On the Road with the Grape Guy is a on-going feature that follows me from event to event ... I post my thoughts, feelings and reviews of what happened and what I tasted ... basically it is here that I review the events I attend and the things that thrilled me.
19
Oct
2008
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Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy
Dinner with a bunch of straight talking guys - that was what this Durbanville Hills dinner turned into. Someone mentioned, as we began the evening, that agents and women would help to keep us in line, but there were none to be seen so this became a no-holds-barred, drag-‘em-out, no-comments-verboten dinner. Meeting with winemaker Martin Moore, managing director Albert Gerber, Distell ambassador to Canada Deveron Wilcock, and fellow wine writer Dean Tudor, this evening turned into quite the "bag of fun”, which is just one of the phrases I picked up from this ultra-gregarious South African. (I might mention others throughout this review – but you must know from the outset, this is the kind of guy you’d enjoy going out for a beer with, he’s just “one of those guys”. Martin has been with Durbanville Hills since the beginning (1998), but his past has taken him through KWV and into Bordeaux ... (Read more)
To read about more interesting adventures thru the world of wine check out the On the Road With the Grape Guy blog.
19
Oct
2008
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Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy
As someone who spends a fair amount of time in wine cellars I see quite a bit of good wine that I’ll probably never get to drink. I've seen 1900 D’Yquem, LaTour and LaFite. I've seen Mouton Rothschild dating back to the forties and Madeira’s whose dating started with the numbers “18…” ... I sometimes tell my friends, “it's like going to a strip club - you can look but you can't sample.” So when I was offered a chance to taste wines from one of Australian’s newest "hot wineries" (Two Hands) I jumped at the opportunity. Serious collectors’, who dabble even a little in Australian wines, will always have at least a few bottles of Two Hands wines. I've tasted what has come through the LCBO over the years, but rarely do I get the chance to try them side-by-each and to get a full feel of the entire line.
Today, Mark Cuff, wine agent for the Living Vine, hosted this intimate gathering at the Fine Wine Reserve - turns out he was doing a little favour for the actual agent B & W Wines. 23 wines were poured, a majority (12) from the Two Hands Winery. I liked everyone, from the 5 "Garden" series wines to the multitude of shirazes and blends available, and each wine (minus the Moscato) hovered around the fifteen percent alcohol mark. Thankfully I had a long way to stumble back home afterward; which was needed to clear my booze addled brain – even without swallowing all that alcohol can get to you. I also see why these wines are so sought after ... (Read more)
To read about more interesting adventures thru the world of wine check out the On the Road With the Grape Guy blog.
