Events: Trinity 2013

Bottles Bacchus are very excited to have some fantastic wine producers and wine merchants coming to speak to the Society this term. We hope that you will be able to join us to discover, learn about and enjoy some exceptional wines.

See below for more details and to book your place at some of our events. (Booking opens seven days in advance. Please cancel your place if you cannot attend a tasting for which you have booked a place.)

Details

Umamu

Thursday 1st Week (25th April)

"Inspired by balance and contentment", Umamu have been producing wines in Australia's cool-climate Margaret River region since the 1980s. Their viticultural techniques emphasise equilibrium and co-existence within the vineyard ecosystem. However, as importantly, their wines reflect this focus on balance and careful production. Umamu produces the classic Aussie varieties. However, these are wines with elegance and finesse, a far-cry from the over-oaked, over-alcoholic wines which have compromised Australia's reputation among some consumers.

Tonight, importer Jerome Harlington will lead us through Umamu's full selection.

30 places available. £5 for members, £10 for guests. 6.30pm for 7.00pm start, Saskatchewan Room, Exeter College.

Umamu Estate

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Alves de Sousa

Friday 2nd Week (3rd May)

The Alves De Sousa family have been likened both to "pioneers of the Old West" and "Latin revolutionaries". If this image isn't enough to convince you to come out on a Friday in Trinity, I can testify from personal experience that we will be tasting fantastic wines from an exciting and innovative producer.

Most Portuguese producers develop a reputation for either fortified or table wines. Through their five Quintas, the family have been able to produce both styles without compromising the quality of either. Their ports are rich and complex whilst their Portuguese table wines demonstrate persistence and elegance.

Tonight we host Tiago Alves de Sousa, a member of the 4th generation of the family who will guide us through the variety of styles on offer. This is not to be missed!

40 places available. £5 for members, £10 for guests. 6.30pm for 7.00pm start, Vernon Harcourt Room, St. Hilda's College.

Alves De Sousa

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Mondavi

Tuesday 3rd Week (7th May)

The late Robert Mondavi is rightly seen as a pioneer in the New World Wine Revolution. Mondavi was an early proponent of the modern marketing techniques which helped embed the wines of Napa Valley (and beyond) into the consumer consciousness. Perhaps most notably, Mondavi's wine were some of the first to use varietal labelling (now standard in much of the New World and beyond.) If that wasn't enough Mondavi also developed several lines of wine (from the premium to the inexpensive) and was involved in the foundation of the now world-famous Opus One Winery. His wines continue to set the benchmark for Californian wines at all price points.

Tonight, we will taste a selection of wines from the Mondavi lines, and trust me, it's going to good. Expect, complex Cabernet Sauvignon, persistent pinots and a few other surprises. Existing California fans should be excited. For those of you who saw "Sideways" but didn't get what all the fuss was about, this will show you that California is about far more than pink zinfandel.

40 places available. £5 for members, £10 for guests. 6.30pm for 7.00pm start, Saskatchewan Room, Exeter College.

Mondavi

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Laurent Perrier - POSTPONED UNTIL WEEK 6

Laurent Perrier

This event is now postponed to week 6

They probably need no introduction and you probably need little convincing to attend our only champagne tasting of the term.

Founded in 1812, Laurent Perrier has established a reputation which places it amongst the foremost Champagne Houses. Tonight we will taste a range of champagnes, united in their reputation for "richness and longevity".

This will be a very special tasting with places expected to sell out very quickly!

40 places available. £10 for members, £15 for guests. 6.30pm for 7.00pm start, Vernon Harcourt Room, St. Hilda's College.

Laurent Perrier

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Montes with Robin Kinahan

Tuesday 5th week (21st May)

Upon its foundation, Montes aimed to "help Chile refocus on quality wine". By most accounts, their produce hasn't disappointed.

Their "Alpha M" Bordeaux blend was described as the first ever "Super Chilean" and subsequent luxury labels won high acclaim. However, as importantly, Montes' everyday wines have consistently ranked among the finest which Chile has to offer.

Tonight we are privileged to be hosting Robin Kinahan MW. One of only a select few to have gained the wine world's highest accolade, Robin is especially qualified to lead us through these wines. Some of the best wines in the business presented by one of the best wine tasters in the business. What more could you ask for?

30 places available. £5 for members, £10 for guests. 6.30pm for 7.00pm start, Larkin Room, St. John's College.

Montes Wines

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New York Wines with Quentin Sadler MW

Monday 6th Week (27th May)

It may attach its name to everything from skylines to pizzas, from taxis to bagels. Our TVs are littered with images of it, and artists from Frank Sinatra to Alicia Keyes have sang to it. However, we could at least assure ourselves that the Big Apple brand would never be a big player in the world of wine. However, as much it might pain you to hear it, we were wrong. New York is fast laying claim to being one of the top emerging wine regions and its produce is pretty damn good.

With a cool, maritime climate, New York state produces light, elegant and sophisticated wines with a particular emphasis upon the Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Riesling grapes. These are intriguing wines with a familiar but yet somehow unique style. Most importantly they are seriously tasty. Not easy to come by on the UK market, this is a special opportunity to taste some truly exciting wines.

One MW in a term wasn't enough , so we had to bring in a second. Tonight, Quentin Sadler, a leader wine writer, critic and educator will present a selection of New York wines. Once again, this will be a fantastic opportunity to learn from one of the best tasters in the business.

30 places available. £5 for members, £10 for guests. 6.30pm for 7.00pm start, Saskatchewan Room, Exeter College.

New York wines

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Zenato

Thursday 7th Week (6th June)

Think Italian wine, what springs to mind? Chianti in wicker baskets? Bland Pinot Grigio? Luxurious but unaffordable Brunellos and Barolos? Odds are that it isn't the Valpolicella region.

This is a great shame as producers in the region have, for several decades been making exciting wines in varied styles at a variety of price points. These have ranged from fruity and approachable table wines to the demanding Amarone style.

Since its 1960 foundation, the Zenato wineries have developed a reputation for consistent excellence with their produce regularly decorated in international wine awards. For newcomers to Valpolicella this should serve as an excellent introduction to the region; for existing fans, these wines are some of the best the region has to offer.

30 places available. £5 for members, £10 for guests. 6.30pm for 7.00pm start, Larkin Room, St. John's College.

Zenato

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Grand Cru

8th Week - date TBC

Grand Cru!

30 places available. £15 for members, £25 for guests. 6.30pm for 7.00pm start, venue TBC.

Bacchus Homepage

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Calendar import

You can now import Bacchus events into your calendar. To do that, simply subscribe to our calendar using one of the following links. Once subscribed, this calendar will be updated with new events each term, so you only need to do this once. Each calendar event contains a short desription of the tasting, along with the room where it is located, so this is a great way to remember about our events and their locations without checking your emails or our website.

The events in the calendar come with reminders three days ahead of each tasting. You can disable these when subscribing to the calendar. You can also disable them at a later date in your subscription options.

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Photos of events

View photos of previous tastings and events on our alumni page.
If you have any photographs of events to submit please email web@oxforduniversitywinesociety.com.

Events: Trinity 2013

Details

Photos of events

Earlier Termcards