"wine tastings" news and stories

There's a pretty interesting story in the New York Times about the prevalence of coffee "cuppings" - basically wine tastings for java, minus the spitting. Aficionados sit around discussing different roasts, trying to find the right words to describe the subtle flavors of a cup of Kenyan or Guatemalan roast.

Now, I drink coffee every day, usually multiple cups, black. Aside from water, it's probably the single consumable I have most regularly. But while I can certainly taste the difference between the watery, acidic, sewage brown stuff sold in most gas stations and a good French roast, that's about where it ends. When people tell me they drive half an hour for special beans or they 'hate' the (to me) perfectly ordinary cappuccinos at my local cafe, I just shrug. I mean, I'm willing to believe that other people have the ability to discern flavors I can't sense. But is a bag of beans from a single farm lot discernibly different than beans from a handful of farms in the same region? In a town with dozens of independent coffee shops, is it really plausible that one has the absolute 'best' coffee?

What do you think? Do you have sensitive coffee palates?

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The annual big splash that is the Family Winemakers Tasting is coming - Sunday, August 20th to be precise. This year the venue is Festival Pavilion at Fort Mason Center with tickets for the general public set at $35 in advance; $45 on the day.

Originally, the Tasting was seen as a trade-only event but since 2004 has been open to all (one day for consumers the other for trade only). It is an unique opportunity to sample the delights of Californian wine.

Advice from an old hand at the tasting game - 250 wines in a session, which certainly beats my 100 or so - is Alder at Vinography who offers this advice to attendees "get a good night's sleep the night before, eat lunch before you arrive, drink lots of water, wear dark clothes, and for Pete's sake, people -- SPIT! You don't want to be one of those stumbling fools that the rest of us responsible wine lovers mock all afternoon"

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This weekend sees East Hampton, New York turned into the 2nd Hamptons Wine and Food Festival.

The organisers are promising a treat following last years success with a weekend full of parties, wine and food tasting seminars, cooking demonstrations, live competitions and a spectacular Grand Tasting on both days. If you are going then there is a 'full menu of culinary entertainment, exploring emerging wine and food trends from around the world and the region's own backyard'. Some people going by the names of Sandra Lee and Dave Lieberman are to be there too.

Not that I am going or anything but the wine/spirit tasting sessions sound wonderful - these include a Sherry & Tapas session, a Single Malt Scotch Tasting with local food pairings and a chance to sample super-premium Partida Tequila. Local wines will be in abundance too of course.

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TV chef, mushroom evangalist and owner of the Carluccio café chain, Antonio Carluccio, has launched an Italian wine festival.

It is actually already underway with special tastings half-way through their run with one held or to be held in each of the Carluccio cafés. Carluccio himself has selected a wine from each of Italy's 20 wine regions with each available in the cafés and many available to buy online.

The remaining wine tastings are to be held in Putney (23rd May), Brighton (24th May), St Albans (30th May), Bicester (31st May) and Tunbridge Wells (1st June). Annoying I missed the one in Reading, which is just down the road from me, that was held on the 10th.

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Decanter Magazine has announced the next of their Fine Wine Encounter shows - this one is covering the fine wines of Bordeaux.

For £26 (of £64 for two) you have a superb opportunity to tour the chateaux of this most prestigious of French wine regions. In addition to a whole load of wines to sample, there are various masterclasses. Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron (£65), for example, presents various vintages as does Chateau Cos d'Estournel (£55). Producers from across the region from St. Emilion, to Margeaux and Sauternes will be exhibiting.

The show is on the 25th of February (10:00am - 4:30pm) at the Landmark Hotel, London, NW1.

 

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