Awards and citations:


1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Saturday 7 November 2015

#Winelovers hangout@The Chesterfield Hotel

Ridgeview English sparkling wine 
– a great way to limber up for evening

We had a great and select #winelovers' BYOB evening at The Chesterfield Hotel in London's Mayfair on Friday night (6.11.2015). The event was kindly organised by globe trotting – Fabien Lainé, who is obviously determined to rival Luiz Alberto for racking up Air Miles – an William Wilson, the Chesterfield's sommelier. 

There can be compensations for arriving early – in this case a glass or so of Ridgeview – very well made fizz from wine producing area that doesn't needlessly persecute its supporters.

We sampled a number of good bottles (see below) including several from Catena (Argentina) who are present at this weekend's Decanter Fine Wine Encounter with Fabien helping to pour for them. 

The menu at £26 a head for three courses + discretionary service was very good value. My standout dish was a generously filled lobster omelette.     

The select group of #Winelovers
Lucinda Stevens, Sambrooke Spurrier, Ivana Lichvarikova, CRM, 
William Wilson, Fabien Lainé, Mariarita Liberati  
and Frédéric Billet 

Trio of #Winelovers:
Ivana Lichvarikova, Fabien Lainé, Mariarita Liberati 
with William hovering .... 

 


2009 L'Or. Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine from Luneau-Papin:
still fresh but showing less complexity than I had hoped
– more time perhaps?

Good value straight Catena 2014 Chardonnay

2013 Catena Alta Chardonnay – well made with properly integrated oak
– a fine partner with my lobster omelette

2013 Chardonnay Dadivas, Brazil
Slightly odd nose – palate better

2012 Nelson Chardonnay, Neudorf, New Zealand 
Zesty Chardonnay – but hoped for a little more complexity

Attractive Beaujolais Blanc (another Chardonnay)

2012 Les Pichons, Sancerre Rouge, Paul Prieur
– single vineyard showing well and helping 
to confirm qualities of Luc Prieur
 
2012 Malbec Catena

A fine 2010 Brouilly from Les Seigneurs du Terroir



2007 Charme Douro, Niepoort – remarkably
delicate and complex



Many thanks again to Fabien and William for an excellent evening.




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