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It is that time of the month again when we invite to join our monthly in-house tasting. The tasting is going to be held at the shop on Wednesday the 12th of July from 7.30 to 10pm.
As our licensing requires us to close the shop by 10pm latest, we kindly ask participants to arrive at the shop by 7pm in order to begin on schedule.
This month we're going to focus on what can be considered as the holy grail of all wine lovers : Burgundy. In doing so, we are going to taste a great selection from one of the most established, renowned and consistent winery in all Burgundy : Maison Louis Jadot.
From the tip of Chablis to the toe of Beaujolais, from regional, village, 1er Cru and Grand Cru wines Louis Jadot produces Burgundy and nothing but Burgundy. The familiar Bacchus head label has become the reliable stamp of quality and consistency from what can often be a confusing region.
Louis Henry Denis Jadot founded the business in 1859. His vision was to build a business with a high quality reputation. One of his key aims, as well as to make top wines, was to build a significant vineyard base. This vision remains core to the business today.
This tasting will be the perfect opportunity for you to try some of their best white as well as red wines.
All will be accompanied by platters of appetizers which will be served at mid-evening.
The cost of a single ticket is of £35 and it can be purchased either by coming at the shop (open Tuesday to Saturday 10am-8pm) or by paying through Paypal at the following http://www.grandcruco.com/wine-tasting/louis-jadot-portfolio-tasting-wed-12th-of-july-detail .
In order to get yourself booked you can drop us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call us on 020 8650 0085. We will get your place booked but remember we can't hold to a booking for more than five days if payment is not received.
IMPORTANT ! Customers who have purchased tickets online or vouchers which they wish to spend on tickets are kindly asked to confirm ASAP their attendance to the event.
We are looking forward to seeing you there !
Best regards,
The Grand Cru team
Terms and conditions apply
1. Tickets are non-refundable.
2. Tickets can be transferred to another tasting only if notice is given at least 5 days prior to the event for which the ticket has been originally purchased.
3. The tickets can transferred only once to another tasting.
4. If all of the previous solutions don't work for you, the value of the tickets can be spent in wines at the shop.
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- Category: News
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Dom Pérignon 2009 vintage to be released before 2008
Dom Pérignon is to release its 2009 vintage Champagne out of chronological order, just as Louis Roederer announced with Cristal 2009 last year. Michael Edwards tastes the DP 2009 and reports on the vintage...
Dom Pérignon 2009 is the first vintage of this prestige cuvée to be released out of chronological sequence. It will reach merchants in advance of the 2008, a reflection of the warmth and maturity of the 2009 in comparison to the cooler, classic 2008 which still needs more time. Louis Roederer also released its Cristal 2009 ahead of the 2008.
The pervasive character of the 2009 Champagne vintage is magnificent mature fruit, a viscous, silky texture, and salinity, created under a benign sun. It was a warm harvest picked in idyllic conditions from 12 September, and is part of a ‘spiral’ of hot vintages since 2003, according to Dom Pérignon’s chef de caves, Richard Geoffroy.
‘Dom Pérignon 2009 would not be the triumph it is today without the experience of making the 2003,’ he said. ‘It’s one of the seminal vintages of a fantastic decade that encourages winemakers to go beyond what they already know, to take risks and keep on growing.’
It seems that the Dom Pérignon 2009 has taken inspiration from the remarkable 2003, but adds a new layer of finesse. It is also interesting how it differs from the 2006. The 2009 vintage will be available in the autumn of 2017. Dom Pérignon is owned by French luxury goods group LVMH.
Viognier saviour Georges Vernay dies in the Rhône
Georges Vernay, one of the men who saved Condrieu in the Northern Rhône and put Viognier on the world wine map in the process, has passed away at the age of 92.
Georges Vernay (1926–2017) was the pioneer of the appellation we know today as Condrieu in the northern Rhône.
He took over at the family winery in 1953 with only one hectare in the Coteau de Vernon. His father, Francis, had planted vines in 1937 and at that time the domaine was cultivating several crops alongside vines.
The appellation of Condrieu was born in 1940, but the name was not officially listed by French officials until 1945, after the Second World War. The wines of this time were sold simply with Viognier on the label, rather than the name of the appellation.
Before Condrieu gained a worldwide reputation, the appellation nearly disappeared. In 1960, the AOC included seven hectares of Viognier – believed to be some of the only commercially-planted Viognier left in the world at the time. In 1986, it extended to 20 hectares; in 1990, it covered 60 hectares; and today the appellation covers 184 hectares. It was Georges Vernay’s brilliance that transformed this small appellation into one with a worldwide reputation.
