Winemakers Club

The Real Wine Fair of 2016 was dominated by Les Caves de Pyrene who fielded a very large number of their associates and clients. This was not surprising. They are a well established and energetic company who add wines from all over the world as and when they find them or so it seems.

But there were others and we'd like to salute a newcomer who is also doing a great job; 'Winemakers Club.' Started by a London Solicitor Robin Baum and now run by his son John this is a wine-bar-cum-wine merchant right up our street. The selection is eclectic indeed with bold choices from all over. here are some bottles we picked up there.

Foradori is an illustrious name best known for their Teroldego Rotaliano so an Incrocio Manzoni Bianco was of interest.

Isabelle Legeron, moving spirit of the RAW Wine Fair has become involved in a marvelous initiative to help producers such as our favourite Oszkar Maurer to bring their wines to a wider public. This Kadarka is outstandingly fruity and delicious. Mr. Maurer's situation near the Serbian/Hungarian border means that his access to the EU is sometimes literally blocked by Hungarian border guards keeping him as well as immigrants and refugees out.

Jose Miguel Marquez is the only producer of wine from the Montpilas grape anywhere in the world.

Dino Briglio Nigro, Antonello Canonico and Emilio di Cianni are the world's  only producers of a white wine made from 100% Guardavalle (Calabria).

Continuing with the sole producer and rarest grape variety theme, this is a 100% Medina from our recently discovered Hegy Kalo winery in Hungary (see our Terroir Club post). Medina? A variety unknown either to 'Wine Grapes' or even Galet. There's some Turan in the ancestry and indeed the wine has that unmistakable and to us marvelous black muscat taste. This is a dark rose with Cseres (Cherry) in the name.

Also from Hegy-Kalo was a red Turan/Kekfrankos blend, Oroksegul. We asked John Baum how come he was so interested in Hungarian wines and speaks what sounded like good Hungarian. He explained that he had had a Hungarian girlfriend before she threw him over. A sense of humour is obviously one of his many talents. He serves as a Decanter World Wine Awards judge and has experience in running pubs, being a Sommelier and selling wine to restaurants.

Another favourite from Paris this time was miraculously to be found at Winemaker's Club. More thought-reading than same wavelength it seems.

 Here's the Winmaker's Club team. John and Robin Baum are 2nd and 3rd from the left. We congratulate them and wish them good luck for their excellent enterprise.