South Africa and the USA

Join us in Bristol City Cente for an evening wine tasting of spectacular showstoppers!

South Africa is has a long and distinguished history of wine production going back over 400 years- it is a old 'New World' wine producing country! Since the abolition of apartheid the quality of its wine-making has risen to showcase the talent which its history deserves. Chunky, chocolatey reds and elegant European-style whites are now the order of the day, served up by a precocious band of young, cutting edge winemakers. This is a country which is now demanding we take another look. Likewise, in the USA, the reputation of a few of its wines, colours how we see the whole category. The commercial success of Gallo, Blossom Hill and the rest means that few supermarkets have room to stock anything else from California- tonight it's time to uncover the truth!

Part 1: South Africa

How many other non European countries can boast their own grape variety? Pinotage is South Africa's very own 'marmite' grape (people eithe love it or hate it!), with itssmooth, smokey, mocha-spiced flavours it certainly packs a punch in the mouth! Increasingly, South Africa is also making waves with its elegant, mineral-filled, crisp whites from the Loire varieties of Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc grown around the ocean-buffeted tip of the southern cape. The food and wine scene around Stellenbosch has exploded recently with new winemakers such as Marc Kent and Graham Beck crafting thoroughly modern premium wines. This melting pot of factors, combined with South Africa's uniquely long history of winemaking outside of Europe, makes it a fascinating country to come and taste your way around!

Part 2: USA

The USA and it's viticultural engine room, California, have two seemingly contradictory wine images. Firstly their is the world of cheap, sweet, soft, pink wines, served by the glass in the pub and sold by the container-load in the supermarket. Secondly there is the super-premium, super-exclusive, super-expensive world of boutique Napa Valley wineries, as shown on the film Sideways. So which is the 'real' Californian wine? Tonight we will explore everything in the middle: discover strawberry scented Zinfandel (the red wine, not the pink stuff!), earthy Pinot Noir and creamy soft Chardonnay. Californian wines are elusive and often expensive, but they are able to compete with some of the best in the world- come along and taste for yourself.

All tastings include: a minimum of 8 wines sourced locally so you can find them easily if you like them, full tasting notes, tasting sheet, use of professional tastings glasses, and a selection of nibbles to accompany the wines.