‘My father-in-law was a real, erudite wine grower who represented the [Viognier] grape,’ said Paul Amsellem, of Domaine Georges Vernay and husband of Christine Vernay. ‘He did not realise that he represented the grape all by himself [for a long time].’
Paul Amsellem described Georges Vernay as ‘a forerunner in the comprehension of the Viognier grape but also in the techniques of vinification’. He added: ‘He was one of the first to use thermo-regulation and barrels in the Rhône Valley.’
Georges Vernay was president of Condrieu for 30 years. Today, all the winemakers from this appellation have lost the forefather of Condrieu.
Krug launches luxury festival in English countryside for £400 a ticket
Krug has announced it will be hosting a lavish, night-time Champagne, food and music festival in Hampshire, with tickets starting at £395 per person.
Champagne house Krug announced that it will host a luxury festival called ‘Into the Wild’ this summer, where guests will be treated to barbecued meats cooked on 10-feet-high fires and paired with Krug Champagne. There will also be music acts, but no names were disclosed.
Tickets for the festival, to be held on 29 July from 4pm to midnight, will cost £395 per person or £750 for a pair, said Krug.
It said the event will take place in the ‘grand English wilderness’ of Hampshire.
More specifically, ‘Into the Wild’ will be set up in the grounds of The Grange, a 19th-century Greek-revival manor owned by the 7th Lord Ashburton. It’s a venue that already hosts an annual opera festival.
The evening’s entertainment is said to come from South American chef Francis Mallmann, who will headline the festival with his open-fire cooking, using flames reaching up to 10ft high.
Dubbed by the Champagne house as a ‘culinary sybarite’, Mallmann is a celebrity chef who grew up in Patagonia, Argentina, where he first realised his love for ‘open-fire cooking’.
Olivier Krug, director of the eponymous Champagne house, said, ‘Francis Mallmann embodies the Krug spirit of a refined maverick’.
Mallmann will lead the guests across three sites of the estate, where his team will have cooked locally sourced meat and vegetables for up to seven hours on mammoth fires.
Each round of his barbecued meats will be paired with a wine from Krug’s Champagne portfolio in what is being termed as ‘rough luxury style’.
No live music acts have been revealed, but Krug has said new music platform Mahogany will be in charge of the musical pairings.
The event follows on from their ‘Krug Island’ project last year, when Krug Champagne partnered up with Mick Jones to throw an exclusive music festival on a private island off the coast of Essex. Young celebrities including Rafferty Law, Jaime Winstone and Tess Ward were in attendance.
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How about a little bit of New World Pinot Noir? These are a little bit fruitier than the Old World equivalents and generally a little less oaky. Either way these are some absolutely fantastic examples of what Pinot Noir can become when a master gets their hands on it..
FROM LEFT
Robert Oatley, Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2012 @ £21.95
An excellent Pinot Noir from the sought-after Mornington Peninsula, near Melbourne. The grapes are hand pricked and sorted and matured for 9 months in French Oak. Crisp, ripe, rich red fruits with complex spicy and gamey notes and a silky body.
Seifried Estate, Nelson Pinot Noir 2014 @ £13.95
Fruity, fresh, varietal and very inviting bouquet of fresh dark cherry and light red fruits, some plum; baking spices of cinnamon and vanilla. Dry, fruity and flavourful with light red fruits of plum and cherry,light toast oak layer, medium+ acidity and fine tannins. Balanced and well made.
Errazuriz Wild Ferment Pinot Noir @ £14.95
A vibrant ruby red with bright violet nuances when the light hits it, the nose of the Wild Ferment Pinot Noir pours red fruit flavours of cherries, raspberries, and exotic fruits, along with notes of dill and tobacco against a floral backdrop. The palate backs up the red fruit flavours with light notes of toast and nuts such as hazelnuts to the mix.
Don't forget about our discount voucher! It runs until the 17th of June and gives 10% off. Use the code GCC10OFF at the checkout to use this. Cheers!
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How about something light and pink which when chilled down will be a perfect accompaniment to your weekend? We have a great selection here at GCC...
FROM LEFT:
Chapel Down English Rose 2015 @ £12.95
From vineyards around Tenterden and Aylesford in Kent, where the temperate climate allows growth of the delicate Pinot Noir, alongside some hardier varieties that shrug off England's cooler days, to produce a vibrantly fruity wine. Dry and refreshing, and packed with English summer fruit character. Strawberry and redcurrant characters take centre stage, with crispy acidity providing a mouth-watering lift. Superb barbecue wine, especially if you're having prawns and rice salads.
