In a field like athletics, the recipe to success is clear: be the best. Being the best is quantifiable. If you run faster, throw harder or jump higher, no one…
Domaine Leflaive’s switch to DIAM
Celebrated Burgundy producer Domaine Leflaive have switched away from natural cork to DIAM for all their wines, beginning with the soon-to-be released 2014 vintage. I was alterted to this news…
Canada versus New Zealand: two top Pinot Noirs from 2011 compared, and a lesson learned
Three nights ago I opened this pair of Pinots, both from the 2011 vintage. They’re wines that I’d cellared. The first is the Te Muna Road Pinot from Craggy Range,…
Terroir: the rumours of its death have been greatly exaggerated
There’s a very interesting article on Jancis Robinson.com today, in which she reports on a recent Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW) seminar on mineralogy. It deals with some very…
Gamay focus 22: Château de Durette Morgon ‘Hommage’ 2014 Beaujolais
The Belgian Beaujolais? This wine is from Château Durette, based in Régnié-Durette. In 2006 this was bought by Belgian Jean Joly. He got together some friends from Liège who purchased…
The remarkable Deconstructed wines of Richard Kershaw, Elgin, South Africa
Richard Kershaw is a British ex-pat and MW who has been making his own wines out of Elgin for a few years now. Previously he was winemaker at Mulderbosch. Richard…
Elgin Ridge, a biodynamic pioneer in South Africa’s Elgin region
Brian and Marion Smith are biodynamic pioneers in the Elgin Valley, with their Elgin Ridge wine estate. I visited them for a look around the vineyards with vineyard manager Taurai…
Inside the Cité du Vin, Bordeaux
The Cité du Vin is a major new tourist attraction in Bordeaux. I visited and spent a couple of hours looking around. Here’s a short film of the visit: It’s…
Tapas crawling in Logroño, Rioja
I’m in Rioja, on a short trip with Vintae, a dynamic wine company looking to make authentic wines across several Spanish wine regions. They’re working with organics, marginal vineyards, forgotten…