Methode Cap Classique, aka MCC, is the South African designation for quality sparkling wines. I was really taken by this example, from Villiera. It’s made without any added sulfur dioxide,…
A brilliant cheap Gamay from the Ardèche
This is fabulous, and it’s cheap. It’s a £5.49 wine that has more than a hint of seriousness, as well as a lot of fun. Marks & Spencer Vin de…
Amazing meal at the Chiltern Firehouse
So, last night, I had a Great Gastronomic Experience. It was at the newly opened restaurant of the Chiltern Firehouse, the new project by star hotelier André Balazs. Nuno Mendes,…
Guttarolo Primitivo, a remarkable amphora wine from Puglia
I love this wine. It’s a Primitivo, but not as you know it. Cristiano Guttarolo has just 5 hectares of vines, at 400 m altitude, and this remarkable wine is…
Mother’s Milk Shiraz
I do like the First Drop wines with their creative branding. This Barossa Shiraz, called ‘Mother’s Milk’, is really good. It’s properly Barossa, with ripe fruit it’s key signature, but…
Some old pictures, and thoughts on permanence
Today I have been sorting through some old pictures. They’re really old, some as far back as 1970. I’ve changed a lot since then. The wine world has changed a…
Five from Saint-Amour, Beaujolais
Saint-Amour is the most northerly and the second smallest of the Beaujolais crus, and 115 growers farm its 308 hectares. The soils here are a bit different: the region’s granite…
Two lovely Sancerres from Jolivet
Sauvignon Blanc isn’t a boring grape. It is capable of greatness. Here are two lovely Loire Sauvignons from Pascal Jolivet. Jolivet has 70 acres in Sancerre and Pouilly Fume, and…
In Madrid, day 2
I’m on my way home now after an enjoyable couple of days in Madrid. Last night we went out for some fun. We started off in the Mercado de San…