Rose Murray Brown Masterclass

🇬🇷 Fascinating focus on Greece’s classic grape Savatiano with from Greece’s oldest & largest region Attica (it has three wine routes near Athens).

From crisp light aperitif styles

…to rich gastronomic leesy

…to oaky versions - and skin contact Savatiano - and then we finished with an interesting discussion about retsina….is it time for a revival?

My favourite Savatianos were &

Focus on Barossa & Eden Valleys last night - with a very diverse selection of 13 wines from Riesling, Semillon, Marianne/Roussanne/Viognier, Grenache, GSMs, Shiraz & Pedro Ximenez.

Favourite white:

Eden Valley Riesling 2017 Powell & Son £28

Favourite reds:

Barossa Valley: Grenache 2022 £27.50

Barossa Valley: Old Quarter GSM VV 2019 £55

Eden Valley: Loechel Shiraz 2016 Powell & Son £98 ***STAR BOTTLE***

Fortified:

Barossa Valley: Legacy of Barossa XO Pedro Ximenez £17.50

Big thanks to our superb tasters!

Cabernet Franc grape around the world - from nine different countries - the favourites were from France (Loire obvs), Hungary, South Africa & Italy:

France: St Nicolas de Bourgueil Les Malgagnes Amphore 2019 Yannick Amirault £32.95 Lea & Sandeman

Hungary: Trinitas Villanyi Franc 2016 Heumann Wines £29 Wanderlust Wines

South Africa: Cabernet Franc 2021 Damascene £39 Lea & Sandeman

South Africa: Breton Cabernet Franc 2022 Lukas Van Loggerenberg £29 The Wine Society

Italy: Paleo 2019 Le Macchiole £99 L&S

Big thanks to our superb tasters - it was fascinating to see the different styles from one grape across the world - and to see which were popular.

For further tastings & fine wine dinners in Edinburgh see www.rosemurraybrown.com

🍇 Cabernet Franc varietals around the world - a fun comparative tasting from 9 different countries. It was so interesting to see the many different expressions across the world of the same grape.

Cab Franc can show great freshness at higher alcohol - so will surely be an important grape in the future.

Clear favourites were from France (Loire - obvs), Hungary, South Africa & Italy.

FRANCE:
St Nicolas de Bourgueil Les Malgagnes Amphore 2019 Yannick Amirault .amirault £32.95

HUNGARY:
La Trinita Villanyi Franc 2016 £29

SOUTH AFRICA:
Cabernet Franc 2021 Damascene £39.95

Breton Cabernet Franc 2022 £29

ITALY:
Paleo 2019 Le Macchiole £99

Big thanks to our superb tasters - it was fascinating to see which wines appealed.

Full house for my masterclass on Rioja 100km of Diversity for in in Edinburgh.

We sampled six wines including fizz, white, rosado & reds from different producers across Rioja’s three subzones - and discussed Rioja’s 14 grapes & its challenges ahead.

Big thanks to all who joined & Rioja Wine for organising - it was a fun tasting.

SPARKLING
Alta: Lumen Reserva 2020 Bodegas Bilbainas £13.85

WHITE
Alavesa: Vina Muri Blanco 2020 £28

ROSE
Oriental: Ortega Ezquerro Rosado 2023 £13.50

RED
Oriental: El Sueno de Amado Garnacha Crianza 2019 Bodegas Illurce £30

Alta: Tahon Teserva 2018 £26

Alta: Prada Aeneas Gran Reserva 2016 £70 & more

Most popular wine was the Prado Enea - and best value El Sueno de Amado Garnacha Crianza 2019.

Full house for my Rioja Wine Masterclass on 100km of Diversity at The Balmoral, a Rocco Forte Hotel in Edinburgh. We sampled six wines : sparkling, white, rose & reds from across Rioja's three subzones, discussed Rioja's fourteen grapes & future challenges.

Alta: Lumen Reserva 2020 Bodegas Bilbainas £13.85

Alavesa: Vina Muriel Blanco 2020 Bodegas Muriel £28

Oriental: Ortega Ezquerro Rosado 2023 Bodegas Ortega Ezquerro £13.50 Jeroboams Wine Merchant

Oriental: El Sueno de Amado Garnacha Crianza 2019 Bodegas llurce £30

Alta: Tahon Reserva 2018 Bodegas Tobelos £26

Alta: Prado Enea Gran Reserva 2016 Bodegas Muga £79

Favourite wine was Muga's Prado Enea GR - and best value wine was El Sueno de Amado Garnacha 2019.

