The Wine Society previewed a series of fine wines from Australia in its press tasting yesterday (1 October), following its recent regional focus on Spain. 

As part of the Society’s aim to make fine wines more accessible, the sparkling option – Dr. Edge’s Tamar Valley Tasmanian Brut Nature NV – was priced at £24. 

Meanwhile, The Ripetide (2025), a Semillon-Viognier-Roussanne from the Barossa Valley’s Forage-Supply Co, was priced at £14.95; 1850 Ancestor Vine (2020), a 100% Semillon from Cirillo in the Barossa Valley, at £26; and 1850 Ancestor Vine (2018), a 100% Grenache, also from Cirillo, at £44. 

Pierre Mansour, director of wine, told Drinks Retailing that the Society had received a positive response to the fine wine focus, especially among a younger generation, who he believes are especially interested. 

“The younger generation are more excited about quality. They want to get under the skin of the story, and they’re prepared to pay for quality, and that’s really exciting from a fine wine perspective,” he explained. 

They also, Mansour added, want to drink fine wines in ordinary settings and are largely uninterested in the pomp usually associated with the category. This is a general trend that The Wine Society is noticing. 

Increasingly, “the environment in which people are drinking fine wine is in more normal everyday situations,” he explained. For example, “two weeks ago we did an event with some top Champagne houses but in the East End of London with fried chicken.” 

The demographic at these events – which lean more inclusive than traditional ones, where acting and dressing a certain way is expected – is new and drawing in a wider variety of people, Mansour said. This, he added, can only be positive. 

New wines 

Elsewhere, the theme of fresh perspectives continued with plenty of wines from lesser-known producers and countries present at the tasting. 

“One of the amazing things about The Wine Society is that our members are so adventurous, and they trust us,” said Mansour, pointing to options from Poland, Turkey and Armenia, scattered among the classics. 

“They are what I’d call the window dressing, all quite interesting and quirky,” he added. 

A sparkling option – Keush’s Origins Brut NV – from Armenia was one of these. Created from two indigenous grapes, Voskehat and Khatouni, it spends 22 months on lees, resulting in a brioche-like yeasty taste. 

Also focusing on indigenous varieties, Ayağıbüyük (2023) from Yaban Kolektif in Turkey is produced with 100% Sungurlu – a white grape that almost became extinct. 

Polish producer Kamil Barczentewicz, meanwhile, stuck to more classic varieties with its Chardonnay Beton (2023) and Pinot Noir (2022), alongside Dobre Modre (2022), a 100% Blaufränkisch red wine, drawing on a grape variety common in Central Europe. 

The final Armenian offering came in the form of Zulal’s Areni Red Classic (2021), created by winemaker Aimee Keushguerian, who is on a mission to revive Armenia’s indigenous grape varieties. This wine is made of 100% Areni. 

A refreshing tasting, The Wine Society offered an interesting portfolio, as well as a hopeful take on the future of wine.