Awards and citations:


1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Wednesday 11 September 2013

Chenin Blanc@The Beautiful South tasting, Olympia, London

 Beautiful South Tasting@Olympia – Argentina, Chile and South Africa

I spent a fair chunk of time@the Beautiful South tasting at Olympia. This is the first edition of this combined tasting with Argentina, Chile and South Africa getting together. I spent much of my time there tasting Chenin Blanc from South Africa. 

 Ken Forrester: The long established King of South African Chenin Blanc
The fine FMC is Ken's top Chenin with a production of 1000 cases 


 Bruwer Raats: Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc specialist
@Raats Family Wines

Excellent Old Vine Chenin 


 Ina Smith, manager of the Chenin Blanc Association


 Andrea Mullineux, winemaker for Mullineux Family Wines 
tasting their beautifully balanced 2012 Chenin Blanc Straw Wine 
  

 Johan Reyneke, vine hugger@reyneke

Decidedly humbling few moments to be told by Johan Reyneke that my visit back in 2001, not long after they started out (1998) and were then making wine in a cow shed, had been encouraging and an inspiration. I had liked their Chenin and cited it in the article I wrote for Decanter on South African Chenin. Johan told me that this had persuaded them that they were making better wine than they thought.

 
Was sorry not to have had a chance to take shots of Gary Jordan (Jordan Wine Estate) as I was impressed with the concentration and texture of his 2012 Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc. Unfortunately he had departed for lunch when I was going round taking a few snaps. 
 Appalling lack of properly controlled visitor screening  
– they let anyone into these tastings...


5 comments:

Hervé LALAU said...

Wish I'd been there - I could taste with Ken and Ina at Klein Zalze the treasures of the Chenin Association on a CWW trip 2 years ago.
High time France organized something like this, including Savennières, Vouvray, Montlouis, Coteaux du Layon and even Limoux or vin de France so that we could compare...
What a difference!
Like in rugby, the Springboks show the way!

Ina Smith said...

Jim, was good to meet up with you at The Beautiful South Tasting. Had a great time showing our excellent SA chenin to the visitors. Now in a rather rainy Loire!
P.s Hi to Herve too!

Jim's Loire said...

Hi Ina. Yes was good to see you and taste the Chenins. Hope the Loire dries up soon as we are due to arrive on Tuesday. How long are you in the Loire?

Ina Smith said...

I will be in Loire till Wednesday morning. Will be staying at Chateaux de Fesles, tastings at Moulin Touchais and also Du Closel.

Jim's Loire said...

Ina. Hope you enjoy your time in the Loire. Weather looks better until Wednesday.