This rather delicious, old-world-styled Turkish red is from Elaziğ in Eastern Anatolia, the birthplace of wine. This is in the south east of the country, not all that far from…
Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels
The London wine bar scene is thriving. On Wednesday evening I paid my first visit to a relative newcomer (almost a year old now), Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels in Seven…
In action: the video from my talk on minerals and terroir in Barcelona
So the video of my talk from the Wine and Culinary Forum (nice review of the forum here from top Canadian wine journo Treve Ring) is finally live and posted…
Do Ferreiro Albariño Cepas Vellas from 200 year old vines
This was a remarkable Albariño, made from a one-hectare plot of vines that’s over 200 years old. It’s made by Gerardo Méndez of Do Ferreiro, who farms 10 hectares, split into…
Does 100 point thinking poison the mind?
I remember when I started getting interested in wine. This was in the early 1990s, before the internet. A friend had a copy of one of the early editions of…
Site-specific Chenin Blanc from Mullineux – Quartz and Schist
As you all know, Chenin Blanc is officially one of the two coolest white grape varieties, along with Riesling. Chenin’s attributes are its good acidity, its structure, its ageability, its…
A brilliant, affordable Syrah from the Ardèche
This is one of the best affordable wines I’ve had in a long time. It’s a Syrah from the Ardèche, and it’s just so brilliantly drinkable. Made by Cave Saint…
How to succeed as a wine writer by writing boring wine articles
Most wine writing in wine magazines is boring and formulaic. What does that tell us? A logical conclusion to draw is that if you want to be a successful published…
In the Ahr Valley, Germany, home to some great Pinot Noir
I’ve spent the last day and a half in the Ahr Valley in northern Germany. It’s my first visit here. This is a small, compact region that’s a tight valley…