I have always been discouraged at finding good wine bars in London. But since I'll be leaving London for awhile, I think it's appropriate to collate a list of the wine bars that I do enjoy and respect.
Gordon's Wine Bar - famed for being the oldest wine bar in London, Gordon's has ambiance (underground brick cellar), good wines and always a packed crowd. It's centrally located between Embankment and Charing Cross and a great place to meet someone for a first date where the guy might be a dud, but the wine will make up for it!
Cork & Bottle - Surprisingly located in touristy Leicester square, the Cork & Bottle even more surprisingly is down a spiral staircase next to a sex shop. It doesn't offer a full menu of food, but does have tasty selections of cheeses and other nibbles. The wines-by-the-glass menu is posted on chalkboards around the main bar and it always provides a range of classics and interesting wines to try. The wines by the bottle menu is geographically organised and has a fantastic variety of wines. This is a great place for 2-4 people, especially if you can get the nook under the curved brick-cellar style ceiling. Because of it's convenient location, I've often stopped in after a show and usually can get a table. It's very cosy, so great for the winter months to settle in with a bottle and good conversation with friends.
Vinoteca - I love this place. I recently discovered it with a friend in August and have been back three times since then. It's first and foremost a wine bar, with intriguing wines by the glass (such as Navarra Garnacha Rose and Chilean Carmenere). The wines by the bottle list is extensive and affordable and all wines can be purchased to take home since it's a wine shop as well!). Secondly, it's a great restaurant with wine suggestions paired with every course. The ambiance is casual, with wood floors, tables and chairs in a small dining area. Located in Barbican/Farringdon, it's convenient to get to from Farringdon tube and there are several other excellent bars and restaurants in the area for starting or ending the night.
Bedales, Borough Market - Another well-designed wine bar/wine shop, Bedales is centrally located at London Bridge in Borough Market. The wines by the glass list is short but with appropriate selection. The best feature is that you can buy any bottle in the shop and drink it onsite for only 8 GBP more. This is a great value way to try a bottle of red over a cheese or charcuterie plate. There is bar stool seating in the main area, outdoor seating with old barrels as tables and additional seating downstairs, so there is generally room to squeeze a few more people in.
The Providores and Tapa Room - The Tapa Room is a New Zealand wine bar and tapas-style restaurant on ground floor the cozy location on the Marylebone High Street. Although on the pricey side for a meal, it's a great place to try NZ wines and chat and drink over a few tapas as a snack. The venue is very small and does fill up fast, so best to arrive on the early or late side. I haven't tried the first floor restaurant, The Providores, but I reckon that it would be fantastic.
Thursday, 16 October 2008
Spirit tasting
I have so much wine blogging to catch up on, that I thought I'd start with the easy topic. During a recent wine tasting course, we studied and tasted spirits - vodka, rum, gin, cognac, sherry, etc. Throughout the wine topic portions of the course, I had been rather pleased with myself and my previous knowledge gleaned from hands on tasting experience, paying attention to what I drink and lots of wine reading. For instance, I know that a Chablis is actually Chardonnay (duh!), but I had wondered how the course would feel for someone who doesn't know too much about wine to start with. After doing the spirits portion, now I know.
I felt the awe of realising how little I knew about the distillation process or how you could actually make alcohol out of nearly everything it seems (fruit, potatoes, barley, etc). I also realised how little I knew about how vodka differs from gin, for example (very little is seems. Gin isn't much more than flavoured vodka where the predominant flavour must be juniper berries). And then, on the test, I probably got most of the spirit-related questions wrong. I couldn't remember the colour of reposado tequila, or which ingredient was the basis of rum.
All of this on my wine blog is to say that it's true that the more you learn about something, the less you realise you actually know. For now though, I'll stick to the topics I already have a head start on...
I felt the awe of realising how little I knew about the distillation process or how you could actually make alcohol out of nearly everything it seems (fruit, potatoes, barley, etc). I also realised how little I knew about how vodka differs from gin, for example (very little is seems. Gin isn't much more than flavoured vodka where the predominant flavour must be juniper berries). And then, on the test, I probably got most of the spirit-related questions wrong. I couldn't remember the colour of reposado tequila, or which ingredient was the basis of rum.
All of this on my wine blog is to say that it's true that the more you learn about something, the less you realise you actually know. For now though, I'll stick to the topics I already have a head start on...
Wednesday, 30 July 2008
Tasting: Spanish White Wines
I will post about this tasting held on Saturday 19th August, I promise!
