Salut! To Betco
Guests enjoyed six great evenings of wine tastings last week, a result of the Jamaica Observer series of Salut! events. Bin 26 Wine bar located at Devon House played host to a number of the wine importers who collectively poured some 40 different wines and Champagnes for the over 400 guests.
You do not have to be a wine expert to enjoy a wine tasting experience, I often hear the comment “I am not really a wine connoisseur, so I am not sure that I should come to something like that…,”but if you are remotely interested in learning about wines, then wine-tasting sessions like these are exactly what you need. Salut! afforded many the opportunity to taste a wide range of wines, discover the type of wine they liked and to learn about the product all at the same time.
Betco Premier Limited was our wine partner last Wednesday and they poured wines from three producers, each from a different continent, each offering really great value for money.
Freixenet (pronounced “fresh-eh-net”) from Spain, best known for its “black bottle bubbly” Cordon Negro, is today the best-selling and one of the world’s most recognisable sparkling wines. The company’s annual holiday commercial is one of Spain’s most anticipated television events. Each year, this Cava company taps into a world-famous celebrity to be the face of its much-anticipated Christmas TV commercial. Shakira became the face in 2010 while other celebrities who have appeared in Freixenet’s Christmas sparkling wine include Antonio Banderas, Sharon Stone, Demi Moore, and Kim Basinger.
The Little Penguin wines hail from Australia and are a crowd favourite wherever they are poured. Four varietals are available in Jamaica: Chardonnay, Merlot, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. If you want a cheerful, value-priced, approachable wine to enjoy, then the Little Penguin wines are for you. Another wine fitting that description was also poured for guests to enjoy – Beringer California Collection.
Beringer is from California, USA. It is Napa Valley’s oldest continuously operating winery, and it describes this collection thus: “Our Light and Refreshing wines are carefully handcrafted to deliver the outstanding quality and rich flavours that are hallmarks of the Beringer winemaking team. This collection offers a wonderful array of smooth and refreshing wines, and each wine has a youthful exuberance that appeals to anyone looking for an easy-drinking wine that pairs well with a variety of foods”. Beringer has partnered with a leading Jamaican resort and has bottled four wines exclusively for Sandals: the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Pinot Grigio. The favourites from this line were the red and white Moscato.
Beringer Moscato Red California
This innovative blend is the perfect harmony of Moscato, Zinfandel and Petite Sirah. It brings together the vivid aromas and flavours of the Moscato grape with the classic red berry characteristics of Zinfandel and ripe black cherry flavours of Petite Sirah.
Beringer Moscato White California
This carefully crafted wine offers immediately pleasing peach-scented and honeysuckle aromas with fresh, sweet flavours of juicy stone fruit, honeydew melon, Fuji apple and ripe pears. It is beautifully balanced with crisp acidity and a clean finish.