Caught a glimpse of this new wine label from D’Arenberg, for a celebratory sparkling wine they are releasing. It’s very funny indeed. (For those who don’t get the joke, see…
Another brilliant Dao wine from Alvaro Castro
I bought this wine last year at a ridiculously cheap price in a sale from online Portuguese wine merchant Castas. It’s my last bottle, and I’m sad that I don’t…
Some of my leading blog posts from the last year
The nature of a blog post is that it is somewhat ephemeral. Most blogs don’t encourage readers to hunt around the archive, even though there are tag clouds and category…
The importance of impartiality
For any wine critic or writer, impartiality is a non-negotiable. And I think that all wine writers realise this. So the real danger is not corruption, or obvious conflicts of…
Greywacke Pinot Noir
Very impressed with this. Kevin Judd is well known for his Sauvignons, but this Pinot Noir is one of a growing band of serious expressions of this grape from New…
Syrah and Pinot Noir, and why I love them
Two wines tonight, shared with friends, which really worked. The first, a northern Rhone Syrah from the Cornas appellation, but bottled as Vin de Pays. It’s the Les Collines de…
What the wine industry can learn from Kodak
Look, I’m no business expert. But as an amateur photographer with a strong affection for Kodak, and particularly the Kodachrome film (deceased for some years), I think there are some…
Highlights from the New Douro tasting
Yesterday’s New Douro tasting was one of the best yet. While the emphasis was on the 2009 vintage, producer’s also brought the odd older wine, which was appreciated. 2009 is…
Dinner at the wonderful Viajante with Dirk Niepoort
Sensational wines. Sensational food. Just what you want on a cold Tuesday night in January. Dirk Niepoort, one of the winegrowers I respect the most, was in town, and he…