Good writing is all about narrative, we are told. When you go to a wine region, find the stories, and tell them. It’s good advice. But there’s a danger facing…
Wines of the year (5) South African stars
I’m continuing the theme of wines of the year. This year I tasted a lot of very good South African wines, both on my three visits, and also in London….
Wines of the year (4) some brilliant French wines
Continuing the theme of wines of the year, I’ve picked some of the very best French wines that I tasted in 2016, excluding Champagnes and older wines, which I wrote…
Time to leave the biodynamic calendar behind? Wine tastes the same on fruit and root days
There’s been a lot of talk about the biodynamic calendar in the wine trade. At wine tastings, it’s not unusual for tasters to start muttering that the wines aren’t showing…
Wines of the year (3) Portuguese highlights
I visited Portugal four times last year, and that probably wasn’t enough. It’s such a great country, and the wine scene has never been better. I will be back in…
Wines of the year (2) older vintages
So, continuing with my theme of wines of the year, I have gone through my notes and pulled out the highlights. This post is concentrating on older wines, pre-2000. I’m…
Champagne highlights from 2016, and a resolution for the New Year
It’s new year’s day! It’s normally the time for resolutions, but I’m struggling to think of any. This year I drank quite a bit of Champagne, but there’s room for…