Just been walking the dog on Hounslow heath, when I bumped into Vanessa, who I used to be in a band with at college. We were called ‘Tintagel’, and Trevor,…
Breton La Dilettante and Foillard Côte du Py
Had dinner at Francis and Bronwen Percival’s home in Borough Market tonight, along with coffee expert James Hoffmann. We were discussing the autumn program for the London Gastronomy Seminars, which…
A walk in the country with Wolf (Blass)
The children were off to Thorpe Park (which we refer to when they are not around as chav heaven). For Fiona and I, the calmer, more refined delights of a…
Cricket, football, Pride and fizz
It has been a sport-filled day. This afternoon I played for the wine trade against Hampton Wick. They were a strong side; we were a little weak on the bowling…
A superb South African tasting
Brilliant tasting today at the South African High Commission in Trafalgar Square. It was titled ‘taste the earth’, and the idea was to show wines where there was link between…
Tasting notes on great wines are a bit stupid
I’m going to be brutally honest. Tasting notes on great wines are mostly stupid. There’s this notion that tasting notes by ‘professional’ tasters are a valuable commodity. Something that punters…
The weather breaks
It has been an amazing summer here in the UK. The best I can remember, with perhaps the exception of 2003. Lots of sun, consistently warm temperatures, and almost daily…
Recently on the main wineanorak site
Recently on the main wineanorak site: Sylvain Cathiard: visiting this prestigious Burgundy producer Oak: how barrels shape wines Eben Sadie: one of South Africa’s most interesting winegrowers Semillon and Sauvignon:…
Anyone want to work in a winery?
James Frost, from the lovely Quinta de Sant’Ana in Portugual’s Lisboa region (see my report on a visit here) is looking to hire a temporary worker for vintage. This would…