Each Christmas The Sampler puts some rather special wines on its sampling machines, and this year is no exception. I popped into the South Kensington shop to try them; Islington…
A quick comparative Pinot Noir tasting (and drinking)
So tonight, I have four Pinot Noirs open. A chance to do some comparative tasting. I love Pinot Noir. It’s such a great grape variety. So, for me, this is…
The fabulous Dow 1963 plus other special wines
Simon Staples of Berry Bros & Rudd is a top bloke. He treated a few of us to a lovely dinner in the boardroom after Thursday night’s screening of red…
Lunch at 28-50 with Philippe Pacalet
Great lunch today. It was at the new 28-50 in Maddox Street, with Philippe Pacalet, who I have met a couple of times before. Also present were Philippe’s wife, Monica,…
An incredible wine lunch at Chez Bruce
Had a remarkable lunch yesterday. It was hosted by Keith Prothero with guest of honour Bertus Basson, star South African restaurateur (Overture at Hidden Valley). It was held at Chez…
A big night out at the chief’s!
Feeling a little tired after a wonderful evening at the chief’s last night. The chief is Harpers editor Richard Siddle, who convened a gathering of chums to eat and drink…
Keith’s remarkable fine wine lunch
A great lunch. One of the best. It was hosted by Keith Prothero at the wonderful La Trompette in Chiswick. Keith (astonishingly generously) provided the wines, which we tasted blind,…
Domaine Parigot Savigny Les Vergelesses, a lovely red Burgundy
Really impressed by this, a stylish red Burgundy that marries sweet fruit beautifully with a refined savoury dimension. This is something Burgundy does really well: non-fruit complexity. Domaine Parigot Savigny-Les-Beaune…
Three lovely wines: Burgundy, Martinborough and Tasmania
It was a beautiful pre-spring day today in London. I was doing some staff wine training for Hakkasan, the brilliant Chinese-inspired restaurant chain with two London outposts. The first session…