Few wine regions are as diverse in their landscape as Rioja. A relatively small area of only 70 miles east to west and 30 miles north to south, it boasts 150 square miles of interlocking mountain ranges shielding the land from both warm and cold winds, influencing the climate, the terrain, the exposure to sun […]
Celebrate the sunshine with this bargain from Majestic. You have to buy a case of six but don’t worry if Champagne isn’t your daily tipple, it’ll keep for a few years. It has a rich, generous peachy and pastry flavour; the fizz is long and soft, the finish elegant and refined. It certainly stood out […]
A stimulating presentation from Anne Krebiehl MW, presenting the German wines, and Professor Barry Smith, Co-Founder of the Centre for the Study of the Senses, presenting on how our senses interact. Barry started off by reminding us of our main senses: Touch Taste Smell Sight Sound Balance But there are many others………and they all […]
This morning my cup runneth over with a thick green dodgy-looking liquid which, despite appearances to the contrary, tasted delicious and I could almost hear my insides thanking me for all the goodness I was sending their way. My Nutribulleting has become a daily routine at breakfast; it seems I am joining a general trend […]
In my inverted snobbery, middle-class mildly rebellious way, I was expecting to question whether Krug 2002 was all it was hyped up to be. Well, dammit, the hype is entirely justified. It is, without doubt, outstanding; indeed, one of the best champagnes I have ever tasted. Up here in Birmingham we are a little late to the Krug party, but […]
On March 3rd, stock for Lidl’s Easter wine promotion should be hitting the shelves and I dare say there may be a sweetener for what is in store in the weekend papers. The main feature this time is that more New World wines are included, some of which I was really excited about. Look out […]
Rosé fizz is a tricky thing to get right. And I don’t mean knowing which to buy. Making it is hard. Once upon a time rosé champagne was nothing but an embarrassing mistake, deemed to be a faulty wine. If you weren’t extremely careful, colour from the black grapes, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, might […]
Random ramblings of a first time visitor to South Africa’s winelands For a lover of fine wine, initial impressions of the Cape are highly promising. As soon as one sees the prices in a bar or restaurant, one is aware of the favourable exchange rate: and I was delighted to find that I could […]
We all know that wines from Chile are pretty good value, right? They’re easy-drinking, inoffensive and crowd-pleasing, aren’t they? You don’t have to spend too much to get something acceptable. But what happens if you were to spend just a little bit more? Is it worth splashing out a few extra few pounds? Would you notice the difference? You betcha! […]
For me to recommend a dry January is as likely as Donald Trump suggesting that the USA should have a gun amnesty. It’s not going to happen. My children refer to me as the opposite of the alcohol police. Before anyone complains to the NSPCC, my children are all over 18 and, of course, it goes without […]