Monday 10 October 2016
Learn more about the best wine to order and drink in restaurants, in the beautiful surroundings of the Andaz Studio. We have flown in the producers themselves from the countries of origin, so you can learn from them what makes their wines so special. Fantastic value at £15: less than the price of a bottle of wine in a restaurant.
Featuring wines from:
Planeta (Sicily, Italy)
Planeta’s vision has played a key role in revolutionising the perception and quality of Sicilian wines. Founded on an unrivalled knowledge of the land, and forged by many years as grape growers across 17 generations, the estate has captured the interest, perfume and freshness of Sicily’s grapes, through its six boutique wineries.
Planeta has opened the world’s eyes to the charms of Sicily’s indigenous grape varieties, ushering in a broad range of wines that today owes as much to Grecanico and Nero d’Avola as it does to the winery’s signature Chardonnay.
Man O’ War (Waiheke Island, New Zealand)
Man O’ War is a stunning array of coastal hillsides with high cliffs and pristine beaches forming a ruggedly beautiful coastline. The current owners bought the land in the 1980s, and have named their ‘discoveries’ in honour of family history, naval legacy, and this special part of the world. These wines are utterly unique, and have quickly built a cult following across the globe. Taste the wines, and you’ll see why!
Bogle Winery (California, USA)
It’s now nearly 50 years since father and son Chris and Warren Bogle established their first vineyard near Clarksburg in California, while the estate has since expanded, the boutique philosophy embraced from the outset still continues. Family remains vital too – brother Ryan and sister Jody have joined Warren in the running of the company, Jody joins us in London to share the family stories.
Ruggeri (Veneto, Italy)
Ruggeri was established by Giustino Bisol in 1950 and is now run by his son, Paolo, and grandchildren Giustino and Isabella. This winery’s collection of Proseccos – many bottled as top-quality Prosecco di Valdobbiadene DOCG – are among the finest to be found in the region. Isabella Bisol remains an inspirational figure in the quality Prosecco movement, and continues to evolve and energise the family business.
Chalmers (Victoria, Australia)
Chalmers is truly a family business, with all immediate family members involved at every level, and their commitment to innovation and excellence has made them a pivotal force on the Australian wine scene for almost 30 years. Continuing her parents’ pioneering work with Italian grape varieties, Tennille works tirelessly to promote a new wave of “Aussie” wines.
Bertani (Veneto, Italy)
Bertani was one of the first companies in Italy to understand the value of bottled wine. This translated into major investments to bottle and export quality Italian wines and by the 19th century Bertani wines were already crossing the Atlantic. It is with Bertani that the story of Amarone begins, an intense wine that is the symbol of the land from which it is born – a wine born to live forever.
Fontanafredda (Piemonte, Italy)
Fontanafredda, whose vineyards are among the finest in the area, is a winery that combines history with a great sense of conviviality and community, with thoroughly modern production facilities for everything from Asti to Barolo.
Yealands (Marlborough, New Zealand)
According to conventional wisdom, you weren’t supposed to be able to plant vineyards in the rugged foothills of the Awatere Valley. Thankfully, Peter Yealands saw beyond conventional wisdom, and Yealands has become one of the Southern Hemisphere’s finest all-round producers. Winemaker Tamra has blazed a trail, and is the sheer embodiment of the Yealands spirit – obsessive perfectionism and a can-do attitude.
Stargazer (Tasmania, Australia)
Winemaker Samantha Connew believes we should always look up, as the best treasures can be above us. Her brainchild, Stargazer, pays tribute to Abel Tasman who, as an explorer and navigator, spent much of his time gazing towards the heavens, and was the first European to site Tasmania.
Tasmania is a place of breathtaking natural wonder; wind-whipped, rugged and unforgiving, but ultimately it’s a place where Samantha has found a fitting home for her vines and her passion. Her wines are delicious, contemporary and balanced, and are the very definition of boutique.
J Lohr (California)
Back in the late 1960s and early 1970s, most quality winemakers in California paid little attention to the state’s Central Coast, preferring instead to focus their efforts on warmer and more fashionable spots. Not Jerry Lohr. Armed with an instinctive feel for climate, soil and location forged in his upbringing, Jerry turned towards Monterey. Since planting those first vines in Arroyo Seco more than 40 years ago, J. Lohr has become a flag-bearer for some of the most dynamic emerging Californian wine regions.
Cannonball (Sonoma, USA)
Founded in 2006 by Yoav Gilat and Dennis Hill, Cannonball Wine Company has grown from a modest Cabernet producer to a solid industry player. Their mission is to produce approachable, quality wines and to always deliver a serious splash! They have succeeded in creating delicious, structured wines that contradict the serious, conventional and complicated approach with their fantastic packaging and undeniable sense of fun.