Wine on the Edge

PREVIOUS TASTING ARCHIVE – FEBRUARY 2024

Ever craved adventure in your glass? This tasting homes in on wines born on the fringes, where geography dictates audacious flavor and pushes boundaries. There’s a fascinating mix of wines and wine styles from areas that are ‘on the edge’ of their respective countries.

Take our pair of Italian mainland wines for example, from real extremes of the country. One is from the tiny Valle d’Aosta, one of Italy’s most northerly regions on the mountainous French/Swiss border, the other from Calabria, the Mediterranean ‘toe’ of Italy’s boot.

The Wines

Our white wines kick-off in the Valle d’Aosta in Italy. The blend is Chardonnay, Petite Arvine and Pinot Grigio – a lovely combination of French, Swiss and Italian grapes as befits its crossroads location of high peaks where these countries meet. From Swartland, a most unusual white wine that blends Chenin Blanc and Grenache Blanc, and while 60% comes from the 2022 vintage, components of the remaining 40% go back to 2016 – with skin-fermented, flor-aged and maderised portions. Completing the line-up, a Riesling from one of Chile’s most southerly and most recently planted wine regions, bordering the country’s lush Lake District.

First red up is so far towards the edge that it’s tipped over onto an island: Sicily. Frappato is an indigenous grape variety making unusually aromatic, earthy but strawberry-scented reds. Moving on to Germany and the Pfalz – one of the most southerly and driest regions. We’ll taste Spätburgunder, a.k.a. Pinot Noir, the grape that many people think is Germany’s ace in the pack as climate changes. Our final red is a real curiosity: made from Calabria’s own Gaglioppo, but with a touch of the white grape Greco di Ciro, wild-fermented and made in tiny quantities.

How does it work?

The tasting is split over two consecutive Thursday evenings. We’ll open three bottles per night, but they’ll drink well through the weekend  so nothing will be wasted. And remember: if you cannot join us live for any session, our ‘catch-up’ service allows you to taste along to the recordings at your leisure.

• Tasting tickets and wines are purchased separately
• The ticket price is per household, not per person
• The ticket covers both sessions
• After you purchase your ticket, you’ll see a link to buy the wines
• We’ll make a recording of each session in case you miss one
• You may attend without buying the wines.