On Friday night, I had dinner at La Trouvaillle in Blois. By its decor, this doesn’t seem a terribly high-end restaurant, but the food is really good and the wine list adventurous….
In the Loire
This is going to be one of those slightly frustrating, short-on-words, big on pictures posts. It’s just that I am in the Loire, in Blois, not far from Touraine, and…
Port, Beer and Meursault
I’m off to the Loire tomorrow for three days. Today, though, was filled with a mix of activity. After walking the dogs in lovely spring sunshine, I headed off to…
Quinta do Vesuvio 2011, and Capela da Vesuvio 2011
Tonight I’m sampling the remains of two bottles of port from last night’s declaration tasting of the various Symington properties. It’s the pair of wines from Vesuvio, the regular vintage…
The Symington 2011 Ports
So, the headline news on the 2011 vintage Ports from the Symingtons. [I’ll be writing these up in more detail, hopefully this evening.] It’s a very good vintage indeed. Potentially…
A first glimpse of 2011 Vintage Ports
So tonight was spent getting acquantied with the hotly anticipated vintage Ports from 2011, which has just been pretty universally declared. First up, Sandeman, owned by Sogrape, who were showing…
Exploring the language of wine
I’m very interested in the language we use to describe wine. Could it be that our possession of descriptors for wine actually shapes the way that we experience wine? Can…
Video: the International Wine Challenge 2013
A short film to give you a feel for the judging process of the International Wine Challenge, filmed on the last day of tasting at Lord’s yesterday. There’s even a…
Week two at the International Wine Challenge
I have been busy. Very busy. For two weeks each April, I do what most normal people do, and work a 9-5, with a commute. I commuted into London for…