New to the UK, through Daniel Lambert Wines, are these wines from South African golfer Retief Goosen. He has an estate in the Upper Langkloof, a ward in the Klein…
Why Rosé is like Champagne
I am just on my way back from a Champagne tasting, hosted by on-trade specialists Matthew Clark. Running from 4 pm onwards it was titled a ‘social’, rather than a…
Two lovely volcanic wines from the Cotes d’Auvergne
Cave St Verny make some lovely wines, from the Côtes d’Auvergne, a really interesting but obscure wine region pretty much in the middle of France, which is counted as part…
£5.32 per grape berry
Top wines are very expensive these days. It must make it tricky for anyone dealing with the production side: a small mistake could prove costly. You can’t afford to discard…
The Petainer ‘wine on tap’ system for restaurants
Is wine on tap the future for the on-trade? At the London wine fair I had a chance to check out the Petainer Keg wine delivery system, which was being…
Recalling adventures in Niagara, Canada
Sometimes it’s good to look back on a trip from a short distance. A couple of weeks ago I returned home from eight eventful days in Canada’s Niagara region (there…
How not to lose your love for wine
Every now and then I meet someone in the wine trade who has lost their love for wine. [Maybe they never had it, but of all the trades to get…
Judging Chenin Blanc in South Africa
Three days. Seven judges. 145 South African Chenin Blancs. It was the second year of the new look Standard Bank Top 10 Chenin Blanc Challenge, and I had been invited…
Some wine with Ken Forrester
Had dinner with Ken Forrester and tried a few of his wines. Ken is the dude. Ken Forrester Petit Pinotage 2014 Stellenbosch, South Africa So impressed with this: inexpensive and…