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…
Senejac, a bargain Christmas Claret
I was really impressed by this pair of Christmas Clarets, currently available for £16.99 from The Co-op. It’s two vintages of Chateau Senejac. I tried the 2009 last year and rated…
Chateau Margaux 1993
‘Gourmet dinner Saturday night?’ enquired brother-in-law Beavington by text. ‘I have something VERY special.’ So, on Saturday night we headed over to my sister’s place for dinner. The special item…
A lovely South African Chardonnay, and a top Champagne
I have been judging wines at Tranche 1 of the International Wine Challenge this week. The idea is, for the first time, to split judging into two sessions: the customary…
Marcel Deiss Engelgarten
I love the wines of Alsace, and one of the leading producers in the region is Marcel Deiss. He takes an interesting approach. For the lesser terroirs, he makes varietal…
A lovely Touraine Sauvignon
On my recent travels to the Loire, I have been lucky enough to bump into Lionel Gosseaume, who is making some superb wines. This Touraine Sauvignon really delivers for the…
Some Rhône treats
Quite a few impressive Rhône wines at yesterday’s Bunch tasting. Here are some I enjoyed a lot. Alain Graillot Crozes Hermitage 2011 Northern Rhône, France Is this Graillot’s best yet?…
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,…
Ceilings for wine quality in Bordeaux
I’ve spent a few days in Bordeaux, during which I’ve had a chance to speak to a few knowledgeable people and also to walk through quite a few vineyards. (And…