Morrisons Cellar Wine Tasting

Wine heaven, that's where I was recently when I was invited to a wine tasting evening with Morrisons Cellar. The supermarket Morrisons has a very wide and extensive range of wines in store and on-line.

They have devised a unique system to help the consumer find the right wine with the help of a short questionnaire.  They ask three simple questions 1) What is your favourite hot drink, 2) Do you prefer 'no-added sugar' or regular soft drinks and 3) Do you like salt. Based upon your answers you are put into one of four categories: Sweet, Fresh, Smooth and Intense.

This system helps the consumer look in the appropriate area and they will be more certain to find wines that they like.

I was told I was Smooth category and intensity no 9 so I would propably like some of the no 8 and some of the no 10 but mostly the 9s.  There were four tables full of the appropriate wines and we were then talked through as many as we wanted to try. (There was the spitton available so you didn't end up well oiled after the first couple of tastings - shame though!)

Smooth Selection

My favourite in the Smooth selection was a red from France, Savigny-Les-Beaune 1er Crus Les Marconnets 750 ml with a RRP of £15.99. This was a modern-style Burgundy full of flavour and would be a winner with a juicy steak!

Fresh Selection

There were several in the Fresh section that I liked, mostly the whites but my favourite was a French Badassiere Picpoul de Pinet. This wine is drunk in the South of France by the bottle full and is perfect for fresh seafood and shell fish. It had a clean fresh finish and you could almost tast the sunshine and the sea! It has a RRP of only £7.99 a ABV 13% and is available on-line.  Think I will be stocking up on this one ready for our wonderful summer!!

Each table had appropriate canapes for us to try and help get an idea of food pairing.

Some of the Sweet selection

Although I do like a dry white or a full bodied red I also like a sweet wine with dessert or for an appetiser.  Most people forgoe the sweet wine with the pudding preferring to stay drinking the same wine as with the meal but they are truly missing something.  Sweet wines complement the sweet course perfectly and they also make a delightful aperitif if chilled and served in small wine glasses.  I particularly liked the Torres Floralis Moscatel Oro (500ml) from Spain and it was in an unusually pretty bottle (the one on the right in the photo above). This wine retails at £7.99.

Sweet wines can be a particular bargain and worth stocking up for the wine rack when you see them.  This wine is available on-line and in store. I will be popping out for some this weekend for sure!!

Some of the canapes that go with the Sweet group

These sorts of events are not just for loads of free drinks. Each time I attend an event like this I learn something about what I like in wine and what to look for. This gives me more confidence when I am in the wine departments and lessens the chance of buying something I don't like.

Thanks again to Morrisons Cellar for the evening, the wine and the education.

Oh yes and the science bit!