I was watching a program about Irish rock music on BBC 4 the other night. The problem with these compilation shows is that in order to get to the Pogues...
Read More
The smell of silence
When visiting an art gallery, I prefer to wander alone rather than in company. To be left to think, for as long as it takes, in front of any image...
Read More
Bordeaux’s Stonehenge moment
There’s a scene in This is Spinal Tap, Rob Reiner’s spoof rockumentary about an English heavy metal band, that features a live performance of a song called Stonehenge. Keen to...
Read MoreAsk Dr. Pinny! The Simpleton’s Guide to Wine
Wine might be the most difficult beverage on Earth to enjoy properly. Coffee is easy. No matter what coffee “experts” tell you, coffee is all the same. It’s roasted beans,...
Read More
Marlborough: The Fear of France?
If you like Sauvignon Blanc, you’ll love Marlborough in New Zealand. Of its 22,903 hectares of vineyards, 19,639 of them are planted with it. Undoubtedly this feels like an awful...
Read MoreWhat went wrong at Vinopolis?
Is it really 16 years since Vinopolis opened its doors to the public? I can clearly remember the hoopla and sense of anticipation that accompanied the launch of London’s self-styled...
Read MoreThe six people you want to avoid in the wine business
Everyone has advice for whom you should know in the wine business. Article after article on the subject have appeared in online publications. And each one is self-serving crap, a...
Read More
Braver New World
“Sorry I’m late sir. Ignore the bandage, I had an unexpected visit to the hospital to get my ear seen to. Anyway – I understand you’d like me to paint...
Read MoreFarewell, Dave West and Serge Hochar
It’s highly unlikely that Dave West, the former barrow boy who created Eastenders in Calais, and Serge Hochar of Lebanon’s Château Musar ever met. The former didn’t strike me as...
Read More
Who are you calling an alcoholic?
I’m sure you’ve already had your fill of writers telling you that they’re giving up drink for January or that they’re not giving up anything for January because they’re different....
Read MoreWhat not to publish on your wine blog in 2015
Shut up about alcohol levels, for Christ’s sake. You don’t know what you’re talking about. And what ABV (Alcohol By Verisimilitude) is it that you’re referring to, the number listed...
Read More
South Africa – Vote Yes
Sometimes it takes events like the Scottish Referendum to make you realise that however ancient and permanent the old order appears, the status quo could suddenly change. It’s no different...
Read More