A few days ago I wrote about a blind tasting of South African Syrah. These are the other Syrahs we tasted blind, alongside the South Africans. There was no logic…
Why are most wine lists so bad? Can anything be done?
Most restaurant wine lists aren’t fit for purpose. They drive me to despair. Look, I’m a wine professional. I know a bit. But in most restaurants, faced with their list…
Dinner at Neolokal, Istanbul
Neolokal is a stunning restaurant. Last night I dined there and had a great experience. It considers itself to be a ‘bridge between the past and the future’, modernising traditions in…
Why wine is a bit like cricket, and both are fabulous
For the last two weeks I have been judging wine at the Oval. It’s one of the most famous cricket grounds in the world, and was home to the first…
Interesting wines tasted blind
Did some blind tasting with friends last night, followed by drinking. Some interesting bottles. Angiolino Maule Masieri 2017 Veneto, Italy This is Garganega from volcanic soil, wild fermented. Very low…
Communicating climate change: the role of the wine industry in changing people’s minds
Facts don’t change people’s minds. It’s really annoying, but it’s true. We like to think that if we marshal enough evidence, that eventually the weight of evidence will prove irresistible…
South African Syrah: blind tasting nine of the best
Chris Groenewald was in town, bringing nine South African Syrahs with him. So a crowd of us gathered over lunch at The Drapers Arms to taste and drink. These are…
Two interesting South Africans: Reyneke Reserve 2012 and Hanneli R 2013
Two very interesting South African wines to report on here. The first is from one of my favourite producers, Reyneke. They are one of just three biodynamic wineries in the…
Two Kiwi Chardonnays: Elephant Hill and Corofin
New Zealand is famous for Sauvignon, famous for Pinot Noir, but not yet famous enough for Chardonnay. Well, at least that’s what I think. It’s a grape variety capable of…