So after two white Hermitage wines, we’re heading to Syrah, but sticking with the Hermitage hill. This wine is very interesting. It was a gift from Richard Kelley MW, who’d…
Northern Rhone series 2, Chapoutier Chante Alouette Hermitage Blanc 2007
Continuing my exploration of the Northern Rhone, wine number two is also a white Hermitage. It may seem an odd choice. Shouldn’t I have gone to Syrah? But I want…
Northern Rhone series 1, Cave de Tain Hermitage Blanc Au Coeur des Siecles 2007
I have decided to start a short series of posts on the wines of the northern Rhone, a splendid and unique place for growing wine grapes. Not only is it…
Video: Syrah and Shiraz – northern Rhone and Barossa
Here’s a short film of me tasting two contrasting wines. Both are from the same grape variety, but one is a Syrah (Jean-Luc Columbo Crozes-Hermitage Les Gravieres 2008), the other…
Natural wines with Doug at Brawn
Had a tremendous evening last night with Doug Wregg at Brawn, out in the wilds of E2 (near Bethnal Green and Hoxton). It was my first visit to Brawn, which,…
Video: on the Hermitage hill
Here’s a short film of the wonderful hill of Hermitage: a relatively small appellation of 123 hectares, of which 25 are white grapes (mainly Marsanne), the remainder Syrah. It’s amazing…
Exploring the Hermitage hill
Just back from an amazing mini-trip to the northern Rhone to visit Chapoutier, who are the largest vineyard holders in Hermitage, one of the world’s great wine appellations. Hermitage is…
Fun on the wedding day
We had a great time yesterday at my sister’s place, where a sizeable contingent of family gathered to celebrate the royal wedding. I was initially not intending to watch the…
Tasting the 2009s from the northern and southern Rhone
Yves Cuilleron Great tasting of Rhone 2009 put on by Berry Bros and Rudd in the grand but rather dimly lit surrounds of One Great George Street, in Westminster (this…