Lost in translation
by Matt Walls
What fabulous nectar does the following tasting note conjure up? “…notes of tangerine, candied orange, cooked peach, stone fruits and hint of lavender on the back of palate.” A sweet...
Author: Matt Walls
The Gold Standard
by Matt Walls
On the first day of the Hunter Valley Wine Show, Major Al Lynch, in full military fatigues, explained to the wine judges what was expected of them: “if you are...
Ventoux: wild wild East
by Matt Walls
“Bonjour!” beamed the skinny young monk as he hurried past me down the steep dirt path, his brown habit flapping behind him. It turns out the local monastery had only...
The 2016 London Steak Awards: rare qualities
by Matt Walls
Last week was exhausting. In the course of judging the 2016 Graffigna London Steak Awards I had to visit four of London’s best steak restaurants on four consecutive nights. I...
Some like it cool
by Matt Walls
At the first wine course I ever took the tutor explained that Syrah and Shiraz are actually the same grape but under different names. It felt like an illuminating nugget...
Chapoutier 2015 Sélections Parcellaires: the best vintage since 1990?
by Matt Walls
Every spring, Rhône ringleader Michel Chapoutier comes to London to unveil the new vintage of his top single vineyard wines, the Sélections Parcellaires. It’s a hotly anticipated tasting for a...
In your glass in sixty minutes
by Matt Walls
Whizzing home in my driverless car, I zip past yet another boarded-up wine shop. I suspected this one wouldn’t last much past 2020. You couldn’t sample the wines or buy...
The shock of the new
by Matt Walls
When tasting my way through a large number of unfamiliar wines, there are a few tell-tale signs that I’ve encountered something special. Firstly, an involuntary smile creeps over my face....
The wine trade’s annual health check
by Matt Walls
Every year, after an overindulgent Christmas, the wine trade books an appointment with me for its annual health check. Though most of its vital signs are entirely typical for a...
English wine: too much of a good thing?
by Matt Walls
Sitting in the October sunshine, chewing on the corner of my baguette, I wonder how many others have witnessed this timeless scene: pickers working their way up rows of vines,...
Breathable drinks
by Matt Walls
Like most kids of my generation, I was obsessed with Star Wars. My favourite scene was the Mos Eisley Cantina, where Luke Skywalker meets Han Solo in a violent dive...
Do you want wine with that?
by Matt Walls
I still remember the first time I was offered a glass of wine at the hairdresser’s. I thought this was a great idea until, on picking it up for a...