In support of The Morning Star Children’s Centre in Welkom, South Africa, founding supporters Bill Muddyman and Linda Gardiner, with the help of Hallgarten’s Daniel O’Keefe have together raised a staggering £15,000 at a recent Charity Wine Dinner at The Hare and Hounds pub in Claygate, Surrey.

The theme of the dinner, A Taste of Viognier, saw eight different Viogniers from around the world paired throughout the evening.

Why Viognier I hear you ask? Viognier is a passion of Bill’s – having tried to persuade the Provence AOC to accept Viognier as part of their official wine varieties while developing the vineyard at Chateau de Berne in Provence.

 

The evening’s Viogniers went as follows:

Pre-Dinner guided tasting & canapés:

Chateau de Campuget 1753 Viognier, Costières de Nimes, 2015

Chateau de Berne, 2012

Metal Label White Viognier, Berton Vineyard, South Australia 2015

Starter

Saint Clair Viognier, Saint Clair, Hawkes Bay 2015

Lobster Bisque  with parmesan croutons and crème fraiche

Fish course

Limited Release Viognier, Swartland Winery, 2015

Goan Fish curry

Meat course

Côte Rôtie ‘Blonde du Seigneur’, Domaine Georges Vernay, Rhône Valley 2013

Gressingham duck leg confit with sautéed potatoes, tender stem broccoli and orange sauce

Dessert

Viognier PGI Epanomi, Domaine Gerovassiliou, Macedonia 2015

Vanilla panna cotta, plum compote

 

The evening was followed by an auction, with all proceeds to The Morning Star Children’s Charity, accompanied by:

Condrieu ‘Terrasses de L’Empire’, Domaine Georges Vernay, Rhône Valley 2014