Small, Medium and Large in Napa Valley

Look no further than the Napa Valley if you want to see an example of wine tourism at its finest. This corner of California is a well-oiled machine of tasting rooms, tourist accommodation and world-class restaurants. The French Laundry, Thomas Keller’s temple of fine dining, is located here, as are cult wineries Harlan Estate and Screaming Eagle. But you should discard any notion you may have of an intimate tête-à-tête with folksy winemakers. Throngs of people pack the tasting rooms, and even though I was there on a weekday there was still a fair bit of traffic along the main thoroughfare, Highway 29. The Silverado Trail, a smaller road that runs parallel to Highway 29, was similarly congested, if not more so. The winery tours are well-managed however, with generous pourings and a relaxed vibe.

Wine of the Month - July 2017

If you're looking for a crisp, flavoursome white at an affordable price point, then this is the wine for you. Grüner Veltliner is Austria's vinous gift to the world, a grape that takes to the unique loess soil like a fish to water. Usually unoaked, Grüner is capable of aging well when yields are restricted. The producer Gruber Röschitz is based in the Weinvertel region and is run by three siblings. A combination of warm days and cool nights produce wines of finesse and balance.

Wine: Gruber Röschitz Reipersberg Grüner Veltliner 2015

Tasting note: This wine comes from a single, south-facing terraced vineyard and is matured in stainless steel. It opens clean as a whistle, with unadulterated flavours of pear, grilled nuts and the signature white pepper so typical of Grüner Veltliner. The palate is fresh and vivacious while showing a lovely rounded texture. A clear sense of place to this groovy bottle.

Distributor: Ampelia Fine Wines

Languedoc Greatness

Producer: Mas de Daumas Gassac

This week I tasted a Cabernet blend from the 1982 vintage that was in perfect condition and showing all of the weathered complexity that only age can deliver. It’s like looking into a careworn face and appreciating every crease the years have bestowed. From that statement you may be tempted to guess that it was a great Bordeaux, perhaps even a first growth, but this wine was in fact made in the humble Languedoc region in the south of France. Narrowing down the producer is an easier task. There is only one that makes such long-lived Cabernet – Mas de Daumas Gassac, sometimes referred to as the Grand Cru of the Languedoc.