Sunday, 13 July 2008
Vinoteca, London
Vinoteca
7 St. John Street
London EC1M 4AA
http://vinoteca.co.uk
Amongst other things, such as finally meeting a virtual friend in person, Saturday provided me with a new appreciation for the "wine bar," a term that is so liberally used that I no longer have faith in Google search results for such labelled places in London or other cities that I travel to. It seems that too many chain pubs or bars somehow think that by simply combining the sale of wine with the venue of a bar, they are allowed to market themselves as such. Tsk tsk.
Before I sing the praises of Vinoteca, where I dined and drank most of Saturday afternoon away, let me propose an illustrative wines-by-the-glass list at an typical establishment which too liberally labels itself as a wine bar.
Whites by the Glass
A wine bar should be an oenophile's heaven, providing an array of varietals, styles and regions (by the glass as well as by the bottle) that will intrigue and challenge any wine lover. It should have some crowd pleasers, such as a recognizable varietals, but also offer palate-provoking variations. This is where Vinoteca wins my approval.
Located on St. John Street in the Islington area of London (just around the corner from Farringdon tube), Vinoteca is a casual wine bar, restaurant and wine merchant. Its wines by the glass list is intriguing enough that my companion and I never felt the need to stray to the bottle list for inspiration.
Tasted:
7 St. John Street
London EC1M 4AA
http://vinoteca.co.uk
Amongst other things, such as finally meeting a virtual friend in person, Saturday provided me with a new appreciation for the "wine bar," a term that is so liberally used that I no longer have faith in Google search results for such labelled places in London or other cities that I travel to. It seems that too many chain pubs or bars somehow think that by simply combining the sale of wine with the venue of a bar, they are allowed to market themselves as such. Tsk tsk.
Before I sing the praises of Vinoteca, where I dined and drank most of Saturday afternoon away, let me propose an illustrative wines-by-the-glass list at an typical establishment which too liberally labels itself as a wine bar.
Whites by the Glass
- Pinot Grigio, vintage and producer name optional
- Silly-named kangaroo-related Australian Chardonnay
- A Sauvignon Blanc from a warm climate region, or a Viognier from a cool climate region
- A token glass of Riesling
- Californian single-varietal, such as a Merlot or Cabernet, by a producer the size of which could flood the Thames with their annual production and at the price 4x what it should be at the bottom shelf of a supermarket.
- French Burgundy at the bottom of the price threshold for that style of wine and surely a name you've heard of before because Tesco had it on sale last week.
- Unnamed Cotes-du-Rhone, from the latest vintage (i.e. barely drinkable yet)
- Token Australian Shiraz
- Spanish Rioja, Argentinian Malbec or Chilean Cabernet for "variety"
A wine bar should be an oenophile's heaven, providing an array of varietals, styles and regions (by the glass as well as by the bottle) that will intrigue and challenge any wine lover. It should have some crowd pleasers, such as a recognizable varietals, but also offer palate-provoking variations. This is where Vinoteca wins my approval.
Located on St. John Street in the Islington area of London (just around the corner from Farringdon tube), Vinoteca is a casual wine bar, restaurant and wine merchant. Its wines by the glass list is intriguing enough that my companion and I never felt the need to stray to the bottle list for inspiration.
Tasted:
- 2007 Arneis, by Coopers Creek, Gisborne, New New Zealand - Aromatic sweetness of a peach, but a bit short on the finish, with a tartness that did start to ease up as the wine breathed. One suggestion is that this wine needs a bit more time in the bottle to grow into its own.
- 2006 Navarra Garnacha Rose 'Artazuri' from Artadi, Spain - Beautiful strawberry colour and nose, with great structure from the Grenache. Strong acidity paired excellently with the the spicy lobster linguine.
- 2004 Cadillac from Chateau Fayau, Bordeaux, France - Sauternes-lite, with all the typical honey and viscosity you'd want in this style wine.
- Salad of Roasted Figs, Creamed Feta, and Pesto
- Lobster, Chilli, Tomato and Parsley Linguine
- Cheese Plate of English Cheeses
A browse through the wine merchant corner of Vinoteca showed a promising selection of over 275 wines. I felt the need to restrain myself from buying anything, not least because I was heading to a music festival and I already have over 50 bottles of wine at home that need to be drunk in the next two months. The selection was tempting...
All the food was excellent, allowing this wine bar to be a place you could settle into for the day, or the evening, or heck, can I just move into a room above the bar?
Well done, Vinoteca. I look forward to when we meet again.
