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Hot off the press: The Cape’s Top 20 Wineries
The Mail & Guardian Online has just published a list of the Cape’s Top 20 Wineries, as compiled by South African wine writer Tim James, here. Tim first undertook the exercise in 2001. The list is based on a poll of selected wine writers, sommeliers and retailers, this year, myself included. I am so not [...]
Continue reading...A visit with Quinta de Maritávora, the Douro Superior
Posted Wednesday 4th April 2012
My first report following my March visit to the Douro Superior (here) focused on Duorum, who have planted one of a rash of new vineyards on the elevated reaches of the Douro river’s left bank between the river Côa and Spanish border. Quinta de Maritávora, on the other hand, was established around 1860 by Joseph [...]
Continue reading...April Wines of the Month: Anselmo Mendes Muros Antigos Alvarinho 2009 & Raats Granite Blocks Cabernet Franc 2010
Posted Monday 2nd April 2012
Regular readers know that Alvarinho from the Vinho Verde sub-region of Monção e Melgaço absolutely floats my boat. So I was in heaven last month visiting the region, especially tasting several verticals of Alvarinho guru Anselmo Mendes’ wines (to be reported). They ought to be much better known over here and, good news, I’ve tracked down [...]
Continue reading...Why me & you should be quicker off the mark! A Portuguese success story
Posted Saturday 31st March 2012
I just finished writing my blog post, a heads up on a Portuguese wine offer from The Wine Society – last job, insert the link to said offer. And what do I find? It’s sold out within a week!!! Annoying but heartening too – Portugal can deliver plenty of bang for buck and The Wine [...]
Continue reading...Centre-Loire: a fine vertical of Sancerre – 2005-1996
Posted Friday 30th March 2012
Monday’s Centre-Loire tasting included a fine display of confidence – a vertical of ten wines dating back to 1996. Confidence well placed as it turned out. Following up on Wednesday’s Centre-Loire blog focused on Sauvignon and silex, below are my highlights from the vertical. And for a bang up-to-date take on the 2011 vintage in [...]
Continue reading...The Wine Detective investigates Silex & Sauvignon: gunflint city?
Posted Wednesday 28th March 2012
On Monday Benoît Roumet was in town to host a tasting of white, rosé and red wines from the Central Loire (Sancerre, Pouilly Fumé, Menetou-Salon, Quincy, Reuilly and Coteaux du Giennois) – the whole shooting match! I was immediately drawn to the themed tables, focused on Sauvignons from silex soils and a Sauvignon vertical – 2005, [...]
Continue reading...Thoughtful Australian wines on a (after the) budget
Posted Monday 26th March 2012
In rather timely fashion, last week I presented a tasting themed Australian wines for around a tenner. Hardly wine on a shoestring given the UK average spend is £4.85 but, for members of wine societies who are prepared to spend significantly more on a bottle of wine than most, the budget’s duty escalator is taking its [...]
Continue reading...Highlights from The Swartland Revolution’s Independent Street Party
Posted Friday 23rd March 2012
Last week I filed my copy for a Decanter feature focused on Cape Chenin Blanc. It reminded me that, though I’ve reported on the wines made by the poster boys and girls of the Swartland Revolution (with the honourable exception of Callie Louw of Porseleinberg, Porcelain Mountain, which has yet to release its first wine), [...]
Continue reading...A focus on granite Part Two: the Granite Belt, Queensland
Posted Wednesday 21st March 2012
Granite is an acidic, well drained soil which seems to imbue wines with lovely freshness and lift. Fruit is juicy, well-defined and intense and the wines food friendly – right up my street! In my first report on wines from granite soils (here), I focused on Portugal’s Dão region. Today’s report is about the inimitably Australian [...]
Continue reading...Caught on film: field grafting at Quinta da Leda, the Douro Superior
Posted Monday 19th March 2012
A visit to Quinta da Leda provided the opportunity to witness field grafting a vine first hand. This is what happened next – a protective collar to protect the tender new bud sticks. Why do it? Field grafting enables a producer to switch grape variety without having to replant. By replacing only the top, fruit-bearing [...]
Continue reading...The Wine Detective & the Granite Belt on ABC TV
Posted Sunday 18th March 2012
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to snoop around wine regions, Australia’s national broadcaster, ABC, filmed me during two days in the Granite Belt, Queensland. Today’s edition of Pip Courtney’s show, Landline (here), brilliantly captures what I get up to, as well as the passionate people behind the wines. You can read all about it later [...]
