top of page
Search


White Beauty: a Tuscan debut
Wine exam question: Explain what is meant by white Sangiovese. When I first heard about a Sangiovese bianco, I didn’t know if we were...
Apr 4, 2018


Vermú, Vermut, Vermouth
Paso-Vermú, a new hand-crafted Spanish Vermouth made by an English couple in Somontano. The striking artwork is by Matt Sewell Strictly...
Feb 12, 2018


The changing face of Txakoli
Hot-foot from a trip to Basque Spain at the end of October, I postponed the idea of a blog enthusing about Txakoli (aka Chacolí) on the...
Jan 15, 2018


Age shall not wither them: 150-year-old Aglianico vines and a vertical tasting
Antonio Capaldi, president of Feudi di San Gregorio (left) with agronomist and CEO Pierpaolo Sirch; I wasn't the only one to photograph...
Sep 18, 2017


If I had a vineyard, it would be in...
Until a couple of weeks ago, I’d never seriously wanted a vineyard of my own, but I came back from a trip and found myself frenetically...
Aug 15, 2017

Assyrtiko steps out of Greece and into Australia
I like classic wines made from so-called noble grape varieties as much as anyone, but there’s a thrill of a different kind in wines that...
Jul 11, 2017


Ten Years On: tasting top Bordeaux 2007
Fruitless it may be, but I couldn’t help speculating recently how the 2007 Bordeaux red wines would have turned out if this vintage had...
Apr 12, 2017


Wine with Food: what to drink with pork
Pork dishes in four Michelin starred restaurants (clockwise from top left): Duke of Berkshire barbecued pork ribeye, baked potato, sorrel...
Mar 15, 2017


Credit Where Credit is Due: Hawke's Bay's stellar Chardonnays and a debt to Australia
Hawke's Bay is producing stellar Chardonnays, some from vineyards within spitting distance of the Pacific Ocean. Left and centre above,...
Mar 1, 2017


Beaujolais: The Comeback Kid
The famous windmill that gave its name to Moulin-à-Vent, one of the ten crus of Beaujolais I was slightly wary of showing a Beaujolais to...
Jan 9, 2017


Is co-fermentation the new black for Port?
Co-fermenting – fermenting different grape varieties together happened by default in the past It was a while since I’d been in the Douro...
Oct 29, 2016


The Next Big Thing...
This is the sort of piece I normally write at the close of the year, but I have more than enough material and deserving wines to mention...
Oct 7, 2016


Drinking history
45 years old and still in perfect health Drinking history: there are times when only a well-worn phrase will do. I’ve just had one of...
Aug 30, 2016


Stock up while you still can at The Wine Society's shop in Montreuil
I joined The Wine Society as a student. Without doubt it was the wisest expenditure of my three undergraduate years (OK, the only wise...
Jul 27, 2016


Top, Top Tuscans: on the Masseto Merlot trail
Ornellaia and Masseto are close siblings but very different wines, as I discovered on a recent visit All planted to Merlot – the Masseto...
Jul 2, 2016


The Golden Age of Champagne
Vins Clairs from the great 2015 vintage, some of which will go into Cristal in the current, new Golden Age of Champagne Rather a quaint...
Jun 2, 2016


Go Grow it on a Mountain: extreme winemaking in Chile
Tabalí's winemaker Felipe Müller East goes to extremes in Chile: first he planted vineyards within spitting distance of the Pacific...
Apr 28, 2016


Is Champagne a Wine for Food? A light-bulb moment
Winter trips to Champagne can be a bit nippy. Perishingly cold, actually (cue: violins). And tasting dozens of vins clairs, the region’s...
Mar 25, 2016


Blend it like Johnson... or making the most of leftovers
As I said a few weeks back, in what turned out to be my most popular Tweet ever @joannasimon, England’s chief medical officer and I...
Feb 28, 2016


What I admire about wine: integrity, authenticity, purity and character
Stop Press! 14 April, 2016: I'm delighted to report that these wines are now available at £19.95 per bottle from winesensations.co.uk...
Jan 28, 2016
bottom of page