2015 is hailed as an exceptional vintage across Europe but there are a few pitfalls to watch out for. The summer was dry and hot with plenty of sunny days which for some was wonderful but for others a little trickier as it followed difficult spring weather or created droughts that put stress on the …
It’s good to drink wine that challenges us and makes us think. But sometimes you just want something simple, easy going, and relaxing. Simplicity shouldn’t mean forgoing quality which makes these wines harder to find than you’d expect. We have put together a list of red wines that offer the level of quality we appreciate whilst …
Non-Vintage champagne, which makes up the highest proportion of Champagne produced and sold, is made from a blend of the year’s harvest as well as a number of reserve wines. The most prestigious houses take great care in their non-vintage blend and use the finest reserves from a variety of vintages to produce a unique …
Although Syrah is native to the Rhone valley in France it is equally, if not more, famous as Shiraz in Australia. The greater recognition of the word ‘Shiraz’ than ‘Syrah’ has been brushed aside because the French use appellation names, such as Hermitage, Côte Rôtie and Cornas, on their labels rather than the word ‘Syrah’ …
We do not have an abundance of everyday white wines. Our penchant for the more mature vintage tends to steer us in the direction of white Burgundy, Sauternes, and late harvest German whites. That’s not to say we don’t enjoy the more quaffable dry white wines but we are very selective when it comes to those we …
2009 was the year French vineyards could do no wrong. The climate was spectacular and nearly all wine producing regions enjoyed a bumper year that was met with raptures by the critics and consumers. But with 12 years gone and the dust settled, where in France have the wines stood the test of time? And …
We like magnums. We could argue this is because wines age better in larger bottles and therefore offer longer drinking windows. But ultimately it’s because magnums are just more fun. The bigger the bottle, the more it adds to the event. 2014 Produttori Del Barbaresco Barbaresco DOCG £69 per magnum Simple yet endlessly enjoyable. Arguably one …
Grapes are grown and wine is produced across the globe. Many regions share the same climatic conditions but the climate experienced and the subsequent quality of the wine produced each year will vary from one area to another, possibly even close neighbours. This may seem a simple and obvious point to make but there is …
Like most businesses January is the time for us to look back at the year and see what worked, what didn’t, and what patterns emerged. One of the main things we noticed was the number of requests for single bottles or cases to be split into smaller quantities. We have always been keen to offer our …
As 2020 comes to a close we wanted to look back at a few wines that we have tried over the last year and focus on those that stood out for us. 2020 has seen few large tasting events and many smaller zoom tastings so everyone has had fewer wines to taste this year than is …
There are certain wine producing areas that are synonymous with red wine: Bordeaux, Rhône, Rioja. It is easy to forget that white wine is produced in these regions not least because they tend to get overshadowed by the well-known reds. Yet there has been a gradual shift over the last decade and the quality and availability …
When presented with the ubiquitous glass of fizz at a celebration you tend to pay little attention to what you are actually consuming. The surrounding event will be far more engaging than what is in the glass. If you were to be presented with an appropriately aged Blanc de Blancs Champagne I would hope the …
During the spring lockdown a cosy night in was still a luxury, but after six months, it has rather lost its sheen. This time last year we were relishing the changes that autumn brings and the prospect of hunkering down for the winter with plenty of good food and wine. We were slowing down after …
Bolgheri, on the Tuscan coast, is littered with the greats from the Italian wine making world: Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Antinori, Gaja. These behemoths have set the bar high for both quality and price for the region. So when you find yourself surrounded by the them you may be excused for feeling a little intimidated as proximity …
Being wrong about something should be approached with grace and humility which is why we will hold our hands up and say that we, wrongly, judged a wine solely on the basis of its name. A gaudy wine label or an off the wall name has a tendency to make us wary of the wine it …
19th Century Sherry I am a big fan of Sherry. It reminds me of growing up in southern Spain where the old men would be in permanent position at the rickety tables in front of the local bar slowly working their way through the afternoon heat with endless sherry and animated chat. But they are …
That time of year has rolled around again where everyone wants to tell you how to enjoy the cold weather and the festivities. Wrap up warm and soak up the winter sun before heading home to celebrate in front of the fire with a nourishing and warming glass of red wine. As the average person benefits from …
Terroir and Character in the Douro Valley Port is one of the mainstays of any drinks cupboard. It always makes an appearance at Christmas and, depending on whose house you’re in, may well have been there since the dawn of time. It is fairly easy stuff to come across and the main Port houses, whether Portuguese or British, …
Second wines are second best. You can argue the point all you like but their purpose in life is to take second place after the grand vin. Nearly all of the big chateaux in Bordeaux have a second wine, a wine supposedly made from the grapes not deemed quite good enough for the top claret. …
What to do with an Auslese Riesling? Is its only purpose as a dessert wine? What’s all this talk of sweet wine with curry? There are always trends in wine and food and luckily for Auslese Rieslings the trend is working in their favour. Cuisine from across Asia that encompasses spices and flavours that our …
There is often a moment when my partner and I are out for dinner that we know may cause confusion or offence. This is the moment when the waiter brings over the glasses to go with the bottle of wine we have chosen, glasses so big as to engulf our faces. They then proceed to pour half the bottle …
It’s easy to be rude about Chardonnay. It’s the grape variety people love to hate – the bad reputation it gained many moons ago thanks to cheap, over-oaked, synthetic tasting offerings make it an easy target. But so many of those that say a blanket no to Chardonnay are quite happy to drink Blancs de Blancs …
I think we can all safely say that summer has arrived and, although we dislike being told that we should be breaking out the barbecue and bathing in rosé, we will freely admit that a fair number of our wines are not really tempting us in this weather. So for the next few weeks we …
Growing up in a large wine drinking family I always presumed my approach to wine was perfectly normal. I realised its abnormality when I reached university and my peers were confused by my love of dessert wine (or pud wine as we’ve always referred to it). Whenever we had a family celebration an uncle, parent or third cousin once removed would …
