I’m a hypocrite. I go on all the time about how I love balance and elegance; I sing the praises of low alcohol, lightweight reds. And then I come across…
Harvest time at Quinta de Roriz (Video)
Here’s a short film from this year’s harvest at Quinta de Roriz in Portugal’s Douro region. This is where the famous table wine Chryseia is made. It’s a beautiful property….
Beer: Cantillon Gueuze Lambic Bio
This Belgian beer is something special. It’s a Gueuze, which is a blend of lambic beers. These are made by spontaneous fermentations, and are naturally quite sour in taste. Brewery…
Christmas bottles
OK, a round-up of some of the memorable wines we’ve had this holiday. Pictured above: the Man O’War Chardonnay 2009, with its characteristic matchstick reduction adding some Burgundian-style complexity. This…
Christmas fun with some nice wines
Christmas greetings dear readers. I am currently in Gerrards Cross at my sister’s place having a big extended family christmas, so I will be brief. Some nice wines so far….
Mas Amiel Maury 2008
This is a fortified wine from the South of France (Agly Valley, Roussillon), made in a similar way to vintage Port, but from the Grenache Noir variety. It’s a little…
Another cracker from the Southwest of France: Domaine du Merchien JAS
Domaine du Merchien is owned by a Brits David and Sarah Meakin, who moved to the southwest of France (Coteaux de Quercy) to farm and make wine. This wine, JAS,…
Northern Rhone series 19, Ogier Belle Helene 2007
Normally, I’d shy away from a Cote Rotie aged in 100% new oak. But this cuvee from Ogier seems to be able to take it in its stride. It was…
Focus groups for new product development
Big wine brands will typically use focus groups for new product development. In this process they test their new ideas on groups of consumers to check that this is really…