Flew back from Vancouver on Saturday night. The plane in the top left picture above is the ancient BA 747-400 that we were flying on, getting ready for boarding. The…
Gamay focus 25, Julien Sunier Fleurie 2015
This Fleurie is from the ripe 2015 vintage, but Julien Sunier has fashioned a really detailed, relatively fresh wine here, and it’s delicious. Julien Sunier Fleurie 2015 Beaujolais, France 13.5%…
Natural wines from Haywire, Okanagan Valley, Canada
I’ve been impressed by the wines from Haywire in the Okanagan Valley, in Canada’s BC. Based at the Okanagan Crushpad, where their team also makes wine for other people, they…
In Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Coming out to Cornucopia in Whistler gave me a chance to visit Vancouver Island. I’ve not been here before, but I’d heard lots of good things about it. So for…
Gold Medal Plate wines: 17 wines from BC, Canada
This afternoon I was a judge in the Victoria version of Gold Medal Plates here on Vancouver Island. We tasted the following wines, and these are my personal notes. Pipe…
Lunch with Dirk Niepoort at Trinity, Clapham
Last week we had a wonderful lunch at Trinity Restaurant in Clapham Old Town, with Dirk Niepoort and his wines. Trinity is a great place, and Adam Byatt had prepared…
Three prestige Champagnes: Krug, Dom P and Comtes
Tried these three yesterday. They are all really good, and all quite different. The Comtes was the star; the Dom P accessible yet serious; the Krug still tight and youthful,…
Jean-Paul and Benoît Droin Chablis 2015
I was given this blind to taste. Immediately I opted for very serious Chardonnay, and Chablis in quick succession. I wrote my note and scored it. Then I was stunned…
The importance of stories, good and bad
One of the most popular programmes on BBC Radio 4 is Desert Island Discs, which is presented by Kirsty Young. It has been running forever (since 1942), and the idea…