Some excellent wines yesterday for Christmas Day with family. I’m going to write up the highlights in two posts. The wines deserve it. First, three whites, all of which exceeded expectations….
Millton Chenin Blanc Te Arai Vineyard 2013 Gisborne, New Zealand
I’m quite a fan of James and Annie Millton’s wines. I’ve visited them twice in Gisborne, once in 2008 and then again in 2013. It’s a pretty place, and for…
Some nice wines from Sivervis, Swartland, South Africa
I met up with Ryan Mostert (above right) and Michael Roets (above left) to drink wine. Ryan was until recently assistant winemaker at Reyneke, and with his partner Sam recently…
Two lovely Loire Chenins
These were two wines I enjoyed at the IPNC Grand Dinner, sandwiched between Pascaline Lepeltier and Rajat Parr. Totally brilliant examples of Chenin Blanc from the Loire. Quite different in…
Consider Chenin
For the last couple of days I have been judging the Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge, held at Klein Zalze in Stellenbosch. 126 different wines were entered, and…
Off to South Africa again
So this evening I am flying to South Africa again. Just for a few days this time. And I’m going while it’s winter there, which is bad planning. There’s nothing…
A rarity, a Portuguese Chenin Blanc
I enjoyed this: it’s the first time I’ve had a Portuguese Chenin Blanc. Now Portugal is blessed with a wide array of its own varieties, so you might ask why…
Chenin Blanc in South Africa, a short film with some leading wine growers
Here’s the second of my short films from Cape Wine. This time I quiz some of South Africa’s leading wine growers about Chenin Blanc in South Africa. They have some…
Cape Wine 2012, day 2, the Chenin conference
Up bright and early on Monday morning to head into Cape Town for the Chenin Blanc Association conference. Chenin is a super grape and South Africa has half of the…