Interesting visit on Wednesday to Augustus, whose Chardonnay I've always sold here. I was curious to find out more about their Forum vinegar (famous for being used by Ferran Adrià, served at the Nobel prize dinners etc), and taste some of their reds. I particularly liked the Cabernet Franc, which I'll be looking to stock in the future. The 2004 had a nice balance of fruit and Cabernet Franc spiciness, and I'm always a sucker for something unusual - I can't think of any other 100% Cab Franc wine locally.

Plus although I sort of knew where it was, it's still surprising to find a Chardonnay that usually stands out for it's good acidity and citrus notes being grown so close to the sea. It's probably a couple of miles, but it feels like about a firm seven iron...

See for yourself on this link to Google earth. It's centred on the cellar, but zoom out to get a feel for how close it is to the sea.