Big thanks to all who attended - it was fun!

It’s all Greek to me - a tasting of 13 wines from Greece’s mainland & its many islands showing the amazing diversity & potential of this dynamic + historic wine country.

Very popular with our St Andrews tasters - who chose the following as their favourites:

Sparkling: Cuvee Speciale Xinomavro 2022 £26

White: Mantinia Moschofilero 2022 £19.50

White: Single Vineyard Malagousia 2023 £20 .wine

White: Ovilos Semillon/Assyrtiko 2022 £31-£33 .wine .wines

Red: Grand Cuvee Nemea 2014 £29 Epinoia

Red: Earth & Sky Xinomavro 2018 .vineyards £24

Sweet: Samos Nectar 2016 £23.50-£28 for 50cl BT

Jura Ten Years On - my review of Wink Lorch's new book on this remarkable wine region:
https://rosemurraybrown.com/jura-ten-years-on/

Last visit of the day to who has the most beautiful tractor shed in the Tokaj region. An interesting discussion about the variety of Tokaji Aszu styles amongst different wineries in the region - the Disznoko wines have more citric notes & freshness, compared to others with a slightly richer style.

are available

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Peter Molnar of showing the old & new way of making Tokaj - followed by a delicious lunch prepared by with some unusual food pairings: pork belly & Tokaji Aszu 5 putts - butter cream pastry, lemon ice cream & Tokaji Aszu 6 putts

Thank you Peter for a great welcome!

wines available & Fine Wine Co Portobello

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Zoltan Demeter on fine form this morning discussing everything from philosophy to dulos, Cabernet franc (from Eger) to orange wine & of course how to make top class Tokaj sparkling wines.

Thank you Zoltan & Anett for a very memorable visit.

wines are imported into the UK by Mark Savage MW of Savage Selections.

One of the pics shows Zoltan aged 2 years old - his father made a special puttonyos wooden backpack for him when he was 6. A man born in the vineyards of Tokaj!

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Our last visit of the day was one of the best in Tokaj wine region hosted by Istvan Szepsy Jnr.

Fascinating discussion from forests, rocks, clones, single vineyards to the future of the region - with an amazing range of wines.

range is available in the UK

Szepsy also sells their old barrels to Scotland for whisky finishing with

Thank you Istvan for all your insights & for hosting us in the busy harvest month.

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Denes Szarka of is a busy man - not only does he make wonderful sparkling, dry Furmint & sweet Tokajis in Mad village - he also runs the excellent

Thank you Denes for hosting my group for a delicious lunch in a superb setting.

wines are available in the UK

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Visiting the boutique Tokaj winery in the village of Mad - in an enchanting old mansion. Great to meet winemakers Adam Toth - and also Vivien Ujvari who came by for a chat even though she was on maternity leave!

Gergely gave an excellent tasting of their range of dry Furmints, late harvest, Szamorodni & Tokaji Aszu - available in the UK

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First visit in Tokaj wine region - with setting the scene as the sunset - followed by dinner cooked by matching dishes with dry Furmint & Tokaji Aszu.

Thank you for a great welcome to the region

wines are available from in the uk.

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Serious thought here as our Bikaver blending competition begins - teams had to create the best Bikaver blend from 4 varietals (Kekfrankos, Kadarka, Cab Sauv & Pinot Noir). All very good entries, but judges were unanimous that the winning team was Satan’s Moon.

Tibor Gal .titi of the historic in Eger wine region gave us an excellent introduction to his wines & how to make the best Bikaver.

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🇭🇺 Brisk walk around Eger town this morning - followed by visit to in Eger wine region in north-eastern Hungary - hosted by founder’s son Gyorgy Lorincz Jnr - footballer-turned-viticulturist/winemaker who supports L’pool 🏈 pictured here with his mum & brother.

Wine style is slightly different to others in Eger as they pick later (up to 3 weeks later) & ripeness is to the fore. Premium wine Agape 2018 was impressive.

Hope to see their wines in the UK again soon.

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Epic lunch today at Takler in Szekszard wine region - with the whole Takler family out in force including Fetenc Snr, Ferenc Jnr & Andras - more football discussed than wine - but it was fun 🤩

Thank you to the whole Takler family

Takler’s wines available from