I approached this sparkling wine with a bit of skepticism – but it was completely unfounded. First, I was leery of the name “Faire La Fête” which means “to party.” Second, I have never heard of this producer, and there’s essentially no information online. Third, this wine comes from the
Sweet citrus aromas erupt from the glass, navel oranges, Meyer lemon, and Key lime. The palate is a bit more subdued, but more complex as well. Tangelos, mango, and key lime pie with graham cracker crust come through in waves. A mineral undercurrent runs throughout. Key lime lingers. This is
An easy summer wine: mineral with a touch of lime and apricot. A hint of fruit-sweetness on the palate but with grapefruit around the edges. Flavors round out a bit as it warms in the glass; also good the next day! A finish of apricot skin and lime. Screwcap: take
It isn’t difficult to imagine that a visitor to a Napa Valley tasting room in the late 1970s would see a much different world than exists today. There would no traffic jams along Highway 29, and no crowds queuing up waiting for winery doors to open. Walk inside, and the
It's been said that you shouldn't trust a vigneron if they don't have soil under their fingernails. By that notion, I'm not sure what to make of Waterkloof's head winemaker Nadia Barnard when we meet at their commanding property in the windswept hills near Stellenbosch. Not only are her fingernails
Never one to mince words, W. Blake Gray visited South Africa this year and in this and a companion piece on his own site, explored the effect of wind on terroir and wondered how much progress has been made in South African wine post-apartheid. South Africa makes 4.2% of the world's wine.
South Africa makes 4.2% of the world's wine. But in the U.S., its wine world is a dark continent. You see some under-$10 South African wines, but I have never seen a South African wine over $30 in a California restaurant. I'm not sure I've seen one in a store,