By David Lloyd
Our day started with a gentle cruise up Route 128, otherwise known as the Silverado Trail. Before meeting up with Gale Sysock, First Press Vineyard Manager who led us off to a Vineyard in Rutherford, where one of his team was picking Chardonnay for the First Press bottling.
About a week before we arrived there had been some intense heat in Napa, and …
By Neil Robertson
If there is one thing that California’s diverse cultural mix is great for, it’s bringing a variety of cuisines from around the world to the fine people of California. Surely the local baseball team in San Francisco, the Giants, is named after the appetite of the local people. Whilst on a recent trip to the state, seven hungry souls headed out to Napa in …
by Gareth Groves
The threat of a strike has been averted. After negotiations lasting well into the night over a dozen escargots, half a poulet de Bresse, the world’s greatest cheese board and a bottle of Le Montrachet Roux Pere et Fils 2008, I agreed to go back to work on Thursday morning if Frau Bowler would agree to …
by Gareth Groves
The morning started with a bit of friendly gambling over breakfast: a sweepstake on how many wines Nicolas Potel would have lined up for us first thing. Since Nicky started his Roche de Bellene business last year the number of wines has shrunk a bit, but not by much. In the end, …
by Gareth Groves
To quote countless football managers, Tuesday’s trip around Burgundy was a game of two halves. The morning was all about the Cote de Beaune, the afternoon was spent oop north in the Cote de Nuits.
The Cote de Beaune bit was fine. The wines – mostly white – were solid enough but any vinous fireworks were conspicuous …
by Gareth Groves
We had touched down two hours earlier. In that time we had managed to get into the wrong hire car, drive to the wrong hotel and tried desperately to find a restaurant that had shut many hours earlier. Timmy (our resident MW) was hungry and sweary. So off we went in a mad dash to find the last eatery still …
By Rob Pickard
On arriving at Dinastia Vivanco we were given a tour of the 500 hectares of vineyards (producing a massive 1 million litres of wine), the extensive cellars, and dozens of impressive 16,000 litre French oak vats. But what really stood out at Vivanco’s huge complex just outside the small town of Briones, was their amazing Museum of Wine Culture.
If I’m totally honest, …
By Caroline Conner
Le Clos Montmartre is the oldest working vineyard in Paris, perched alongside Rue Saint-Vincent and overlooked by the Museé de Montmartre (Renoir’s former studio), it sits opposite the famous cabaret Lapine Agile. I recently visited there for the Fête des Vendanges 2010, which took place from the 6th to the 10th of October and celebrates the harvest each year. Events such as …
By Daniel Kane
1. Alcatraz – Don’t let anyone convince you this is not worth doing. Make sure you do the audio tour in the cellhouse and let the past relive itself. First boat out to the island is advisable as it is less crowded, make sure you book in advance at www.alcatrazcruises.com
2. Bike the Bridge – Pick up bikes from Pier 41 (…
By Rob Pickard
On a recent trip to the Ribera del Duero, I was lucky enough to visit Bodegas Tábula, a fascinating boutique producer situated within just over 26 hectares of rich limestone soil in the Olivares del Duero. Having visited this region in the past, I was once again amazed by the wine produced here. The Ribera del Duero captures that rustic, earthy characteristics …
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