The Wine Society Exhibition Range in Retrospect

Tasted Tuesday, January 1, 2002 - Friday, May 4, 2012 by honest bob with 623 views

Introduction

What a mixed bag this is. The Wine Society was such a point of reference of my childhood - my parents ordered all their "special bottles" from Stevenage, and sometimes we children were allowed a sip - that I was quite excited when my mother gave me a member's share certificate as a present at the ripe old age of 40-something. The Society hypes its "Exhibition" range really hard to its members, and I have succumbed on a dozen occasions. A few bottles were up to expectations, but the majority were a distinct let-down. Here I have collected my TNs for the range, as much to remind myself that there were indeed a couple of good bottles amidst the dross as for any other reason...

Flight 1 (14 Notes)

  • 2005 J.L. Chave Sélection Hermitage The Wine Society's Exhibition Hermitage Blanc 89 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    (5/13/2011)

    Aromatically closed down tight, but the fat, oily, sumo-wrestler palate laced with orange-blossom and lemon-oil compensated for the lack of scent. At best after 2 hours, when a touch of orange-blossom perfume finally made its way up front. 89P

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  • 2005 J.L. Chave Sélection Hermitage The Wine Society's Exhibition Hermitage Blanc 87 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    (7/2/2010)

    Aromatics: floral, humid summer night fragrance, pleasant but hardly exciting. Taste: fat, oily, old oak; some freshness and acidity. Very good foil for loup de mer and celeriac, but bland on its own. Short-to-medium finish. Strangely reminicent of Pavillon Blanc 2002 and a Prager Grüner Veltliner Smaragd - all three were like fat girls in tight bikinis. Either you like this style, or... I imagine that Chave's high-end Hermitage Blanc is in a completely different league, and that this is very much the second label offering. Did I really pay 40 € retail for this bottle? 87P

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  • 2007 Josmeyer Riesling Wine Society Exhibition 79 Points

    France, Alsace

    (11/28/2010)

    A miserable showing for the usually at least basically reliable Wine Society Exhibition brand label. Flabby sweet vaguely floral smell; flabby sweetish watery taste, like eating rather unripe table grapes from a Dutch glasshouse, out of season. Odd note of Muscat. Dead-in-the-glass cloying finish. If this ever had acid balance, it died at least a year ago; this bears no relation to fine, racy Alsace riesling from the likes of Hugel or Trimbach. Like some of the worst examples of sweetish riesling from minor producers tasted au chai in Alsace in 2008. Avoid. 79P

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  • 2009 Kumeu River Chardonnay The Society's Exhibition 89 Points

    New Zealand, North Island, Auckland, Kumeu

    (12/22/2010)

    Popped and poured, which was a mistake. This either needs decanting or holding for 1-2 years. Aromatically very restrained; pure restrained and quite mineral taste with very French-classic oak treatment, something like a weighty mix of Puligny and Corton Charlemagne. I would not have guessed this as a New World wine. 89P(?)

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  • 2007 Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec The Wine Society's Exhibition Argentine Malbec 86 Points

    Argentina, Mendoza

    (4/24/2010)

    Purple colour, like slightly diluted beetroot juice. Not very expressive or deep; all the following attributes are immediate, shallow and matter of fact: blackberry scent and fruit, persistent hefty dry tannins are not really integrated (even drunk with lamb stew!) Short hot alcoholic finish. 86P

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  • 2007 Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec The Wine Society's Exhibition Argentine Malbec 89 Points

    Argentina, Mendoza

    (11/25/2010)

    Dramatic, concentrated, ink-like purple colour. Intense ripe blackcurrant scent, mutates to blackberry on palate. Sturdy but supple teeth-staining tannins. Finish a bit short and dry. 8 months maturation since the last, rather closed, bottle has helped this turn into a lovely wine (even better on day 2). Stylistically reminiscent of Petalos de Bierzo, but more juicy. 94% malbec, 5% cabernet franc, 1% bonarda. 89P.