Sunday, 9 March 2008
February's Tasting: California Reds
I don't know where the time has gone, but clearly a month of not posting does not accurately reflect the month of wines I've actually tried, including the California Red Wine Tasting I hosted on 23rd February.
We had a full house of 10 people, which I've determined is the maximum number of guests I can comfortably host with everyone having the basics, like a chair :) To eat, we started with cheese and crackers. With six planned wines to get through, I served an appetizer of marinated beef skewers to go with the first three wines, and a simple but tasty pasta dish with sausage and lots of veggies with the second three wines. A final addition of a Rhone-style blend was added towards the end of the evening.
We drank:
We had a full house of 10 people, which I've determined is the maximum number of guests I can comfortably host with everyone having the basics, like a chair :) To eat, we started with cheese and crackers. With six planned wines to get through, I served an appetizer of marinated beef skewers to go with the first three wines, and a simple but tasty pasta dish with sausage and lots of veggies with the second three wines. A final addition of a Rhone-style blend was added towards the end of the evening.
We drank:
- 2003 Hannah Merlot, Sonoma County ($20)
- 2003 Qupe Syrah Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
- 2004 Bonny Doon Vineyards Carignane "Ancient Vines", Central Coast
- 2003 Pipestone Mourvedre (£15)
- 2003 Zahtila Zinfandel Laura Zahtila, Sonoma, Dry Creek Valley
- 2003 Peju Province Winery Cabernet Sauvingnon, Napa Valley (£15)
- 2003 Bonny Doon Le Cigare Volant (Rhone-style blend), Central Coast
Nearly all the wines were the 2003 vintage, which although purposeful, was probably not noticed by anyone. We weren't trying to do a detailed comparison tasting between the varietals, but it was more demonstrative of "this is what California can produce" and it doesn't hurt that 2003 was a good year. The wine was well-received, and it was such a nice change of pace for me to be able to have an evening of yummy California wines, nearly all carried over from the U.S. in various suitcases over the past year.
Tuesday, 5 February 2008
Paris Restaurant Recommendations
I have a few friends going to Paris this month, so I thought I'd compile my restaurant recommendations here on my wine blog. I'm only recommending restaurants I've actually been to and that I would definitely go back to again. I don't always remember how much things have cost, so I've just categorised them into two medium- and high-priced categories with notes on what I remembered paying (for meals only, not wine). French restaurants consistently have plenty of reasonably-priced wine options, although I've been known to splurge on bottles that cost two to three times the cost of the food....And remember, most places are closed on Sundays!
Haute Cuisine
Haute Cuisine
- L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, 7eme - modern decor, reservations essential and definitely a "creative" menu (6 course menu was around 125 Euro/pp in 2006). Just off Rue de Bac
- Les Bouquinistes, 6eme - a Guy Savoy restaurant right on the Seine with a view of Notre Dame (6 course menu around 75 Euro/pp in 2008 although there are other set menu options for less). Fabulous wine list and great set menu for the prices!
More Moderate Indulgence
- La Robe et Le Palais, 1ere- wine bar and restaurant where the wine list is a rolodex in categories. Great oysters and cheese plate. Closed Sundays (found out the hard way!)
- Fish La Boissonerie, 6eme - Run by the American owner of La Dernier Goutte wine store around the corner, this restaurant has fantastic wines by the glass (and bottle!) and a Mediterranean menu at a very reasonable 36 Euro for 3 courses. All the staff here speak English and French so if you want to escape the dismissive French waiters, give yourself a break here! Open Sundays.
- La Table de Fes, 6eme - Moroccan couscous and tagine, and even some tasty Moroccan red wine! An sweet elderly woman seats you, serves you and tells you to keep eating, which isn't hard to do at this tasty restaurant. It's off the beaten path on a side street, but not too far from Montparnasse. Food and wine will be about 45-50 Euros/pp. Closed Sundays.
- Le Relais de Venise L'Entrecote, 16eme - Just off the Porte Maillot Metro stop, this is a famous Parisian brasserie and for good reason. The menu is simple - everyone gets steak frites with the special sauce in two helpings and it has reasonably priced quality Bordeauxs as well! They are open Sundays, but they don't take any reservations so be prepared to queue outside with the other Parisians until there is a spot for you. Well worth the wait and reasonably priced!
- Le Doudingue, 18eme - Funky little bar/restaurant on a corner street in Montmarte.
- Chez Toinette, 18eme - Excellent bistro fare, cozy and charming. Down a side street but not too far out of the way.
