Apr 4, 2018White Beauty: a Tuscan debutWine exam question: Explain what is meant by white Sangiovese. When I first heard about a Sangiovese bianco, I didn’t know if we were...
Feb 12, 2018Vermú, Vermut, VermouthPaso-Vermú, a new hand-crafted Spanish Vermouth made by an English couple in Somontano. The striking artwork is by Matt Sewell Strictly...
Jan 15, 2018The changing face of TxakoliHot-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...
Sep 18, 2017Age shall not wither them: 150-year-old Aglianico vines and a vertical tastingAntonio Capaldi, president of Feudi di San Gregorio (left) with agronomist and CEO Pierpaolo Sirch; I wasn't the only one to photograph...
Aug 15, 2017If 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...
Jul 11, 2017Assyrtiko steps out of Greece and into AustraliaI 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...
Apr 12, 2017Ten Years On: tasting top Bordeaux 2007Fruitless it may be, but I couldn’t help speculating recently how the 2007 Bordeaux red wines would have turned out if this vintage had...
Mar 15, 2017Wine with Food: what to drink with porkPork dishes in four Michelin starred restaurants (clockwise from top left): Duke of Berkshire barbecued pork ribeye, baked potato, sorrel...
Mar 1, 2017Credit Where Credit is Due: Hawke's Bay's stellar Chardonnays and a debt to AustraliaHawke's Bay is producing stellar Chardonnays, some from vineyards within spitting distance of the Pacific Ocean. Left and centre above,...
Jan 9, 2017Beaujolais: The Comeback KidThe 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...
Oct 29, 2016Is 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 7, 2016The 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...
Aug 30, 2016Drinking history45 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...
Jul 27, 2016Stock up while you still can at The Wine Society's shop in MontreuilI joined The Wine Society as a student. Without doubt it was the wisest expenditure of my three undergraduate years (OK, the only wise...
Jul 2, 2016Top, Top Tuscans: on the Masseto Merlot trailOrnellaia and Masseto are close siblings but very different wines, as I discovered on a recent visit All planted to Merlot – the Masseto...
Jun 2, 2016The Golden Age of ChampagneVins Clairs from the great 2015 vintage, some of which will go into Cristal in the current, new Golden Age of Champagne Rather a quaint...
Apr 28, 2016Go Grow it on a Mountain: extreme winemaking in ChileTabalí's winemaker Felipe Müller East goes to extremes in Chile: first he planted vineyards within spitting distance of the Pacific...
Mar 25, 2016Is Champagne a Wine for Food? A light-bulb momentWinter trips to Champagne can be a bit nippy. Perishingly cold, actually (cue: violins). And tasting dozens of vins clairs, the region’s...
Feb 28, 2016Blend it like Johnson... or making the most of leftoversAs 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...
Jan 28, 2016What I admire about wine: integrity, authenticity, purity and characterStop Press! 14 April, 2016: I'm delighted to report that these wines are now available at £19.95 per bottle from winesensations.co.uk...