Taste

Beaujolais Nouveau Day – 16th November 2017

I gave up on Beaujolais Nouveau a long time ago.  I always seem to remember the date though - it's the third Thursday in November - but I don't go out of my way to track down a glass of this style of wine.  Duboeuf and others ruined it for me decades ago and I have yet to feel a pang of regret until Christopher Piper Wines sent me a preview bottle…
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A remarkable tasting of the Domaine Naturaliste portfolio of wines with Bruce Dukes

Domaine Naturaliste, Margaret River, Western Australia with winemaker Bruce Dukes I enjoyed a fascinating tasting with Bruce Dukes the other day.  Agronomist, obsessive, wine geek and highly experienced consultant to several other starry wine brands, Bruce is a font of knowledge and a man with phenomenal taste.  The detail that he goes to in…
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2012 Brunello di Montalcino, Tenute Silvio Nardi, Tuscany, Italy

Every once in a while I taste a Brunello di Montalcino which really hits the spot.  Regular readers will know that I am most sceptical about this grand style of Tuscan red wine.  I abhor over-oaked or hot (in alcohol terms) versions and the dark, sump oil, super-extracted styles upset me greatly, too.  Brunello should have fragrance, tenderness…
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Two fascinating Barossa wineries both with a desire to develop international listings

Barossa Valley - more notes, this time from two new names to me. I always try to taste some new wineries whenever I travel and after visiting some of the well-known estates, I met up with Eperosa and Rojomoma Red Art to see what they had to offer.  As it turned out these two artisan producers make very intriguing wines indeed, so if you are a prospective…
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Two epic wines with Ben Glaetzer – with a world first scoop!

It is always energising spending time with Ben Glaetzer, so I was looking forward to catching up with him after a day's tasting around the Barossa Valley.  When he called me to say that he had two bottles to taste I was even more excited.   I have been a fan of Ben's wines since he gave me a sneak preview of 2004 Godolphin, his incredible The Great…
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A Torbreck World First Preview Tasting with Ian Hongell & Andrew Tierney

Torbreck Tasting at the Winery with Ian Hongell & Andrew Tierney 17th October 2017 I recently spent two days in the Barossa Valley and I visited a number of my 100 Best Australian Wines wineries with a view to tasting new releases.  Little did I realise I would be presented with a fair few world firsts!  After a stunning vineyard tour by Torbreck's…
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Penfolds g3 – a remarkable new wine from Peter Gago

This copy is embargoed until 19th October 2017 Penfolds g3 - tasted with winemaker Peter Gago on 13th September 2017 Penfolds has released a special wine blended from three Grange vintages spanning seven years, named Penfolds g3.  A Penfolds first, the vintages of 2008, 2012 and 2014 (a vintage of Grange which will be globally released in 2018),…
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A new identity for Billecart-Salmon and the launch of the 2006 Cuvées Louis & Nicolas François

Billecart-Salmon Launch of the new 2006 Cuvées Louis & Nicolas François and the new branding identity across the range - The Ritz, London with Antoine Rolland-Billecart First some super little facts from Antoine's brilliant presentation.  300 ha vines under their control. They own around 15ha themselves. 2.5m bottles. They want to maintain…
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Craggy Range Prestige Collection releases with winemaker Matt Stafford

Craggy Range new releases with winemaker Matt Stafford 2017 Te Muna Road Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Martinborough - Lovely stoney fruit, picked before the rain, and while there were serious cyclone issues the rain was mainly confined to the hills.  This is a bracing, lean and raspy wine with rather slender pineapple-y fruit and masses of crunch.…
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2015 Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois tasting in London

2015 Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois Tasting in Carlton House Terrace - September 2017 I attended this tasting with a singular task in mind.  To taste as many wines as I could (150+) in order to find a few gems which were balanced, classically dimensioned, age-worthy but fruit-driven, harmonious, which sang of the great 2015 vintage and also which were available…
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The Penfolds Collection 2017 – first impressions

The Penfolds Collection 2017 tasted with Peter Gago 13th September 2017 Embargoed until 5th October 2017 Of note this year - the bottles are all new with the Bin numbers indented into a deeper punt.  This is a mightily impressive detail! As always my notes were taken on an iPad, typed at speed.  They are first impressions, not edited re-writes. …
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33rd Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction exceeds expectations – breaking news

Here is a news item on the Auction held last Saturday, which I trailed last week with my picks of the lots to bid on. MSJ Diversity and innovative winemaking reaped rich rewards at the 33rd Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction at Spier in the Stellenbosch Winelands over the weekend, with total sales exceeding R13,2 million and a new record price…
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