March Wine Picks

This month we recommend two Californian wines which we have especially enjoyed recently on the back of our recent Californian trip (look out for future posts!)

(Photo: Schramsberg, remuage with riddler of long-standing Ramon)

2004 Schramsberg Crémant, California (412RMB)
Available from Globus. Contact: Oliver Baenninger, Email: oliverbaenninger@globus-wine.com  (www.globus-wine.com)

Intrigued to try something from the producer who supplied the wine for the secret meeting between Zhou Enlai and Nixon? Schramsberg is California’s most famous sparkling wine producer, serving Presidents, Kings and Queens and other dignitaries. This wine is called ‘Crémant’ because, although it is made through the traditional Champagne method, it is slightly less sparkling than Champagne.

Made from an unusually aromatic grape called Flora, the wine is a lovely deep gold with a gentle sparkle. The nose has floral and honeyed fruit with some toasty aromas whilst the palate is medium-sweet with balancing acidity and good length. An ideal Chinese banquet wine! (importer Globus stocks most of Schramsberg’s other wines including their Napa Cabernet, called ‘J. Davies’, which is well worth trying too).

2005 Ridge Lytton Springs (Zinfandel Blend), Sonoma, California (699RMB)
Available from Summergate. Contact: Jim Yang, Email: jim.yang@summergate.com Telephone 86.10. 6562.1800 ext 16 (www.summergate.com)

Ridge, under the command of Paul Draper, has become one of California’s greatest producers, with wineries in Sonoma and also the Santa Cruz Mountains (where the legendary Monte Bello Chardonnay and Monte Bello red blend are made).

This wine, from the Lytton Springs winery, is medium purple-red in colour. The nose has attractive blackberry, black cherry and berry fruits with lovely oak; whilst the palate offers robust and ripe tannins, strong fruit, nice acidity, good oak and excellent length. Made from 77% Zinfandel, 17% Petite Syrah and 6% Carignan, this is an extremely good wine. Try with Cantonese roast meats or even Beijing roast duck!