Wine Notes. The Society's Exhibition Saint-Aubin Rouge These wine notes were created on 14-May-2018.

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1 page 1 The Society's Exhibition Saint-Aubin Rouge 2013 Fresh, fragrant and delicately pretty pinot with aromas of cherry and raspberry. The tannins are fine and sweet and there is just a hint of gentle spice. Charming. The Prudhons have deep wine roots in the tiny community of Saint- Aubin: a well-situated village behind Le Montrachet becoming increasingly recognised for the quality of its wines. Product Code BU58231 Dominant Grape Pinot Noir Product Type Red Wine Drink Dates 2015 to 2019 Origin BURGUNDY - Cote de Beaune Alcohol Level 13.0% Style Medium-bodied Closure type Cork, diam Vintage 2013 Price No longer for sale Producer : Domaine Henri Prudhon The Prudhons have deep wine roots in the tiny community of Saint-Aubin, a well-situated village behind Le Montrachet and becoming increasingly recognised for the quality of its wines. Their 14 hectare estate, named after the current generation s grandfather, Henri and planted with 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay, is one of the best of the commune. It is an extremely reliable source of both reds and whites, and unlike many Saint-Aubin domaines, the Prudhons have no plans to convert more to white - they enjoy making the reds so much. Both The Society s Exhibition red and white Saint-Aubin come from the Prudhon stable. The white is a pretty chardonnay, part-fermented and matured in lightly toasted barrels which infuse it with just the right amount of oak. Like its white counterpart the red from the village of Gamay, but made from pinot noir, displays the charm and drinkability characteristic of the commune. Of the red premiers crus, Le Sentier du Clou has the most depth and tannin. Of the 8 white premiers crus Murgers des Dents de Chien, Chatenière and Remilly are particularly fine which is not surprising given their proximity to Puligny-Montrachet. In Puligny itself is Les Enseignères which is one of the best vineyards for village Puligny sited just below Bâtard-Montrachet. At the very top of the slope, premier cru La Garenne produces taut and mineral wines which relax after a few years in bottle.

2 page 2 Riesling, Trimbach 2013 Precise, poised and steely, in the true Trimbach style, from a small but wonderful Alsace vintage that delivered rieslings of thrilling intensity and raciness. The concentration here, born of slow ripening, is already apparent and the wine will continue to evolve. Product Code AL12631 Dominant Grape Riesling Product Type White Wine Drink Dates 2015 to 2021 Origin Alsace Alcohol Level 12.5% Style 1 (of 9): Bone dry Closure type Cork, natural Vintage 2013 Price No longer for sale Producer : Maison Trimbach - See next page.

3 page 3 Producer : Maison Trimbach The house of Trimbach in Ribeauvillé, north-west of Colmar, dates back to It was only in the late 19th century, however, that the firm began to gain recognition and expand under the guidance of Frédéric-Emile Trimbach. It was he who first exhibited the wines on an international stage - from here the family-name started to grow in stature. Along with their own vines scattered around three villages, the Trimbachs also buy in grapes from other growers around Ribeauvillé. They own sites in several grand cru vineyards but, so far for the most part, have shunned the use of grand cru on their labels. Trimbach has made its reputation on its remarkable, dry steely rieslings with their intense minerality and purity of flavour. The jewel in the crown is the single-vineyard Clos Sainte-Hune, one of the greatest expressions of riesling anywhere in the world. Cuvée Frédéric Emile, which bears the name of the domaine s most important forefather, also has an excellent reputation and is a little more affordable. Excellent gewurztraminer is also produced here in a dry, perfumed style with plenty of concentration and richness. The late harvest wines made from riesling, gewurztraminer, pinot gris and muscat, although different from the classic Trimbach style in that they are sweet, are impressively structured and rich, but with enough acidity to retain freshness. Trimbach has remained a family-owned operation over the centuries with the twelfth generation cousins Jean and Pierre presently in charge. Jean looks after the commercial side of the business, regularly attending Wine Society tastings and events on his travels. He has great knowledge of the wines and is a fitting ambassador for them. Pierre is the chief vigneron and winemaker, overseeing all stages of production from the vineyards through to selection and bottling. Now their children are also involved in this traditional family house.

