…It was a damp foggy evening as we arrived in Minster for the final wine club get together for 2016.. but out of the fog appeared masses of glowing twinkly fairy lights and was that sleigh bells in the distance too… Jacqui & Nick were the hosts, the house looked very festive outside and in, glowing log fire, lots of presents and the most splendid tree greeted us. I had entered into the spirit of the evening and came dressed in my Mrs Claus outfit (luckily no photos are available). As we arrived we filled the Santa sack with our Secret Santa gifts to be given out later..ohh exciting.. we started the evening with a not so easy Christmas Quiz that we were all basically rubbish at, the highest mark out of ten was two !!

I have to mention here, that I had lost my voice, I know, very frustrating it was and still is, as I am as silent as a mouse… and thank you to the men, who said it was lucky for Geoff (!)and I won’t mention the name of the husband (Nick..ho ho ho rather than ha ha ha..) who said to hug his wife in the hope she’d lose her voice too ! So I feel I should just be adding lots of photos rather than text, because as I type the blog I speak aloud in my head and on the night I could only manage the quietest of whispers.. if you get my drift.

So baring that in mind I am going to dive straight into the two Spanish wines:

Vina Ardanza Reserva Rioja 2007 13.5% from Magestic Wines £19.99

This one was the favourite of the evening, dark-cherry red colour with an intense pinkish rim. Very intense to the nose, broad finish, with a round, elegant aftertaste.

It is said that this is one of the very best of Rioja’s produced from fruit exclusively grown in the bodega’s 360 hectare vineyard holdings in the Rioja Alta region, and named after one of the Region’s founding families. Remaining under family ownership, this is of the most sought-after bodegas. Complex and perfumed primary and secondary aromas of earth, spice and red fruits with a long, elegantly structured medium weight body of spicy tannins and layers of flavour. Enjoy over the next decade (sorry we drank it all on the night !) as the richness and power will soften to spice and earth.

I am pleased to say that we did pick up on the dark fruit & cherry aromas and the smoky hints. We even got the dark chocolate & vanilla mentioned in the official tasting notes.

Tinto Pesquera Ciranza 2013 14%

This one was preferred by those that favour a more robust rustic tasting wine with lots of tannin (Mark) Pesquera is a legendary wine estate of Ribera del Duero and one of the most renowned names in Spanish wine. 2013 was a great vintage which gave fresh, vibrant robust wines. It tasted of rich ripe fruit and hints of oak.

Robert Parker said that Alejandro Fernández’s Pesquera was famously called ‘the Pétrus of Spain’

As you may recall Steve and Helen got engaged last month, so Jacqui gave them a Mr & Mrs Quiz, so the wedding is off !! (Only joking, they did ok, we did all wonder how any of us would have done taking the quiz) Their prize, a feather duster..