In many classic wine-producing countries it used to be normal to visit a winery and buy wine directly from the tank, filling up your own container. This is a good…
Three from Marimar Estate in Sonoma, California
I tried these three wines from Marimar Estate. Marimar is the second generation of the Torres wine dynasty, and sister of Miguel Torres Jr who until recently ran the Torres…
Some interesting bottles: Pico, Filippi, Field Recording, Haut-Bergey, Droin, Goodfellow
Some interesting bottles recently tried: Goodfellow Whistling Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016 Ribbon Ridge, Oregon Planted in 1990, sedimentary soils, 20 months in French oak. Midweight in body with sappy,…
Some current releases from Aussie star producer Penfolds
These are some of the current releases from Penfolds, possibly Australia’s most famous producer. When I first got into wine in the early 1990s, Penfolds was a company I fell…
London restaurants (5): The Ledbury
I’ve eaten out a lot. And this was one of the very best experiences I have had. The Ledbury has two Michelin stars, but I can’t imagine a restaurant being…
Sea Star, wines from the Gulf Islands, British Columbia, Canada
You probably haven’t run into all that many wines from British Columbia’s Gulf Islands. Here’s a producer to look out for, though: Sea Star. They are located on Pender Island,…
Fun in Canada: Calgary, Vancouver and Victoria, for Top Drop
I’ve just been out to Canada to take part in an event called Top Drop, which was held in three cities in the west of the country: Calgary, Vancouver and…
Chablis (9) Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin
Benoît Droin is A fourteenth generation winegrower in Chablis. The fame of the domaine, which is now regarded as one of the very best in the region, is in large…
UK wine: explosive growth in vineyard planting
A press release came out from Wines of Great Britain (WineGB) detailing the latest vineyard planting figures, in advance of English Wine Week, which has just begun. This year (2019) some…