4 page 4 Deidesheimer Riesling, Bürklin-Wolf 2014 This comes from the young vines of Deidesheimer Herrgottsacker and Kieselberg. Excellent fruit and character and quite dry. All Bürklin wines are cultivated biodynamically and this seems to add to their personality. Product Code GE8711 Dominant Grape Riesling Product Type White Wine Drink Dates 2015 to 2022 Origin Pfalz Alcohol Level 12.5% Style 1 (of 9): Bone dry Closure type Cork, natural Vintage 2014 Price No longer for sale Producer : Weingut Dr. Bürklin-Wolf The reputation of this famous estate was made in the 20th century by the formidable Dr Bürklin-Wolf with his great sweet wines. Under his daughter Bettina's guidance all the wines are now fully fermented out and dry, and the vineyards are farmed organically/biodynamically, without herbicides or pesticides. Bürklin-Wolf's greatest and longest living wines come from their splendid holdings in Forst; Pechstein, Kirchenstück, Jesuitengarten, Ungeheuer with each producing riesling of remarkable individuality, reflecting their different soils of volcanic basalt. They also make delicious fine and charming wine from the Wachenheimer vineyards, particularly Gerümpel, and softer full-flavoured Ruppertsberger Geisbuhl.

5 page 5 Forster Riesling Heinrich Spindler 2014 Weingut Heinrich Spindler is a traditional Pfalz producer based in Forst, now in the hands of the 11th generation of the family. They own 18 hectares in various plots, which have been farmed without herbicides and artificial fertiliser for more than 20 years. Fruity dry riesling with lots of character and finesse from a prime spot in the Pfalz which was very successful in Product Code GE8751 Dominant Grape Riesling Product Type White Wine Drink Dates 2015 to 2022 Origin Pfalz Alcohol Level 12.0% Style 2 (of 9): Dry Closure type Cork, natural Vintage 2014 Price No longer for sale Producer : Weingut Heinrich Spindler Weingut Heinrich Spindler is a traditional Pfalz producer based in Forst, now in the hands of the 11th generation of the family. They own 18 hectares in various plots, which have been farmed without herbicides and artificial fertiliser for over 20 years. The best vineyards are in Forst, Deidesheim, and Ruppertsberg with further holdings in Friedelsheim and Niederkirchen. 83% of plantings are riesling. The grapes are harvested by hand and at the gravity-fed winery they undergo a gentle pressing before fermentation in stainless steel. The wines are then matured in more stainless steel or big old barrels that offer no oak character, spending a good deal of time on the fine lees. Bottling takes place between February and June in the year following the harvest. Markus Spindler trained at the renowned Geisenheim research centre and with Pichler in Wachau, Austria, after working in Germany and with Schug in California.

6 page 6 Wiltinger Riesling Dry, von Kesselstatt 2014 With a bouquet evocative of Wilting's steely slate slopes and clean cut distinctive refreshing flavour; this is classic dry Saar riesling. Product Code GE8941 Dominant Grape Riesling Product Type White Wine Drink Dates 2015 to 2019 Origin Mosel - Saar - Ruwer Alcohol Level 12.0% Style 1 (of 9): Bone dry Closure type Screwcap Vintage 2014 Price No longer for sale Producer : Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt The von Kesselstatt estate, dating back to 1349, owns the finest spectrum of sites in the Mosel, Saar and Ruwer valleys. In 1978 the Reh family acquired the estate from the Reichsgrafen (imperial counts) of Kesselstatt. Annagret Reh-Gartner, a great and true friend of the Society who died in October 2016, was at the helm of the business, supported by her husband Gerhard, and was a welcome and regular presence at Society tastings. Since taking over the couple particularly concentrated efforts on lowering yields and improving quality to great effect. The 36 hectares of estate-owned vineyards are planted exclusively with riesling on steep, stony soils where the warmth is maintained in the marginal German climate. Leading holdings include Scharzhofberger in the Saar, Kaseler Nies chen in the Ruwer and Josephshöfer and Piesporter Goldtröpfchen in the Mosel. These are wines characterised by clean, ripe fruit, impressive balance of acidity and minimal intervention in the winemaking process. Fittingly, the wines are fermented with natural yeasts adding to their individuality and fragrance and kept on lees for extended ageing. The ever popular Society s Saar Riesling is also made by von Kesselstatt from grapes grown on the Scharzhofberger and Wiltinger Braunfels sites. The baroque-style Palais Kesselstatt in Trier s old town houses a restaurant and wine bar where visiting members can enjoy the wines of von Kesselstatt. In summer, the terrace provides the ideal setting for appreciating both the wines and the historical surroundings of Trier itself.

