Wine Atlas

Napa Valley wine maker who transformed the reputation of American wines by striving to enhance subtleties of flavour

Robert Mondavi, who died on Friday aged 94, played a leading part in the widespread growth in admiration for American wines, especially for the wines of the Napa Valley, California, where in the 1960s he established the Robert Mondavi Winery and did much to improve the wines produced there.

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I'm watching the sun rise over the Tuki vineyard as the harvest starts, all from the comfort of my own home. I'll not be putting in the hard graft with the pickers as I experience vintage activity vicariously via the webcam that's been monitoring proceedings at this Hawkes Bay vineyard.

Wine appears on the web in many guises, the most obvious being the recent explosion in bottles available to buy over the internet. From the virtual cellar doors of many wineries and the websites of a growing number of wine retailers, to 100 per cent online wine enterprises: wine is increasingly just a mouse click away.

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Barossa Valley, Australia

Jarrett Osborn, Riverwalk Wine & Spirits April 30, 2008

Barossa Valley produces beautiful red wines, particularly shiraz. The 2006 Earthworks Shiraz is not as dark and rich as most from this region. Instead, it’s a nicely balanced, medium-bodied wine that still displays dark berry and light mint characteristics, with a teeny-tiny hint of toasty oak on the finish. Light acidity keeps the finish clean, while a meaty, earthy body makes this red anything but a lightweight.

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