2009 South Ridge Cuvée Merret

If you want to be patriotic this weekend, why not buy a bottle of this excellent English fizz, made from a combination of mostly Chardonnay with 30% Pinot Noir and...

My top ten wine and travel destinations

by Tim Atkin
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....

Sicily: a continent comes of age

by Tim Atkin
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...

Wine, toilet paper and Costco

by Tim Atkin
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...

My top 50 Argentine wines 2012

by Tim Atkin
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...

2010 La Garnacha, Salvaje del Moncayo

This youthful, strikingly packaged Garnacha comes from the Ribera del Quielles region of northern Spain. It’s made from young vines – hence, in part, its juiciness – and it’s a...

Alsace and the meaning of tradition

by Tim Atkin
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,...

2009 Cape Chamonix Pinotage

If you’ve always struggled with the idea that Pinotage is the Cape’s USP, try a glass of this amazing example from Pinot Noir specialist Cape Chamonix in Franschhoek. It’s made...

Redefining fine wine

by Tim Atkin
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...