USA and South Africa

These two iconic wine making nations may have very different geographies and historic & cultural influences but they both bear the brunt of the impact of climate change on wine.

California

In 1976 Californian wine beat their French counterparts in a bind tasting known as 'The Judgement of Paris', we'll explain how this changed the course of wine history.

You'll then be invited to judge for yourself the quality of modern day Californian wine. Known for it's big bold, buttery Chardonnay with lashings of oak we'll show you how California can make wines from the classic French varietals that deliver on the sunshine promise of plenty of fruit but with great structure, elegance and finesse.

Of course a Californian road trip wouldn't be complete without trying a red 'Zin', The combination of superb quality old vine fruit ripened in the Californian heat creates a blockbuster of a wine - rich and ripe and packed with flavour.

In Californian extreme heat and wild-fires are now frequent features of the wine landscape and we'll explore the impact on the wines.

South Africa

A combination of a very unique post-war wine history, a treasure trove of classic French grape varieties (plus one they invented) planted on a wide variety of sites, and some of the world's most talented winemakers goes a long way to explaining what makes South Africa so special.

In this tasting we'll look at how South Africa has championed Chenin Blanc using fruit soured from old vines in cooler sites to create a modern, elegant and complex expression of this classic French grape variety. 

We'll also expore how the French influence has meant that you will find fine red blends coming from regions such as Paarl and Stellenbosch that would not look out of place in Bordeaux. Finally no trip to South Africa would be complete withiut understanding the history of the Pinotage grape and the distinctive smoky style of wine it produces.

However, despite all the promise, drought and the scarcity of resources are real live issues. We'll look at how they are impacting South African wine today.

 All of our themed evening tastings include a tasting of six or seven specially selected wines plus water biscuits and a nibble of cheese and/or charcuterie chosen to pair with a couple of the wines.