There’s something great about visiting wine regions. On Thursday and Friday I was in Châteauneuf du Pape, in France’s Southern Rhône. It’s an interesting region with four distinctive terroirs, including the…
Tosca in Orange
Just back from a few days staying in Avignon, as guest of Chateauneuf producer Ogier. The reason for the trip was that Ogier are sponsors of the Choregies d’Orange. Last…
A Champagne-filled day
Yesterday was all about Champagne. And not just any Champagne. First, a lunch with Bollinger, focusing on RD (1997, 1996, 1995, 1988, 1976, 1959). Then a one-to-one with Richard Geoffroy,…
A wonderful evening at Terroirs
Spent the evening with Doug Wregg at Terroirs. It’s hard to imagine a better evening of food and wine: authentic, expressive and in good measure. It proved hard to draw…
A couple from Beaujolais
Whatever happened to Beaujolais? It used to be so popular, but over the last few years it’s struggled a bit. It lost its fun. But there are many really good…
The heatwave
For the last few weeks it has been a very un-English summer. Hot, sunny, settled. The normally green English landscape has turned a parched pale yellow. I can’t remember a…
Alsace season, 1: Schlumberger Pinot Gris Kitterle 2006
Alsace. One of the diminishing number of serious wine regions I have yet to visit. But I’m a big fan, even if I tend to forget about the wines from…
No wine tonight, but travel woes
So the world’s worst airline was late tonight. No stupid corny car horn hoot as the plane landed past midnight at Stansted for Ryanair tonight. Problem is, arriving this late…
In Piedmont
So I arrived in Italy courtesy of the world’s worst airline last night at 10 pm. I was staying at a nearby hotel, but it’s proximity really upset the taxi…