Two visits that wee hours, before I headed to the airport. The first was at Bergstrom wines, with the impressive Josh Bergstrom who is working his own vineyards biodynamically. I was particularly impressed with his Riesling, which is wittily named ‘Dr Bergstrom’ - all precise, linear and minerally w…

When I manufacture out “Rombauer” I think Chardonnay. foolish me; I have never even given them a shot at a red wine so my wife picked that up for me on a trip to California. I opened it last night with a gorgeous, thick boneless rib-eye on the grill.The wine is Cherry red on the pour with big frui…

Okay what is up with S. African red wine? that is getting ridiculous. Either they have a whopping Brettanomyces problem ( a yeast contaminant that makes wine unpleasant with flavors/aromas likened to, wet animals, barnyard odors, band-aids and host of other yucky things no one wants to smell, or t…

I grabbed that bottle made from the Cannonau grape thinking I was trying a “new grape” only to find out it is another name for the Garnacha or Grenache grape. Oh well, it was a decent wine made on the island of Sardinia.It pours like a Pinot Noir with a light–even pale cherry hue but it doesn’t sm…

One of the most striking facets of that trip has been how nice the society are here. Yes, I know when you are press visiting wineries, citizens are usually showing you their best face, but beyond that, I’ve been struck by a genuine warmth, and plus the sense of camaraderie that exists amidst the gr…

Some brief notes from the road. Day 3, Oregon. Started off at Beaux Freres winery, with Mike Etzel. It was a really educational visit. Mike has two hillside vineyards, hidden away among woodland - indeed, most of his property is wooded, and it’s quite beautiful. The vineyards are farmed biodynamical…

Woke up early at King Estate to a gorgeous summer’s day and a beautiful view. After some coffee, a pastry and a vanilla bean yoghurt I drove up to the winery to taste with winemaker Lindsay Kampff, who was brilliant in dealing with my geeky techno-head questions. The wines were good too, and like ma…

The IPNC finished at noon, and I hit the road. I had a bit of a scare as I packed: I couldn’t find my good buddy Garmin anywhere. thereupon I realized that in my jet-lagged state on Friday I must have left him at the hotel reception desk. So I asked whether anyone had handed in a Sat Nav. Blank sta…

This Napa wine was a gift from friends and is barely colored at all. It has s distinct bouquet which I would have pegged as a Chenin Blanc to be certain. There are big sweet lime aromas on opening with a classic Sauvignon grassiness emerging shortly after uncorking; it is very pretty!In the mouth …

The hottest ticket in McMinnville: the IPNC Salmon Bake, which was held last night (Saturday) in the Linfield College Oak Grove. The wild salmon is baked on Alder stakes by an open fire (pictured), which is a traditional method, and looks pretty spectacular. The salmon is served with a sumptuous buf…