Continue reading...Taste first with your nose & mouth, not your eyes: two remarkable, and remarkably different, Cape Chenins
Posted Friday 16th March 2012
So says Craig Hawkins whose Testalonga El Bandito Cortez Chenin Blanc 2009 from Swartland, South Africa, is the wine on the left. Its colour bears more resemblance to a 2003 vintage of another great Cape Chenin I recently enjoyed – Jean Daneel Signature Chenin Blanc 2003 (it’s the current 2010 vintage pictured on the right). Hawkins says “people [...]
Continue reading...A visit with Duorum, plus a great fish dish for Douro reds: Arroz com Polvo
Posted Wednesday 14th March 2012
I knew that the Douro was having unseasonal weather, but it really sank in last week when, each morning, I awoke to sunny blue skies and, in the heat of the day, temperatures hit the mid-twenties (10-15 degrees centigrade is more typical). Nights, of course, are another matter in this mountainous region. Distinctly chilly. [...]
Continue reading...Fleetingly, Ferrari-ingly tasted: Penfolds 2012 Bin Releases, including the 50th Bin 389
Posted Tuesday 13th March 2012
Never before have I attended a tasting where Ferrari drivers were advised to catch a taxi home….As they say, there’s a first time for everything. It goes without saying that the addressees were not the journos, but rather Penfolds’ loyal customers at whom last night’s launch of their 2012 Bin Series was principally aimed. Wanton flashiness? Certainly Penfolds [...]
Continue reading...Smart buy: Raats Granite Blocks Cabernet Franc 2010
Posted Monday 12th March 2012
Bruwer Raats has always focused on Loire varieties Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc, about which he’s passionate. We’ve judged together at Fontevraud in the Loire a couple of times, once memorably topped off with lunch at La Licorne. Splashing out, we bought a transporting (heavenwards) bottle of spice-kissed, super fine tannined Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny which made its mark on us [...]
Continue reading...Iconic Portugal: Barca Velha 1982 & 2000, plus Sandeman 1955 Vintage Port
Posted Thursday 8th March 2012
I’ve been in Portugal since Sunday. First in Monção e Melgaço, Vinho Verde’s northernmost sub-region, which is the epicentre of Alvarinho. Since Tuesday, focused on the Douro Superior, the region’s easternmost sub-region. The pace has been fast and furious and, though I’ve been tasting some brilliant wines and snapping pics hither and thither, I’ve only managed to post a few tweets [...]
Continue reading...Swiss wine: Collection Chandra Kurt Heida 2010
Posted Wednesday 7th March 2012
I attended a tasting of Swiss wine writer Chandra Kurt’s wines last year, reported here, and recently enjoyed tasting the follow up (2010) vintage of one of my stand outs, made from the Heida variety (Savagnin Blanc). It seemed richer than the 2009. If you can imagine it, a Swiss wine which is an Alsace [...]
Continue reading...Penfold’s Peter Gago scoops The Institute of Masters of Wine / The Drinks Business Winemaker’s Winemaker Award
Posted Tuesday 6th March 2012
It’s been a fine old week for awards – Charles Metcalfe’s Comendador do Ordem do Mérito Empresarial, Paul Symington’s Decanter Man of the Year and, yesterday, Australia’s Peter Gago, Penfolds Chief Winemaker, was awarded the Institute of Masters of Wine / The Drinks Business Winemaker’s Winemaker Award. The award honours a winemaker respected and admired by their [...]
Continue reading...Spot the difference: Laithwaites Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Cuvée Speciale Champagne 2004 -v- South Ridge Cuvée Merret 2008 English Sparkling wine
Posted Monday 5th March 2012
The best thing about wine tasting is comparing and contrasting styles and vintages. Not something most of us do when drinking socially, as much as anything because we only have one bottle on the go at once! On Friday, a couple of friends indulged me on a spot (indeed taste) the difference challenge – Champagne [...]
Continue reading...Celebrating winning Decanter Man of the Year 2012 Paul Symington style
Posted Sunday 4th March 2012
I only caught up with this news about Paul Symington yesterday on a journey to return a pair of shoes, which turned into an unexpectedly productive jaunt to Around Wine (another story). And great news it is. I promptly emailed my congratulations to the Port and Douro wine producer and grower who, typically, replied just [...]
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Posted Thursday 5th April 2012
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