Yesterday I was contacted by a brand consultant who is doing some work for a wine merchant. He wanted to pick my brains. The conversation got me thinking about brand…
A brilliant Kiwi sparkling wine from Huia
I recently wrote up the 2004 Huia Blanc de Blancs. Very favourably. The 2005 is the current vintage, and the good news is that this is also exceptional. Huia Blanc…
Pfaffl Hundsleiten, a brilliant Austrian Gruner Veltliner
Grüner Veltliner is one of my favourite white grape varieties. It’s pretty much restricted to Austria, although New Zealand has now started paying attention to this variety, which has a…
Big fat gypsy wedding and the Andre Simon Award
Yesterday was action packed. After travelling into London for a client meeting, it was back home, in time to witness a remarkable spectacle. Have you ever seen the Channel 4…
Dinner at le Mange-Grenouille, Saint Aignan sur Cher
Another nice dinner, this time at le Mange-Grenouille in Saint Aignan. No frogs: just some delicious wines and really impressive food, including a really nice pigeon and one of the…
Dinner at Le Bon Laboureur, with nice Loire wines
I’m in the Loire, with Tim Atkin, Sam Harrop and Annette Scarfe. We’re here to judge Loire Sauvignon, and last night we were joined by some Loire growers for a…
Why most wine blogs fail to thrive
There are lots of wine blogs out there, written by all manner of different people: wine merchants, wine producers, wine writers and, of course, interested amateurs. Most – and even…
Off to the Loire, with a nice Sancerre as preparation
Tomorrow I am off to Tours with a crack team of tasters to judge some Sauvignon Blancs. I beleive that our crew includes Clarke, Metcalfe. Atkin and Harrop, among others….
Castelmaure Corbieres, a fabulous Languedoc red at a good price
Really like this wine. Lots of personality, some elegance, and a haunting perfume – and at a good price, too. It’s from a co-op working in partnership with Jean Jean,…