I also recommend restaurants in the side streets of Montmartre (18eme), but not the main squares, and almost everything on/off the Rue de Buci between St Michel and St Germain de Pres, a great little neighborhood street with a lively atmosphere. Please post any additional recommendations!
Le Relais de Venise in London
This is a lesson in why I need to actually write down wine labels when I'm out, even if I do look like the complete dork that I am.
Last night I had the chance to eat at La Relais de Venise L'Entrecote, the London location of the original Parisian brasserie off the Champs-Elysees. Coincidentally, I went to the Paris restaurant with Katie during our recent December weekend trip. Last night, a friend and I chanced upon the London location off the Marylebone High Street as we wandered around looking for somewhere suitable for dinner. The restaurant has a simple menu of salad with walnuts and steak frites with their signature special sauce (served in two helpings!). It also famously does not take reservations and you simply wait in a queue outside until you are eventually ushered in to a tight-spaced table.
We didn't have to wait long to be seated since it was 9pm on a Monday night, and the brevity of the wine list assisted a quick decision to get the second Bordeaux on the menu. Now, here's where my problem starts. I do remember the name of the wine "Blend 55 - Bordeaux" but I can't find it when I google it, and more embarrasingly, I can't remember which varietals the 55 refer to (it being 55%/45% of two different varietals). Being a Bordeaux, the options are either Cab Sav, Cab France, or Merlot, so I'm guessing it was the two cabs?!
The first sip gave me the impression that it was a bit flat (something that too much Merlot might do to it). It had good flavour but maybe not enough tannins. But as I started to drink it with the food, the structure appeared and it was a much friendlier wine, all the more so for the reasonable £16.95 price. It's an easy combination to pair medium-cooked steak with a red cab blend, so the choice was right and I'm just left wondering if the restaurant has it bottled and branded just for their restaurant?...
Last night I had the chance to eat at La Relais de Venise L'Entrecote, the London location of the original Parisian brasserie off the Champs-Elysees. Coincidentally, I went to the Paris restaurant with Katie during our recent December weekend trip. Last night, a friend and I chanced upon the London location off the Marylebone High Street as we wandered around looking for somewhere suitable for dinner. The restaurant has a simple menu of salad with walnuts and steak frites with their signature special sauce (served in two helpings!). It also famously does not take reservations and you simply wait in a queue outside until you are eventually ushered in to a tight-spaced table.
We didn't have to wait long to be seated since it was 9pm on a Monday night, and the brevity of the wine list assisted a quick decision to get the second Bordeaux on the menu. Now, here's where my problem starts. I do remember the name of the wine "Blend 55 - Bordeaux" but I can't find it when I google it, and more embarrasingly, I can't remember which varietals the 55 refer to (it being 55%/45% of two different varietals). Being a Bordeaux, the options are either Cab Sav, Cab France, or Merlot, so I'm guessing it was the two cabs?!
The first sip gave me the impression that it was a bit flat (something that too much Merlot might do to it). It had good flavour but maybe not enough tannins. But as I started to drink it with the food, the structure appeared and it was a much friendlier wine, all the more so for the reasonable £16.95 price. It's an easy combination to pair medium-cooked steak with a red cab blend, so the choice was right and I'm just left wondering if the restaurant has it bottled and branded just for their restaurant?...
Monday, 28 January 2008
Weekend Trip to Champagne in April?
One of the social groups I'm a member of is the London Wine Lovers Meetup Group. A few of the members are currently researching and planning a long weekend trip for April (Thursday night - Sunday night either 3-6 April or 10-13 April) to the Champagne region. Estimated total cost is around £300 (includes Eurostar, other trains, rental car, hotels, meals, etc) but more details to come in early February. If anyone is interested, please let me know and I will keep you updated. I'm planning on going!
Sunday, 20 January 2008
January's Tasting: Pinot Noir
Last night, four of us tasted five different Pinot Noirs. The ostensible objective was to compare New World and Old World style Pinot Noirs. My not-so-secret underlying agenda was to convert a few more people to appreciating American wines, whilst recognising that the styles between New World and Old World will vary.
To start the evening, we enjoyed a light-bodied Alsace Pinot Noir that paired well with the starter of water crackers with goats cheese wrapped in basil and sun-dried tomatoes. Our next taste was a comparison between an Oregon Pinot Noir and a Cote de Nuits Gevrey-Chambertin Burgundy, both from 2004 and around the £20-£30 price point depending on exchange rates and where you buy them. Even though the Gevrey-Chambertin didn't possess as much funkiness or barnyard smell as you might hope from a solid Burgundy, it was appropriately complex and very nice. The Oregonian Belles Souers Pinot fared exceptionally well against the Gevrey-Chambertin; the fruit was bright but not over ripe.
