Hotel du Vin - Summer of Pinot Tasting‏

A tasting of Pinots of various colours at Cambridge Hotel du Vin

I've always had a soft spot for Hotel du Vin; it's the sort of place that makes you feel a bit more sophisticated just by being there.

It had been too long since my last proper visit, so I went to their Summer Of Pinot tasting; the wines had been arranged in flights to highlight the differences between terroirs and were served with canapes.

Fizz

Prosecco pale, light, refreshing, crisp and elegant - an aperitif

Cremant d'Alsace mostly Pinot Blanc; 6m on lees, sandy yellow, fuller, weightier, very fresh - match with light canapes

Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris

Lageder Pinot Blanc (Sudtirol) aromatic, floral and mineral; pure and precise with an alpine freshness. Very elegant.

Biecher Pinot Blanc (Alsace) honeysuckle, ripe orchard fruit and sweet spice; weightier, waxier and more substantial.

Biecher Pinot Gris (Alsace) yellower, full and hedonistic with citrussy tropical fruit and lychees. Lively, adept and assured.

Pinot Noir

Les Nuages (Loire) juicy, crunchy red fruits with a touch of spice - a light, fresh Pinot with excellent underpinnings

La Crema (Monterrey) 6m in oak; an all-you-can-eat Pinot with a heavy American accent; dark plum fruit with a toasty-oaky nose and a thwack of alcohol; ripe, sweet and substantial.

My top wines were the minerally Lageder Pinot Blanc and the ripe, adept Biecher Pinot Gris.

Other related articles
Gosset Champagne Dinner at Hotel Du Vin Cambridge
Cheese Masterclass at Cambridge Hotel du Vin
Ramon Bilbao Dinner at Cambridge Hotel du Vin
Noval Dinner at Cambridge Hotel du Vin
Farmers' Market at Cambridge Hotel du Vin
Cigar Dinner‏ at Cambridge's Hotel du Vin
‏