
It'll come as no surprise then, that such a great wine bar is the brainchild of great wine enthusiasts; you might recognise Ant (and Zoe) from the Confessions of a Wine Geek blog - @winegeekconfess on Twitter - and also Tim's #NewWineThisWeek post back in February last year. With such excitement about all things grape, it's hard not to be bowled over by the pair, and if you don't leave with a smile and a feeling that you've had some terrific wine, then there must be something wrong with you.
Anyway, their monthly tasting events kicked off with California. Cali was always going to be the first one; travelling around the wineries of the western state instilled Ant and Zoe with the drive to open up their own wine bar, and after returning home, they admitted to drinking nothing but Cali wines for 6 months! With such a rich history, this part of the USA seems to be producing some of the most exciting wines around.
Being "too fruity" or "too oaky" is the general stereotype for Californian wines. A stereotype that is perhaps supported by the likes of Robert Parker, who tends to favour the full-bodied wines with big fruit, concentration and new oak; giving them great praise - and scoring them highly - panicking all other wineries into producing a similar style. There are some really fab wines, as you'd expect, but it's also created this homogenised, somewhat boring, output of wines that don't really have a sense of place.

With 4 whites and 4 reds, there’s a lot to talk about, so I’ll do this in 2 parts; you’ll get the red wines next week!
We began with Viano 'Hillside White' NV, Contra Costa (retailing approx. £16). A blend of Chenin Blanc, Columbard, and probably the most un-cool grape, Muscat, this "house white" from Viano's old, dry-farmed vineyards (some of which date back to 1888) is quite the unusual one. It has the apple/pear/honey aromas from the Chenin, a tropical twist from the Columbard, and a grape-y-ness from the Muscat; overall producing something that's aromatic, floral, crisp and refreshing, with a unique but distinctively "winey" taste.
It's no secret that I love Riesling, and luckily it's Ant's favourite grape too, so the Tatomer 'Kick-on-Ranch' Riesling 2011, Santa Barbara (retailing approx. £30) was inevitably going to be a corker, and there's quite the labour-of-love story behind it too.

This Cali take on a traditional Austrian Riesling has that typical petrol smell that comes from aged Riesling, but getting past that you find sweet appley undertones with a citrus zing. It’s got great acidity and tension on the palate; sharp and tart, fresh and mineral, with a long lusty finish. YES.

Our last white was Sandhi ‘Bentrock’ Chardonnay 2013, Santa Rita Hills (retail approx. £80). Sandhi - Sanskrit for ‘collaboration’ – is exactly that, a collaboration between some of biggest names in Cali’s wine/restaurant industry. Only fruit from the finest vineyard sites in Santa Barbara are used to produce the small volumes of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which undergo wild fermentations and see very little new oak.

After the battle of the two Chardonnays, we voted on what we thought was the best value wine, and what we liked best overall. Unsurprisingly, the majority thought the best value was the cheapest – Viana ‘Hillside White’ at around £16 – and the favourite white of the night was the most expensive – the £80 Sandhi ‘Bentrock’.
After a fine introduction to some of California’s white grape varieties and flavour profiles, courtesy of Cheltenham’s Grape Escape, we ventured on to the reds... But you’ll have to stay tuned for those next week!
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