Some good news. Wine Australia today announced that they are dropping the tasting panel element from export approval. Getting export approval has been a big problem for natural winemakers in Australia,…
A decent, affordable Carignan
£9 used to be quite a lot to spend on a bottle of wine. Now, with duty increases and exchange rates, it really isn’t. I’m not saying that £9 is…
Two Beaujolais, one nice, one thrilling
Two more really good wines from the 2010 vintage in Beaujolais, one of which is thrillingly beautiful. Yvon Métras Beaujolais 2010 12% alcohol. Pale cherry red in colour, this is…
Another great beer: Goose Island IPA
Really enjoying beer at the moment. Here’s another great one, this time from Chicago’s Goose Island. Great to find this in Tesco, and it wasn’t expensive. I wish you could…
Exploring perception at the Champagne assembly
Today was the Champagne Mumm/Perrier Jouet Champagne Assembly, held in the fabulous surroundings of the Marriott Renaissance Hotel at St Pancras. I attended three of the five sessions, and they…
At the Australia Day tasting
Some great wines on show today at the Australia Day tasting in London’s Saatchi gallery. Great venue for wine tasting: lots of natural light, and big airy spaces. Couldn’t have…
Lammershoek’s LAMS – brilliant value from the Swartland
Two wines I shall go out and buy: the red and white LAMs by Swartland start Lammershoek, who since the 2010 vintage have been on fire. These were tasted today…
Mountford Estate Chardonnay 2008, one of the highlights of today’s NZ tasting
Spent a few hours at the New Zealand Wine Growers tasting today in London. It was great to see so many winemakers and punters there, but it did make it…
Lunch at La Trompette with Scali Pinotage
Lunch at La Trompette today, the Nigel Platts-Martin restaurant out in the wilds of Chiswick, west London. It was very good indeed. Starter: smoked haddock and creamed leeks with grain…