It was my first time in Nova Scotia. This is on the Atlantic coast of Canada, and it’s the youngest of Canada’s cool climate wine regions. I was here to…
Notes on the 2016 Cape Winemakers Guild Auction wines
Each year, one of the most anticipated events in the South African calendar is the Cape Winemakers Guild annual auction. Ad it’s coming up next weekend. Special lots of wines…
In the Douro: Niepoort
Next stop on the Douro trip: Niepoort. It was a real pleasure to spend a few days at Quinta do Nápoles with one of my favourite people in the world…
Neudorf Moutere Chardonnay 2015 Nelson, New Zealand
I have a thing for Kiwi Chardonnay. Its day will come. It doesn’t currently get the respect it deserves, but with wines like these from Neudorf, and the stunning wines…
Interesting wines from Bosman Family Vineyards with Corlea Fourie
Corlea Fourie is the winemaker behind Bosman Family Vineyards, based in the Wellington region of South Africa. I caught up with her to taste some interesting new releases, including the…
Domaine des Ormes Saumur 2014: an amazing value Loire red
Occasionally I taste a wine with no idea of where it’s sourced from or how much it costs. This is one of those wines, and when I found out it…
We have the wrong map: how false directions impede our search for happiness
A while ago I posted on happiness, and in the short essay I mentioned that one reason people might be unhappy is that they have false beliefs about how happiness…
In the Douro: Vallado
After visiting Vallado’s property in the Douro Superior earlier in the week, it was time to visit the original Quinta, which is on the border of the Baixo and Cima…
Foot-treading grapes at Quinta de Vargellas, Douro
One of the remarkable things about Port wine is foot treading grapes. For top quality Port, it’s necessary to extract as much as possible from the skins as fast as…