This is really good. It’s 90% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Noir, with 95% of 2014 and 5% reserve wines, and retails at £35 in the UK. Dosage is 10 g/litre. Hambledon…
The Lidl Prosecco giveaway, and why we need Minimum Unit Pricing for booze
Yesterday people queued for hours outside branches of discount supermarket Lidl, all for a six-pack of cheap Prosecco. If you were one of the lucky first 20 or so…
From the road in Austria
My short but lovely trip to Austria is almost over. For the last few days I have, along with a fine group of international media and trade, been taking a…
In Austria: tasting exciting older 1er cru wines from the Österreichischer Traditionsweingüter members
Austria is making some wonderful wines at the moment, and this tasting was a chance to look back at some of the Rieslings from ‘Erste Lagens’ (which translates as ‘Premier…
72 hours in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
I’ve just spent a lovely long weekend in Kuala Lumpur with my Kiwi winemaker friend Natalie Christensen. We’d been looking for a half-way point to meet up, and for both…
Some new release Pinots from Seresin
Biodynamic producer Seresin are one of the most interesting in Marlborough. Winemaker Clive Dougall is thoughtful and produces a range of wines that’s quite distinctive, and not typically Marlborough in…
IPNC: notes on 33 Pinot Noirs from Oregon
The International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC) is held each July in McMinnville, Oregon. This was my third time at this remarkable event, which brings together consumers and trade in a…
Brooks: Pinot Noir and Riesling from this top Oregon estate
Brooks is one of Oregon’s unsung stars. Their 14 000 case production is split among many small lots, with the largest fermentation in the winery occurring in 2.5 ton fermenters….
Nine BA lounge whites, a bit of a mixed bunch, but some surprises
There are quite a few bottles open in the BA lounge (I’m off travelling again…), so I did a tasting. I’m following the example of one of my wine heroes,…