Master Class at the WWS
(by peter)
The Winchester Wine School’s autumn season kicked off in style with a guest appearance by top New Zealand winemaker Helen Masters of Ata Rangi.
The ‘Back to Basics Plus’ class was held in the Hotel du Vin, Winchester, and featured four Ata Rangi wines alongside European examples. The wines tasted included:
- Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Prosecco Brut Conegliano DOCG 2009
- Chablis Premier Cru Vaillon 2001, Daniel-Etienne Defaix (Berry Bros & Rudd)
- Ata Rangi Craighall Chardonnay 2008
- Volnay ‘Clos de la Cave des Ducs’ Premier Cru 2001, Domaine Carré-Courbin (Berry Bros & Rudd)
- Ata Rangi Crimson Pinot Noir 2009
- Ata Rangi Martinborough Pinot Noir 2008
- Pinot Gris Kirchberg de Barr Grand Cru 2006, Rieffel (Berry Bros & Rudd)
- Ata Rangi Lismore Pinot Gris 2009
Ata Rangi’s wines, though hard to track down because of limited quantities, are imported by Liberty. A plea has been sent through to Liberty, on behalf of those present on the evening, to find stockists for these wines, so I will hopefully be able to pass this on shortly.
Topics discussed during the lively, relaxed evening included closures, replanting New Zealand’s indigenous trees, how to make savoury not sickly New World Chardonnay, Helen’s home-made ham, why certain wines (not Helen’s) smell like a farmyard, and the crucial difference between Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris.
Please click here for more details of our autumn courses. These include:
- One for the Girls (Mon 4th October)
- A Celebration of Champagne (Sun 17th Oct)
- Food and Wine Matching lunch at the Chesil Rectory (Sat 13th Nov)
- Back to Basics Christmas special (Weds 24th Nov).