Dirty Dozen Tasting 12th September Anne Krebiehl
HARPERS ONLINE
Friday, 14September 2012 10:47
Anne Krebiehl dishes the dirt from the Dirty Dozen tasting on 12thSeptember. She selects 2 wines from Vine Trail - Chanudet’s Fleurieand Berlioz’s Chignin. So why exactly isthe Dirty Dozen Tasting the most exciting, least predictable and most hotlyanticipated event within the crazy wine circus that London is in September? Whyis there such a buzz, such animated discussion, such beatific satisfaction onthe face of the enthusiastic tasters? Well, it's the event that allows us toselect compelling, unusual but very real wines for our wine lists.
In an ideal world, we would all like to cherry-pickthe best, pay handsomely and fairly for the fruit of the producers' labours andmake out clients swoon with the finest and most expensive wines - in the realworld however we often struggle to put thrilling and authentic wines on ourlist for less money and this is exactly where the Dirty Dozen tasting deliversand excites.
So while there was noshortage of top-dollar wines (in every sense), here is my pick of favourites inthe crucial value-bracket of £7-£12 - wines that make your list "step outof the ordinary" (thanks Heather Small).
Vine Trail
2009 Gilbert Chanudet Fleurie ‘La Madone' (£12.45) This is bottled loveliness:perfumed, pure wild raspberry of such prettiness and sophistication, a winethat will seduce anyone.
2010 Gilles Berlioz Chignin, Savoie (£9.10) a fragrant Alpinewhite, scented with pear and flower meadows, light but textured this is awonderful and unusual food wine.