Chateau Miraval, Provence Rose 2014 @ £17.95
An absolutely gorgeous pale pink colour with is beautifully entwined with a nose of wild strawberry and stone fruit, with soft floral notes. Smooth and drinkable palate texture, with peach notes and tangerine joining layers of berry fruit.
Puech-Haut Rose 2015 @ £13.95
The entry-level Rosé is the 2015 Languedoc Cuvee Prestige Rose, and it continues to be a sensational value. Made from 60% Grenache and 40% Cinsault, it’s light pink color is followed by perfumed notes of strawberries, orange blossom and spring flowers. Juicy, clean and refreshing, yet with texture, buy a case of this.
Don't forget that our website has a 10% discount available on all of these and everything else in our shop from glasses to tastings. Use the code GCC10OFF at the checkout to benefit from this.
Cheers!
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In recent years New Zealand's earliest Pinot Noir vines have come of age, and are now producing some first-class wines. Marlborough Pinot Noirs are lighter and fruitier than those from Otago and Martinborough. What makes New Zealand Pinot Noir unique from the other Pinot is stronger spice and gamey-meaty aromas along with loads of fruit.
Seifried Nelson Pinot Noir 2014 @ £14.95 p/bt
"Fruity, fresh, varietal and very inviting bouquet of fresh dark cherry and light red fruits, some plum; baking spices of cinnamon and vanilla. Dry, fruity and flavourful with light red fruits of plum and cherry, light toast oak layer, medium+ acidity and fine tannins. Balanced and well made."
90 Points - Cameron Douglas MS, November 2015
The supple richness of New Zealand Pinot Noir complements a range of savoury dishes. Try it alongside game birds such as quail, turkey, and duck; with a fillet of salmon; or equally with pork, veal, lamb or venison.
Today we suggest a truly tantalizing appetizer idea to match this beauty…
PARMA HAM, GOAT CHEESE AND FIGS CROSTINI
INGREDIENTS
1 fresh baguette
1/8 cup olive oil
Sea salt or kosher salt
4 ounces goat cheese, plain, at room temperature
6 tablespoons fig jam or fresh figs
3 slices prosciutto, each cut in half
6 fresh basil leaves
METHOD
Preheat oven to 190 C.
Slice six 1/2-inch slices of bread from the baguette. I slice mine slightly on the diagonal. Place on a baking sheet and brush generously with the olive oil. Sprinkle a little salt on each slice. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until crisp and slightly golden. Watch that they do not burn. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
Spread some goat cheese on each crostini. Spread about a tablespoon of fig jam or place your fresh sliced figs on top of the goat cheese. Fold the half slices of prosciutto and place on top of each crostini. Lay a fresh basil leaf on each and serve.
Enjoy it !!
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What a fantastic day! Hopefully this weather lasts us a bit longer so we can all enjoy it over the weekend with a great big barbecue with our friends!
While beer is probably the top of mind beverage for barbecues for most folks, don’t forget about wine! A glass of wine alongside your grilled favourites can elevate a meal from the simply mundane to truly memorable!
This week our selection is focused on wines which will suit a barbecue in the sun for certain. 
Puech-Haut, Saint-Drézéry 2015 @ £13.95 p/bt
The entry-level Rosé is the 2015 Languedoc Cuvee Prestige Rose, and it continues to be a sensational value. Made from 60% Grenache and 40% Cinsault, it’s light pink color is followed by perfumed notes of strawberries, orange blossom and spring flowers. Juicy, clean and refreshing, yet with texture, buy a case of this.
Try it with marinated and grilled seafood!
La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2014 @ £17.95 p/bt
Straw yellow colour. The nose is characterized by white flowers green apples subtle oak and spice aromas. The palate reveal a slightly riper fruit character that displays white stone fruit, yellow plum and honeydew melon flavours. Richly textured and concentrated, with balanced acidity that drives a lingering finish.
Great with all barbecues meats and fishes.
Compania de Vinos Telmo Rodriguez Corriente 2013 @ £13.95 p/bt
This 100% Tempranillo, Corriente (tide) comes from the vineyards in Rioja Alavesa which is the smallest of the three wine-producing sub-regions in Rioja. Its vineyards lie at high altitudes resulting in cooler temperatures that help the grapes to acquire and retain moderate acid levels and good color. the soil on the slopes and terraces is rich in chalky clay and limestone, resulting in wines that are characterful and concentrated.
A good match for marinated pork and beef dishes or even simple burgers.
Come and have a go with these beauties. And don’t forget that we have our 10% discount available via our website by using the code GCC10OFF at the checkout.
Cheers!