7 page 7 Chanson Père et Fils, Bourgogne Rouge 2012 Lovely fresh yet ripe pinot from a delicious high-quality vintage. Product Code BU57391 Dominant Grape Pinot Noir Product Type Red Wine Drink Dates 2014 to 2018 Origin Macon Chalonnaise Bourgogne Alcohol Level 12.5% Style not applicable Closure type Cork, diam Vintage 2012 Price No longer for sale Producer : Maison Chanson This historic Burgundy négociant and grower was founded during the reign of Louis XVth in 1750 and has been owned since 1999 by the world-renowned Bollinger family as part of the family Champagne group Societé Jacques Bollinger. Champagne Ayala, Langlois-Château in the Loire and Delamain in Cognac are all part of the group. Chanson buy in grapes from excellent growers around Beaune but also vinify grapes from their own 45 hectares of Beaune vineyards, which make up a quarter of their needs. Grapes are picked parcel by parcel and remain in those parcels throughout the vinification process. All harvesting is done by hand. Pinot noir is fermented in vats with a good proportion of whole stem bunches following a cold soak, which gives a pure, fresh and intensely aromatic character to the wines. Chardonnay is fermented in oak casks with the juice coming only from the middle of the pressing. The winemaking takes place at a modern facility on the outskirts of town but some, along with oak ageing, takes place in a 15th century bastion containing up to 3,000 barriques in the north-west corner of the medieval walls of Beaune itself, where the company is headquartered. Bottling is done entirely by gravity. The head winemaker is Jean-Pierre Confuron of Domaine Confuron-Cotédiot in Vosne-Romanée and the company was managed from 1999 by Gilles de Courcel who handed over to Vincent Avenel in 2017, The company s interests extend as far as Chablis, the Mâconnais and Beaujolais.

8 page 8 St Nicolas de Bourgueil Les Rouillères', Domaine Frédéric Mabileau 2014 This delightful cabernet franc has bright fruit and lovely purity and freshness of flavour. Product Code LO11801 Dominant Grape Cabernet Franc Product Type Red Wine Drink Dates 2015 to 2017 Origin Anjou Touraine Alcohol Level 12.0% Style Light to medium-bodied Closure type Cork, natural Vintage 2014 Price No longer for sale Producer : Frederic Mabileau North of the Loire River, to the west of the city of Tours, lies the small commune of St Nicolas de Bourgueil where Frédéric and Nathalie Mabileau run their unpretentious 27 hectare domaine. This husband and wife team is steadily making their mark, among the many Mabileaus of the region, with fresh, soft and juicy reds from cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon. The drive for quality wines here is clear with the Mabileaus spending a huge amount of time and energy in the daily upkeep of their vineyards. They are firm believers in selectively picking grapes by hand and are committed to organic farming. Vinification methods here are traditional, though in other areas of the business, including wine labels, the approach is unashamedly modern. This individually-styled domaine shows just how brilliant lesser known wines from smaller Loire appellations can be. With such clarity and purity of flavour these are wines that often make some of the best, most reliable food partners. Locally, a typical food match would be Rillettes de Tours a popular charcuterie dish. They make a fine range of red wines, a delicious dry rosé, and more recently, a classy barrel-fermented Saumur blanc.

9 page 9 Chinon 'Le Paradis' 2014 From part of a 30-hectare domaine run and staffed by people with difficulties and disabilities, with the guidance of winemaker Romain Parisis. This is part of a wider local initiative to help disabled people with work, housing and family support. The wine is a sweet-fruited young cabernet franc that is remarkably easy to drink from an appellation which in less-blessed vintages can be on the firm side. Product Code LO11481 Dominant Grape Cabernet Franc Product Type Red Wine Drink Dates 2015 to 2018 Origin Anjou Touraine Alcohol Level 13.0% Style Medium-bodied Closure type Cork, natural Vintage 2014 Price No longer for sale Producer : Vignoble du Paradis This Chinon domaine is under the tutelage of the Chinon head-winemaker, Romain Parisis. It is run and staffed by people with difficulties and disabilities, through Les Chevaux Blancs Work Support Service which was established in It is part of a wider initiative to support local disabled people with work, housing and family support. Thirty hectares of vines are managed this way, comprising one domaine, one château, and two vineyards, with the shared benefit of a modern vinification winery and ancient tuffeaux cellars.

