Stars of California  with  Edouard Baijot, Master of Wine

All Seated

California is the leading wine state of America.  Its vines were introduced by Spanish missionaries in the 18^th century and a commercial trade established from the mid 19^th century.  Historically it was dealt a double blow by the aphid phylloxera and then Prohibition.  The craft for making quality wine emerged in the 1960s and today there are world class examples.

Edouard Baijot

The Club is delighted to showcase some of the wine stars of California, which have been selected and will be tutored by Edouard Baijot, Master of Wine.  Edouard was born in Reims and graduated with a Master of Science in Management.  He joined the wine trade in 2002 and qualified as an MW in 2019, taking English sparkling wine as his research paper.  Today he is Director of Luxury International Sales for Gallo.  When not travelling, he enjoys riding in the countryside.

No less than NINE top flight wines will be shown, starting with Traditionally-made J Cuvée 20 Brut, an elegant and lively classic Russian River Valley sparkling wine.  It was made by Judy Jordan who focuses on Burgundian varietals; this is a blend of 52% Chardonnay, which was barrel-aged and stirred to give it a layer of toasty flavours, with 44% Pinot Noir and just 4% Pinot Meunier.

David Phinney

Orin Swift Blank Stare Sauvignon Blanc 2023 is the brainchild of legendary winemaker Dave Phinney who established his winery in 1998.  The name comes from his father’s middle name (Orin) and mother’s maiden name (Swift).  He sources from California’s premier sites, in this case from Laguna Ranch and MacMurray vineyards, to create a zesty, aromatic – notably Granny Smith apple, guava and key lime character – wine with youthful acidity.

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For over four decades, the Rombauer brand and family have built a reputation around quality and integrity.  Their wines consistently achieve some of the highest scores from critics and at international competitions.  The Wine Spectator has named Rombauer Carneros Chardonnay five times as one of the “Top 100 Wines of the World” and we have the 2023 to taste!  The grapes are sourced from the Carneros region where the San Pablo Bay meets the southern end of Napa and Sonoma valleys.  They were gently whole-cluster pressed whilst the fruit was still cool.  The juice was pumped into tank to cold-settle overnight before it was racked for primary and malolactic fermentations.  The lees (dead yeast cells and pulp fragments) were stirred every fortnight to give the wine rich flavours and a creamy texture.

Orin Swift’s Mannequin California Chardonnay 2022 will make for a fascinating contrast.  Look for appealing ripe, high-toned pineapple fruit and vanilla on the nose with a rich apricot palate and soft acidity on taste.

Estate-grown Talbott Sleepy Hollow Pinot Noir 2021 combines old world Burgundian influence with new world technique in Monterey County.  Sleepy Hollow – described as a “Californian Grand Cru” by the Wine Enthusiast - lies at the base of the Santa Lucia Highlands, one of the coolest vine-growing districts in the state.  The extended morning fog and reliable maritime winds create the perfect conditions for top grape cultivation.  Expect luscious plum and blackberry combined with savoury spice and a long, sultry finish.

After travelling California for years in search of the perfect piece of dirt to grow vines that would yield highly-acclaimed wines, Ron Denner finally found exactly what he was looking for in the far western reaches of Paso Robles in 1997.  Today he has 156 acres on a patchwork of calcareous clay with 20 grape varieties using dry-farming, organic practices and non-interventionist winemaking.  Denner Dirt Worshipper 2021 was made from 91% Syrah, 3% Petit Verdot, 3% Clairette Blanc, 2% Graciano and 1% Viognier – a truly amazing mix which shows violets, blueberries, sandalwood and olive tapenade on the nose and a palate of dark chocolate and blackberries.  The wine was aged 20 months in wood (29% new French and Hungarian) and bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Louis Martini

Louis M Martini travelled from Genoa to the US with a vision of making the very best wines in the world.  He founded a winery in San Joaquin Valley in 1922 and moved operations to Napa in 1933, building the first winery in Napa after the repeal of Prohibition. Perched in the Mayacamas mountains 300m above the Sonoma valley, the Monte Rosso estate grows some of California’s oldest vines and one of the most acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignons.  The grapes were hand-picked for our Louis M Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019.

Rombauer Estate

No Californian tasting would be complete without its flagship variety, Zinfandel, known in Italy as Primitivo.  It may have arrived in the US from the Austrian Imperial nursery in Vienna.  Our first example will be Rombauer California Zinfandel 2021.  The grapes came from family-owned vineyards in four top districts: Amador County (50%), El Dorado County (25%), Lake County (20%) and Napa (5%).  After destemming and sorting, the grapes were cold soaked to extract colour and flavour before the alcoholic fermentation.  The wine was then gently basket-pressed and racked into oak barrels for the malolactic fermentation and ageing.

Monte Rosso from Rattlesnake Ridge

Our contrasting wine from the same grape is Louis M Martini Monte Rosso Gnarly Zinfandel 2017.  Planted in 1893, the historic vines used for this wine are some of the oldest in California.  The vineyard’s mix of high altitude position above the fog, low-yielding vines and an ideal western exposure produces wines with a unique sense of terroir.  Although yields are small at 1.5-3 tons/acre, the old gnarled vines still produce exceptional fruit with deep concentration.  Vibrant red fruits are complimented by spicy overtones.

The theatre within the Concert Artistes Association

Our Covent Garden venue is the delightful Concert Artistes Association at 20 Bedford Street WC2E 9HP.  The Association was founded in 1897 and today is under the patronage of Su Pollard and Dame Judi Dench.  We have secured its Theatre for our event.

Doors open at 6.30pm; please do NOT arrive earlier (as the Committee needs time to set up).  If you arrive early, there are countless wine bars/coffee shops in the area.  The tasting ends at 8.30pm

Dress code: Jacket and tie for men; please advise your guests.

For admission, please either print off the numbered ticket or have it available on a mobile telephone.

Date:      Tuesday 24^th June 2025

Time:      6:30

Venue:    Concert Artistes Association,  20 Bedford Street,  London,  WC2E 9HP

Dress:   Jacket and tie for men

TASTING COSTS

HOW TO BOOK

Options:

• Via the on-line form below  (preferred method)
• or
• E-mail your tasting request to tastings@redherringwineclub.co.uk (NOT to the membership secretary) and make a payment

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 020 8947 5082 or by e-mail to tastings@redherringwineclub.co.uk  but bookings will only be allocated when funds have been received.

HOW TO PAY

By on-line banking only (details below) 

Your reference should be as follows:

Please make it very clear if vegetarian options are required.​

Bookings will only be allocated when funds have been received.

Payment of membership subscription(s) should preferably be made via the online form on the Membership page of the Club's website.

(If membership payment is still made together with a tasting application, please ensure the membership secretary is advised via membership@redherringwineclub.co.uk.

Please remember to advise the Club (membership@redherringwineclub.co.uk) of any home or e-mail address changes

Tasting Application

Diary Dates: