First day in Rioja. Three very different wineries visited. First, Finca Allende: modern, terroir driven, with lovely wines, including the brilliant Calvario, a single-vineyard offering. Good white, too. Aurus, their…
Off to Rioja
Travelling again. Just for a few days. One of the aspects of my ‘job’ (I’m embarrassed to call it that, even though I work very hard) that I most enjoy, is the…
Some gems at Majestic, including a nice Crozes
After a difficult tasting yesterday, a nice afternoon’s tasting at Majestic’s press event today. I liked lots of the wines, many of which I’d be happy to buy. Perhaps my…
At the Tesco press tasting today…
So I was at the Tesco press tasting today. It was held in a new location: floor 31 on Centrepoint, the large concrete tower at the intersection between Tottenham Court…
Almaroja Pirita 2007 from Spain’s wonderful Arribes region
This is an interesting red from the lesser known Spanish region of Arribes, on the international Douro with Portugal sitting over the river. In fact, if you head further into…
Controversialist: judgements of quality in wine
One of the issues about wine that really interests me is this: who gets to decide what is good? This touches on aesthetics, and also definitions of quality, and there…
A brilliant value Garnacha from Navarra
Garnacha, aka Grenache, is a variety that can tend to soupy lushness when it’s grown in warm climates. Here, in Spain’s Navarra, from old vines, it has produced a really…
Visiting Elim, a distinctly cool South African region
The last leg of my South African adventure saw me heading south, to the southernmost tip of Africa itself. The Elim wine region is just 20 km from Agulhas, and…
South Africa, the final day
The last day of my South African trip. How I wish I could have stayed for longer. Last night it was a wine dinner at the home of Dave Johnson…