Fizzy red wines. Not mainstream, I know, but I quite liked these two examples from Italy. They’re being sold by a retailer new to the UK, Tannico. Paltrinieri Lambrusco di…
On pens and writing
I have decided to resurrect my ink pens, which have been a bit neglected of late. Instead, I’ve taken the easy option and used Uni-ball Eye Fine pens, which are…
Wines of the year (1) Instagram favourites
How do you decide which your favourite wines were from the year past? Difficult. One way is to let others decide. I have quite a few instagram followers, and it’s…
Hush Heath Estate Balfour Brut Rosé 2013
I was really impressed by this pink fizz from Hush Heath. It’s really elegant. Hush Heath Estate Balfour Brut 2013 Kent, England 2013 was a late harvest here: Pinot began…
Oh, the places you’ll go! 2016 in review
January: the year began in New Zealand, for a South Island Road trip, followed by the Sauvignon Blanc celebration. We started off in Central Otago, where it was unseasonably cold….
Interesting Argentine wines: Bonarda and Cabernet Franc
This was a chance to taste some interesting examples of Bonarda and Cabernet Franc from Argentina, with winemakers Sebastian Zuccardi, Matias Riccitelli and Edgardo de Popolo. Most Bonarda comes from…
The ill-health of wine writing
It’s not been a great year for wine writing. Several fellow writers have lost their newspaper columns and regular gigs. It has been particularly tough for those who rely solely…
Pedogenic lime in arid vineyard soils – how does it affect the flavour of wine?
When it comes to vineyard soils, limestone is all the rage. But there’s one source of limestone in vineyard soils that isn’t much talked about. It’s the slow formation of…
A quick trip to Argentina, with Doña Paula
So we flew. From Santiago, over the Andes, to Mendoza. The two cities are quite close geographically, but very different. Mendoza, in the far east of Argentina, is mostly desert….