by Tim Atkin

Time to call in the ombudsman

Gordon Brown’s government may be running out of time as well as ideas, but before it turns its attention to the forthcoming election has it belatedly decided to curb the...

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by Tim Atkin

The Perfect Dozen

If you gave up booze for a month on 1 January, as several of my friends did, you may have reached the point, two weeks later, when you’ve locked away...

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by Tim Atkin

My predictions for 2010

Hands up anyone who can remember a more depressing year than the one that has just ended? I thought so. Even for those of us who are positive, glass half...

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by Tim Atkin

Beyond the Big Six grape varieties

“I love Chablis, but I can’t stand Chardonnay.” “I hate Sancerre, but I adore Sauvignon Blanc.” You used to hear such comments all the time, even from people who claimed...

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by Tim Atkin

Christmas Day chez Atkin

Forget about turkey, stuffing and brandy butter: the Atkin family Christmas will have a Spanish flavour this year. There are two reasons for this, neither related to the London location...

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by Tim Atkin

Best fizz of 2009

With 12 days to go until Christmas, I’d like to propose a yuletide toast to Professor Gérard Liger-Belair of the University of Reims. He it was who proved earlier this...

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by Tim Atkin

Will this end cheap alcohol deals?

It was a neat, if unfortunate coincidence that on the day the Scottish government published its alcohol bill, a small brewery in Fraserburgh released a head banger beer called Tactical...

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by Tim Atkin

King of the hill

A visitor to Angelo Gaja’s winery in Barbaresco fell to his knees on a recent tasting tour and tried to kiss the great man’s hands. “Please get up,” Gaja told...

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by Tim Atkin

Christmas reds and whites

WHITE   2008 Errazuriz Chardonnay, Casablanca Valley (£4.99 each for two, 13.5%, Majestic). Reduced from £7.99, which makes it a stunning deal, this is an easy drinking, peach and citrus...

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by Tim Atkin

First Quench hits the wall

Remember the date. For anyone who works in the booze trade, not least those of you who are employed by First Quench Retailing, October 29th 2009 could turn out to...

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