A new discovery for me, courtesy of Roberson. The wines of Eleni and Edouard Vocoret. UK retailer Majestic used to stock the Vocoret Chablis in the early noughties, and they…
The incredible Stolpman Vineyards Combe Trousseau 2014
This wine blew me away today at Sager & Wilde. It’s a varietal Trousseau (aka Bastardo) from the Stolpman Vineyards in Santa Barbara County. The soils here have a feature…
On cycling
I have discovered cycling. Don’t worry: I’m not about to don lycra, spend thousands of pounds on a racing bike, and start posting (boasting?) my Strava stats on social media….
Single critic opinions or panel tastings? Which is the best?
Yesterday Tim Atkin released his South African wine report. It’s created quite a bit of discussion, and it’s also raised once again for me the question of single critics versus…
Ulysse Collin Les Maillons Blanc de Noirs – a sensational Champagne
I was blown away by this rich, distinctive Blanc de Noirs from Ulysse Collin. It’s sensational, and it has a good back story. Olivier Collin’s family had been farming vineyards…
Lunch at Greg with Neal and Gareth, including some nice wines
Lunch at Greg Sherwood’s place (christening his new kitchen!). So it was Sunday, and we were off to Greg Sherwood’s gaff in St Margarets for some food and wine. It…
Napue, a superb Finnish gin
Tried this superb gin in Finland. It’s a small-batch rye gin from the Kyrö Distillery Company in Isokyrö. This was set up by a group of five friends (Miika, Miko, Mikka, Kalle…
Three interesting whites: LAM, Gramona Ovum and Montinore Borealis
We tasted quite a few wines at the Tampere Wine Symposium, and one of the highlights was this flight of three whites. These aren’t expensive wines, but they’re really compelling…
Food and wine pairing at C Restaurant, Tampere, Finland
Had a lovely evening with my Finnish hosts at C Restuarant in Tampere. The restaurant is a collaboration between chef Ilkka Isotalo (below) and ex-sommelier Christina Suominen, and the emphasis is very…