It’s always nice to find a really good new London restaurant that also takes wine seriously. Neo Bistro, a stone’s throw from Bond Street tube, is an absolute gem. I…
Pet Nat focus (1) Kindeli La Lechuza
I’m beginning a series on Pet Nats! This is an interesting style of wine that’s becoming more popular. Also known as Methode Ancestrale, Pet Nat stands for Pétillant Naturel, and…
Let’s stop hiding behind subjectivity
In the Woody Allen film Midnight in Paris, there’s a wonderful interchange between the hero from the 21st Century, Gil Pender, and Ernest Hemingway, in 1920s Paris. Pender has written…
Hambledon Classic Cuvée Rosé, one of England’s finest
This is really good. It’s 90% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Noir, with 95% of 2014 and 5% reserve wines, and retails at £35 in the UK. Dosage is 10 g/litre. Hambledon…
The Lidl Prosecco giveaway, and why we need Minimum Unit Pricing for booze
Yesterday people queued for hours outside branches of discount supermarket Lidl, all for a six-pack of cheap Prosecco. If you were one of the lucky first 20 or so…
From the road in Austria
My short but lovely trip to Austria is almost over. For the last few days I have, along with a fine group of international media and trade, been taking a…
In Austria: tasting exciting older 1er cru wines from the Österreichischer Traditionsweingüter members
Austria is making some wonderful wines at the moment, and this tasting was a chance to look back at some of the Rieslings from ‘Erste Lagens’ (which translates as ‘Premier…
72 hours in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
I’ve just spent a lovely long weekend in Kuala Lumpur with my Kiwi winemaker friend Natalie Christensen. We’d been looking for a half-way point to meet up, and for both…
Some new release Pinots from Seresin
Biodynamic producer Seresin are one of the most interesting in Marlborough. Winemaker Clive Dougall is thoughtful and produces a range of wines that’s quite distinctive, and not typically Marlborough in…