Who’s ready for a wine adventure in France? I think I’d be the first to rise up and raise my glass to that with a chirpy “oui!” Although we can’t visit in real life right now, we can do so virtually.
I spiced up a Friday night with a Rhône Valley virtual wine tasting from the comfort of my flat with Humble Grape.
A letterbox wine tasting kit was delivered by mail in advance of the tasting and it was filled with tasting materials and four 100ml wine samples (two whites & two reds) that included:
Domaine Du Séminaire, Seguines Blanc, 2019, Côtes du Rhône, France. It’s a refreshing and fruit forward wine that’s unoaked. The following grape varieties are featured: Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Marsanne, and Viognier.
Château Gigognan Viognier, 2018, Côtes du Rhône, France. It has exceptional aromatic complexity with delicate notes of honeysuckle, apricot, quince, spice and toasted hazelnuts.
Domaine La Ligière “Les Bergines”, 2017, Gigondas AOC, Rhône, France. It features powerful fruit, a sneaky hint of spice and a gentle tannic hug at the end. Grape varieties featured: 70% Grenache and 30% Mourvèdre.
Château Gigognan, Bois Des Moines, 2016, Côtes du Rhône, France. It’s half Châteauneuf-du-Pape, organic, and made by the “Best Oenologist in the World.” Grape varieties featured: Grenache and Mourvèdre.
I received a Zoom link 48 hours before the event and Personal Wine Specialist, Nico educated us about the region’s history and how it’s divided into two regions — Northern Rhône and the Southern Rhône. Each region is distinctly different with its own unique geographies, climates, soils, and grape varieties.
The two most celebrated Syrah-based wines in Northern Rhône are Hermitage and Côte Rôtie. The king of Southern Rhône is Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a French wine appellation known for its bold Grenache-based red blends. The name means “pope’s new castle,” and refers to a time when the seat of the Roman Catholic Church was in Avignon (between 1309–1377).
The virtual tasting was a fun experience where I got to socialize with fellow wine enthusiasts, learn about a wine region I didn’t know much about, and drink from the comfort of my own flat. The experience was quite enjoyable – so much so that I look forward to taking part in future Humble Grape virtual tastings (they take place a couple times a month).
If you’re not familiar with Humble Grape, it’s team directly imports over 400 sustainable wines straight from boutique wineries around the world to fill the shelves of its five London based wine shop-bar-kitchens in Battersea, Islington, Canary Wharf, Fleet Street, and Liverpool Street. Also, they sell online to Mainland UK.
Be sure to give Humble Grape a go!