Made by Napa Valley vintner Randy Dunn (Dunn Vineyards). Intoxicatingly fragrant blackcurrant nose. Black plum and black cherry flavours upfront give way to concentrated cassis. Polished tannins ensure silky-smooth sips. Impeccable balance. Long, savoury finish. A classic for steak.
Opens with rich lemon citrus and subtle spice on the nose, expanding on the palate to citrus and green apple flavours richly rounded out with buttery, spicy and nutty overtones. Nutty butterscotch flavours linger on the finish.
A textbook Sancerre. Light straw in colour with a greenish tint; spicy, grassy, gooseberry nose with some vanilla oak notes. Dry, elegant; beautifully balanced with lively acidity. Lovely mouthfeel with rich gooseberry and elderberry flavours.
True to label, this is a narrow and dry Riesling, lemon-driven with green apple and stone support. Tight, fresh and crisp, leesy interest cushions this racy fruit and plumps up the body. The acidity gobbles up the 7.3 g/l of residual sugar greedily, leaving this lean and tight and best suited to oysters or spot prawns.
Very pale yellow with grey reflections. Delicate white fruit aromas, (surprising) corn and a salty note. Light body; the minerality matches the fruit in the mid-palate for a good balance. Drink now.
Here is a solid all-purpose Napa Cab that won’t break the bank. Scents of blackberries, cassis, violets, earth, cocoa and tobacco smoke are built on a medium-bodied frame. There is very good length, with tannins present, but they are not obtrusive. Buy a couple of bottles for the BBQ season.
Formerly Machine Ales, this small Vancouver-based brewery had to change their name due to a copyright issue. Happyness is the juicy IPA of the moment that west coast beer lovers are queuing up for. It’s juicy in every way, from its dried apricot hue to its full body and fruity aromas like orange rind and ripe mango bursting from the glass. Expect to taste apricot, sweet carrots, grapefruit rind and pine with a prickly carbonation, creamy mouthfeel and a big, bitter finish. Take it out of the fridge for 15 minutes to let the beer warm up a little; you’ll miss out on the flavour complexity if you drink it ice-cold.