Teddington Wine Society met for the first time at the Railway in Teddington last Thursday. We explored the well-known grapes such as Syrah, Grenache and Viognier and lesser known Marsanne, Roussanne and Mourvedre – varieties that were pursued by pioneering wine makers in California in the 1980s, seeking to celebrate the quality of these grapes in the face of the onslaught of plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot.
Highlights of the tastings included the Condrieu 2012 Domaine Perrin, a very forward Chateauneuf du Pape Closerie du Vaudieu 2011 and a fascinating but very youthful 2012 Washington State Syrah from the Betz Family Vineyard.
The Railway put on a good beef casserole, and the weather provided a suitably warm evening!
See the shop for many of the wines tasted during the two evenings.
