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Goedhuis left the hustle and bustle of London for the night last Thursday to host a tasting in Newbury. The Vineyard is a venue which reminds me of plush Californian wineries, with the lush green surroundings of the Old World. We fell in love with their open fireplaces, welcoming staff and rather lovely clientèle from surrounding areas. The focus at the Vineyard is above all the wine and their selection was both classic and a little geeky (just how we like it), with first growths being served alongside Malvasia from Bulgaria! This was the perfect venue to host a Goedhuis tasting.
David Roberts MW’s wine selection for Goedhuis shone, represented on the night by 25 wines chosen for the tasting by James Low. All wines were highly drinkable and represented excellent value for money within their various categories. We tasted through the wines before the guests arrived and particularly enjoyed:
2012 Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie by Domaine Ménard Gaborit
Exactly what a Muscadet from this region should be – light, mineral, with a clean, linear structure. The typical salty character really comes through, it takes you right to the sea side and begs for a dozen of oysters. What a superb wine!
2011 Puligny Montrachet Jean-Marc Boillot
Perhaps unsurprisingly fabulous, this classic wine is an example of what makes very smart Puligny such a palate pleaser. Smooth as a kid glove on the attack, opening out with an opulent, ripe peach and vanilla-laced finish. I had an interesting conversation with a guest about the difference between Chassagne and Puligny. She prefers Chassagne because, for her, it tastes of silk and Puligny is ‘too intense at the finish’. Call me greedy, but I like both.
2011 Chianti Classico Riecine
If you like chewy, fresh cherries, bursting with the taste of summer this wine is for you. Lively tannins bring the fruit together and add structure. I found this to be particularly pleasing as the use of oak is kept in check, the fruit is uninterrupted and light. This wine is extremely versatile – the perfect wine for a large table, where tastes differ.
2007 Château La Lagune 3ème Cru Haut-Médoc
The 2007 vintage was a little troublesome for the Bordelais, its reputation tainted by the wet conditions and cool temperatures. However, if the vigneron had good sense and good luck this vintage can bring good news to wine amateurs, in the form of excellent value. This wine is just the ticket for those who love classic Bordeaux – cassis with layers of leathery, tobacco notes, velvety tannins and elegant oak. We were sure this would go down a treat with the Newbury crowd and it did.
The tasting was an event to mingle, chat and catch up with old friends. We were particularly pleased to see Maggie Heath and Laura Goedhuis, both looking exceptionally elegant, as usual. And here are a few other familiar faces…
