Question: which country is the world’s third biggest producer of Pinot Noir? I’d always imagined the top five would be France (Champagne boosts the numbers), the USA, Australia, New Zealand...
Read MorePutting the boot into heavy reds
One of the hardest things in life is to admit that you’ve made a mistake. Whatever we choose to call it – a blunder, a cock up or an error...
Read MoreMy pick of Sainsbury’s 25% off wine deal
Sainsbury’s is offering a 25% discount on six bottles of wine until midnight on 1st November, both online and in store. This includes fine wines, Ports and Champagnes. There is...
Read MoreThe wine list at Zum Schwarzen Kameel
Zum Schwarzen Kameel is a Viennese institution, located in the heart of the historic first district since the early 17th century. Over the years, the Kameel has spawned a deli,...
Read MoreReviewing Platter
Earls Court It was flattering that the team from South Africa’s respected Platter Guide chose to announce their latest 5 Star awards at the Cape Wine Europe tasting in London...
Read MoreWho needs generic wine tastings?
Hands up who watched, let alone attended, any of the party conferences this autumn? Yup, I thought so. You have to be a serious political wonk (or a paid lobbyist...
Read MoreWine dynasties and how to survive them
The comedian John Cleese once published a conversational if surprisingly serious book called "Families and how to survive them". You don’t have to be Sigmund Freud, or a member of...
Read MoreAu revoir, Monsieur Dubosc
It’s hard to imagine the Cave de Plaimont, one of the most forward thinking co-operatives in France, without André Dubosc. He’s been associated with the Gascon operation since 1972, first...
Read MoreCherishing the unpredictability of wine
The jazz singer Nina Simone was a notoriously moody performer. Catch her on a good night and she was sublime; hear her play on a bad one and she was...
Read MoreWine Families and How to Survive Them
The comedian John Cleese once published a conversational if surprisingly serious book called “Families and how to survive them”. You don’t have to be Sigmund Freud, or a member of...
Read MoreBordeaux 2011: first impressions
A tractor on the Garonne It feels as if the 2010 Bordeaux campaign has only just ended, but attention spans are shorter than ankle socks in the Gironde. As the...
Read MoreIndependents’ day with The Dirty Dozen
Dartmouth House, the home of the English Speaking Union, is an unlikely place for a revolutionary gathering. Set in the heart of Mayfair, it feels like a slightly fusty gentleman’s...
Read More