Clitheroe Wine Society Clitheroe Wine Society by Christine Snape Why join a wine society? The earliest wines recorded in history were made by the ancient Egyptians as early as 2500 BC. The ancient Greeks and Romans worshipped the God of Wine and traded wine. For thousands of years wine has been enjoyed by people all over the world, peasants and kings alike.
It is a vital part of human history. Wine has been
a part of how we socialise and celebrate. However to really get the most out of a glass of wine takes knowledge and experience.
At the wine society we examine grape
varieties such as Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Syrah. These are the most widely planted varieties because of their quality and adaptability but are only a few of the world’s grape varieties. We look at the character of grapes and other factors which affect their flavour, complexity and quality. There are different styles of wine-dry and sweet; still, sparkling and fortified. Basics of how each of these are made depends on decisions made through viticulture i.e.
skills and techniques of the wine maker e.g. What is the difference between Champagne and other sparkling wines?
the wine grower and the How many
different ways are there to make a sweet wine? Another approach to looking at wine is regional. During our meetings we take a look at the major wine producing regions in both the old world of Europe and the new world of North/South America, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. It is important also to look at “terroir” and deepen our understand- ing of how climate and soil affects the wine in our glass. In fact two tiny neighbouring vineyards can produce very different wines from the same grapes based on their terroir. We examine how to decode the complex and confusing labels on European wines and terms like Appellation Controlee and Gran Reserva can tell you a lot about a wine’s taste and quality before you open the bottle. We are lucky to live in an area, Clitheroe, Whalley and surrounds, where buying wine is helped by having very knowledgeable owners of family-owned wine shops.
I probably buy it faster than I drink it!
When buying wine in a restaurant always ask the advice of the sommelier. Again in this area there are many restaurants for fine dining with very knowledgeable sommeliers. Wine should be stored after purchase in a cool, dark, dry cellar. In my case under the stairs which is accessed through the garage! I enter all of the bottles on to a database so that at any time I can see all my wines at a glance. Each bottle has a code which matches the code on the database. I highly recommend it. When serving wine I hate cut glass. There is nothing better than a large plain glass made of thin glass. A rounded bottom is the best shape for swirling as the wine can move around when swirled. Riedel are expensive but well worth their price. We always use ISO (International Organization for Standardization) glasses at the society which is an official nicely sized tasting glass which tapers slightly towards the top, to slow down the rate at which the fumes escape after swirling. The same applies to decanters-plain glass is so much more attractive. Decanters are very useful for decanting the older, old world reds which may carry a lot of sediment.
In time with experience it is
easy to work out food and wine pairings, some of which can really enhance each other while other pairings can be a complete disaster! When tasting wine at the society we look at all the “S’s!” Seeing (colour, tones, age, etc.), Swirling (expose the wine to oxygen which intensifies the aromas), Sniffing (putting your nose right into the glass to take in the aromas), Slurping/Sipping (take a mouthful whilst drawing in air and roll it round your mouth to take a note of the flavours), Swallow and Savour (smoothness, balance and length) and finally Spitting (yes this is accepted by all the wine industry!). The Clitheroe Wine Society is a fun and exciting way of examining all aspects of wine through Members’ presentations, visiting speakers and games such as “Wine Mans Bluff.” You are welcome to come along to a taster session for £12 and then decide whether you would like to proceed. Take a look at our web site
www.clitheroewinesociety.org or ring Christine Snape on: 01200-422361 or 07896 877690.
Last month’s Mystery pub was Sycamore Farm in Burnley. This modern, vibrant family venue has a children’s area and has a great reputation for it’s excellent carvery offering fantastic
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portions at sensible prices. The deserts are to die for, so if you have a sweet tooth and you enjoy great value for money then why not pay them a visit. Best to book first: 01282 427101
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Our Cellar quiz seems very popular with lots of entries to win a three course Sunday Lunch valued at £13.25 at this popular Padiham Restaurant. Last months winner was Mr Michael McIntyre from Sabden ( Yes we had to look twice ) The answer was C. 1992 when Vicky and Andrew took over the Cellar. They will be welcoming Michael for a Succulent Sunday Lunch. The question for next months prize is this; How many dishes on the Cellar menu are home made ? Is it A. none. B. some. Or C. all of them. Email your answers to:
info@thelocalherald.co.uk And as they say on the Telly;
“You’ve got to be in it to win it.”
Mystery Pub. What do you know about Pub Grub? You can enter our mystery pub game by filling in the grid below to reveal the answer. Email your answer to:
info@thelocalherald.co.uk and you will go into our draw to win £20 to spend at that pub. Last month’s winner was Mr Colin Marr from Burnley who emailed in with the answer of Sycamore Farm. Colin was drawn out from a really high level of entries this month. Was this down to the holiday period, or was it the TV pub landlord theme ? I suppose we’ll never know but the quiz is always popular. Let’s see how you go on this month with our picture quiz involving Pub Grub. Good Luck.
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