When I was in New Zealand in January, Hannah Burns of Craggy Range and I did an impromptu tasting of Kiwi gins. We tried the gins neat, and then in…
Loire adventure: Clau de Nell, Anjou
There’s an interesting story behind Anjou-based biodynamic winery Clau de Nell, which was the next stop on our Loire tour. Christian Jacques was married to the late Anne Claude Leflaive,…
On the need for recognition and approval
I remember that as a child I loved creating things. I spent hours drawing: pencils, felt-tip pens, and even drawing ink. I also loved sculpting things out of plasticine (famously…
Loire adventure: Vincent Carême, Vouvray
The drive from Montlouis to Vouvray took us past the famous troglodyte residences built into the tufa (soft limestone) cliffs that follow the Cher and Loire rivers. Here, homes and…
Loire adventure: the film
This is a film of our Loire Valley wine adventure. We started with a day in Paris, then we head to Sancerre, before working our way up the Loire to…
Loire adventure: Taille aux Loups, Montois, with Jacky Blot
We finished our appointment at Puzelat and headed to Amboise. It was a beautiful sunny evening, and we were quite excited, because we were staying in a castle right in…
Loire adventure: Clos du Tue Boeuf with Jean-Marie Puzelat
This was quite a visit at Clos du Tue Boeuf. I’ve met Thierry Puzelat before, and I’ve tasted these wines a bit. They are brought into the UK by Les…
Loire adventure: in Sancerre with Joseph Mellot
We drove from Paris for just over two hours to the beautiful town of Sancerre, looking gorgeous in the May sunshine. Our visit here was with Joseph Mellot, a relatively…
Loire adventure: preparing in Paris
Day two of the Loire adventure saw us get ready to head to the Loire by spending a day in Paris. Nicole, Lexi, Krysta and I caught the Eurostar and…