London: the grand, verging on pompous setting of the Great Hall of the Institute of Civil Engineers for tasting organized by The Wine Society. Over 350 Wine Society members are here to taste wines from 26 producers including Tollot-Beaut (Burgundy), Rolly Gassmann (Alsace), Alfred Gratien (Champagne) Wirra Wirra (Australia), Chateau Musar (Lebanon), Catena (Argentina) and Sonho Lusitano (i.e. me) representing Portugal with Pedra Basta 2005. The wine shows well and I receive plenty of good feedback from members who have enjoyed it and return for a second tasting. Like all the other producers in the room, I hope that the tasting converts into sales.
Date
2018
2005
Scoring
19 - 20 An outstanding wine (*****)
17 – 18 An excellent wine in its class, highly recommended (****)
15 - 16 A good wine, with much to recommend it (***)
13 - 14 An enjoyable but simple, straightforward wine (**)
10 – 12 A very ordinary wine without faults but with no great merit (*)
8 - 10 Disagreeable (no stars)
Below 8 Faulty