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Summer Newsletter July 2023
Dear Members We concluded the first half of the year with an excellent tasting hosted by Andrew & Kathy Johnson at the delightful setting of Puerto Blanco in Calpe attended by 51 members and guests. Their sommelier Alex presented some interesting wines which were paired with the food offering. Many members have commented on what an excellent evening this was. Our thanks go to Andrew & Kathy and of course Puerto Blanco Restaurant for a superb evening. For the full tasting report please click here. In July and August there will be no tastings, but I am sure everyone will be enjoying excellent wines wherever they are, probably with an emphasis on whites and…
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Tasting June 2023
CBWS Tasting held on 15/06/2023 at Restaurante Puerto Blanco and attended by 52 members and guests President Tim welcomed 52 members and guests and introduced Kathy and Andrew Johnson, members of the Tasting Team who organised the evening. Andrew then thanked Chef Patron Patrick for the additional reception drink and explained that Patrick with Head Sommelier Alexander had produced a fabulous pairing menu for the night, with 5 wines, each partnering a gourmet dish. Terrer de la Creu Brut Nature €5.95 The first wine was a cava, paired with a wonderful, rich Foie Gras Martini mousse.The wine is made of 3 typical grape varieties – Macabeo, Parellada and Xarello. A long aged Cava handmade using the traditional…
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Tasting May 2023
CBWS Tasting held on 18/05/2023 at Les Rotas, Denia and attended by 50 members and guests presented by Paul and Helen Nicholls This tasting from Marqués de Riscal bodega of excellent standing, the most prodigious in Spain, their wine is ubiquitous and well respected in Spain and the world. In 2022 voted the 2nd best winery in the world. José Antonio Garcia area manager, with Rafael Ruiz Isla a wine educator. The order of the wines somewhat different, white wine served with the main course, suggested by Bodegas Aguilar. MARQUES DE RISCAL VERDEJO 2022 €8.35 Bright, straw yellow colour. As you would expect from the Verdejo variety, this wine shows high aromatic intensity on the nose, with…
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Newsletter June 2023
Dear Members May was an active month for CBWS firstly with the Wine Trip to DO’s Calatayud and Campo de Borja on May 9 and followed by our Monthly wine tasting at Hotel MR, Denia on May 18. A total of 38 members participated on The Wine Trip with 10 people joining us for their first Wine Trip experience, which they all enjoyed. We visited 5 bodegas, all with a different business model, and also a cultural visit to the outstanding Monasterio de Piedra. Please see photos and read the full report on the Trip by clicking here At our May meeting a total of 50 members and guests enjoyed an…
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Tasting April 2023
CBWS Tasting held on 20/04/2023 The Food and Lounge Bar in Denia Marina and attended by 51 members and guests This wine tasting was designed to pair 5 small food dishes to 5 specific wines. As a result of the positive feedback we received last year when hosting a similar format, at this same venue, we decided to repeat this style once again, but with different wines and food pairings. The evening was prepared and presented by Gordon and Caryl Sellars Again in response to some members feedback, we presented lighter wines and they comprised 3 whites, a red and an interesting sherry to accompany the desert course. Raimat Chardonnay…
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Past Presidents
Year Name 1992 – 1993 Anton Massell 1994 Peter Baker 1995 Gunter Vahldieck 1996 Ferdinand Welter 1997 Sandra Bond 1998 Antonio Jimenez Clar 1999 Roger Massart 2000 Heinz Fischbacher 2001 Anton Massel 2002 Roger Massart 2003 Tim Ladd 2004 Rod Anderson 2005 Gaby Ferenczy 2006 Tim Ladd 2007 Gaby Ferenczy 2008-2009 Tim Fawle 2010 Rod Anderson 2011 Steve Collins 2012 Keith Pacey 2013 Andrew Johnson 2014 Gordon Sellars 2015 Tim Fawle 2016-2017 John Sloggie 2018 Paul Nicholls 2019 Maureen Holliday 2020-2023 Tim Fawle 2024- Neville Richardson
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Wine Trip May 2022
CBWS October Wine Trip May 2022 DO Montsant We first visited the DO of Montsant in 2009 and discovered some excellent wines growing in stunningly beautiful scenery. Montsant is the youngest DO in Spain having been founded in 2001. It was carved out of the DO of Tarragona and is in a horseshoe shape and almost totally surrounds the DO of Priorat. It produces high quality wines, mostly reds, with wines approaching the quality of Priorat, but at slightly lower prices. In the last 20 years this region has really developed with new, progressive bodegas and now consists of over 60 bodegas in the DO. 45% of the wine produced is exported to…
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Trip Report May 2023
DO Calatayud and Borja May 2023 It is 12 years since we last visited Calatayud and the Wine Society has never organized a visit to Campo de Borja. Calatayud is a city in Aragón, some 90 kms west of Zaragoza and the second largest city in the Province. The city was founded on the site of a Celt-Iberian settlement by the Romans but the modern town was founded by the Moors around the Ayyub castle around 716 AD. The name Calatayud comes from the Arabic Qal’at ‘Ayyub – Ayyub’s Fort. The cultivation of vines in this region goes back to the second century BC. During the Muslim occupation wine production was ceased but began again…
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Wine Trips since 2000
Year DO Bodegas Visited Other visits 2024 Autumn DO Yecla and DO Jumilla CastanoDelampaLuzon Deortega Olive Oils 2024 Do Costers del Segre Clos MontblancLagraveraRaimatCastell de RemeiVinya Els Vilars Balaguer town 2023 DO Calatayud & Camo de Borja San AlejandroAragonesasBorsaoBrecaRaices Monasteria de Piedra 2022 DO Montsant Joan D’AngueraCeller MasroigJosep Grau (tasted wines over lunch)Mas de l’AbundanciaBodega Acustic Lead Mine 2021 No trip (COVID) 2020 Planned trip to Mallorca cancelled (COVID19) 2019 Autumn DO Utiel Requena MustiguilloPago de Tharsys Vera de Estenas Rio Jucar boat trip 2019 DO Somantano Anadas (Care) (en route)AlodiaSommosViñas del VeroLalanne Alquezar VillageDO Regulador 2018 DO Rueda and Toro Viñas El Regajal, DO Madrid (en route)Hermanos del VilarMocénRejadoradaTeso la…