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  • 2007 Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec The Wine Society's Exhibition Argentine Malbec 85 Points

    Argentina, Mendoza

    (3/4/2011)

    Last bottle: not as good as the previous one. Stale and old-tasting (yet only 5 months since last time); the furry tannins now unmatched by any generosity of fruit on the palate. Another acceptable but disappointing Wine Society Exhibition product - this used to be a reliable brand, but I have had too many feeble and overpriced bottles from the range in the last 9 months to make me want to try buying more in the future. Drink up. 85P(-)

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  • 2007 Fattoria Poggiopiano Chianti Classico The Society's Exhibition Chianti Classico 83 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

    (3/3/2011)

    Another overpriced and underflavoured Wine Society Exhibition selection. Feeble scent with an odd but not unpleassant whiff of white lilly perfume; skinny and slightly oxidised taste lacking sweetness, guts and grip; very short, brusque finish. Given the competition in this price range, this is a mediocre offering. Day 1: 84P(+), day 2 - nothing left but a winey carapace. Drink up, fast. 84P(-)

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  • 2009 The Wine Society Pinot Noir The Society's Exhibition Craggy Range Central Otago 84 Points

    New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Central Otago

    (8/29/2011)

    Yet another "Exhibition" bottling from the once almost infallible Wine Society which seems misjudged to me. Most positively this might be described as a kind of Volnay for beginners. It is pale, rather light-bodied, has an appetising red fruit-cherry aroma; a slightly green note on the diluted entry and a shortish, not quite pure finish. It isn't badly made. But when I think what excellent NZ PNs I have had at this price point, starting for example with the (slightly cheaper) entry-level Marks & Spencers wines, which display a genuine NZ pinot exuberance of fruit, I am reminded of the impression I have had time and again with the Exhibition range - that it too often provides otherwise good producers with a chance to get rid of their unsuccessful lots. The Wine Society does its august reputation a disservice, I think, by selling such wines as prestige bottlings. Screwcap, 75cl. (83-)84P

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  • 2009 The Wine Society Pinot Noir The Society's Exhibition Craggy Range Central Otago 83 Points

    New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Central Otago

    (10/1/2011)

    Another very disappointing bottle. This tastes stale, thin and very tired, and looks slightly brown for its age. Of course, so does most Burgundy at this price point, but why a reputable NZ producer like Craggy Range is trying to emulate the worst characteristics of a mediocre négociant Volnay or Beaune is beyond my comprehension. 82-83P

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  • 2009 The Wine Society Pinot Noir The Society's Exhibition Craggy Range Central Otago 82 Points

    New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Central Otago

    (5/4/2012)

    Going... going... not quite gone yet. Each successive bottle of this stuff is more rustic, prematurely brown and slightly cardboardy than the previous one. A pinot noir most reminiscent of a moderately successful French regional production from an unblessed terroir. Where is the exuberence, youth or shine of NZ? 82P

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  • 2009 The Wine Society Pinot Noir The Society's Exhibition Craggy Range Martinborough 88 Points

    New Zealand, North Island, Wairarapa, Martinborough

    (12/1/2011)

    After consuming several bottles of the disappointing Wine Society Exhibition Central Otago PN 2009 my expectations were not high for this wine. But Craggy Range deliver a quality product. Red-fruit Pinot scent with very appealing earthiness, light sweet flowery entry (like a young, atypically heavy Volnay from a ripe year?), slightly mealy floury tannins on the mid-palate, on which the earthiness returns, and a persistent finish with good acidity. The 14,5% alc are amazingly well hidden. (87-)88P

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  • 2006 The Wine Society Hermitage The Society's Exhibition 84 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    (4/22/2012)

    From 75cl, impeccable cork closure. Decanted 90 minutes. Yet another mediocre-to-acceptable wine bottled under the supposedly prestige "Exhibition" label of the once-august Wine Society. This decent basic syrah tasted best straight out of the cellar at 13C, popped and poured. (I was reminded of Hugh Johnson's remark that Hermitage was once used to beef up top Bordeaux - the cedar scent and robust tannins reminded me of a decent, too-young Pauillac). Alas this promise was not fulfilled once the wine warmed up to room temperature. Not a lot on the nose (OK, it is a dark red wine, and it did smell accordingly like dark red wine raised in newish oak casks). Pure blackberry entry, slightly furry tannins on mid-palate; shortish finish. And that's it, folks. A very dubious "value"at 33 GBP and another nail in the coffin of the increasingly dubious "Exhibition" range. I have one bottle left, and shall leave it 3 years in hope of a miracle. 84P(?)

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  • 2007 The Wine Society The Society's Exhibition Sauternes 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

    (12/23/2010)

    This is a bottling of Chateau Cantegril, Barsac. Darker, more golden than I'd expect for such a young wine. Gorgeous scent giving a hint of the fresh, almost mineral acidity to follow. Not overpoweringly sweet on palate, but a lovely rounded flavour of buttery maple syrup and lemon juice. Long honey/maple syrup finish. Amazingly balanced and presentable for a Barsac barely a year out of cask. Will surely keep, but I would drink this young to enjoy its buzz. 90P

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