Jun 30, 2011
I recently had the chance to share a bottle of the 2008 Doyenne Aix from Washington producer DeLille Cellars. It’s marketed as a Provence-style blend, comprising 61% Syrah, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Mourvèdre and 1% Cinsault. The wine is big and bold but is not over the top. The tannins are not too aggressive, making the wine approachable. The Syrah brings a whack of dark fruit and cedary spice and...
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DeLille Cellars Doyenne Aix 2008
Jun 30, 2011
Yesterday was the London leg of the Wines of South Africa Wine Workshop tour, held at Vinopolis. The event was split into four sessions, one of which was titled Can South Africa do Reds? I’d like to think that it is generally accepted that SA can, even though a lot has been written about whether the country’s white wines are in fact the real stars of the show at the moment. But with most red...
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WOSA workshop: Can South Africa do Reds?
Mar 28, 2011
I had the opportunity to taste two wines from the well known Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars at a recent tasting event. I have not tasted as many American wines as I would have liked to so I grabbed the the chance to give a sniff and swirl to a few from such a renowned producer. I started with the 2007 Artemis Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Now if my preconceptions of what Napa Valley Cabernet should...
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Contrasting Cabernets from Stag’s Leap
Jan 15, 2011
Porcupine Ridge is the second label from Franschhoek based Boekenhoutskloof. Marc Kent is the winemaker at the helm and his memorably named The Chocolate Block has developed something of a cult following. The Porcupine Ridge series is the producer’s value range; positioned in supermarkets and made in a broadly approachable style. The packaging is a sophisticated take on a critter label and honours...
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Porcupine Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
