If you had told me in 2008 that I was going to be presenting American wines with pride to the London wine scene, I would not have believed you. But I did. The assortment were laid out on the American table which I mostly manned, and I presented six in a loose, tutored tasting, to a packed audience, standing room only (okay, it was a small room) to normal folk, press, importers and sommeliers. The response was surprise, delight and ....are they available here?
There wasn't one wine out of the bunch that met with blasé palates.
On tap were:
Clos Saron
+Clos Saron, Stone Soup 2009
+Clos Saron, Heart of Soup 2006
+Clos Saron, Carte Blanche 2011 (crowd split, each one had its fans, the Carte Blanche-mostly albarino was wildly popular)
La Clarine Farm:
Home Vineyard 2010
Syrah “Sumu Kaw” 2010 ( So, where does this guy make wine? )
Arnot Roberts North Coast Syrah 2010 (reaction: double takes)
+Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2010
+Pinot Noir Sans Soufre 2010 (Crazy for this one. Much more expressive.)
+Black Cap Chardonnay 2009 (10-year old meursault, from great terroir)
+Black Cap Pinot Noir 2009 (elegant and gorgeous)
A Tribute to Grace, Santa Barbera Highland Vineyards
+Grenache 2010 (a certain critic with the initials JR, "that's quite nice, isn't it.")
Martian Ranch & Vineyard;
+‘Mother Ship’ Grenache Blanc 2011 ("I'd take that over most Rhone white wines.")
+‘Red Shift’ Red Wine 2011 ("No sulfur, really?" (double-take)
+‘Ground Control’ Grenache Noir 2011 (This too had it's fans)
Scholium Project
Prince in his Caves 2006 (Is that from Friuli? Tremendously popular )
If you were there, and tasted the wines, please let us know what you thought.
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