We put the first two wines aside to try a Californian Chalone Pinot Noir against a Vosne-Romanee Burgundy with the main course. I served lamb with a pomegranate relish alongside mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach, both with adequate but restrained amounts of garlic and pepper. This second set of wines didn't match each other exactly for price or vintage, but were still worthy contenders against each other. They were both quite good, and nearly as excellent as the first pair...but maybe that was our taste buds slacking off after a few glasses.
I feel like I cheated a bit with dessert, serving store bought chocolate souffles by Gu, but to be honest, I don't think I could top this brand even if I had made them from scratch. They are excellent. The hot gooey chocolate souffles served with vanilla ice cream continued to go well with the Pinots into the wee hours of the morning...
A summary of the wines tasted is below:
To start the evening, we enjoyed a light-bodied Alsace Pinot Noir that paired well with the starter of water crackers with goats cheese wrapped in basil and sun-dried tomatoes. Our next taste was a comparison between an Oregon Pinot Noir and a Cote de Nuits Gevrey-Chambertin Burgundy, both from 2004 and around the £20-£30 price point depending on exchange rates and where you buy them. Even though the Gevrey-Chambertin didn't possess as much funkiness or barnyard smell as you might hope from a solid Burgundy, it was appropriately complex and very nice. The Oregonian Belles Souers Pinot fared exceptionally well against the Gevrey-Chambertin; the fruit was bright but not over ripe.
We put the first two wines aside to try a Californian Chalone Pinot Noir against a Vosne-Romanee Burgundy with the main course. I served lamb with a pomegranate relish alongside mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach, both with adequate but restrained amounts of garlic and pepper. This second set of wines didn't match each other exactly for price or vintage, but were still worthy contenders against each other. They were both quite good, and nearly as excellent as the first pair...but maybe that was our taste buds slacking off after a few glasses.
I feel like I cheated a bit with dessert, serving store bought chocolate souffles by Gu, but to be honest, I don't think I could top this brand even if I had made them from scratch. They are excellent. The hot gooey chocolate souffles served with vanilla ice cream continued to go well with the Pinots into the wee hours of the morning...
A summary of the wines tasted is below:
- 2004 Cave de Turckheim Pinot Noir
(France, Alsace, Turckheim) - 2004 Beaux-Freres Pinot Noir Belles Soeurs
(USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley) - 2004 Domaine Heresztyn Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes
(France, Burgunday, Cote du Nuits) - 2005 Chalone Estate Pinot Noir
(USA, California, Central Coast) - 2001 Domaine Robert Arnoux Vosne-Romanee
(France, Burgundy, Cote de Nuits, Vosne-Romanee)
Wednesday, 16 January 2008
London Pub Review: The Spotted Horse, Putney
Last night I went out in Putney and attempted to rely on the Internet to choose a suitable casual bar, with food options and a decent wine list. I was quite happy in finding the Web site for Lou Hannah, only to discover once I was on the High Street that it's turned into a different bar with a new name, now focusing on cocktails and very little on wine or beer. Hmf.
We walked down the street searching for an alternate venue and decided to give the Spotted Horse a try. It looked cozy and was crowded enough for a Tuesday night to be promising. Still in the mood for wine, I searched the wines by the glass list and was satisfied by the options, but not overly impressed. The Spotted Horse is a pub in the Young's chain, but it still seemed to retain a certain amount of individuality in the mixed furniture, varied seating options and raised central fireplace. The wine list had the predictable crowd-pleasers such as Pinot Grigio and Crianza Rioja by the glass, but I would say that it was overall better-than-average for a pub wine selection.
I opted to try a glass of Roussanne, a Rhone Valley white varietal because I was a. in the mood for white, and b. pleasantly surprised to see something like Roussanne on the menu even in it's Vin de Pays d'Oc (table wine) version. Unfortunately I was served the dregs of an already open (but suctioned close) bottle with a dash of a newly opened bottle to top up the glass. The scent was surprising, almost funky, maybe herbaceous. I couldn't really tell but I was already worried. It tasted pleasant though, and it was expectedly medium-bodied and dry, so I was happy.
I would definitely go back to the Spotted Horse, even for wine, as they do have a number of interesting wines by the bottle on the medium-sized drinks menu. My only complaint is that the tea lights adorning each table kept burning out and after four attempts to secure candles from other tables (that each snuffed out fairly quickly), I gave up.
