On Thursday I had lunch at one of London’s most exciting new wine destinations: Mission E2, the second venue from Sager & Wilde. It’s a beautiful space in a nicely…
Amazed by the 2014 Brancott Sauvignon Blanc, and why you should drink it young
I am quite amazed by how good the 2014 Brancott Sauvignon Blanc is. You’ll probably be amazed by how amazed I was, so from the outset, I’ll answer some questions…
Vidal Fleury Crozes Hermitage 2012
Regulars here will probably know that the northern Rhône is one of my favourite regions, and that I am crazy about cool-climate Syrah. It would be fair to say that…
Charles Smith The Honourable Riesling
I admit it: I hadn’t really heard the Charles Smith story until I read about him on the blog of a Canadian friend, Nicole, even though I’d run into a…
Les Griffons de Pichon Baron 2012, a serious effort
This is a super wine. It’s a new launch from Bordeaux superstar Pichon Baron. Christian Seely describes it thus: ‘It is a second wine, made from grapes from the intermediate…
Iona Chardonnay 2013, a star from Elgin
My South African wine journalist friends have been raving about Elgin Chardonnay for ages. Do you know what? They may just be right. I’ve some good ones of late, including…
Just pick earlier!
I had a remarkable tasting a few weeks ago with Marcelo Papa of Concha y Toro. He did an experiment: picking some of the grapes for Marques de Casa Concha…
Hambledon Classic Cuvee, a brilliant new English sparkling wine
Hambledon Vineyard has history. It was established in 1952, the first of the new era vineyards in the UK. The village of Hambledon is also the cradle of the sport…
Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2014
I’ve tasted this – the new version of the Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc – three times in the last week. I think it’s one of the best ever. I know…