It happened at a Berry Bros tasting, down in the cellars where the floors are so uneven that they give you the impression you’ve absorbed a lot more alcohol than...
What makes a wine taste expensive?
How to become a coffee nerd
In the world of Monday Mornings, overly perky baristas are an unnecessary evil. Not least of all the one spouting one-liners about “their amazing carbonic maceration natural Ethiopian Gesha”. Because,...
Let’s hear it for Sherry
Cardiff is an unlikely place for an epiphany. The Welsh capital has its attractions, especially on rugby match days at the Millennium Stadium, but no one would mistake it for...
A toast to Grenache
TS Eliot got it wrong in my view: October, not April, is the cruellest month. Once the clocks go back you know you’re in for a winter of sniffles, short...
Carignan: Chile returns to its roots
Think of a word to describe the Chilean wine industry. Dependable? Consistent? Mass-produced? I’ve played this game with consumers and Chile generally elicits such responses. People in the wine trade...
A ferment about Furmint
To be sung to the tune of ‘Start Wearing Purple’ by Gogol Bordello: “Start drinking Furmint drinking Furmint, Start drinking Furmint for me now, All your sanity – and wits...
Beyond the Big Six grape varieties
“I love Chablis, but I can’t stand Chardonnay.” “I hate Sancerre, but I adore Sauvignon Blanc.” You used to hear such comments all the time, even from people who claimed...
Australia: the joy of Melbourne
Coffee culture You don’t need an excuse to spend time in Melbourne. At least, I don’t. It’s Australia’s most cosmopolitan city, with a fantastic food and wine culture and some...
