Cloudburst is a really interesting and slightly controversial wine project in Margaret River. Interesting? Because the wines are so good. Controversial? Because of high prices, despite the lack of any…
Wakefield The Pioneer Shiraz and The Visionary Cabernet Sauvignon
Wakefield, known in Australia as Taylors, are a leading Clare Valley producer, and they have recently begun making two very high-end wines: The Pioneer Shiraz and The Visionary Cabernet Sauvignon….
Washington State wine, day 1
So, the first full day of my adventures on the Washington Wine route has ended. I’m travelling with a jolly band – Richard Hemming, Treve Ring and Kate Sweet, and…
Penfolds Bin 707 1993
This is a wine I bought back in the 1990s from a UK supermarket for around £16 (it was on offer). How times have changed! Current releases are super-expensive. This…
Lunch at Mission E2 with some nice Californian wines
On Thursday I had lunch at one of London’s most exciting new wine destinations: Mission E2, the second venue from Sager & Wilde. It’s a beautiful space in a nicely…
More new California highlights
So, as promised, some more highlights from Tuesday’s New California tasting. Matthiasson Napa White 2012 Napa Valley, California A curious blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Ribolla Gialla, Semillon and Tocai Friulano…
Gandolini 3 Marias, a brilliant Cabernet Sauvignon from Maipo, Chile
Stefano Gandolini’s winery focuses solely on Cabernet Sauvignon from the Maipo Valley. This wine was new to me: nicely packaged, in a big heavy bottle, it made me a little…
Two great own-label wines from Fortnum & Mason – Franken and Margaret River
You have to love the way Fortnum & Mason get the world’s greatest wine producers to make their own-label wines. Here are two such examples, which we drunk yesterday afternoon…
Wakefield (Taylors) The Visionary Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Back in 1969, Bill Taylor bought 440 acres of land on the banks of the Wakefield River, near Auburn in the Clare valley. At this time, the Australian wine industry…