Burgundy and Bordeaux may share a common language, but they are very different places. It’s not just the question of size that generally separates them – single grape varieties versus...
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Coming of age
Orange wine. Grower Champagne. Biodynamics. Trends come and go in wine like anything else. Some are clearly gimmicks (blue wine, anyone?) Others, like Natural wine, feel more significant. One global...
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What, no Donald? Some wine predictions for 2017
JANUARY Controversy in Germany when the details of the country’s sparkling wine producers are made available online for the first time. ‘We know not everyone agrees with making the Sekt...
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Notes on the 2017 Vintage – Worst Year Ever?
I traveled and tasted widely for this review of the wines of 2017. I think, in general, the vintage can be summed up as miserable. The wise consumer should give...
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How the other half drinks
Is there a quicker way to get to know someone than by flicking through their music collection or browsing their bookshelves? Both feel like a little glimpse into their soul....
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The 12 wines of Christmas
December has barely begun, but if you’re anything like me 2016 has made you somewhat disinclined to feel much in the way of goodwill to all men, and you’re probably...
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Faith in wine fakes?
Investigative journalism is a dangerous business. Indeed, you could argue that in its purest form it’s often fatal. Find out something that rich and powerful people don’t want you to...
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Ask Sid Heil, Your White Supremacist Sommelier!
As a young boy, Sid Heil decided he wanted to make wine his career. “My Dad taught me that white people had invented wine, and that it was an industry...
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Rioja embraces singularity
The poster in Vivanco’s Museum of Wine Culture said it all. It was first published in 2001, but it looked much older than that. Over 300 Rioja labels were crammed...
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Tips for enoying natural wines at home
You have finally come to the realization that the only wines worth drinking are Natural Wines, but what’s the best way to enjoy those Natural Wines at home? Many people...
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Lost in translation
What fabulous nectar does the following tasting note conjure up? “…notes of tangerine, candied orange, cooked peach, stone fruits and hint of lavender on the back of palate.” A sweet...
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What next for Château Miraval?
You can always rely on the wine trade to show a sense of perspective. As Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie prepare to eviscerate one another in the divorce courts, damaging...
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