It does not sell Armand de Brignac ‘Ace of Spades’ Champagne, nor does it sponsor the drinks at footballers’ weddings. The Wine Society doesn’t court the ‘glamour’ end of the...
Read MoreWine at the movies
“I like to drink wine more than I used to. Anyway, I’m drinking more.” Marlon Brando, ‘The Godfather’ With his proceeds from ‘The Godfather’ director Francis Ford Coppola bought himself...
Read MoreWhat’s the point of posh tastings?
A friend of mine who’s a barrister calls what I do for a living “the most un-job like job in the world”. It’s a common perception. “Need an unpaid assistant?”...
Read MoreLord Sugar’s nose for fine wine
It’s a rare occurrence, admittedly, but there are times when Lord Sugar, the original East End barrow boy made good, talks a lot of sense. The latest series of The...
Read MoreSicily: a continent comes of age
There’s a spot on the north face of Etna, Sicily’s smouldering, still active volcano, where you can stand in front of the remnants of the last big lava flow, a...
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My top ten wine and travel destinations
THE MOSEL VALLEY (Germany) Why should you visit? To taste the sublime Rieslings – regarded by many experts as the world’s best white grape – and to marvel at thier featherweight balance....
Read MoreWine, toilet paper and Costco
Like many of you, I suspect, I’d never heard of Annette Alvarez-Peters until she appeared on American television recently, chatting about wine, toilet paper and televisions. But suddenly, she’s all...
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My top 50 Argentine wines 2012
These are 50 of my favourite Argentine wines, shown at a tasting in London yesterday and selected from an extensive report to be published next month. To explain the way...
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Alsace and the meaning of tradition
The wine world thrives on novelty: new vintages, new flavours, new producers. In some ways, this is both understandable and necessary. Creating a bit of sizzle around a category that,...
Read MoreShould Bordeaux en primeur take a holiday?
Nothing divides opinions quite like Bordeaux en primeur. If you’ve spent the last few weeks in the Australian outback, without access to a mobile phone or the internet, you might...
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They spelled my name wrong again
Ron Atkin (not Atkins) That great American humourist and songwriter Loudon Wainwright III once wrote an hilarious ditty titled “They Spelled My Name Wrong Again”. At the Croydon concert I...
Read MoreRedefining fine wine
The wine world is often celebrated for its breadth and diversity – all those grape varieties, countries, regions and sub-regions – but there are times when it feels like a...
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