10 page 10 The Society's Red Burgundy 2013 Entry-level red Burgundy divides opinion. At 8.50 it is quite a restrained wine, with pretty red-cherry aromas and marked acidity which is refreshing, like a Tay raspberry. Light in body and colour. For sweeter pinot look to Chile, for richness and power, looking away from pinot to the Rhône may be a better option. Product Code BU60001 Dominant Grape Pinot Noir Product Type Red Wine Drink Dates Within two years of purchase Origin Macon Chalonnaise Bourgogne Alcohol Level 12.0% Style Light to medium-bodied Closure type Cork, diam Vintage 2013 Price No longer for sale Producer : Caves Des Vignerons de Buxy - See next page.

11 page 11 Producer : Caves Des Vignerons de Buxy Caves de Vignerons de Buxy like The Society is a co-operative with a distinguished history. Based in the Côte Chalonnaise, it was established in 1931 and has expanded over the years so that now 120 families work the vineyards, each with their own parcel of vines to look after with the utmost care. They now form the largest producer in the Côte Chalonnaise, and account for two thirds of the production of Montagny. The most successful co-operatives are forward-thinking and committed to quality. Buxy have both of these attributes in spades. Since as far back as the 1980s, they have been classifying the quality of each vineyard, and have employed high standards for their members to follow. The price growers receive varies depending on the quality of their grapes: these are judged on a number of criteria including regular vineyard visits (once in June, when they advise growers on vine health and yields, and then again shortly before harvest when each vineyard is assigned a score out of 100) to ensure the quality remains consistent. They also strictly monitor their harvest: using modern techniques such as machine harvesting, each grape variety is harvested separately, normally starting with pinot noir, followed by gamay, chardonnay and then aligoté. When the grapes reach the winery, each lot is once again assessed for quality, and their grapes are all vinified separately with different qualities being kept apart. Most are fermented in tanks, before being aged in foudres, barriques, or tanks. Each year, we taste through a selection of cuvées with cellarmaster Alain Pierre, in order to assemble our own blend for The Society s Red Burgundy which is bottled for us at the co-op. Good entry-level Burgundy is as elusive as the snipe we feature on the label, but our offering is modest, cherry-scented, fresh, and true to its origins.

12 page 12 Neuweier Riesling Alte Reben, Schloss Neuweier 2013 Alte Reben means what it says here. The mature old vines have roots deep in the volcanic granitic subsoil contributing depth of flavour to make this an excellent food match. Robert Schätzle moved from Kaiserstuhl to Schloss Neuweier, south of Baden Baden to find this complexity. Product Code GE9041 Dominant Grape Riesling Product Type White Wine Drink Dates 2015 to 2020 Origin Germany Alcohol Level 12.5% Style 2 (of 9): Dry Closure type Screwcap Vintage 2013 Price No longer for sale Producer : Weingut Schloss Neuweier - See next page.

13 page 13 Producer : Weingut Schloss Neuweier Experience at Fritz Keller and Neger in Baden, at Château La Tour de By in Bordeaux and at Zind-Humbrecht and Marc Kreydenweiss just across the border in Alsace, have obviously stood Robert Schätzle in excellent stead. All that he has learned on his travels informs the winemaking at his own estate at Schloss Neuweier in Baden-Baden. Robert grew up on the famous Kaiserstühl further south in Baden, scion of a winemaking family with a long history in the region. Until he took on the Schloss Neuweier estate as recently as 2012 the estate had been owned by Gisela Joos who reestablished its reputation with a raft of improvements upon which she spent a vast sum of money before selling it to Robert. He has maintained the upward curve in quality. He now owns a vineyard with a grape growing history going back to the 12th century and a castle which is only a little less old. He cultivates riesling (80% of his vines), pinot noir, gewürztraminer and a little chardonnay and sauvignon blanc on some 15 hectares in a number of vineyard sites including Schlossberg, which is a monopole planted solely to riesling close to the winery, the Goldener Loch (which is a grosse lage, or grand cru, site in the region), Mauerberg and Heiligenstein. The soils are uniformly a mix of weathered porphyry and granite from the foothills of the Black Forest upon which they sit. A biodynamic approach has been adopted (though not certified) which, with its homeopathic and astrological principles, aims to increase the strength and vigour of the vines and the microbial life of the soils beneath them. A number of wine styles are made here, including sparkling, as well as brandy and schnapps, all made in a vaulted 17th century cellar but utilising modern equipment. At the Schloss itself you will find a Michelin-starred restaurant.

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