Before the unveiling of my anxiously anticipated scores for 2014 Bordeaux (many of which fall between 90 and 98 points, and have pretty much been randomly assigned), I thought it...
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Bitter believe it
In the UK we can be a bit prejudiced against flavoured wines and spirits. It’s not hard to see why if you look at the current proliferation of ‘aromatised wine-based...
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Burgundy bids farewell to Anne-Claude Leflaive
Anne-Claude Leflaive was sometimes described as one of Burgundy’s “grandes dames” but there was nothing aloof about the woman who ran the most famous white wine domaine in the Côte...
Read MoreThe five essential wine words
Most people are uncomfortable talking about wine. They think they lack the vocabulary to speak about it and, therefore, they sound stupid. They are correct. There is no subject that...
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Punk Rock wines
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...
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The Great South African Syrah Tasting
How good is South African Syrah? There are several people (me included) who believe that it’s the red grape best suited to the Cape’s range of soils and climates, but...
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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...
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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,...
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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...
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