I just love this wine. It’s a red from near Toulouse, and specifically the region of Fronton, where the Negrette grape is king. There’s just so much to love about…
The new California: dinner with Kutch and Sandhi
On Monday night I had dinner with two very interesting Californian producers: Rajat Parr of Sandhi Wines, and Jamie Kutch of Kutch wines. It was hosted by Roberson Wine (www.robersonwine.com)…
A brilliant, inexpensive Gamay from the northern Rhone
I was interviewing Oz Clarke and Chris Murphy yesterday for a feature for M&S magazine, and one of the wines we looked at was this, a brilliant inexpensive Gamay from…
Sam Neill’s keynote at Pinot Noir 2013
The second keynote at the recent Pinot Noir 2013 conference was given by actor Sam Neill, who has a vineyard – Two Paddocks – in Central Otago. This was a…
Lunch wines: Dog Point, Boillot, Talbot
Popped into my sister’s for a quick lunch today, picking up our boys who had been staying over while we were at a wedding. Ended up being served three very…
What do you look for in a wine?
I’m curious. What do you look for in a wine? Is it power? Concentration? Complexity? Does it matter if it is natural or not? Must it display a sense of…
A brilliant white Beaujolais
Beaujolais is becoming a very interesting wine region. Most of it is red, of course, but here’s a great white example that offers amazing value for money. Jean-Paul Brun Chardonnay…
Lunch at Caravan, Exmouth Market, with Seresin Pinot, Palacios Priorat and Camden Pale Ale
Had a lunch worth commenting on at Caravan in Exmouth Market yesterday. It’s an airy, informal dining room with a menu that focuses on creative small plates, and a cracking, perfectly…
In Auckland with Kumeu River
The final visit of my New Zealand adventure was at Kumeu River, a family-run estate a short drive from Auckland. This is close to where the New Zealand wine industry began in…