Next Tasting
Thu 18 June, 7:30pm: A History of Wine with our President, Master of Wine Anne McHale
For this tasting, Anne has delved into the past to track some of the key factors that have shaped the style and taste of wine over the centuries. Some key themes that she will discuss, and illustrate with her wines, will be:
Science and Technology
Champagne – to illustrate how thick glass, cork and the understanding of secondary fermentation transformed sparkling wine; A skin-contact, amphora-aged, natural/low sulphur wine, to evoke earlier extraction methods and oxidative handling; Retsina – to illustrate the ancient practice of lining vessels with pine resin as a means of preservation, which shaped flavour; A modern, protectively made fruit-driven wine – to show how an understanding of microbiology has led to radical change and the production of clean, stainless steel, temperature-controlled wines; Tokaji Aszu – to demonstrate noble rot and how sweet wines once signalled prestige and stability.
Religion, Provenance and Terroir
Burgundy – to illustrate the work of Cistercian monks and the mapping of terroir; Chateauneuf-du-Pape – to illustrate early legal definitions of origin and the development of appellation systems.
War, Politics and International Trade
Madeira – the archetypal maritime wine, shaped by fortification, heat and long sea voyages. We are most fortunate to be able to call on Anne’s expertise. This promises to be a fascinating evening – one you won’t want to miss!
Members: £ 40 Guests: £ 55
Ramada by Wyndham, Belfast City Centre, 20 Talbot St., 7:30pm
Contact us if you'd like to attend niwsisecretary@yahoo.co.uk
For this tasting, Anne has delved into the past to track some of the key factors that have shaped the style and taste of wine over the centuries. Some key themes that she will discuss, and illustrate with her wines, will be:
Science and Technology
Champagne – to illustrate how thick glass, cork and the understanding of secondary fermentation transformed sparkling wine; A skin-contact, amphora-aged, natural/low sulphur wine, to evoke earlier extraction methods and oxidative handling; Retsina – to illustrate the ancient practice of lining vessels with pine resin as a means of preservation, which shaped flavour; A modern, protectively made fruit-driven wine – to show how an understanding of microbiology has led to radical change and the production of clean, stainless steel, temperature-controlled wines; Tokaji Aszu – to demonstrate noble rot and how sweet wines once signalled prestige and stability.
Religion, Provenance and Terroir
Burgundy – to illustrate the work of Cistercian monks and the mapping of terroir; Chateauneuf-du-Pape – to illustrate early legal definitions of origin and the development of appellation systems.
War, Politics and International Trade
Madeira – the archetypal maritime wine, shaped by fortification, heat and long sea voyages. We are most fortunate to be able to call on Anne’s expertise. This promises to be a fascinating evening – one you won’t want to miss!
Members: £ 40 Guests: £ 55
Ramada by Wyndham, Belfast City Centre, 20 Talbot St., 7:30pm
Contact us if you'd like to attend niwsisecretary@yahoo.co.uk
