Francisco Baettig, of Errazuriz, is a thoughtful, insightful winemaker. Like many Chilean winemakers, he has been thinking quite a bit about how to make his wines fresher and more interesting,…
Bell Hill, one of New Zealand’s finest producers
I just love the wines of Bell Hill, a boutique winery in Waikari, North Canterbury, New Zealand (not far from the Waipara Valley). I visited seven years ago on my…
Thörle Spätbrugunder 2013 Rheinhessen, Germany
I’m a big Pinot Noir fan. I just love it when it is good, and increasingly it’s becoming much easier to find decent Pinot from around the world, and not…
Two lovely volcanic wines from the Cotes d’Auvergne
Cave St Verny make some lovely wines, from the Côtes d’Auvergne, a really interesting but obscure wine region pretty much in the middle of France, which is counted as part…
Vinteloper Odeon Pinot Noir 2012 Adelaide Hills
Dave Bowley, the Vinteloper, came round to dinner. And he bought this: one of the best Australian Pinot Noirs that I have tasted. It’s from a single Vineyard in Lenswood,…
The 2013 Craggy Range Prestige wines: Le Sol, Sophia and Aroha
These are three remarkable wines. Craggy Range are very excited about the 2013 vintage in these two regions, and on tasting these wines it’s easy to show why. ‘In 2013…
Lunch at St John with Dujac, Niero, Barthod and Bereche
Lunch at St John today. A special time with Francis Percival, Dan Keeling and Jeremy Seysses. The company, the wines, the food: all were on sparkling form. I haven’t been…
Storm Pinot Noir ‘Vrede’ 2012, a new star from South Africa
Hannes Storm was, for a decade, winemaker at Hamilton Russell, until he left in 2014 to do his own thing. Well, this is the first chance I’ve had to try…
Les Terres d’Ocre Saint-Pourcain, a delicious Gamay Pinot blend
Located in the Auvergne, Saint-Pourçain actually has more in common with the Maconnais than the Loire, with Chardonnay, Gamay and Pinot Noir the main varieties. (You can read more about…