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,…
Vinhão: red Vinho Verde
I love red Vinho Verde. It’s just so distinctive and different. Usually (but not always) it’s made from a single variety, Vinhão. This has a thick skin, and the result…
Debate: what should British Columbia’s identity be as a wine region?
One of the sessions at the Cornucopia Wine Summit was a good old fashioned debate about the future of BC (British Columbia, Canada) wine. What should BC’s identity be as…
The New Douro Tasting 2016
So, today: the New Douro Tasting at the gritty Vinyl Factory in Soho. I went and tasted widely. I’d just been in the Douro with the Douro Boys, so I…
Domaine Leflaive’s switch to DIAM
Celebrated Burgundy producer Domaine Leflaive have switched away from natural cork to DIAM for all their wines, beginning with the soon-to-be released 2014 vintage. I was alterted to this news…
Elgin Ridge, a biodynamic pioneer in South Africa’s Elgin region
Brian and Marion Smith are biodynamic pioneers in the Elgin Valley, with their Elgin Ridge wine estate. I visited them for a look around the vineyards with vineyard manager Taurai…
Viña Tondonia Reserva 2004
This is a lovely wine. Lopez de Heredia is an ultratradtional winery in Rioja, with no concessions made to modernity. I really like their wines, which show lovely complexity, made…
Four days in Bordeaux – some highlights and the 2016 vintage
Just in the airport after four days in Bordeaux. The goal of this trip was to look beyond the established image of the region, to the more hidden side of…
Five reasons why Provence rosé is like Champagne
After having spent a few days in Provence, I’m beginning to think that there are some important parallels between Provence and Champagne. Let me try to explain. First, both are…