We walked down the street searching for an alternate venue and decided to give the Spotted Horse a try. It looked cozy and was crowded enough for a Tuesday night to be promising. Still in the mood for wine, I searched the wines by the glass list and was satisfied by the options, but not overly impressed. The Spotted Horse is a pub in the Young's chain, but it still seemed to retain a certain amount of individuality in the mixed furniture, varied seating options and raised central fireplace. The wine list had the predictable crowd-pleasers such as Pinot Grigio and Crianza Rioja by the glass, but I would say that it was overall better-than-average for a pub wine selection.
I opted to try a glass of Roussanne, a Rhone Valley white varietal because I was a. in the mood for white, and b. pleasantly surprised to see something like Roussanne on the menu even in it's Vin de Pays d'Oc (table wine) version. Unfortunately I was served the dregs of an already open (but suctioned close) bottle with a dash of a newly opened bottle to top up the glass. The scent was surprising, almost funky, maybe herbaceous. I couldn't really tell but I was already worried. It tasted pleasant though, and it was expectedly medium-bodied and dry, so I was happy.
I would definitely go back to the Spotted Horse, even for wine, as they do have a number of interesting wines by the bottle on the medium-sized drinks menu. My only complaint is that the tea lights adorning each table kept burning out and after four attempts to secure candles from other tables (that each snuffed out fairly quickly), I gave up.
Thursday, 10 January 2008
California Viognier Recommendations
By special request, this post is about California Viognier (pronounced VEE-un-yay). A friend of mine in San Francisco is interested in trying more California Viogniers, but in choosing from restaurant wine lists and off the shelf at stores, she has experienced poor expressions of the varietal more often than the intriguing and solid attempts that many California winemakers do have to offer.
For those who don’t know, Viognier is a white varietal most commonly grown in the northern Rhone Valley of France. One Rhone appellation, Condrieu, is exclusively Viognier. Several New World regions are now experimenting with the varietal, California being one of the leaders. But because it’s not a tried and true varietal with known New World geographies producing exceptional output year-on-year (i.e what Cabernet Sauvignon is to Napa), there are plenty of hit and misses on the shelves of your local wine shops and supermarkets.
Viognier can be extremely floral (think honeysuckle or gardenia) and can include tropical fruit scents such as mango or pineapple. To oversimplify, I think of it as ‘Sauternes-lite’ but with enough acidity to pair well with most foods. I personally really enjoy Viognier and take most opportunities to try it. It’s my substitute Chardonnay for when I want a medium-bodied white that is less acidic than Sauvignon Blanc but without the oak and butter that California Chardonnay can’t seem to escape.
So now that you are intrigued, which ones to try? I’ve listed some recommendations below based on a combination of my own tasting experience as well as reputation of the wine producers for the varietal. These suggestions exclude the vintage, so of course each year will taste a bit different. Also, these Viogniers are mostly priced between $22-$30 USD with the exception of Cline, which is ‘good’ but not ‘great’.
California Viognier recommendations:
Alban (San Luis Obispo) ~$23
Arrowood (Sonoma) ~$30
Calera (Central Coast) ~$28
Cline (Sonoma) $12-$15
Fess Parker (Santa Barbara) $22/$30
Joseph Phelps (Napa) $?
Pipestone Vineyards (Paso Robles) ~ $25
Please post if you’ve tried any of these or have any other California Viognier recommendations to share!
Winter 2008 Wine Tastings
Now that we are firmly in 2008 and everyone claims to be detoxing, it's the perfect time to announce the Winter 2008 Wine Tasting schedule.
We took a break in December, but as we head into the depths of winter, the next few tastings will focus on red varietals, perfect for pairing with hearty roasts and other comfort food. The cost per person will stay at £15 which includes a tasting of at least 6 wines and dinner.
Upcoming Tastings:
Saturday 19th January: Pinot Noir (Old World vs. New World)
Saturday 23rd February: California Reds
Please RSVP via commenting on this post or responding to the email invite.
We took a break in December, but as we head into the depths of winter, the next few tastings will focus on red varietals, perfect for pairing with hearty roasts and other comfort food. The cost per person will stay at £15 which includes a tasting of at least 6 wines and dinner.
Upcoming Tastings:
Saturday 19th January: Pinot Noir (Old World vs. New World)
Saturday 23rd February: California Reds
Please RSVP via commenting on this post or responding to the email invite.
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