Saturday morning comes to soon. We’re up early to meet with Abe Schoener, who’s taking us to Brooklyn to visit an urban winery that he’s involved with: Red Hook. He…
34 hours in New York, eating and drinking well, part 1
After exploring the Finger Lakes and Long Island wine regions, Christina Rasmussen and I had just a short time in the city of New York before heading back to the…
Some natural wines with the Grape Witches
A few weeks ago I was invited to host a tasting of natural/authentic wine in Toronto with Nicole and Krysta, the Grape Witches. It was for local somms and trade…
Golden Bay: Pupu springs, the source of the Riwaka and the Wainui Falls
I just spent a weekend in Golden Bay, which is part of the Abel Tasman region at the top of New Zealand’s South Island. Here’s a short film of the…
Gamay 41, Jean Foillard Morgon 2015
I have been nervous about the 2015s from Beaujolais. At the time this was hailed as an amazing vintage, but in retrospect it was just a bit too ‘good’: too…
Latest releases from Centre Loire star Pascal Jolivet: Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé
Domaine Pascal Jolivet is one of the most significant producers in the centre Loire, making some impressive wines from the Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé appellations. As a family, the Jolivets entered…
A pruning masterclass: cane-pruning Sauvignon in Marlborough
This morning Mike Eaton kindly took me out to a vineyard he’s working with in the Awatere Valley (Marlborough, New Zealand) to give a quick pruning masterclass. Here’s the film –…
New releases from Black Estate, North Canterbury, New Zealand
I’ve been following the wines of Black Estate for a while now, with interest. They farm organically and make wines in a lo-fi sort of way. This is interesting New…
Y2KX The Mystical Being 2017, a skin-contact Sauvignon from Marlborough
It was good to try this: a really characterful, interesting Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough. It’s from Y2KX Collective, a virtual winery, who are specialising on making interesting wines. Alana Mcgettigan is…