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Next tasting - Friday 12th June

  • 4 days ago

Southern English Wines - Dan Farrell-Wright - Wickhams



The next Grand Union Wine Society tasting will be of Southern English Wines, presented by Dan Farrell-Wright, the director of Wickhams Wine Merchant.


This tasting will be on Friday the 12th of June.


Dan has presented wines to us a couple of times before. His tastings have been a great success, and I am sure that you will enjoy this next one. 


Wickhams is based in Exeter, and Dan has an intimate knowledge of his local wines of course. He has an extensive list of wines from the south of England, including many that have propelled English wine to become so well respected in recent years. The shared geology of southern England and northern France, together with the warming weather, has led to a burgeoning set of English vineyards. While the transfer of winemaking knowledge and ownership from longer-established regions has accelerated the recognition of these wines. 


I hope you will take this opportunity to get an update on the quality of the wines of southern England, supporting a growing national endeavour in the process. 


Please make your payments by the usual method, as described in the attachment, by June 7th. 


As always, it is most helpful if you are able to make your payments promptly. 


I look forward to seeing you on the 12th. 


Cheers - Julian


PS - I want to remind you that the following Grand Union tasting, with Dan Ruell of Mentzendorff and Thierry Berger of Domaine Chanson in Burgundy, will take place on the unusual date of Thursday July 2nd. This should be a spectacular tasting, please mark your diaries. 








What we tasted in May 2026

  • May 10

Evington's Favourites - Oliver March



On the 8th of May we welcomed back Oliver March of Evingtion's Wine Merchants. Evington's are celebrating their 100th anniversary this year, as our Society is celebrating it's 40th. We decided to push the boat out and have a celebratory tasting. Olly chose some of his favourite wines.


We had a Viognier from next to Condrieu, which opened beautifully in the glass; a superb and very long white southern French blend from Mendoza; an aged and rich Alsatian Pinot Gris; and a really wonderful Tasmanian Chardonnay. The Beaune de Château had a fabulous nose; the Rioja reserva is a tiny production, but was everything you want a Rioja to be; the Gigondas had sweet fruit and power; while the Amarone was delicious although surprisingly light and dry. What a pleasure it was.


The wines tasted were:

  1. Yves Cuilleron, Les Vignes d'à Côtes, 2024. Collines Rhodaniennes, France. Viognier

  2. Alma Gemela White Field Blend, Onofri, 2023. Mendoza, Argentina. Marsanne, Roussanne, Chardonnay

  3. Domaine Christophe Mittnacht, Terres d'étoiles, Grand Cru Rosacker, 2019. Alsace, France. Pinot Gris

  4. Dalrymple, Piper's River, 2021. Tasmania, Australia. Chardonnay

  5. Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils, Beaune de Château premiere cru, 2022. Burgundy, France. Pinot Noir

  6. Miguel Merino, Reserva, 2019. Rioja Alta, Spain. Tempranillo, ...

  7. Domaine Brunier/Lynch, Les Pallieres, Terrasse du Diable, 2020. Gigondas, France. Grenace, Mouvèdre, Clairette

  8. Cantine Lenotti, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, 2018. Valpolicalla, Italy. Corvina, Rondiella, Oselata




Next tasting - Friday 8th May

  • May 7

Favourite Wines of Evington's



This month we will welcome back Oliver March of Evington's Wine Merchants. Having taken over from his father a few years ago, Olly has established himself as pillar of the local wine community. This month Evington's are celebrating their 100th anniversary.


I do hope that you are aware of Olly’s good taste, inherited from his father perhaps, from both his tastings at the Grand Union and also in his wonderful shop. He has put together a selection of some of his most favourite wines for us to try. In recognition of our two anniversaries, a more generous budget than normal has been made available. 


Olly said:


"At Evington's we not only share the local area, members and customers with the GUWS, but a great love of discovering and sampling new and exciting wines. As we celebrate our 100th year and the GUWS celebrates its 40th, I've put together a list which I hope will continue to excite and satisfy this journey of discovery. It's a privilege to have such a large group of enthusiasts with which to share these milestones in both our organisation's history."


Olly’s tastings are always a great pleasure, I do hope that you will be able to attend. Do feel free to invite your friends as guests too. 







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