The Jancis Robinson Story | Mission Blind Tasting | Wine writing competition

Taste bright lights from California

• 2 min read
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3 December 2017 It was a hugely enjoyable evening and tasting and we raised about £10,000 thanks to everyone's generosity. We will be reporting in more detail. 

16 November 2017 We are very excited to share with you below a list of the exciting California wines that you can taste at our self-pour tasting at 67 Pall Mall in London on the evening of Saturday 2 December. In Europe we have far too few opportunities to taste the best of California, so I’m much looking forward to sampling this collection of some of the best of what is currently going on in northern California.

All of these wines have been donated by their UK importers, just as the room and Zalto glasses have been donated by 67 Pall Mall, and storage and delivery have been donated by Sensible Wine Services. So every penny you pay for a ticket will go directly to help the victims of the recent fires in northern California wine country, people like the seasonal vineyard workers who have lost their homes and the employees of the hotel that was razed to the ground. See Alder's recent account of some of the personal stories of some of those seriously affected by the fires.

Those who have attended our tastings in the past will know how enjoyably informal they are, and how they are expressly designed for people who love wine. Everyone is welcome, however much or little they know about these hand-picked California wines, listed below.

Anyone who buys a ticket – not cheap, but the aim is to raise as much as possible – is welcome to drop in to the St James’s Room below 67 Pall Mall in London at any time between 6.30 and 9 pm.

WHAT Fine California wine tasting to raise funds for northern California fire victims
WHEN
6.30–9 pm Saturday 2 December
WHERE
St James’s Room, 67 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5ES (lower floor, with its own entrance)
HOW MUCH
£150 a ticket, supplementary donations welcome

Buy tickets here.

Every penny you give will be donated to the three funds that our California team of Alder Yarrow and Elaine Chukan Brown have identified as those that will most effectively reach the people most seriously affected by the fires: OLE Health for vineyard workers, The Napa Valley Community Fund for Napa and Redwood Credit Union Fund for Sonoma. See our earlier article about this initiative.

All the wines have been kindly and generously donated by the following importers and agencies:

  • Raeburn Fine Wines
    • DuMOL, Isobel Chardonnay 2013 Sonoma Coast
    • DuMOL Pinot Noir 2012 Russian River Valley
    • Joseph Swan, Trenton Estate Vineyard Syrah 2009 Russian River Valley
    • Joseph Swan, Bastoni Vineyard Zinfandel 2012 Sonoma County
  • Roberson Wine
    • Mount Eden Chardonnay 2013 Santa Cruz Mountains
    • Kutch Chardonnay 2015 Sonoma Coast
    • Arnot-Roberts, Montecillo Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 Sonoma Valley
    • Hirsch, Reserve Pinot Noir 2014 Sonoma Coast
    • Domaine de la Côte, La Côte Pinot Noir 2014 Sta Rita Hills
  • Treasury Wine Estates
    • Beringer, Private Reserve 2013 Napa Valley
  • Nekter Wines
    • Keep Wines, Carbonic Counoise 2016 El Dorado County
    • Ferdinand Wines Tempranillo 2013 Amador County
    • Calder Wine Company Carignane 2014 Mendocino
    • Benevolent Neglect Syrah 2015 Carneros
    • Long Term Wine Company Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 Napa Valley
  • Thorman Hunt
    • Turley, Hayne Vineyard Petite Sirah 2006 Napa Valley
  • FMV
    • Frog’s Leap Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Napa Valley
    • Ramey Chardonnay 2014 Russian River Valley
    • Ridge, East Bench Zinfandel 2015 Dry Creek Valley
    • Ramey Pinot Noir 2014 Russian River Valley
    • Frog’s Leap, Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 Napa Valley
  • Flint Wines
    • Skylark Pinot Blanc 2016 Mendocino
    • Failla Chardonnay 2014 Sonoma Coast
    • Drew, Fog Eater Pinot Noir 2016 Anderson Valley
    • Anthill Farms, Tina Marie Pinot Noir 2014 Russian River Valley
  • The Wine Treasury
    • Rutherford Hill Chardonnay 2014 Napa Valley
    • Twomey Merlot 2012 Napa Valley
    • Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 Alexander Valley
    • Schug Pinot Noir 2014 Carneros
  • The Vineyard Group
    • Donelan, Nancie Chardonnay 2013 Sonoma County
    • Knights Bridge, West Block Chardonnay 2014 Knights Valley
    • Donelan, Kobler Family Vineyard Syrah 2013 Russian River Valley
    • Peter Michael, L'Esprit des Pavots 2013 Knights Valley
    • Rudd Estate, Samantha's Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 Oakville
  • Jackson Family Wines
    • Vérité, La Joie 2009 Sonoma County
    • Cardinale Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Napa Valley
  • Four Corners Wine Company
    • Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 Napa Valley
    • Slacker, Computer Geek 2014 Paso Robles
  • Wine Source
    • Massican, Annia 2016 Napa Valley
    • Massican Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Napa Valley
    • Massican, Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay 2016 Napa Valley
    • The Mascot Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 Napa Valley
  • Alliance Wine
    • Paul Hobbs, Lindsay Pinot Noir 2014 Russian River Valley
  • Pol Roger UK
    • Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 Napa Valley
    • Abreu Cappella 2006 Napa Valley

The Russian River Valley sunset above was captured by George Rose.

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