Welcome to the Croughton Christmas Wine Tasting 2012

1. Welcome to the Croughton Christmas Wine Tasting 2012 With Brackley Wines

2. Spanish Cava Verdejo Rioja • French Sauvignon Blanc • GRENACHE NOIR Lets get started Italian Chianti Argentinean Chardonnay South African Merlot Australian Viogner

3. Freixenet Carta Nevada Reserva - Spain Founded in 1889 the winery has a rich, long history, and was one of the original Cava houses of the Penedes region, and one of the first houses to export its Cava to foreign markets. Today Freixenet is one of the leading wine companies of the world, having created one of the most recognisable sparkling wine brands. Tasting Notes: Light floral aromas on the nose, Crisp and lingering on the palate.

4. Under the Cuatro Rayas label, Castellana concentrates on Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc, and in a region with extreme variations in temperature and stony, dusty soil, this terroir creates unique characteristics within these two varieties. • This Spanish white wine is made from the local white grape called Verdejo, which grows extensively in the Rueda region in Northern Spain. Tasting Notes The wine is fresh and dry with citrus fruit and herbal notes. Cuatro Rayas Verdejo Vinedos - Spain

5. Gerard Bertrand is something of a phenomenon in the south of France. A local boy made good, he first hit the headlines as a professional rugby player for Stade Francais and the French national team. Whilst still playing, he inherited the family’s wine business and has gradually built it up, acquiring vineyards and estates across the Languedoc. The jewel in the crown is Chateau L’Hospitalet, which he bought in 2002. • Seductive nose with hints of citrus and exotic fruits. Crisp and refreshing with a good mineral persistence. De l'Hospitalet Sauvignon Blanc - France

6. The Spee'wah Crooked Mick Viognier – Australia • This wine is made from Viognier grapes, and has characteristic aromas of peach with lychees and floral flavours on the palate. • Tales of Crooked Mick have been told around bushfires since the first European’s started getting lost in the outback. They tell of a wild, larger than life character that lived in the Spee’Wah • The wine makers only rule it to produce a wine where the customer would want another glass

7. Graham Beck Merlot – South Africa • A soft and fruity wine that is easy drinking and filled with an abundance of fresh red fruit. It has a soft oaky finish and ripe tannins. • Graham Beck is a giant of the South African wine scene and has led the country's thundering success since the end of Apartheid in 1994. • Head winemaker Peter 'Bubbles' Ferreira was pleased to hear Barack Obama selected his wines for the inauguration ball.

8. Chianti Riserva Villa di Campobello – Italy • Full bodied and fruity with hints of violets, cherry and pepper combined with a firm structure • Chianti is a region in Tuscany in Italy. It is made from the Sangiovese grape (pronounced “sanjee-oh-vaysee”) and has refreshing, red cherry flavours. • Since 1903 Castellani has been exporting its estate wines from Tuscany. Working hard within the vineyard the team ensure the best soil types, microclimates and light exposure to the grapes.

9. Castillo de Clavijo Rioja Crianza – Spain • Red cherry and spicy oak linger on the palate with a smooth finish. • Rioja is probably Spain’s most well known wine. It is made from a blend of different grape varieties; the best known is Tempranillo (pronounced tempraneeyo). The word “Crianza” on the label indicates that it has some ageing in both barrel and in the bottle. The principle flavours are red cherries and spicy oakiness. • The winery was established in 2000 with a view to modernise the production of Rioja wines whilst working with the scores of small, local growers to make wines that reflect the quality and history of Rioja.

10. Los Haroldos Chardonnay – Argentina • A well balanced fresh and fruity wine with complexity and a lingering finish. • Los Haroldos is a leading wine within the Argentine domestic market and experiencing significant export growth • Produced by Bodegas Los Haroldos, a winery owned by ‘Familia Falasco’ and a top ten leading Argentine producer

11. Maury Grenat Els Pyreneus – Sweet – France • This is a deliciously sweet red wine. It is full-bodied and rich with intense flavours and aromas of dried red fruits, chocolate and coffee. • The mountains exert a strong and widespread climatic influence on the surrounding areas, and are home to a rich, varied and unique culture of language, cuisine, and old, indigenous vines

12. Thanks for the invite Feel free to come and see me afterwards if you would like to purchase any of the wines sampled tonight James Butler Brackley Wines www.brackleywines.co.uk