twelve vintages of Ch Mouton-Rothschild – 1957, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977 – will be poured by the CEC (Civil Engineers') Wine Club. You certainly don't see those early 1970s vintages around very often!
The tasting runs 6.15-8.45 pm in the Council Room, Institute of Civil Engineers, One Great George Street, Westminster, London SW1P 3AA.
Tickets are available in limited quantity but to allcomers at £45 each from tastings@cecwine.co.uk. For more of this wine club's events, including some tiptop Pauillacs on 27 March, see www.cecwine.co.uk.
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Saturday 17 May – The Great Italian Decanter Fine Wine Encounter
Decanter magazine has regularly organised full-day wine tastings at the Landmark Hotel, Marylebone Road, including an annual Fine Wine Weekend in November. They are generally well organised with good quality glasses and the relevant winemakers pouring their best wines (though I do remember seeing the magazine's publisher accosting someone who was attempting to leave with six Riedel glasses buttoned into his jacket). This forthcoming day of top-quality Italian wines looks especially worthwhile – and has apparently already proved one of Decanter's most popular events – not least because it can be so difficult for Brits to get their hands on Italy's finest bottles outside a handful of specialist restaurants.
The organisers promise 500 fine wines available to taste from some extremely good producers, many of whom will be there in person. For a list of wines, see italywines.rtf (8Kb).
The day runs from 10am-4.30pm at the back of the Landmark Hotel, Marylebone Road, NW1 just opposite Marylebone station.
Tickets are £28 a head with reductions for couples and larger parties. Masterclasses cost £36 extra apiece. Contact catherine_woods@decanter.com or see www.decanter.com.
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Saturday 17 May – The Great Italian Decanter Fine Wine Encounter
Decanter magazine has regularly organised full-day wine tastings at the Landmark Hotel, Marylebone Road, including an annual Fine Wine Weekend in November. They are generally well organised with good quality glasses and the relevant winemakers pouring their best wines (though I do remember seeing the magazine's publisher accosting someone who was attempting to leave with six Riedel glasses buttoned into his jacket). This forthcoming day of top-quality Italian wines looks especially worthwhile – and has apparently already proved one of Decanter's most popular events – not least because it can be so difficult for Brits to get their hands on Italy's finest bottles outside a handful of specialist restaurants.
The organisers promise 500 fine wines available to taste from some extremely good producers, many of whom will be there in person. For a list of wines, see italywines.rtf (8Kb).
The day runs from 10am-4.30pm at the back of the Landmark Hotel, Marylebone Road, NW1 just opposite Marylebone station.
Tickets are £28 a head with reductions for couples and larger parties. Masterclasses cost £36 extra apiece. Contact catherine_woods@decanter.com or see www.decanter.com.